Spring 2005 · Volume 1, Number 1


Contents

A highlight of the Hebrew College and Prozdor experience is the special relationship that grows between student and professor. Recently we asked some of our alumni to share memories of the teachers who most influenced them.


Rose Bronstein is the inspiration for my thirty-plus years of religious school teaching and the reason I decided to go into the field of Jewish education. Her example made the teaching of Hebrew and moral education a lofty goal. I am proud to say she was my teacher, and every day in my classroom I try to carry on in the manner she modeled.


I wonder how many people realized that Eisig Silberschlag's way of disciplining was by lowering his voice and then lowering it again, until all nonsense had to stop so that the class could concentrate on what he was saying. Later on, when I became a teacher myself, I remembered this, and it was just as successful with me as it was with him. I told him about this when I saw him in 1967 at a memorial evening given by Hebrew College dedicated to my father's recent passing, and he thanked me for telling him, saying that no one else had used this method.


I was greatly influenced by all the teachers at Hebrew College who were dedicated and inspiring educators. Altogether they instilled in me the value of a strong Jewish education, a deep appreciation of learning and a love for Israel. My decision to make aliya was a direct result of the fine education I received at Hebrew College.


A number of teachers were positive influences in my life, but three in particular stand out as wonderful role models for what a teacher should be. As a teacher of many years, I have come to appreciate their gifts to me:

Rav Arnold Weider showed me how scholarly, gentle and caring a teacher could be.

Anne Lapidus Lerner instilled in me a fervent love of literature.

Rabbi Wohlgemuth (who was there for summer courses) showed me that a sense of humor can be the best tool for guiding energetic students.


The teacher who made the strongest impression on me was "Willy" (Dr. Mordecai Wilensky), a true historian who made times and events come alive through his sardonic—and usually corny—wit, which I admired at the time and try to emulate today. He taught history with a twinkle in his eye and irreverence in his heart—a true iconoclast. He was not only a dedicated teacher but a mensch interested in the well-being of his students. I feel privileged to have been his student.


I will always remember Gabi Mezger's high energy and strong passion for teaching. She connected very well with her students and consistently encouraged them to go above and beyond the perimeters of thinking and learning. Throughout my four years at Prozdor, I considered her to be a mentor. Gabi was very influential in helping build the foundation for and fostering my strong interest in Hebrew language, and for that I am very grateful.


Gabi Mezger challenged me to think quickly and exposed me to what was likely my first authentic Israeli accent. We used to kind of be afraid of her, but in retrospect I think that was because she took us so seriously, which is a pretty big deal for a 14-year-old. Being taken seriously by a teacher, that set a great tone for the rest of my Prozdor experience.


Want to share your comments in our next issue? Please answer the following question by sending an email to Sharlene Finkel at sfinkel@hebrewcollege.edu: What do you think was the biggest achievement in Jewish education/Jewish life during the first 350 years of American Judaism?

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