Educating After October 7: Israel, Identity, and Hope with David Bryfman

After October 7, educators were asked to guide students while still making sense of their own evolving relationship to Israel and to Jewish peoplehood. What does it mean to teach when the ground beneath the curriculum is still shifting? What has changed in Israel education? What do educators need to hear? As season of six of Adapting comes to a close, Samantha Vinokor-Meinrath interviews David Bryfman on what’s changed in Israel education after October 7, drawing on ideas from his new book, Heroism & Hope: Recharging Israel Education in a Post-October 7 World. Together they reflect on how educators and communal leaders have had to navigate the emotional and ideological terrain since October 7, and how history and memory are being shaped in real time. Sharing personal anecdotes and powerful insights, Bryfman articulates a vision of Jewish learning rooted in pride, inquiry, and student agency, offering language for education that makes space for reflection before it demands answers. Purchase the book at https://www.amazon.com/Heroism-Hope-Recharging-Education-Post-October/dp/B0GZBH6QLL/Learn more about The Jewish Education Project at jewishedproject.orgThis episode was produced by Miranda Lapides and Dina Nusnbaum. The show’s executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media. If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating and review, or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York. Send us Fan Mail