In response to growing concerns about antisemitism and antizionism in academic settings, Temple Beth Sholom in Roslyn will host a special educational program on Sunday, June 1, aimed at preparing students and families to confront and respond to hostility with confidence.
The session, scheduled for 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., will be led by Sara Beckerman, a veteran Jewish studies teacher at the Schechter School of Long Island.
Beckerman has nearly a decade of experience training students to navigate and challenge anti-Jewish and anti-Israel rhetoric, particularly in college environments where such issues have become increasingly visible.
Beckerman is a Jewish educator, curriculum consultant, and the creator and owner of Sababa Books, a publishing venture dedicated to bringing creative and meaningful prayer experiences to Jewish students.
She is the author and editor of “Siddur Sababa and Siddur Sababa Sheli,” two prayer books designed to help students find personal connection, meaning, and purpose in the structure of Jewish prayer.
In 2020, as schools shifted online during the COVID-19 pandemic, Beckerman adapted “Siddur Sababa” for digital use, bringing Jewish prayer into virtual classrooms via slideshow-based Zoom tefillah sessions.
Through her work, Beckerman aims to help students understand the structure and meaning of weekday Shacharit, foster a sense of personal spiritual expression, and explore the role of prayer in pursuing tikkun olam, the Jewish imperative to repair the world.
Beckerman teaches Humash, Mishnah, Gemara, Jewish history, and Tefillah at the Schechter School, where she has spent nearly a decade preparing students to navigate complex conversations around Jewish identity and Israel. She has served as Rosh Tefillah and Rosh Hinukh at Camp Ramah in the Berkshires and brings a passion for iyun tefillah, deep liturgical exploration, to both large and small minyanim.
She earned her Master’s in Jewish Education from the Davidson School at the Jewish Theological Seminary, where her thesis focused on developing a middle school prayer curriculum for camp settings. Beckerman continues to support educators by offering curriculum consulting through Sababa Books.
The event is free and open to the community, but it is geared toward high school and college students, their families, and others interested in the topic. Advance registration is required and can be completed online at tbsroslyn.org/events.
Organizers hope the session will equip attendees with practical tools and a deeper understanding of how to handle difficult conversations or confrontations around Jewish identity and Israel, especially as students transition into college life.
