Recently, art teacher Suzanne Burack put together a project for the kindergartners and first and second graders who were studying Jerusalem at Temple Emanuel. Although it was not the first time Burack had come up with such a project, it was the first time she didn’t have to rely on the Internet or other outside sources for information. This time, Burack could use her own experience to shape the lesson, because she made her first trip to Israel in March as part of the Teacher Xchange program implemented by the Central Agency for Jewish Education (CAJE). “This trip gave me so many wonderful resources, allowing me to talk more in-depth about Israel,” says Burack, who also teaches at Saul Mirowitz Jewish Community School.

A more nuanced understanding of Israel that can be shared with their students was one of many benefits Burack and four other religious school educators gained from the trip. It was the second part of the educational exchange made possible by a grant from the Jewish Federation of St. Louis—in December 2012, four educators from the partnership region of Yokneam-Megiddo visited St. Louis. The program hopes to strengthen bonds developed for the last six years in the school-to-school Kesher B’Kitah program between St Louis congregational and day schools and schools in Yokneam-Megiddo. Through the relationship, students and teachers learn about their counterparts across the sea, are exposed to new content and subjects, and enhance their Jewish and Israeli identities.

“Our school has been connecting with kids in Yokneam, and so it was really valuable to have these first-hand experiences,” says Anita Kraus, education director of Shaare Shalom Religious School and another trip participant. “I have taught about Israel for years but hadn’t actually visited.”

It was the first trip to Israel for the five congregational school educators. In addition to Burackand Kraus, the St. Louis delegation included Emily Thal, assistant principal of the Meyer Kranzberg Learning Center at B’nai Amoona, Shari Hollander, teacher at Shaare Emeth Religious School, and Marti Maurer, who teaches second grade at Temple Israel Religious School. Joan Wolchansky, senior program director for CAJE, coordinated the Teacher Xchanges and accompanied the teachers to Israel.

The aims of the Israel trip were to create a common understanding of the broad spectrum of the Israeli experience, forge the basis for lasting relationships between Israeli and American teachers, create new and expand existing projects between the partner schools, and provide teachers with passion and information to impact students for years to come. Participants had to commit to pre- and post-trip education sessions, to designing a project to participate in with their cohorts in Yokneam-Megiddo, and to engaging in Israel activities in their classrooms and school when they returned to St. Louis. The St. Louis group meets regularly to continue the learning and connections.

The teachers began their visit in the Yokneam-Megiddo partnership region, touring the area and meeting with various educators. A highlight was a day spent learning and working with the staff of their partner schools to develop an in-depth plan adapted to each school pair to guide partnership activities for the coming years.

Seeing how classes are taught in their partner Yokneam-Megiddo schools helped the St. Louis educators plan ways to improve and expand the projects of the Kesher B’Kitah program. “We have re-vamped our program for next year,” says Thal. “We are incorporating technology so the children can reach each other more quickly. Also, St. Louis is very visible in the classrooms there. We are trying to make Yokneam-Megiddo more visible to our students.”

Hollander agrees. “We want our curriculum to bring Israel into the classroom on a more regular basis,” she says. “We’re implementing a plan so the presence of the partnership will be there all the time.”

Some of the follow-up activities being considered for the partnership include a song-share video exchange with lyrics sung in both English and Hebrew, a blog featuring posts from both Yokneam and St. Louis classrooms, and a video diary in which students from Yokneam and St. Louis could share parts of their day with each other.

In addition to gaining ideas they can use in the classroom, the St. Louis educators forged personal ties with their Israeli counterparts. “Reconnecting with the teachers who visited St. Louis in December was a highlight,” says Burack. “We’re friends now, and that’s a great feeling.”  Thal says, “The personal connections in Yokneam made the trip so much more meaningful.”

After the meaningful meetings and conversations in Yokneam-Megiddo, the group moved on to Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. According to Wolchansky, “It was equally important that our educators visit cultural, religious and historic sites. We wanted them to experience the richness and diversity of Israel.”

Other professional exchange plans continue. As for the teachers, they have a new passion for sharing their experience in their schools and in the wider community and encouraging others to go to Israel. “Anything we can do to make Israel real, tactile, meaningful and relevant we should continue,” says Kraus.