Description

The Professional Learning Committee will host a series of three sessions on using AI in Jewish Educational Settings.  The sessions will be both thought provoking and provide practical skill development. This session will be led by Rabbanit Sara Wolkenfeld.

Session Description: From the printing press to the internet, Jewish tradition has always found ways to embrace new technologies in the service of learning. Artificial intelligence represents a new technological transformation, opening up remarkable new possibilities for Jewish educators. In this session, participants will explore how AI tools can support Jewish teaching and study: helping learners navigate Jewish texts, and discover sources to match the curiosity of any learner. Drawing on Sefaria's work at the intersection of technology and Jewish learning, we will discuss how to - and how NOT to use AI to find, translate, and present Jewish sources. 

Rabbanit Sara Tillinger Wolkenfeld is the Chief Learning Officer at Sefaria, an online database and interface for Jewish texts. She is a member of Sinai and Synapses’ working group on Jewish Thought and Jewish Education for the Jewish Future, and an advisor for AI & Faith. Sara also serves as Scholar-in-Residence at Ohev Sholom Congregation in Washington, DC.  Sara is a PhD candidate at Gratz College, and her current research and writing focus on the intersection between Jewish ethics and advancements in technology. Sara’s writing has been published in The Atlantic, First Things, and Religion Dispatches, as well as numerous Jewish publications.