The Jewish Educational Center was privileged to host Nachum Segal recently as he broadcast his popular JM in the AM morning show live from the school. Segal was joined by members of the school’s administration, parents, coaches, students, local politicians and local rabbis.
Yeshiva of Elizabeth assistant principal Dr. Goldie Grossman discussed how technology is being woven into the school’s curriculum, while Rabbi Neuman, the newly appointed principal of RTMA, and Rabbi Joseph Oratz, the principal of Bruriah, talked about the exciting new technological initiatives in their respective divisions.
Rabbi Oratz was joined by Aliza Starshevsky-Blumenthal, Bruriah’s Director of Student Life, as well as Bruriah senior and GO President Shira Allen of Highland Park/Edison; they discussed several prestigious awards and recognitions recently achieved by Bruriah students. They also mentioned the Bruriah graduate who is currently a senior level professional at Google who hosted students at Google headquarters earlier this year.
Rabbi Neuman was joined by Rabbi Yisroel Rich, RTMA’s Director of Student Life, and senior Ezra Wisotsky of Passaic to discuss the division’s expanding Beis Medrash program, which gives students the opportunity to learn alone and in chavrusa-style. They also discussed RTMA’s array of creative academic offerings, including the math course from Israel that is conducted via video conference and the astronomy elective that allows students to take control of a NASA telescope situated in Australia for one hour every week.
Basketball coaches Susan Rifkin for Bruriah and Avi Borenstein for RTMA stressed the role that sports plays in the personal and spiritual development of JEC students, describing the emphasis on middot and positive character development that is essential to the training of all JEC athletes.
One of the highlights of the show was the one-on-one between Segal and Rav Elazar Mayer Teitz, dean of the JEC and Rav Ha’ir of the Elizabeth/Hillside community, who reflected on the past 75 years of achievement and enthusiastically described plans for the future.
Rav Teitz was joined by his sisters Dr. Rivkah Blau and Mrs. Ellie Teitz Goldstein, who discussed the upcoming JEC dinner and the school’s impressive alumni base. They shared memories of their father, Rav Pinchas Mordechai Teitz, a”l, the founder of the Jewish Educational Center, and discussed his vision for Jewish education and the many achievements realized in his lifetime which continue today.
Rabbi Chaim Marcus, the Rav of Congregation Israel in Springfield, New Jersey, who is also a Bruriah faculty member and parent of children in all three JEC divisions, appeared on the show to discuss how the school is helping draw families to his growing community.
In just three short hours, the live broadcast covered the broad spectrum of the excellent spiritual, academic, social-emotional, developmental, athletic, communal and alumni-oriented offerings that the Jewish Educational Center is recognized for, and why, as the school celebrates 75 years of excellence at its upcoming annual dinner, it truly remains a leader in Jewish day school education.
