Moments after reading the final pesukim of the Torah, we begin again from Bereishit. Rejoicing in what we have accomplished, we renew our study from the very beginning.
This unyielding commitment to Torah learning is what separates the Jewish people from other nations and civilizations. Torah is the elixir of life and the gift that we bequeath to the next generation.
Over 75 years ago, Rav Pinchas Mordechai Teitz founded the Jewish Education Center on the premise that Jewish community requires Torah education. He secured that commitment by ensuring that a quality Jewish education remained the birthright of all children, regardless of financial ability.
At the JEC, our family of schools including the JEC Lower School, the Bruriah High School for Girls and the Rav Teitz Mesivta Academy, we safeguard that legacy by renewing it for the future.
The story of Bereishit is the story of our time: Creation, the fall of man, the birth of civilization and our relentless struggle to establish the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. Each day is a grand gift, an opportunity for greatness and meaning, with the ability to write the next chapter in human history.
Acts of creation abound in the hallways, classrooms and playgrounds of our schools.
Dedicated, compassionate and energetic educators see in their classrooms the trailblazing leaders of tomorrow. These amazing teachers feed the insatiable desire for knowledge and opportunity, contributing incredibly to each student’s personal advancement.
Given voice, the repressed potential and creative spirit of each child soars to heights unimagined.
Knowing and believing that every person will change the world, profoundly alters the way in which teachers approach their craft. Recognizing the potential in each individual transforms teaching from the conveyance of subjects to the education of the whole student. While advanced knowledge can be obtained from books, a true education requires an immersive experience that extends beyond academic curricula.
Small class sizes, differentiated learning, enrichment opportunities and teaching to each student’s unique strengths enable us to fulfill Shlomo Hamelech’s axiom in Mishlei to help each pupil learn in his or her own unique way. And this effort extends well outside the classroom.
For a majority of children, their most influential teachers and mentors will always be their parents. This is why the educators and leaders of our schools partner with parents well beyond the classroom.
The dreams, aspirations and goals of home are given life in school. Students experience the benefits of a mutually supportive and reinforcing environment that builds trust, develops character, encourages creativity and gives opportunity for success. Parents are reassured that their values are being fortified and that the school is truly their partner in enabling their child to actualize their greatest potential.
Anchored in an accomplished and illustrious past, and led by the most incredible faculty and academic leaders, the JEC family of schools is forging forward with renewed energy, reinvigorated spirit and unrestrained creativity. Every student has the ability to change the world, and together we inspire them to do just that.
By Rabbi Pinchas Shapiro
Rabbi Pinchas Shapiro is the executive vice president of the Jewish Educational Center.
