This week the JEC Lower School honored the memory of our dear Rav, Rav Elazar Mayer Teitz, zt”l. All students from Juniors through fifth grade heard stories of Rav Teitz’s integrity, humility, kindness and unwavering commitment to Torah. Students said brachot and answered amen l’aliyas nishmaso, learned about specific middot that Rav Teitz espoused and committed to continuing his legacy. Older students heard stories from Rabbi Binyamin Blau, the Rav’s nephew, and JEC Lower School Principal Rabbi Beer. They recited perakim of Tehillim in Rav Teitz’s memory. This month’s lower school theme is “Power of Growth.” With this theme in mind, students will be choosing a middah inspired by the Rav and will dedicate the month to working on this middah. As part of this resilience challenge, students received a chart to monitor their progress and growth in the area of their choosing. Students will choose to work on their integrity, humility, or kindness and will end the month with a celebration of their resilience.

Rav Teitz’s passion was the Torah and Yiddishe growth of the students. The greatest way to honor the Rav’s memory is through continued dedication to Torah learning and by focusing on middot, kindness and respect toward one another. By doing so, the students will continue to be inspired by his legacy and carry it forward in each of their lives.