The pedagogy of “life meets text” (instead of text meets life) contributes to wellbeing by acknowledging the life experience — from wholeness to brokenness — with which people enter a room to flourish as learners and connect in community. Amid a world that seems to unravel more and more by the day, in our Jewish community, so many Jews are untethered from institutional Jewish life but are seeking meaning, connection, and community nonetheless. A “Pedagogy of Life Meets Text” creates Jewish learning experiences that bridge ancient Jewish wisdom and modern content by centering and celebrating a learner’s wisdom, life stage, or questions. It may just be the healing balm we all need.
March 2024
A Pedagogy of ‘Life Meets Text’
Jewish experience is the key to bridging the gap between ancient wisdom and modern content.
Rabbi Jen Gubitz is the founder of Modern JewISH Couples, and runs the BMitzvah Program at Temple Shalom of Newton. Her welcoming vibe weaves learning, ritual and lifecycle experiences full of music, poetry, honesty and humor.Gubitz is a graduate of the Borns Jewish Studies Program at Indiana University and was ordained by Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (NY' 12) where she was a Tisch Fellow and wrote her thesis on Jewish death education for children. She completed an MBA-level entrepreneurship program through Columbia Business School and Glean Network and an intensive certificate in Family Therapy with Therapy Training Boston. She directed the Riverway Project in Boston from 2016-2021.
She is the co-host of the OMfG Podcast: Jewish Wisdom for Unprecedented Times and her writing appears in the Boston Globe, Romper, Lilith Magazine, OnBeing, and the Jewish Daily Forward. Learn more here: www.jengubitz.com
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