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early 500 Jewish educators gathered at Tem- at their eyes during the opening program, as singer
ple Israel on Sunday, distraught by Yitzhak Debbie Friedman and Temple Israel Rabbi Paul Yed-
Rabin's death a day earlier, but stirred to turn wab evoked the sadness of Mr. Rabin's passing.
In the hours before the conference, Ms. Friedman,
their despair into positive lessons for their stu-
of San Diego, composed a song touching on violence
dents.
The third annual NIRIM Jewish Educators and individual responsibility; its lyrics appeared
Conference was nearly canceled before it be- to reach many in the audience.
But the somber opening soon gave way to a host
, gan, as organizers anguished over proceeding
of
spirited seminars ranging from arcane storytelling
with the workshop so soon after the Israeli
techniques to the importance of self-
prime minister's assas
defense.
sination.
Still, one instructor was too over-
Shawn Locke, the
come by Mr. Rabin's slaying to teach
event's coordinator, said
her seminar.
she and her colleagues
Others proved more resilient.
decided late Saturday
In a lecture on interfaith marriages
evening that it was
and how they affect children, Lena Ro-
- more important for the
manoff of Philadelphia had strong
statewide gathering of
words of advice:
Jewish teachers to
"Raising kids in two faiths or in no
unite and share their
faith works very well for parents," she
message with students
said. "But it does not work for children.
than to grieve sepa-
"If you ask
rately.
kids, they will tell
`These are educators
you, 'I wish I had
and they have just as
been given one re-
many questions about
ligion. I don't
life and Judaism and
know who I am. I
Singer
Debbie
Friedman
sings
about
Jewish
death as anyone," Ms.
don't know what
Locke said. "If we can't values.
is authentic."
come together here,
Ms.
Romanoff
also told teach-
then how can we expect them to bring their students
ers the importance of making
together in the classroom?"
Indeed, the mood of the teachers seemed to car- the gentile relatives of students
om from sorrow to exhilaration as the program un- feel comfortable when they vis-
it the school or synagogue.
folded.
"Don't talk to them about re-
Some among the crowd sniffled or silently dabbed
ligious issues," she warned.
"Don't tell them their grandson
is going to make a great Jew.
Tell them instead about how
their grandson always has a big
smile on his face," or has been a
joy to teach.
In another classroom down
the hall, Karin Levine, an in-
structor at a Catholic universi-
ty in Minnesota, led a workshop
on helping young children de-
velop an understanding of God.
"For Jews of my generation,
it was not comfortable to talk
about God," Ms. Levine said.
"We don't talk to children about
God enough."
For small children, she said,
"God is like their parents; God
is there to take care of us."
But questions inevitably
arise, like the inquiry she re-
ceived from her 4-year-old

Left:
John Zilli demonstrates proper body
language to Ronit Goutkovich.

Right:
Sue Stettner shows how teachers can
use inexpensive materials.

The NIRIM Conference goes on,
as teachers deal with the
Rabin assassination.

DAVID ZEMAN SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

daughter, who asked: "If God is One and I am 4, does
that make me older than God?"
Other seminar topics included teaching comput-
er techniques; finding students' (sometimes deeply)
hidden talents; and building self-esteem.
And then there was workshop #5: "Chazak
Ve'ematz - 'Be Strong, Be Courageous': Jewish Self-
Defense."
John Zilli, a self-defense instructor, warned
teachers that, where safety is concerned, "it's all
attitude." 0

PHOTOS BY BILL HANSEN

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