ISJL Southern & Jewish 2026: Full Schedule

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8:00am EDT

Breakfast

Monday June 22, 2026 8:00am - 8:45am EDT

Tryon

Monday June 22, 2026 8:00am - 8:45am EDT
Tryon

Meal

8:00am EDT

Registration and Help Desk Open

Monday June 22, 2026 8:00am - 9:15am EDT

Pre-Function Hallway

Monday June 22, 2026 8:00am - 9:15am EDT
Pre-Function Hallway

All Attendees

9:00am EDT

Shacharit (Morning Service)

Monday June 22, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EDT

Tyvola

This pluralistic, musical shacharit (“morning”) service will draw from a variety of Jewish traditions and will include a reading from the sefer Torah. Upbeat, participatory, and open to all – come and sing with us! Full liturgy transliteration provided.

Presenters

Eliana Light

Educator, Musician, and 2025 Covenant Foundation Family Education, The Light Lab

Eliana is working towards a world of One-ness, guided and inspired by Jewish heritage. She focuses on translating liturgy, prayer practice, and g?d-concepts in ways that are deep and accessible for all people at any age. Eliana’s music, gatherings, and teaching reflect a spirit... Read More →

Beth R. Goldstein

Curriculum Manager, ISJL

Beth R. Goldstein, RJE is the Curriculum Manager for the ISJL. She has been a Jewish educator for 18 years working with students and families to support their Jewish growth and exploration. Beth has worked with learners of all ages, created several religious school curricula, developed... Read More →

Carla Friend

Founder & Executive Director, Tkiya Music

Carla Friend is the Founder & Executive Director of Tkiya, an organization with the mission of creating joyful Jewish connection through participatory music experiences. Through Tkiya, Carla reaches 15,000 people per year with her unique methodology of Jewish education and engagement... Read More →

Rabbi Salem Pearce

Director of Sprituality, ISJL

Ordained in 2018 by Hebrew College, Rabbi Pearce's career has exemplified values of justice, compassion, and service to all. Most recently serving as the Executive Director of Carolina Jews for Justice, Rabbi Pearce has also worked for T'ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights, and... Read More →

Monday June 22, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EDT
Tyvola

Tefilah (Services)

10:30am EDT

Help Desk Open

Monday June 22, 2026 10:30am - 10:45am EDT

Pre-Function Hallway

Monday June 22, 2026 10:30am - 10:45am EDT
Pre-Function Hallway

All Attendees

10:45am EDT

How We Talk Matters

Monday June 22, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT

Graham A

In strong, caring communities, difficult conversations are part of leadership. In this interactive session, grounded in the MTEI principle How We Talk Matters, we’ll explore practical tools for listening with empathy, speaking with clarity, and navigating differences with care. Together, we’ll practice skills so that even hard conversations can strengthen relationships and deepen our sense of being b’yachad—all together.

Presenters

Seymour Kopelowitz

Program Director, MTEI

Seymour Kopelowitz is the program director of MTEI at the Mandel Foundation. He has served as a day school principal, Director of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies, and Executive Director of the Jewish Education Center of Cleveland. Seymour has a Ph.D. in educational leadership... Read More →

Deborah Niederman, RJE

Leader of Recruitment, Mandel Teacher Educator Institute

Deborah Niederman, RJE is the Leader of Recruitment for the Mandel Teacher Educator Institute (MTEI) and Director of Education at Temple Shalom in Dallas, TX. With over 30 years in Jewish education, she is passionate about mentoring leaders, fostering innovation, and integrating learning... Read More →

Resource Partners

Mandel Teacher Education Institute

The Mandel Teacher Educator Institute (MTEI) is a two-year professional development program in instructional leadership for Jewish educators across diverse settings. Participants share a common goal: to support teachers in growing as reflective, effective Jewish educators.

Through sustained study, practice, and collaboration, MTEI helps leaders deepen their ability to facilitate professional learning, and strengthen educational environments... Read More →

Monday June 22, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT
Graham A

Learning Block

Audience Clergy, Education Directors, Teachers, Lay Leaders, Community Members, Jewish Professionals

10:45am EDT

Living Legacy is Not an Oxymoron: The Power of Small Congregations

Monday June 22, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT

Graham B

Small congregations have challenges unique to their size, location, demographics, and pool of volunteers and leaders—but many of these challenges are shared, regardless of denomination or location. This highly interactive session will focus on critical sustainability issues facing congregations: leadership succession; expanding the volunteer base; enhancing membership; engagement in synagogue life; drawing in the unaffiliated; and demonstrating the joys of Judaism and the sacredness of Jewish community. While geared towards small communities, participants from larger congregations are also encouraged to attend.

Presenters

Noah Levine

President and CEO, Jewish Community Legacy Project

Noah Levine is President and CEO of Jewish Community Legacy Project, a nonprofit that provides planning assistance exclusively to small congregations throughout the United States and Canada. He is also a non-profit consultant and individual and family philanthropic advisor.

He ret... Read More →

Resource Partners

The Jewish Community Legacy Project

The Jewish Community Legacy Project (JCLP) is the only Jewish organization that works exclusively with small Jewish congregations in the US and Canada. JCLP helps congregations plan so that they can successfully address their current challenges as well as prepare responsibly for the... Read More →

Monday June 22, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT
Graham B

Learning Block

Audience Clergy, Community Members, Cultural Programmers, Education Directors, Jewish Professionals, Lay Leaders, Teachers

10:45am EDT

Mitzvah in the Mud: Disaster Relief as the Ultimate Jewish Engagement

Monday June 22, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT

Noda

Disaster response is more than just boots on the ground; it is a profound expression of Tikkun Olam that bridges the gap between Jewish values and radical action. In this session, discover how NECHAMA - Jewish Response to Disaster, mobilizes volunteers to provide comfort and recovery to communities facing their darkest moments. Drawing on his dual perspectives as a Jewish Army Chaplain and a consultant for NECHAMA, Rabbi Scott Klein will share how we translate ancient ethical mandates into modern-day disaster relief. We will discuss the unique role of Jewish identity in service work and how showing up for our neighbors—regardless of faith—strengthens the fabric of the entire community. Whether you are interested in the logistics of relief or the theology of "showing up," come learn how to turn empathy into impact when the storm passes.

Presenters

Rabbi Scott Klein

Jewish Education and Engagement Consultant, NECHAMA

As the Jewish Army Chaplain at Fort Bragg and the Jewish Education and Engagement Consultant for NECHAMA, Rabbi Scott Klein stands at the intersection of spiritual resilience and communal action. Drawing on years of specialized experience, he provides essential pastoral care and moral... Read More →

Resource Partners

Nechama

NECHAMA: Jewish Response to Disaster is a lean, action-oriented organization that translates the principle of Tikkun Olam into tangible relief for communities reeling from natural catastrophes. Driven by a mission to provide comfort and recovery assistance to all regardless of background... Read More →

Monday June 22, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT
Noda

Learning Block

Audience Clergy, Lay Leaders, Community Members, Jewish Professionals

10:45am EDT

Multigenerational Caretaking: Resilience Through Sharing Stories

Monday June 22, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT

Graham C

Many of us are taking care of children, parents, other family members, or some combination of people we love. Join us to take a look at the challenges of being a Jewish parent (based on the latest BeWell research) and caretaker for others. We’ll learn how storytelling builds resilience and brainstorm ways to support our own wellness.

Presenters

Vickie Shuchart

Communications & Marketing Manager, ISJL

Vickie Shuchart is the Communications & Marketing Manager at the ISJL, where she oversees email, social media, website, and press outreach. A Mobile, Alabama native now based in St. Louis, she'll tell you she wishes the ISJL had existed when she was growing up in the South... Read More →

Beth Lipschutz, MSW

Director of Education & Training, BeWell

Beth Lipschutz is the Director of Education & Training at BeWell, the mental health and wellness initiative of Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) in partnership with the Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies (The Network). She creates and facilitates different mental wellness... Read More →

Resource Partners

Goldring Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life (ISJL)

BeWell

BeWell draws on Jewish wisdom and community, together with evidence-based and clinically-informed practices, to promote wellbeing, decrease stigma, and increase resilience. In partnership with the Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies, BeWell equips and catalyzes the Jewish community... Read More →

Monday June 22, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT
Graham C

Learning Block

Audience Clergy, Community Members, Cultural Programmers, Education Directors, Jewish Professionals, Lay Leaders, Teachers

10:45am EDT

Rabbi Gamliel: Breaking Walls, Opening Doors

Monday June 22, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT

Tyvola

Join us as we come together to learn through one of the most human, unsettling, and hopeful stories in the Talmud: The Tale of Rabbi Gamliel. Together, we will dig into a classic text and use it as a mirror for our own work—asking hard questions about who feels welcome, who is kept at the margins, and what we gain and lose when access is tightly controlled. This session assumes curiosity, not expertise, bringing together an accessible, text-rooted conversation that connects ancient debate to lived communal reality. Expect thoughtful learning, honest reflection, and practical insight for anyone committed to building vibrant, inclusive Jewish life.

Presenters

Rabba Rori Picker Neiss

Senior VP & Rabbi in Residence, Jewish Council for Public Affairs

Rabba Rori Picker Neiss serves as the Senior Vice President and Rabbi in Residence at the Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA). Prior to that she was Executive Director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis, an organization committed to a vibrant and secure Jewish... Read More →

Monday June 22, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT
Tyvola

Learning Block

Audience Clergy, Community Members, Cultural Programmers, Education Directors, Jewish Professionals, Lay Leaders, Teachers

10:45am EDT

The Belonging Blueprint

Monday June 22, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT

Midwood

What makes people feel like they belong—and what quietly pushes them away? Let’s use data to go beyond the buzzword of “belonging” and determine what helps people connect, engage, and stay involved. Blending research with real-life experience, we’ll explore key ingredients to shape environments where people know they are essential within a group. Participants will gain practical strategies to create spaces in their local communities where people of all ages don’t just show up—but feel truly vital to communal Jewish life.

Presenters

Rabbi Julie Zupan

URJ

Rabbi Julie Zupan (pronouns: she/her) serves on the staff of the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ), where she leads initiatives that create meaningful and accessible pathways for individuals to explore Judaism and engage with Jewish community. Her work is grounded in a commitment to... Read More →

Resource Partners

Union for Reform Judaism

The Union for Reform Judaism provides vision and voice to build vibrant and creative communities that, together, transform the way people connect to Judaism and change the world. Our legacy, reach, leadership, and vision ensure we can unite thousands of years of tradition with modern... Read More →

Monday June 22, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT
Midwood

Learning Block

Audience Clergy, Community Members, Cultural Programmers, Education Directors, Jewish Professionals, Lay Leaders, Teachers

11:45am EDT

Break and Snack

Monday June 22, 2026 11:45am - 12:15pm EDT

Pre-Function Hallway

Monday June 22, 2026 11:45am - 12:15pm EDT
Pre-Function Hallway

All Attendees

11:45am EDT

Help Desk Open

Monday June 22, 2026 11:45am - 12:15pm EDT

Pre-Function Hallway

Monday June 22, 2026 11:45am - 12:15pm EDT
Pre-Function Hallway

All Attendees

11:45am EDT

Lightbulb Lab Open

Monday June 22, 2026 11:45am - 12:15pm EDT

Dilworth

Have an idea you want to discuss with others? Want to play with some arts and crafts to get your creative juices flowing? Need a place to just relax and talk? Stop by the Lightbulb Lab and find, share, or reflect on all the illuminating inspiration all around you…

Monday June 22, 2026 11:45am - 12:15pm EDT
Dilworth

Resource Fair and Lightbulb Lab

11:45am EDT

Resource Fair

Monday June 22, 2026 11:45am - 12:15pm EDT

Pre-Function Hallway

Stop by our wonderful resource partners’ booths and hear about their exciting programs and organizations. Connect with Jewish professionals from all over and learn more about a variety of programs and resources available to you and your community!

Monday June 22, 2026 11:45am - 12:15pm EDT
Pre-Function Hallway

Resource Fair and Lightbulb Lab

12:15pm EDT

Lunch

Monday June 22, 2026 12:15pm - 1:20pm EDT

Tryon

Monday June 22, 2026 12:15pm - 1:20pm EDT
Tryon

Meal

1:30pm EDT

Death Over Donuts: Jewish Edition

Monday June 22, 2026 1:30pm - 3:45pm EDT

Midwood

Talking about death not only better prepares us to approach life’s most challenging moments, but also helps us articulate and affirm who we are and what we ultimately care about. Created by rabbis, theologians, wellness, and palliative care experts, Death Over Dinner (or Donuts): Jewish Edition provides a unique lens through which to build and strengthen our personal beliefs about life and death. Join this brave, healing space to talk about how we choose to live our lives, recognizing that they are finite. This structured conversation will be facilitated in small groups with plenty of opportunity for reflection and conversation. We’ll also provide an overview of how to lead such conversations yourself, along with the tools needed for you to host a future gathering of your own.

Presenters

Rabbi Melanie Levav

Executive Director, Shomer Collective

Rabbi Melanie Levav is passionate about helping to improve end-of-life care and conversations and brings this commitment to Shomer Collective as the Executive Director. Prior to Shomer Collective, Rabbi Levav served as the Director of PJ Library in New York, a program of the Harold... Read More →

Resource Partners

Shomer Collective

Shomer Collective leverages Jewish wisdom to transform communal culture around death and dying, fostering proactive planning and robust support systems for end-of-life moments.We envision a world where end-of-life matters are spoken about openly, thoughtfully, and frequently, creating... Read More →

Monday June 22, 2026 1:30pm - 3:45pm EDT
Midwood

Learning Block, A Deep Dive B'yachad

Audience Clergy, Community Members, Cultural Programmers, Education Directors, Jewish Professionals, Lay Leaders, Teachers

1:30pm EDT

Facilitating Challenging Conversations in Jewish and Not-So-Jewish Spaces

Monday June 22, 2026 1:30pm - 3:45pm EDT

Tyvola

This session is designed to provide participants with an introduction to a set of core facilitation skills, empowering those working in Jewish spaces and with inter-religious groups to engage more effectively as conveners and conversation guides. The session offers practical applications and techniques which can be applied across virtual and in-person contexts—from board and staff meetings, to classrooms, to larger community dialogues with a range of stakeholders. The techniques offered are not exclusive to application in Jewish spaces; however when possible, a Jewish lens is applied.

Presenters

Dr. Liora Norwich

Director, Hornstein Program for Jewish Professional Leadership

With two decades of nonprofit experience, Dr. Liora Norwich is the Director of the Hornstein Jewish Professional Leadership Program at Brandeis University. Previously she spent five years as the Executive Director of the Network for Social Justice, a nonprofit based in Winchester... Read More →

Resource Partners

Hornstein Program for Jewish Professional Leadership

The Hornstein Program for Jewish Professional Leadership was founded in 1969 as the world’s first professional program for Jewish communal leaders. Hornstein's mission is to support the development of Jewish leaders who are forward-thinking, deeply compassionate, can understand... Read More →

Monday June 22, 2026 1:30pm - 3:45pm EDT
Tyvola

Learning Block, A Deep Dive B'yachad

Audience Clergy, Education Directors, Lay Leaders, Teachers, Jewish Professionals, Community Members

1:30pm EDT

Nurturing B'yachad in a Small Community

Monday June 22, 2026 1:30pm - 3:45pm EDT

Graham B

Hear stories of small communities that create a sense of togetherness where everyone matters. Share your own stories. Learn about proven paths to nurturing connection in your home community. We will workshop practical ideas that you can bring back home to try. This will involve design thinking, network mapping, and other processes designed to elevate your natural creativity. And, of course, we will have lots of fun as we imagine, explore, and create together.

Presenters

Dr. Bill Robinson

Director, National Leadership Initiatives, Center for Small Town Jewish Life

Bill Robinson is a recognized scholar-practitioner with over 30 years of experience building impactful nonprofit organizations and writing about the future of Jewish life and learning in America. Bill has studied and worked with professionals and lay leaders across all denominations... Read More →

Resource Partners

Center for Small Town Jewish Life

The Center for Small Town Jewish Life at Colby College cultivates locally rooted, socially equitable learning communities steeped in the Jewish tradition and intertwined with the broader Jewish world. We bring this vision to life in Maine, and we empower professional and lay leaders... Read More →

Monday June 22, 2026 1:30pm - 3:45pm EDT
Graham B

Learning Block, A Deep Dive B'yachad

Audience Clergy, Community Members, Cultural Programmers, Education Directors, Jewish Professionals, Lay Leaders, Teachers

1:30pm EDT

Rethinking Hebrew

Monday June 22, 2026 1:30pm - 3:45pm EDT

Graham A

Chances are that your religious school is struggling with one or more of the following challenges: less Hebrew learning time, more student absences, a shortage of local Hebrew teachers, mixed grade level classes, concerns that pre-B'Mitzvah students aren't ready. If one or more of these are true for you, don't miss this workshop! Onward Hebrew offers successful research-backed approaches to Hebrew education that are well worth considering. Join us to learn about these innovations your congregation could adopt (or adapt!) that address today’s most common Hebrew learning challenges. You will also take home easy-to-implement (and teacher-tested) teaching strategies that are proven to improve students’ Hebrew reading/decoding skills.

Presenters

Nachama Moskowitz

Director, Onward Hebrew

Nachama Skolnik Moskowitz is the director of #OnwardHebrew, a national Hebrew learning initiative that is building student competence, confidence, and excitement in synagogue/part-time settings. Previously, she served as Director of Curriculum Resources for the Jewish Education Center... Read More →

Resource Partners

Onward Hebrew

Onward Hebrew is on a mission to improve Hebrew teaching and learning in part-time/synagogue settings. It has flipped the traditional teaching model by honoring how children learn languages - sounds first (hearing language) and then decoding/reading (print) using research-based teaching... Read More →

Monday June 22, 2026 1:30pm - 3:45pm EDT
Graham A

Learning Block, A Deep Dive B'yachad

Audience Clergy, Education Directors, Lay Leaders, Teachers

1:30pm EDT

Shalom Y'all in Focus: A Contemporary Lens on Southern Jewish Snapshots

Monday June 22, 2026 1:30pm - 3:45pm EDT

Graham C

Whether it is at summer camp, the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience, or in our coffee table books, southern Jews recognize the iconic images from the Shalom Y’all collection. Join the ISJL Culture division as we revisit this defining series, now several decades later. Award-winning photographer, Bill Aron, and curator, Vicki Reikes Fox, will join us via Zoom to discuss the original project, and then we'll reflect on the evolution of the southern Jewish landscape and consider what snapshots of life we might add or recreate today. You can expect to walk away from this engaging double session with fresh programming ideas and resources for exploring southern Jewish identity through image.

Presenters

Shira Muroff

Director of Programs, ISJL

Shira Muroff is the ISJL's Director of Programs. She is a California native and a graduate of the University of California, Davis, with a degree in Human Development. A Jacksonian since 2016, Shira first joined the ISJL as an Education Fellow from 2016-2018. After the fellowship... Read More →

Ana Berman

Programs & Education Coordinator, ISJL

Ana Berman is the ISJL's Programs & Education Coordinator. Originally from New York, she graduated from Macalester College with a degree in History and Religious Studies. Ana joined the ISJL in 2023 as a public history intern and then as the 2023-2024 Education and Culture Program... Read More →

Resource Partners

Goldring Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life (ISJL)

Monday June 22, 2026 1:30pm - 3:45pm EDT
Graham C

Learning Block, A Deep Dive B'yachad

Audience Clergy, Community Members, Cultural Programmers, Education Directors, Jewish Professionals, Lay Leaders, Teachers

1:30pm EDT

The Real Tea: Talmud for Tumultuous Times

Monday June 22, 2026 1:30pm - 3:45pm EDT

Noda

In a fractured world, how do we build a community big enough for all of us? Join SVARA: A Traditionally Radical Yeshiva for an immersive dive into the "Real Tea" of the Talmud.

We’ll explore the famous sugya (Talmudic discussion) of the stolen beam—a story about a house built on a dishonest foundation and the heated debate over what "justice" looks like when the truth is messy. Using the SVARA method, we’ll unpack how our Sages navigated deep disagreement as a feature of a resilient community. In the spirit of b’yachad (togetherness), we’ll discover that true togetherness isn’t about total agreement; it’s about the radical act of staying at the table. Activate your svara (moral intuition) and uncover how ancient wisdom helps us hold the tension of our own tumultuous times. To learn with SVARA, all you need is your Hebrew alef-bet; if you can recognize the letters, you can learn Talmud in the original.

This session is open to all, however, some knowledge of the Hebrew alef-bet is needed

Participants are asked to please bring a laptop or iPad with them to this session.

Presenters

Rabbi/Cantor Bronwen Mullin

SVARA

Rabbi/Cantor Bronwen Mullin (she/her) is a national faculty member of SVARA: a traditionally radical yeshiva. She is also the co-founder of The Rabbinic Arts Company with Rabbi Nicole Fix and serves as the cantor of Congregation Beth Shalom in Wilmington, Delaware. Rabbinic Ordination... Read More →

Kendra Watkins

Faculty Fellow, SVARA

Kendra Watkins is entering their final year of Rabbinical School at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College and is a Faculty Fellow at SVARA: A Traditionally Radical Yeshiva. They are a learner, teacher and pray-er inspired by what is possible when we bring our whole selves to Jewish... Read More →

Resource Partners

Svara

SVARA is a traditionally radical yeshiva building a community of people who believe that the future needs them. By centering queer, trans, disabled, and otherwise marginalized voices, SVARA is creating a Jewish future where tradition serves as a tool for radical change and communal... Read More →

Monday June 22, 2026 1:30pm - 3:45pm EDT
Noda

Learning Block, A Deep Dive B'yachad

Audience Clergy, Community Members, Cultural Programmers, Education Directors, Jewish Professionals, Lay Leaders, Teachers

3:45pm EDT

Break and Snack

Monday June 22, 2026 3:45pm - 4:15pm EDT

Pre-Function Hallway

Monday June 22, 2026 3:45pm - 4:15pm EDT
Pre-Function Hallway

All Attendees

3:45pm EDT

Help Desk Open

Monday June 22, 2026 3:45pm - 4:15pm EDT

Pre-Function Hallway

Monday June 22, 2026 3:45pm - 4:15pm EDT
Pre-Function Hallway

All Attendees

3:45pm EDT

Lightbulb Lab Open

Monday June 22, 2026 3:45pm - 4:15pm EDT

Dilworth

Monday June 22, 2026 3:45pm - 4:15pm EDT
Dilworth

Resource Fair and Lightbulb Lab

3:45pm EDT

Resource Fair and Snack

Monday June 22, 2026 3:45pm - 4:15pm EDT

Pre-Function Hallway

Monday June 22, 2026 3:45pm - 4:15pm EDT
Pre-Function Hallway

Resource Fair and Lightbulb Lab

3:50pm EDT

Mincha (Afternoon Prayer)

Monday June 22, 2026 3:50pm - 4:15pm EDT

Graham B

We’ll gather for afternoon prayers, with the opportunity for Mourners’ Kaddish. Full liturgy transliteration provided.

Presenters

Rabbi Salem Pearce

Director of Sprituality, ISJL

Resource Partners

Goldring Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life (ISJL)

Monday June 22, 2026 3:50pm - 4:15pm EDT
Graham B

Tefilah (Services)

4:15pm EDT

Addressing Antisemitism: Supporting our Students, Listening to our Communities

Monday June 22, 2026 4:15pm - 5:15pm EDT

Graham B

Antisemitism is impacting our communities in deeply personal ways. This session is a space to listen to one another’s experiences, challenges, and questions. What are you seeing in your community? How are your students encountering antisemitism? What feels hard right now?

Grounded in learning from Molly Levy’s experience in the Spertus Institute’s Certificate in Combating Antisemitism, we’ll reflect on how we talk with young people about antisemitism and support them as they enter spaces like college campuses. Andy Harkavy will share insights on Jewish life on campus and how we can help teens feel comfortable being openly, joyfully Jewish.

This is also a chance for ISJL to hear directly from you so we can better support you and your students. Come ready to share, listen, and be in community.

Presenters

Andy Harkavy

Director of Hillel & Jewish Life, Queens University of Charlotte

Andy Harkavy serves as the Director of Hillel & Jewish Life at Queens University of Charlotte, a role he began in August 2024, where he works to build a vibrant, welcoming, and meaningful Jewish community on campus. He supports students in exploring their Jewish identities, developing... Read More →

Molly Levy

Director of Education, ISJL

Molly Levy is the Director of Education for the Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life (ISJL). She's excited to be leading the ISJL team into its next evolution. Molly's institutional and communal roots are deep; she was an ISJL Education Fellow from 2009-2011, and... Read More →

Resource Partners

Goldring Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life (ISJL)

Monday June 22, 2026 4:15pm - 5:15pm EDT
Graham B

Learning Block

Audience Clergy, Community Members, Cultural Programmers, Education Directors, Jewish Professionals, Lay Leaders, Teachers

4:15pm EDT

CreativiTEENs: Art as a Tool in Teen Education

Monday June 22, 2026 4:15pm - 5:15pm EDT

Graham C

Art is for everyone: the in-the-margins doodler, the legacy quilter, the fine painter, and YOU! Shed the anxieties about being a perfect artist and instead learn how to plan an art-based program for teens that provides them with agency, space to be creative, tangible skills, and meaningful connections to Jewish content. Discuss the values of process and product, how to build a supply list that doesn’t break the budget, and low-cost, high-impact project ideas that will add dimension to your Judaic learning for middle and high schoolers. Participants will see these principles in action with a doable craft they can take home.

Presenters

Rachel Glazer, M.A.Ed.

Assistant Director of Youth Education & Engagement, Temple Beth El

Rachel Glazer (she/her) is the Assistant Director of Youth Education and Engagement at Temple Beth El in Charlotte, NC, supporting a Religious School of 345 students, 40 teachers, and 60 madrichim (teen helpers). Rachel has worked with all age groups to build curiosity, creativity... Read More →

Monday June 22, 2026 4:15pm - 5:15pm EDT
Graham C

Learning Block

Audience Clergy, Community Members, Education Directors, Jewish Professionals, Lay Leaders, Teachers

4:15pm EDT

New Tools for a New Moment: Reimagining Israel Education

Monday June 22, 2026 4:15pm - 5:15pm EDT

Graham A

Israel shows up in our communities in complicated ways: as love, longing, discomfort, pride, grief, questions, and conflict. In this interactive workshop, we will engage with new findings from Reimagining Israel Education, a groundbreaking initiative led by The Jewish Education Project with the support of The Jim Joseph Foundation and Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies. We will explore what Israel education can look like when it is designed for today’s realities in congregational life, including diverse relationships to Israel, big questions, and a deep desire for belonging and meaning.

Participants will:

Explore fresh approaches to Israel education that can work in your setting.
Share challenges and bright spots with colleagues and leave with ideas you can adapt right away.
Engage with new resources to enhance your approach to Israel education.
Come for honest conversation; leave with practical next steps for your community.

Presenters

Rabbi Dena Klein

Chief Jewish Education Officer, Jewish Education Project

Rabbi Dena Klein is the Chief Jewish Education Officer at The Jewish Education Project, assisting educators in creating ground-breaking approaches to offer relevant, meaningful Jewish learning. Rabbi Klein is a sought-after change consultant for congregations and other institutions... Read More →

Resource Partners

Jewish Education Project

The Jewish Education Project is a leading national destination for educators across disciplines and denominations, Jewish and secular spaces, seeking best-in-class professional development and resources, with a mission to empower them to create transformative Jewish experiences. Positioned... Read More →

Monday June 22, 2026 4:15pm - 5:15pm EDT
Graham A

Learning Block

Audience Clergy, Community Members, Cultural Programmers, Education Directors, Jewish Professionals, Lay Leaders, Teachers

4:15pm EDT

Softening the Heart: How Prayer Inspires Action

Monday June 22, 2026 4:15pm - 5:15pm EDT

Noda

Rav Avraham Yitzchak Kook taught that t’fillah (prayer) is the bridge between Torah and action because it “softens the heart.” What does this mean, and how can we do it? Let’s experience some t’fillah together, with this intention in mind! We’ll explore the choices in space, song, language, and leadership that make prayer more powerful. Using the tools of mindfulness, good gathering, and our own sacred heritage, we’ll make our t’fillah a powerful, meaningful, and accessible bridge from knowing to doing.

Presenters

Eliana Light

Educator, Musician, and 2025 Covenant Foundation Family Education, The Light Lab

Monday June 22, 2026 4:15pm - 5:15pm EDT
Noda

Learning Block

Audience Clergy, Lay Leaders, Community Members

4:15pm EDT

Tell Me a Story!

Monday June 22, 2026 4:15pm - 5:15pm EDT

Midwood

A skilled teller and teacher, Marilyn Price will help you tell incredible stories to all audiences, of all ages, in your own way and with your own style. In this session, Marilyn will give beginner storytellers some basic skills, ideas, and a heap of encouragement as they start their storytelling journeys. Marilyn’s approach can also help experienced storytellers level up their abilities. Your words are important, and with Marilyn’s help, the way you share them can be magical and memorable.

Presenters

Marilyn Price

TriBraining, Inc.

Marilyn Price, is a principal of TriBraining, Inc. and a professional storyteller/puppeteer , President of Marilyn Price Puppets, and author with an internationally recognized reputation for her work in secular and Jewish organizations. For over 50 years, she has shared her knowledge... Read More →

Monday June 22, 2026 4:15pm - 5:15pm EDT
Midwood

Learning Block

Audience Clergy, Community Members, Cultural Programmers, Education Directors, Jewish Professionals, Lay Leaders, Teachers

4:15pm EDT

The Art of Gathering Jewishly: Building and Sustaining Grassroots Community Groups in the South

Monday June 22, 2026 4:15pm - 5:15pm EDT

Tyvola

So much of our work in Jewish communal life involves hosting events and gatherings—but how do we do that in a way that feels natural, welcomes all aspects of peoples' identities, and lasts beyond when the chairs are stacked and the trash is taken out? Informed by our decades of work building queer and Jewish communities in the South, SOJOURN will host an interactive workshop all about the art of hosting big-tent events in service of building meaningful community.

Presenters

Rose Kantorczyk

Communications and Legislative Affairs Coordinator, SOJOURN

Rose Kantorczyk (they/them) is the Communications and Legislative Affairs Coordinator at SOJOURN: the Southern Jewish Resource Network for Gender & Sexual Diversity. In this role, they spread the word about SOJOURN's programs, partnerships, and resources, mobilize Southern Jewish... Read More →

McKenzie Wren

Chief Engagement Officer, Sojourn & Ma'ayan Spiritual Arts

McKenzie Wren is a facilitator who works in multiple arenas to support connection and growth. As Ma’ayan Spiritual Arts, she uses earth-based, embodied art, ritual and spiritual practices to support deeper connection to the Divine Mystery through a Jewish lens. She is the Special... Read More →

Resource Partners

SOJOURN

Born and raised at the intersection of LGBTQ+, Jewish, and Southern communities, SOJOURN is a premier resource for education, outreach, and advocacy. SOJOURN’s mission is to advance and celebrate gender and sexual diversity across the South.

Monday June 22, 2026 4:15pm - 5:15pm EDT
Tyvola

Learning Block

Audience Clergy, Lay Leaders, Community Members, Jewish Professionals, Cultural Programmers

5:30pm EDT

Local and Global: Exploring the Southern Jewish Experience Through the Carolinas

Monday June 22, 2026 5:30pm - 6:30pm EDT

Tyvola

For the first time ever, the ISJL’s annual conference is taking place outside of Mississippi, our longtime home in the heart of the Deep South. To help explore our new location, the ISJL Culture division welcomes North Carolina-based historians Dr. Leonard Rogoff, Dr. Marcie Cohen Ferris, and Mimi Wooten for a panel discussion on how Jewish histories of the Carolinas reinforce and challenge enduring notions of the southern Jewish experience. Participants will gain new insights into the ever-evolving role of race, religion, and region in southern Jewish stories from colonial-era Charleston to the present-day Research Triangle.

Presenters

Shira Muroff

Director of Programs, ISJL

Ana Berman

Programs & Education Coordinator, ISJL

Leonard W. Rogoff

President and Historian, Jewish Heritage North Carolina

Leonard Rogoff holds a doctorate from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Former president of the Southern Jewish Historical Society and recipient of its Lifetime Achievement Award, he is currently historian and president of Jewish Heritage North Carolina. He is a frequent... Read More →

Dr. Marcie Cohen Ferris

Emeritus Professor, UNC Chapel Hill

Marcie Cohen Ferris is an emeritus professor in the Department of American Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Director of UNC’s Center for the Study of the American South where she is a faculty editor for , a quarterly journal of the history and... Read More →

Mimi Wooten

Mimi Wooten is a Ph.D. candidate in the department of History at the University of Michigan and a Todd M. Endelman Fellow at the Frankel Center for Judaic Studies. Her dissertation is a microhistory of the Ottoman Sephardi migrants who settled in Atlanta, Georgia and Montgomery, Alabama... Read More →

Resource Partners

Goldring Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life (ISJL)

Monday June 22, 2026 5:30pm - 6:30pm EDT
Tyvola

All Attendees

Audience Clergy, Community Members, Cultural Programmers, Education Directors, Jewish Professionals, Lay Leaders, Teachers

6:45pm EDT

Dinner

Monday June 22, 2026 6:45pm - 7:45pm EDT

Tryon

Monday June 22, 2026 6:45pm - 7:45pm EDT
Tryon

Meal

7:55pm EDT

Concert with Eliana Light

Monday June 22, 2026 7:55pm - 9:15pm EDT

Tyvola

Join us for an evening of music with featured artist Eliana Light. Eliana's thoughtful, playful, original music is meant to help us learn, feel, sing, and connect with each other.

Presenters

Eliana Light

Educator, Musician, and 2025 Covenant Foundation Family Education, The Light Lab

Monday June 22, 2026 7:55pm - 9:15pm EDT
Tyvola

All Attendees

9:30pm EDT

Ma'ariv (Evening Prayer)

Monday June 22, 2026 9:30pm - 10:00pm EDT

Graham C

We’ll gather for evening prayers, with the opportunity for Mourners’ Kaddish. Full liturgy transliteration provided.

Presenters

Rabbi Salem Pearce

Director of Sprituality, ISJL

Resource Partners

Goldring Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life (ISJL)

Monday June 22, 2026 9:30pm - 10:00pm EDT
Graham C

Tefilah (Services)

8:00am EDT

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5:30pm EDT

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7:55pm EDT

9:30pm EDT

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