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Free workshops to help educators cope

BY DEBORAH MOON
Stress of life under Covid has hit educators, along with health- PAJE Presents: Taking Care of You
care workers, harder than many other professions. Portland Area Portland Area Jewish Educators presents a two-part series to
Jewish Educators will present two virtual workshops designed to help educators deal with the ongoing stress of the pandemic.
help teachers cope (see box). Hakarot Hatov: Judaism, Gratitude and You
Last June, a national study found more than three in four public Jan. 27, 7 pm, on Zoom; Free

school teachers had frequent job-related stress compared to 40% Presented by Blue Dove Foundation
of other working adults. The study also found 27% of teachers re- In this workshop, we will meet at the intersection of gratitude
ported symptoms of depression compared to 10% of other adults. and Jewish spirituality.
“We know what a challenging year this has been for educators Stressed Out, Exhausted and Overwhelmed?
across the community, in some ways more so than last year,” says March 3, 7 pm, on Zoom; Free
Rachel Nelson, who staffs PAJE as part of her role as Director Presenters: Rabbi Barry Cohen and Dinah Gilburd, LCSW
of Educational Initiatives and Associate Director of Community In partnership with Jewish Family & Child Service.
Relations at the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland. A workshop designed to support educators with how to coun-
“PAJE hopes to provide resources and opportunities for folks to teract the harmful effects of stress in our daily lives.
come together to learn and process as a community,” says Nelson. Register for free programs: jewishportland.org/ourcommunity/
“We hope to continue to provide additional resources for educators portland-area-jewish-educators/paje-presents-taking-care-of-you
virtually at this time, and one day soon, hopefully, safely in person.”
The first workshop draws on the expertise of the Blue Dove Foun- explore the strength of hakarat hatov, thankfulness or appreciation.
dation, founded in Atlanta in 2018 to address mental health and “We usually think about gratitude at happy occasions – weddings,
substance abuse through a Jewish lens. It began offering national bar mitzvahs,” says Spatt. “But with so many challenges the last two
programming in 2019, just in time to help the Jewish community years, how can individuals create an appreciation for what went well?”
cope with Covid. “Noticing the good reminds us to not let negatives overshadow
Blue Dove Executive Director Gabby Spatt is grateful the non- the positive,” she says.
profit came into existence when it did. The second workshop, in March, brings two local resources to offer
“Covid allowed us to grow further faster with the ability to do help on coping with the stress of an ever-changing landscape. Jew-
more virtually and with the increased need,” she says. “I truly be- ish Community Chaplain Rabbi Barry Cohen will share how Jewish
lieve we have been able to support the Jewish community, both insight and wisdom can help us navigate these challenging times.
organizations and individuals.” JFCS Clinician Dinah Gilburd, LCSW, will explore how to deepen
Gratitude will be the focus of the Blue Dove workshop, which will resilience for our mental health and well-being in a changing world.
Modern Hebrew to return to UO Judaic studies

BY DEBORAH MOON and events on campus,” says Gurley. “Over the last two years, we
The interdisciplinary Harold Schnitzer Family Program in Judaic have seen positive gains in enrollment and participation.”
Studies at the University of Oregon offers a major leading to a “Rabbi Meir has increased Judaic Studies enrollment,” says Gi-
Bachelor of Arts degree. What it hasn’t offered in more than a de- telson. He adds that this growth combined with “Gantt’s vision and
cade is modern Hebrew. That will change next fall when UO adds hard work to make this new faculty position were critical to mak-
an instructor of modern Hebrew (see job post on page 9). ing this happen.”
The return of modern Hebrew to UO is due in large part to the symbi- Gitelson says students have asked about bringing modern He-
otic relationship of Oregon Hillel and the Judaic Studies department. brew to campus since he arrived at Oregon Hillel 10 years ago.
“Organizations can get territorial,” says Oregon Hillel Executive He says day school graduates coming to UO would like to earn
Director Andy Gitelson. “But when we assess and work collective- their foreign language credits in modern Hebrew. Those wanting
ly, we all win.” to study abroad in Israel have also requested it.
Gantt Gurley, the director of Judaic Studies, agrees: “JDST has “We will develop a modern Hebrew language sequence that can
developed a rather unique partnership with Eugene Hillel. We are prepare students for upper-division content courses in modern He-
the only public institution that has a joint appointment with our local brew literature and conversation, as well as empower them with
Hillel chapter. … The intellectual traffic between the program and critical linguistic skills for travel and study in Israel,” says Gurley.
Hillel is an opportunity for students to merge a dynamic education “With a modern Hebrew instructor teaching both first- and sec-
with community outreach, public programming and social justice.” ond-year language courses, as well as advanced courses, partic-
Gitelson adds, “I can’t stress enough the true friendship and col- ipating faculty would be allowed to offer upper-division courses
laborative approach that Gantt and I have built together. We have in the target language in art, literature, culture, history, sociology,
a shared vision that, through partnering, both Judaic Studies and political sciences and other fields that are essential to an interdis-
Hillel would grow.” ciplinary Judaic Studies curriculum. This, in turn, will generate
The partnership has been a success. Together, Judaic Studies and more interest in the existing study-abroad programs, creating new
Hillel received a Jim Joseph Foundation grant that enabled the relationships with Israeli universities and institutions.”
two entities to hire Rabbi Meir Goldstein for fall of 2019. Rabbi JDST is also hiring a Professor of Holocaust Studies for fall.
Goldstein serves as Senior Jewish Educator at Oregon Hillel and “This new position will lend a strong sense of Jewish history
teaches one class each term for Judaic Studies. His first class in the and memory to the program and campus,” says Gurley. “This new
winter term drew 32 students. Last year, with all classes virtual, he professor will also offer courses on contemporary ethno-fascist
taught 81 unique individuals in three courses. and white separatist movements in Oregon, the nation and across
“He works with students in Hillel, encouraging that organization’s our living world. We are very excited that in these charged times,
growth and the Hillel students’ interest in Judaic Studies curriculum JDST will be welcoming two new faculty members.”
4 Jewish Review Jan. 19, 2022