Rabbi Daniel Lapin is known world-wide as a noted rabbinic scholar, best-selling author and host of the Rabbi Daniel Lapin Podcast where he shares his knowledge of how the world really works. He is one of America’s most eloquent speakers and he has helped many people around the world grow in their five F’s: Faith, Family, Finances, Friendship, and Fitness through ancient Jewish wisdom. He was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, later studied in yeshivas in Gateshead, London, and in Israel. He emigrated to the United States and founded The Pacific Jewish Center. His more recent projects, along with his wife Susan, include online courses, a community called The We Happy Warriors, and has written many best-selling books, including their most recent book, The Holistic You: Integrating your Family, Faith, Finances, Friendships, and Fitness. Rabbi Lapin is an avid boater and sailed his family from Los Angeles to Honolulu in the summer on their own 44 foot sailing cutter. As the family grew, the Lapins switched to calmer waters, boating in the San Juan and Gulf Islands in Washington State and British Columbia. He and his wife Susan homeschooled their seven children on Mercer Island, Washington and now live in Baltimore, MD.

Gems:

Our primary obligation is to teach ourselves, not just our children.

We are responsible for our own growth and progress; nobody else is responsible.

Parents must be on the same page.

Create an authentic connection with G-d rather than a formalistic one.

Teach children to build a relationship where they can talk to G-d.

Judaism is more than just a ritualistic way of life.

Try to get out of your comfort zone.

We pass down principles that are relevant at all times.

Think through what you’re going to tell your children.

Be open to freshness.

How we teach needs to be linked to each child as an individual.

Raise children that we would really like.

We can’t expect things to be easy.

Homeschooling is more viable than people think.

Our job is to acculturate the next generation.

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Michael Feldstein has been a direct marketing professional for more than 40 years. He graduated with an MBA in marketing from New York University and has lived in Stamford since 1982. Feldstein is a member of both the Young Israel of Stamford and Congregation Agudath Sholom and has served on the adult education committees at both synagogues. He chaired the Center for Community Education at the Bi-Cultural Hebrew Academy in Stamford, an education initiative that brought various Jewish educators to speak to members of the Stamford Jewish community. He also chairs the annual Challenges in Jewish Education panel program, which has brought various Jewish educators to participate in a panel to discuss critical issues in the world of Jewish education. It has run consecutively for more than 20 years. He is the author of MEET ME IN THE MIDDLE, a collection of essays on contemporary Jewish topics. For the last three years, he has been publishing a weekly column in The Jewish Link. His works have also appeared in The Jewish Week and The Forward. In 2023, he won the Simon Rockower Award for Excellence in Journalism, which is given each year by the American Jewish Press Association.

Gems:

Be a life-long learner.

Though technology is very useful, we must still value the actual Torah texts.

Being Jewish is not something we can hide.

Be flexible.

Learning in Hebrew gives our students the ability to read and connect with our texts.

We learn through experiences.

Teach critical thinking skills along with moral character.

There’s value in teaching our students a trade.

Focus on each individual child.

https://amzn.to/414F4MR

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Yossi Berktin is lovingly known by Jewish kids across the world as Rabbi B. Born and raised in Toronto Canada, Rabbi B is best known for his widely popular YouTube show Come Along with Rabbi B. He prides himself in his ability to teach and reach children of all ages and backgrounds. He is a published author, recording artist and has just pushed the pause button on a successful fifteen year teaching career. He has a Masters in education, has helped establish three homeschool endeavors, and has a wonderful, supportive family.

Gems:

• Help how to make Jewish learning more fun, engaging, and entertaining.
• It’s amazing how Hashem works!
• Share your love of learning.
• Your joy is contagious.
• Learn to see the positive in everyone.
• Bring out what Hashem created within each student.
• Focus on the task at hand.
• Keep moving forward and keep doing better.
• Recognize and share with others that Hashem is the creator of the world.
• Hashem doesn’t make mistakes.
• Be the best you, you can be and bring out the best in others.
• Bring Hashem into the equation and let him be a partner in your decisions.
• Try to be more childlike.
• Our job as educators is to know how to play properly, in a holy and focused way.
• Learn how to use the Condordant.
• Ask what the students/kids are going to need in their own personal lives?
• Arm them with simcha.
• Give the kids the tools they will need.
• Give children experiences.
• Hashem gave us interests and talents for us to use.
• Give children options for showcasing their creativity.
• Provide children the space to engage with content the way they want to.
• How can we empower our children?
• We each have our derech (our path).
• Remember what engaged you as a child.
• Fall in love with what you’re teaching.
• Be yourself.
• If you find yourself drawn to Chinuch, it’s because Hashem needs you there.
• There is something magic and beautiful to be taught.
• You don’t have to meet someone else’s expectations.
• Help students realize that they can be themselves and that they are here for a holy purpose.

www.RabbiB.org

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