During a casual conversation at a wedding in June 2023, my friend, Lynn Rohatiner, suggested I meet her daughter, an English Studies educator in Israel. Intrigued, I arranged to meet Tamar the next day. Our initial encounter developed into a deep mentorship, a collaboration, a friendship and then, a surprising mission: To offer a transformative, hands-on workshop in Jerusalem to children suffering the effects of the war. This mission connected exceptional educators facing extraordinary challenges.
In Israel, English Studies teachers lack a clear curriculum and resort to photocopying workbook pages and purchasing books and other resources, out-of-pocket, to provide students with reading material. With average monthly salaries around $2,500, it’s an uphill battle for teachers to both enhance teaching resources and support their own livelihoods.
It must be noted that while the principal of Tamar’s school, Tzur Hadassah in the suburbs of Jerusalem, has initiated many positive changes, financial backing for essential materials remained lacking.
In classrooms packed with students at varied levels, teachers face the daunting task of catering to vastly different learning needs without adequate training or resources. Cramped spaces, devoid of modern educational tools like computers or even laptops for teachers, starkly contrasted with my own well-equipped classroom experiences in Los Angeles. This challenge is not uncommon in Israel and I do not yet fully understand why there is such a lack of funding.
In classrooms packed with students at varied levels, teachers face the daunting task of catering to vastly different learning needs without adequate training or resources.
Over several meetings in Los Angeles last summer and then over Zoom throughout the year, Tamar and I strategized on how best to support her, her students and her colleagues. Drawing from my 32 years of teaching experience, I focused on strengthening her skills in teaching writing, establishing classroom order, designing engaging lessons, and fostering critical thinking among her students which would inspire them to write.
Tamar enthusiastically shared these newfound skills with her colleagues, half-jokingly suggesting I come to Israel to train all teachers — an idea my husband, Jonathan, surprisingly endorsed after Israel went to war against Hamas.
The war has brought a whole new set of challenges to the teachers and the children of Israel. Nearly every student is experiencing a great deal of anxiety and stress. Many have spent time in bomb shelters, waiting for the missiles to stop falling. Tamar herself meets with a young boy once a week to play basketball at his house. He has not left his home since his father passed away. Thankfully, he is feeling safe with Tamar and a few other good friends. The school environment needs to be one that feels safe, fun and connecting for all the kids.
Determined to make an impact, I decided to organize a workshop in Israel.
When I told Tamar I would fly out and provide a workshop, it brought tears to her eyes. After realizing no one could fund my ticket, I booked my own ticket in January. I was supported by my friends at the Jewish Women’s Repertory Company and by Tamar’s family, who generously donated iPads, resource books, chart paper, chargers, and other items to enhance Tamar’s school environment and the workshop itself.
I decided to fly out after my school year ended, yet early enough so I could see the students in Tzur Hadassah in class with my own eyes. Perhaps my perspective, as a purely elementary school teacher, would be different from Tamar’s. I was able to explore Lavi, the religious school, meet some of the students, observe and even lead a few lessons.
“Everyone, stand up! We’re going to play a game,“ I announced one day. Some of the kids turned towards me, intrigued, and began to gather around. They enthusiastically followed my instructions, forming a circle and mimicking cross-punches in the air while reciting the alphabet, crouching at vowels. Their joy and eagerness to engage were palpable — they craved connection and were hungry to learn.
The workshop, which Tamar arranged to be hosted at the Poenta Center for Innovation in Education, brought together 20 educators from 11 Israeli schools over two days. (Side note: when Poenta learned that an American teacher had volunteered her money and time to offer a free workshop to Israeli teachers, they readily waived the fee for renting the space for two days.) The workshop fostered a positive and enriching experience. The teachers were introduced to and practiced methods for setting up a safe, motivating and orderly classroom, building relationships and advancing their social skills. They further were introduced to teaching tools to push their students’ critical thinking, reading and writing skills about literature.
The participants’ gratitude and, enthusiasm to learn were clear. They unanimously urged me to return and continue to help them. Of course, we created a WhatsApp group, and will be meeting over Zoom throughout the coming year.
This surprising experience has given me a new perspective which only adds to my joy of teaching. I look forward to learning how I can best support my new family of teachers over the school year and in person in Israel next summer.
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