BOYS HIGH SCHOOL LIMUDEI KODESH
,'‫ אוהבי ה‬,‫“וזכני לגדל בנים ובני בנים חכמים ונבונים‬
.‫ זרע קודש בה' דבקים‬,‫ אנשי אמת‬,‫יראי אלוקים‬
‫ ובכל‬,‫ומאירים את העולם בתורה ובמעשים טובים‬
".‫מלאכת עבודת הבורא‬
"Privilege me to raise children and grandchildren who are wise
and understanding, who love Hashem and fear Hashem, people
of truth, offspring that are holy, who to Hashem are attached,
and who illuminate the world with Torah and with deeds that
are good, and with every labor in the service of the Creator.“
(Prayer recited by women after lighting Shabbat Candles)
BOYS HIGH SCHOOL LIMUDEI KODESH
A little bit about me…
• Attended Bnei Akiva Machaneh growing up.
• MTA – At Yeshivat Har Etzion (Gush).
• MTB – Shana Bet at Yeshivat Har Etzion.
• Returned to South Africa and began involvement with the community.
• Worked at the DIJE at King David Schools for 2 Years.
• Assumed various roles in Bnei Akiva over a period of 3 years.
• Culminating in being Rosh Machaneh in 2006.
• Invited to join Mizrachi Leadership Training Programme
• Yeshivat Hakotel for 2 years
• Isralight Leadership Fellowship under Rabbi David Aaron
• Yeshivat Hamivtar Kollel under Rabbi Riskin for 3 years
• Machon Amiel for the Training of Rabbis & Educators to serve in Chu”l
• Completed Bcom Informatics & Industrial Psychology
• My wife, Sarah and I, along with our 2 children – Yehuda and Eliana – are thrilled to make
our new home at Yeshiva College in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Educational Philosophy
STRUCTURE IS FUNDAMENTAL
“No Briyah without Tzimtzum”
“There is no creation without constriction”
(Adapted from Eitz Chayim)
Students need to know where the four walls are
in order feel safe and secure enough to step out of
their comfort zones – to grow and flourish.
Discipline is a sign of love, not the opposite.
Educational Philosophy
CREATIVITY
EMERGES FROM STRUCTURE
.'‫'והמכתב מכתב אלהים הוא חרות על הלוחות‬..."
‫ שאין לך בן חורין אלא מי שעוסק‬,'‫אל תקרא 'חרות' אלא 'חירות‬
)‫" (אבות פרק ו משנה ב‬...‫בתלמוד תורה‬
“…’And the writing is the writing of G-d – engraved on to the tablets’.
Don’t read ‘Charut’ (engraved), rather ‘Cheirut’ (freedom).
For there is no one as free as he who busies himself with learning
Torah…” (Ethics of the Father 6:2)
Educational Philosophy
EDUCATION THAT IS SUITABLE,
RELEVANT & ENGAGING TO THE TALMID
)'‫ו‬:‫" (משלי כ"ב‬:‫חֲ נְֹך ַלנַעַ ר עַ ל פִּי דַ ְרּכֹו גַם ּכִּי יַזְקִּ ין אֹא י ססרּר מִּ ֶּמנ נסה‬
“Educate the youngster according to his way,
so that when he gets older, he will not stray from it”
• While acknowledging the difficulty presented by classroom
education – there must always be the aspiration to find the
unique path suited to each talmid.
• Unique Character Traits must be discovered, valued, explored
and developed.
• The talmid’s uniqueness should be used to make him feel
special, significant and important.
• Our Chinuch must continually strive to be dynamic and creative.
Educational Philosophy
HOLISTIC APPROACH TO CHINUCH
: ‫"את התשובה אנו מוצאים בשלש מערכות‬
.‫ ג) תשובה שכלית‬,‫ ב) אמונית‬,‫א) תשובה טבעית‬
‫ תשובה טבעית גופנית ותשובה‬:‫בתשובה הטבעית יש שני חלקים‬
)‫ הרב אברהם יצחק הכהן קוק‬- ‫" (אורות התשובה‬...‫טבעית נפשית‬
"There are 3 categories of Teshuva (Repentance):
1) Natural (Physical & Emotional), 2)Belief-based, 3)Wisdom-Based”
(Lights on Repentance – Rav Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook)
•
CHINUCH MUST ENCOMPASSES THE WHOLE RELIGIOUS PERSONALITY
• PHYSICAL
• EMOTIONAL
• INTELLECTUAL
•
BALANCE BETWEEN LOVE AND FEAR IN SERVICE OF HASHEM
Educational Philosophy
COMMUNITY OUT OF THE CLASSROOM
)'‫ז‬:'‫"(שמואל א' א‬.‫"ותשובתו הרמתה כי שם ביתו‬
"‫ ביתו עמו‬- ‫ שכל מקום שהלך שם‬:‫ואמר רבי יוחנן‬
)‫(מסכת ברכות דף י עמוד ב‬
“And his return was to Ramah, for there was his house, and there he judged Israel,
and he built there an altar to the Lord.” Rabbi Yochanan said: “Because every
place that he went to – his home was with him” (Tractate Brachot 10B)
We wish for our home to be an extension of the
classroom.
A place for our talmidim to genuinely feel at home –
comfortable to question and develop their religious
personalities in a safe and warm environment - through
connecting experientially and deeply to their Yiddishkeit
Educational Philosophy
BALANCE OF PASSION AND SKILLS
‫אם אין חכמה אין יראה אם אין יראה אין‬...‫"רבי אלעזר בן עזריה אומר‬
‫חכמה אם אין בינה אין דעת אם אין דעת אין בינה אם אין קמח אין‬
)‫" (פרקי אבות פרק ג' משנה י"ז‬...‫תורה אם אין תורה אין קמח‬
“Rabbi Eliezer ben Azarya says…If there is no Wisdom, there is
no Fear, if there is no Fear, there is no Wisdom…” (Ethics of the
Fathers Chapter 3 Mishnah 17)
It is not sufficient to be equipped with learning skills and
abilities, if passionately connecting to Hashem is not
valued deeply and genuinely.
Similarly, a love and fear for Hashem cannot guarantee a
lifelong commitment to Yiddishkeit outside of the school
walls, if not supported by a sophisticated approach to
serious and committed learning.
Educational Philosophy
• THE ULTIMATE GOAL BEING TO DEVELOP WITHIN THE TALMIDIM A
GENUINE AND PASSIONATE LOVE FOR HASHEM, LIMUD TORAH AND A
COMMITMENT TO A LIFETIME OF GROWTH.
• CONNECTING THE TALMIDIM TO OUR BEAUTIFUL TORAT ERETZ YISRAEL
OF TIKUN OLAM THAT ANSWERS THE NEED OF OUR GENERATION.
.‫ ואין איש שאין לו נר‬,‫ ואין נרו שלו כנר חברו‬,‫ שבתוך תוכו דולק נר‬,‫"צריך שכל איש ידע ויבין‬
‫ ולהדליקו לאבוקה גדולה‬,‫ שעליו לעמול ולגלות את אור הנר ברבים‬,‫וצריך שכל איש ידע ויבין‬
)‫" (הרב קוק‬.‫ולהאיר את העולם כולו‬
Every person needs to know and understand, that inside him kindles a candle, and his
candle is not like the candle of his peer, and there is no person that has no candle.
And every person needs to know and understand that it is upon him to toil and to
reveal his candle to everyone, and then to enlighten it into a huge flame – to enlighten
the entire world, completely. (Rav Kook)
Goals
1. INITIAL GOAL – LISTEN AND LEARN
IN ORDER TO FORMULATE VISION & STRATEGY
•
•
•
•
CONNECT WITH TALMIDIM
CONNECT WITH RAMIM
CONNECT WITH UPPER MANAGEMENT
. PRESENT
AND
DISCUSS VISION AND STRATEGY
CONNECT WITH 2PEOPLE
IN THE
COMMUNITY
WITH BOARD AND EXCO
Formulate
Goals
until End of the Year
Estimated Timeframe: •Remainder
of Third
Term
• Formulate Goals for 2013
Estimated Timeframe: Beginning of Fourth Term
Thoughts so far…
Formal
Curriculum
Night Seder
Sport & Drama
YID
Davening
Shabbat
Experiences
BOYS HIGH SCHOOL LIMUDEI KODESH