DEFINING JEWISH DAY SCHOOL AND YESHIVA EXCELLENCE

As we know, there are numerous definitions for the term excellence. They include words like brilliant, superior, outstanding, distinct, high quality, etc. But, when referring to education and the schooling of our students, these definitions become more specific, precise, focused and defining.

Jewish day school and yeshiva excellence is not an even playing-field.

There are Jewish day schools and yeshivot that define educational excellence through a wide spectrum of diverse lenses; and, there are those institutions that view excellence through a very specific and prescribed set of standards, assumptions and understandings.

Each school, group of schools, or school community has its own set of philosophical and hashkafa standards, practices and boundaries which define the education they provide. For example, there are those institutions that define educational excellence by offering an amalgamation, balance or confluence of high quality limudei kodesh and limudei chol. And, there are those that focus more exclusively on limudei kodesh. Very few if any focus almost exclusively on general studies at the expense of Judaic studies.

So what does excellence in our Jewish day schools and yeshivot actually look like and how is it created and measure?

Painting a Portrait of Excellence

Modern Jewish day school and yeshiva education balances dual curricula and prepares students to lead successful lives in both the secular and within the Jewish world.

The core dimensions of excellence in these institutions can be divided into four discrete categories.

They include: academic rigor, character development, community connection and critical inquiry.

Academic Rigor is the blending general studies (STEM, humanities, arts and sciences) with Judaic studies (Torah, History, Navi, TaNach Talmud and Hebrew language); 

Character Development focuses and emphasizes excellent middot and derech eretz, as well as personal growth and development, including participation in a variety of chesed initiatives; 

Critical Inquiry: encourages student learning through chavruta study in order challenge one another to analyze multiple perspectives, and........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)