3CON S O R T I UM OF JE W I S H DAY S C HO O L S

CJDS

o

VOLUME II · NUMBER 1 TI SHREI 5767 · O C TOBER 2006

C O N S O R T I U M o f J E W I S H D A Y S C H O O L S

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� A Case for Furthering Self-Confi dence in Our Students and Faculty . . . .4

� Leading by the Heart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

� Th e Love of Discipline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

� Th e ‘Cool’ Rebbe in the Classroom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

� Individualized Learning and Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

� Perception is Reality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

� Th e Personality Element of Leadership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

� Reaching All Students in a Diverse Classroom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

� Synergy: Does the decision to develop a plan of action increase the potential

for institutional advancement? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

� Drastically Improving Day School Retention and Recruitment . . . . . . . . .29

� Enrollment Grant Initiative Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32

� Building a Village Within Our Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

� My Greatest Infl uence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37

� View from the Principal’s Offi ce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38

� Th e On-Site Visitation Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40

� National Women’s League Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41

� Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44

Welcome to the new school year We’ve had some wonderful accomplishments in the past year; we are looking forward to continuing

this coming year. We are glad to announce the start of the second year of the PTI. Th e program has been a tremendous success. We’ve included some articles written by the fi rst year’s graduates. We are also continuing with enrollment initiative grants. In future issues, we will be keeping you informed of scheduled events and activities and we will share the insights of colleagues and review current trends in Day School education. If you know of a

mechanech interested in joining our mailing list, or if you would like

more information regarding events, training programs, or conferences,

please e-mail us at info@cojds.com.

Rabbi Dr. Heshy GlassE D I T O R I A L B O A R D

Rabbi Kalman BaumannDr. Stephen M. FainRabbi Kalman Fogel

INSIDE

VOLUME II · NUMBER ITISHREI 5767 � OCTOBER 2006

T I S H R E I 5 7 6 7 ▒ O C T O B E R 2 0 0 6

2Th e Consortium’s Principals’ Training Insti-

tute is entering its second year with 17 fellows.

Th e participants, drawn from senior Kollel

members and recent Musmachim already teaching, were chosen from

a list of nearly 30 applicants. Th is coming year’s program will mirror

the fi rst year which featured 45 hours of classes given by such Chinuch

luminaries as Rabbi Dr. Chaim Feuerman, Rabbi Noach Orlowek,

Rabbi Hillel Mandel, Rabbi Yaakov Bender and others.

At the closing dinner in June, the 16 members of the fi rst class heard

Divrei Chizuk from HaRav Akiva Grunblatt, Shlita, Rosh Yeshiva of Ye-

shivas Chofetz Chaim, who emphasized the need for a leader to have genuine understanding and discern-

ment of those in his care. Rabbi Grunblatt illuminated what Hashem said to Moshe Rabeinu on the banks of

the Yam Suf, based on a Sforno on Shmos 14:15, on the words “hkt egm, vn.” Th e Sforno explains that Hashem

was critiquing Moshe Rabeinu for assuming, based upon their rebellious attitude towards their current

dangerous situation (rcsnc ,unk ubjek ohrmnc ohrce iht hkcnv), that Klal Yisroel would be unwilling to jump into

the Yam. Moshe was called a Chosheid B’Ksheirim because although it seemed logical that the people would

refuse to go further, Moshe was taken to task for not knowing and understanding them better.

Rabbi Kalman Baumann

PRINCIPALS’INSTITUTE

TRAINING

C O N S O R T I U M o f J E W I S H D A Y S C H O O L S

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(l-r, top) Rabbi Zev Pam,

Rabbi Yehuda Brecher, Rabbi

Nossi Lieberman, Rabbi

Raphael Moskowitz, Rabbi

Rephael Draiman, Rabbi

Yitzchak Riselsheimer, Rabbi

Amir Guttman, Rabbi Zev

Davidowitz, Rabbi Yosef

Deutscher, Rabbi Yitzchok

Schwartz, Rabbi Chaim Yosef

Ackerman, Rabbi Shaya

Baumann. (l-r, bottom)

Rabbi Shmarya Rennert,

Rabbi Chaim Alcabes,

Rabbi K. Baumann, Rabbi

A. Grunblatt, Rabbi Dr. H.

Glass, Rabbi Laib Schulman,

Rabbi Hillel Love

Rabbi Grunblatt expressed Hakoras HaTov to the Consortium, its benefactor and leaders for enabling

the program to proceed in a manner that truly enhanced the preparation of its participants for Chinuch

in general and Hanhala in particular. Rabbi Dr. Heshy Glass, in turn, expressed the Consortium’s ap-

preciation to Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim for hosting the program, and to Rabbi Grunblatt in particular for

being the guiding force and liason between the Hanhalas HaYeshiva, the fellows and the Consortium.

In addition to the ongoing classes which covered, in great detail, a wide range of educational leadership

and school management issues, the fellows participated in on-site school visitations to various Yeshivos

and Day Schools in the New York area, and several of the fellows who are just entering or are already

in the fi eld had the opportunity to hook up with senior Menahalim in a mentoring arrangement. In

addition, each of the participants was expected to write an action research article on an area of Chinuch

that they had experienced, researched or were exposed to through the PTI program. A number of those

articles are included in this newsletter.

Most signifi cantly, the fellows themselves expressed great appreciation for the program. Several who

have already procured positions in Hanhala felt the knowledge and wherewithal gained from the pro-

gram gave them the ability to confi dently seek, accept and enter their new role as educational adminis-

trators. With Hashem’s help, we look to many more such successes from our PTI graduates. �

T I S H R E I 5 7 6 7 ▒ O C T O B E R 2 0 0 6

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What can possibly be done to boost the self-per-

ceptions of our students and faculty members in

a meaningful way that will reap lasting benefi ts?

Many theories have been hypothesized by young

and old, expert and ignorant. Th e stresses of

technology have placed an increased workload

upon families, resulting in much more lim-

ited quality time for parents to provide for the

emotional needs of their children. Society has

placed such importance upon the superfi cialities

of athleticism and pure academia,

stripping our youth of the pride

that they so truly deserve, serving

as functioning human beings. Rea-

sons and sources of self-criticism

abound, leaving us in a culture of

over-diagnosed people who have

diffi culty identifying their own

genuine assets. As Torah students,

we know that our great Rabbis

have provided us with poignant

advice and guidance, and that

the Torah understood the human

psyche much before the psychoanalyses of the

likes of Freud.

Th e counterforce to this pervasive phenomenon

must begin early in life. In the classroom and at

home, children must be imbued with a sense of

respect for themselves. Th is is quite obviously no

less true with regard to their feelings about their

Torah studies, as discussed by the author of the

Pele Yoetz in his chapter devoted to Empower-

ment1, in which he says that particularly with

young children and those who are just beginning

to study Torah, they should be encouraged with

gifts and prizes, so that they will feel good about

what they are doing, and conclude that in the

World to Come the reward must

be all the more benefi cial. Th is

demonstrates the very nature of

the human being, who must be

introduced to the value of some-

thing precious by way of associa-

tion with material benefi t.

To this end, Rabbi Yoel Kramer

remarked in a presentation to

Principals and Torah educators2

that he felt that the professional

gifts that he and his administra-

1 Pele Yoetz, (Moriah Offset Co. Brooklyn, NY 1975)

by Rabbi Eliezer Pupo, page 61b

2 Rabbi Yoel Kramer, presenting to the Consortium of

Jewish Day Schools; Diaco International, New York,

NY, January 16th, 2006

Students andFacultyRabbi Chaim Yosef Ackerman

Why are so many of our youth in today’s day and age plagued by stress and self-doubt?

even as adults we are subject to the appeal of a physical reward,

and that its motivational benefi ts can be many and lasting

A Case for Furthering Self-Confi dence in Our

C O N S O R T I U M o f J E W I S H D A Y S C H O O L S

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tion had presented to their fac-

ulty at diff erent times through-

out the year were of crucial

importance in the furtherance

of their achievement, and were

met with those desired results.

It then seems to follow that even

as adults, we are subject to the

appeal of a physical reward, and

that its motivational benefi ts can

be many and lasting.

It is my belief that of the most important

components in a person’s well-being is the

practically constant need to rejuvenate one’s

confi dence, something that must ultimately be

accomplished internally. Th e Torah illustrates

this point toward the end of Deuteronomy3, as

Moses is preparing to transfer the mantel of

leadership of the Jewish people over to his close

protégé Joshua. As the Ralbag4 comments on this

section of the Torah, G-d had relayed numerous

assurances of Joshua’s impending success in the

conquest of the land of Israel. Th ese messages

were told to Moses by G-d, who then relayed

them directly to Joshua, a disciple who had

followed Moses through his every move in the

desert, experiencing the hand of G-d in a fashion

3 Deuteronomy: Chapter 31; verses 7-23

4 Perushei Hatorah L’Rabbeinu Levi ben Gershom

(Mosad Horav Kook Jerusalem, Israel 2000)

virtually unparalleled in the

history of the Jewish nation. Yet,

the Ralbag goes on to explain,

G-d then invited Joshua into

the Tent Meeting for a private

encounter, solely for the purpose

of personally giving Joshua this

same message of affi rmation.

Th is was because the greatest

weapon in the arsenal of our evil

inclinations is to implant self-

doubt even in the areas in which

we are confi dent of our acumen. Th e lesson to be

culled is quite self-evident; no matter how young

or how old, accomplished of novice, people need

to hear and feel the confi dence that others have

in them, and they need to be reminded of it

often. Joshua, the great leader and prophet, was

no exception.

If there is an

underlying theme to

the issues that face

our society today,

it is the lack of self-

confi dence found

in our children and

adults. “Trust is

the highest form of

human motivation; it brings out the very best

in people5.” Th e beginnings of an antidote are

the expressions of positive acknowledgement

and acceptance of others with an unconditional

regard for whom they represent as human

beings, Jews, and learners of the greatest guide to

our lives and the world around us, the Torah. �

5 The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (Simon and

Schuster, New York, NY 2004), by Stephen R. Covey,

p. 178

people need to hear and feel the confi dence that others have in them,

and they need to be reminded of it often

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Yet, people generally resist change (especially

when externally generated!) What is the secret

to getting through to those around us? What is

the formula to infl uencing family, friends, and

community?

Th is question is not a new one. In 1936, Dale

Carnegie1, in his ground breaking “How to

Win Friends and Infl uence

People,” introduced the “Honest

and Sincere Complimenting

Approach.” By learning to give

sincere and appreciative feedback

to others, one is able to gain

allies and win friends. Many

others subsequently built on

this approach, such as Ballard,

Th omkins, and Lacinak, in their

book “Whale Done.”

Yet others advocate enhancing

communication skills, and specifi cally, listening

skills. “Seek fi rst to understand, and only then to

be understood,” says Stephen Covey2, in his “Th e

Seven Habits of Highly Eff ective People.” Others,

such as Carl Rogers, teach the technique of

1 Carnegie D. (1936, 1964, 1981). How to Win

Friends and Influence People. Rockefeller Center

NY: Simon and Schuster

2 Covey S., The Seven Habits of Highly Effective

People

refl ective listening as the key to reaching others.

While these powerful techniques can be quite

helpful, Chazal tell us that there’s a more basic

middah or approach that is the fundamental

key to reaching others. Th ose that really have it,

possess an irresistible koach and ability to reach

and infl uence their constituents. Th ose that

don’t, can only marginally succeed

with the (external) techniques

of sincere complementing and

enhanced communication.

Th e mishna in ,uct (ch ,t) writes:

“ cvut. . .irvt ka uhshnk,n huv vru,k icrenu ,,uhrcv ,t.” Th e

aht iuzj notes that the mishna

listed ,uhrcv ,cvt and then

vru,k icren; specifi cally in that

order. First one must love people,

and only then can one reach and

aff ect them! Th e mishna is telling us that the true

fundamental approach to infl uencing others, is to

have a true ,uhrcv ,cvt. Loving people; believing

in people; seeing the good in people. Really liking

people! Th e human being responds to those that

love, respect, and value him.

Even for the greatest of leaders, this component

of ahava is essential in infl uencing the

multitudes. In Parshas Beha’aloscha, the Sforno

explains that Moshe Rabeinu asked Hashem

Loving people; believing in people; seeing the good in people.

Really liking people!

Leading by theHeartRabbi Shaya Baumann

The mechanech reaches out to those around him; educates, infl uences, and attempts to facilitate growth.

C O N S O R T I U M o f J E W I S H D A Y S C H O O L S

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to remove him as leader, and replace him with

leaders whose love would be more felt by Klal

Yisroel (i.e., those more closely related to Klal

Yisroel.) Moshe knew that he was the greatest

Rav, Rebbe, and leader that Klal Yisroel would

ever have. “!sug vanf oe tk” His ability to lead

and teach was unparalleled in

history. Yet, it was clear to him

that Klal Yisroel would be better

off losing their greatest Navi

and leader, if they would better

connect to the love and caring of

a replacement! (3BeHa'aloscha' Chidushei HaLev) Apparently,

true ahava is a major component

of a leader’s ability to succeed

with his constituents. A Rav,

Rebbe, and mashpia must not

only possess Torah wisdom,

pedagogical technique, and

eloquent articulation, but also a

true inner love for his students

and followers.

One Chol Hamoed Sukkos, a

Chareidi fellow alighted a Yerushalayim Bus, carrying

his Lulov and Esrog. As he made his way to a seat,

he passed a bare-headed Jew, and warmly off ered

him a chance to bench his Lulov and Esrog. Th e man

politely declined. A few minutes later, the Charedei fellow watched as another frum man came joined

the passengers and likewise off ered the non-frum

Jew a chance to shake his Lulov and Esrog. To his

great surprise, the man graciously accepted, donned

a Yarmulka, made a Bracha, and fulfi lled the Mitzvah!

Unable to control his curiosity, he approached the

man and asked why he had only accepted the second

off er. After a moment, the man responded “I’ll tell

you. When you approached me, I sensed that you

wanted the Mitzvah of getting me to shake Lulov and

Esrog. I was the object of your Mitzvah! But when

he came over, I could sense that he wanted me to

have the Mitzvah. His caring for me, a fellow Jew,

generated his off er. So how could I refuse?” (The Eye of a Needle4, Introduction)

People are moved by sincere caring and concern.

3 (ch 'th rcsnc) :ckv haushj (2002) Kest-Lebowitz

Publishing

4 Eye Of The Needle, Aish Hatorah Kiruv Primer

Beneath the professionalism, and underneath

the necessary expertise, methodology, and

technique, the language and power of the heart

comes through.

Th e problem is that one can’t fake ahavas

habrios. Speak to any mechanech about his

talmidim or to a menahel about

his staff , or to any professional

about the people he works with,

and in just a few minutes you’ll

inevitably pick up how he feels

about them. Does he admire

their strengths and talents or

does he feel burdened by their

shortcomings and foibles?

Does he see them as wonderful

human beings or does he view

them as lazy complainers? If an

outsider can pick up his true

feelings, is there any question

that the insiders themselves

will? All the techniques and

skills in the world ultimately

can’t hide one’s true level of

ahavas habrios. So what can one do if he or she

isn’t naturally gifted with ahavas habrios?

Th e Pele Yoetz under Ahavas Rayim writes that

much of our common lack of ahava for those

around us is because we see, and focus on,

people’s faults. We look around and are struck

by how people are fi lled with such shortcomings.

“He does this... and that fellow does that...” He

goes on to prescribe the Igeres HaRamban’s

formula to increase our ahavas habrios. Th e

Ramban in his Igeres HaRamban, charges his son

with a formula for approaching and relating to

people with humility. He writes: (free translation)

“And learn to have respect for every human being

around you. If he’s wiser than you, respect him for his

wisdom. If he’s wealthier than you, respect him for

his wealth. And what if he’s poorer than you in every

respect? Th en respect him for being (possibly) more

blameless than you because 'v expects less of him!”

To learn to see the good in people, and to

T I S H R E I 5 7 6 7 ▒ O C T O B E R 2 0 0 6

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appreciate and respect people for their specifi c

strengths. Th ere is so much good in people!

People are so wonderful in so many ways! Th is,

says the Pele Yoetz, will bring us to truly love and

admire each member of Klal Yisroel5.

Attaining this world view is not as diffi cult as

it may seem. Rabbi Eliyahu Goldschmidt, in

his widely acclaimed “Dear

Son6,” advises a husband with

diffi cult in-laws, to fi nd ONE

attribute in his in-laws that he

can admire them for. Th is, he

says, will change one’s entire

attitude and relationship to

them. Th is advice isn’t limited

to family! If one can learn to

fi nd even ONE positive quality

in each person around them,

their entire perception of them

will change. And, after learning

to admire just a small number

of selected individuals, one’s entire attitude to

people in general will begin to change!

For mechanchim and Marbitzei Torah

specifi cally, the Igeres HaRamban’s approach is

vital. Mechanchim inevitably deal with diffi cult

5 What about people’s shortcomings? The .guh tkp goes

on to say that one needs to learn to be understanding

of human error. Realize how difficult it is to change

bad habits. Understand how overwhelming ,ubuhxb ohhjv can be. “Who knows how I would deal with his

issues? " unuenk ghd,a sg lrcj ,t ius, kt!” “I, too, have

weaknesses.” “How can we judge?” He concludes by

saying that we should pardon people’s shortcomings

in our own minds, leave iucaju ihs and judgement to

v and the vkgn ka ihs ,hc and return to focusing on

people’s strengths!

6 Goldschmidt R.E. (2004). Dear Son: A Father’s

Guidance for a Happy Marriage, New York:

Mesorah Publications

and troublesome individuals, and this can lead

to becoming frustrated and pessimistic, and to

losing one’s ahavas habrios. By internalizing the

Igeres HaRamban’s attitude and approach, one

is able to maintain idealistic levels of Ahavas

Yisroel, while working with the realities of

dealing with diffi cult and demanding people.

Th ere were certain extremist groups

who considered R’ Aryeh Levine a

rasha for his political views on Eretz

Yisroel. One time, a fellow from such a

group was imprisoned for his political

activism. Using his connections,

R’ Aryeh was able to convince the

authorities to provide for the prisoner’s

basic needs and improve his conditions.

When R’ Aryeh later passed by the

cell, the man quickly covered his eyes

“so as not to see the face of a rasha!”

When the warden expressed his shock

at the man’s lack of gratitude, R’ Aryeh

responded,“But look at his iron willed

tenacity to his beliefs and how straight

he is. He does not allow himself to

be “bribed” by the help he’s received to bend his

principles, nor will he express a feeling he doesn’t

truly have!” (A Tzaddik In Our Time7, pg 88)

Th e legendary Ohavei Yisroel dealt with, and

struggled with, real people and their foibles.

Yet, by choosing to focus on their strengths and

ma’alos, they were able to retain a sincere love for

every member of Klal Yisroel.

If one can learn to focus on the good in

people, he will discover a world of respectable,

wholesome, and wonderful people. Th at world

will then respond to his ahavas habrios, and

accept his attempts to reach out, infl uence, and

be mekarev. �

7 Raz, S. (1976). A Tzadik In Our Time-The Life of

Rabbi Aryeh Levine

To learn to see the good in people, and to appreciate

and respect people for their specifi c strengths

C O N S O R T I U M o f J E W I S H D A Y S C H O O L S

9

in the middle of a lesson. Th e teacher marches

into the principal’s offi ce: “It’s high time that

Moshe learns that during my class YOU DON’T

LEAVE WITHOUT PERMISSION!” You try to

calm the teacher down, and agree to speak to

Moshe. “You already spoke to him this week” she

reminds you, “he must be held accountable for

his behavior!” After lunch, Moshe shuffl es in, as

confi dent and defi ant as ever. Th is is your chance

to fi nally change his behavior. Or is it...

Th ere have been countless books written on

eff ective disciplining. We are all familiar with

the do’s and the don’ts, and may have even

developed some of our own techniques and

strategies. We appreciate that every student is

a separate world and must be treated (and

respected) accordingly. Why is it then,

that we often are unable to achieve the

desired results though discipline?

Why is Moshe still not

behaving in class?!

Perhaps if we were to

examine the goal, rather

than the method of

discipline, we would be

able to shed some light on

this pressing issue.

From our earliest days we have been taught that

every action has a consequence. If you touch

something hot, you will feel pain. If you eat too

many cookies, you will get a stomach ache. Th is

rule grows with us as we mature. If you don’t

show up for work, you will get fi red. If you pay

your bills late, you will be fi ned. If you don’t take

care of your teeth, they will fall out. It is therefore

natural that we apply this paradigm to discipline

as well: If you disturb the class you will get an

assignment. If you skip a class, your parents

will be called. If you cheat on a test, you will get

a zero. We are requiring the students to suff er

the consequences of their actions in order to

infl uence their behavior.

Th e problem is that there is a huge diff erence

between the consequences of “real life”

versus the consequences imposed by a

school. Th e reason to not put your hand in

a fi re is so that you will not get burned. Th e

reason to pay your bills on time is in order

to avoid a fi ne. What is the reason to follow

the rules of a school? Is the real reason

why a student should not

cheat is in order that

he not get a zero?

Is the real reason

why he should not

Th e Love ofDisciplineRabbi Zev Davidowitz

The teacher was furious. It was the third time this week that Moshe had walked out

...if we were to examine the goal, rather than the method of discipline,

we would be able to shed some light on this pressing issue

T I S H R E I 5 7 6 7 ▒ O C T O B E R 2 0 0 6

10

skip class is in order to avoid having his parents

called? Obviously not. Th e reason why a student

should comply with school rules is in order that

he receive an education, develop a good set of

values, and acquire proper social skills and work

ethic. Th e disciplining of a student therefore,

is often not based on the reason why he should

follow the rules, rather an external motivation to

get him to follow the rules.

Let us examine the nature of this motivation. As

educators we have been given the responsibility

as well as the authority to guide and direct our

students. Often the rapport and relationship

that we develop with the student, will play

an instrumental role in his growth and

improvement. Th e discipline and punishments

will merely serve as a set of boundaries necessary

in the development of this relationship.

With this in mind I share with you a time-

tested theory practiced by one

of my Rabbeim and mentors.

“Th e goal of discipline is

not to alter the student’s

behavior, rather to

maintain a relationship

with the student.”1 When

a student is shown that

an educator understands,

respects, and truly cares

for him, he will naturally

want to reciprocate in order

to continue to receive the

respect and admiration of the

educator. When the student does

something inappropriate, and is disciplined in a

fair and respectful manner, he will realize that

he has damaged this relationship. He will want

to repair it by dealing with the problem. Th us,

the goal of discipline is not to directly aff ect his

behavior, rather to continue to develop and refi ne

the relationship that you share.

Chazal teach us that when disciplining, we

1 Rabbi M. Davidowitz, Rosh Yeshiva of Talmudical

Institute of Upstate New York

must “push him away” with our left hand

while at the same time “bring him close” with

our right hand.2 Rabbeinu Yonah writes that

although external motivation may help a person

improve, creating internal motivation is the

best way to ensure success.3 Th ese ideas are

certainly being adhered to when the purpose of

the punishment is to develop your relationship

with the student.

Parenting is a perfect example of this concept.

Every parent will inevitably fi nd themselves

disciplining their children. Th e parent uses

punishments as a means of expressing to

the child that certain activities or behaviors

are unacceptable. Th e lessons that the child

receives from the punishment, combined

with the positive reinforcement given when

the child acts appropriately, play a major role

in the relationship between parent and child.

Ultimately, it is the relationship, not the

fear of punishment, that will infl uence

the development and character of

the child.

Th e implementation of this theory

requires little change in the overall

discipline system currently used

in schools. Th e fundamental

diff erence is found in the goal

of the punishment. When the

goal is to change the student’s

behavior through discipline,

it often only serves as a “band-

aid,” and not a real solution. If we

were to use discipline as a means

to solidify and strengthen our relationship with

the student, our goal would be to empower him

to correct his behavior on his own. It will then be

our relationship with the student that will truly

make a diff erence in his life. �

2 Midrash Shocher Tov. Chapter 22

3 Rabbenu Yonah - Pirkei Avos;

Chapter 1 Mishna 14

C O N S O R T I U M o f J E W I S H D A Y S C H O O L S

11

Th ere are many diff erent ways a Rebbi can

relate to the students. Some Rebbeim are more

reserved and aloof, inspiring their students to

recognize their obligation for Kavod HaTorah.

Others are “with the guys” where the Rebbi

will play or joke around with the Talmidim,

allowing them to feel that on some level they are

not so diff erent from one another. I would like

to examine some of the advantages and pitfalls

of the “with it” teaching approach.

Th ere are two main reasons why a Rebbi would

adapt such an approach. Firstly, some students

may come from more modern backgrounds and

cannot appreciate a Rebbi whom they feel is so

diff erent than they are. A role model is someone

that the students emulate and realistically feel

that they can and want to be like. A Rebbi who

is totally removed from gashmius might be seen

more as a Malach than a human being. Th e

Talmidim might feel that the Rebbi will not be

able to relate to their problems

and therefore any attempt to

make a kesher will be rebuff ed by

the Talmidim. In earlier times,

a Rebbi with amazing pshat or

lomdus was viewed as someone

to look up to and emulate.

Nowadays, especially in younger

grades where the beauty of Torah

is not fully realized, a Rebbi that

is “with it” will be viewed as more down to earth

and is a better role model for most students.

A second reason for the “with-it” approach

is that a young man entering the world of

chinuch may feel that he has the techunos and

kochos that would allow for a relaxed learning

environment. He may be youthful and laid

back and is okay with playing ball with the

Talmidim or pretending to know what is going

on in modern society. Some people do not have

the wherewithal to stare harshly or yell at a

misbehaving student. His style is to make a small

joke while getting the point across. Th is teaching

style allows the Rebbi to teach in a manner that

will maximize his talents and at the same time

allow the Talmidim to learn because they want

to, not because they are forced to.

Of course, an approach such as this one has its

pitfalls as well as its advantages. Th e Rebbi’s

personality, the students’

backgrounds and maturity

levels, the subject being taught

and when, are just a few of

the variables that can impact

this approach in teaching.

With this in mind, I would

like to look at some of the

disadvantages involved when a

Rebbi starts off the year being

“one of the guys”.

Th e ‘Cool’ Rebbe in the ClassroomRabbi Yosef Deutscher

As Mechanchim, it is our job and mission to enable our students to learn and develop to their fullest capacity.

Th is teaching style allows the Rebbi to teach in a manner that will maximize

his talents and...allow the Talmidim to learn because they want to

T I S H R E I 5 7 6 7 ▒ O C T O B E R 2 0 0 6

12

Th e fi rst drawback is painfully obvious. Th e

Rebbi is a giver of an age-old Mesora that

demands respect. Th ere must be some level of

reverence and awe in order to appreciate the

importance of what is being learned. When

a Rebbi is seen as being “cool”, the Talmidim

might totally miss the angle of Kavod HaTorah

that the Rebbi represents. Th e Talmidim can

take advantage of the comfort level in the

classroom and make inappropriate comments

or act in ways that they would not dare act with

a ‘normal’ Rebbi. As an experienced Mechanech

recently told me; “they do not realize that I am

their Rebbi, and not their camp counselor.”

Sometimes they might put their arm around the

Rebbi or say jokes that are unsuitable. Th is open

environment of learning can sometimes lead

students to overstep the bounds of derech eretz

and attempt to see how much they could get

away with. Instead of taking advantage of the

wonderful opportunity to grow and learn, they

try to take advantage in other ways.

A second potential danger is disciplining in such

a system. Th e Rebbi allows himself to do or say

things in hopes of developing a stronger kesher

with the Talmidim. Th is might make it diffi cult

for the Rebbi to put his foot down. Because his

mindset is to be a role model while “being with

the guys”, the Rebbi might be hesitant to put

the kesher at risk for the sake of good classroom

management. He may have a more diffi cult

time being a disciplinarian, feeling guilty about

“betraying” their trust and friendship.

Th e solution to this potential pitfall was made

clear to me by a master mechanech, who employs

the following approach to perfection. Th e Rebbi

shows love and warmth, within the framework of a

classroom where it is quite clear who is in charge.

He explained that children respect fairness. He

said that although he is viewed as being “with it”

and “one of the guys”, in the beginning of the year

he sets down certain rules and consequences.

If the consequences are fair, the class may not

like it, but they will respect it. Th e Rebbi might

be sympathetic, but is fi rm by stating that every

action has a consequence. Since the Talmidim are

notifi ed about the rules, if one of them steps out

of bounds he does so knowing the consequences

he’ll be facing. In this manner the Rebbi is seen as

someone who must be respected and whose rules

must be adhered to and is not a camp counselor.

At the same time, the Rebbi’s worry of ruining the

kesher is not realized.

In conclusion, the “with the guys” Rebbi has

many advantages. However, without any

Yirah, this teaching method has potential for

Hefkerus and disaster. By combining both the

openness of a “cool” Rebbi with consequences

for stepping over the line, everything can run

smoothly. Th e students will simultaneously

respect, love, and look up to the Rebbi as a

worthwhile role model. �

Th e Rebbi shows love and warmth, within the framework

of a classroom where it is quite clear who is in charge

C O N S O R T I U M o f J E W I S H D A Y S C H O O L S

13

Secular and Torah sources, both old and

modern, dictate that the key to

success is to focus on the individual.

In my personal experience teaching

a remediated Gemara shiur in a well-

established yeshiva in Brooklyn, I

discovered that most students, even

those who have been labeled “incapable”

of learning, through individualized

methods of learning and assessment,

together with love and positive

encouragement, are able to thrive.

SECULAR PERSPECTIVE

One of the important theories of learning

discussed over the course of the Principals’

Training Initiative (PTI) has been that of Howard

Gardner’s “multiple intelligences”, introduced

in his 1983 book, Frames of Mind, based on

his eff orts to synthesize research on normal

and gifted children with that of adults who

suff ered from brain damage1.

Th e multiple intelligences theory

suggests that the traditional notion

of a single intelligence is far too

limited. Gardner proposes that

there are many diff erent types

of intelligences to account for a

1 Gardner, Howard. (2003). Howard

Gardner. President and Fellows of

Harvard College.

broader range of human potential and learning

in children and adults².

Gardner claims that the seven

intelligences he identifi ed rarely operate

independently. Th ey are used at the

same time and tend to complement

each other as people develop skills or

solve problems2. Th e seven intelligences

described by Gardner include verbal-

linguistic, logical-mathematical, visual-

spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal,

and intrapersonal. In recent years, Gardner

has suggested additional types of intelligence,

including naturalist & existential-spiritual3.

Several lecturers over the course of the PTI

program stressed the relevance of the multiple

intelligences theory in running a classroom

and a school. Rabbi Elimelech Gottlieb quoted

one of Stephen Covey’s famous

“Seven Habits”: “seek fi rst

to understand, then to be

understood.” Th is concept is

particularly insightful in regard

to the need to understand our

2 Armstrong, Thomas. (2000)

Multiple Intelligences.

3 Bogod, Liz. (1998). Multiple

Intelligences Explained. LDpride.

Individualized Learning and AssessmentRabbi Refael Draiman

Modern education fi nds an ever-increasing and diversifi ed group of students, cultures, backgrounds, and intelligences in the classroom.

most students, through individualized methods of learning, with

love and positive encouragement, are able to thrive

T I S H R E I 5 7 6 7 ▒ O C T O B E R 2 0 0 6

14

students before we attempt to teach them.

Rabbi Gottlieb also specifi cally emphasized

the signifi cance of emotional intelligence

in the operation of a school–the ability to

connect thought with action, to be sensitive

to others’ emotions, and to enter and sustain

interpersonal relationships4.

TORAH PERSPECTIVE

Th is theory is particularly insightful in light of

the well-known Chazal:

“ epnn xeqi `l oiwfi ik mb ekxc it lr xrpl jepg”–

“Educate a child according to his way—even

when he gets old he will not deviate from it.”5

Th e Malbim explains that every person’s nature

is diff erent from birth, thus each person needs

to be taught according to the abilities and

inclinations that have been implanted within

him, and according to what he is ready for.

Rabbi Shlomo Wolbe, quoting the commentary

of the Vilna Gaon, explains that if you do not

teach the child “according to his way” he will

listen now because he is afraid, but when he

gets older he will veer away. He elaborates

that since each child is diff erent from the

next, it is the responsibility of a teacher

to fi rst refl ect and evaluate his student’s

nature6. Rabbi Lawrence Kelemen

expounds: “Just as diff erent plants

have diff erent ‘ways’ and require

diff erent styles of care in order to

thrive, so, too, every child has his own way

and will fl ourish only when our approach

matches his or her special profi le.”7

Citing hyperactivity as an example of a need

for alternative teaching methodology, Rabbi 4 PTI Lecture, March 5, 2006

5 Mishlei 22:6

6 Wolbe, Rabbi Shlomo. Planting & Building,

Section I – ‘Customized Education’

7 Kelemen, Rabbi Lawrence. To Kindle A Soul, p. 44

Kelemen quotes Dr. Joseph Coyle, chairman

of the psychiatry department at the Harvard

Medical School: “Psychiatrists sometimes fail to

ask whether [hyperactive] children need drugs

or just a more fl uid, active environment.” Rabbi

Kelemen also cites the example of a Los Angeles

teacher of mathematics to active adolescents

who writes a math problem on the board,

tosses a basketball to a student, has the student

dribble the ball up to board, solve the problem,

and then toss the ball back to the teacher8.

Th is is just one example of applying multiple

intelligences in the classroom.

ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT

In my experience, by applying the concept of

multiple intelligences and individualized learning

through alternative assessment, I was able to

succeed with students who had previously been

lost in the classroom. For example, the use of

a computer program to teach and reinforce

new Gemara vocabulary and concepts was

invaluable. It provided the students with a fresh,

exciting, relaxed, and stimulating

learning medium. Th e eff ectiveness

of this medium was proven most

compellingly on the last day of the

school year, when my students asked

me to allow them to demonstrate

their learning to the principal by

spontaneously answering all the

tests, words, and questions from

over the course of the entire year –all

on the computer.

I found that Powerpoint presentations

used to teach new Gemara was also of

particular appeal to visual learners who

were having trouble picturing the Gemara

otherwise. Similarly, providing oral tests

8 ibid, p.47

since each child is diff erent from the next, it is the responsibility of

a teacher to fi rst refl ect and evaluate his student’s nature

C O N S O R T I U M o f J E W I S H D A Y S C H O O L S

15

for students who had diffi culty writing proved

very eff ective, as students who had been handing

in practically blank tests were now able to show

they had an excellent grasp of the material

learned. Th ey simply had diffi culty expressing

themselves on written tests.

THEORY OF ASSESSMENT

What is the purpose of assessment? It would

seem that if a child has repeatedly failed

standard written tests, the goals of formal

assessment would be undermined. Rabbi Noach

Orlowek writes:

Formal testing…serves several functions: First

of all, it encourages review and retention of

one’s learning. Second, it enables a student and

his parents to measure his progress or

the lack thereof…Finally, it indicates

how well a teacher is performing.

Teaching should not be a teacher’s

primary way of measuring a

student’s progress. Test results

can be misleading… a teacher’s

evaluation should be based on

a child’s day-to-day classroom

learning, not just his test

scores.9

Rabbi Hillel Mandel, in discussing

the need to set standards for

achievement and create a culture

of growth, explained that we

must recognize a teacher is not an

adversary but an advocate. Tests

must be designed to raise students

and make them feel good, not to

catch them. Accordingly, grades

need to be subjective according to

each student’s level. Th ere is no such

thing as a child failing, but rather an

9 Orlowek, Rabbi Noach. My Disciple

My Child, pp. 99-100

institution failing10.

Rabbi Dr. Heshy Glass discussed the role of a

principal as head learner above all else, and the

importance of setting learning as the center

focus for everyone in a school. Accordingly, it is

crucial to set high standards of success, clearly

communicate them, and implement multiple

sources for assessment, including methods of

problem identifi cation and implementation of

improvements.11Th is applies equally to classroom

and administration.

Scott Goldberg of Yeshiva University’s Azrieli

Graduate School of Jewish Education and

Administration, in his annual lecture entitled

“Planning and Implementing Assessment”,

explains:

Th e job of a teacher is not just to test, but

to prove that the student has learned…

Assessment not only documents what

students know, but also infl uences learning…

Assessment is not only an add-on activity

that occurs after instruction is completed.

Assessment defi nes the nature of what students

learn in school—what is valued. Assessment

is integrally related to all aspects of teacher

decision making and instruction…Make sure

you use the appropriate method for your

learning target.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

Accordingly, it would seem that an

individualized model of assessment

would be much more eff ective and goal-

oriented than a standardized assessment

method. Because our students have

wide-ranging needs and abilities,

it is often diffi cult to reach them

as educators. Gardner’s theory

dictates a simple structure for

10 PTI Lecture, January 8, 2006

11 PTI Lecture, Sept. 25, 2005

...best way to ensure we are engaging as many learners as possible...is to

use many diff erent methods to appeal to those multiple intelligences

T I S H R E I 5 7 6 7 ▒ O C T O B E R 2 0 0 6

16

pedagogy through the recognition of the

various types of learning that a child may

need. Th is individualized theory of learning

and assessment helps us because diff erent

teaching methods can work better for diff erent

intelligences. It is our responsibility to fi nd

ways to get children stimulated and excited to

learn. Simply because one child can learn by

listening to a teacher lecture does not mean

that the child next to him is able to do so.

Th at child may need to be taught the concept

visually to understand it, while the next child

may need to feel the objects and integrate the

lesson physically.

Th e best way to ensure that we are engaging as

many learners as possible to the greatest degree

possible is to use as many diff erent possible

methods to appeal to those multiple intelligences

as modern technology will allow12. Some

practical applications include: presentations,

charts, maps, videos, and diagrams for visual

learners, stories that illustrate key learning points

for verbal learners, experiments and calculations

for logical learners, hands-on activities for

kinesthetic learners, and so forth.

In the words of Howard Gardner, “It’s very

important that a teacher take individual

diff erences among kids very seriously…. Th e

bottom line is a deep interest in children and

how their minds are diff erent from one another,

and in helping them use their minds well13.” �

12 Meacham, Margie. (2003). Using MI Theory

in the Virtual Classroom. American Society for

Training & Development (ASTD).

13 Guignon, Anne. (1998). Multiple Intelligence: A

Theory for Everyone. Education World

...a deep interest in children and how their minds are diff erent from one another, and in helping them use their minds well

We’d like to congratulate last year’s PTI members on their new positions in Chinuch. May they have much continued Hatzlacha in their new roles of inspiring another generation through Torah!

Consortium of Jewish Day Schools

C O N S O R T I U M o f J E W I S H D A Y S C H O O L S

17

He is coming from an environment which has

been attuned to his needs and has encouraged

and praised him every step of the way. Over

the course of his fi rst years

in school, examinations

will reveal to him, and the

educators shaping his future,

the areas in which he is in need

of improvement. Th e student

will be primarily focused on

growing in those areas with

the hope that he will possess

a complete repertoire of skills

when he departs towards

higher education.

Th is system of evaluation and rectifi cation

contains at its base a tendency towards

uncovering defi ciencies and devising ways

to correct them. If we were computer

programmers this would be an effi cient

and logical path towards success.

However, we are educators and thus

such a system comes up short when

superimposed upon the human

element that we deal with on a

constant basis. Students are in need

of praise for the successes they have

achieved. When a suffi cient amount of that

praise is lacking, the children lose confi dence in

their successes and eventually lose confi dence

in themselves. Th is is not

meant to imply that our

schools contain within it an

overly depressed student body,

but it does suggest a possibility

that a decent percentage of

students are not possessed of a

true picture of themselves.

A study, recently reported

to the Principals’ Training

Initiative (PTI), would seem

to concur with these fi ndings.

In a longitudinal study covering the time period

of elementary and high school, researchers

found that four out of fi ve children entering fi rst

grade felt that they were competent or better in

a number of diff erent areas. By the fi fth grade,

that ratio dropped to one out of fi ve,

and when twelfth grade rolled around,

one out of twenty, a mere 5% of the

graduating class felt themselves to

be competent in many areas.1 Th is is

1 Presented December 18, 2005 by Rabbi

Hillel Mandel in the Rabbinical

Seminary of America.

Perception is RealityRaphael Moskowitz

When a child enters school for the fi rst time, his impression of himself is a positive one.

a person’s ability to achieve success...is largely dependent on one factor: a clear and unadulterated estimation of his own self worth.

T I S H R E I 5 7 6 7 ▒ O C T O B E R 2 0 0 6

18

a disturbing fi nding, but even more so when

taken with the words of the great Alter of

Slobodka, HaRav Nosson Tzvi Finkel, zt”l.

One of the greatest thinkers of his generation,

the Alter was deeply attuned to the workings

of the human mind and spirit. In his magnum

opus, Ohr Hatzafon, the Alter writes that a

person’s ability to achieve success in this

world, whether spiritual or material, is largely

dependent on one factor:

a clear and unadulterated

estimation of his own self

worth.2 Th e children’s

recognition of who they

are and what abilities they

possess is so integral to

the success that we wish

for them. Unfortunately,

if we do not take the time

and eff ort to build them

up with abilities they

possess, we as educators

may be taking on the role

of unwitting accomplice

in their misperception

of themselves and their subsequent

underachievement.

Rabbi Hillel Mandel, a respected member of

the Consortium of Jewish Day Schools, related

an anecdote during a session of the PTI which

seemed to encapsulate his method of relating

with the children in his school and thus relates

closely to our discussion. A child was sent to

Rabbi Mandel’s offi ce for misconduct. However,

when the child arrived he was not greeted by

the stern countenance and air of disapproval

that are usually present at disciplinary meetings

with a principal. First, the child was lauded

2 Ohr Hatzafon, Volume 1, Page 270.

for his excellence as an all-around student.

Th en his beautiful davening was praised. Only

after the child was made to feel comfortable

in the principal’s presence and with himself,

did Rabbi Mandel broach the subject that had

brought the child to his offi ce in the fi rst place.

Th at child walked away with a clear message: I

am a great person who has room to grow. Th e

argument is simple: Why should a child walk

away from an encounter

with a teacher or principal

feeling that the whole

essence of his being is

composed of the off ense he

committed? A child may,

from time to time, exhibit

dishonesty, unruliness, or

underachievement, but

he should never be led to

defi ne himself as a cheat, a

misfi t, or a failure.

When discussing an

inadequacy with a child, it

is imperative that an eff ort

be made to highlight other

areas where there has been success and growth.

Th is does not serve to cloud the issue and lessen

the shortcoming in the eyes of the student. On

the contrary, it serves to bolster him to rectify

the problem and complete an already very

rosy picture. Furthermore, even if the failing is

perceived as less in his eyes, perhaps that should

be considered an accomplishment as opposed

to a negative side eff ect. A snag on the road of

life should not spell utter despair for a child.

Even when a child is experiencing a period of

diffi culty, academic or otherwise, he should be

able to say, “I am a good person,” and mean it.

When a child is defi cient in numerous areas,

Why should a child walk away from an encounter with a teacher feeling that

his whole essence is composed of the off ense he committed?

C O N S O R T I U M o f J E W I S H D A Y S C H O O L S

19

there are still ways to create a healthy mindset

while helping the child attend to his needs.

Th is was also addressed by Rabbi Mandel in

the session, and this author has coined the

technique as “expanding the strike zone.”

“Expanding the strike zone” means what

it says. We as the teachers and principals

look to expand the target area in which a

child can experience success. To illustrate,

if a child is experiencing universal academic

failure, a teacher may create a job within the

classroom which allows the child to experience

success. At worst the child will gain a sense of

achievement. At best, that sense of achievement

will translate into success in other areas. Th e

applications are numerous but the underlying

theme remains unchanged. To create success in

our children we need to make them cognizant

that they are already a success.

Th e Talmud in Pesachim3

relates a dialogue between

Hashem and Adam

immediately following the

incident in Gan Eden. When

Hashem told Adam that as

punishment he would eat

from the herbs and grasses

of the fi eld, Adam began to

cry, “How can I eat alongside

my own animal?” Hashem

then told Adam that he could

eat bread but only through

sweat and toil. Adam chose

a life of hardship over a life

where his livelihood would

be readily provided. Th e

Rosh HaYeshiva, HaRav

Henoch Leibowitz, shlit”a,

explains Adam’s decision.

He was concerned that if his 3 118, A.

livelihood would be supplied in the manner

of the animals, his stature in his own eyes

would be lessened and his self worth would

be distorted. Adam felt that such a loss in

perception of self, however minute, would

impact on his ability reach the highest levels in

service of Hashem. Only after Hashem granted

him an alternative was Adam calmed.

Th e lesson for us is clear. We hold the future

of our students in our hands. How we handle

them now will not only aff ect their current

success but their ability to achieve success

throughout their lives. Our goal on the

frontlines of education should be to create an

environment that focuses on building fences

while at the same time strengthening the ones

that already exist. �

how we handle our students now will not only aff ect their current success,

but their ability to achieve success throughout their lives

T I S H R E I 5 7 6 7 ▒ O C T O B E R 2 0 0 6

20

To a new principal the challenge of balancing

the many roles and responsibilities can be

very daunting. What determines the criteria

that we weigh the various demands that call

upon a principal? Do we spend more time in

the classroom and in the halls or developing a

curriculum? Are we fi rm or fl exible?

A recent study1 based on an analysis of data from

a 30-year period, suggests that there are defi nite

correlations between certain leadership practices

and student achievement. For example, increased

student achievement was linked to principals

that exhibited a tendency of “Situational

Awareness” (defi ned as being aware of the details

and undercurrents in the running of the school

and using this information to address current

and potential problems). Th e research suggests

that by identifying the leadership practices that

correlate more directly with student learning, we

can place a greater emphasis in developing and

perfecting those practices.

Over the past year, as a participant in the

1 Marzano, R., Waters, T. & McNulty, B. (2003).

Balanced Leadership: What 30 years of research

tell us about the effect of leadership on student

achievement. Aurora, CO: Mid-continent Research

for Education and Learning.

Principal Training Initiative (PTI) sponsored

by the Consortium of Jewish Day Schools, I

have been aff orded the opportunity to not only

learn from some of the most experienced and

talented principals, but to meet and observe (and

for some in action) them as individuals. While

my observations certainly do not qualify as a

legitimate study, neither based on signifi cant

volume nor proper scientifi c orientation, one very

striking “trend” has emerged. All the principals

were remarkably diff erent!

But yet at the same time, there is a very distinct

common thread. With all their diff erences,

they as individuals all seemed to have a highly

developed character. Each principal had a

certain unique characteristic that came across,

that permeated through all of his method and

style of leadership, right down to his choice of

topic, and manner of presentation.

Perhaps an element of

being an eff ective leader

is the development of

ones own core being- the

mixture of personality,

talents, Torah, middos,

and values- the essence

of who a person is. Th e

character and nature

LeadershipRabbi Zev Pam

Discipline. Communication. Visibility. Culture. These are just a few of the leadership responsibilities and practices that face a principal.

Personality Element of

if we examine the goal, rather than the method of discipline,

we would be able to shed some light on this pressing issue

Th e

C O N S O R T I U M o f J E W I S H D A Y S C H O O L S

21

of the person serve as the mold for all of the

skills, talents and practices that serve as the

tools of the eff ective principal. It casts the

unique blend–the precise balance–of all

needed qualities that sets apart this principal as

himself. It sets a mark of distinction. It defi nes

him as a leader.

Th e leadership responsibilities and practices

highlighted in the above mentioned research

study can certainly form the framework to

develop the skills and knowledge of when

and how to apply them. However, I would

suggest that leadership stems from who the

principal is, not only from what he does. All

the leadership practices are necessary, but

what forms the cohesion of all those practices

into a leader is the essence of who he is. My

Rebbe, Rabbi Henoch Leibowitz, shlita, would

often comment that you can have gadlus, but

not be a gadol. When the greatness doesn’t

stem from the internalization of the greatness

within ones being, it just remains the outside

trappings of greatness. Likewise, you can lead,

but not be a leader!

A frequent concept referred to at many of the PTI

sessions and expounded upon by the oft-quoted

Stephen Covey2 is that leadership is diff erent

than management. Management deals with the

nuts and bolts of getting the job done. Leadership

is to set the direction, to steer the boat and keep

it in line. It is the ability to have the vision and to

eff ectively transmit and inspire others to keep to

that vision. I believe it is the core essence of the

person that develops his unique vision and his

2 Covey, S. R. (1989). The Seven Habits of Highly

Effective People. New York: Simon and Schuster.

ability to inspire others with that vision. A vision

that comes from within inspires respect and

engenders a desire to connect with it3.

Rabbi Shlomo Goldberg, speaking at a PTI4 class

about being a leader conveyed this message:

“His power comes from who he is—from his

Torah and middos… People respect us because

of who we are—we can be trusted, we have a

vision, we can be depended upon…”

Certainly, one of the consistent themes of the

PTI classes has been to defi ne the parameters

of leadership, and to give specifi c instruction

and guidance in actuating the particular

leadership responsibilities. But the unspoken

message has been that it is our own job to

develop ourselves to serve as the foundation.

Th e daunting question of balancing all the roles

will fi nd its answer within each person. As

Rabbi Yaakov Bender advised the participants

of PTI5, “play to your strengths!” �

3 This principle can have practical applications

as well. At a recent Consortium gathering of

principals, Rabbi Simcha Weiser and Mrs.

Audrey Jacobs addressed the topic of Strategies for

Recruiting Enrollment. An outgrowth of that session

was the idea that your ability to promote the

excellence in your school is largely based on being

able to convey your vision for the school. What

is compelling is not strictly the purely academic

distinction and success, but your personal pride

in the fulfillment of the vision and mission of the

school. It captures the essence of the school and

what it stands for, from the perspective of its leader.

To that end Rabbi Weiser suggested that telling

compelling stories from a personal perspective can

be a powerful means of conveying the excellence of

your school.

4 PTI Lecture, May 21, 2006

5 PTI Lecture, April 30, 2006

what forms the cohesion of all those practices

into a leader is the essence of who he is.

T I S H R E I 5 7 6 7 ▒ O C T O B E R 2 0 0 6

22

1One must try his best to help each child develop

in order to reach his academic potential. In many

instances one will be required to work with

children who have diff erent learning styles, such

as a visual learner and an auditory learner. Add

to the mix the fact that there may be a child who

has adhd and/or has social issues and the Rebbe

requires an approach to this classroom.

Rav Shlomo Wolbe, zt’’l, in Zriya U’Binyan

B’Chinuch2 writes, “Chinuch must give the child

an opportunity to grow in accordance with his

‘derech’. Character and Midos must be built

through this derech. If the child is

directed in a manner that is not in

accordance with his ‘derech’, then he

may become a robot. If, on the other

hand, one relies on the child’s growth

without working on Midos at all, the

child may grow into a Pereh Adam.”

Th e fi rst Yesod required for the Rebbe

is to realize that no matter how many

students there are in the classroom,

the Rebbe must fi rst ascertain what

each child’s Maalos are, both in

1 Although I use the words “Rebbe” and “he” to refer

to the student, it is the same for a “Morah” and

“her” students.

2 Wolbe, Rabbi Shlomo. Z’riya U’Binyan B’Chinuch

(pg. 20).

regard to learning style and ability, and in regard

to Midos and Techunos Hanefesh. It is through

these positive qualities that the student will reach

his potential, not through his shortcomings.

Rav Wolbe3, zt’’l, writes: “Oy is to the person

who does not know his shortcomings, since

he doesn’t recognize what he must correct.

Oy vavoy to the one who does not know his

Maalos—as this person does not have the tools

to properly serve Hashem.”

A child will not be able to tell the Rebbe his

positive qualities. It is therefore the job of the

Rebbe to recognize how each child thinks and

acts and then create a goal and a plan

as to how to help this child reach his

potential for this grade level.

As many children as there are in

the classroom, that is how many

separate curricula he must prepare.

True, many will overlap, but in order

to teach each individual eff ectively,

a special plan should be developed

for each child. Similarly, regarding

Midos development, reaction to

infractions of the social nature,

the Rebbe must prepare the same way that he

does in regard to teaching material. Th e Rebbe

3 Wolbe, Rabbi Shlomo. Alei Shur (Alef, pg. 169).

Reaching allStudentsRabbi Laib Schulman

One of the more common challenges facing the Rebbe1 in the classroom is the fact that many of the students are on diff erent academic levels.

...the job of the Rebbe is to recognize how each child thinks and acts

and create a plan as to how to help him reach his potential

in a Diverse Classroom

C O N S O R T I U M o f J E W I S H D A Y S C H O O L S

23

must realize that one must work with a child’s

Midos, not against them. As students get older

and begin to understand proper behavior and

consequences, it becomes more important that

the Rebbe recognize how to reach each student

in a way that the student understands on his own

what he did wrong and what proper behavior

should be.

Th e following is a case in point: A student (we

will call him Chaim) committed an act against

another student (we will call him Yankel) and

was suspended for a week. Chaim felt that the

punishment was excessive and was due to Yankel

exaggerating what he had done. Th e classmates,

who saw the incident, agreed with Chaim and

took nekama against Yankel by ostracizing him.

Th e Rebbe recognized that in order for the class

to begin treating Yankel properly, Chaim must be

willing to take the lead, but the entire class must

learn to accept Yankel. Th e Rebbe also learned

that historically there was a feud between

Yankel’s family and Chaim’s family due to

previous incidents, whether actual or perceived.

Th e Rebbe, rather than giving a one time

Shmooz about the incident and the boys’

reactions, instead spent time over the next few

weeks discussing, (as a lesson from the Parsha

and not related to anything that happened) the

art of conversation, confrontation and dealing

with disappointments. Th e

reason for this was due to

the strong feelings the

class had about what

happened and especially

the personality of

Chaim, who felt that he

was the victim. Chaim

was also a “thinker” and

the Rebbe felt that he

would internalize these thoughts over time.

A few weeks later, Chaim came to the Rebbe and

said, “Based on what the Rebbe said over the last

few weeks, I realize now that I should apologize

to Yankel, even though I feel he wronged me by

causing me to miss a week of school.”

Th e Rebbe replied, “It would be a good idea and

I am proud of you for thinking of it.” At the end,

harmony was restored to the classroom.

Th is approach falls under the category of

planning backwards, which is to fi rst determine

the desired result and then plan how to get

there. In “Integrating Diff erentiated Instruction

and Understanding by Design,” Carol Ann

Tomlinson and Jay McTighe discuss the benefi ts

of this method.4Th ey divide the planning into

three parts. Before implementing the lesson(s)

the teacher needs to determine the following:

1. What the students should know, understand

and be able to do as a result of the lesson.

2. What is the acceptable evidence that the

students achieved the desired results, and

3. Plan learning experiences and instruction.

Th ey go on to discuss how to diff erentiate goals

and instruction for all the students on their

individual level. Th ere are two parts of the

knowledge that the teacher wishes to impart,

namely, the “big ideas” and “specifi c knowledge.”

Th e “big ideas” are presented to all students

together while the specifi cs must be tailored to

each student’s abilities and prior experiences

and knowledge. Th is may require modifying

the specifi c knowledge each student is required

to master. Th is might also require separate

assessments to determine whether the student

has mastered the material and it certainly

4 Tomlinson, Carol Ann, and McTighe, Jay

“Integrating Differentiated Instruction and

Understanding by Design,” (pg 27-29).

...important that the Rebbe recognize how to reach each student in

a way that he understands on his own what proper behavior should be

T I S H R E I 5 7 6 7 ▒ O C T O B E R 2 0 0 6

24

requires a separate learning plan. By starting

with a specifi c goal for each student, the teacher

can then plan what he must do in order to ensure

that each student reaches that goal.

One way of diff erentiating instruction is to ask

questions that can be answered diff erently at

diff erent levels of understanding. Th e weaker

student, who understands the “big idea” will be

able to participate in the classroom discussion,

while the stronger student should be able to

demonstrate mastery of the specifi c knowledge

he acquired through the lesson.

An example of this might be: a Rebbe is

teaching a Mishna which has three cases.

Th e Gemora quotes a Braisa in order to ask

a question on one of the three cases of the

Mishna. Th e “Big Idea” that

the Rebbe wants the student

to understand is to recognize

the topic and case of the

Mishna, the the topic and

case of the Braisa. Th e next

“Big Idea” that the student

must know is on which case

of the Mishna the Gemora

will be addressing. Th e

actual understanding of the

question may be diffi cult for

a weaker student. Th is is the

“specifi c information” that the Rebbe would

like every student to know. By involving the

weaker student in the understanding of the

Mishna, breaking the material into smaller

portions, and focusing the student’s attention

to pinpoint what he is being asked to recognize

and demonstrate, he may begin to understand

the specifi cs of the actual question.

Th ere is another important benefi t to working

in accordance with the child’s own derech.

Th ere are many children in our classroom

who do better in one Limud than in another.

Frequently, a child will be weak in Gemora, but

do well in Navi. His analytical skills may not be

as highly developed as his ability to remember a

story, as in Navi. It is important to fi nd a Limud where each student can excel, and build upon

this success. Th is will frequently jump start

the student to success in areas that he has yet

to excel. When the child feels success, success

breeds success. Th e success that the student

feels because of his remembering the storyline

may help him to take an intellectual risk

regarding something about which he is unsure.

It is important that the Rebbe show Chashivus

and importance to the Limud which he may

consider minor, so that the

student feels that he is having

important success.

In conclusion, the challenge

of meeting the needs of every

student requires a recognition

of who your students are,

their strengths and their

weaknesses. One must teach

to the strengths of each

student and build on those

points. Th e Rebbe needs to

work with the student and his

nature, break the material down to the bigger

ideas that are easily recognized and mastered

prior to the focus of attention on specifi cs. For

this to succeed one must follow the method of

“Backwards Planning.” Finally, make sure that

each child actually experiences success, and

build upon that success. �

starting with a specifi c goal for each student, the teacher can then plan what he must do to ensure that each student reaches that goal

People need to hear and feel the confi dence

that others have in them, and they need to be

reminded of it often –Rabbi Chaim Yosef Ackerman

¦ To learn to see the good in people, and to

appreciate and respect people for their specifi c strengths – Rabbi Shaya Baumann ¦ If

we were to use discipline as a means to solidify and strengthen our relationship with

the student, our goal would be to empower him to correct his behavior on his own.

–Rabbi Zev Davidowitz ¦ Th e Rebbi shows love and warmth, within the framework of a

classroom where it is quite clear who is in charge –Rabbi Yosef Deutscher ¦ Most students,

through individualized methods of learning, with love and positive encouragement,

are able to thrive –Rabbi Raphael Draiman ¦ A person’s ability to achieve success...is

largely dependent on one factor: a clear and unadulterated estimation of his own self

worth –Rabbi Raphael Moskowitz ¦ Leadership is the ability to have the vision and to

eff ectively transmit and inspire others to keep to that vision.–Rabbi Zev Pam. ¦ Th e job

of the Rebbe is to recognize how each child thinks and acts and create a plan as to

how to help him reach his potential –Rabbi Laib Schulman ¦

PRINCIPALS’INSTITUTE

TRAINING

C O N S O R T I U M o f J E W I S H D A Y S C H O O L S

25

T I S H R E I 5 7 6 7 ▒ O C T O B E R 2 0 0 6

26

One of my favorite words is synergy and the rea-

son I like the word is because of what it represents.

Most out of town Yeshiva day school principals

have had to face the challenge of decreasing

enrollment in their schools. Many established

schools tend to fi nd that over the years alternative

schools have been created within the commu-

nity and they have drawn off some of those who

were assumed to be enrolling in the

established school. New schools tend

to be formed by parent and com-

munity groups that have a vision of a

thriving school in a place where the

orthodox community appears to be

growing. Yet many of these schools

are failing to reach the potential

envisioned by the lay leadership.

Th ey tend to see budget shortfalls

and other problems as the result of

decreasing or insuffi cient enrollments and pay

little attention to other more realistic problems.

Th e fact is that although decreasing or low enroll-

ments are seen by most lay leaders as a problem in

school site leadership, low or decreasing enroll-

ment is, in reality more likely a symptom rather

than the problem. If a school is losing enrollment

there are usually 3 general reasons why:

SAFETY: parents believe that their children are in

jeopardy religiously, academically, or socially

COMPATIBILITY: the school is not on a religious

track consistent with the values of the family, or

it is not measuring up to specifi c pedagogical/

academic expectations of parents; or it may be

priced beyond the means of local families.

CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS: families grow up or

move away and are not replaced with others who

want or need the school.

Understanding these facts can help

a school work strategically to cope

with, if not reverse, declining enroll-

ments. And, just as importantly

these schools, and their leaders, un-

derstand that declining enrollment

is usually a symptom of a problem

and not a problem itself. Th is article

addresses the relationship of the

Principal and the Chairperson of the

Board. In a future article the three

reasons above and the problem of

responding to low enrollment will be addressed in

greater detail.

QUESTION: In a setting where enrollments are not

growing can a Principal be the positive catalytic

force in building a team of local leaders focused

on responding to this situation?

CONSIDER THE TWO CASES BELOW:

SCHOOL A. At their monthly meeting just prior to

the meeting of the School Board the Chairper-

son informs the Principal that he has reviewed

the projections for the school enrollment next

Synergy:Professor Stephen M. Fain, Ed.D.

Does the decision to develop a plan of action increase the potential for institutional advancement?

PART TWO IN THE SYNERGY SERIES

C O N S O R T I U M o f J E W I S H D A Y S C H O O L S

27

year. He pointed out that the fi fth grade seems

to be losing four students and next year’s sixth

grade will be a class of 12 rather than 16 as

anticipated. Further, he observes that enroll-

ment seems to be steady in grades three and

four but that he and the Board had hoped for

some growth rather than accepting the status

quo. After reviewing all of this he turns to the

principal and asks, “What do you plan to do to

rectify this problem?” Th e principal explains

that he is planning to meet with all parents

who are removing their children from school

to see if he can do something to keep them at

the school. Further, he is having a membership

tea over at the Moskowitz home where three

new prospective families are invited – only one

family keeps kosher and none are Orthodox, but

they care deeply about their kids. “Well,” says

the Chairperson, “I hope this works because en-

rollment is one of your most important jobs.” As

they enter the Board meeting the Chairperson

thinks that he had prepared the chief school ad-

ministrator for the serious challenge ahead and

at the Board meeting he reports that he and the

Principal have discussed the current situation

and that it is understood that increasing enroll-

ment is now a priority of the administration.

Th e Principal sits around the Board table and

listens. He wonders what he can do to get back

some of the students who left last year to enroll

in the new Solomon Schechter school or to keep

the students in school who are, at this very mo-

ment, considering enrolling in the Town Prep

now that they are off ering a special curriculum

rooted in the use of technology. He also won-

ders how much of an increase is anticipated by

the President and the Board.

After the meeting, the Principals calls his wife

and he tells her that he is unsure that he can

meet the expectations set by the President and

the Board.

Across town things are moving along quite dif-

ferently.

SCHOOL B. Knowing that enrollment may not meet

the expectations for the next year, the Princi-

pal prepares an enrollment report to present to

the Board President at their monthly meeting.

Because he understands that he must assume a

leadership role while sharing the job of directing

the progress of the school with the President, the

report is presented as a possible strategic plan

for dealing with the fact that enrollment may not

meet expectations. Th e report that the Principal

prepared has three main elements:

A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECTED ENROLLMENT by

grade (this year’s enrollment by class and next

year’s projected enrollment by class)

AN ANALYSIS OF THE PROBLEM that the Principal

compiled over the last few weeks in preparation

for this meeting (including a list of competing

schools, changes in local demography, a report

on reasons given by parents who were taking

their children out of the school),

A SET OF RECOMMENDED STRATEGIC INITIATIVES

intended to either control attrition, increase en-

rollment or adjust operations so that the school

responded to possible problems. Th ese include

surveying parents and conducting focus groups

to identify problems of safety and compatibility

by collecting data from the local federation on

local demographic trends.

Additionally, the plan calls for the establishment

of task forces and committees of lay leaders, par-

ents and school faculty and staff , and community

representatives, including local rabbis, to address

questions growing from the data set assembled

by a team made up of school administrators and

During his ride home, the Principal thinks that he made a good choice agreeing to work at this school.

T I S H R E I 5 7 6 7 ▒ O C T O B E R 2 0 0 6

28

Board members. Th e President and the Principal

work over the report and eventually agree on

some things and modify or drop others. In the

end they agree on a working plan to be presented

to the Board. At the Board meeting the Chairper-

son reports on the enrollment problem, presents

fi ndings from the Principal’s report and off ers

the plan that he and the Principal developed. Th e

Board asks questions and they are answered by

both the Chairperson and the Principal and then,

fi nally, the Board adopts a modifi ed plan. At the

close of the meeting, the Chairperson and the

Principal shake hands and compliment each other

on a job well done. During his ride home after the

meeting, the Principal thinks that he made a good

choice agreeing to work at this school. He also

knows what he must do and he begins planning to

involve members of the Board, his school faculty

and staff , and some parents in the implementation

of an enrollment plan.

REFLECTIONS

Refl ecting back on the two cases above, we see

two distinctly diff erent situations. In the fi rst

case, we see a Principal who is aware of a prob-

lem but completely unaware of the opportunities

available to him because of the problem. Th e fi rst

Principal has failed to build on the problem. He

has lost an opportunity to demonstrate leader-

ship to the Chairperson and he has gone on to

accept a challenge that has become his alone.

Although he understands that he is vulnerable

and truly wants to build up the enrollment of the

school he is unsure of what it is that will satisfy

his employer. We can assume that this man is a

hard worker but we also must accept the fact that

it is unlikely that he will succeed no matter how

diligently he works on the problem of increasing

enrollment at his school. Rather than building a

team focused on the situation, the result of the

events above have placed the Principal in the role

of solo problem solver.

Th e second Principal took steps to build a team

that was focused on responding to the challenge

posed by declining enrollment. He began by

doing his homework. He presented the Chair-

person with hard data, a general analysis of the

problem grounded in the data, some suggestions

and an invitation to work together to advance

the school. He guided the Chair and then gave

the offi cial leadership role to him knowing that

they were now a team. In turn, the Chair, under-

standing the general situation and plan, took the

lead in building a team that included many other

school leaders.

In the end, this school was better off because the

results included a unifi ed team working on the

advancement of the school rather than a few hard

workers committed to recruiting new students

into an old school. Th e Principal is more secure in

his job because of the investment made by others

in the development of a plan for the school and

because of the informal relationships that should

be developed as a result of the new collaborative

venture which will help him become better un-

derstood and more greatly appreciated. �

FACILITATING SYNERGYIn the second case we see a Principal who, after identifying a problem, took steps to build a synergy focused on the creation of a responding team. He was able to accomplish this by follow-ing a few critical steps:

I. Independently clarifying the problem

A. Identifying the problem

B. Gathering all appropriate data

C. Analyzing the data with an eye to the

real world

D. Developing a initial plan

II. Maintaining a synergetic disposition

(open to sharing knowledge and power)

III. Cooperating with signifi cant leadership

a. Sharing the plan

b. Adjusting/modifying the plan

IV. Reporting the problem and present the plan

a. Referring to data

b. Presenting the plan

c. Inviting others to join in the

implementation of the plan

C O N S O R T I U M o f J E W I S H D A Y S C H O O L S

29

Does your school have a waiting list for every

grade? Do you lose less than fi ve percent of your

students every year because they’re unhappy? If

your answer is no to either question, then keep

reading to learn how you can drastically improve

your recruitment and retention eff orts.

WHOSE JOB IS RECRUITMENT & ADMISSIONS?

Traditionally responsibility for recruitment and

admissions is placed with the Headmaster or

Principal. Th ough we value tradition, this tradi-

tion needs to change. Th e Headmaster and Prin-

cipal have too many responsibilities to eff ectively

do this job. Expecting them to do it, no matter

how charismatic they are, will not succeed.

Certainly the Principal has an important role in

attracting and keeping students, but someone

else needs to do the hard, daily personal contact

of connecting with potential parents, overcom-

ing objections and reservations, and

guiding them to commit. Th e role

of building external relationships

and nurturing families through the

application process is too demand-

ing, ongoing, and important to be

left to a busy Head of School who

at best will give it his occasional

attention. Th e job of recruitment,

admissions and retention has to be one person’s

sole and constant responsibility.

HIRE AN ADMISSIONS DIRECTOR

Every Jewish Day School needs an Admissions

Director! “We can’t aff ord it.” Many will say, but

the reality is, you cannot aff ord to go without if

you want your school to grow. An Admissions

Director quickly pays for himself/herself and dra-

matically increases the income to the school for

many years to come. Volunteers are an important

part of the admissions process, but your Admis-

sions Director needs to be a paid professional.

Prospective families’ fi rst contact with the school

is a refl ection of how they view the school overall.

If someone doesn’t follow up immediately, provide

quality information, and focus on their concerns,

the prospective parent will conclude that is how

the school approaches their children’s education.

CASE STUDY:

SOILLE SAN DIEGO

HEBREW DAY SCHOOL

Here’s a case study of a 44-year-

old Orthodox Day School which

had experienced fl at or falling

enrollment for the last fi ve years.

Th e Orthodox community in San

Diego was not growing enough to

sustain growth and new competi-

RecruitmentMrs. Audrey Jacobs

Does the decision to develop a plan of action increase the potential for institutional advancement?

Drastically ImprovingDay School Retention and

the role of building relationships and nurturing families...

has to be one person’s sole...responsibility

T I S H R E I 5 7 6 7 ▒ O C T O B E R 2 0 0 6

30

tion had arrived, as two other day schools built

new campuses. To address these realities, in Sep-

tember 2005, Headmaster Rabbi Simcha Weiser

hired a former school marketing consultant,

Audrey Jacobs, to do marketing and admissions

part time for the school and fundraising part-

time. Her husband was a graduate of the Hebrew

Day School, she had a child in the Hebrew Day

elementary and preschool and brought a profes-

sional marketing background.

RESULTS:

Within one year, the enrollment in the

preschool through 8th grade increased by 16%.

Multiple classes per grade were opened in the

Kindergarten, fi rst and fourth grades. Van

service was started in one community located 45

minutes away. Th is fall 74 new students entered

the school representing a total of 40 new families.

Th e reality is many of these families have

younger siblings at home and represent long term

income and growth for the school. Fifty percent

of these new families are not Orthodox, and were

not initially committed to a Jewish Day School

education, but now are very excited about Jewish

education. Th e increase in tuition income is more

than 5 times the salary being paid. Furthermore,

for recruitment this fall, they have an interest list

for 2007/2008 of 57 families.

WHAT DOES AN ADMISSIONS DIRECTOR DO?

Th e Admissions Director’s job is marketing

(promote the school), recruitment (attract new

families), admissions (get parents to enroll and

guide them through the admissions process

AND manage re-enrollment of existing

students) and retention (promote the school

internally and build a strong community to

prevent children from leaving).

Many successful strategies exist for increasing

enrollment. Th e standard approach is to hold

open houses, parlor meetings in parent homes,

have booths at Jewish communal events,

have an informative Web site, and mail out

brochures and letters. If you do these already, an

Admissions Director can make them much more

eff ective because of their role to steward the

prospective family.

Just like we steward a donor – we nurture them,

educate them and make them feel understood

and appreciated, so too we need to steward the

prospective family. Every family should feel that

the school wants them at the school, is interested

in learning who they are and what their concerns

are, and that the school gives them many oppor-

tunities to get to know the school, its administra-

tion, its family and its culture.

WHAT KIND OF PERSON SHOULD YOU HIRE?

Th e most helpful prior experience for an

Admissions Director would be a marketing

background, but that is not required. A former

teacher, parent, grandparent, alumnus, or

anyone who knows the school and is passionate

about its importance can do the job well. It also

helps for them to be connected with the greater

Jewish community. Basic skills needed are to

be computer literate, organized, a self-starter, a

good writer, and ability to get along well with all

types of people. Remember, if you want to attract

students outside the Orthodox community,

broad sensitivity and respectfulness is a must.

HOW CAN THE ADMISSIONS DIRECTOR’S

EFFORTS BENEFIT THE ENTIRE SCHOOL?

A good Admissions Director will create events

that not only attract new students, but also

build school community amongst current

families and teach core school values to all

who attend. Beyond the traditional marketing

approach, Admissions Director should consider

organizing recruitment events that are ALSO

Within one year, the enrollment in the preschool through eighth grade

increased by 16%

C O N S O R T I U M o f J E W I S H D A Y S C H O O L S

31

community outreach programming featuring

parent education, and topics of general interest

to all parents who want to raise and educate

good kids. Events are co-sponsored with other

local Jewish day schools, shuls and Jewish

community organizations, which increases the

school’s profi le in the community and helps raise

awareness about the excellence of Jewish day

school education.

COMMITMENT TO GROWTH

To grow, we must be willing to change.

Turning over the responsibilities of school

recruitment from the Headmaster to an

employee is a daunting task. Taking the time

to get to know prospective families and to

refl ect on your school’s core values and greatest

successes also requires time and focus. But

if you are committed to helping your school

grow enrollment, (and, by the way, grow in

achievement) you must be willing to hire an

Admissions Director who will broaden the

school’s mission of giving every Jewish child a

great Jewish education. �

...the school’s mission of giving every Jewish child a great Jewish education.

ENROLLMENT GRANT INITIATIVE: Our focus this year is increasing enrollment

in Jewish Day Schools. One Consortium School, Soille San Diego He-

brew Day School, has had much success in this area. Th e Consortium

will advocate, facilitate, and implement enrollment initiatives. Please

give us ideas as to what would help increase enrollment in your school.

We would be happy to help you grow your school. If you are interested,

please contact us at info@cojds.com for more information and to be

part of our enrollment tele-conference.

...the two Xpress Shuttle vans carrying students

to and from school from the South Bay. We

are very thankful that a program aimed at

increasing Jewish Day School enrollments na-

tionally saw the opportunity to facilitate fi rst

time families attending our school, by stepping

forward to partially underwrite the service,

together with a second, local San Diego donor.

Our Hebrew Day leadership is interested in

every opportunity to expand the circle of Jewish

continuity by facilitating new families enrolling

their children...—SOILLE SAN DIEGO HEBREW DAY SCHOOL NEWSLETTER, SEPT. 06.

T I S H R E I 5 7 6 7 ▒ O C T O B E R 2 0 0 6

32

ENROLLMENT GRANT INITIATIVE

UPDATE:I just wanted to let you know that

our incoming Kindergarten class is

numbering around 22 students now, up from 17 last

year, and still counting.

I attribute much of the success to the improved

facilities and materials that we received through your

generous grant.

Yasher Koach and thank you for helping us succeed. I

look forward to continuing to work together with you

in the coming year.

Sincerely,

Rabbi Isaac EntinPrincipalPHOENIX HEBREW ACADEMY

C O N S O R T I U M o f J E W I S H D A Y S C H O O L S

33

T I S H R E I 5 7 6 7 ▒ O C T O B E R 2 0 0 6

34

For example, at the start of the school day, on

most days for the fi rst 45 minutes or so, I do not

do anything but stand near the entry greeting

everyone who comes into school, doing every-

thing I can to seem approachable. Sometimes

when a student or a parent asks to speak with

me, I wonder if they are thinking to themselves,

“I better do Rabbi Weiser a favor; otherwise what

will he do?”

Why is this a risk? It is a signifi cant risk because

it leaves me open to the perception that I am

not suffi ciently ‘in charge’ of the school, and

can give the impression that I am not very busy

running things. Will people take me seriously if I

am so available?

During one of my fi rst visits to an

out-of-town day school when I was

still learning in yeshiva (I dropped

in to get a feeling for the school

and to visit with the principal,

who knew I was coming), I was

told while waiting that whenever

anyone calls, the secretary knows

to say automatically “Rabbi X is not

available; he is busy. Can I take a

message and he will call you back.”

Th is was prior to the invention of voice mail.

Later, when I was schmoozing with the principal,

the secretary interrupted him to say there was

an urgent call. He patiently reminded her that he

does not take calls, and told her to explain that

he could not be interrupted, but to promise the

caller he would return the call. When I assured

him that I was happy to let him speak on the

phone for a few minutes and would wait outside,

he told me how important it is for everyone at the

school to respect his busy schedule.

Why do I take this risk? Because although I have

tried many diff erent ways to economize on the

time it takes to establish rapport

and understanding, I have reluc-

tantly concluded that speaking

amiably face to face, even in the

face of disagreement or confl ict, is

the only way to arrive at a shared

viewpoint, and a real chance to

redirect or reinforce something

happening at school.

I have come to believe very

strongly that such relationships

are the structure of my authority

and basis of my eff ectiveness

BuildingRabbi Simcha Weiser

aVillage Within our Schools

I rely on these carefully developed relationships to solve

seemingly unsolvable problems...an investment of time and energy well spent

One of the largest risks I take as principal of the Hebrew Day School in San Diego is deliberately, and I think eff ectively, hanging around.

C O N S O R T I U M o f J E W I S H D A Y S C H O O L S

35

within the school. I rely on these carefully

developed relationships to solve seemingly

unsolvable problems—from helping a parent

understand why their son is not yet ready

for kindergarten, to holding on to our most

talented teachers even when school fi nances are

precarious, and to cajoling our 8th graders to

act kindly towards our 7th graders at sports. It is

an investment of time and energy well spent, a

necessary risk.

Roland Barth, the founder of the Principals’

Center at Harvard and a very quiet, but eff ective

voice in making schools better, sums this up by

saying that it is through the strength of the adult

relationships within a school that improvement

is possible. Mr. Barth recently wrote “Someone

has to make relationships among adults …. I

can think of no more crucial role for any school

leader.”1 But for us running a Yeshiva Ketana,

intent also on infl uencing our talmidim and

helping them change as people (and hopefully

infl uencing their par-

ents along with them),

we cannot be satisfi ed

with only developing

relationships with our

teachers, but must

do so throughout the

school’s community.

I believe this has

always been the

hallmark of out-

standing Torah education, and want to cite a

cogent example as illustration. In a delight-

ful book, “In Every Generation: Th e Life and

Legacy of Aharon Yudelevitch”, a dramatic but

ordinary moment is recorded. At the age of 12,

the young Shmuel Aharon, without parents or 1 ASCD “Educational Leadership” Improving Professional

Practice, March, 2006.

family around him, becomes alienated from his

rebbeim and cheder. He leaves behind the old

yishuv of Jerusalem and sets out to fi nd a better

place for himself. Although the year is 1918 and

the phrase ‘child at risk’ was not yet coined, he

certainly was at risk.

Fortunately, upon entering the Etz Chaim

cheder he was warmly greeted by a very ami-

able man, Reb Aryeh Levine, who happened to

be standing in school’s entryway. In stepping

forward to greet this young boy, Reb Aryeh

used the third person, asking him “what can I

do for your honor?” Aharon Yudelevitch looked

around, wondering who this man was address-

ing, never before having been spoken to so

respectfully. He also wondered who he was, as-

suming he must have been no one important to

have been just hanging around. After speaking,

the boy asked the Rebbe how he would fi nd him

the next day, Reb Aryeh smiled and said reas-

suringly “you will fi nd me here, in the entry”.

Th en, before taking

the hungry young

Aharon home with

him for some lunch,

Reb Aryeh excused

himself so that he

could say goodby to

the other children as

they passed by leav-

ing to go home.

Rav Aryeh Levine is

described in another biography as an elderly

sage, (decades after this incident), standing out-

side in the playground observing the children

of Etz Chaim during their recess. He is quoted

as telling a young rebbe that only through such

observation can a rebbe properly understand

his talmidim. Perhaps Reb Arye Levine was not

...the satisfaction of forming around us a yeshiva which can fulfi ll its essential purpose of being a place of hashpa’ah and uplift

T I S H R E I 5 7 6 7 ▒ O C T O B E R 2 0 0 6

36

very busy during the school day. Certainly he

was not overly concerned about how he would

be perceived. Rav Aryeh Levine understood the

importance of being available, approachable,

and a part of the ordinary life of the talmidim.

Oftentimes when principals get together to speak

seriously about our craft, I hear them express

confi dence in their understanding of school dy-

namics and their insight into the complexities of

teaching and learning. Where their certainty and

strength seems to ebb away is when the discus-

sion turns to implementation–how to eff ect im-

provement. Often principals turn to bemoaning

the missing ‘stature, authority, or power’ requisite

to leadership. “With no bottom line to point

to, and little fi nancial incentives to off er, what

currency of leadership do we have?” I was once

asked. Blaming the system, or society’s general

lack of derech eretz seems to make principals feel

better, but does not lead to increased eff ective-

ness or satisfaction.

Our voices can carry the weight of earned

respect and authority when they fl ow through

channels of expressed principle, friendship and

earnest direction we have patiently, and some-

times humorously created between ourselves

and students, teachers, and parents. Th is what

is meant in Pirkei Avot when it says “Who is re-

spected (honored, considered weighty)? He who

respects (has already respected) others.”

By creating a ‘system’ within our schools through

which our voices carry weight we are able to

bring about good results. We will become more

capable, eff ective school leaders who shape the

chinuch of our talmidim. We will know the

satisfaction of forming around us a yeshiva which

can fulfi ll its essential purpose of being a place of

hashpa’ah and uplift.

Consider giving ‘management by hanging

around’ a try. Take the risk of using very precious

time during the school day to proactively engage

and interact with any and all who come into your

path. Sometimes you will need to place yourself

in the way of a particular student, teacher or par-

ent, so that a casual, but important conversation

can take place. Oftentimes, these conversations

will just be openers, to be followed up in a more

planned and structured time, but the opportu-

nity to communicate will already have started.

In important ways our school buildings should

become little villages, places where people

naturally intersect with one another in ways that

foster an interest in helping achieve a shared goal.

Villagers share a sense of belonging, of responsi-

bility for one another. Th ey say villages are good

places in which to raise children.

Perhaps an outcome will be that eighty-fi ve years

from now a biography of one of your talmidim

will be published, with its climactic turning point

hanging on your having been hanging around. �

Villagers share a sense of belonging,

of responsibility for one another

This is a very diffi cult essay question simply be-cause there are so many people who have infl u-enced me that it was nearly impossible to choose just one. Besides the very infl uential parents and teachers there are the little things and sentences

from very random people that also infl uenced me. But after much speculation, I have chosen a person whom I believe may have changed the course of my life.

Mrs. Katz* was my sixth* grade teacher at Soille Hebrew Day School and very unwittingly made a tremendous impact on my life. It was unwittingly because she never tried to change my life. All that she did was be extremely kind, understanding and happy. She always smiled. Every single day of the year she had a beaming smile. That, I think infl uenced me the most – her happiness and pure joy in living.

Knowing and admiring her changed me com-pletely. I began to want that zest for life that she showed so openly, and her happiness which never lacked. The most wonderful thing was when I realized she taught us how to obtain it in her classes. She always taught about the character

traits one needs to develop to be a whole person. Kindness, humility, compassion, striving to do the best one can are all things I learned are important in her class. She gave gems of wisdom such as “always greet everyone with a pleasant face” and

“the greatest satisfaction one can get is from do-ing things for others.”

I took this advice very much to heart and have been trying since to implement everything I’ve learned in her class directly into my life. Before sixth grade I was always very introverted. After that year, I realized that every opportunity to talk to a person is also the opportunity of making that person smile. Therefore, the opportunity must be taken. Before Mrs. Katz, I would always be too shy to look someone directly in the eyes for long and would be much more comfortable looking away. But after Mrs. Katz, I look people completely in the eyes just so they feel they are being listened to and not ignored.

I have had the pleasure of seeing Mrs. Katz very often. I hope, very sincerely, that every time she sees me she regards me as an honor to her teachings, to the community, and most importantly, to herself.�

My Greatest Infl uenceWHO HAS MOST INFLUENCED YOU IN YOUR LIFE? How has knowing this person changed you or helped you become the person you are?

a Soille student

Th e following was written by a 14-year-old student at

a Hebrew Day School, as part of her application for a

special award to recognize outstanding 8th graders.

During the past 7 years this young lady has become

Shomer Shabbat and Kashrut, with the support and

agreement of her parents.

Th at, I think, infl uenced me the most –

her happiness and pure joy in living.

*name has been changed

C O N S O R T I U M o f J E W I S H D A Y S C H O O L S

37

T I S H R E I 5 7 6 7 ▒ O C T O B E R 2 0 0 6

38

Ironically, one of the main opportunities for our

community I have found in Cincinnati has also

been the greatest challenge: unity. With only one

Orthodox Jewish day school, Cincinnati He-

brew Day School, the broad spectrum of yidden

is forced into a cohesive blend. Like the many

colors in a rainbow, our talmidim and families

live in parallel streams. Chassidim, modern or-

thodox, yeshivaleit and non-religious families all

entrust their children in our care. Th ey learn to-

gether, daven together, and play at recess togeth-

er. Without a doubt, this presents a tremendous

opportunity for ahavas yisroel– children that, in

larger communities, may never have contact with

each other, may become close friends. Moreover,

some families become strengthened in their yid-

dishkeit through their exposure to frum families.

However, unity also brings its challenges. How

can we properly meet the individual needs of our

varying families? Th e Yeshivaleit would like their

children to have more Gemara study,

and to totally separate the boys and

girls at school. However, the modern

orthodox families, and those who are

not as affi liated, would like to see a

stronger focus on Hebrew language

and Zionism. In many cases, the

needs are not merely varied; in the

struggle to pack everything into a tight schedule,

they are often mutually exclusive.

At chds, we have by no means found the an-

swers that satisfy everyone. However, we are,

Boruch Hashem, enjoying a degree of success.

Th is is partially due to the fact that we do not ask

ourselves ‘who is going to win the power strug-

gle,’ but rather ‘what can we do to accommodate

the diff erent groups, without compromising the

needs of the others?’

For the chareidi community, our status as a

co-ed school is a major detraction from their

children’s chinuch. At the same time, the en-

tire community is not in a position to take on a

tremendous fi nancial commitment to split all of

the grade levels. Historically, classes have been

together, aside for limudei kodesh and gym for

6th-8th grades. Over the last fi ve years, however,

we were able to increase the number of separate

classes signifi cantly without adding educational

costs. Th is was done by combin-

ing two grade levels while splitting

genders. Hence, 4th and 5th grade

boys now have art, gym, music and

computers together, and these classes

alternate with parallel classes for the

4th and 5th grade girls. Th ese special

classes are similarly split for the boys

View from thePrincipal’s Offi ceRabbi Yuval Kernerman

Living in a small Jewish community provides both opportunity and challenge, on many diff erent levels.

we ask ourselves, ‘what can we do to accommodate the diff erent groups,

without compromising the needs of the others?’

C O N S O R T I U M o f J E W I S H D A Y S C H O O L S

39

and girls in the 6th-8th grade classes as well.

Another change that was implemented this

year was made in the Gemara classes. In recent

years, Gemara began in the 6th grade, and was

comprised of 1.25 hours a day. Keeping in mind

our school vision of providing academic excel-

lence in Judaic and secular studies, we have been

able to point out to families across the religious

spectrum that their boys need to have an equal

amount of Gemara study as boys in other

Yeshivos or day schools to be competitive. Th is

resulted in an agreement across the board that

more Gemara study was in order in our curricu-

lum. We now are planning to introduce Gemara

in the latter half of 5th grade, and the boys have

an extra half hour of Gemara each day.

For the segments of the community who value

the Hebrew studies and focus on Israel, we are

initiating a partnership with Bat-Ami, the Israeli

organization that sends girls from Israel to do

community service in lieu of army service. Th e

vision is that these girls will enhance our ivrit

studies, by providing support and creating cur-

riculum ideas for all classes. Th ey will also bring

more of an Israel consciousness, with special pro-

gramming that will coincide with other classes,

rather than take away from other classes which

others may deem more ‘essential.’ Another main

benefi t of their involvement promises to be with

extra kriah support. A signifi cant portion of their

week will be spent pulling out individuals or

small groups of children in the primary grades,

allowing for reinforcement of their kriah and

comprehension skills. Th us, the hope is that all

children will benefi t. Although it is early in the

game for this initiative, it looks very promising.

Th ere is a commonly known application in

Halacha which is said to epitomize the concept

of ‘Pshara.’ Beis Hillel contends that a mezuza

should be hung vertically on a doorpost. Howev-

er, it is the opinion of Beis Shammai that the me-

zuza is placed horizontally. Th e custom of Ash-

kenazim is to place it diagonally. Rav Weinberg,

zt”l, would comment that the accomplishment of

this ‘pshara’ was commonly misunderstood. He

stated that people view this custom as trying to

‘pick a path that is equidistant from both views.’

To do so, he said, would be futile, and would not

accomplish anything— not fulfi lling either view.

Rather, he stated, the reason for the custom is

that Beis Hillel holds that diagonal is the farthest

deviation which is still considered upright, and

similarly, Beis Shammai holds that diagonal is

the farthest deviation from horizontal. In eff ect,

placing the mezuza on the diagonal fulfi lls both

opinions, and is not compromising both.

Perhaps this provides us with a meaningful vi-

sion for building a true community day school.

As families enter our schools, and look to the

mezuza on the door post, we must ensure that

it is placed within reach. We must strive to

fi nd the common ground where all factions of

authentic yiddishkeit feel that their shittos are

being expressed, without compromising the vi-

sion of others. �

...fi nd the common ground where all factions feel that their shittos

are being expressed, without compromising the vision of others

Rabbi Yuval Kernerman originally moved to Cincinnati in 1995 with his family to join the Cincinnati Community Kollel. In 1999 he began teaching at RITSS, the local girls high school. In July 2002, Rabbi Kernerman was appointed Principal of CHDS. During his initial two years as Principal he received mentoring from Rabbi Simcha Weiser through the Consortium of Jewish Day Schools.

T I S H R E I 5 7 6 7 ▒ O C T O B E R 2 0 0 6

40 THE ON-SITE VISITATION

UPDATE:During one of our in-services we had the

pleasure of having Dr. Stephen Fain address

us. Dr. Fain is a professor of Education at

Florida International University and a consultant for Th e Principals

Consortium. As part of the their commitment to working with its

constituents, the Consortium generously sponsored Dr. Fain’s visit.

Dr. Fain shared with us the fi ve basic elements of a Professional

Learning Community: 1. SHARED LEADERSHIP

2. SHARED VISIONS & VALUES

3. COLLECTIVE CREATIVITY

4. SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT

5. SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE & DISPOSITION

He added that the most important ingredient

to the success of a Professional Learning

Community was the level of passion and

commitment of the participants. During his talk, he devoted a fair

amount of time for questions and answers which facilitated a lot of

meaningful discussion.

After Dr. Fain’s talk, the teachers divided into committees continuing

the process we began last year. Th e teacher committees all had

wonderful ideas on how to improve the school and its environment.

We are very blessed to have such a wonderful and devoted staff .

Sincerely,

Rabbi Shmuel KayPrincipalEPSTEIN HEBREW ACADEMY

RECENT ON-SITE VISITATION SCHOOLS

• Hillel Academy School of Denver; Denver, CO

• Mesivta HS of Waterbury; Waterbury, CT

• Rabbi H.F. Epstein Hebrew Academy; St. Louis, MO

Any school that would be interested in availing them-

selves of this service, please contact the Consortium at

info@cojds.com.

Dr. Fain’s “Maximizing the

Collective Eff ort: Towards the

Creation of a Professional Learning

Community” presentation is

available now on DVD;

please contact us for your copy.

C O N S O R T I U M o f J E W I S H D A Y S C H O O L S

41

�

League JEWISH DAY SCHOOLSCONSORTIUM of

OFTHE

National Women’sTHE

Soshie HirthP R E S I D E N T

Tzurtie BraunsteinV I C E P R E S I D E N T

Esti PluchenikV I C E P R E S I D E N T

On Monday morning, May 22nd, 2006, a group of eager, dedicated women from our area,

and some from out-of-town, met for the Inaugural Conference of the PTA/Women’s League

Presidents, sponsored by the National Women’s League of the Consortium of Jewish Day

Schools. Th e conference ran concurrently to the one that was scheduled by the Consortium

for the Principals. Both conferences were

held at Diaco International in Manhattan.

After a general greeting by Mrs. Soshie

Hirth, National Women’s League

President, the Chairman of the Board,

Mrs. Judy Lebovits introduced an array of

inspiring speakers who addressed issues

on the theme of the day, Strengthening

Our Role In the School, Parent Body and

Community. Th e various workshops were

divided into three main categories. Special

Projects, Fostering Good Public Relations

and Getting the Parent Body Involved.

Individual folders containing useful

information were distributed in a beautiful

tote bag with our insignia.

Th e group learned about “Getting the

Parent Involved“ through an excellent presentation by Audrey Jacobs, who

serves as Director of Development and Recruitment in the Soille San Diego

continued on next page

T I S H R E I 5 7 6 7 ▒ O C T O B E R 2 0 0 6

42

V I C E P R E S I D E N T

Esti PluchenikV I C E P R E S I D E N Tcontinued from previous page

Hebrew Day School. Audrey,

through her visual presentation,

introduced many novel and

unique events geared to all

segments of the parent body and graciously answered the many

questions that followed her riveting presentation.

To help our participants learn about the important role that the PTA plays in the school we

were privileged to hear from the dynamic Principal of Bnos Shulamith of Long Island, Mrs.

Joyce Yarmak. It was refreshing to hear about our role from a Principal’s point of view. Joyce

is a Principal who understands and appreciates and utilizes the PTA as was attested by two

members of her PTA who were in attendance. Most impressive was her monthly meetings

with the PTA presidents where ideas and information are exchanged.

Each workshop evoked a round table discussion among the participants who were eager to

share their concerns, successes and ideas with each other.

Experience is the best teacher when it comes to PTA and the next workshop on Special

Projects was presented by two dynamic past presidents of Yeshiva of Central Queens,

Debbie Margolin and Reize Spizner. Th ey brought many interesting and innovative projects

to the table and the participants were busy taking notes and thinking of ways to implements

some of the ideas into their schools.

Learning how to foster good public relations, is a vital asset to any organization and Leiba

Leiberman did an outstanding job in presenting this important facet of PTA. Th rough the

newsletters that she brought as examples, the women were able to meet the woman behind

the words. Leiba has written many pamphlets, brochures and newsletters for many well-

continued on next page

C O N S O R T I U M o f J E W I S H D A Y S C H O O L S

43

V I C E P R E S I D E N T

Esti PluchenikV I C E P R E S I D E N T

known organizations. She opened our eyes to the many possibilities

available, within budgetary considerations, to get the word out about

the school and the Women’s League.

Th e ladies also enjoyed a lunch where they had an opportunity to get to know each other.

What impressed me about the event, was the determination and devotion that each of these

ladies expressed in helping their schools and its students through their roles in PTA. Th e ladies

expressed appreciation to the National Women’s League for organizing this event and we hope

to have another event in the future.

Many thanks to our Executive Board Members, Mrs. Judy Lebovits, Mrs. Tzurtie

Braunstein, & Mrs. Esti Pluchenik for helping make this important and impressive

conference become a reality.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Soshie HirthPresidentNATIONAL WOMEN’S LEAGUE

continued from previous page

� 44

T I S H R E I 5 7 6 7 ▒ O C T O B E R 2 0 0 6

Rabbi Elchonon AbramchikPrincipal

S H A ’A R E I B I N A T O R A H A C A D E M Y F O R G I R L S

137 N.E. 19th St.

Miami, FL 33132

305-438-1802

Fax: 305-438-1803

rabbica@aol.com

Rabbi Yigal Abramchik141-26 77th Ave Apt E

Flushing, NY 11367

718.591.8170

Rabbi Chaim Yosef Ackermanrabbiackerman@earthlink.net

Rabbi Shlomo AdelmanDirector of Judaic Studies

T H E E M E R Y / W E I N E R S C H O O L

9825 Stella Link

Houston, TX 77025

Fax: 832-204-5910

sadelman@EmeryWeiner.org

Work: 832-204-5900 x107

Rabbi Moshe AdattoDirector of Judaic Studies

S O U T H E R N C A L I F O R N I A Y E S H I V A H I G H S C H O O L

8660 Gilman Drive

La Jolla, CA 92037

858-658-0857

madatto@hotmail.com

Rabbi Hillel AdlerJudaic Studies teacher

J E W I S H D A Y S C H O O L O F A L L E N T O W N

2313 Pennsylvania Street

Allentown, PA 18104

610.439.3632

hilleladler@yahoo.com

Rabbi Nosson Adler Menahel

Y E S H I V A R A B B I S A M S O N R A P H A E L H I R S C H

85-93 Bennett Avenue

New York, NY 10033

973-471-2330

rnadler@yrsrh.org

Cell: 917 974-4060

Work: 212 568-6200

Rabbi Chaim AlcabesPrincipal

H E B R E W A C A D E M Y O F W E S T Q U E E N S

88-01 102nd St

Richmond Hill, NY 11418

(718) 847-1462

hawq613@yahoo.com

Mr. Richard AltabeM A G E N D A V I D H I G H S C H O O L

7801 Bay Pkwy

Brooklyn, NY 11214

raltabe@yahoo.com

Rabbi Avrohom AntonAssistant Principal

T O R A S E M E S A C A D E M Y

1051 North Miami Beach Blvd.

North Miami Beach, FL 33162

305-947-6000

Fax: 305-947-0052

team613@ytcteam.net

Rabbi Kalman BaumannPrincipal

T O R A S E M E S A C A D E M Y

1051 North Miami Beach Blvd.

North Miami Beach, FL 33162

305-947-6000

Fax: 305-947-0052

kbaumann613@yahoo.com

Rabbi Shaya Baumann147-43 71st Rd.

Flushing, NY 11367

ysbaumann@earthlink.net

Rabbi Mayer Beller Principal

A S H A R

70 Highview Road

Monsey, NY 10952

845-357-1515

mbeller@ashar.org

Rabbi Yehuda BrecherPrincipal

Y E S H I V A G E D O L A H O F W A T E R B U R Y

141 Cables Ave.

Waterbury, CT 06710

203-753-4176

yybrecher@snet.net

Rabbi Elimelech ChanalesPrincipal

Y E S H I V A D E R E C H H A T O R A H

718-793-8500

Fax: 718-793-8504

elimelC@aol.com

Rabbi Yitzchak Charner T O R A H S C H O O L O F G R E A T E R W A S H I N G T O N

PO Box 2613

Silver Spring, MD 20915

301.388.0214

Mrs. Raizy Chechick Principal

I L A N H I G H S C H O O L

82 Norwood Avenue

Elberon, NJ 07740

ariraizic@cs.com

�DIRECTORY�CONSORTIUM OF JEWISH DAY SCHOOLS

C O N S O R T I U M o f J E W I S H D A Y S C H O O L S

� 45

Rabbi Moshe Cheplowitz150-15 79th Ave #1H

Flushing, NY 11367

718.820.0404

mbchep@gmail.com

Rabbi Matatia ChetritH E B R E W A C A D E M Y O F W E S T Q U E E N S

88-01 102nd Street

Richmond Hill, NY 11418

718.847.1462

fax: 718.846.4606

Rabbi Yehuda CheplowitzW I T S

3288 North Lake Drive

Milwaukee, WI 53211

414.963.1519

Mr. Kevin CloudHeadmaster

S O U T H E R N C A L I F O R N I A Y E S H I V A H I G H S C H O O L

8660 Gilman Drive

La Jolla, CA 92037

858-658-0857

kevincloud@cox.net

Rabbi Zev DavidowitzMesivta of Roslyn

2 Shelter Rock Road

Roslyn, NY 11576

516-877-2131

zevdavidowitz@gmail.com

Rabbi Moshe DearPrincipal

Y E S H I V A T Y A V N E H

5353 West Third Street

Los Angeles, CA 90020

mdear@yha.org

Rabbi Yosef Deutscher150-38 77th Rd

Flushing, NY 11367

gadolhador@yahoo.com

Rabbi Refael Draiman150-15 79th Ave

Flushing, NY 11367

rafi @draiman.com

Rabbi Dovi EdellAsst. Principal

Y E S H I V A K E TA N A O F L . I .

410 Hungry Harbor Road

North Woodmere, NY 11581

718 471-4082

dovedell@aol.com

Cell: 718 360-3696

Work: 516 791-2800

Rabbi Josh EinzigHeadmaster

W E S T C H E S T E R D A Y S C H O O L

856 Orienta Avenue

Mamaroneck, NY 10543

914-698-8900

Fax: 914-698-5429

jeinzig@eha.org

Rabbi Isaac EntinPrincipal

P H O E N I X H E B R E W A C A D E M Y

515 East Bethany Home Road

Phoenix, AZ 85012

602-277-7479

602-274-0713

entin@phoenixhebrewacademy.org

Dr. Stephen FainProfessor of Education

F L O R I D A I N T E R N A T I O N A L U N I V E R S I T Y

4406 King Palm Drive

Tamarac, FL 33319

fains@fi u.edu

Rabbi Zev Farber800 Lanett Ave #2

Far Rockaway, NY 11691

516-698-6245

zevfarber@gmail.com

Rabbi Reuven FeinbergHeadmaster

O R A A C A D E M Y

600 East Avenue

Rochester, NY 14607

585-271-8711

718-380-6049

rfeinberg@frontiernet.net

Cell: 917-972-1452

Rabbi Chaim Feurman, EdD141-20 70 Road

Kew Garden Hills, NY 11367

cfeuerman@aol.com

Rabbi Mordechai Finkelman Mashgiach

O H R H A C H A I M

Rabbi Kalman FogelPrincipal

H E B R E W A C A D E M Y O F N A S S A U C O U N T Y

25 Country Drive

Plainview, NY 11803

516-681-5922

Fax: 516-681-8351

rabbifogel@hanc.org

Rabbi Zev FreundlichMenahel

M E S I V TA S H A A R E I A R A Z I M

PO Box 523

Monsey, NY 10952

845-425-6730

mesivtaarazim@aol.com

Cell: 845-596-1507

Work: 845-426-6179

Rabbi Dovid Fromowitz135-34 78th Ave. #F

Flushing, NY 11367

Rabbi Menachem FruchterPrincipal

H E B R E W D A Y S C H O O L O F S U L L I V A N C O U N T Y

Route 42

Kiamesha Lake, NY 12751

845-794-7890

hebrewdayschool@hotmail.com

� 46

T I S H R E I 5 7 6 7 ▒ O C T O B E R 2 0 0 6

Rabbi Yosef FurmanHead of School

Y E S H I V A U N I V E R S I T Y O F L . A . G I R L S ’ H I G H S C H O O L

1619 South Robertson Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90035

310-551-0312

yfurman@yulagirls.com

310-203-0755

Rabbi Dr. Heshy GlassPrincipal

H E B R E W A C A D E M Y O F L O N G B E A C H

Chairman C O N S O R T I U M O F J E W I S H D A Y S C H O O L S

530 West Broadway

Long Beach, NY 11561

516-432-8285

Fax: 516-432-0077

Rabbiglass@halb.org

Rabbi Avraham GlusteinHead of School

P O L I T Z D A Y S C H O O L O F C H E R R Y H I L L

720 Cooper Landing Road

Cherry Hill, NJ 08002

(856)-667-1013

jagwood3@juno.com

Rabbi Yisrael GoldbaumPrincipal

T O R A H A C A D E M Y O F O T TA W A

1119 Lazard

Ottawa, Ontario K2C 1N2

Canada

Fax: 613-274-0025

rygold@juno.com

Work: 613-274-0110

Rabbi Gidon GoldbergPrincipal

Y E S H I V A K E TA N A O F M A N H A T TA N

346 West 89th Street

New York, NY 10024

212-769-1790

Fax: 212-874-5706

ykmanhattan@aol.com

Rabbi Shlomo GoldbergY E S H I V A O H R E L I Y A H U

5950 Stoneview Avenue

Culver City, CA 90230

shlogold@aol.com

Rabbi Zev Goldman72-31 150th St. Apt. 1A

Flushing, NY 11367

718.793.8569

c: 718.614.8913

zevtouro@yahoo.com

Rabbi Zev Goldstein Principal

Y E S H I V A O F M A N H A T TA N B E A C H

60 West End Avenue

Brooklyn, NY 11235

718-743-5511

principal@ymbschool.org

Rabbi Yitzchok GoldsteinPrincipal

H I L L E L A C A D E M Y S C H O O L O F D E N V E R

450 South Hudson Street

Denver, CO 80246

(303) 333-1511

ytgolds@yahoo.com

cell: (720)333-9662

Rabbi Raphael GorenDean of Student Aff airs

S O U T H E R N C A L I F O R N I A Y E S H I V A H I G H S C H O O L

8660 Gilman Drive

La Jolla, CA 92037

858-658-0857

ravgoren@yahoo.com

Rabbi Elimelech Gottlieb rabby.eg@verizon.net

Rabbi Daniel GramaY E S H I V A U N I V E R S I T Y O F L . A .

1619 South Robertson Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90035

Fax: 310-551-0312

Drgrama2@yahoo.com

310-203-0755

Rabbi Karmi GrossM A I M O N I D E S A C A D E M Y

310 North Huntley Drive

Los Angeles, CA 90048

310-659-2456

Fax: 310-659-2865

rkgross@mail.com

Rabbi Shraga GrossPrincipal

R A B B I P E S A C H R A Y M O N Y E S H I V A

2 Harrison Street

Edison, NJ 08817

732-572-5052

Fax: 732-572-3049

mmshgvaldk@aol.com

Rabbi Noam Grossman150-44 72nd Rd.

Flushing, NY 11367

718.268.3906

c: 646.824.6243

Rabbi Amir Guttman136-44 71st Road

Flushing, NY 11367

718-793-1536

Rabbi Pinchos Hecht Head of School

F U C H S M I Z R A C H I S C H O O L

2301 Fenwick Rd

University Heights, OH 44118

(216) 932-0220

(216) 932-0345

phecht@fuchsmizrachi.org

Rabbi Boruch HilsenrathHeadmaster

M A G E N D A V I D Y E S H I V A

50 Avenue P

Brooklyn, NY 11204

718-236-5905

Fax: 718-232-3658

C O N S O R T I U M o f J E W I S H D A Y S C H O O L S

� 47

Mrs. Batsheva Isaac Principal

O H R H A E M E T I N S T I T U T E

1030 S Robertson Blvd

Los Angeles, CA 90035

Phone: (310) 854-3006

ohrhaemet@yahoo.com

Mrs. Audrey Jacobs Director of School Advancement

S O I L L E S A N D I E G O H E B R E W D A Y S C H O O L

3630 Afton Rd.

San Diego, CA 92123

ajacobs@hebrewday.org

Rabbi Naftali Kalter 7202 Palmetto Circle North

Boca Raton, FL 33433

Phone: 561-620-0310

Rabbi Zev KatzY E S H I V A O F G R E A T E R W A S H I N G T O N - G I R L S H S

PO Box 2125

Silver Spring, MD 20915

301.879.8835

Rabbi Uri KaufmanAssociate Principal, Middle School

E T Z C H A I M Y E S H I V A

475 Patricia Avenue

Toronto, Ontario M2R 2N1

Canada

patricia@eitzchaim.com

Rabbi Shmuel KayHeadmaster

R A B B I H . F. E P S T E I N H E B R E W A C A D E M Y

1138 North Warson Road

St. Louis, Missouri 63132

314-994-7856

Fax: 314-994-9437

skay@eha.org

Rabbi Yuval KernermanPrincipal

C I N C I N N A T I H E B R E W D A Y S C H O O L

2222 Losantiville Road

Cincinnati, OH 45237

513-351-7777

Fax: 513-351-7794

ykernerman@yahoo.com

Rabbi Dovid Kitainik150-39 72nd Dr

Flushing, NY 11367

718.268.9036

Rabbi Dov KlahrHigh School Principal, secular studies

Y E S H I V A D A R C H E I N O A M / S H A A R E I A R A Z I M

4 Widman Court

Spring Valley, NY 10977

845-362-4046

dovklahr@yahoo.com

Cell: 845-558-6031

Work: 845-352-7100

Rabbi Shmuel KlammerPrincipal

M A I M O N I D E S S C H O O L

2 Clarke Road

Brookline, MA 02445

sklammer@maimonides.org

617-232-4452 x300

Rabbi Hal KlestzickT H E J O S E P H & F A N N I E R U D L I N T O R A H A C A D E M Y

12285 Patterson Avenue

Richmond, VA 23226

804-784-9050

rabbiklestzick@rudlin.org

Rabbi Yakov Krause Y E S H I V A R A V I S A C S O H N T O R A S E M E S A C A D E M Y

540 N. La Brea Ave.

Los Angeles, CA 90036

323-549-3170

Rabbi Eli KugielskyPrincipal

U N I T E D H E B R E W I N S T I T U T E

One Institute Lane

Kingston, PA 18704

570-287-9600

fax: 570-288-6279

ekugielsky@theuhi.org

Mrs. Rochelle Kutliroff Dean

M A R G O L I N H E B R E W I N S T I T U T E /

F E I N S T O N E Y E S H I V A O F T H E S O U T H

390 South White Station Road

Memphis, TN 38117

Fax: 901-767-1871

Rabbi Joshua LevyPrincipal

T O R A H A C A D E M Y O F G R E A T E R P H I L A D E L P H I A

304 Llandrillo Road

Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004

610-949-9469

Fax: 610-642-2265

jlevy@torah-academy.org

Rabbi Nossi LiebermanH A L B

15307 73rd Ave

Flushing, NY 11367

nossmat@yahoo.com

Rabbi Hillel Love117-03 Curzon Rd

Richmond Hill, NY 11418

rabhlove@verizon.net

Rabbi Yaakov Lyons137-39 70th Ave.

Flushing, NY 11367

718.268.7407

c: 917.805.6901

jayjorie@aol.com

� 48

T I S H R E I 5 7 6 7 ▒ O C T O B E R 2 0 0 6

Rabbi Hillel Mandel Educational Consultant

83-54 116th Street

Kew Gardens, NY 11418

718-805-1828

hillelmandel@LeMorim.org

Rabbi Yaacov MarksS O I L L E S A N D I E G O H E B R E W D A Y S C H O O L

3630 Afton Rd.

San Diego, CA 92123

Fax: 858-279-3389

rysm@juno.com

858-279-3300

Rabbi Dovid May149-05 79th Ave #721

Flushing, NY 11367

718.380.7591 c: 646.404.4415

Rabbi Yaakov MayY E S H I V A T I F E R E S M O S H E

83-06 Abingdon Road

Kew Gardens, NY 11415

Ytmdrc1@aol.com

Rabbi Avrohom Moshe Mendelson149-05 79th Ave.

Flushing, NY 11367

718.969.2160 c: 718.354.7592

Rabbi Aaron Dovid MetzgerO H R H A T O R A H - W I N N I P E G C A N A D A

620 Brock Street

Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3N 024

Canada

Rabbiadm@sbc.global.net

Cell: 845 598-5944

Work: 204 489-1147

Rabbi Barry Moskowitz77-28 141st St. Apt. E

Flushing, NY 11367

718.591.9226

c: 646.957.1495

Rabbi Raphael Moskowitz147-48 70th Road

Flushing, NY 11367

718-263-2254

Rabbi Raphael NemetskyPrincipal

H A S T E N H E B R E W A C A D E M Y O F I N D I A N A P O L I S

6602 Hoover Road

Indianapolis, IN 46260

rnemetsky@hhai.org; rafi jn@yahoo.com

Rabbi Mordechai NisselDean

S C R A N T O N H E B R E W D A Y S C H O O L

5685 Beacon Street

Pittsburgh, PA 15217

412 421-6751

MNissel@hillelpgh.org

Cell: 412 805-0093

Work: 412 521-8131

Rabbi Yermiyahu Orenstein147-11 76th Ave. #2A

Flushing, NY 11367

718.263.4424

c: 718.924.8748

718.263.4425

yermio@hotmail.com

Rabbi Mordechai PalgonY E S H I V A T O R A S C H A I M

1025 N.E. Miami Gardens Drive

N. Miami Beach, FL 33179

305.944.5344

mpalgon@ytcteam.net

Rabbi Zev PamAssistant Principal

M E S I V TA B A I S D O V I D O F C H E R R Y H I L L

31 Maple Avenue

Cherry Hill, NJ 08002

zpam@dvti.org

856-482-8230 x14

Rabbi Boruch PertonPrincipal

H E B R E W A C A D E M Y O F M O N T R E A L

5700 Avenue Kellert

Cote St-luc, Québec, Canada, H4w 1t4

Tel: (514) 489-5321

Fax: (514) 489-8607

rperton@yahoo.com

Rabbi Shmarya Rennert144-13 77th Avenue

Flushing, NY 11367

718-268-5771

Rabbi Yitzchak Riselsheimer144-20 77th Rd

Flushing, NY 11367

Rabbi Herschel RosenfeldN A D V O R N A Y E S H I V A B N E I B R A K

Rechov Shmuel Rezovsky 9, Bnei Brak

03-578-7427

718-713-8179

Rabbi Avi RosenzweigAssociate Principal

M A G E N D A V I D

117-12 Park Lane South

Kew Gardens, NY 11418

718 805-2490

NJH13@juno.com

Rabbi Yaakov SadighY E S H I V A O F C E N T R A L Q U E E N S

147-37 70th Road

Flushing, NY 11367

718-793-8500

ysadigh@ycq.us

Rabbi Peretz ScheinermanDean

P R O V I D E N C E H E B R E W D A Y S C H O O L

450 Elmgrove Avenue

Providence, RI 02906

401-331-5327

Fax: 401-331-0030

pscheinerman@phdschool.org

C O N S O R T I U M o f J E W I S H D A Y S C H O O L S

� 49

Rabbi Nosson SchreiberPrincipal, Middle School

B N O T S H U L A M I T H O F L O N G I S L A N D

131 Washington Avenue

Lawrence, NY 11559

rnns@optonline.com

Work: 516.569.1713

Fax: 516.569.1714

Rabbi Chesky SchuckM E S I V TA H I G H S C H O O L O F W A T E R B U R Y

143 Euclid Avenue

Waterbury, CT 06710

203.756.1800

c: 203.623.9232

ymschuck@sbcglobal.net

Rabbi Laib SchulmanRebbe and Menahel

Y E S H I V A A T T H E K O L L E L

6104 Park Heights Ave.

Baltimore, MD 21215

410-764-2574

c: 610-613-6934

bisimcha@juno.com

Rabbi Yaakov SchwartzPrincipal, Middle School

TA L M U D I C A L A C A D E M Y O F B A LT I M O R E

4445 Old Court Road

Baltimore, MD 21208

410-484-8021

YaakRS@juno.com

Work: 410-484-6600 ext 1114

Rabbi Yitzchok SchwartzAssistant Menahel

M E S I V TA C H O F E T Z C H A I M

85-10 125th Street

Kew Gardens, NY 11415

718-850-2107

Rabbi Yitzchak SchwartzV A N C O U V E R TA L M U D T O R A H

998 W. 26th Ave.

Vancouver, BC V5Z2G1

CANADA

rschwartz@talmudtorah.com

Rabbi Shmuli SchwebelPrincipal

Y E S H I V A O F S O U T H S H O R E

1170 William Street

Hewlett, NY 11552

rss@yoss.org

Cell: 516 322-5400

Work: 516 374-7363 x 110

Rabbi ShaniRosh Yeshiva

B A R K A I Y E S H I V A

5302 21st Avenue

Brooklyn, NY 11204

Rabbi Zecharia Sionit78-16 Main St. #1K

Flushing, NY 11367

718.380.2803

c: 917.678.0385

Rabbi Avram SkurowitzB R A U S E R M A I M O N I D E S A C A D E M Y

5300 Southwest 40th Avenue

Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33314

menahel@yahoo.com

Rabbi Zev Zvi SteinGeneral Studies Principal

S I A C H Y I T Z C H O K

1513 Central Ave

Far Rockaway, NY 11691

Fax: 718-471-0925

zstein@yeshivamail.com

Cell: 917 561-8126

School: 718-327-6247

Rabbi Elly StorchDRS

H A L B H I G H S C H O O L F O R B O Y S

700 Ibsen Street

Woodmere, NY 11598

516 569-2358

elstore@aol.com

Cell: 516 567-7911

Work: 516 295-7700

Rabbi Sholom StrajcherDean

E M E K H E B R E W A C A D E M Y

15365 Magnolia Blvd.

Sherman Oaks, CA 91403

1.818.783.3663

goldypayos@aol.com

Rabbi Sender StrassfeldY E S H I V A T I F E R E S Y I S R O E L

1271 East 35 Street

Brooklyn, NY 11210

Rabbi Avrohom StullbergerV A L L E Y T O R A H H I G H S C H O O L- G I R L S

13060 Roscoe Boulevard

Sun Valley, CA 91352

V A L L E Y T O R A H H I G H S C H O O L- B O Y S

12003 Riverside Drive

North Hollywood, CA 91607

Rabbi Brian Th au

169 Oakland Ave

West Hempstead, NY 11552

RabbiBrian@aol.com

Cell: 516-382-6639

Rabbi Boaz TomskyY E S H I V A O F B E L L E H A R B O R

134-01 Rockaway Beach Blvd.

Belle Harbor, NY 11694

admissions@ybh.cjb.net

Rabbi Dr. TsaidiPrincipal

Y E S H I V A T A K I V A / A K I V A H E B R E W D A Y S C H O O L

21100 West 12 Mile Road

Southfi eld, MI 48076

248-386-1625

Fax: 248-386-1632

tsaidiy@comcast.net

Rabbi Shmuel Wasser75-25 153rd St. #340

Flushing, NY 11367

718.544.3133

� 50

T I S H R E I 5 7 6 7 ▒ O C T O B E R 2 0 0 6

Rabbi Avi Wealcatch150-15 79th Ave. #4E

Flushing, NY 11367

718.380.4801

c: 917.287.1864

rauljz@aol.com

Rabbi Mordechai WeckerHead of School

S T E R N H E B R E W H I G H S C H O O L

1630 Hoff nagle Street

Philadelphia, PA 19152

mowecker@aol.com

215.725.3800

Rabbi Michael WeichselbaumPrincipal

B N O S M A L K A A C A D E M Y

188-15 McLaughlin Avenue

Holliswood, NY 11423

718 736-0159

rmwfi ns13@aol.com

Rabbi Noam WeinbergAssistant Principal

H A L B

530 West Broadway

Long Beach, NY 11561

Noamcham@aol.com

516 432-8285 x 115

Rabbi Simcha WeiserHeadmaster

S O I L L E S A N D I E G O H E B R E W D A Y S C H O O L

3630 Afton Rd.

San Diego, CA 92123

858-279-3300

Fax: 858-279-3389

SimchaSD@aol.com

Rabbi Moshe WenderH E B R E W T H E O L O G I C A L C O L L E G E - S K O K I E B O Y S H S

7135 North Carpenter Road

Skokie, IL 60077

Rabbi Yehoshua WenderDean, Judaic Studies

T H E B E R E N A C A D E M Y

11333 Clifwood

Houston, TX 77035

713-723-7170

Fax: 713-723-8343

rabbiwender@berenacademy.org

Rabbi Shabse WertherT O R A H D A Y S C H O O L O F V I R G I N I A

3110 Sterling Point Drive

Portsmouth, VA 23703

swerther@torahday.com

Cell: 917 679-5491

Work: 757-686-2480

Mrs. Joyce YarmakPrincipal

B N O T S H U L A M I T H O F L O N G I S L A N D

111 Central Ave

Lawrence, NY 11559

(516) 239-8364

jyarmak@kimcorealty.com

Rabbi Yosef ZakutinskyS T E L L A K . A B R A H A M H I G H S C H O O L F O R G I R L S

291 Meadowview Ave.

Hewlett, NY 11598

rabbizak@skahalb.org

Rabbi Shimon ZehnwirthPrincipal

H A N N A S A C K S B A I S Y A A K O V H I G H S C H O O L

3021 West Devon Avenue

Chicago, IL 60659

773-338-9222

szehnwirth@gmail.com

Rabbi Nochum ZlotnickMenahel

T I F E R E S T O R A H I N S T I T U T E

789 Empire Ave

Far Rockaway, NY 11691

nyz1@hotmail.com

Rabbi Simcha Weiser, (r), presenting at the May 22 Conference held at Diaco International, NY

CON S O R T I UM OF JE W I S H DAY S C HO O L S

CJDS

o

1271 Avenue of the Americas

New York, NY 10020

212.259.0395

info@cojds.com