Learning With — and From —
Rabbi Eliach The Yeshivah of Flatbush’s Principal Emeritus, Rabbi Dr. David Eliach, has been teaching continuously since 1953. Here at YOF, we are blessed that he continues to share his never-ending knowledge with our faculty members, even during these hard times that require some form of remote learning.
be used strategically to both map out and summarize the lesson at hand.” The lessons of Torah “need to be digestible and relatable to students,” added Rabbi Harari, and explained how teachers can take “kernels of thought” from what Rabbi Eliach shares with them and create their own successful teaching methods.
Rabbi Eliach was insistent that his learning sessions would continue by phone during the pandemic rules of social distancing. There were ten teachers studying with him during 30-minute sessions every week during spring remote learning. “I feel it is important to guide the teachers, especially the new teachers, to learn the better methods of teaching, to take the same thing that you are teaching and teach it in a new and relevant way to the kids,” explained Rabbi Eliach.
Sometimes, an informal meeting can prove to be filled with learning too. “I was privileged to accompany Rabbi Eliach for breakfast each week he was at the high school this past school year. He always has words of Torah insights, offers pedagogical methodology, and useful suggestions to share,” said YOFHS Assistant Administrator Rabbi David Galpert.
Middle School Judaic Studies Chair Rabbi Avraham Benhamu and his daughter, Elementary School faculty member Evelyn Benhamu, met with Rabbi Eliach singly for private phone sessions. Continuing to meet with Rabbi Eliach in at least some fashion gave Rabbi Benhamu a sense of stability. “He is the one who insisted that the program continue during the virus outbreak,” said Rabbi Benhamu. “He always asks what you want to learn about — he always has something ready to teach or analyze. You can ask him about anything.”
“To me, Rabbi Eliach is synonymous with YOF,” expressed Head of High School Rabbi Dr. Raymond Harari, who attended YOFHS at the time when Rabbi Eliach was principal. He shared that Rabbi Eliach taught him the importance of being able to summarize a lesson in one sentence, and that a teacher has to motivate students first before jumping into a new lesson. “I learned to use the blackboard as real estate that needed to
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Middle School Teacher Rabbi Shlomie Felendler has been learning with Rabbi Eliach for the past three years. “Rabbi Eliach always gives me valuable pointers…it amazes me how, as settings change, and the environment is different, Rabbi Eliach goes back to the same foundational principles (of teaching) and he is able to masterfully show how these still apply.” Seventh grade Chidon HaTanach honors class instructor Mrs. Emunah Tsaidi began meeting with Rabbi Eliach in the fall of 2019. “Rabbi Eliach’s insight into the text and how to teach Tanach in a dynamic way is something I always appreciate,” expressed Mrs. Tsaidi. One of the most important things she learned from Rabbi Eliach was that “The teacher is an actress — even your tone has to change when you read certain passages of Tanakh to the class. Some psukim are best read in a whisper.”
