Project ORLIE: Research and Leadership in Israel Education is a collaborative project aimed to support and challenge educators who teach about Israel. Co-Directed by teacher learning expert Dr. Lauren Applebaum and Israel education expert Dr. Sivan Zakai, project ORLIE offers ongoing professional development for educators in schools, early childhood centers, camps, and community institutions who are committed to learning about and contributing to the latest trends in Israel education. We operate with two models: regional cohorts that bring together educators from different institutions in a single geographic location, and institutional cohorts embedded in a single school or institution. Both models offer the “gold standard” for professional development, providing ongoing professional learning that is collaborative, intellectually rigorous, and rooted in a deep understanding of and commitment to teaching and learning.
Regional Cohorts
Regional cohorts offer a combination of in-person and virtual seminars over the course of 12-24 months. These cohorts draw from and contribute to the wisdom of a range of institutions with differing educational philosophies, denominational affiliations, and stances towards Israel education. Seminars focus on:
- Learning about new developments in Israel education based on the latest trends in research and practice
- Investigating the professional dilemmas or challenges of teaching about Israel
- Collaborating to advance the work of both cohort participants and field of Israel education as a whole
Institutional Cohorts
Institutional cohorts offer either in-person (in California) or a blend of in-person and virtual (outside of California) seminars, individual or team coaching, and community-wide learning. These cohorts are embedded in a single school, early childhood center, camp, or community institution and are tailored to the particular needs, culture, and educational philosophy of the institution. Our work together includes:
- Learning about new developments in Israel education based on the latest trends in research and practice
- Investigating the professional dilemmas or challenges of teaching about Israel in the institution
- Collaborating to advance the work of both the institution and field of Israel education as a whole
Our Model
A hallmark of the Project ORLIE approach is the deep connection between research and practice. Our approach is one in which the professional learning of Jewish educators, their investigations into their own practice and the thinking and learning of their students, and research in the field of Israel education all lead into one another.
Sivan Zakai 