The World Council for Torah Education

About Us

The World Council of Torah Education was formed in December 1997, to encourage, assist, strengthen and enhance Torah Education in the Diaspora in the spirit of the following basic principles:

• Commitment to the study and fulfillment of the Written and Oral Torah and Halacha;
• Respect for the sanctity of every human being as the reflection of the image of G-d;
• Responsibility for the Jewish People and a commitment to the Unity of the Jewish Community;
• Commitment to the State of Israel as a spiritual center and as the symbol of Jewish national revival; and
• An integrated view of Torah and general studies.

The fulfillment of this mission will be accomplished by assisting in the training of Torah teachers and educational leaders, in the development of curriculum, in the initiation of relevant educational research, in the encouragement of new educational initiatives, and in the fostering of networking between professionals, schools, and lay leaders.

Building Bridges
One of the unique goals of the World Council for Torah Education during its first year of activity has been to facilitate networking between educational professionals, schools, and lay leaders. This effort is based on the belief that significant change and development in the Torah education system can only take place in a cooperative atmosphere in which schools combine forces to solve common problems, and lay leaders are integrally involved in the process. The World Council has also been actively bridging the gap between Israel and Torah education in the Diaspora by fostering joint planning on educational initiatives.

International Think Tank Meeting Convened
The ability of the World Council for Torah Education to serve as an effective facilitator in this process was reflected in the unique think tank meeting that was convened in the Renaissance Hotel in Jerusalem on July 23-25, 1999. The new Chairman of the World Council Executive Board, Dr. Michael Sinclair of London, England, presided over the meeting that was attended by over fifty lay and professional educational leaders from various Diaspora communities and from Israel.

The think tank meeting resulted in the development of clear directions for the coming year for the World Council activities.

Addressing the Personnel Crisis
Torah day schools are finding it increasingly difficult to fill their Jewish Studies teaching positions with qualified personnel. Recent research indicates that 65% of Jewish Studies teachers in Torah day schools today have not had formal pedagogical training. Furthermore, the average amount of in-service training given to Jewish Studies teachers is well below accepted standards in the public school sector. At the same time, employment conditions tend to contribute to a school culture that is not conducive to professionalism, reducing the number of potential teachers that are attracted to the field. These factors, combined with the large growth in the Torah day school movement over the past ten years, have created a crisis in the area of Jewish Studies teaching personnel.

In response to this crisis, the World Council is embarking on a personnel initiative that will include an active recruitment program, the development of a teacher pre-service training program that will be offered on a regional basis, the offering of intensive and ongoing in-service training to help acclimate young teachers to the field, and the possible creation of a placement service that will work with lay and professional leaders in order to create a more professional work climate for Torah teachers.

Overcoming Ideological Differences
The participants in the think tank meeting included representatives of the broad spectrum of the Orthodox community, including both Haredi and Centrist Orthodox perspectives. It was noted that perhaps the largest potential pool of teachers for the day schools exists within the classical yeshiva world, an issue which raised concern on the part of some principals and lay leaders for the ideological integrity of the Centrist schools. Nevertheless, a consensus emerged that changes in both the Haredi and Centrist communities could provide a new framework for fruitful cooperation between the various components of the Orthodox world. The participants in the deliberations emerged with a renewed sense that by focusing on areas of common commitment and actively fostering sensitivity to differences, a new level of cooperation could be achieved. They expressed that the World Council is in a uniquely good position to effect such change.

The Convener of Service Providers for Torah Education
The participation in the think tank meeting also demonstrated the unique ability of the World Council to convene the various independent agencies that provide services for both formal and informal Torah education. In addition to a number of Diaspora day schools, over 15 institutions were represented at the meeting including the Ministry of Education of the State of Israel, Bar Ilan University, the Department of Jewish Zionist Education of the Jewish Agency, the Lifschitz Teacher Training Seminary, the Lookstein Center for Jewish Education in the Diaspora, the Gesher Foundation, and the Zionist Kollels. The World Council promises to serve as a bridge between these and other Jewish educational organizations in order to maximize effectiveness and avoid duplication of services.

Linking Schools
Another unique aspect of the work of the World Council is the fostering of links between schools to collaborate on developing solutions to common problems. The World Council will continue its work on the creation of school consortiums to focus on particular areas of curriculum and staff development. Plans are also underway to develop the computer and the internet as tools for creating meaningful links within the world of Torah education.

As the World Council for Torah Education enters its second year of operations, it stands poised to effect fundamental changes in the delivery of Torah education to Diaspora communities. The new perspectives and energy that this young organization have initiated, promise to give new meaning to the age old axiom – “From Zion Shall Go Forth Torah.”