Thirty-five teachers from Panama, Mexico, Chile, Argentina and Brazil were officially certified last week as "teachers of Jewish education in the Diaspora" by the Diaspora Affairs Ministry, Education Ministry, and Herzog College within the framework of the UnitEd project.
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UnitEd, according to its website, is a "joint venture between the State of Israel, the Diaspora Affairs Ministry, and philanthropists in the Jewish world… to strengthen formal Jewish education around the world and to create a global network for Jewish educators."
The teachers underwent some 900 hours of general training, in which they received the very best pedagogical tools unique to Jewish educators abroad.
"The educators and teachers in the Diaspora are at the forefront of Jewish education," said Diaspora Affairs Minister Nahman Shai.
"Through their hard work and dedication, they preserve the Hebrew language, the values of Judaism, and the next generation's connection to its Jewish identity and bond with the State of Israel. I'm proud to stand at the head of a ministry that recognizes the importance of teachers in the Jewish world and that invests time and resources in their professional advancement," Shai added.
The project "provides an answer to one of the main challenges in the world of Jewish education, which has become more acute in recent years – the shortage of teachers with suitable training," said UnitEd Managing-Director Tal Shaked.
"Without Jewish education," she added, "there is no communal future, and therefore we must act together… to strengthen the schools in the Diaspora."
Herzog College President Dr. Rabbi Yehuda Brandes said: "The college places immense importance on deepening the ties with Jewish education in the Diaspora, making it stronger and enriching it."
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