The Center for Israel Education and  Emory’s Institute for the Study of Modern Israel will hold the 18th annual CIE/ISMI Educator Enrichment Workshop on Modern Israel from June 23 to 27 in Atlanta.

Underwritten by the AVI CHAI Foundation, the workshop brings together dozens of educators to deepen their understanding of Israel’s history, politics, economy and culture and enhance their classroom skills. Special emphasis is placed on sharing best practices for engaging second- to 12th-graders about modern Israel.

Alumni of the workshop become part of a national network of some 1,000 Israel educators who can foster generations of students with an appreciation of the significance of Zionism and Israel’s complex yet central role in Jewish and Middle Eastern history.

Each of the five days will be packed with content and curriculum development while providing time for networking and reflection on the ideas and information being taught.

Experienced curriculum, academic and content specialists lead the workshop sessions. Participants work with experienced advisers who guide them in refining existing lessons and creating new ones.

Topics covered will include the biblical connection of the Jewish people to the Land of Israel; modern Jewish history; the origins and development of modern Zionism; Israeli foreign policy; the Arab-Israeli conflict; Israel’s political system; Israeli music and literature; Israel’s thriving economy; the U.S.-Israel relationship; Israel’s role in regional and international politics; and issues confronting a young, maturing nation, such as the balance of civil liberties and national security and the place of religion in society. Workshop participants last year came from 13 states, the District of Columbia, three Canadian provinces and Mexico City. The past 17 years, CIE programs, including the weeklong workshop, have drawn more than 2,500 educators representing more than 400 day schools, synagogues and other organizations from North America, Israel and the United Kingdom.

Applications are due May 11 but are accepted on a rolling basis. Institutions are encouraged to send cohorts of two or more educators. While half the slots are reserved for Jewish day school educators, the workshop embraces teachers and staffers from Jewish organizations who work with teens and young adults. Participants need not be Jewish or speak Hebrew.

The application fee is $150. Participants cover their own travel expenses to the Atlanta conference but are eligible for a stipend of up to $250 each for those costs. Kosher meals, accommodations and a wealth of resource materials are included.

For more information, contact workshop coordinator Heather Waters at heatherwaters@israeled.org.