The return this week to school by GTA-area children was accompanied by the earnest hopes and deeply felt prayers of their parents that this coming year be a “normal” one. Parental hopes and prayers are but one side of a golden coin. The other side of the coin is an unending reservoir of appreciation, gratitude and thanks to the teachers and the administrators.
The educators’ dedication to their charges – our children and grandchildren – has not gone unnoticed. It must never go unappreciated.
Judith Talesnick, managing director of professional learning and growth at The Jewish Education Project in New York recently wrote an essay for eJewishPhilanthropy entitled Teacher wellness: Relaxation and recovery, in which she conveys appreciation for the herculean efforts by educators to teach through Covid as well as concern for teachers’ health for the upcoming year should the virus disrupt the classrooms as it did a year ago.
“With the rise of the Delta variant, the giddiness of the post-vaccination summer is now replaced by the dread of illness and return of stricter COVID restrictions. Elementary school teachers may have to return to concurrent, hybrid and Zoom teaching. No one can predict how students or teachers will respond to the reality that 2021-22 may look like last year and feel even worse because of the anticipation of “being done with COVID.”
“Yet, regardless of the circumstances and challenges, parents and students continue to rely on day school teachers and administrators to provide quality educational experiences, strong community relationships and a safe place to grow.”
Talesnick offers a detailed prescription for quick intervention to support and bolster teachers should the need arise due to the unhappy, oppressive re-intrusion of the virus into our communities.
It is a worthy article for indeed, our teachers are also our heroes.
The full article is available at:
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Readers of this weekly report know, GAJE will soon be asking the court to reassess the correctness of the Supreme Court’s decision in 1996 (Adler) in light of the circumstances of Ontario in 2021. As readers know it is this decision which ruled Ontario could legally fund the educational system of only one religion. The Court did not prevent Ontario from extending funding to other, independent, denominational schools. Nor, does Ontario suggest that its policy is fair to non-Catholics. Rather, Ontario simply believes it is immune from being legally compelled to change its policy.
We thank everyone who has contributed to help fund the lawsuit. We are deeply appreciative of your joining our cause. We are nearly half way to the amount needed.
This is our generation’s opportunity to try to end the funding discrimination that has existed in Ontario for more than 25 years. If we do not try, who will? Please help us make this happen! And please tell your friends to join in our effort.
It is our fervent hope that together, from strength to strength, we will be able to end the discrimination in Ontario’s educational funding.
To donate to this important cause, please click here.
(For further information, please contact Israel Mida at imida1818@gmail.com)
Charitable receipts for donations for income tax purposes will be issued by Mizrachi Canada. Your donations will be used for the sole purpose of underwriting the costs of the lawsuit.
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Be safe. Be well.
Shabbat shalom. And…Gmar Chatimah Tovah.
Grassroots for Affordable Jewish Education (GAJE)
September 10, 2021
Grassroots for Affordable Jewish Education 