A Chinuch Day in LA

On Monday, Feb. 1, the Menachem Education Foundation sponsored a day of Chinuch in the Los Angeles educational community in conjunction with Cheder Menachem, Beis Chaya Mushka and the B.J.E. of L.A.

Mr. Shimon Waronker, currently learning under New York City schools chancellor Joel Klein, was brought in to address 3 separate audiences and venues on the importance of strong educational leadership.

After graduating of the first cohort of the NYC Leadership Academy, Waronker was assigned as Principal of Jordan L. Mott, Junior High School 22, in the South Bronx — one of the 12 most violent schools in the city — and helped turn it around.

He was featured on the front page of the New York Times as well as on the Today Show, CNN, and numerous other media outlets for his work in the school.

Waronker and 5 other Doctoral Students at Harvard developed a new model of education called the New American Academy which won Harvard’s Phi Delta Kappa award for Innovation in Education.

In Los Angeles, Waronker spoke at a professional development day for the staff of Cheder Menachem and Beis Chaya Mushka.

The program covered many of the pressing challenges that educators face today, such as how to instill Ahava and confidence into the minds of students and children. Additionally, he spoke about various educational models and the implications for Limudei Kodesh.

Following the program, Waronker hosted a farbrengen at the B.J.E. of L.A. with the educational leaders of the Los Angeles communities. Over 25 principals attended to meet him and learn from his experiences.

The farbrengen brought together a diverse and talented group of principals, ranging from Lubavitch to Litvish to Reform. The principals all walked away inspired to learn more about various leadership models and begin to apply them to their work.

In the evening, Waronker addressed the Anash community of Los Angeles regarding parenting and education.

The presentation was entitled “How to Develop Leadership in Your Child” and used practical and hands-on examples of the many opportunities parents have to help nurture the leadership skills that children possess. The presentation was lively and energetic, and the audience was very responsive to the message that was delivered.

“This is really a big step for us,” remarked Rabbi Menachem Greenbaum, principal of Cheder Menachem, “Traditionally, the big ‘chinuch events’ have been hosted on the East Coast, and us Californians needed to tag along. It is great to be able to play a leading role in the future of chinuch, and I am thankful to the Menachem Education Foundation for making this happen.”

Menachem Education Foundation was established to raise the bar of Jewish education through training programs for aspiring teachers and educational leaders, and is shaping the future of Jewish education.