Author David Bryfman argues that Israel education must move beyond defense, advocacy, and slogans
Amid consternation of a growing divide between Jewish youth and young adults and Israel, a new book, Heroism and Hope: Recharging Israel Education in a Post October 7 World, by Dr. David Bryfman, argues that Israel education must move beyond defense, advocacy, and slogans toward the deeper work of identity formation (Post Hill Press/A Wicked Son Book, foreword by Dr. Zohar Raviv).
Written in the aftermath of October 7, the book contends that Jewish education must evolve to include Israel education in more integral, comprehensive ways. Drawing on personal journeys, educator voices, and decades of experience, Bryfman offers a look at this distinct moment in time for Jewish and Israel education—not as a manifesto, but as a guide for the essential and challenging questions that all Jewish educators should ask themselves. In a tone accessible to educators, parents, communal leaders, policy makers, and others, he challenges reactive, crisis-driven approaches that exhaust educators and alienate learners. Instead, Bryfman calls for proactive, values-driven education rooted in honesty, humanity, and hope, in which personal stories and perspectives are welcomed into the learning experience.
“Israel education is not about producing foot soldiers or teaching people what to think,” adds author David Bryfman, who is CEO of The Jewish Education Project. “It is about helping Jews understand who they are, where Israel fits into their lives, and how to live with complexity rather than fear it.”
Throughout each chapter, educators are affirmed as moral agents, not propagandists. Israel is presented as central—but not coercive—to Jewish identity. Ultimately, the book is a call to recharge Israel education as a source of meaning, resilience, and renewal for the Jewish future. As early praise for the book shows, it is essential reading for Jewish educators and all who support them.
Praise for Heroism and Hope: Recharging Israel Education in a Post October 7 World:
“In Heroism and Hope, David Bryfman offers not slogans but soul-work, reminding us that loving Israel means teaching it truthfully, bravely, and with deep faith in our learners’ capacity for nuance and empathy. This is essential reading for anyone committed to raising a Jewish generation rooted in integrity, peoplehood, and hope.”
– Rabbi Menachem Creditor, Scholar in Residence, UJA-Federation of New York
“David Bryfman has given us a powerful manifesto and call to action to reimagine Israel Education for a post-October 7 world. At once personal and philosophical and practical, this book is an essential guide to reshaping Israel Education for a new generation of educators and learners. David is one of the most insightful thinkers on Jewish and Israel Education today, and he offers a visionary and proactive framework for educators and stakeholders in the field, as well as tangible ideas for the changes needed to ensure Israel Education is relevant and integral to forging strong Jewish identity, peoplehood and commitment to Israel for the future. At a pivotal turning point for the Jewish people and Israel, Heroism and Hope is an important contribution to our community and our canon.”
– Lisa Eisen, Co-President, Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies
“In a moment defined by shock, division, and exhaustion, Heroism and Hope offers something rare: a path forward grounded in trust in educators and faith in learners. David Bryfman brings wisdom, honesty, and heart to the hardest questions facing Israel education after October 7. This book reminds us that good education does not shield young people from complexity—it prepares them to meet it with courage.”
– Barry Finestone, President and CEO, Jim Joseph Foundation
“In the wake of October 7 and its aftermath, urgent questions have emerged about the past, present, and future of Jewish and Israel education. In Heroism and Hope, Dr. David Bryfman confronts these questions with clarity, honesty, and deep care for the field he has helped shape. Bryfman challenges educators to engage Israel and the Jewish community as they truly are—layered, complex, and often uncomfortable. Bryfman reminds us that Israel education cannot be reduced to advocacy, messaging, or certainty. With intellectual rigor and moral seriousness, he invites us to rethink the relationship between educator and learner, to expand the frameworks through which we teach about Israel, and to embrace the reality that meaningful Israel education must hold complexity rather than avoid it. In doing so, he reminds us that grappling with difficult questions is not a threat to connection with Israel; it is the very foundation of an authentic and enduring one. Written with both urgency and hope, this book calls on educators, communal leaders, and learners alike to lean into diversity of thought, deepen their understanding, and recommit to the educational work that lies ahead. Heroism and Hope is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand where Israel education stands today—and to imagine where it must go next.”
– Dr. Keren E. Fraiman, Vice President and Chief Academic Officer, Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership
“A must read for all who care about Israel and jewish education. Essential for teachers, executives, foundation and communal leaders who are wrestling with the complex Jewish educational issues in our post October 7 world.”
– Dr. John Ruskay, Executive Vice President emeritus, UJA-Federation of New York
Book Launch Events:
Book launch events will take place in Jerusalem in May 2026 and in New York in October 2026.
About the Author:
Dr. David Bryfman is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of The Jewish Education Project, a national organization dedicated to innovating Jewish education, supporting and elevating Jewish educators, and addressing the myriad challenges and opportunities in the field today. David is a sought-after international speaker and leading writer, offering insights and expertise on topics including the Jewish teenage experience, Israel education, and changes impacting the broader Jewish education landscape. Under David’s leadership, The Jewish Education Project launched the immersive Israel teen travel program RootOne and The Center for Jewish Inclusive Learning, serving New York City public, private, and independent schools. He is a founder of the annual Jewish Futures conference and helped direct the 2019 study GenZ Now: Understanding and Connecting with Jewish Teens Today. He is an Adjunct Fellow at the Z3 Institute. Since 2020, he has hosted the weekly podcast Adapting: The Future of Jewish Education where he and an expert guest discuss pressing topics in Jewish education.
