COLlive Launches Chinuch Class

By COLlive reporter

Leading Lubavitch news website COLlive.com is teaming up with Merkos L’Inyonei Chinuch, the educational and social organization of Chabad-Lubavitch, in offering a new series of online classes on education, parenting and teaching.

The 8 course semester is presented by Rabbi Nochem Kaplan, Director of Merkos’ Chinuch Office, whose membership now includes more than 170 Early Childhood Centers and 150 elementary and high schools throughout the English speaking world, with a combined enrollment of 25,000.

“Chinuch First,” the new educational video classes, will run on COLlive.com every Monday, starting Jan. 26 2009. “We are positioning the class in the beginning of the week to emphasize its significance,” Editor of COLlive.com Yehuda Ceitlin said.

“Rabbi Kaplan expertly blends both the Torah’s wisdom as it pertains to education as well as the most wide spread progressive educational theories and techniques for a holistic educational approach,” says Rabbi Avi Herbstman, a teacher at the Menachem Mendel Seattle Cheder Day School in Seattle, WA.

LONGTIME EDUCATOR

Born in the Soviet Union and educated in England, the United States, and Israel, Rabbi Kaplan received his Rabbinical Ordination from the Central Lubavitch Yeshiva, and his secular degrees from Trinity College and Monmouth University.

He entered the field of Jewish Education at the suggestion (unsolicited) of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, and served as principal of Yeshiva Day Schools in Virginia, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York.

He served as chairman of the executive board of the National Conference of Yeshiva Principals, and as a School Visitor for the U.S. Department of Education’s Outstanding School Recognition Program.

He was a consultant to, and evaluator of, Yeshivos and Day schools in America and abroad on behalf of Torah Umesorah, the National Society for Hebrew Day Schools, for more than a decade.

Rabbi Kaplan is the author of the “Principal’s Administrative Manual” and of the widely acclaimed series of Halacha texts “Halichot Yisrael”, published by Torah Umesorah. He has written numerous articles and is published widely in educational journals in both Hebrew and English.

THIS IS A MUST

Rabbi Zev Stiefel, Director of Chabad of Slovakia, attended Rabbi Kaplan’s classes as a newlywed leaning in Kollel Menachem in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, NY.

“It was actually one of my highlights in Kollel and has given to me a derech for teaching and raising my own children as well as for teaching on many levels,” Stiefel says.

“I strongly believe that every teacher and Mechanech, as well as parent, should spend time learning by listening and attending classes from other professional mechanchim.”

Rabbi Zelig Silber, teacher of 7th grade at the boys division of Cheder Chabad of Monsey, NY, found the classes “very inspiring, informative and practical.”

“Rabbi Kaplan is able to blend his wisdom and experience in education together with his special touch of humor and wit. If anyone is looking for strategies to organize his classroom for success and achievement, these classes are for you.”