This past motzei Shabbat, January 20, was Be’er Hagolah’s inaugural Parents Appreciation Dinner, held in their very own Grand Gralla Hall. There was an overwhelming feeling of support and enthusiasm amongst the parents. We took this opportunity to interview Rabbi Mordechai German, who has recently become the Dean of Be’er Hagolah, to find out what prompted the first-ever non-fundraising dinner exclusively for parents.
Can you expound on your position in Be’er Hagolah, and how long have you been at Beer Hagolah?
I am the Dean, which in other words means the head of the school, the Rosh Hamosaad, for the past seven years. People don’t realize what an immense operation Be’er Hagolah is. We start at UPK going on to Elementary, Middle, and High Schools, with boys and girls in separate divisions. Each division has their head and principal. Every one of them is experienced, educated, talented, and capable. Yet there has to be someone at the top that makes sure all departments run smoothly, and more importantly, to ensure that each division is constantly evolving to meet the ever changing needs of our times so that we can produce children that will be well educated and will go on to lead successful lives.
What is Beer Hagolah’s mission?
Our mission is to provide Jewish children a Jewish foundation without compromising on a quality secular education, producing Jewish children that are attached to their heritage and can go on to lead successful and happy lives. Public school should not even be an option.
There are many different levels to the prospective parents of Be’er Hagolah. There are those parents that will not consider public school because they know that a Jewish child needs foremost a Jewish education. Then there are many parents that have recently come to the vital realization on their own that public school is not an option for a Jewish child, especially in today’s day and age. The numbers of these parents are constantly growing. However, sadly, there are still many parents that have not yet acted on that understanding and have yet to make it a reality.
Be’er Hagolah’s goal, now more than ever, is to make it possible for every type of parent to actualize that dream of providing their children with a Jewish education–what every parent knows deep down in their heart is the best for their child. Be’er Hagolah will do whatever they can to make that transition materialize.
Since taking leadership of Be’er Hagolah, what changes have you implemented?
There are many tangible modifications that I have introduced in Be’er Hagolah, which I will get to shortly. However more significantly is the mindset that there is no limit on making a valuable product even better. That focus brings constant positive change. When I sit together with the principals and department heads, we are consistently reviewing and tweaking better possibilities. Many seeds have been planted that will bring many more positive and rewarding changes at Be’er Hagolah. This affects all areas of Be’er Hagolah’s operation whether it is educational, operational, or financial. By departmentalizing all aspects of our yeshiva, my goal is to ensure that all of our interactions will be pleasant, approachable, and professional.
Getting back to the tangible changes, on the educational end we were able to add additional extracurricular and educational programs. In addition, we added an extended hour/after-school program where we provide homework help and a hot nutritional supper. We will be expanding this program to include the Queens location as well.
On the operational end we added more bus routes so that the length of the bus rides will be shorter for all students. Our bus routes are all under 55 minutes.
On the financial end we were able to secure a significant number of scholarships for children coming from public school.
What do you feel Beer Hagolah has to offer besides education? What are your outstanding qualities in other areas?
Be’er Hagolah is unique in many ways. I will name a few:
In addition to our excellence in education, we have a beautiful setting and amenities. Our large campus is sparkling clean and boasts state of the art facilities including a regulation size gym, science lab, vast dining hall, computer lab, and outdoor playground.
We have a financial aid office that works with our parents and obtaining scholarships so that parents can receive the valuable education at a more palatable tuition rate.
All of Be’er Hagolah’s staff is dedicated and experienced. Their constant focus is for the benefit of the whole child.
The fact that a parent can send all of their children to one school is an enormous advantage. Not only because now they only have one school to deal with, but there are added financial benefits as well.
The vast majority of our alumni testify that we are capable of developing young men and women who lead productive successful Jewish lives, each on their own level.
What are some challenges that Be’er Hagolah face?
Many parents have already come to the realization that Be’er Hagolah is not a business. Part of our mission in making an excellent education available is the tuition cost. We work with each family to the best of our ability to bring down the tuition fees. It is an enormous undertaking. Part of our mission is to help the parent afford the actual cost of providing an excellent education. The aggregated tuition cost per student is $9,000 – $12,000. Parents should realize that the value of the education is far more than what many parents end up paying.
If we were situated in Queens, there is no doubt in my mind that we would have to build another building to accommodate all of our students. Parents automatically look for the best situation to accommodate their children. That’s very understandable, but parents should understand that transporting their children to Be’er Hagolah is but a small sacrifice for the education and foundation Be’er Hagolah provides. Be’er Hagolah is worth the trip!
What prompted you to make a Parents Appreciation Dinner?
This was not a fundraising dinner. The dinner was meant to create a feeling that we, the parents and the school, are a team. The decision to give their child a Jewish foundation is the first and most important step. We want to parents to feel that we recognize that. At times that is a very hard decision to make. Secondly, I want them to know that I am there for them in any which way, so that we can work together. I want to make that connection and build a relationship. If we have a connection, a relationship, and an understanding, together we can accomplish and produce children that will go on to succeed in life in whatever field they choose.
A Talk With Rabbi Mordechai German, Dean Of Be’er Hagolah
Typography
- Smaller Small Medium Big Bigger
- Default Helvetica Segoe Georgia Times
- Reading Mode
