Jewish Portal of Teacher Education

Source: Prizmah Blog 

Sometimes what is so obvious to us needs to be restated: Jewish day schools are places of excellence, in ways that the word “education” only begins to cover. Their excellence has never been more apparent than now, during the pandemic of COVID-19. At a time when schools everywhere are struggling to teach, to engage students, and to attend to the stress and mental health challenges of prolonged isolation and confinement, Jewish schools are rising to the fore for their ability to adapt, to persevere, to provide care and support to their students and families.

With all of the uncertainty in the world, it’s therefore a good time to revisit some of the arguments for Jewish schooling, with a special appeal to parents feeling a sense of heightened instability, uncertainty, and anxiety.

1. Jewish day schools show the values, commitment, and practices of Jewish life in action better than any other institution.
    
2. Jewish day schools are excellent centers of learning that have continued to be excellent under these most trying conditions.
    
3. Jewish day schools are communities expert at creating community.
    
4. Jewish day schools care deeply about each and every student in their midst.
    
5. Jewish day schools see their students in their entirety.
    
6. Jewish day schools are nimble and flexible
    
7. Jewish day schools plan for the future.
    
8. Jewish day schools care for their teachers so that the teachers can care for the students.
    
9. Jewish day schools partner with families.
    
10. Jewish day schools go many extra miles for their students.

Through the strength of their values and commitments, their flexibility, their devotion to the people who teach and learn together, and the remarkable people who work there, Jewish day schools have demonstrated their worth as an invaluable treasure of the Jewish community—now more than ever.

Read the entire piece at the Prizmah Blog.