What is Jewish Education?*
Rabbi Yosef Kurtz Mashgiach Ruchani, Ulpanat Orot There is a pasuk in Parashat Va’etchanan that, with the help of a few different commentaries, gives us a perspective on what is involved in the Mitzvah of Chinuch. What is it as parents and as teachers that we have an obligation to pass down to the next generation. […]
How Incentives Really Affect our Children
Mrs. Miriam Klein Director of Educational Support It’s one of the most anticipated times of the year in education … Yes, you guessed it correctly… the night that every parent anticipates… parent-teacher conferences. This is the night where parents get seven to eight minutes to discuss the progress of their children with their […]
Novelty and Self-Expansion: a Tale of Icy Hills and a Crate Full of Snakes
Mr. Farhad Mordechai Sabeti Executive Director, Bnei Akiva Schools In a corner of their nondescript cage, a group of monkeys congregates around a small wooden crate that had just been placed there moments earlier. Caving to her curiosity, one of the monkeys slowly approaches the crate and carefully lifts the lid just enough to reveal […]
Hakarat HaTov and the Social Media Morass
Mr. Jonathan Parker Assistant Principal, Yeshivat Or Chaim Editor’s note: The following is the second contribution in our series on the role of social media in the lives of our students. We are interested in your feedback. Please direct any thoughts or questions to the author or myself at eschneider@bastoronto.org. At Or Chaim, some of the […]
Is Social Media Giving Kids Anxiety?
Mr. Eli Schneider Journal Editor and Student Support Teacher The following video is part of an interview excerpted from The Joe Rogan Experience podcast. Rogan’s guest is the American social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, who is Professor of Ethical Leadership at New York University’s Stern School of Business and has authored such books as The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern […]
Silence and Teaching
Rabbi Gal Ben Meir Menahel, Yeshivat Or Chaim “What you do speaks so loud that I cannot hear what you say.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson What is more difficult? To be a lecturer or a mime? I feel qualified to give an answer to this question as I have had the privilege of […]
Grade 10 Israel Trip
Kulanu Mishpacha – Update 1 by Rachelle Paskovatyi On our fourth day with the Kulanu Mishacha program in Israel we went to a Tiyul in Yerushalyim. We met up with the everyone at the gate of Yafo and Rav Kimche, our tour guide and trip leader, gave us a brief overview of what we would […]
Being Active is Not Just a Choice, But a Way of Life
Mrs. Shari Weinberg Director of Guidance, Ulpanat Orot Mr. Bryan Weinberg Social Sciences Teacher Shari Weinberg: “Being Active” is the common thread that has continually run through my professional and personal life. From my earliest childhood memories to teaching Physical Education for over 30 years, physical activity has been a major part of […]
Sparks of Light: Eighth Night
Sparks of Light for the eighth night of Chanukah is dedicated in memory of Jack Weinbaum z”l, a beloved founder and supporter of Bnei Akiva Schools Mrs. Shyndee Kestenbaum Coordinator of Religious Guidance and Growth, Ulpanat Orot Mesechet Shabbat 21b discusses the halachot of Chanukah candle lighting. The halacha is for one person to light […]
Sparks of Light: Seventh Night
Sparks of Light for the seventh night of Chanukah is dedicated in memory of Sam and Agi Sturm z”l, beloved founders and supporters of Bnei Akiva Schools Rabbi Eitan Aviner Rosh Beit Midrash Rav Soloveitchik was famously fond of building philosophical constructs from within Halacha. He believed that only in this way could a true […]
