A three-day conference for principals of schools and
talmudei Torah located in Jerusalem was held earlier
this week at the Nir Etzion Hotel outside of Haifa.
The organizing committee, whose members include Rabbis
Binyomin Cohen, Yitzchok Goldknopf, Boruch Helfgut, Yaakov
Berger, Ben Tzion Kugler and Chaim Beckerman, devoted great
effort to maximize the benefits derived from the conference,
which has become an established tradition among heads of
educational institutions.
The opening session was led by Rabbi Goldknopf, director of
the Merkaz Igud Talmudei Torah. Words of welcome were
delivered by Rabbi Avrohom Yosef Lazerson, one of the heads
of Chinuch Atzmai, and Rabbi Mordechai Cohen, who holds the
chareidi education portfolio in the City of Jerusalem. Later
in the opening session Dr. Tzvi Barak delivered a lecture
entitled, "Excellence in Principal Work."
The second day's session, devoted to the doctrine of purity
in Torah education, featured a talk by Rav Osher Weiss, the
rov of the Tchechenov kehilloh and rosh
yeshivas Chug Chasam Sofer.
Then veteran educators presented finalized guidelines for
selecting the winner of the Chareidi Education Prize, a
unique project initiated by Rabbi Cohen in his capacity as
director of the City of Jerusalem's Department of Chareidi
Education.
A special session dedicated to emergency workers was attended
by representatives of Mogen Dovid Adom and Hatzoloh in
Jerusalem, headed by Hatzoloh Chairman Rabbi Dovid Greenwald,
who also works as a professional medic. Another lecture by
Dr. Yaakov Segal of the City of Jerusalem's Psychological
Services addressed routine and emergency safety
procedures.
The final day was devoted to Equality in Education following
the Education Ministry's Shoshani Committee, whose findings
affect budgeting for primary schools. The closing session
consisted of a principals' panel discussion with Rav Yehoshua
Pollak and Rav Ben Tzion Kugler participating.
Rabbi Berger, who heads the Yemei Iyun organization, said
that as part of the conference, principals were sent on study
tours as well.
