What Shall We Tell the Children? Early Childhood Jewish Education Teachers Respond to October 7

This study explores how one school's early childhood Jewish education teachers managed the challenges of teaching during the two and a half months following the October 7 hamas attack on Israel. Interviews revealed strategies participants used to support children's understanding and well-being, including adjusting pedagogical approaches and providing a supportive environment. Teachers found the classroom to be a refuge from external stress, supported by family involvement and emotional backing. The study uses self-determination theory (SDT) as an analytic tool to understand the teachers' practices and notes the importance that autonomy, competence, and relatedness played for the students and teachers.