Assaf is the Director of Education at UnitEd. He works in the fields of Jewish Education, Museum Education and Comics and Graphic Novels. Prior to joining UnitEd, Assaf served as the first director of the Jewish renewal Division at the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs. He was Director of Education at Anu-Museum of the Jewish People (Tel Aviv). He served as curator of the Israeli Cartoon Museum, where he curated international and local exhibitions on editorial cartoons, comics and graphic novels. He teaches courses on Jewish Education, Museum Pedagogy and Philosophy of Education at Tel-Aviv University, Shenkar College of Design and Seminar HaKybutsim Teachers' College. His co-edited book "Comics & Sacred Texts” (with Prof. Ken Koltun-Fromm), has won the 2018 Best Edited Volume Award from the American Popular Culture Association (APA/PCA).

Gems:

• Help students appreciate our Torah, history, and culture on a more meaningful and profound level.
• Instill curiosity within your students.
• Ask students the big questions to help them figure out who they are.
• Create an environment in the classroom of acceptance of where each student is.
• Inspire students to connect with who we are as a nation and where we came from.
• Build a foundation of trust.
• It’s Ok to bring humor to education.
• Hebrew is a central pillar of Jewish education.
• Engage with Hebrew and don’t be afraid to make mistakes; have no shame.
• What are the most urgent needs of other educators and students?
• Talk with children about what’s going on in Israel.
• Prepare students for what they may face on university campuses by talking with them and giving them the resources they will need to thrive.
• Show our students that Jews around the world are linked to Israel.
• Teach children our history and its relevance in their everyday lives.
• Education is about knowledge, but also about having a deep connection to our history, faith, and culture, and establishing relevance to our lives.
• Chinuch should be learner centered.
• Don’t think that the entire fate of the Jewish world rests on your shoulders.
• Focus on what you can do!
• Remember why you became an educator in the first place.

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Rabbi Dovi Nadel has been the coordinator of the Dr. Shimshon Isseroff USA Chidon Ha’Tanach since 2015. Dovi is on the faculty of SAR High School and currently serves as the grade dean for the senior class. Dovi is a proud alum of Farber Hebrew Day School, Yeshivat Har Etzion, and Yeshiva University. He has a Master’s degree in Bible from YU-Revel and received his Semikha from YU-RIETS. For three consecutive summers he served as the Rosh Chinuch (Head of EducationalStaff) at Camp Stone in Sugar Grove, Pennsylvania. Dovi credits his parents and two unique Middle/High School educators for inspiring his love of Tanach – Rabbi Eliezer Cohen Z”L and Rabbi Pinchas Amior.

Gems:

• Inspire your students to learn Pesukim of the Torah well.
• Make time for your students.
• The key to textual fluency is when the student decides that they really want to learn it on their own.
• Encourage students to take ownership of their learning.
• The real reward is when students work hard.
• Push the students more than they push themselves.
• The short route ends up being the long route, the long route ends up being the short route.- Talmud
• Be a steward through which to connect students to Torah and Hashem.
• Generate a love of Torah and make it part of every day conversation.
• Chinuch is about planting seeds, helping cultivate students in whatever way you can, and knowing you might not see the end result, however, we have an impact.
• Ask your students what they find meaningful.
• Be inspired by your students.
• Stay fresh and creative.
• Truly love your students and what you’re teaching.
• Each of us has a duty to teach others.

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Jessie Rothstein is a new olah and a high school Tanach and Jewish History teacher in Ramat Beit Shemesh, Israel, where she lives with her family. She received her BA in Jewish Studies and Anthropology at Emory University, in Atlanta, GA, focusing her undergraduate thesis on Holocaust survivor testimony from Argentina. She received her MS in Jewish Education from YU Azrieli and has been teaching in Modern Orthodox high schools for the past 8 years. Jessie is extremely grateful to Hashem that she has the privilege of teaching Tanach in Eretz Yisrael!

Gems:

• Point out what is important to Hashem within Tanach.
• Hashem loves us.
• The Torah shows us what Hashem cares about.
• Hashem cares about vulnerable people, and we ought to also.
• It’s our job to have empathy for people who are less fortunate than us.
• Show students the little moments that reveal Hashem’s presence.
• Help students learn to have gratitude.
• Kids must feel safe.
• Learn how to disagree with people, while still being a loving person.
• Help students recognize their potential and actualize it by giving them the tools they’ll need.
• Create a sense of belonging amongst your students.
• Each student has his/her own path.
• We have to acknowledge and accept who the child is.
• See each child not just as an individual, but as someone who is also part of a family.
• Parents and educators are on the same team.
• Put yourself in their shoes.
• Keep the big picture in mind.
• Learning how to be a teacher is done on the job.
• Every difficult experience makes you a better teacher.
• The Torah is our guide to life.

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Rebecca Masinter is the founder of Toras Imecha and Mother's Guidance which provide Torah based inspiration and practical guidance to parents. She has been involved in Jewish education for twenty-five years as a teacher, administrator, ACT tutor, and homeschool mother. Rebecca lives in Baltimore, Maryland with her husband and six children, where she is active in the homeschool community and as an educator at Bnos Yisroel of Baltimore. Rebecca is passionate about sharing Torah wisdom with parents around the world and has created several video presentations and authored many articles which provide deep insights combined with down-to-earth tools for today's parents. https://www.torasimecha.com/ and https://www.mothersguidance.com/

Gems:

• Do your best to approach things from a positive perspective.
• For families: make time for family togetherness.
• Decide what you want to give your students and how you want to impact them.
• Take it one year at a time.
• Decide what is best for each child at each given time.
• Parents all have the same mission to train their children.
• Parents are facilitators in their children’s education.
• Allow children to become full partners in their education.
• The early childhood years are critical years for the influence of the family.
• The early years are the basis for the child’s whole life.
• Children need their mother to be their primary influence during the early years.
• Think about how we can help our children become their best selves.
• Help students understand that they have a purpose in this world.
• Continue growing yourself through reading, and taking classes.
• Life is not meant to be easy.
• Start children off on the path that they will go on for their whole life.
• Think long-term.
• Figure out what your goals are.
• Think about what does Hashem want from you right in this moment?
• When a student or child is struggling, it’s not personal.
• You are not a failure when a student or child has challenges.
• It’s not about the product in our roles as educators, it’s what are we putting into them.
• In order to teach, you have to love your children/students.
• Find your mentors.

Book Recommendations: Steven Covey- The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Families
Gordon Neufeld
Leonard Sax
Linda and Richard Eyre-3 Steps to a Strong Family
Oliver and Rachel DeMille- Leadership Education: The Phases of Learning

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T’helah Ben-Dan is the founder of The Kefar, which provides virtual content, instruction, and coaching for Hebrew language learners and teachers. She also serves as Deputy Director of TALMA, overseeing recruitment and onboarding for the organization's teaching fellowships in Israel. T'helah has several years of classroom and online teaching experience, and loves all things Hebrew and Torah-related. T'helah holds an MA in Teaching Hebrew as a Second Language, an MS in Early Childhood Services, and a BA in African & African-American Studies. When she's not working, you can find her reading, baking, or traveling.

Gems:

• Join with other educators and learn as much as you can from them.
• Developing an understanding of the Hebrew language will aid in connecting with our fellow Jews and Israel.
• Learn as much Hebrew as possible.
• Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of the fire.
• Lead our students to the information and help inspire them to learn deeper.
• Build the excitement and spark the curiousity.
• How can we impart the knowledge given to us to the next generation?
• Make the time to commit to your own learning.
• Your time is valuable.
• You can do anything, but not everything.
• Love the work that you do!
• Find a community of other educators.
• Have fun!

https://www.youtube.com/thelahbendan

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Tamar Shuchat is the content developer and graphic designer of the sought after curriculum DotbyDot. She has taught reading to children of all ages for over 10 years. Tamar wanted to create quality material that would excite every young reader and motivate them to read Hebrew. The ultimate goal is to create readers who are comfortable to daven and learn Chumash. The DotbyDot curriculum uses Hebrew words that children will encounter in their daily life. The big focus of the curriculum is on only real words and also short Hebrew stories in the workbooks that bring meaning and excitement to the reading. Prior to printing these books Tamar mentioned that she didnt see much out there like that, which was the push to create a curriculum designed with that in mind. A story unit at the end of each Nekud is the highlight of the workbook. This stage in the learning process is exciting for the children. Tamar is passionate about bringing excitement to reading, and engaging all students in the reading process. Website: http://www.dotbydot.org/

Gems:

• Reading problems must be addressed early on before moving to the next phase.
• Help students master the skills properly from the beginning.
• Use your skills.
• Get feedback from clients and students.
• Find other educators who encourage you.
• See what works with children.
• Reading skills are important.
• It’s important to have a foundation to build upon.
• Help students feel good about the process and inspire them to want to continue learning.
• Every single child needs to be met where they are.

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Rabbi Daniel Bauer is a Judaic Studies teacher at Kohelet Yeshiva High School in Merion Station, PA as well as a licensed marriage and family therapist with a private practice. He holds a B.A. in Psychology from Lander College for Men as well as an M.S. in Jewish Education from Yeshiva University. He received semicha through YU’s Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary. Rabbi Bauer studied at Council for Relationships in Philadelphia to attain a post-graduate certificate in Marriage and Family Therapy, and recently finished the licensing process. He lives in Bala Cynwyd with his amazing wife and three awesome children.

Gems:

• Be a great role model.
• Talk about loving G-d/Hashem with your students.
• Be flexible with how you approach each class.
• Give students more credit for their ability and figure out ways to make learning more accessible.
• Discuss the deeper ideas with your students.
• Put technology in its proper place.
• Focus on the texts.
• Literacy and knowledge of the texts is important.
• Teach students to be able to think.
• Help people sharpen their thinking and grow in their literacy.
• Take the time to find out what is important to your students outside of the classroom.
• Find a good mentor.
• Be realistic about the goals you set for yourself and for your students.
• Understand where students are coming from.

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In this special edition episode, I answer the questions that I usually ask other educators. I am a long-time educator who began as an assistant in my mother's classroom when I was 13 years old. I have taught in many different school settings. My focus now is on this podcast, and on teaching my own children. Parenting Course, Parenting On Purpose: https://la-med-learning-center.teachable.com/p/parenting-on-purpose-developing-a-deeper-connection-with-your-children

Gems:

• We are always able to have a connection to Hashem.
• Keep Hebrew names.
• As parents, we must give our children a foundation to build on their Yiddishkeit.
• Begin talking about Hashem/G-d from a young age.
• Learning begins in the home.
• As educators, our job is to create a love of learning.
• We must teach according to each child’s ability.
• Think long term.
• We must teach our children about Hashem, relationships, and money.
• Be grateful for every day.
• Think long-term.
• Mentor with other great educators.

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