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Periodically Updated :Project complete 2024  

In honor of the 90th year celebration of Anshe Sholom Chabad JCC our tenured Rabbi, who now celebrates 13 years at ASC JCC, Mordechai Z. Hecht, will produce periodical articles on Chinuch - for parents and educators, on the values, structure, laws and customs on the Jewish education of Children.

Bio:

Rabbi Mordechai Z. Hecht, from a beautifully large Family and a generational line of rabbis patrilineally and matrilineally will share with you everything he has culled from the most creative teachers, Rabbis and educators as well as codifiers, bringing you the bottom line on Jewish Education. Helping us bolster a more robust and comprehensive, happy and healthy next Jewish generation, forever!

'"Chabad Chinuch, since 1745!'

~The Road to Jewish Adulthood ~

With Rabbi Mordechai Z. Hecht

 

Introduction 1: When we refer to Children in Jewish tradition we are referring to boys under 13 and girls under 12 years of age. After which they are deemed adults and must follow the full script of the law as for any and all adults above 18 and 21 years of age. The classic understanding of education, as in the Mitzvah which lies upon the parents to educate their children by code of Jewish law - Mitzvas Chinuch - is in turn by definition: the precept to train the child accordingly at a young age so that they will do so upon maturing. No difference between boy or girl.

This obligation has (3) biblical sources: 1)"Teach them to your children" (Devarim 11;19) 2)"You Shall tell your son on that day" (Shemos 13,8. 3) "Train a child in a way they shall go" (Mishlei 22;6). It is upon these basic precepts that we will engage in the conversation of Jewish Education.

Note: Even though classically by code of Jewish law, parents are NOT obligated above this age to educate them, parents ARE however encouraged to reprove their children/adults, when they act inappropriately

Introduction 2: The primary parenting principle is that similar to every endeavor which begins with a plan and vision so to the education of children must come with a plan and a vision. We must know what our primary goals are. Jewish tradition offers a parenting vision and definition that has trail blazed the path even for modern enlightened parents.

INDEX:

  1. General Laws:
  2. The Mitzvah of Educating your children:
  3. Public and Jewish Day School - how to decide: Sarah Esther Crispe
  4. Physical Connections: Infants and nursing:
  5. Physical connections: The Stages
  6. On Keys elements of discipline, obedience and encouragement
  7. On Educating Children to be Grateful (Pesach) Mordechai Hecht
  8. Educating children to perform Mitzvos:
  9. Educating carefulness regarding Prohibitions:
  10. ~ "On Facebook, Sharing & Educating Children"
  11. "Reminder room" vs. "your grounded":
  12. Mezuzah & Children: Mordechai Z. Hecht
  13. On Educating Children to See Holiness: Mordechai Hecht
  14. Educating children about Shabbos:
  15. ...Eiruv: City and Building:
  16. ...Muktzah: Games etc.
  17. ...Kiddush: Sanctfying Shabbos in sacred manner
  18. Educating Children on Holidays:
  19. Rosh Hashanah
  20. Yom Kippur: Kaparot
  21. Sukkos:
  22. ~ Rosh Chodesh:
  23. ~ Chanukah: Mordechai Z. Hecht
  24. Purim:
  25. ~ Pesach & Educating Children: Wine, Matzah, Marror, Afikomen, Cup of Eliyahu, Shema at Night
  26. ~ Shavuos: On Children as Guarantors - Mordechai Hecht
  27. ~ 3 Weeks & 9 days : Mordechai Hecht
  28. Educating Children on Kosher: Choluv Akum, Bishul Akum, Pas Palter, Looking for Kosher Symbols
  29. Educating Children about Tzitsis: and see #16 there. Jacob Emanuel Schochet
  30. Educating Children on prayer: Jacob Emanuel Schochet
  31. ~...Grace after meals.
  32. ~...Blessings on food & other blessings.
  33. Educating children and the Mitzvah of Tzedakah & Philanthropy:
  34. Educating children on cleanliness & orderliness:
  35. On rebuking children appropriately: When children fightback,
  36. When a child complains about a teacher:
  37. Children and Fast Days:
  38. Educating children on the Mitzvah of Holiness & reverence of G‑d:
  39. Educating children on Teshuva - correcting wrongs: Jacob Emanuel Schochet
  40. Educating children on punishable acts:
  41. Educating Children on: Honoring their Father and Mother : By Jacob Emmanuel Schochet OB"M
  42. ~ ...Mother: Yissachar Frand
  43. Continued...Siblings: by Johnathon Sacks
  44. Continued...Grandparents: by Elisha Greenbaum
  45. Continued...Teachers: Moshe Bogomilsky
  46. Abbreviated prayers for children:
  47. Adoptive parents: Rearing, Participating, Yichud, Marriage
  48. Children of Divorce
  49. Fostering: Creativity, Curiosity, Open mindedness, love of learning, bravery, persistence, integrity with others, and vitality, humility, hope and spirituality,Loyalty, guilt, and jealousy, anger and curiosity (in no particular order).
  50. Educating children on self worth and healthy self esteem: Rachel
  51. ~ On speaking so kids will listen, listen so kids will speak. 7 Reasons Why You Shouldn't Yell: Mordechai Z. Hecht
  52. Techniques: Interaction, games, crafts, ingenuity, proposing and asking, living and learning
  53. On Being an involved Parent:
  54. Reflecting and deflecting on your childhood education: deciphering goods from bads.
  55. Instilling core values and secondary values and tertiary values
  56. On Education verses options
  57. On never giving up on your child
  58. On a Variety of extreme behaviors:
  59. ...moody etc.
  60. ...Sibling rivalry by Rachel
  61. ~ ...embracing differences: Yissachar Frand
  62. ...siblings with OCD or Autism:
  63. On working with and not against Educators and vice versa.
  64. Educating children about genderism, growing up, and types of abuse.
  65. On life is not a box, or a shape and a child is not a number.
  66. On becoming a Bar Mitzvah: Myths and Facts
  67. On Becoming a Bat Mitzvah:
  68. On the Mitzvah of Tefillin:
  69. On the Mitzvah of Lighting Shabbos candles:
  70. On embracing modesty and the world we live in:
  71. Educating children about drugs: A personal experience / Encouraging positive behaviors: by NIDA /
  72. Educating Children about fears
  73. On Pesach: Afikomen & Moshiach

For Educators & Parents:

  1. What it means to be an Educator - A Mechanech vs. Teacher:
  2. The difference between a teacher, professor and an educator:
  3. "To Love your student" and treat them right: Talmid and Talmud Chaver
  4. To strive to be a great educator and increase student body:
  5. Stories of great educators: Start your own
  6. Why "don't scream" and why most often it doesn't work.
  7. Why never use physical force (except in extreme emergencies)
  8. On instilling the love of learning
  9. Praise vs. denouncement
  10. Successful reward and punishment systems
  11. Why never use sarcasm or syncicism :
  12. Why maintain the dialogue, always
  13. 7 Critical Ideas for a Healthy Marriage
  14. On how to retain control
  15. Teachers telling on a senior staff member:
  16. Principals reprimanding staff:
  17. Not Holding back pay
  18. The Staff Room behavior and etiquette

 

A growing list of Great Books on the education of Jewish Children:

1. Effective Jewish parenting by - by Miriam Levi

2. Children in Halacha: - by Rav Yehoshua Neuwirth

3. To raise a Jewish child - by Hayim Halevi Donin

4. The art of Parenting - JLI publications

5. Children in Halacha - by Rabbi Simcha Bunim

6. The Opposite of Spoiled - by Ron Lieber - On teaching children to give

7. Kids Speak: 1-10: Walder - On (re)understanding the way kids think

 

Highly acclaimed Chassidic Works:

6. The Principals of Education & Guidance: The 6th Chabad Rebbe- Rabbi Joseph I. Schneersohn

7. The Educators Handbook: by Rabbi Mordechai I. Hadokov

8. Chanoch Le'naar: A Chassidic Expose: The 5th Chabad Rebbe: Rabbi Sholom Dovber Shneersohn

 

Others Important Works:

9. Balanced Parenting: By Dr. David Pelcovits - A Jewish Psychological approach

10. Make me, Dont break me: by Rabbi Moshe Ganz