NewCAJE14 on a watercolor New York City skyline

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

If you have any questions about registration, please contact Jessica Melhado at info@newcaje.org or 857-288-8765.

We would love to learn from you! You can find more information here.

You!
NewCAJE conferences bring together people from across the world to create a network of individuals who are involved in the transmission of Jewish education and culture.

Participants come from most U.S. states and many countries. We represent every stream of Judaism and teach every age group. We are part-time and full-time teachers, principals, professors, clergy, musicians, artists, and storytellers. We are lay leaders and parents, entrepreneurs and social media gurus. We work in Hebrew/Supplementary Schools, Day Schools, camps, Jewish Community Centers, and synagogues, to name but a few.

We come together to share ideas, learn from each other, and to solve problems facing us in our professional lives. We come together to advocate for Jewish education and to improve the quality of Jewish education offered in our home communities.
NewCAJE celebrates Judaism, Jewish learning, and Jewish culture, inspiring us to broaden our perspectives and renew our spirits as we do the work of linking one generation to the next.

Our workshop schedule and featured speakers will be advertised in the coming months. Stay tuned! The official Program Book will be posted in July 2024. Click here to get a good idea of what you can learn!

You don’t! At NewCAJE, you simply go to the workshops you want to attend.

Participants can purchase housing at San Diego State. Staying on campus offers more opportunities to meet others and enjoy early morning and late night programming. You can find more information here.

Average temperatures in July are around 75 for the high, and around 65 for the low. It’s generally dry, with almost no chance of rain. Pack accordingly, and remember that indoor temperatures might be chilly.

Please indicate any relevant mobility issues/ADA needs where prompted on the registration form so that we can house you accordingly. All the buildings on campus as very close together, and we offer golf cart rides for those with mobility needs.

The key deposit requirement is $36. Please bring exact change or a check for that amount made out to NewCAJE Inc. If you lose your key, you will forfeit your first deposit, pay SDSU’s replacement fee, and leave a new deposit for your new key.

If you have a great conference and want to support the work we do, please consider donating your key deposit and entering our “Thank You” raffle for new AirPods. Your donation goes toward our general scholarship fund. 

This information will be posted in the Lodging & Dining page, here

We have a ride-share sign-up sheet that will become more active closer to the conference. If you are parking a car on campus, you will need to purchase a parking pass, available closer to the conference.

Tentative shuttle times and information will be posted on our Travel page. If you are renting a car, you can purchase a parking pass.

If you want to volunteer before, during, or after the conference, you can let us know on the registration form.

There will be a shacharit and mincha/ma’ariv egalitarian minyan offered during the conference. Let us know if you are looking for a mechitza minyan. 

All food and drink at NewCAJE15 will be kosher under the supervision of Vaad HaKashrut of San Diego. If you need specific information please contact us. Because of Kashrut at the conference, no outside food may be brought into the dining hall.

NewCAJE is a pluralistic Jewish environment. This can mean many different things to many people; however, when it comes to Shabbat, it means that we set up a space that reflects our commitment to an intentionally pluralistic space. This means that everyone’s practices are respected and honored, and it means that we find creative ways we can be together sometimes during the day and still have time in our own prayer traditions.

We work on the concept of public space and private space. Public space is where we all gather together and to make that possible we keep halachic standards of Shabbat observance. That means no instruments, telephones, computers, microphones or anything else that would deter from a Shomer Shabbat atmosphere. Public spaces include the dining hall, the hallways and gathering spaces including lounges in the dormitories and classroom buildings. Private space means a room where a service is going on or a dorm room. A room with a closed door is private space. 

In private spaces, each individual can decide his/her own level of practice. In private spaces where religious services or teaching events are held, the nature of the observance in that space will be clearly spelled out in the Program Book. 

In this way, we model a Jewish people that is one and respectful of differences in practice. People are encouraged to join groups in private space that are different than the ones they normally might attend on a Shabbat at home, but they must comply with the practices of that space. People find it exhilarating to move around the whole of Jewish religious experience.

For housing, please indicate that you are Shomer Shabbat on your registration form and we will pair you with a roommate that is also Shomer Shabbat.

Any questions about Shabbat practice can be directed to Rabbi Cherie Koller-Fox.

There is no formal dress code at NewCAJE. Many will be in casual clothes; others feel the need to dress more professionally. Please note that indoor facilities are air-conditioned, so we suggest bringing a light jacket or sweater, and dressing in layers!

  • All personal toiletries, including toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, hairdryer, etc.
  • Residents can purchase a linen packet with one pillow, pillowcase, 2 flat sheets, blanket, and towels in varying sizes. We recommend bringing your own bath towel and toiletries. 
  • Hangers
  • Warm pajamas
  • Hat, rain gear and/or umbrella
  • Comfortable shoes or sneakers
  • Casual/semi-casual clothing
  • Shower shoes and bathrobe
  • Kippah, tallit, and tefillin
  • Cell phone & charger
  • Camera
  • Notepad & pen
  • Business cards
  • Checkbook, credit cards, or cash for the Exhibit area
  • Flash Drive

Note: We will send out a comprehensive packing list before the conference.

You can write a commemoration of them for the program book. More information coming soon.

Our ability to provide childcare options is dependent on the number of participants bringing children.

We encourage you to bring your children to the conference each year. To provide a quality program, we need there to be a minimum number of kids of each age. We can provide babysitting during the evening programs in the dorms and we can provide early childhood and elementary and teen programs for your children. In the past, the musicians, artists, and storytellers have volunteered to teach your children as well as some of the educators. We have taken kids on field trips in the area. There would be a cost for this program comparable to the cost of three days of day camp, as we would hire trained teachers and leaders for the children in addition to the drop-in teachers mentioned above. The kids would have lunch with their peers and teachers. Please let us know if you are interested in such a program and the ages of your children. Please also talk to your friends about bringing their children as well. If we don’t have a viable number we will not be able to provide childcare but we will be able to put you in touch with qualified sitters from San Diego.

Contact Us

  Address: 354 Kenrick St. Newton, MA 02458  Telephone: 857-288-8765‬   Email:info@newcaje.org

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