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 […]
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 […]
How to Have our Kids Follow our Ways
Rabbi Yair Spitz Former Menahel at Yeshivat Or Chaim Imagine this: all of your kids are sitting in the den, each on their (or your) electronic device. One is playing a multiplayer game, another binge-watching the latest Netflix show, a third posting Instagram pictures, the fourth texting with friends and the fifth completing […]
Not All Traditions Are Equal: A Reflection on St. Michael’s
Rabbi Dr. Effie Kleinberg Tech Support (and former Administrator and Judaic Studies Teacher) “But Rabbi it’s a school tradition!” The number of times I have heard this refrain in my years as a teacher, administrator, and educational leader are too numerous to count. My wonderful students would say, “Why do you guys always have to […]
Grade Inflation Hurts our Students
Rabbi Noah Sonenberg Director of Judaic Studies I recall my mother telling me that when she graduated as the valedictorian of her high school and as an Ontario scholar that her overall academic average was around an 80%. When I graduated high school a 90% overall average was enough to get you into any […]
Why Field Trips?
Mrs. Sharon Fixler Assistant Principal, Ulpanat Orot If you have a daughter at Ulpana, then you know that this past week we went on a school trip to see the critically acclaimed musical Come From Away. The next day in my Grade 9 English class, I facilitated a discussion with the students on their impressions […]
Life after Bnei Akiva Schools: Thinking Through Post High School Options for our Graduates
Mrs. Nicky Kagan Assistant Principal, Yeshivat Or Chaim The Chagim are over and the weather is changing. Autumn is settling in and the leaves are changing colour. School has begun in earnest and suddenly the Grade 12s are faced with decisions about life beyond high school. University! Yeshiva! Help! What do I want to […]
