New ATID e-Publication: Alan Haber's
Sharpening the Message: Recommendations for Improving the Effectiveness of Religious Education in Yeshiva High Schools

Every so often as educators, we need to stop and ask ourselves "How are we doing?" Are we accomplishing as much as we can? Is there anything we can do to improve?

We must ask these questions regarding our academic goals - to ascertain that our students understand and remember the material as well as possible. But even more so we must ask these questions about our religious goals. As religious educators, we are not satisfied if our students are merely well-informed and skilled learners. Our mission is for the Torah they learn to penetrate their souls, and to transform their very beings. Yes, we want our students to learn the Torah. But even more importantly, we want them to live the Torah. So we must periodically ask ourselves how we are doing on this score as well.

During a mid-career break in his own teaching career, Rabbi Alan Haber spent some time researching this question, interviewing various individuals and formulating a set of recommendations for improving our schools. His proposal is presented in ATID's newest e-publication: Sharpening the Message: Recommendations for Improving the Effectiveness of Religious Education in Yeshiva High Schools.

Click here... to download the publication (PDF, 48 pages)

Rabbi Alan Haber has been involved in Torah education for over twenty years. He is one of the founders of Michlelet Mevaseret Yerushalayim (MMY), where he served as Director for 16 years. Before coming to MMY he taught high school girls at Bat Torah Academy in Suffern, NY and was Assistant Regional Director of New Jersey NCSY. He is a graduate of Yeshivat Har Etzion and Yeshiva University, and served as a Senior Research Fellow at ATID where this work was undertaken. Rabbi Haber's writings can be sampled at RabbiHaber.net.