Conflicts of Interest Certificate Program

A specialized training program designed to help Jewish educators develop skills, confidence, and pedagogical approaches to teach about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and other complex, controversial issues in nuanced, constructive ways.

Launch Date: May 2023 (framework); June 2024 (full program rollout)

Duration: Approximately four weeks

Format: Hybrid model combining virtual and in-person instruction

Geographic Scope: Primarily North America; open to educators working with Jewish communities

Focus Areas:

• Israeli-Palestinian conflict education
• Multiple narratives and perspectives
• Conflict education and peace education pedagogies
• Political and civic education approaches
• Facilitating conversations about controversial issues
• Holding nuanced, multi-perspective views
• Conflict as opportunity for growth
• Content knowledge related to historical and contemporary conflict issues
• Primary source analysis
• Receptiveness to differing perspectives
• Identity formation in context of controversial issues

Core Pedagogical Approach:

• Places learners' relationship with Israel at center of learning
• Honors identity formation concerns
• Balances critical thinking with cultural and institutional contexts
• Develops educator confidence and competence
• Emphasizes "the art of turning conflict into growth"

Eligibility:

• Jewish educators at all levels (day school teachers, Hebrew school teachers, youth group directors, campus educators, etc.)
• Professionals seeking to improve their capacity to teach about conflict
• Educators wanting to engage learners in nuanced discussion of Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Program Evidence:

• Independent evaluation of 4 pilot cohorts shows significant effectiveness
• 85% of participants found centering learners' relationship with Israel very/extremely valuable
• Participants showed impressive growth in:
  • Receptiveness to differing perspectives (moderate to high)
  • Ability to hold multiple perspectives (moderate to high)
  • Comfort with complex conflict narratives
  • Practical teaching skills

Key Resources Consulted in Development:

• 20 lesson plans
• 23 textbooks and resource guides
• 18 white papers
• 66 books and articles
• 19 curriculum frameworks
• Input from ~200 educators across various settings

Contact Information:

• Organization: The iCenter for Israel Education
• Address: P.O. Box 843, Northbrook, IL 60062
• Phone: 847.418.8336
• Email: hello@theicenter.org
• Website: theicenter.org

Application Process

Program Structure:

1. Four-week training program
2. Combination of virtual and in-person sessions
3. Cohort-based learning model

Core Components:

1. Content Learning:
   • Core content related to conflicts and Israel
   • Historical and contemporary points of contention
   • Examination of primary sources
   • Multiple narratives (including Arab and other perspectives)
2. Skills Development:
   • Protocols for facilitating conversations about controversial issues
   • Receptiveness to differing perspectives
   • Holding multiple perspectives simultaneously
   • Practical teaching strategies
   • Courage and resilience building
3. Pedagogical Training:
   • "Pulling back the curtain" strategy (explaining pedagogies and methodologies)
   • Translation of learning into practical classroom applications
   • Balance between being a learner and a practitioner
4. Values-Based Framework:
   • Set of core values
   • Core pedagogic approaches
   • Content areas
   • Historical and contemporary point analysis

Participant Experience:

• Engagement with multiple conflict narratives
• Practice distinguishing between understanding, sympathizing, and agreeing
• Development of comfort with complexity and ambiguity
• Peer learning from diverse educators
• Practical tools for classroom/program application

Application Details: Specific application deadlines, submission materials, and process not detailed in provided content. Contact The iCenter directly for application information.