KoREH News

 

Mishnah Avot 2:1

 

When we think about a learning journey for our young people, we often imagine setting them on a path to move forward in their lives. We want to give them the skills to succeed, the knowledge to support their endeavors, the courage to find their way and face new challenges, and the ideals to become the best version of themselves. As parents and educators, we also want them to “become good people.” In Hebrew, we have a term for this: דרך ארץ (derech eretz), which literally means, “the ways of the land,” but is more commonly understood as common decency and respect for others.

 

One of the ways to understand this idea comes from the rabbis of the Mishna who tell us that there is no one way to be a good person in the world. In fact, they acknowledge that each person may have a different way of engaging with the world around them, but that in the end, it is the way we give respect to others, and receive it from them in turn, that can show us we are on the right path. Moreover, walking down the path of life alongside people we trust, respect, and care for only helps us to find our way through an ever-changing world.

 

With the onset of the fall, we are once again looking forward to another great school year at our Kol Rinah Education Hub (KoREH). Though we are still working under the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are bringing together an amazing group of learners, both children and parents, as well as an incredible team of staff and madrichim (classroom assistants) to create new learning adventures for all. We have kept protocols, such as vaccinating our staff and requiring everyone to wear masks during the school day, and have created new avenues for learning and engagement throughout the last year. Between new projection technology, re-equipping our classrooms, participating in professional development, and creative team-building, we are excited to dive into this new year of learning and growing.

 

But most critically, we have learned anew how much care our students and families share with one another, especially when times have been hard. Some of our students are going to be learning in person for the first time in a year. All of us have struggled to make sure we feel safe, our voices heard, and can continue to learn and grow and discover new ways to engage Jewishly with the world around us.

 

So, as we start the 2021-2022 school year at KoREH, we are looking forward to traveling down new paths of learning together, with curiosity, excitement, questions, and compassion for one another.