Teacher, Ventriloquist, Toveedo Star and Farmer

By Mushka Cohen – MEF

Please introduce yourself.
My name is Rabbi Yisroel Silverstein. I’m originally from Crown Heights and have been teaching at Cheder Chabad of Monsey, New York, for several years. I started as an assistant for Kita Aleph (first grade), and, like my namesake, the Baal Shem Tov, I moved up with the children to second grade. I’ve been teaching second grade now for the last 15 years.

What’s your favorite part of being a teacher?
The best part of being a teacher is knowing you’re fulfilling your mission. If you’re meant to be a teacher, not choosing that path feels like a betrayal to your Neshamah, your life’s mission, Hashem, and the goal of Dira B’Tachtonim. Teaching isn’t for everyone, and that’s okay. I don’t think everyone should rush into it. Some people aren’t suited for the classroom, and it’s important to be honest about that. Both those hiring and those considering teaching need to ask themselves if it’s truly the right fit.

What are some of your hobbies?
Outside of teaching, I enjoy a variety of hobbies, such as building, cooking, fishing, and photography. At home, I also care for some farm animals, including goats, chickens, and fish.

Do your hobbies impact your success as a teacher?
I incorporate them into the classroom in many ways. For example, when we learn about Avrohom cooking tongue, and Rashi explains that tongue is “rach v’toiv” (soft and good), we talk about its textures and actually cook it in class. Some kids are excited, some are grossed out, but it’s a hands-on lesson they won’t forget! When we learn about Yaakov cooking lentil stew, we make that too.

I used to take my students fishing, which taught patience and excitement. With larger classes now, it’s harder, but I still try to find ways to bring in practical activities. Last year, we built a shtender for Shavuos. It was challenging for second graders, but they helped sand, glue, and assemble it, which made it a meaningful project. I also have a hobby of wood splitting, and when we learn about Avrohom splitting wood, I show them how fibers crack. These activities make learning more tangible.

You’re a ventriloquist and star on kids’ videos for Toveedo. Do you use your puppets in the classroom?
I use them sparingly, about three or four times a year, usually for special events like Siyumim or the last day of school. However, I often integrate informal ventriloquism into lessons. Voices might pop out of the microphone, or characters might “talk” unexpectedly to emphasize a point.

Recently, I used ventriloquism to explain how the Yetzer Hara grows stronger during Shema when kids tend to lose focus. I created a conversation between the Yetzer Hara and me and introduced the Yetzer Tov to show how it can become even stronger. It wasn’t a full puppet show, but it was an effective way to teach the lesson.

What advice would you give other teachers about bringing their personality into the classroom?
The first thing is to get comfortable with yourself. If you’re uncomfortable with who you are, it’ll be hard to share your talents or personality with the class. Once you’re confident in who you are, it becomes much easier to bring that into your teaching.