EDUCATION
The dual nature of
JEWISH SCHOOLS
SANDTON
SINAI
PRIMARY
SCHOOL
Melinda Chazen
I believe every
Jewish child has
an innate spark
of love for Torah.
It’s so beautiful when you see that spark
come alive and shine on the children’s faces. This is not in conflict with our focus on
excellence in secular education. On the
contrary, the joy of discovery spills over
from one area to the other. It’s this holistic balance of love of Torah and joy of
learning that our parents value in our
school. They see that their children are
thriving in their general studies, while at
the same time becoming more mindful individuals, because of the values they are
absorbing from their heritage. There is a
definite advantage to a dual curriculum,
especially if the two parts are not approached as a ‘duality’, but rather as an integrated whole. The challenge is to achieve
that integration and that balance. I don’t
think it is healthy for the children to lose
out on kodesh subjects. I have seen how
the ideas and values gained from learning
these subjects is what truly develops and
defines their character. Every Jewish child
should have the opportunity to receive an
authentic Jewish education. Nevertheless,
52 JEWISH LIFE ■ ISSUE 85
a dual curriculum can be challenging for
certain children. When necessary, I advise
parents to enrol these children in appropriate schools initially to give them the
solid skills basis needed for them to be
successfully integrated into a mainstream
schooling environment.
HIRSCH
LYONS
PRIMARY
SCHOOL
Rabbi Darryl Froom
People often ask
how a student
can achieve while
studying a dual
curriculum. The answer is simple: it’s actually because of the dual curriculum that
one achieves. Over the years, we have seen
the high level of stimulation that students
get from their Torah subjects gives them a
boost in their secular subjects as well.
Combine this with passionate and engaging teachers and so much is possible. Generally, if a child can handle one curriculum, then they should be able to handle
two if administered properly. Our teaching
has to be engaging, innovative and with
an understanding of the 21st century student in mind. We have to also realise that
children are capable and can achieve so
much with the right guidance and understanding of the individual child.
KING DAVID PRIMARY
SCHOOLS
Ruth Isaacson (KD Linksfield Junior Primary),
Shelly Freinkel (KD Linksfield Senior Primary),
Gillian Horwitz (KD Sandton) and
Rabbi Ricky Seeff (KD Victory Park)
The King David Schools form the largest
Jewish day school body in the country. As
a result of our size, we cater to a vast
cross-section of students with different
levels of religious observance. We aim to
deliver an excellent all-round education.
The integrated curricula include a superior
general studies programme, which is
externally benchmarked, together with
Hebrew and Jewish studies programmes
built to be appropriate for our schools and
their student bodies. These syllabi are
engaging and relevant, conveying the
timeless power of Judaism and Hebrew.
Most children achieve their academic
potential while also enjoying the endless
co-curricular opportunities.