Return to flip book view

Impact TodayA REPORT TO THE COMMUNITYYour support of Jewish day school education today shapes our leaders of tomorrow. JANUARY 2023Next Level ReportReflecting on what being a “Next Level” school truly meansA Visit to the Nurse’s OfficeSchool Nurse, Mrs. Miri Gottfried, elevates the health of every student.Next Level Appreciation TA’s outstanding educators get the recognition they deserve.Next Level Learners Ahead! TA strengthens and enhances its students’ learning experience.

Our vision for Torah Academy was the inspiration behind our day of giving slogan. “Next Level” is the direction in which we strive to take TA and its students every single day. Our desire to build on success is what makes TA an exciting place to be. TA parents and supporters understand that a next level education doesn’t just happen on its own. They realize that it takes every one of us working together to improve our school. Baruch Hashem, with your help, TA has experienced dramatic progress this year. In this edition of the Impact Report, you will see how TA delivered on its commitment to raise teacher salaries, how the school continues its work to build out programing in the boys’ middle school and the girls’ division, and how TA is improving the health and well-being of its students.The Next Level campaign was impressive. To me, the most awe-inspiring takeaway was what this revealed about our supporters, parents, and teachers. We are a school community driven to reach higher, and ambitiously strive to build excellent Jewish education here in Boston. None of this would be possible without you. Thank you! Rabbi Binyomin Mermelstein, Executive DirectorRealizing that TA’s Next Level Day of Giving was an opportunity to inspire Next Level Torah learning, Rabbi Ahron Benmergui and Rabbi Eli Kohn came up with an idea. To coincide with our Day of Giving, the rebbeim planned a special Day of Learning…with a twist! For the first time, the entire boys’ middle school gathered together and learned Beis Medrash-style (which is usually reserved for yeshiva-level learning).Students were divided into pairs, then learned gemara out loud in a large room. Rather than becoming distracted by the hubbub, TA’s middle schoolers harnessed the electric atmosphere and learned for 30-minutes straight! The learning experiment was such a success, that rebbeim immediately realized this had to happen again. Just one month later, on Chanukah, it did! This time, it included the 1-5th grade boys. Next Level Report99 volunteers made a commitment to fundraise on behalf of the school. They succeeded in raising 87% of the total crowd funds! Total Raised $275,000Initial Goal $250,000333New Donors!800+ DonationsRabbi Shmuel Ochs MenahelRabbi Binyomin Mermelstein Executive DirectorMr. Sam Tarlin General Studies Principal, Boys’ DivisionMrs. Devorah Moskovitz Director of Preschool and Kodesh Educational Coordinator, Girls’ DivisionMrs. Dina Feldman General Studies Principal and Director of Student Support Services, Girls’ DivisionMrs. Chana Wallach Director of Student Support Services, Boys’ DivisionMrs. Ruth Gluckin Assistant Director of Preschool

Walk through the hallways at TA, and you’ll hear the vibrant echoes of learning. The air literally vibrates with the sounds of students fired up to learn and connect. In an age of shrinking attention spans and ballooning distractions, TA recognizes how critical it is to create an environment which inspires students to engage and grow. At the Hamilton building, Mrs. Shirah Sternfield, TA’s talented 4th grade morah, also serves as its Director of Programming for girls in grades 1-8. She brings school spirit and expanded extra-curricular offerings to the school everyday including Rosh Chodesh activities, contests, trips and extra-curricular learning programs.The girls’ site also saw the launch of an innovative program which aims to proactively teach the importance of respect and inclusion through fostering a school culture of positive interpersonal relationships. More on the transformative power of the “Ignite the S.P.A.R.K” program will follow in a future “Impact Report” publication. In the Williston building, 1-8th grade boys are fired up over Chemdas, an at-home learning program led by 1st grade Rebbe, Rabbi Reuven Sebbag. This year, the completely revamped curriculum makes it easier for students to chart their own progress. New for this year, 8th grade Rebbe, Rabbi Eli Kohn, has launched the innovative and wildly popular Talmudo B’Yado Program which seeks to engage students in reviewing gemara at home. The excitement which Rabbi Kohn has built around the nightly review has surpassed all expectations. Close to 80% of the boys’ middle school students participate in the optional program! Idle down-time is now filled by Torah learning as students log their progress and earn incentives. After a week of hard work, the middle schoolers gather with their Rebbeim every Friday to enjoy another exciting highlight: “Toameha – a Taste of Shabbos.” Delicious shabbos food enjoyed in the company of friends ends the week on a high note. At each Toameha event, a different student is selected to be the “Maggid of the Week,” and delivers a d’var torah in front of the gathering. You are invited to stop in, and experience for yourself the remarkable achievements of our motivated and engaged learners. If you visit on a Friday, you may even be treated to a steaming bowl of cholent, and the heartwarming sight of the “Maggid of the Week,” supported by his Rebbeim and peers during his time to shine. Next Level Learners Ahead!TA strengthens and enhances its students’ overall learning experience.

TA’s school nurse, Mrs. Miri Gottfried (BScN, RN) is a busy woman. In a typical week, she carries out routine health screenings, patches up occasional bumps and scrapes, fields questions from parents, and follows up with students who have complex health needs. Nurse Miri divides her time between students at both school sites, and energetically seeks to improve the health and well-being of all 277 students entrusted to her care.The position of TA school nurse blends Mrs. Gottfried’s professional passions: health and education. She received a warm welcome from TA students and their parents who are thrilled that TA is able to utilize new sources of funding to meet the health needs of its students. Now, through Massachusetts Department of Health grants, TA has a nurse on staff. The school has also constructed a designated nurse’s station at Williston, and has purchased new health screening equipment for use at both sites. The state-mandated screening services are a vital opportunity to catch early-on hearing and vision deficiencies. The specialized equipment is useful to detect issues which may be overlooked during doctor visits. In fact, during a recent hearing test administered at TA, a student’s responses raised a red flag. Mrs. Gottfried immediately notified the parents, who then went on to seek the care of a specialist.At the heart of Mrs. Gottfried’s mission is the desire to empower students to make healthy decisions for themselves. For example, she believes “teaching nutrition is not enough.” She seeks to take health education further by teaching students how to prepare their own healthy food. “When students see that they are mature enough to make their own food,” says Miri, “they also see that they are mature enough to control what they eat.” To that end, Mrs. Gottfried ran a “Food Skills Session” for the students of Rabbi Polter’s 3rd grade class. After reviewing the components of a healthy meal, Mrs. Gottfried set the boys to work mashing avocados and toasting pita. In just under 30 minutes, the eight- and nine year-olds were proudly munching on chips and guacamole, which they had prepared themselves. “When can we do this again?” asked 3rd grader, Eliyahu. Following the session’s success, Mrs. Gottfried hopes to expand her work to other grades and soon be whipping up smoothies, salads and other tasty, nutritious dishes with all TA students. “Eating healthy can be quick and easy!” she says.(cont. on next page)A Visit to the Nurse’s OfficeFood Skills Session for 3B led by Nurse Miri Gottfried

Next Level AppreciationTA hosted a melava malka to show appreciation for its morahs.Quick and easy is also the winning strategy behind Mrs. Gottfried’s highly successful seasonal flu and Covid vaccine clinics over the past two years. Parents with multiple children often struggle to find back-to-back vaccine appointments for the whole family. Miri’s free vaccine clinics took place on weekends, and made it easy to book all of the kids at once. Participation was high among TA families, and also drew interest from the surrounding community. In these, and many other ways, Nurse Miri Gottfried is taking health at TA to the next level. Torah Academy is grateful to have a passionate nurse and educator who is dedicated to improving the well-being of our school and community. Take a bow, Nurse Miri! A Visit to the Nurse’s Office (cont.)On any typical Friday morning at the Hamilton building, teachers dash into the office to make copies, grab supplies, and check their mailboxes. This year, they’re popping in for something special: hot homemade potato kugel. Mrs. Rika Simon, preschool teacher and Director of People has made it her mission to express the school’s gratitude to TA’s incredible teachers and fill them with pride. She is responsible for the kugel, and the many personal touches which have improved teacher morale at TA. Creating a culture of gratitude and school pride is an investment in which TA is going all-in. Rabbi Binyomin Mermelstein, TA’s Executive Director, has made this a top priority. “As a forward-thinking school, we understand that investing in our Rebbeim and teachers is essential to achieving long-term success.” In fact, over the past year, the school has raised over a million dollars in donations and grants in a multi-year effort to provide salaries and enhanced benefits that reflects the school’s appreciation of them.“I feel very blessed to be part of Torah Academy,” says veteran educator Mrs. Marilyn Sandperl. “The administration cares very much about the staff, constantly showing us appreciation and providing extensive opportunities and resources.” Recently, TA hosted a magnificent melava malka to show appreciation for its morahs and female staff. Mrs. Simon expressed the school’s gratitude through every detail. The elevated decor, the delicious menu, and the entertaining activities created a memorable and moving atmosphere. Mrs. Simon even insisted that teachers not be allowed to volunteer to set up or clean. “We felt like queens,” said one teacher. TA’s educators are renowned for their warmth and dedication. In the tight-knit Boston community, many interact with their students outside of school. Teachers recognize they serve as role models at shul, in the park, and around the neighborhood. It’s not in the job description, and yet, rebbeim and morahs carry their students home in their hearts at the end of the day, and invest countless hours “off the clock.” TA’s educators deserve a standing ovation every day for their high-quality work. It’s time to give them the recognition they deserve. TA’s educators are renowned for their warmth and dedication.

(617) 731-3196 • info@torahacademy.us • www.torahacademy.us Non-Profit Org.U.S. PostageBP Print GroupPAID11 Williston RoadBrookline, MA 02445Address service requested Bring Torah Academy to the Next Level for the Next Generation Take Control of Your Financial LegacyNo one likes to think about estate planning, but failing to do so can lead to unnecessary negative consequences for your loved ones.Potential problems might include:• Distribution of assets to unintended people or organizations• Incurring excessive and unnecessary tax liabilities • Forced sale of assets to raise funds to pay inheritance taxes and other estate liabilitiesIn order to avoid the above consequences, you may want to consider reaching out to your financial planner to learn more about the benefits of including charitable gifts to Torah Academy as part of your financial legacy.If your financial planner, attorney, or CPA would like Torah Academy to provide you with customized beneficiary language specific to your goals and interests, please contact Rabbi Mermelstein at (917) 826-9637 or rabbimermelstein@torahacademy.us.