Jewish Education_en - בינ"ה - הבית של היהדות הישראלית

"תַּלְמוּד גָּדוֹל, שֶׁהַתַּלְמוּד מֵבִיא לִידֵי מַעֲשֶׂה" (קידושין, מ', ע"ב)

“Great is study, when study leads to action” (Babylonian Talmud, Kiddushin 40b, BINA Translation)

Our Educational Mission and Approach

BINA advances an empowering, pluralistic and transformative approach to Jewish identity, expression and education in Israel and around the world – using Jewish learning (limud) as a tool for individual, communal and social change.

Empowering | BINA uses Jewish learning as a tool for empowerment, giving individuals and communities the knowledge and skills to take active ownership of their Jewish identity and apply Judaism in their own way, and to make positive changes in their own lives, in their community, and in the world.

Pluralistic | BINA’s approach is pro-actively pluralistic. BINA celebrates Judaism as a diverse, dynamic, ever-evolving culture where every individual has the right and the power to engage and create in their own way. BINA works to share this approach particularly in Israel, where Judaism is often viewed through limited lenses.

Transformative | BINA utilizes Judaism as a tool for individual, communal and social change. BINA sees Jewish culture not solely as an end in and of itself, but as an inspiration for tikkun olam (repairing the world). Our Jewish learning focuses on questions of social justice and is combined with hands-on social action and activism – which then further informs our learning – following our belief that “Great is study, when study leads to action.”

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BINA in Schools: BINA’s programs for schools aim to expose Israelis of diverse backgrounds to different approaches to Judaism and Zionism, as well as engage them in shared respectful discourse of identity and values and of what it means to be Israeli and/or Jewish in the 21^st century. BINA has led interactive seminars on topics of Jewish pluralism and social justice for Israeli public-school students, teachers and principals since 2001, currently reaching over 30,000 students and teachers each year.

We offer a wide range of experiential programs in the field of Jewish-Israeli identity to elementary, middle and high schools operating within the state education system. Our programs are designed to enrich the curricula taught in the classroom, while offering students not just an experiential and interactive opportunity to learn and spark their interest and creativity. We also aim to provide insight into the relevance of Jewish culture in students’ lives and inspire them to further develop their knowledge and personal connection to their Jewish identity. BINA’s programs offer an alternative to the Orthodox perspective, which is the prominent perspective in Israeli Jewish public schools as it is highly subsidized by the Israeli government. In addition to the programs offered to teachers and their students, we run professional development programs for principals and educators.

Beit BINA in the world

Each Beit BINA serves as a local hub of Jewish learning, social action, and community-building. Through the activities at each Beit BINA, we work to cultivate new forms of Jewish learning and expression that bring together individuals of all backgrounds, and catalyze constructive processes of change locally and globally.

Palo Alto Secular Yeshiva

The new Palo Alto Secular Yeshiva presents an innovative model for Jewish learning, celebration and volunteerism for North America and the Jewish world, in partnership with the Oshman Family JCC.

Beit BINA network in Israel

Beit BINA hubs across Israel celebrate diverse Jewish-Israeli culture. Each Beit BINA is a vibrant, joyful, social-cultural home for Jewish expression and community-building. There are currently Beit BINA houses in Tel Aviv, Haifa, Be’er Sheva, Kibbutz HaZore’a, Kibbutz Ma’ale Ha Chamisha, and Kibbutz Ramat Rachel.

Israeli Secular Yeshivas

The Israeli Secular Yeshivas are home-bases for BINA’s young adult service learning programs, adult learning, public events and more – working to change the landscape of Jewish learning and expression in Israel. Currently with campuses in: Tel Aviv, Be’er Sheva and Haifa.

Educational Workshops, Courses and Tours

Bringing Empowering Jewish Learning and Tools to New Populations

Every year, BINA leads hundreds of educational workshops, courses and activities for Israeli public school students and teachers, IDF soldiers and officers, professional leaders, Jewish and non-Jewish groups from outside Israel, the general public and more.

Through these programs, BINA strives to share an empowering, pluralistic and transformative approach to Judaism with new populations throughout Israel and the Jewish world. Our programs are led by skilled educators from diverse backgrounds and engage with such topics as: Judaism as a culture, Jewish diversity and pluralism, Judaism and social justice, Judaism and democracy, and more.

Public Discourse and Educational Resources

Shaping the Public Discourse and Making Jewish Culture Accessible to All

BINA regularly publishes innovative educational resources, articles, books and other media in Hebrew and English relating to Jewish culture, modern Israel, and social issues. These efforts help us to reach tens of thousands of individuals in Israel and around the world – far beyond those we are able to reach in person. BINA educators also appear and publish regularly in public media outlets and are looked to as trusted experts bringing a fresh cultural perspective on contemporary Jewish and social questions.

One of BINA’s flagship projects is the We Declare project – which seeks to catalyze a new, public discourse in Israel and the Jewish world on the important connection between Judaism and Democracy, through publications and public events and activities.