Each year the seniors at TABC get the unique experience of participating in TABC’s work study program for their last month of senior year. The work study program allows them to work and learn about a wide range of industries. This year TABC seniors are working in journalism, education, technology, fitness, real estate, law and even farming, to name a few. The reason behind work study’s initiation many years ago is twofold: as a responsibility for educators and a benefit to students. Director of the program, Rabbi Daniel Fridman explained, “The Talmud in Masechet Kiddushin (29a) teaches us that a father has a responsibility to teach his son an occupation, and issues a stern warning against fathers who shirk this duty. Students are, in a halachic sense, children, and teachers are, in a halachic sense, parents. We have a responsibility to ensure that our students do not graduate without having a measure of practical experience in the workplace.” TABC also hopes for, “students to internalize the values of work ethic and integrity, and experience the satisfaction of a job well done.”
TABC students Ariel Fromowitz and Drew Stromer spoke to The Jewish Link about work study’s benefits and learning opportunities.
Ariel is using his work study to shadow a heart surgeon in order to determine if he would like to strive to be a surgeon for his career. “For people who have an idea of what field they would like to go into when they grow up, work study is a great tool to see if that interest would be a good fit,” Ariel commented. “Also, getting the experience of working with non-Jews opens me up to the secular world since it is an environment that I do not experience in my day-to-day life as a Jewish teenager.”
Drew’s work in Manhattan Day School has given him opportunities to make himself a role model and learn about the technology industry. “Working in a middle school through the eyes of a teacher has given me opportunities for exponential growth in many facets. I get to involve myself with children everyday, which develops responsibility and allows me to be a role model so I can help ensure each child is moving in the right direction,” Drew said. “I also work in the tech department which is good for life since it is so crucial to know how to operate different technologies as many companies are based off tech.”
A number of employers have been welcoming to TABC work study students over the years. Shneur Garb, head of The Garb Consulting Group, said, “I have had 25 TABC seniors work with my company during work study over the last 10 years. They work hard as engineers and enjoy their work. In fact, many of them come back to work for me after their year in Israel, and 95 percent of my company consists of TABC students who previously worked for me in their work study programs.” Moshe Kinderlehrer, publisher of The Jewish Link, conveyed his satisfaction with work study participants who are part of the newspaper’s internship program. “We give our interns the chance to work as both writers and editors for our paper. They have a real hand in the content that our readership read regularly,” he said. “We get tremendous benefit as our interns not only help us over the course of the month they are here, but a number have written freelance for us after they graduated. We definitely see it as a bit of a training and proving ground for future young writers for us and for other media outlets. Our interns have also helped us better understand what is going on with our teen and young adult population and we have had numerous story ideas come out of our interactions with them.”
Parents also love the perks that their children are gaining through the work study program. Banji Ganchrow (aka Mom #1) expressed how son #1 (‘14) and son #2 (‘16) as well as other students profit from the work study program, “Work study provides students with an introduction to the real world environment of employment and being out of school gives them the feeling of having more freedom and puts their senioritis to good use,” she said.
TABC’s work study program has been successful for more than the last 18 years. as Rabbi Fridman said, “The Midrash notes that just as we are commanded to rest on the seventh day, we are commanded to work for six days. The Talmud in Masechet Shabbat (31a) relates that the first question any of us have to answer upon arriving at the heavenly tribunal is whether or not he conducted himself honestly in business. There is great dignity in work, and there is no greater blessing than finding work which speaks to one’s interests, abilities, and values. We deeply hope that each student will find a rewarding career … which will enable him to support his family.”
By Shlomo Deutsch
Shlomo Deutsch is a TABC work study intern at the Jewish Link.
