SVARA’s Pedagogy Chaburah is a rigorous seven-month learning opportunity for queer and trans rabbis and educators working in Jewish communities. This space nurtures those who are seeking to expand their pedagogical toolkits to include SVARA’s empowering (and traditionally radical) approach to teaching Talmud.
Pedagogy Chaburah
Bring the magic of SVARA to your teaching
Want to learn more? Schedule some time to chat with Bronwen!
Ready to Apply? Submit this form today!
SVARA’s Pedagogy Chaburah is a rigorous learning opportunity for queer and trans rabbis and educators working in Jewish communities. This space nurtures those who are seeking to expand their pedagogical toolkits to include SVARA’s empowering (and traditionally radical) approach to teaching Talmud.
The program will include learning in SVARA’s method, sessions on pedagogy and practical skill-building, and a practicum for participants to practice-teach their own experimental course utilizing elements of SVARA’s methodology.
The Pedagogy Chaburah will run from November 6th, 2024 through June 4th, 2025 and includes a weekly commitment of approximately three hours of learning (synchronous shiur, readings, independently scheduled chevruta, and practice teaching).
November 4 – December 16, 2024
Participants will be enrolled in a weekly bet midrash with SVARA’s learning community, and additionally will participate in reflection sessions as a cohort every other week:
- Learning in the bet midrash (2-3 hrs / week), likely Monday or Tuesday evenings from 7:00-9:00 PM EST
- Bi-weekly learning as a cohort (2 hrs every other week), likely Thursday daytime from 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM EST
January 15 – February 12, 2025
Participants will engage in weekly sessions focused on pedagogy, grounding in SVARA’s methodology, and scaffolding to support the implementation of practice-teaching
- Weekly sessions as a cohort (2 hrs /week), likely Wednesday evenings from 7:00-9:00 PM EST
March – May 2025
Implement & teach a self-directed practicum with observation and mentorship (no synchronous shiurim)
May 14 – June 4, 2025
Participants will engage in weekly reflection sessions, exploring the impact of practice-teaching and the means to integrate the experience into an ongoing teaching practice
- Weekly sessions as a cohort (2 hrs /week),likely Thursday daytime from 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM EST
This learning space is for folks who:
- have previously learned Talmud with SVARA
- have experience learning rabbinic texts in the original(studies texts in SVARA’s method in chevruta without the use of Hint Sheets, recognizes and identifies binyanim, has the ability to decode Rashi script)
- are experienced educators/facilitators (have 3+ experience as teachers/facilitators – not necessarily in teaching Talmud)
- lead with self-awareness, groundedness, humility, and mentschiness
- are committed to acknowledging and interrogating mechanisms of power and inequality in the world and the bet midrash
- are currently serving in a regular teaching role (in professional and/or community settings) where they will have the opportunity to explore incorporating elements of SVARA’s pedagogy & practice into their learning spaces
Your application will be reviewed by our admissions team, which includes Rabbi Bronwen Mullin (SVARA Faculty Member), Olivia Devorah Tucker (SVARA Program Coordinator & Pedagogy Chaburah Fairy), and Ayana Morse (SVARA’s Executive Director). We will be prioritizing strong applicants who hold under-represented identities as we work to create a cohort of approximately 16 people who reflect the dynamic, dazzling diversity of our community.
Please complete and submit this form. We’ll be reviewing applications on a rolling basis, with a goal of finalizing the cohort by July 1st.
About the Registration Process
We aim to treat all applications with the care and love that is foundational to our community at SVARA, as well as to create maximally transparent application processes. We encourage you to have a conversation with Bronwen before submitting your application to see if this program is a good fit for you and your learning at this time. Click this link to schedule time to connect with Bronwen!
Tuition
The tuition scale for the Pedagogy Chaburah is $950-3,000. If this sliding scale is prohibitive, you can contribute any amount to tuition that is meaningful to you, and you will be given an opportunity to do so in the registration process after the application process is complete. Here is a resource that informs our approach to sliding scale tuition. As part of SVARA’s commitment to leveraging our work in support of reparations, all tuition is waived for Black and Indigenous participants of teacher training programs.