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There's lots of information about the ISJL Education Conference available online! Here's where you can get an overview of the conference itself, and here's where you can register for this year's conference.
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Beyond the Official Sessions

By Arielle Nissenblatt​

Do you remember the times in elementary school when your class would line up and go from the main classroom to a special area in the school? My favorite was the walk from class 3A to the music room. Why? Because we got to walk by ourselves without the teacher. We schmoozed, we caught up with friends, and then we returned to our regularly scheduled programming. Now let’s turn our attention towards the annual Education Conference.

Can you guess what my favorite part of this two-and-a-half day Jewish learning extravaganza is? That’s right, it’s the in-between times. I love what happens after one session ends and before the next session begins. I love the schmoozing, the sh’ticking, the trivia, and I especially enjoy the meal times. Schmoozing – When was the last time you schmoozed with a fellow Southern and Jewish synagogue or temple educator who also has three students in their 4th and 5th grade combined classroom that only meets twice a month during Shabbat services? Come to the conference and delight in that conversation.

One of my favorite parts of our conference is facilitating these connections and seeing what can come of them!Sh’ticking – what a sight it is to see ten young Jews goofing off and showing their quirky personalities for the entire ISJL partner population to see. Each year, the Fellows come up with unique ways to show off their personalities during meals, while at the same time showing off all that our department can offer. Trivia – As a big trivia fan, one of my favorite activities of the conference is nighttime trivia. During this activity, the history and museum interns showcase their talents by creating and running an interactive trivia experience. Last year, things got pretty competitive. I wonder who will win the big prize this year!

Meals – It may be because I am a vegetarian and this conference is one of the only shows in town with an all veggie menu, but I truly believe that we have some of the best conference food out there. Grab a plate and sit down at your assigned table, which was specifically designed with you in mind to help you meet others throughout the region. We like to facilitate connections and full stomachs.

Can’t wait to see you in June at the Education Conference, between session 1 and session 2 for our first informal schmooze session!

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