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PIONEER HEBREW COLLEGE-SOUTH GRADUATES EARN MASTERS OF JEWISH EDUCATION Elaine Fleisher, 65, is a Jewish grandmother like many others—she cherishes her grandchildren, wants to set a good example for them and strives to ensure continuity of the Jewish community. One thing, however, sets her apart: This June she became one of the first two students to earn her Master of Jewish Education degree via Hebrew College-South.
"Peter and Elaine's graduation is a milestone of our program's development in South Florida," says Harvey Shapiro, dean of the Shoolman Graduate School of Jewish Education. "They have served as models for others to follow in advancing their knowledge and professionalism." With roughly 700,000 Jews, South Florida is the nation's second largest and fastest growing Jewish community. In service to South Floridians, Hebrew College also offers a certificate program in early childhood education through the Shoolman Graduate School's Early Childhood Institute, in partnership with the Friedman Commission. Additionally, the College offers Me'ah courses in Boca Raton and West Palm Beach. "Hebrew College and Dr. Gordis's vision of developing the Jewish community through higher learning in South Florida was a feat that has to move forward," says Fleisher. "[The videoconference courses are] technology at its best. And it's the only way we can tap into high-powered education and professors."
Area Hebrew language teachers who work at NETA schools may also sign up for workshops, certificate programs and teacher supervision through the NETA Hebrew language curriculum program, sponsored by The AVI CHAI Foundation, administered by Hebrew College and guided by language curriculum specialists at Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Currently, teachers from five South Florida high schools participate: Donna Klein Jewish Academy and Weinbaum Yeshiva High School in Boca Raton; RASG Hebrew Academy in Miami Beach; the Samuel Scheck Hillel Community Day School/The Ben Lipson Community High School in North Miami Beach; and the David Posnack Hebrew Day School in Plantation. Many South Florida residents, eager for the Jewish educational opportunities Hebrew College offers, are willing to make sacrifices to enroll in its programs. Some of the 14 students in the MJEd program, for example, travel over an hour to class from areas such as Boca Raton and Miami. Eckstein pursued his MJEd while his wife was working on her MBA. "I heard about it through the Jewish community before Hebrew College even came down. I was monitoring it, and when it was offered here in West Palm, I jumped at it," he says. "It's been interesting juggling a job and school, but it works out. Our kids are watching us do all this while they're in school. You do what you have to do, and I'm enjoying it." Dr. Nehemia Polen, professor of Jewish thought at Hebrew College, taught the MJEd course Core Issues of Jewish Thought: God, Torah and Israel via videoconference and in-person visits to Florida. Despite the schlepping involved for both students and educators, he says, "We had class cohesiveness and connection. There was a growth in personal and institutional involvement—an overall sense that we would do whatever it took to make it happen." Until Hebrew College came to Florida, Eckstein, 47, had no formal Judaic education, even though he lived on a kibbutz for 12 years and has "always wanted to get a degree in Jewish studies." Currently education director at Temple Israel in West Palm Beach, Eckstein is considering enrolling in a doctoral program. "I could go to school for the rest of my life," he says. "There's a great learning community down here." Also a perpetual learner, Fleisher, a retired businesswoman, community activist and Jewish philanthropist, was inspired to "search out a good Jewish education" after attending her first federation mission to Israel in 1989. Until coming to Hebrew College, however, her search was undirected. Actively involved in the federation system for 38 years, she was the only lay leader in the Florida MJEd program. "I never considered myself a Jewish educator. If you're a parent, you're a Jewish educator, if you teach them anything Jewish; but, it wasn't in the professional realm," she says. With degree in hand, however, Fleisher says she would now consider a teaching position, if one were offered to her. She also plans to realize the theme of her thesis. An eight-course curriculum for teaching Jewish leadership enrichment through tzedakah, it uses experiential learning as the method and technique for communicating the responsibilities, history, ideas and elements of tzedakah. One of the modules—on how to give to capacity and not the minimum—takes place on a ropes course. Fleisher says she plans to target foundations nationally as she attempts to promote her curriculum. "Developing the Jewish community through higher learning in South Florida was a feat that has to move forward," says Elaine Fleisher MJEd'04 "Leaders must continue educating themselves so that they can bring the credentials of leadership, the credibility that leaders should have, to the Jewish community. As Michael Steinhardt says, we need to have Jewishly educated leadership as well as Jewishly educated children," she says. Eckstein likewise plans to put his learning into action. His thesis subject was how to increase the number of young adults actively participating in his synagogue, and that has become his goal. "I'm applying secular models of adult development and adult education and creating a synthesis for the Jewish community," he says. Polen says Eckstein, Fleisher and the other students he instructed exhibited "enormous enthusiasm, flexibility and a combination of seriousness, suppleness of personality and an openness to ideas. They were determined to learn original sources and apply them to their communities. I couldn't be more impressed." In the end, what Fleisher and Eckstein say they're proudest of isn't the degree, but the learning behind it, and the tremendous impact this learning can have on others. "Not only can I read Rashi, I can understand Rashi. I can translate Ibn Ezra," Eckstein says. "I always wanted to be able to do this, but never before did I have the framework." Fleisher adds, "My grandson, 9, who goes to day school—I wanted him to understand that Jewish education is forever," Fleisher says. "'You're only in the third grade,' I tell him. 'But here I am, Savta, your grandmother, who's still working on her Jewish education, and it's brand new to me.'" |
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Completing nine credits a year for the past four years via videoconference; online courses; intensive, five-day, in-person courses; and onsite courses with area professors, Fleisher and fellow Florida graduate Peter Eckstein, along with 12 other students, have been pioneers in a collaboration between Hebrew College and the Friedman Commission for Jewish Education of the Palm Beaches. Founded in 1999, Hebrew College-South includes a multifaceted network of collaborations with the Friedman Commission, Florida Atlantic University and area federations. Along the way, Hebrew College has received licensure to grant degrees from Florida's Commission on Independent Education.