“I didn’t expect it to, but today really felt like a vacation!”
This and many similar comments were made by 10 young teachers from around the country who gathered this Sunday in the beautiful countryside of Monsey, NY, as part of the pilot cohort of Teach for Lubavitch (TFL).
Girls who are looking for a meaningful year after seminary can choose Teach for Lubavitch as a way to give back to the Chinuch system they just graduated from, earn a salary, get free credits, and experience Shlichus, with TFL staff advocating for them at every turn.
The program places post-sem girls in teaching positions in qualifying schools, which are required to provide mentorship, support, weekly Chassidus shiurim and comfortable room and board. The program staff, Mrs. Shana Tiechel and Mrs. Rivka Holzman, follow up carefully with each girl to ensure that she is comfortable, successful, and taken care of.
At the same time, the program provides fully accredited and free teacher training courses on Zoom, together with in person programming several times a year. This day in Monsey was the final installment in the program’s inaugural year.
2 participants were flown in from Cheder Chabad of Florida, 5 made the drive from Cheder Chabad of Philadelphia, and 3 came from Bais Chana High School of Delaware, to be hosted generously by Cheder Chabad of Monsey girls’ school. In the teacher training part of their day, they enjoyed a time management workshop on balancing the teacher life with Mrs. Liba Borisute, and an interactive workshop on assessments with Rabbi Zelig Silber. Then, Mrs. Tzippy Gurevitz joined the program to present color palettes, giving the girls an overview of their seasons for color and styling, and individually analyzing each girl as a special gift. To end off the day, TFL treated the group to an elegant dinner at Al Di La, where each girl shared their reflections on their year of teaching.
“What TFL gave me was the tools to try a new approach of Chinuch in a loving and positive way,” shared middle school teacher Chaya Schiff, in Florida. “I really saw how what you give is what you get, and when the kids see that you have their best interest in mind, even when disciplining them, it really works.”
Half the participants are returning to their host schools for another year of teaching, and others are returning home to bring their newfound skills and confidence to their local schools.
All of them gained a meaningful year of continuing to gain from a misgeret – a structured program of learning and growth, while starting out in their independent lives of working and giving back to the community – tuition free.
“This whole day has been so inspiring,” said high school teacher Malka Gutnick, “It really shows me how much teachers are valued.”
“I would encourage any friend who wants to try out teaching to join Teach for Lubavitch,” said Chaya. “The first year of teaching could be challenging, especially without experience or training. Teach for Lubavitch teaches you practical tools you could immediately apply in your classroom and provides you with mentorship and support to guide you through this journey.”
Whether or not a post-sem girl thinks she wants to go into Chinuch, by giving one year to this special Shlichus she will gain lifelong skills and the chance to continue in an organized program before embarking on the next steps in her life, tuition free! Space is limited, apply today at mymef.org/tfl!
What does this entail?
Kol Hakavod!