Religious Education Chief Urges Communities to Elevate Teachers' Status
Translated & summarized from Arutz Sheva by baba
Rabbi Yoni Samuel, head of the Religious Education Administration, is urging Israeli communities to actively show appreciation for teachers, especially during disagreements, to improve the profession's public standing. He believes this initiative, coinciding with "Honoring Teachers Shabbat," must stem from local communities, not just the Ministry of Education. Samuel hopes this will encourage more young people to enter the teaching profession by demonstrating its value and the respect educators deserve.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Religious Education Administration head Rabbi Yoni Samuel calls for community-led teacher appreciation efforts.
- The initiative aims to change public perception of teachers, especially during disagreements.
- Samuel believes community respect for teachers will influence children's views and future career choices.
- The program encourages diverse, community-specific ways to honor educators throughout the year.
- The effort seeks to address a perceived gap between stated respect and willingness for children to teach.
Ahead of a special "Honoring Teachers Shabbat," Rabbi Yoni Samuel, head of the Religious Education Administration (Hamad), is calling on parents and communities to re-evaluate how they speak about and treat educators, particularly during disagreements. In an interview with Arutz 7, Samuel emphasized that improving the public perception of teachers must originate within local communities and can significantly influence future generations.
Samuel posed a question to community rabbis: when was the last time a sermon in synagogue addressed conduct in class WhatsApp groups? He believes that parental groups, community discussions, and reactions to teacher-parent disputes reveal a major challenge facing the education system: the teacher's standing in the public eye. The initiative, coinciding with Shabbat Vayera, aims to foster genuine appreciation for educators throughout the year, not just through a single event.
"We believe that changing the consciousness to honor teachers is not the Ministry of Education's job. It belongs to the communities," Samuel stated. He explained that the administration's role is to encourage communities to adopt the initiative and find their own ways to express gratitude. He stressed that when parents show respect, children will follow suit, leading to a broader shift in perception. This respect, he noted, should extend beyond pleasant interactions to how disagreements are handled.
Samuel highlighted that the public's attitude toward the teaching profession also impacts young people's willingness to enter it. Beyond salary and conditions, the public image of teaching plays a crucial role in career decisions. He pointed out a disconnect between public declarations of teachers' importance and parents' reluctance for their own children to pursue teaching careers. The initiative seeks to bridge this gap by making teacher appreciation a visible part of community life.
To that end, the Religious Education Administration is suggesting various community-led activities, such as special prayers for teachers, honoring them during Torah readings, community kiddushim, and personal gestures. Samuel hopes the "Honoring Teachers Shabbat," already observed last year, will become a regular tradition, linking the initiative to Abraham's role as a teacher of his household. He also expressed confidence that young religious-nationalist Israelis will embrace teaching as a mission if they recognize its importance and the need for quality educators.