TALI’s Tahel Program Brings Together High-Level Educators to Promote Pluralism

TALI’s Tahel Program empowers education leaders in local and municipal councils to improve their understandings and development of a local vision for Jewish education, specifically regarding Jewish Israeli identities in their school systems. The program recently completed its first semester.

A partnership between TALI, Israel’s Ministry of Education and Makom, the Jewish Agency’s educational branch, the program brings together managers in the education departments of regional councils and municipalities and supervisors from the Ministry of Education who work hand in hand with each other.  This year’s cohort of 24 is comprised of these senior pedagogy professionals from throughout Israel.

Tahel is generously supported by the Azrieli Foundation. 

The importance of programming for pluralism within Israel’s education system is needed more than ever. TALI’s program not only serves as an incubator to develop opportunities for working together on pluralism projects, but also helps group’s members improve their interpersonal connections.

Yaira Cohen-Tampescu, Publicity Manager in the Haifa municipality’s Education Department, noted, “Tahel is one of the most significant and important programs in the education system. This program succeeds in connecting and deepening the importance of tolerance and pluralism in Israeli society, because we have no other way.”

To celebrate its first semester, TALI convened a two-day conclave focusing on long-range planning.

On the first day, participants joined the “Jewish Peoplehood” conference at the recently opened and completely renovated Museum of the Knesset. There, they and others, discussed questions of identity, belonging, education and partnerships that are at the center of Jewish education.

Following the conference, the group gathered for an urban-identity tour of Jerusalem’s streets, seeking out information about noteworthy Talmudic figures. The group also fashioned pedagogic tools to develop motivational language for inducing more cooperation between the various municipal bodies. Finally, the group was joined by “Playback Theater” whose improvisational tools via storytelling, further crystallized the group.

Tahel participants during downtown Jerusalem urban-ID tour

On day two, the educators, regional council education department heads, and senior managers from the Ministry of Education discussed the program’s first year and how to grow the program in upcoming years.

Tahel participants in discussions in TALI’s pedagogic center

Less than one week after the meeting, according to Dr. Peri Sinclair, Susan and Scott Shay TALI Director General, word of mouth had spread the gospel, leading to more schools and municipal councils hearing about the program and asking eagerly to join the upcoming cohort.

According to Sinclair, “The idea behind Tahel is to find a new vector to introduce and incorporate pluralism of Judaism’s core values into identity activities in Israel’s schools. Reaching all levels of education specialists in local councils and municipalities is highly important because they are the ones working with their counterparts in the Ministry and on the local level with schools throughout their district to distribute methodologies and pedagogies.”

Tahel’s program uses a quote from philosopher and educator Prof. Eliezer Schweid z’l, to portray its fundamental values of ongoing educational challenge and change. “Judaism is not a platonic idea that is set in external sources. It is a lifelong social and historical process of the Jewish People.”

Program participants are being called upon to shape a new trajectory for Jewish education by developing programming aimed towards giving students additional capabilities to explore and expand personal ideas of Jewish and Israeli identities.

According to Anat Shayer, Manager of Haifa Municipality’s Center for Academic Excellence, “In the past years, I have been involved in municipal programs and initiatives for youth to broaden horizons, to connect various schools, to get to know culture, science and spirituality. I have also become more aware of issues surrounding our identity, our roots, and our peoplehood. Inspired by Tahel, we have already set ourselves the goal of significantly expanding the connection between Haifa’s children and Jewish youth in the Diaspora, and introducing the students to Judaism in its full spectrum of possibilities.”

Dr. Miriam Corcos-Banoyan, Manager of Zichron Ya’acov’s Education Department, said, “For many years I have been involved in education and have taken various courses of study. Tahel is one of the most interesting and illuminating courses. It raises very important questions about our unity as Jewish Israelis in our country, and in the world in general. The connection between the Israeli-Jewish mosaic must be better integrated into Israel’s educational system.”

Tahel’s year-long program includes three full-day seminars, two Zoom workshops, three study retreats and a North American mission scheduled for December 2025.