HT Blog

Hillel Torah has recently been selected as one of nine schools to be highlighted in a new book being written about the impact of Jewish day school education in North America.  

As one of the final projects of the Avi Chai Foundation, Drs. Alex Pomson and Jack Wertheimer will be capturing the stories of nine day schools from across the country with a range of grade, geographic and denominational configurations that have made a difference in the lives of children, families and communities. Hillel Torah will be profiled as an outstanding example of the best of religious Zionist, modern Orthodox day school education in North America.

The authors visited Hillel Torah in April to observe the school in action, met with a variety of stakeholders, and learned more about the school firsthand.

In their own words:

“We’re interested in the ways schools go about their business: what kinds of pedagogy is on display, how is the school day organized, which kinds of learning are emphasized, how are technologies employed, what types of non-curricular activities are sponsored and how are families involved.”

“We’re also interested in the short-term effects of this kind of education: What do students report about classes or other school programs they have found compelling? How do parents describe the impact of schooling upon family life? How do adults, in general, view the importance of the school in the life of their Jewish community?”

“To bring these questions to life, the book will take readers into school settings. Vignettes from classroom sessions will be captured. Interactions between students, teachers and administrators will be quoted and discussed. And the perceptions expressed during interviews by all kinds of stakeholders will be quoted and contextualized.”

We are honored to have been chosen for this important and exciting project and we look forward to sharing updates as it develops.

About the authors:

Dr. Alex Pomson serves as Principal and Managing Director of Rosov Consulting and leads the team at Rosov Consulting Israel. He is internationally regarded for his research in areas that include the life course of Jewish families, teachers’ lives and work, and Israel education.

Dr. Jack Wertheimer is a professor of American Jewish History at the Jewish Theological Seminary. He writes about the religious, educational and communal lives of American Jews, especially since the middle of the 20th century.