1. No category

FOCUS ON
EDUCATION
B2
[ FOCUS ON EDUC AT ION ]
T
THE CANADIAN JEWISH N EWS
FEBRUARY 26, 2015
SponSoR ConTEnT
Adults learn too at Royal Conservatory
T
he Royal Conservatory School
(RCS) is one of the most extensive
community-based music schools
in North America. With a commitment
to culture and creativity, and to making
music accessible to everyone, we offer a
wide variety of group classes, private lessons and programs for students of all ages,
levels, and artistic interests.
Specific to the adult community, the
Royal Conservatory is offering a new
series of music appreciation and history
courses. Each course is taught by experts
in their field in a welcoming and collegial
environment. Class offerings are designed
to deepen one’s understanding and enjoyment of music across genres and historical periods, from the rich traditions of
the past to exciting new creations of the
present.
With courses offered in the morning,
afternoon, and evening, there is sure to
be something that sparks curiosity and
fits into one’s busy schedule. Offerings
include live performances by students
of The Glenn Gould School and there
are specific ticket offers, too. Upcoming
courses include:
Mahler’s Romantic Landscape of Song
and Symphony, 4-week course, Thursdays, Feb. 26 – March 19, 1:30-3:30 p.m.,
instructor: Stephen Cera.
This course surveys the fascinating connections between Mahler’s songs and
song cycles, and his first four symphonies. Special focus will be paid to Mahler’s
Second Symphony (Resurrection), which
will be performed by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Toronto Mendelssohn
Choir, and vocal soloists in June 2015.
Music and the Third Reich, 4-week
course, Tuesdays, March 3-24, 6-7:30 p.m.,
instructor: Simon Wynberg
Simon Wynberg, artistic director of the
ARC Ensemble (Artist of the Royal Conservatory) will cover anti-Semitism and
the early exclusion of Jews from the music
industry, the concept of “entartete” (degenerate) music, the creation of the Reichsmusikkammer, and the predicament of
German musicians and the artistic and
moral choices they were forced to make.
Mozart: Man and Music, 6-week course,
Tuesdays, March 10 – April 14, 10 a.m.noon, instructor: David Bowser.
Join David Bowser, founder and artistic
director of the Mozart Project and conductor of the Toronto Mozart Players, for
a series of engaging and informative lectures offering insights into the life, personality, and music of this enigmatic and
beloved composer.
Opera in the City, 6-week course, Tuesdays, March 24 – April 28, 1-3 p.m., instructor: Eric Domville.
Join University of Toronto professor
emeritus Eric Domville for an illuminating journey into operatic history, and
enhance your experience of the following
four operas scheduled to be performed in
Toronto this spring:
Berlioz’s version of Gluck’s Orpheus and
Eurydice (Opera Atelier; opens April 9)
Rossini’s comic masterpiece The Barber
of Seville (opens April 17)
Bartók’s Bluebeard’s Castle and Schoenberg’s seminal Erwartung (opens May 6.)
“Attending this course greatly enhances
my appreciation of the operas when I attend the live performance,” says a former
student.
For detailed descriptions of course offerings and information or to register go to
learning.rcmusic.ca/musicappreciation,
call 416-408.2825, or visit us at 273 Bloor
St. West.
Adult students may also explore individual and group instruction throughout the
year in voice, woodwind, brass, percussion, string and piano. n
Sunday Mornings: 10:00AM - 12:30PM
OR: Tuesday Evening Classes
Ages 5 through 12
• Bar/Bat Mitzvah Programs
Experienced, Qualified Teachers
• Low Student-Teacher Ratio
Innovative Curriculum
• Hebrew Language/Reading & Writing
• Prayers/Holidays/Bible Study/Jewish History
• Offering Inclusive Special Education Programing
Remedial & Enriched Programs
• Tailored to the Students’ Individual Skill Level
Four Convenient Locations:
• Westmount Collegiate, Thornhill
• Thornhill Woods
• Bathurst/Lawrence
• Forest Hill
Netivot HaTorah Day School
The Jack & Anne Weinbaum
Education Centre
Tel: 905.771.1234 | Fax: 905.771.1807
www.netivot.com
North Campus
18 Atkinson Avenue
Thornhill, Ontario
L4J 8C8
South Campus
470 Glencairn Avenue
Toronto, Ontario
M5N 1V8
THE CANADIAN JEWISH NEWS
FEBRUARY 26, 2015
B3
[ FOCUS ON EDUC AT ION ]
T
SponSoR ConTEnT
Beth Tzedec offers kids a new way to learn Hebrew
B
eth Tzedec’s Congregational
School in midtown Toronto isn’t
your mother’s Hebrew school.
There’s no more boring recitations of
Hebrew or endless drills about Jewish
holidays. Instead, principal Daniel Silverman has reformed the curriculum to reflect an experience- and activity- based
model of learning.
“We’re not just taking the school model and changing what subject kids learn,
and doing it on off hours. We’re very different then what things used to be like
20, 30, 40 years ago,” he says.
“We make sure that everything that we
do is centred on, not what I want my students to learn, [or] what I want the students to get, but – how are my students
going to experience this? What is going
to be their take [on] how I’m going to
present this material to them?”
Silverman accomplishes this through
physical movements, props and games
so that “they are beginning to develop a
Hebrew vocabulary in a purely oral way,”
he says.
“And so, in a few years down the road
when we actually sit down with them to
learn how to read Hebrew, and how to
write Hebrew, the content that they’re
It is all happening
in real time and in a
relevant and authentic
way
learning they already know.”
One such way assignments reflect this
is through baking. The children will have
an ingredient list and recipe for chocolate chip cookies in Hebrew, which they
will have to correctly translate before being able to eat and distribute the baked
goods.
The end result is being able to place
Hebrew in context, which will be more
meaningful for them.
“When they learn all this Hebrew vocabulary it isn’t just in this vacuum,”
Silverman says. “It is all happening in
real time and in a relevant and authentic way.”
The kids aren’t bored or staring idly
at the clock, watching the seconds tick
by, like you may have done in Hebrew
school. Instead, the youngsters at Beth
Tzedec think Hebrew school is fun.
“They are learning, but they are also
learning in a way that is engaging and
fun and is connecting to that subject. Not
in a ‘This is what you have to know’ way,
but in a ‘here’s what we think this is what
you want to know.’”
Silverman does this through the support of his faculty, who are all dedicated
to helping children learn in the modern
world.
“Here’s the 21st-century aspect of it,”
he says. “As a teacher, you incorporate
technology, you incorporate music, you
incorporate art and it makes for a really
robust and full experience for all of our
students.”
Beth Tzedec also offers options for busy
parents with children in grades 3 to 7 who
may not want to fight through Toronto
traffic on a Wednesday afternoon. It offers a web-conferencing class where students can log on from their own home.
“We understand that we serve a wide
geographic range and people have different and busy schedules, and parent
can’t always get their kids to our site at a
specific time,” he says.
Come see for yourself at Beth Tzedec’s
open house at 9:45 a.m. on Sunday,
March 1. n
A New Direction in Hebrew School Education
✔ Activity-based Jewish learning for students in JK/SK to Grade 7
✔ Flexible class options—Sunday mornings plus one-hour Hebrew tutorial
during the week (optional online tutorials available)
✔ Art, music and creative play incorporated into the curriculum
✔ Younger students learn Hebrew Through Movement, a brand-new
approach to language acquisition
For information, contact Director of Education and Family Programming Daniel Silverman at 416-781-3514 ext. 231 or dsilverman@beth-tzedec.org
Beth Tzedec Congregation
1700 Bathurst Street Toronto, Ontario
Tel 416-781-3511 www.beth-tzedec.org
Copyright © 2015
@
60 Years of Tradition–Building for the Future
b4
[ FOCUS ON EDUC AT ION ]
t
ThE canaDian JEWiSh nEWS
FeBRUaRY 26, 2015
Students with special
needs have lots of options
in day schools
Vicky Tobianah
Special to the cJN
J
ewish day school students with special needs or educational disabilities
have many options to participate in
the day school system, says Daniel Held,
executive director of UJA’s Julia and Henry
Koschitzky Centre for Jewish Education.
The centre deals with Jewish education
in day schools, supplementary schools,
and programs throughout the city (including Jewish summer camps, March of
the Living, Hillels, PJ Library program and
more).
“The goal is engage the maximize number of students and offer high quality
affordable education, to ensure the health
of our community in terms of Jewish
identity,” says Held, who has also worked
in the Jewish day school system and is a
columnist for The CJN.
For students with special needs, there
are a variety of options they can turn to in
the Jewish community, says Held.
“Special needs is a diverse term. It encompasses students who need all kinds of
different services from social work to remediation to extra time and coaching. [It
also includes] students who have physical
disabilities, and our schools offer a wide
variety of services. Our partners at Jewish
Family & Child (JF&CS) and JVS offer services in school,” he said.
When a student requires special assistance, the family and school can work
together to develop an individualized
education program (IEP) to best serve
the needs of the student. “The IEP helps
guide the work of parents and the staff
who work with students, recognizing that
every student who works with us has multiple touch points,” says Held.
The role of federation is to assist schools
with the cost and expertise needed to deal
with diverse students’ needs.
menorah nursery
4300 Bathurst st.
sInCe 1982
celebrating 32 years
Ages 18 Months to 6 YeArs
*Full Day – 7:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
We also offer
2, 3, 4 and 5 day programs
neW- register for
our shabbat Program –
5 wk sessions (2 ½- 3½ yr olds)
*Computers *Crafts *Music **Hot Nutritious Lunches & Snacks
*Low Child to Teacher Ratio *Qualified Staff *Theme Days
*Cooking *Baking
now accepting summer and september registrations
on a 1st come, 1st served basis
Register early to avoid disappointment
call: helen at
416-638-6910
“We help build the schools’ capacity to
work with students with special needs,
including consulting to develop best
practices. We offer funding to circumvent
the cost of servicing students with special
needs.”
Ultimately, the goal is to have students
with special needs or disabilities integrated into the main classroom for the
majority of the day, he said.
Organizations like JVS often partner
with Jewish day schools to work with
teachers, principals, and parents every
day, says Held.
Other organizations such as Zareinu,
an educational centre that provides individualized therapies and treatments
along with Jewish teachings and traditions, are an option for students who
need specific attention for their physical
or developmental challenges, he says.
As the community grows and the variety of students’ needs grow as well, chal-
lenges remain.
“We do have a real diversity of learners. Resources are tight. It’s challenging
for schools to reach the broadest spectrum. We’re undertaking reviews of IEPs
to understand who the students are in
our schools and we’re working with each
school to understand what kind of needs
they have so we can better understand
how we can better help the school,” says
Held.
He says he’s hopeful about the advancements being discussed and envisioned
for special needs students in Toronto.
“We held a professional development
day about a month ago for those who
work with students with special needs
across all 14 schools in Toronto,” said
Held. “We came together for one day to
learn together about building IEPs for
special needs. It was exciting to see their
passion about building the best education.” n
THE CANADIAN JEWISH NEWS
FEBRUARY 26, 2015
T
[ FOCUS ON EDUC AT ION ]
B5
SPONSOR CONTENT
NCJW teaches spirit of philanthropy
T
he Passover Food Drive, a project of
National Council of Jewish Women
of Canada, Toronto Section takes
place this year from March 15 to 25.
Glenda Ephron Cooper, chair of the food
drive, says that during this period the organization packs and delivers more than
2,600 boxes of kosher for Passover food to
impoverished Jews living within Toronto.
“The number of recent immigrants, individuals with disabilities, and those with
inadequate financial resources, continues
to grow. It is our mission to provide these
individuals with the essentials required to
have a meaningful Passover seder, she says.
“Thirteen per cent of Jews live below the
poverty line in the Greater Toronto Area,
which amounts to almost 24,000 people.
Added to this, we lose about 20 per cent
when we have to spend U.S. dollars, and
the cost of purchasing chickens has increased,” Cooper says.
Monetary donations are vital to this cause
as 90 per cent of the kosher for Passover
food is purchased through wholesalers.
“The Passover Food Drive has a new
look, which we are excited to launch with
The Canadian Jewish News. We will also
be launching a new website on March 1,
www.passoverfooddrive.com.
“We are initiating some exciting fundraisers this year to supplement our donor
campaign. We are announcing our first ever
Passover Food Drive Raffle, Buy-A-Chicken,
from March 1 to April 6. Tickets will be sold
at $10 each or $25 for three. Money raised
from this raffle will be used towards purchasing the chickens. Tickets may be purchased by phone, 416-633-5100.”
Cooper says there are some excellent prizes: 1st prize is a travel voucher from Payless Travel; 2nd prize includes two nights
stay at Best Western Hotel located on historic Lundy’s Lane in a Tower Room, Clifton Hill Fun Pass for two, and Oh Canada,
Eh, theatre tickets for two; 3rd prize is a
Skylon Tower Fallsview dining voucher,
and gift certificate at the Tango clothing
boutique in Niagara Falls; 4th prize is a
60 minutes Pure and Simple facial from
OM Spa, 30 minutes holistic nutritionist consultation from Nutrilicious and a
beautiful necklace from Lineve Jewellery.
Other prizes include: art from Poster
International; a Sobeys gift voucher; Supperworks gift certificate; seder plate from
Matana; Starbucks gift basket, and three
Second Cup vouchers.
Other fundraisers to help purchase
chickens include, Passover greeting cards,
which have been drawn and created by school children.
The drawings are designed depicting symbols and story lines
relating to Passover. There will be
five winners who win a Haggadah, and
have their names printed on the back of
their card.
“We also sell tribute cards. These are excellent for hostess cards, or an ideal way of
honouring those around us who are celebrating special times and at the same time
contributing to the community.”
Delivery day is a hub of activity at Council House, 4700 Bathurst St., as the community gets together, young and old to
deliver the food boxes to recipients, says
Cooper.
The Passover Food Drive is totally volunteer based. “It is so community driven. It’s
an inspiration to see and be part of it.”
Children come to pack on outings with
their schools. High school students supervise, pack and help in the warehouse, and
volunteer hour credits are given. Drivers
are an essential part of the drive. They deliver the food boxes to recipients on delivery day.
“Family bonding is so part of this project. Toronto families have been doing
this for 32 years. Those children are now
parents of the next generation. The drive
is part of the Jewish culture in Toronto.”
Cooper says, “if you have never participated in the drive, come on delivery day,
and feel the amazing energy at Council
House. It is a marvellous learning experience for children and adults alike.”
For more information regarding the raffle or to make a donation, call, 416-6335100. You can also make an online donation by visiting: www.ncjwc-ts.org or www.
canadahelps.org/dn/17133. ■
B6
[ FOCUS ON EDUC AT ION ]
T
THE CANADIAN JEWISH N EWS
FEBRUARY 26, 2015
Israeli schools tougher, inside and out
JENNIfEr TzIvIA MACLEoD
SpEciAl To ThE cJN
T
he biggest adjustment making
aliyah with children may be transitioning to the Israeli school system.
Schools here are run down, and the chilly
reception can be a shock.
For Rebekah Chaifetz Saltzman, who
made aliyah in August from New York,
the transition has been jarring. From an
elite Jewish school with Smartboards and
iPads, Saltzman’s older son transitioned
into Kitah Bet (Grade 2) and her younger twins into gan (kindergarten) in Haifa’s
Achuza area.
“The schools here are not as nice.
Technologically, they’re miles behind,”
says Saltzman. “It’s so surprising from a
high-tech startup nation.”
Though her son’s classroom has a computer with a projector, the building is bare
bones. “The kids are wearing their coats all
day long in the winter. That would never
happen in an American school. They have
heaters in the classrooms, but when you
walk in the hallways, it’s cold.”
“Cold” also describes their reception
from students, staff and families unprepared for olim. “The adjustment was
rough… They don’t teach their kids how
to treat new people. It’s cliquish… a lot
of the families, the parents, grandparents
live in Haifa, all the families know each
other.”
But Tara Gordon Carey, who made aliyah
this fall from Toronto to Pardes Chana,
says it depends on the school.
Carey visited three schools. At the third,
“the menahel [principal] took me to the
class, the kids stood up… they showed
respect.” Her daughters now attend that
school, which is, like Saltzman’s children’s,
a national religious school.
Carey, whose daughters attended Netivot HaTorah Day School in Toronto, has
learned that “you have to be a strong advocate in this country for your children.”
Few olim plan their aliyah around a
school, as Yocheved Deltoff and her husband Marshall did. Moving from Thornhill last summer, the family chose Karmiel mainly for Amichai, an independent
haredi school with a reputation for
warmth and experiential learning.
On their daughter’s first day, Deltoff
says, the teacher gave out streamers: blue
and white, and red and white. “They sang
a song about who is from Israel, who is
from Canada. I know not all the schools
at York University
Celebrate:
Education. Culture. Community.
• The largest Jewish student population of any university in Canada
• A rich and varied Jewish Studies Program
• A unique Jewish Teacher Education Program
• An active and engaged Jewish student life
DEGREE PROGRAMS
BA Jewish Studies
BEd Jewish Teacher Education
-full or part-time
MEd Jewish Education Specialty
MA/ PhD (by department)
The Israeli
education system
Israel offers three streams of free public
education: national, national religious,
and Arab. Any Jewish student may attend either a religious or non-religious
public school at no charge.
There are also independent schools,
usually aimed at families willing to pay
a little more for a religious education.
Registered schools receive government
funding. In 2011-2012 around 56 per
cent of the pupils in the Hebrew education system attended state schools,
about 19 per cent attended state-religious schools, and about 25 per cent
were enrolled in haredi schools.
What would help you
achieve your ambitions?
• Choosing the best Canadian universities and programs for you
• Discovering career–building Ontario college programs
• Finding your place at top US colleges, with expert guidance through the complex US
admissions process
• Having specialized assistance from an expert in graduate and professional school
admissions: medicine, law, MBA; MA, PhD
• Breaking the “medicine-law-business” barrier: exploring other paths
• Developing a “what’s next?” plan before your BA/BSc graduation
• Getting back on track after an academic setback in university/college
…and more
Over 20 years of experience,
and hundreds of student successes.
Expert guidance with a very
personal approach.
Judy Libman
Ambitions EducAtionAl consulting
www.ambitions.ca
416-780-0288
jlibman@ambitions.ca
Undergraduate Certificate
Graduate Diplomas
York University-Hebrew University
Graduate Diploma in Jewish Studies
for Educators
COURSES
Bible, Rabbinics, Jewish Thought, Jewish Education, Holocaust,
Sephardi Culture, Hebrew Language, Women’s Studies, Jewish Film,
Canadian Jewish Studies, Contemporary Jewish Life and Literature
ISRAEL EXCHANGE PROGRAMS
AWARDS & BURSARIES
For further information contact:
Professor Sara R. Horowitz, Acting Director
Tel: 416-736-5823 Fax: 416-736-5344
cjs@ yorku.ca www.yorku.ca/ cjs
here are this warm,” she says.
Stephen Epstein, who moved from Toronto to Israel in 2005 and lives in Rehovot,
heard two warnings about Israeli schools
before he came: “There’s overcrowding
in the classrooms, and the teachers are
underpaid.”
Nevertheless, his daughters, in grades 7
and 9, are getting a great education, one
in a science-based school and one in a
school mixing religious and non-religious
students. He says the day school system
in Canada takes an unrealistic toll on
family budgets, making aliyah a reasonable alternative.
Carey agrees that schools here, though
run down by Canadian standards, seem to
have their priorities straight. Her daughters’ school, “has a huge play structure…
hopscotch, ball games, colourful squares
in the whole outside yard.”
What Carey’s kids miss most is having
Sundays off to go skating or hiking. “Especially when you’re shomer Shabbat,
there’s no family tiyul [outing] time. The
only family time is Shabbat.”
“I told them there’s good and bad in
everything. There are good things in Toronto, bad things in Toronto; good things
in Israel, bad things in Israel.” n
Is school work weighing you down? There is no need to struggle
all year long. Our tutors at Atomic Springboard Tutoring will help
you with homework and prepare you well for tests in Math 9, Science 9
& 10, Biology 11 & 12, Physics 11 & 12, Advanced Functions, Calculus,
AP Chemistry 11 & 12 and AP Physics. You will become more
confident, be anxiety-free and be better prepared for University.
Call for a free initial consultation at 905-831-3724 or 647-834-1757 or
e-mail us at administration@atomicspringboard.com
Tutoring  Confidence  Success
THE CANADIAN JEWISH NEWS
FEBRUARY 26, 2015
New
technology
prepares
students for the
world
VICky ToBIANAH
SpEciAl To ThE cJN
T
o succeed in today’s workforce, you
need to know how to multi-task
across devices and learn new tech-
nology at a moment’s notice.
That’s why schools like Akiva School in
Montreal pride themselves on staying up
to date on new educational research to
provide teaching strategies that will help
prepare students for a workplace that per-
haps can’t be envisioned yet.
“We’re preparing kids for a future we
have not yet lived in. What’s out there now
is so rapidly changing. Innovative programming promoting the skills needed
in today’s 21st century world are key, providing experiences where students have
real life, contextual learning, collaborate
in teams, communicate, and reach out to
build relationships outside of the school,”
said Jennifer Fraenkel, head of school at
Akiva School, a pluralistic elementary
Jewish day school in Montreal.
This school year, they launched computer science and coding classes into their
curriculum, for students from kindergarten to Grade 6. “We coined it the fourth
language,” said Fraenkel, in addition to
the three languages the students already
learn (English, French and Hebrew). Coding is one of the most sought-after skills
in today’s workplace, with the number of
computer programming jobs expected to
increase 30 per cent by 2020 (meanwhile,
all other U.S. industries are only expected
to grow by 14 per cent).
Other Jewish day schools are also following suit. At the Anne and Max Tanenbaum
Community Hebrew Academy of Toronto, students benefit from Smart boards
in classrooms and can take technology
courses with access to green-screens,
soundproof rooms and recording booths.
At Associated Hebrew Schools, stu-
Advertising Feature
I
Applying to Medical School?
Law School? Dental School?
t is increasingly difficult to gain admission to many professional school programs, such as medicine, law, dentistry, pharmacy and business, given
the dramatic rise in applications for a
limited number of positions. Since applications to professional schools have
increased in the last ten years, gaining
admission requires careful planning –
even for students with impressive credentials. No aspect of the application
process can be overlooked.
Does someone you know need help
with the university application process?
Expert advice can make the process
less daunting. Whether the task is helping a student plan for eventual medical
school admission, critiquing application essays for U.S. dental schools, or
preparing for CASPer or Multiple Mini
Interviews (“MMIs”), we work one-onone with our clients to maximize their
chances of success. The result is the
strongest application possible, one that
highlights each student’s unique character and individual strengths.
APPLYING TO PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL?
HELPING YOU MAXIMIZE
YOUR CHANCES OF ADMISSION
MEDICINE
DENTISTRY
LAW
BUSINESS
Robert Astroff, Ph.D.
www.AstroffConsultants.com
Today’s admissions process is
highly competitive
WE CAN HELP:
•Reviewofpersonalstatements/
application essays
•Simulatedinterviewsforprofessional
schools
B7
[ FOCUS ON EDUC AT ION ]
T
From ApplicAtion to Admission
www.astroffconsultants.com
416.929.6110
R
E
T
W
O
N
dents work with iPads in the classroom
and they’ve also started a new volunteer
initiative called iParent where parent volunteers introduce JK/SK children to different iPad apps related to numeracy and
literacy activities.
At Akiva, they’re also taking learning
outside of the classroom. Their Grade 5
students work on entrepreneurial projects with local businesses, learning how
to solve business challenges.
Indeed, Forbes reports that success in
the 21st-century workplace will not be dependent on technical ability but the ability to problem solve and make decisions,
something which Akiva School hopes to
instil in their students from an early age.
“What kids need is to take responsibility
at a young age and know they can make
a difference. The only way to do this is if
they know the work they’re doing in school
is related to work outside of school,” said
Fraenkel.
“It’s not about sitting in a classroom
and working in workbooks anymore – it’s
about giving them a real audience and
causes and having the work they do transcend the walls of the classroom. There’s
lots of brain research now on what motivates students and that’s doing and speaking, which we put a lot of emphasis on.
That’s part of the basis why Akiva was
founded (in 1968) and it’s pretty amazing
it holds true so many years later.” n
R
O
F
S
I
G
E
BOYS
AND GIRLS
AGED
4 to 16
R
MARCH BREAK CAMP
SOCCER • BASKETBALL • SWIMMING • TENNIS
“WHERE STUDENTS
LEARN BETTER
PERFORM BETTER
AND BECOME
BETTER LEADERS”
416-627-1092
www.tacsports.ca
TWO WEEKS - TWO LOCATIONS
B8
[ FOCUS ON EDUC AT ION ]
T
THE CANADIAN JEWISH N EWS
FEBRUARY 26, 2015
THE CJN’s “HEBREW SCHOOL CONTEST”
” PRIZE WINNERS
Evan Glaizel
J
YN Hebrew School is the best Hebrew
school EVER. There are fun educational games and they teach you all you
need to know about Judaism.
At the beginning of the class we do all
sorts of prayers to Hashem like one of
most important prayers the Shema. Next
we do our mitzvot for every Hebrew letter. Sometimes we even play fun games
for the mitzvot we learned, and trust me,
they are fun.
Then it is snack time. For snack we have
kosher cookies. The kosher cookies taste
so delicious. Also when we are at break we
play fun games like octopus or tag.
After we are finished our break we do
a really fun program called Alef Champ.
What Alef Champ really is, is a program
where kids at JYN Hebrew School get to
Shirley Goodman
L
et me tell you about my time at the
Peretz Folk School, in Winnipeg, Man.
which was very much a humorous, varied, vital and most interesting learning
experience.
Torah learning was most colourful, and
I can still remember the story of Pharaoh’s daughter finding baby Moses in the
bulrushes on the Nile River.
Also, learning to read and write in both
Hebrew and Yiddish was so meaningful
for me, that to this day I love speaking
Yiddish.
I began attending Hebrew school at
eight years old, and being a hyperactive
child, I was definitely not a sit and listen
all the time student! Also, it was difficult
attending Hebrew school Mondays and
Wednesdays from 4:30 to 6:30 pm, after a
full six hour day of public school. On top
Evan Glaizel
practice their alef bet in a fun way. The
first two colours (red and white) teach
you how to read the alef bet. The next
of this, I had to come home, practice my
violin, do English homework and get to
bed by 9 p.m.
My Hebrew and Yiddish teachers were
well versed in their subject matters, and I
learned to love both languages! My love
of Hebrew was so strong that I elected
to take Hebrew 1 at the University of
Manitoba. To this day, I love singing in
both languages and have done gigs at
retirement homes in Toronto singing in
both tongues.
Our Hebrew school had three floors. On
the second floor was my classroom and
on the third we had a Ukrainian/Russian
caretaker who used to fry bacon and who
knows what else. The strong smell of
these non-kosher foods would drift down
to our classroom, interrupting our Torah
reading lessons. My reaction to this foul
smell was an emphatic and loud “Phew”!!
Now, thinking back on my classroom
three colours (orange, yellow and green)
teach you all the vowels. The next colour
(blue) teaches you how to read fast and at
the end of blue you have to read a lot of
Hebrew letters in under two minutes.
The last colours (purple, brown, grey
and black) teach you how to read from
the Torah and that means when you are
done black you will know exactly how to
read the Torah. Right now I am on brown
and now all I need to do to pass is finish
brown and then do grey and black and
then I have finished all of the levels and
I know how to read the Torah (which is
awesome to know how to read the Torah).
Alef Champ is a really cool way to learn
how to read Hebrew.
Next we write in our Jewish hero book.
In our Jewish hero book there are questions about the history of Judaism that
we have to answer. What I mean by
Shirley Goodman
disruptions, I know I was seeking attention and loved the laughter of my classmates. Of course I was punished occasionally for these disruptions and had to
stand in the corner facing the wall, and
this is when I most remember the smells
wafting down from upstairs. Quite a
strong memory even now!
Ironically, when I was in my 20s, I again
Jewish heroes are people like Avraham
(the first Jew) and Moshe (Jew to receive
the Torah). So every week we learn about
one amazing Jewish hero and that means
we get to do one full page about one
amazing Jewish hero.
Sometimes at the end of class we do
something called food art. What food art
is, is an activity where we make Jewish
things out of food. How cool is that!
Some examples of what we made are
a sukkot (made out of graham crackers, marshmallow fluff, pretzel sticks
and gummy worms) and a challah (see
picture at left). We made braids with the
challah, baked them and then ate them.
MMMMMMMM. All of the food was so
amazing. The next thing is the worst. It
is time to go home.
See, I told you JYN Hebrew School is the
BEST Hebrew school EVER! ■
met my parochial teacher, Mr. Greenberg, who smiled, remembering my
loud classroom disruptions and said in
Yiddish, Sarah, fune dir ken ich krign a
krankan hartz! (You can give me heart
failure.) Two years later, I noticed Mr.
Greenberg’s yahrzeit in the Jewish Post
and he had indeed died of the heart failure he claimed I was going to cause him
back then!
When I became a teacher and had a few
kids who were disruptive to the class like
I was back in my school days, I recalled
my kind parochial teacher and wondered
if this could be his revenge. And actually
I soon realized that his kindness in handling me helped me greatly get through to
these kids in my class.
In closing, I must say that the children
who attended a full day Hebrew School
program, seemed to have the best of both
worlds. ■
THE CANADIAN JEWISH NEWS
FEBRUARY 26, 2015
B9
[ FOCUS ON EDUC AT ION ]
T
The CJN asked readers to share with us how their lives were positively influenced by their
Jewish education. Here are our six winners and four runners-up.
Tillie Margolis
W
hen I was eight years old in 1932
my widowed mother enrolled me
at the Borochov Shule to receive a Jewish
education. The tuition fee was $1 per
week. The school was located at 1 Major
St., just doors from my home at number
49. Several of my friends on the street
were also enrolled. Every afternoon after
school we all hurried to attend the class.
Our teacher was Mr. Menachovsky,
a charming and dedicated man. The
shule’s founders were members of the
Labour Zionist Movement. These were a
group of men dedicated to preserving the
Yiddish language. Hebrew and the learning of Torah were not on the curriculum.
Instead, we were introduced to Yiddish
writers who told wonderful stories about
Jewish life in the old country, giving us a
picture of their struggles to survive in an
Len Phillips
W
hen I was in kindergarten I got the
strap for singing the ABC song.
Why? Because you were supposed to
freeze when the bell rang to enter the
school, and I didn’t freeze. I was in the
middle of singing the ABC song, and
when you’re only five years old it is a
source of great humour to say “ El, Em,
En, Oh, Pee!” But I hadn’t gotten to the
“Pee” part yet, and I was determined
that I would say it, and so I continued to
sing loud and clear, even though everyone else in the schoolyard was standing
silently like you were expected to.
For this “crime” I was hauled into the
principal’s office for my punishment. The
year was 1954, and I was a five-year-old
boy attending school for the first time.
The Associated had not yet moved up
anti-Semitic culture.
A highlight of the school year was the
annual concert arranged by our teacher’s
wife, Mrs.Menachovsky. We all took part
in making costumes and planning the
event.
Though my Yiddish studies were to
end with my class’s official graduation
in 1936, I continued on with them for
one more year just before entering high
school. The five years I attended the
Borochov Shule gave me wonderful
insights into my Jewish heritage and were
to have a lasting effect on my life.
In 1949 I was a newlywed and looking
for interests outside the home. Some
friends approached me about joining Pioneer Women (now known as Na’amat).
I became part of a wonderful group who
were doing outstanding (and fun) work
for the women and children of Israel.
Na’amat is the leading social service
north (north at that time would be the
Neptune Avenue school). I don’t think it
was even called The Associated at that
time – it was known as the Talmud Torah,
located on Brunswick Avenue.
Anyway, the principal at that time, Mrs.
Snider, pointed out how wrong it was for
me to not freeze when the bell rang, and
then I saw what my punishment would
be – the leather strap that she pulled out
from her desk. I got smacked once on
each hand, and was told never to break
that rule again.
So how does this story highlight the
value of a Jewish education? Well, we
forget sometimes how far Jewish schools,
and the public schools too, have come
over the years. (When I became a teacher
in 1972 it was still legal to use the strap
in the public school system, even though
no principal would dare use it at that
agency in Israel. Imagine my surprise
when I learned that Na’amat was affiliated with the Labour Zionist Movement,
the same organization that established
the Borochov Shule where I received my
Jewish education.
I was now working on committees with
many of the same men I had known as
the school’s founders! These were individuals of intellect and dedication and
included Max Federman, then head of
the Fur Worker’s Union, Ben Himel, for
whom the Borochov Centre on Codsell
Avenue is named, and Israel Appel.
In later years, the Labour Zionist Movement attracted equally forward-looking
individuals, such as Julie Sokoloff, Lou
Kirshenbaum, Victor Topper and Harry
Steiner, among many others. They continued their dedication to education by
founding the Bialik Hebrew Day School,
with which Na’amat Toronto is proudly
Len Phillips
point). Anyway, when I went home to tell
my mother what had happened to me
she wasn’t horrified. She didn’t call for
the principal to be fired. She didn’t alert
the media. She simply reconfirmed what
Mrs. Snider had told me – “Don’t do it
again.” And I didn’t.
affiliated.
I myself attribute the Jewish education I
acquired in my childhood and early teens
to having led me to my future path in
becoming active in Na’amat.
Through my involvement in the organization, I’ve held a succession of senior
roles, first as president of Club Masada,
then Toronto Council, and eventually as
national president of Na’amat Canada. In
addition, as president, Ontario Region, of
the Canadian Zionist Federation, for several years I was in charge of running the
annual Israel Day Festival, now organized
and co-sponsored by Na’amat Toronto.
On May 31, 2015, Club Masada will be
celebrating its 70th anniversary in Toronto in conjunction with Na’amat Canada’s
90th anniversary.
On reflection, I realize just how much
my early Jewish education contributed to
my future role in the community. ■
In those days the rules were black and
white. Much of it would be unacceptable
by today’s standards, but the rules were
clear, and there was a sense of security
knowing what those boundaries were.
Despite getting the strap in kindergarten
I loved going to school – even now,at the
age of 65, I still have vivid and fond memories of that first year in school.
The clear guidelines of what was
expected in school created a safe and
conducive environment to learning.
Behaviour issues didn’t take over class
time. The emphasis was on learning, and
that’s where The Associated excelled. We
were free to learn in an environment that
wasn’t really relying on fear of punishment anymore, but was focused more
on the joy of learning without interruptions… even without the strap being
given for singing in the yard. ■
Inspiration versus information
Our goal is to engage our students.
To build character.
To prepare them for success in life.
Our programs are designed to inspire each student to value:
• Effort and achievement in Torah and General Studies
• A connection to Hashem through daily Tefila
• A connection to their fellow man through Middot, Derech Eretz and Chesed
• A connection to their world through math, science and technology
Our programs include:
Information versus inspiration
• Qualified, experienced, and professional caring staff
To arrange a visit or for more information:
• Full day preschool through Junior High
Our
goal
to engage
our
students.
Please
callis(905)
669-7653
x223
• Enriched early years program
ourcharacter.
website www.jdohss.org
ToVisit
build
• French Studies Grades 1-8
Visit our school and be inspired. Or email us at info@jdohss.org
• Extra-curricular programming
To prepare them for success in life. Excellence in Judaic and General studies:
Personalized Learning:
The Joe Dwek Ohr HaEmet• Smallclasssizestoenableindividualattention
• Accesstobroadrangeoftechnologies
Sephardic School
• SafetyKidProgram
• Creativewritingandpublicspeakingcompetitions
Julia & Henry Koschitzky
• Extra-curricularprogramming
7026 Bathurst St.
• Advancedmathandscienceinitiatives
Centre for Jewish Education
40 YEARS
Focus on Middot and Chesed:
Thornhill, ON L4J 8K3 Visit us and be inspired.
• YediotHatorahCurriculum
• TorahLiveprogram
• EveningMishmarprogram
• YesodeiHalashonShmiratHalashonInitiative
• RoshChodeshprograms
• MonthlyrecognitionforexcellenceinTefila andDerechEretz
B10
[ FOCUS ON EDUC AT ION ]
T
THE CANADIAN JEWISH N EWS
FEBRUARY 26, 2015
THE CJN’s “HEBREW SCHOOL CONTEST”
” PRIZE WINNERS
Michael Litvak
N
ot every family committed to Jewish
education can afford to send their
children to day school. Such was my case
growing up in the ’50s and ’60s. I was
educated at the supplementary Hebrew
school of Beth Am Congregation on Keele
Street when the neighbourhood was predominantly Jewish (Beth Am is today part
of Beth David B’nai Israel Beth Am).
Beginning in kindergarten and studying through Grade 10 (I was part of the
inaugural class of about a half dozen
who continued long past bar mitzvah) I
became a product of the supplementary
system that my rabbi, Rabbi Michael Dolgin, likes to point out is proof that this
type of learning can be successful.
Even though I was a rotten kid and tormented many of my teachers – did they
really have eyes behind their heads to see
Shavey Tishler
I
thought it might be interesting for you
to hear from someone who had an
extensive Yiddish education. This early
experience opened my mind and heart
to the value and importance of having a
Jewish education as a little girl growing
up in Toronto during the 1940s. As a
result of that learning experience I continue, to this day, to study Yiddish. What
follows is my story.
Standing at the door of the classroom,
I remember the look on my father’s face
when Mrs. Smith said “I am sorry, Mr.
Green, but your daughter is not able to
join this class because there is no chair
for her.” We turned, and went home.
After a short while, my father had banged
together several pieces of wood and
produced a chair. I remember as if it
T
Michael Litvak
us? – the message definitely did sink in.
Regardless of what my outward attitude
may have been, these teachers and our
long suffering principal, Dr. Samuel
Rosenblum, got the message across. I
became proficient in reading Hebrew
(probably because I conjugated so many
verbs as punishment!) and learned how
to daven and chant Torah. At the tender
age of 13 and just post-bar mitzvah, I
were yesterday, marching back to school,
chair in hand, and my father saying to
Mrs. Smith “Now she can start!” I was
five years old and this is how I began my
Yiddish education.
The Borochov School consisted of three
rooms on the second floor, above the
Bellevue Theatre, on College Street. By
the time I had graduated at 14 years old,
the school had moved to a beautiful new
building on Lippincott Street, in downtown Toronto. I graduated in front of my
proud family at a wonderful graduation
celebration. My graduation speech to
the audience was about the founding of
chassidism.
Our home was Yiddish speaking. At
school we studied Yiddish as a language
and all the great Yiddish authors. Our
teachers were the kind and gentle Mr.
and Mrs Menachovsky. I went to Huron
began to tutor bar mitzvah students of
my own. I continued this until I was 21
and away at university.
Learning how to daven at a shivah
came from watching others until I
eventually volunteered to do so as we
seemed to do back then. Years later, as
shuls began to provide shivah leaders, I
became a part of a team that performs
this mitzvah as a member of Temple Sinai
Congregation. I have been leading services now, as required, for over 20 years.
Chanting Torah has always been a particular pleasure; I can learn a parshah (or
part thereof) in somewhat short notice
and have been a regular Torah reader in
morning minyan, at Shabbat and High
Holidays for over 20 years now. It gives
me a great deal of satisfaction to be told
by congregants that they enjoy listening
to me.
I learned how to conduct the unveiling
Graduation day at the Borochov School with
me and my proud parents, Lipa and Fanny
Green
Street Public School, and Shule five
days a week. From Monday to Thursday I walked from Dupont and Huron
streets, to College and Brunswick streets,
stopping at home for a quick snack, so I
would not be late for the 4:30 class.
service and now serve as the alternate to
perform this duty when there is a conflict
and none of our clergy can be made
available.
We have raised our children in a kosher
home with lots of Yiddishkeit. They all
were educated at Temple Sinai’s supplementary school. With my wife, Judy,
who has been involved in Jewish education her entire professional career, we
supported that in the home. As well, I
tutored each of our six children for their
b’nei mitzvah. My family calls me a
‘frustrated’ rabbi. I would like to think of
myself as someone who, at 61, has gained
a great deal of joy and spirituality in his
religious home away from home. As I
become older and can impart some of
this to our grandchildren, I look forward
to continuing my education and being a
lay leader in our congregation.
Go supplementary Jewish education!!! ■
On Sunday mornings, again we had two
hours of classes. I don’t ever remember
complaining or even thinking about not
attending class. Shule was my haven and
my solitude, where my thirst for learning
was always being nurtured. Every Sunday, after class, my friends and I would
go across the street to the local deli where
we would buy our 10 cent hotdog and
Coke. Shule was also a meeting place for
me and my friends.
The Borochov School became Zionistic after 1948, so (after our hotdogs and
Coke) we donned our blue shirts, held
our blue JNF boxes, and went door to
door collecting money to help plant trees
in Israel.
Many years ago, Jewish education options were very limited. Today there are
so many opportunities for young people
to further their Jewish education. ■
THE ACADEMY FOR GIFTED CHILDREN – P.A.C.E.
he Academy for Gifted Children, P.A.C.E., is
the only school in Ontario devoted entirely to
intellectually gifted students. The primary goal
of P.A.C.E. is to find and enhance the abilities of each
child, in order to maximize his or her potential for
success, while addressing the social and emotional
needs of each student. Barbara Rosenberg, Director of
P.A.C.E., is a specialist in gifted education. P.A.C.E.
is based on the premise that gifted children need highpowered learning experiences to challenge their minds
and ensure intellectual growth and achievement.
P.A.C.E. offers a differentiated education, a
curriculum that is built on greater depth and breadth
of instruction and a more complex approach to
learning.
fully balanced school program, including the
fine arts and physical education, complements
this specialized academic program.
A
For further information please visit
www.pace.on.ca
call 905-773-0997
PRIVATE SCHOOL
THE CANADIAN JEWISH NEWS
FEBRUARY 26, 2015
T
[ FOCUS ON EDUC AT ION ]
B11
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
Lisa Cantkier
O
ur son Elan is 8 years old and in
Grade 3. He started attending Jewish Youth Network (JYN) Sunday School
Program in Thornhill when he was six
and in the first grade. The program is led
by Rabbi Shmuli and Chani Nachlas.
We honestly can’t speak highly enough
of the program. The caring, kind and
warm atmosphere of the school and staff
goes far beyond our expectations. Elan
always looks forward to attending the
program, and walks in and out with a
huge smile from ear to ear. There is a fully
unconditionally caring, non-judgemental
Amy Papernick
E
very Chanukah my kids get so
excited and can’t wait for the
Jewish Youth Network’s menorah-making contest. We talk about
it for weeks beforehand and plan
every detail to make the perfect
menorah.
This excitement is what I love
about the Jewish Youth Network’s
approach to supplementary Jewish
education. Torah studies, prayers and holidays are brought to
life every week through creative,
passionate and enthusiastic teaching. Ongoing projects and reward
systems keep my three children
who attend the school each week
engaged and excited about learning.
The Jewish Youth Network has
been a great choice for a supplementary Jewish education for
my family. It aligns perfectly with
our Jewish and traditional be-
and accepting philosophy that JYN and
the Chabad organization offer to families
and children alike, and it is reflective of
the true spirit of being a Jew.
Beyond all of that, JYN offers a progressive and successful Aleph Champ Hebrew reading program based on passing
various levels. Elan enjoys this very much
and we have seen huge progress with his
reading and understanding of written
Hebrew. He learns about Torah, holidays
and what it means to be a Jew. We believe
JYN offers a program that is exemplary
for what a Sunday school program
should strive to be and we feel blessed to
have found the program in our area. ■
liefs. What’s great about the school
is that it feels like a real community. All of my children have friends
from their local public school in
their Sunday school class. It is so
nice that on Sundays they all gather
together to learn about Judaism.
Whether it’s a story, or a craft or a
game, or a token for good work, the
kids always have stories to share
with us and with their friends back
at school the next week.
The Jewish Youth Network strives
to include every Jewish child in our
community. We celebrate our Judaism and are encouraged and taught
to do more.
At the Jewish Youth Network the
students work every week on the
Aleph Champ program where they
learn to read Hebrew in preparation for their bar and bat mitzvahs.
As I listen to them practice at
home, I kvell and know that I have
chosen the right supplementary
Jewish school for my kids. ■
Ryan Forman
T
anya and I would like to thank
Rabbi and Rebbetzin Nachlas for
all the warmth and support that they
have shown our family in so many different ways. Our youngest son Ricky
attends the JYN Hebrew school. There
is nothing more special than when
I or my husband arrive to pick him
up from Hebrew school and to see
him bounding down the stairs with a
huge smile on his face, yarmulke on
his head, random, messy project in
his hand, chatting away to one of the
friends that he has met at the school.
Elise Loterman
M
y journey with Jewish day school
education began as a two year old at
the Jewish Community Centre, continued
at Associated Hebrew Schools, and culminated with four years at the Community
Hebrew Academy of Toronto (CHAT).
It’s true that my Jewish education did not
conclude the day I graduated from CHAT,
however it was definitely those formative
years that turned me onto Jewish studies,
taught me to speak Hebrew (almost) fluently, and gave me the opportunity to learn
time management and organizational skills
that have been crucial in my personal and
professional development.
Growing up in a traditional Jewish family,
we celebrated Shabbat, were conscientious
of kashrut, and had large family holiday
celebrations.
What Jewish day school provided me
was the opportunity to dig deeper, and the
opportunity to ask why. [I learned] not to
accept our performance of Jewish customs
and rituals “just because,” but to learn the
historical significance and the Jewish legal
reasoning behind the action.
It is a testament to Rebbetzin
Nachlas and her teachers who have
taught Ricky to learn to read Hebrew
so diligently. Ricky often comes home
to tell us about the holidays that he
learned about that week and is a
willing participant when it comes to
making the prayers over the challah
or wine for Friday night kiddush or
lighting the candles for the menorah
on Chanukah.
All we can say is thank you to JYN
Hebrew School for instilling Jewish
values in our son and for helping to
make him a true mensch. ■
Upon completing high school, I proceeded to do an undergraduate degree
double majoring in psychology and
religion, and master’s degree focusing on
Jewish studies.
When beginning the job search, working
in the Jewish community seemed like the
most natural step. I had constantly been
in awe of my Jewish studies teachers and
rabbis and the amount of knowledge they
were able to impart in me as my mind
developed and grew. I wanted to have the
opportunity to be that teacher, mentor, and
role model.
This led me to embark on a career with
Hillel. There is rarely a week that goes by
that a student or colleague does not ask
me a question about an upcoming Jewish
holiday, Shabbat practice or fast day. My
Jewish day school education provided the
foundation to begin a meaningful and
relevant career where I can confidently answer these questions. It provided me with
the knowledge and interest to continue my
Jewish learning and growth as an adult and
helped me land me a career where I am
excited to go to work everyday and share
this wisdom with those around me. ■
B12
[ FOCUS ON EDUC AT ION ]
t
the Canadian JeWiSh neWS
FeBRUaRY 26, 2015
Homeschooling – an alternative education
Shayla Gunter-GoldStein
Special to the cJN
W
hen Aileen Morris was in Grade
1, both she and her parents
knew organized, traditional
education wasn’t a good fit. Aileen, now
21, was a square peg in a round hole.
Aileen has Asperger’s, a mild form of
autism. She is a bright, inquisitive and
creative young woman. As a child, she
displayed many of these same qualities,
but the schools she was attending seemed
to be killing her enthusiasm for learning.
Her mother, Marni, began supplementing
Aileen’s education at home and by Grade
6 she was homeschooling Aileen exclusively. Or, rather, she began “un-schooling.”
“Schools are set on the same template,”
explains Marni. “They focus on a rigid,
behavioural approach to learning. They
focus on getting the curriculum done
and testing students. We believe the focus
should be on developmental learning…
how kids behave, how they best learn
based on what their interests are and
what they express their needs to be.”
In homeschooling, or un-schooling,
parents teach their children from either
a set provincial curriculum, or based on
child-directed needs. Some parents use
the numerous lesson plans found online,
or provided by provincial boards.
Many have less structure, but still
have formal lessons. Others focus on life
schooling. In the beginning, Marni provided a fairly structured path for Aileen
and her younger sister Layla – both in
English and Jewish studies. However,
these lessons were using an academic approach, with little or no life learning.
“Isn’t it better to learn about nutrition
by going to the store, reading labels and
cooking balanced meals together? If
you’re not really practicing it, it doesn’t
make sense to me,” she says.
Rabbi Yossi Berktin of Chabad Markham agrees wholeheartedly. Three years
ago he, along with a local family, created
a “boutique” school. Four families were
involved, with children between grades
2 and 4. They focused on the individuals
rather than a grade. Two rabbis teach Jewish curriculum to the boys for part of the
day – Hebrew studies, Chumash, etc., and
in the afternoon, two mothers teach the
English studies.
4
1
www.reingoldtutoring.com
BK special Education Consulting
Your Kids Come First
Your child has the right to an education that best meets his or her needs.
Don’t be FrusTraTED by how your child’s school addresses his learning needs.
BK special Education Consulting can help:
• Explain to you the acronyms, labels and protocols
• Connect you with the right people at school or in the system
• advise you of your child’s rights • advocate on your behalf
BK Special Education Consulting brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to any situation
that you may be dealing with. With a background in Special Education, a comprehensive understanding of Learning Disabilities and ADHD in particular, we can empower you to ensure that
your child is getting everything she needs at school to support a positive learning experience.
Tel: 416.473.5870 • Email: bkay@specialedconsulting.ca
Web: www.specialedconsulting.ca
Chayale Mendelsohn, in Jackson Hole, Wyo.
The idea appeals to families who are
seeking alternatives that allow them to
stay within the day school model and
curriculum, but also meet the individual
emotional and behavioural needs of each
child.
In Rabbi Berktin’s model, the focus
is on skill building, learning outside of
books and a curriculum called “Limudei
Emunah” – Faithful Learning. It is based
on the idea that there are no mundane,
secular studies, only holy studies, because
God is ever present. Teachers attempt to
make everything practical for students,
encouraging discovery, experimentation
and creativity. It’s for families who want
to stay true to how the Torah is taught,
but also to include English studies – while
personalizing studies based on individual
needs.
Children who thrive in homeschooling
are often bright, self-motivated and selfdirected in nature. “They take the material
we offer and go beyond where you could
even possibly think about it,” says Rabbi
Berktin.
Chabad also has an international online
school for shluchim, their representative
families around the world. It’s cuttingedge technology, using Skype to have
children interact in a classroom. There
are breakout rooms for the various grades,
and Smart boards are used regularly.
Rebbetzin Raizy Mendelsohn lives in
Jackson Hole, Wyo. This former Torontonian married a Lubavitch rabbi from
Ottawa. Raizy says the program is “lifesaving and phenomenal.” The school is
divided into time zones for Asia, Europe,
and Western and Eastern Americas. “It’s
wonderful for those isolated from other
Jewish schools, in remote areas… but also
excellent for those having trouble in regular Jewish schools.”
For homeschoolers, both in the Jewish
and secular worlds, it’s obvious that traditional schools are missing the mark when
it comes to their children’s learning.
“Life isn’t really full of subjects,” says
Marni Morris. “But it is filled with experiences. And, that’s what I’m trying to give
my children.” Raizy Mendelsohn agrees.
“Do you have to be sitting at a desk to
learn? Absolutely not.”n
York Paediatric
Therapy Services Inc.
Providing the Steps to Independence ©
Providing a caring, understanding
& proven way yo help your child!
 Assessing and treating children 0-18 yrs.
 Therapies: sensory integration, neurodevelopmental and medek,
handwriting, feeding
 OT, PT and Speech-Language registered therapists
 Therapy to private schools through CCAC
 Handwriting camps
Call us to see how
we can make a difference
in your child’s life!
York Paediatric Therapy Services Inc. – 905-737-9680
10520 Yonge St., Richmond Hill, Ont.
www.yorkpaediatrics.com or email info@yorkpaediatrics.com
THe CanaDian JeWisH neWs
FeBRUaRY 26, 2015
t
b13
[ FOCUS ON EDUC AT ION ]
Centre helps kids and parents deal with school anxiety
Danielle Kubes
Special to the cJN
a
nne Marie Albano headlined Jerome D. Diamond Adolescent
Centre’s conference, “Anxiety, Addiction, Avoidance,” to celebrate its 40th
anniversary helping youth transition successfully into adulthood.
Albano, along with four other panelists,
discussed dealing with children who are
so anxious that they avoid going to school,
in this all-day conference at TIFF Lightbox
last fall.
“You’ve got to help them figure out
places that they can ease their way in and
start to be successful,” says Albano, who
is the director of the Columbia University
Clinic for Anxiety and Related Disorders.
Parents are an essential part of the helping to treat this sort of anxiety, says Albano, who advocates an old-school style
of parenting, which is a mixture of tough
love and using small rewards to shape behaviour.
If a young child is refusing to attend
school for example, it’s all right to offer
him something he wants to motivate him
to attend.
One child who Albano worked with, for
From left, Bruce
Ballon, Dr. Alan
Bardikoff, Linda
Conn, David
Kreindler and
Anne Marie
Albano
example, loved Froot Loops. So she offered
her a tiny cup of Froot Loops after a wholesome breakfast if she would attend school
– not a whole bowl at once, Albano insists,
but just enough. Then she would get more
and more Froot Loops as her attendance
increased. The incentive worked.
Albano cautions, however, not to offer kids lavish rewards, as they are often
happy with the small things in life.
“They’ll work for peanuts, kids,” she says.
For an older child, who may be more
demanding and have more desires, it’s especially important for parents to restrain
themselves.
Albano tells of one family from the
United States whose preteen promised
he would attend school if only the parents bought him an Xbox. The parents
complied, and the child naturally stayed
up all night playing video games and was
too tired, never mind anxious, to attend
school.
Albano advised the parents to negotiate
small rewards rather than giving a large
dose of the incentive at once. If the child
went to school, for example, he would
then be allowed to play 10 minutes of
Xbox. Then, the rewards can grow in corresponding increases to compliant behaviour.
She calls this the “grandmother rule”,
and it can be applied to any number of
situations, not only those surrounding
anxiety, to get your children to listen.
The simplest example takes place at
dinnertime when parents tell children
that they can have a cupcake, but only if
they eat dinner first – and then only one
cupcake.
In general, the best way to deal with anxious children is to take it slow, praising
small achievements, and calling in professional help when needed.
But anxiety is a mental health issue that
affects people of all ages. The causes are
not known, but the illness can manifest
in ways that makes it difficult to function
properly at work, home and during daily
activities.
The Diamond Centre is a branch of Jewish Family and Child, which has served the
Greater Toronto Area since the 19th century. The Children’s Mental Health Centre
opened in 1974 and was renamed after the
executive director in the 1980s. It provides
day programs and counselling to teenagers
and their families who are struggling with
psychological and academic challenges. n
For further resources dealing with anxiety
and other mental health issues, visit the
website of Jewish Family and Child at
www.jfandcs.com
Parents need to monitor
children’s computer use
T
o regulate children’s consumption
of technology, we must first start
with ourselves, suggests Bruce Ballon, a
panelist at Jerome D. Diamond Adolescent Centre’s fall conference, “Anxiety,
Addiction, Avoidance.”
Who hasn’t seen four year olds on the
TTC, faces buried in the flashing lights
of a scrolling iPad, parents behind
them, pleased their children are finally
behaving on a crowded streetcar?
That’s basically like saying, “Here, have
cocaine for your four year old,” says Ballon, head of the adolescent clinical educational services for problem gambling,
gaming and Internet addiction at the
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.
A study from PLOS One in 2012
showed that Chinese adolescents who
were addicted to the Internet suffered
from structural changes to the brain,
including abnormal white matter fibres,
that is also frequently seen in people
with substance abuse problems.
But you don’t necessarily need to be
clinically addicted to the Internet to
suffer from overuse. These days, when
many children and teenagers are waking
up to the alarm clocks from their phone,
typing notes at school on their laptops,
spending the commute home reading
on their iPads, and then going home to
watch TV and play video games, it can
be hard to distinguish what amount of
screen time is normal or healthy.
“There’s no public healthcare guidelines,” he says.
So parents are left to determine themselves what is an appropriate amount of
time spent with technology.
“It’s more about being able to manage
the relationship with their technology.
Knowing when to put it down – that’s
the major issue. Because it’s everywhere. Maybe it’s not too much, but it’s
misused. It’s affecting them in ways they
don’t even realize,” he says.
Some of the more mild consequences
seen in technological overuse are poor
dietary habits, poor hygiene and insomnia.
But some of the more insidious consequences can have a wider-reaching
effect on our society, depending on the
sort of technology one is partaking in. n
Supplementary Jewish Education
in the
of Downtown Toronto
•FULLY TAX DEDUCTIBLE
•AZRIELI BURSARIES AVAILABLE
•FREE MILES NADAL JCC CHILD MEMBERSHIPS
JK - HIGH SCHOOL - ENROLL TODAY!
WWW.DJCS.ORG
750 Spadina Avenue
Miles Nadal JCC
Principal, Belinda Keshen
416.924.6211 x 112
principal@djcs.org
CJN-education AD-2015.indd 1
free child
memberships to:
affiliated with and
partly funded by:
06/02/2015 12:13:59 PM
B14
[ FOCUS ON EDUC AT ION ]
T
THE CANADIAN JEWISH N EWS
FEBRUARY 26, 2015
DIRECTORY
AHAVAT YISRAEL HEBREW SCHOOL
1700 Bathurst Street, Toronto,
Education Program), Partnered, MA and PhD
and is the only Orthodox Zionist elementary
54 Glen Park Ave
ON M5P 3K3
York-Hebrew University Graduate Diploma for
school in the GTA.
Toronto, On M6B 2C2
Contact: Daniel Silverman, Director of
Educators, Certificate in Hebrew and Judaic
Director: Mrs. Leslie Shapiro
Education & Family Programming
Studies, Exchange Programs in Israel and Eur-
ROBBINS HEBREW ACADEMY
Principal: Mrs. Sarah Wasserman
Tel: 416-781-8088
Tel.e: 416-781-3514 ext. 231
ope, Courses in Hebrew, Education, Classical
Tel.: 416-224-8737
7026 Bathurst Street L4J 8K3
www.ahavatyisraelhebrewschool.com
Email: dsilverman@beth-tzedec.org
Judaism, Philosophy, History, Literature, Soci-
www.rhacademy.ca
Tel: 905-669-7653
For 21 years has provided a creative, enjoyable
Website: www.beth-tzedec.org
ology, Women’s Studies, Holocaust, Sephardic
RHA offers an unparalleled experience –
Website: www.jdohss.org
learning in a once a week program. Enriched
Beth Tzedec Congregation is an activity-based
Studies, Film, Israel and Middle East.
cutting-edge academics that are putting our
JDOHSS provides orthodox observant families
curriculum: reading, writing, language, prayers,
Hebrew program for students in JK/SK to Grade
students on top and the warmth of a com-
a Torah education in accordance with Sephardic
Israel and holidays . Remedial and enrichment
7. Members and non-members are welcome.
MENORAH NURSERY
munity that RHA has always been famous for.
practice and a focus on Middot. JDOHSS’
4300 Bathurst St.,
Right from the earliest years, we not only give
strong commitment to academic excellence
reading programs. Special events include chal-
THE JOE DWEK OHR HAEMET
SEPHARDIC SCHOOL JDOHSS
Menahel: Rabbi Zvi Kamenetzky
lah baking, Purim Carnival and mock Passover
Davina’s swim House
Downsview, Ont. M3H 3R4
our students the skills to explore, challenge,
is evident in its enriched and technologically
seder. Inclusive Special Ed available.
Tel: 647-352-POOL (7665)
Helen Dodick
persevere and create. We also give them the
advanced Judaic and General Studies program.
or 905-832-POOL (7665)
Tel: 416-638-6910
values that build life-long character as leaders
ARROWSMITH SCHOOL TORONTO
Website: www.davinasswimhouse.com
Menorah Nursery is a place where each child
and as Jews.
245 St. Clair Avenue West,
Email: info@davinasswimhouse.com
has an opportunity to learn through play with
TORONTO ATHLETIC CAMPS INC.
TAC SPORTS
Toronto ON M4V 1R3
Founded 2003. Children and adults swimming
other children, with appropriate toys and
lessons, all skill levels. 6 GTA and Vaughan area
materials, and where their mental, emotional,
SholomLearning – THE JOY OF
BEING JEWISH
5 Scott Drive, Richmond Hill
Tel.: 416-963-4962
Email: izaffar@arrowsmithprogram.ca
locations. We follow Red Cross and Lifesaving
and physical growth is fostered. Choosing
Beth Sholom Synagogue
Tel.: 416-627-1092
Website: www.arrowsmithschool.org
programs ensuring concise, quality lessons;
Menorah Nursery, assures you that we will
1445 Eglinton Ave. W. Toronto
Email: info@tacsports.ca
The Arrowsmith Program is founded on neuro-
instructors trained in-house to maintain high
provide a warm, stimulating and secure place
Tel.: 416-783-6103
Website: www.tacsports.ca
science research and over 30 years of experience
standards, creative, hands-on teaching, ad-
for your child.
E-mail: sholomlearning@bethsholom.net
Toronto Athletic Camps Inc. (TAC Sports)
demonstrating that it is possible for students
dressing individual needs. Leadership and First
www.bethsholom.net
specializes in soccer, tennis and basketball
to strengthen the weak cognitive capacities
Aid programs offered beyond learn to swim.
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF JEWISH
WOMEN OF CANADA, TORONTO
SECTION PASSOVER FOOD DRIVE
Celebrate our Jewish heritage, religion and
training for children ages 4-16. Our programs
customs. We offer: Shabbat Do ‘N Learn –
are designed for maximum development in
engaging biweekly Saturday educational experi-
sports skills and leadership skills. Programs all
Contact: Glenda Ephron Cooper, Chair
ences for parents and kids! Interactive groups
year-round in the Greater Toronto Area.
underlying their learning dysfunctions through a
program of specific cognitive exercises.
DOWNTOWN JEWISH COMMUNITY
SCHOOL
ON, L4C 6V5
ASTROFF CONSULTANTS INC.
Miles Nadal JCC
Telephone: 416.633.5100
nurture Jewish knowledge and traditions.
2 St. Clair Ave. E., Ste 800, Toronto
750 Spadina Ave. at Bloor
Email: pfd@ncjwc-ts.org
Hebrew Connections – Wednesday blends
Tel: 416-929-6110
Tel: 416-924-6212 X 112
Website: www.ncjwc-ts.org
traditional with new modes of teaching a love of
THE ROYAL CONSERVATORY
SCHOOL
Website: www.astroffconsultants.com
Website: www.djcs.org
Additional Copy: Passover Food Drive, another
Judaism through Hebrew language.
273 Bloor Street West, Toronto,
Email: info@astroffconsultants.com
Email: principal@djcs.Org
project of National Council of Jewish Women of
Astroff Consultants Inc. offers strategic advice
Supplementary Jewish education in the heart
Canada, Toronto Section, delivers food boxes to
throughout the university application process.
of Downtown Toronto. JK-High School. Sunday
We assist students gain admission to under-
only or Sunday & Wednesday. Azrieli Bursaries
graduate, graduate and professional schools,
available.
ON, M5S 1W2
Tel.: 416-408-2825
the disadvantaged in the community. Monetary
THE ACADEMY
FOR GIFTED CHILDREN – P.A.C.E
donations needed.
12 Bond Cres., Richmond Hill
Website: learning.rcmusic.ca/royal-con-
Tel: 905 773-0997
servatory-school
NETIVOT HATORAH DAY SCHOOL
Website: www.pace.on.ca
Located in downtown Toronto, The Royal
18 Atkinson Avenue
P.A.C.E. provides a curriculum that is built on
Conservatory School (RCS) is one of the most
Contact Name: Mashie Feintuch,
greater depth and breadth of instruction and
extensive community-based music schools in
statements/application essays, and mock
ISRAEL & GOLDA KOSCHITZKY
CENTRE FOR JEWISH STUDIES,
YORK UNIVERSITY
Director of Admissions
a more complex approach to learning, thus
North America. With a commitment to culture
interview simulations.
7th Floor, York Research Tower
Telephone: 905.771.1234 ext. 307
challenging the minds of our gifted children to
and creativity, and to making music accessible
4700 Keele St., Toronto
Email: mfeintuch@netivot.com
ensure intellectual growth and achievement.
to everyone, we offer a wide variety of group
Tel: 416-736-5823
Website: www.netivot.com
Our Fine Arts and Athletic programs comple-
classes, private lessons and programs for stu-
BA Jewish Studies, BEd (Jewish Teacher
Netivot HaTorah Day School has 2 campuses,
ment this specialized curriculum.
dents of all ages, levels, and artistic interests.
including medicine, law, business and dentistry
in Canada, the U.S. and overseas. Our services
include academic planning, review of personal
BETH TZEDEC CONGREGATIONAL
SCHOOL
Email: conservatoryschool@rcmusic.ca
ORAYNU CHILDREN’S SCHOOL
For Secular, Cultural or Intermarried Jewish Families
Acclaimed Curriculum focuses on Jewish Values, Culture
and History from Secular Humanistic Perspective
JK-Grade 7 • Bnai Mitzvah • Oraynu-Tots • Sunday am
Jewish Holidays • Family Education • Shabbat Programs • Music
What Parents Say:
"My son feels so good about being Jewish.”
“My daughter can’t wait for Sunday mornings!"
“Your B’nai Mitzvah ceremony blew me away!”
Contact us now for Early Registration Special
416-385-3910 | info@oraynu.org
oraynu.org/school
Funded with support from
ASSESSMENT
AND
CONSULTATION SERVICES
We serve clients from school age through adulthood.
There are many facets to our practice.
We specialize and have developed expertise
in assessment, consultation, counseling,
advocating for students, and supporting
social/emotional and behavioural needs.
We work closely with parents, school staff,
and other professionals in order to
support the needs of the client.
Web: www.directions1.ca
E: directions1@rogers.com
T: 416 617-6594
THE CANADIAN JEWISH NEWS
FEBRUARY 26, 2015
T
[ FOCUS ON EDUC AT ION ]
B15
Is Jewish education
a right or a privilege?
VICky ToBIANAH
SpEciAl To ThE cJN
I
s Jewish education a right or a privilege? Is the quality better than public
schools? Is the value worth it?
Those are some questions Jewish day
school parents grapple with as they determine where to send their children – to a
private Jewish day school where costs are
on average $15,000-$25,000 per year – or to
a public school along with supplementary
Jewish education (or none at all).
For parents like Zev Steinfeld, a teacher
at Anne and Max Tanenbaum Community
Hebrew Academy of Toronto who has publicly shared his disappointment and frustrations with the subsidy application process in The CJN, the process must change.
“I think the issue of tuition is part of a
systemic issue that relates to the sustainability of Jewish education, and the sustainability of the infrastructure of the Jewish
community as a whole,” said Steinfeld, 34,
who has two kids in the day school system.
“Is [Jewish education] a right or a privilege? If it’s a privilege, then if you can afford
it, great. But if philosophically speaking,
Jewish education is a right, then it’s imperative for communal organizations to do
whatever they can to make it fair and accessible and that’s where the problem lies.”
Elie Kochman, whose daughter is in
Grade 1 at Eitz Chaim, was disappointed
and frustrated with the lack of communication he received as a first-time parent to
the Jewish day school system.
“There are a lot of gaps in terms of what’s
communicated to the parents. Even when
I tried to get that information – I need to
know if I apply for a subsidy, realistically
speaking how much I can expect to get
– they’re evasive and say it’s a very complicated calculation,” said Kochman, 32.
“I don’t trust the process because of how
secretive it is. It seems arbitrary even if it’s
not.”
Because of the rising cost of tuition,
families must decide if the value is worth
the price.
“It’s a deterrent simply because it’s so
high. Even people who may value Judaism don’t value it enough to spend $25,000
plus depending on how many kids you
have,” said Steinfeld. “Jewish school was
always expensive but there was always
the perception that it’s better than what I
get in a public school. That perception has
changed. Public schools have better reputations especially in York Region.”
For Elaine Grant, however, who has one
son recently starting the Jewish day school
system, tuition is a big expense but the
value is worth it.
“When you compare what they charge
for Jewish day school versus an actual private school, price-wise, it’s pretty great,”
said Grant, 34. “When you look at the
grand scheme, it’s for the future of your
child – how can you really put a price on
that if you see the benefits for your child
down the road.”
The perceived value of Jewish day
schools is something The Akiva School, a
pluralistic day school in Montreal, recently analyzed through a parent survey last
spring.
“Parents want a Jewish day school without compromising academics. They want
to be prepared for the future and the
world,” said Jennifer Fraenkel, head of
school. “Our raison d’etre is that we’re a
Jewish school – it’s not just about the curriculum but about chesed, moral development, Jewish life and building a Jewish
identity. When parents see how important
Jewish identity is and know they’re not
sacrificing academics, this is the choice
for them because they’re getting it all.”
Fraenkel said tuition is always a topic of
discussion but not a barrier to entry. Unlike many other day schools, they use a
third-party company to evaluate subsidy
applications and post clear guidelines on
what parents can expect to pay per child,
based on their income bracket, on their
website.
That type of transparency is what
Kochman is looking for from Toronto
Jewish day schools. “There’s no feedback.
That bothers me more than the actual
dollar I’m paying – how did they come
up with that number? For the amount
of money they’re collecting, I don’t think
it’s unreasonable to request to spend five
minutes to tell me exactly why I’m paying
the amount I am.”
Steinfeld said after publicly sharing his
frustrations with the system in a CJN article a few months ago, the amount of feedback he’s gotten has been astonishing.
“Strangers have come to me and said how
they literally buried themselves in debt
because they didn’t want to go through
the subsidy process, and found the experience onerous and traumatizing on some
level.”
He said he’d like to see community organizations make this issue a real priority.
Daniel Held, executive director of the
Julia & Henry Koschitzky Centre for Jewish Education, said, “we’re in the process
of updating the process so we can be more
transparent, and communicate what the
criteria for a subsidy is.
“But it’s a big process because there are
14 schools and 2,300 students. We started
the process in the fall and we’re working
to implement it over the next couple of
years. My hope is that the pilot with the
first round of schools will start for this
coming academic year and then roll it out
to all of them.”
In this process, said Held, “we’re looking
to do three things: move the system online so it’s easier and less cumbersome,
and have it administered by a third-party
company. We’re looking to being able to
articulate who is eligible for a subsidy and
what the criteria are.”n
B16
[ FOCUS ON EDUC AT ION ]
T
THE CANADIAN JEWISH N EWS
FEBRUARY 26, 2015
SponSoR ConTEnT
Arrowsmith teaches students new way to learn
T
Joanne is just one of thousands of parents worldwide seeing the benefits of a
neuroplastic intervention in their children’s education.
“It allows these children to realize their
dreams. What these students talk to
me about is that at a certain point they
stopped daring to dream,” says Barbara
Arrowsmith Young, founder and director
of the Arrowsmith Program and School.
Arrowsmith Young suffered extensively
with learning disabilities before developing the Arrowsmith Program, a journey
chronicled in her bestselling book The
Woman Who Changed Her Brain.
“Having a learning disability is not a life
ploys a suite of cognitive exercises designed
to strengthen the underperforming regions
of the brain. These areas of the brain are
treated like weak muscles and are intensely
stimulated in order to produce strengthened learning capacities, essentially rewiring the brain for better performance.
Reading and understanding relationships
and concepts was almost impossible for
Elizabeth before starting the Arrowsmith
Program, but soon that began to change.
“She started the program never actually
having completed a book. After two months
she picked up her first book. It was about
700 pages long and she read it in a couple
of weeks. It was unbelievable,” said Joanne.
ROLLIN
EN
16
20
OR
F
A COGNITIVE PROGRAM ADDRESSING:
sentence. You can change very particular
parts of the brain to allow them to function
and it’s just amazing what happens when
you do that. Learning that was a challenge
now becomes effortless and pleasurable.”
By engaging in the Arrowsmith Program
students like Elizabeth are provided with
a new capacity to acquire, absorb and retain information, not only allowing them to
learn, but also giving them the opportunity
to change their outlook on their future.
“I couldn’t read, I’d never read a full book
at the age of 13. I hated reading,” says Elizabeth. “I never thought these doors could be
open for me, and now they are wide open
and I can do anything.” n
G
www.arrowsmithschool.org
NOW
raining your brain can change your
life: neuroplasticity, while not a new
science is beginning to transform
the way we look at learning disabilities and
education.
Today, one in every 10 Canadians has a
learning disability. Depending on the type
of learning disability and its severity, academic performance for students can be a
challenge.
Imagine straining to understand. Imagine missing important instructions,
subtle comments and the tone of voice
when the teacher is delivering instructions. Imagine being aware that everyone
else understood while you were miles behind. This is what life is like for those affected by learning disabilities.
Joanne’s daughter, Elizabeth, was one
such student. “We worried about it all
the time, we dreaded school reports, we
dreaded when the school called. She was
doing homework all night, every night
with absolutely no gain, and no benefit.”
Then Joanne enrolled Elizabeth at the
Arrowsmith School in Toronto. The school
operates a cognitive program founded on
the science of neuroplasticity, which addresses the underlying causes of learning
disabilities. The Arrowsmith Program em-
2015
-
READING w WRITING w MATHEMATICS
VISUAL MEMORY w AUDITORY MEMORY
DYSLEXIA w NON-VERBAL LEARNING w ADD
Full-Time and Part-Time enrolment available.
We also provide assessments of individual
learning profiles.
For more information contact Incia Zaffar at:
izaffar@arrowsmithprogram.ca
Parent information sessions at 7pm:
April 8th, May 13th, June 17th
245 St. Clair Avenue West, Toronto, ON
416-963-4962
info@arrowsmithprogram.ca
CJN - Ad.indd 1
www.arrowsmithschool.org
@ArrowsmithWeb
/arrowsmithprogram
2/5/2015 3:48:31 PM