Principal Hired for New Chabad Cheder Opening in Dallas, Texas

By COLlive reporter

A new Chabad cheder is coming to one of the most rapidly growing cities in the country.

Chabad first established a presence in Dallas, Texas when Rabbi Mendel Dubrawsky and his family arrived in 1985.

30 years later, and the wider Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, which includes Fort Worth, Southlake, and the exploding suburbs of Plano, Frisco, and Mckinney, boasts 19 families of Chabad shluchim. In Dallas proper, a nascent Anash community is emerging as well.

The growing number of Chabad school-age children, coupled with other developments in the educational landscape in Dallas, created a strong demand for an authentic Chabad chinuch, and inspired local Shluchim to pursue opening a Cheder.

Cheder Lubavitch of Dallas was incorporated and Rabbi Levi Dubrawski (Dallas), Rabbi Moshe Naparstak (Dallas), Rabbi Levi Gurevitch (Southlake), Rabbi Mendy Kessleman (Frisco), and Rabbi Eli Block (Plano) were recruited to chair the inaugural board.

After an extensive search for a Head of School candidate, Cheder Lubavitch of Dallas announced their find: Rabbi Aharon Simon will be moving to Dallas this fall with his wife Rivka and their two daughters to begin the sacred, and formidable, task of building a school from the ground up.

Rabbi Simon is a young, ambitious talent in the chinuch world. Having spent seven years at Darchai Menachem in teaching, administrative, and principal roles, he comes with a diverse toolbox of experiences in chinuch.

Most important to Simon is creating a school culture that is child-centric. “Kids need to be happy in school, they need to feel welcomed and safe. Then they can flourish academically and socially,” he said.

As far as educational philosophies go, Simon wants to blend old and new. “The core of what we are trying to do is to deliver an authentic education imbued with chasidishe values, through the medium of progressive methodologies.”

Asked to explain, he said: “We want differentiated learning, an interactive curriculum, individualized attention, and project-based assessments. We will notice each kid and have them feel that they’re integral to the school.”

The curriculum includes a portion of the day set aside for secular studies. Simon has no plans to let that department be feeble. “Once we are detracting from our student’s kodesh studies,” he clarified, “we are going to make sure it is an excellent, rigorous program.”

Many Chabad families have already expressed curiosity and interest in Dallas due to its strong Jewish infrastructure, several kosher establishments, affordable price of living, and its central location between the coasts. Now, with the Cheder opening its doors next fall, Dallas will become a truly viable location for Chabad families to consider.

But Rabbi Simon relishes the opportunity to start building the school when the local population is still fairly small. “We have the chance to build a strong foundation, to get it right in the beginning and not be overwhelmed with a large student body. As the community grows, we will be in a strong position to grow along with it.”

For more information, visit ChederDallas.com or email [email protected]