The L.A. Pincus Fund for Jewish Education in the Diaspora
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Latin American Jewish Education in a Transnational World: The Transnational Jewish Educator (TNJE)

Location:Mexico and Latin America
Name of implementing organization:Vaad HaChinuch HaYehudi BeMexico
Date of initial project approval:February 2012

Project aims and objectives


To develop a database of expatriate Jewish educators trained in Mexico and Argentina, including in-depth case studies

Project Description


TARGET GROUP: 

Jewish educators who have emigrated from Latin America 
 
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM:
 
In its first stage, the project is developing a database of Jewish educators and community professionals trained in Mexico and Argentina and currently living in other parts of Latin America, Israel, the United States, Canada, and elsewhere. It will focus on teachers, principals, and coordinators in Jewish schools; Rabbis; directors of Jewish community centers; and leaders in informal education. To develop the database, the applicant will contact programs for educators in Israel, the United States, and Argentina; as well as Boards of Jewish Education in Latin America and the United States.
 
In the second stage, the project will develop and administer online questionnaires. The needs and wishes of the local communities will be taken into consideration during the process of building the questionnaire, before it is finalized. The applicant hopes to reach 230 expatriate educators. Information gathered will facilitate analysis of emigration patterns and expected future trends. Institutions which employ the educators will be contacted to provide feedback about their contributions. Participants will be asked about the impact of the training and experience they received in their country of origin upon their current educational work. The project will collect information about the type of transnational networks and interconnections with which the educators are engaged, and explore whether these networks have potential application for professional development.   
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
In the third stage, the project will conduct 20-30 interviews with a representative sample (by age, year of emigration, institutional affiliation, etc.) of educators, and thus will develop in-depth case studies. It will explore the interaction between emigration and identity-building. Half of the interviews will be carried out in person (face-to-face), and half will be conducted via Skype.
 
The researchers will develop policy recommendations and strategies for the local communities, and virtual educational tools. The project implementers believe that a regional/continental, rather than a local/national platform will enhance utilization of resources.
 
The project is expected to begin in January 2012 and continue through December 2013. Questionnaires will be developed and distributed in April-August, 2012. Data will be analyzed in September-November, followed by the in-depth interviews. Results of the first year's research should be available in January 2013. A symposium will take place in June 2013.
 
NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS:
 
The project aims to distribute questionnaires to 230 expatriate educators, and toc onduct 20-30 interviews with a representative sample.
 
NECESSARY RESOURCES:
 
The expertise of the Liwerant Center for the Study of Latin America, Spain and Portugal and their Jewish Communities, at the Hebrew University
 
Cooperation of local educational and community institutions in helping to locate educators who have emigrated
 
Participation of the educators who now live abroad
 
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION?
 
The project is being implemented by theLiwerant Center for the Study of Latin America, Spain and Portugal and their Jewish Communities, at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Academic teams in Mexico and Argentina also are participating.
 

Main budget elements


Project Coordination in Jerusalem, Mexico, and Argentina
Technical equipment and data processing
Travel between Israel and Latin America

Contact information for anyone seeking further information about the project:

Yosi Goldstein
Vaad HaChinuch HaYehudi BeMexico, Prol. Avenue de los Bosques 292A-5, Col. Lomas del Chamizal, Cuajimalpa, Mexico D.F. 05129, Mexico

Telephone/fax: 52 55 5245 8600

vaadhajinun@universidadhebraica.edu.mx; yosi.goldstein@gmail.co