These mechanchim develop sharp Torah minds and inspire their students to commit to a life of learning and Mitzvos. They instill chasidishe midos in their students, help them connect to the Rebbe, and expand their classrooms to their greater communities.
Their influence spans the country, from New York to Florida to California.
They are the men’s finalists for the 5776 Chinuch Awards.
One of them will be named the 5776 Chinuch Award Winner at a special reception in just 10 days’ time on Daled Tammuz and receive s $3,600 cash prize.
The Chinuch Awards, run in conjunction with the upcoming Chabad Chinuch Convention, identifies exceptional teachers in Chabad, recognizes their effective work in the classroom, and honors them for their tremendous impact on our community’s children.
The men’s judging panel that chose the finalists included: Rabbi Manis Frankel, Pittsburgh, PA, Rabbi Meir Perlstein, Darchei Menachem, Crown Heights, and Rabbi Faitel Lewin, Crown Heights.
“Excellent teachers have an impact on their talmidim that extends beyond classroom walls,” explains Rabbi Nissen Brenenson, who coordinated the nominations process. “They work to ensure that every child receives a quality Chassidishe Chinuch that will set them on a course for a successful life. These expert mechanchim are not just teachers – they are mashpiim and living examples for the next generation.”
After narrowing down the large number of entries to a group of twenty, an impartial team from MEF constructed anonymous profiles of each of the finalists. The profiles described each mechanech’s accomplishments while withholding identifying information, so the judges can vote blindly and choose the eventual winner of the Chinuch award based solely on merit.
Using a detailed process, based on the Vision for Chabad Schools, the judges deliberated on which of the nominees most excelled in Teaching, Connecting and Inspiring their students. With dozens of standout teachers, the process was incredibly difficult and in the end, five finalists were chosen for their truly remarkable impact on the talmidim in their classrooms.
Finalists:
The following Chinuch Award finalists were chosen from hundreds of nominations for the men’s award submitted by students, parents, administrators and colleagues:
Rabbi Zalman Schapiro, grade 3, Oholei Torah, Brooklyn, NY
Rabbi Shuki Steinberg, grade 5, Lubavitch Educational Center, Miami, FL
Rabbi Yossel Sirota, grade 3, Cheder Chabad, Monsey, NY
Rabbi Yosef Wolf, grade 5, United Lubavitch Yeshiva, Brooklyn, NY
Rabbi Yosef Wolowik, grade 6, Cheder Menachem, Los Angeles, CA
Honorable Mentions:
Rabbi Shloime Newman, Grade 4, Lamplighters Yeshiva, Brooklyn, NY
Rabbi Shmuel Sharf, Grade 11, Lubavitch Mesivta, Chicago, IL
Rabbi Simcha Cohen, Grade 2, Nigri Shluchim Online School
Rabbi Avraham Granat, Grade 7, Hebrew Academy Community School, Margate, FL
Rabbi Mendel Weiss, Grades 3 and 4, Lubavitch Educational Center, Miami, FL
To read more about each of the finalists, and why they were chosen, please visit www.mymef.org/news daily for the finalists’ in depth bios. The greater community is invited to join the Chinuch community for a special awards ceremony and Chinuch Banquet honoring Mechanchim on Sunday, July 10th, Daled Tammuz.
Reservations can be made at mymef.org/kinus. For more information, please visit: www.mymef.com/kinus
Rabbi Feldman 8th grade oholei torah was a suberb memorable mechanech our son had last year!! TY Rabbi Feldman!!
Varemkait eidelkeit and toichen – and always positive!!
A unique example of the ultimate mechanech!
Special praises for Rabbi Yossel Sirota. It is about time a phenomenal teacher, this deserving, gets globally recognized! There is no shortage of good words that we have for him, as a role model and as a mechanech!
So inspiring to see teachers receiving well deserved recognition! Yasher koach to the organizers.
Rabbi Sirota was my teacher around ten years ago. So the very fact that I’m stopping to write this is a testamemt to the loyalty the Rabbi’s student feel to him. And know this: children the age of Rabbi Sirota’s students can’t be fooled with false demonstrations of care; but neither are we as perceptive to it at that age as we are now. So you can now imagine just how much Rabbi Sirota lives, breathes and works for his students and for his students to come as well-rounded, educated pre-teens. Thank you Rabbi Sirota for all that which makes… Read more »
Mazel tov! Well deserved, and it is about time that you win this award. I’m am so happy to see this. It great to see a teacher like yossel getting some appreciation. Yossel you are truly an inspiration. May there be more teachers like you
How deserving you are of this award! As a former student I can say with absolute certitude that you are thee most hard working and dedicated person that I have ever had the privilege of getting to know, and it is a honer to have had you as a teacher.
I really hope you win.
The announcement looking for parents and others to nominate a deserving teacher was posted a few weeks ago. Hopefully MEF will continue this beautiful idea and you can submit a nomination next year.
Rabbi Wolowik is an incredible and outstanding chassidisher mechanech as well as a true true chosid- my son is now almost 22 b”h and I clearly remember until today how he as a 7th grader student was impressed by rabbi Wolowik and how he learned from him in every possible way- my son b”h now is a “powerhouse” as some people say about him! I know for fact that this amazing rebbey had so much to do with my son.and yes we are truly blessed to have rabbi Yosef Wolowik in our Chede here in Los Angeles-Yasher koach. Dr dalia… Read more »
It’s hard to find the words to describe Rabbi Wolf’s dedication to the chinuch of his students. Yes, he is organized, meticulous, takes responsibility for the success of his students. He’s developed an amazing system of teaching so that the boys are not only memorizing lines, but really understanding what they are learning with little difficulty. My son was in his class so I know!! He works very hard to make this all happen! And I still can’t come up with the right words; he’s simply a geshmake teacher. Others should learn from him!
We were so gebentched to have Rabbi Schapiro as our son’s teacher BH.
After the year was over, our son told us he wants to be held back a year so he can be in Rabbi Schapiro’s class again.
May there be many more like him.
By far one of the most patient ,caring and devoted teachers . My son had Rabbi Wolowik this year and we were amazed at how organized he was and how he gave over the Gemara in such a clear and down to earth way . Thank you Rabbi Wolwik. We are such fans !
Rabbi Sirota is a fabulous teacher.He is extremely dedicated to his students.He is constantly coming up with creative ideas and activities for his students.
He is kind,gentle and loves children.
A REAL teacher!
Kol hakavod.
P.S.He is known to have the best prizes in town!
He is by far the greatest teacher in Chabad not to put down r’ Shapiro חס ושלום at all but R’ Feldman saved my life and saved all my classmates we support you R’ Feldman and R’ shopira go R’ Feldman (: (: (:
incredibly devoted! puts in hours of work and preparation! comes up with new ideas every year! makes learning fun and rewarding! unbelievable teacher!
He taught my sons years ago and they adored him for his kindness, creativity and genuine Chassidishkeit! A real dugma chaya. i am happy to see him recognized for his dedication to chinuch of Crown Heights kinderlach!
No one does more for kids in CH.
My son doesn’t stop talking about his 3rd grade year in Rabbi Schapiro’s class as his best year ever! Thanks for all the kochos and love you devote to each and every talmid.
We are so grateful!
Rabbi SC Scharf of Lubavitch Mesivta of Chicago (the only Mechanech on this list not in elementary) is def number 1 on this list! He has helped literally hundreds of bochurim learn what true yorei shemayim and hiskashrus is, all in a brilliant refined eidel way.
I’m disappointed that this legendary Dugma Chaya of a caring Melamed wasn’t among those chosen. He continues to be an inspiration to many boys, including my son.
Mrs. Saxon
How deserving you are of this award! As a former student I can say with absolute certitude that you are thee most hard working and dedicated person that I have ever had the privilege of getting to know, and it is a honer to have had you as a teacher.
I really hope you win.
Yossel is an amazing teacher and role model!
His students love him and learn so much from him.
amazing teacher ,true care for my son,my sons learning soared from his class!
a true positive chossid,imbuing the children with learning ,chayus and excitement .
Rabbi Shloime Newman is the most exciting and toichendiker storyteller my children ever had. He had them glued to every word he said..so happy to see him on the list.
From your friends down south. Very south of the border.
Not one parent in over 10 yrs teaching has ever had a complaint about Rabbi Sirota. He is the most kind and positive teacher one can hope for. He has boosted my son’s confidence and brought him up to par academically. He is a true role model for middos and chassidishkite. We are so fortunate and he surely deserves this nomination!!!
Rabbi wolowik connects with the kids in a way that Noone else does. Always finds the positive and builds on that! Def deserves the title he is given here!
HEBREW ACADEMY MARGATE IS THE BEST SCHOOL YOU CANS SEND UR CHILD TOO!! FOR FEMALE TEACHERS IT IS MRS.MINSKY OF HEBREW ACADEMY
Rabbi Shapiro thank u for everything you do for out children and still do bh
Rabbi Klein is a superb teacher for 6 grade OT. He makes the Gemara and learning alive for the boys! He is also attuned to the social and emotional needs of his students! He is a winner for every student in his class!
You forgot to include the Argentinian comunity in this survey.
Lo meshane. BECAUSE WE HAVE THE MOST PASSIONATE AND REVOLUTIONARY MELAMED IN LUBAVITCH WHO IS TURNING LESRNING INTO A LIFE STYLE. AWARS OR NOT, HE GOT HIS HANDS FULL WITH SECHEL AND HEART.
GO BEST MORÉ!!! RABBI SHMULY GEISINSKY IN ARGENTINA SHOULD BE AWARDED YEAR AFTER YEAR! YOU ARE AN INSPIRATION!!!
Rabbi Steinberg is an amazing teacher. An inspiration to his students and colleges.
Chanoch Sufrin
Sydney
Our son had him this year and he is a master teacher.. he had his 6th graders not only understanding the Gemorah but enjoying it and looking forward to going to Cheder each and every day… Yasher Koach and Mazel Tov Rabbi Wolowik..
Rabbi Moshe and Matty Bryski
I personally know rabbi Wolff and he is a very deserving candidate. He cares so much for the students. He wants to make sure that every student learns and does his best. He teaches students how to learn Gemoro so they can then learn on their own. He is always with a smile and making sure that each talmid gets the attention and service he needs. Kol hakovod! Rabbi Wolff, hashem should bentch you with every brachos!
Rabbi wolowik is the epitome of a true chasidisher mechanech. Most deserving of this award for sure!
r steinberg rocks…….dugma chaya for any lubavitch chossid….
A true example of a Mechanech. Cheder Menachem is lucky to have him as a teacher and assistant principal.
He taught me 13 years ago and I still remember him. Absolutely the best teacher out there!!!
Rabbi Schapiro! Thank you
So happy to see this!Rabbi Shapiro was amazing!So kind and special.
Rabbi Steinberg is the most wonderful ,dedicated teacher who cares for his students on every level. He imbues a sincere love for learning in his students, coupled together with the necessary skills for his talmidim to grow in their learning and yiddishkeit.Thank you for being such an incredible teacher to our son!
Rabbi Schapiro is sincerely incredible!! His devotion, care and positivity to EVERYSINGLE one of his tamidim is truly outstanding!!
His love for teaching every Talmid is something out of the ordinary !
Thank you Rabbi Schapiro for all you’ve done!!
May you continue to inspire and teach our future shluchim!!
FROM OHOLEI TORAH- HOW CAN HE HAVE NOT BEEN CHOSEN? HE’S BY FAR THE BEST REBBI IN THE ENTIRE LUBAVITCH
My son had Rabbi Sirota last year, it was his best year ever!!
Wow wow wow 3!! teachers
So happy to see Rabbi Steinberg’s name here!! He is a true educator, constantly connecting and looking out for the boys wherever they may be – on the street, in Shul, at the local store – not just within the four walls of the classroom. He is always focused on our children’s chinch; doesn’t miss an opportunity to guide them! So lucky to have him in our community.
15 years ago Rabbi Shapiro was my CHASIDUS Rebby,his passion for teaching was unbelievable, anything he ever taught me is engraved in my mind forever.
He also showed persoanl attention to every one of his students and his methods to educate should probably be closely watched by others going into education.
I’m happy to see others feel the same.
Is incredible!! He truly deserves the honor. One of a kind- an unbelievable mechanech who cares for each child and instills yirei shamayim and chassidishkeit.