Reflections from Shalva
Yoni Bensoussan, Grade 10 A specific part of the Shalva trip that stood out was our visit to Tzfat. The humility of the city really grounded me in reality and got me emotionally invested in every little detail. Hearing the humbling stories of Rav Meir Baal HaNes and the Arizal showed me how […]
Obligations, Rights, and Relationships
Mr. Jonathan Parker Grade Coordinator, Yeshivat Or Chaim In his opening address of the 2018 Azrieli HUB conference, Rabbi J.J. Schacter discussed the age-old discord between obligations and rights. He asserted that Judaism is a religion primarily composed of obligations, and pointed out that the word commonly mistranslated as “good deed” – mitzva – actually means […]
The Importance of General Knowledge
Mrs. Rachel Belzberg Science and Mathematics Teacher In previous years of teaching at Bnei Akiva Schools, I ran a lunchtime Trivia Club. On a weekly basis, no less than a dozen students joined me to test their general knowledge, learn something new, and have fun. I was always pleased to see students excel, particularly […]
The Art of Public Speaking
Mrs. Nicky Kagan Assistant Principal Yeshivat Or Chaim What do most adults in North America fear more than anything? Interestingly the answer is always public speaking. The idea of getting up in front of an audience and communicating your thoughts sparks terror in many people. Statistic Brain says 75% of people suffer from glossophobia, the […]
A Better Education for Half the Price
Mr. Hillel Rapp Director of Education The Morning Star Tomato Company, founded in the early 1990s, has grown into the largest tomato processor in the world, processing over 40% of California’s tomato crop each year. It has shown rapid increase in profits, low employee turnover, and consistent innovation. And it has no management, no […]
The Quiet Power of Intergenerational Learning
by Mrs. Sharon Fixler Recently, I noticed a video clip circulating on social media that really tugged at the heartstrings. The clip showed the remarkable connections being made between senior citizens in a nursing home, and young children in a preschool, who were sharing a facility. Amazingly, this is a very real and growing phenomenon, […]
The Joys of Going Paperless
by Mr. Gerald Lazar The other day, I asked a colleague to pass me my school bag. He lifted it and asked, “What are you carrying in this? It feels empty.” I replied, “At this point, really, it’s just a glorified lunch bag.” Perhaps not the most dramatic anecdote, but that light bag is just […]
Teaching in the Age of Information
by Dr. Sean Clapham While studying at OISE I was told that most people have a tendency to teach the way they were taught. As a result, I reflect on my experiences as a student in an effort to compare to students’ experiences today. This helps to avoid falling into the trap of employing poor […]
Reflections from Israel
by Rav Aviad Pituchey-Chotam A song of ascents. When the Lord returns the returnees to Zion, we shall be like dreamers (Tehillim 126) “You know Rabbi, I feel like I’m in a dream, one I do not wish to wake up from” So I was told by one of the students at 2:00 […]
“Choosing Responsibility”: A new lens on education from my Rebbe
by Rav Yair HaLevi. Back in Grade 10 (1998), on the 10th floor of Shaare Zedek Hospital, my older brother, Dani, handed me a book. He said to me: “I know that if you’ll read this you’ll find new meaning in life.” In my hands I was holding a book that slowly became my life […]
