What makes Jewish day school in SA so unique

MICHAEL BELLING

SA Jewish Report asked four leading Jewish educationists what led to that quality and what its components were – Rabbi Craig Kacev, general director of the South African Board of Jewish Education; Geoff Cohen, director of education at Herzlia Schools; Denese Bloch, principal of Yeshiva College High Schools; and Rabbi Dovid Hazdan, dean of Torah Academy.

Rabbi Kacev said King David students performed so well for four reasons:

• Focus on excellence. “Mediocrity is not something we are quick to accept, not as a school, not as a community.”
• Investment in quality teachers. “All research will tell us it is the quality of the teacher in the class that will impact on student performance.”
• “Allowing students to develop their ability in thinking skills and critical skills.”
• Hard work. “You need kids who are going to work really hard and see the value of education. Kids who don’t value education don’t work hard.”

He said that families which valued education also contributed a great deal.

Rabbi Hazdan said “quality education should relate to every individual’s talents, abilities and persona.

“It should give skills and knowledge which will ultimately allow for independent learning. Like the kindling of a lamp, education hasn’t really succeeded until it takes hold of the wick and the children themselves become independent, not relying on the system.

“Education has to be value-based and address the soul.”

It was not only about imparting information, but inspiring faith and spiritual purpose and meaning in life.

“I think that every single child, whether they are Jewish or religious or not must have a sense of purpose, a sense of intrinsic value and meaning in life, which includes a moral compass.”

While the Jewish schools had achieved “incredible results”, that was not the only barometer of success in education.

“Is it the number of distinctions that determines the value of the school or that students have achieved their maximum individual potential?” he asked.

Bloch told the Jewish Report: “At Yeshiva College, our focus is on a very comprehensive approach to education. As a Torah school, obviously, first and foremost, we offer excellence in Torah learning. However, what is unique about our school is that we have a vested interest in achieving the best academic results, as well as providing the best Torah education available.

“This dual curriculum is, in my opinion, what makes us different from all the other Jewish day schools in South Africa. We do not focus on one aspect of our learners’ education at the expense of the other. 

“We concern ourselves with the spiritual, academic, social, cultural, sporting and extracurricular well-being of our learners and it is this synergy that results in producing well–rounded and value-driven learners.”

She added that the superb matric results that Yeshiva College learners achieved were, in part, because of, and not in spite of, this dual curriculum.

Cohen said: “At Herzlia we believe that a quality Jewish education is multi-faceted. Today, in a world where careers are constantly evolving, we have a duty to be creative, imaginative and solutions-driven and in this way ensure that our pupils will be able to survive and flourish in this new challenging environment.”

It was our duty to ensure that we teach our pupils the necessary skills and content in order for them to achieve entrance into tertiary education. 

“This in itself is not enough,” he said. “We have to ensure that our pupils leave our schools as well-rounded global citizens, with well-developed family values, dignity, humility and respect for all.

“Once you add Jewish identity, a love of Israel and an appreciation of our traditions, culture and heritage, then we have succeeded in providing a quality Jewish education to the children of Cape Town, South Africa and the world,” he said.