Many parents in our community have noticed marked improvements in their child’s school experience. Whether it is the fact that their children are learning skills for emotional regulation in the classroom, have gained tools to figure out a Rashi on their own, or have a teacher who is equipped to meet diverse learning needs, these changes did not happen overnight. For the past 17 years, the Menachem Education Foundation has been working tirelessly to bring the highest quality Chinuch to every single child in our community’s schools. Through training school leaders and teachers to develop a space for educators to succeed, and working with top Chinuch professionals to build engaging curricula for Chumash, Kriah and social-emotional learning, the results are clear: thousands of children are receiving a top quality Chinuh.
What began as an organization founded to train teachers, the Menachem Education Foundation has grown into pulling off five star events for Chabad Mechanchim and Mechanchos, including the annual Kinus Mechanchos Chabad, leadership retreats and special professional development days for teachers. MEF also partners with Chabad schools to bring quality Chinuch resources to educators and parents, while building curricula, creating a database, and providing ongoing support to every educator.
Through MEF, educators gather monthly for inspiration and support, principals are part of a larger network where they can turn to for guidance, students are learning about resilience through Chassidus, and overall, Chabad Chinuch has been elevated.
At the same time, MEF is committed to ensuring that every single Yiddishe child receives a proper Jewish education. Through their Our Heritage program they provide matching grants to Chabad day schools to help cover tuition costs for Jewish students coming from public schools.
Since the start of this school year alone, MEF has:
-Partnered with 50 Chabad schools to bring quality workshops on today’s most important Chinuch topics to their staff and parent body.
-Mentored 90 first year teachers.
-Brought tailored professional development to six schools.
-Enabled another 131 children (out of a total of 853) to attend Jewish schools, through the Our Heritage program.
Educators across the United States, Canada, Australia, England and South Africa, know where to turn to for all of their Chinuch needs.
After this past summer’s largest-ever Kinus Mechanchos, Chaya Toby Lieblich, teacher at Cheder Menachem at Kingston, PA shared, “I was able to recharge myself and be surrounded by so many other positive people who are in the field of Chinuch. It was inspiring.”
Meanwhile, after the first Agudas Menahalos meeting this year, Mrs. Chana Friedman, Principal at Bader Hillel High in Milwaukee, WI, shared that “being in the presence of so many powerful Menahalos is already so much Chizuk! From our breakout session I have already reached out to one of the principals for more information on her school’s initiative to implement at our school.”
Most importantly, all of MEF’s work with educators impacts the daily school experience of students. “Right before our school-wide brachos bee final competition, my students huddled together and were whispering quietly,” shared Mrs. Chaya Marasow, third grade teacher at Cheder Chabad in Arizona, who implemented MEF’s Project TOMiM curriculum in her classroom. “I walked over to hear what they were saying, and they were using their breathing techniques they learned in Project TOMiM to stay focused and calm before the competition. They did things like this constantly and used so many key phrases in everyday conversation.”
Although MEF provides support and resources to educators for 365 days a year, there are two days when MEF asks the community to support their transformative work. Giving to the Menachem Education Foundation will make it possible to continue to build our children’s Chinuch in the most powerful ways. This 11th annual fundraiser, centered on “Dream Big for Chinuch” will be a dual campaign – to expand and strengthen their work for our community’s Moisdos, and to ensure that every single Jewish child receives a Yiddishe Chinuch. Even with all of the ways that our schools are improving, there is still so much more to be done, and so many more children need to be reached. This can only happen with the support of our community.
Partner with the Menachem Education Foundation today for the Chinuch of our children at charidy.com/mef.
