Going The Extra Mile: The Max And Ruth Schwartz Torah Academy Of Port Washington

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Written by Michele Justic

Wednesday, 12 August 2009 19:00

On the shore of Manhasset Bay, children enjoy a rich Judaic general education on a lush two-plus-acre campus. In this new building-soon to boast a Jerusalem-stone facade-dedicated teachers trained in the most innovative pedagogic methods teach small classes in which they know each child's name, strengths, and learning style. This wonderful school is not out of reach for most Five Towns residents, financially or geographically.

The Max and Ruth Schwartz Torah Academy of Port Washington opened its doors in 1998 as a chinuch institution of "affordable excellence." Henry Schwartz founded the school in his parents' memory. Together, he and Rabbi Shalom and Mrs. Sara Paltiel of Chabad of Port Washington, a trio dedicated to outreach to all Jews, worked to create a school that would offer "an excellent education and be welcoming to and affordable for all Jewish families."

While the 18 (chai) mile distance may sound difficult to handle, consider that children can potentially spend those same 40 minutes on a bus to a school that charges considerably more and offers less. The school offers a bus home, and carpooling in the morning is common. The fact that this private education environment does not cost more than $7,100 for each grade can only be attributed to Hashem's generous blessings, as well as the generous support of the Port Washington community.

One such benefactor, Dr. Martin Brownstein, supported the Paltiels exclusively in their first year and a half in Port Washington and founded a preschool in memory of his mother, Florence. That school had 6 students; STA now has 200 students and is seeking to expand.

Students come from different parts of the religious and cultural spectrum, and from various locales. Sephardi children from Great Neck, unaffiliated Ashkenazi children from Roslyn, and Orthodox Ashkenazi children from West Hempstead can sit together in a sixth-grade classroom learning what the teacher explains is actually eighth-grade math. A child from Westbury with a Jewish mother and non-Jewish father can speak fluent Hebrew by the time she reaches eighth grade. A boy from a very traditional family in Plainview can be inspired by the creative curriculum rather than a more old-fashioned approach that another yeshiva might take. These parents send their children on the bus to this school not only because of the very reasonable price, but because they want their children to have the best education possible.

STA offers academic excellence in a warm, intimate environment. They boast an outstanding Judaic and general studies curriculum; participation in E2K, an innovative Middle School enrichment program for excellence in math and science, as well as Tel Am, an all-inclusive Hebrew immersion curriculum; a Gruss multimedia computer lab featuring the groundbreaking "Success Maker" and "Waterford" programs; and a dynamic physical education program, including sports teams and professional yoga instruction. The school is fully accredited by the NYS Department of Education and hires NYS certified teachers. The results from the English and math assessment tests exceed state standards.

The goals of the school are to provide students with the opportunity to participate in a high quality Judaic and secular education; to enhance the student's sense of self as a valuable, contributing person to the Jewish community and to the community at large; to instill moral behaviors and ethical standards established by Torah and social laws; to implement educational tools and apply critical thinking and Judaic values to community involvement; and to motivate students to apply knowledge to real-life situations.

The faculty place a daily emphasis on love for Am Yisrael and Eretz Yisrael and love of Torah and mitzvot-especially midot, moral sensitivity, character refinement, and respect for all human beings. This highly personalized and warm approach to shaping individuals can be seen in such programs as "catch the child in the act of being good," which takes an age-old psychological ideal and brings it down to the tangible, concrete level. In this reward system, classmates can "tattle" on other students' good behavior.

Rabbi Paltiel, director of Chabad of Port Washington and dean of the school, explains why this school suits all types of religious backgrounds: "Religious families find it refreshing that their kids can mix with other kids in a safe environment. We teach Judaism with warmth and love. It's not just, 'Don't do that because you're not allowed to.' The days of Jewish dogma are basically over." He elaborates on a growing trend in the frum community: "Too many Orthodox Jews suffer from habitual Judaism. But many people today, even religious people, are looking for spirituality; they want the whys and the joys, not the do's and don'ts. Chabad is all about your neshamah, your soul, and the soul of Judaism."

Together, he and his wife, Sara, have striven to address this issue since their arrival in Port Washington in 1991. As part of their strategy, they brought on board one of the top minds in the field of education; Robyn Mandor, M.S. Ed, A.C. Adm., a 35-year veteran in the field of education, had recently retired from her role as assistant superintendent for personnel in the Manhasset School District before being recruited to join the exemplary team at STA. Mandor loves the school for its personal approach "Children who would not be leaders or stand out in a big school stand out here. And if a kid has a bad day, you know about it and you handle it. That's what private education should be," she says.

If you'd like to see this gold standard institution on the Gold Coast of Long Island, Ms. Mandor will happily show you around. To arrange a tour of the facility (80 Shore Road in Port Washington), call 516-767-TORAH (767-8672). To learn more, visit www.STApw.org.