Netivot HaTorah Day School

Summary

43°48′32.8″N 79°26′35.8″W / 43.809111°N 79.443278°W / 43.809111; -79.443278

Netivot Hatorah Day School
Address
Map
18 Atkinson Avenue

,
Canada
Information
School typePrivate (operated by The Jack and Anne Weinbaum Education Centre)
MottoTorah, Israel, Derech Eretz
Religious affiliation(s)Zionist Modern Orthodox
Founded1984
PrincipalRabbi Dr. Raffi Cashman
PrincipalRabbi Elliot Diamond (Judaic Studies)
GradesPre-Kindergarten to Grade 8
Enrollment600
LanguageEnglish, Hebrew
AreaThornhill, ON
Colour(s)      green, blue, purple.
Team namePanthers
Websitewww.netivot.com

Netivot HaTorah Day School (Hebrew: נתיבות התורה) is a private, coeducational Orthodox Jewish elementary school in Thornhill, Ontario, Canada. As of 2008, it enrolls 600 students from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 8.[1] The school is affiliated with Mercaz (formerly known as the Board of Jewish Education), the educational pillar of the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto.

History edit

The school was founded in 1984 by Thornhill parents who sought a more religious atmosphere than that found at the decades-old Associated Hebrew Day School in North Toronto.[2] Enrollment increased from 42 students in its first year to 160 students in its second year to nearly 600 students by 2003.[3] The school moved to its present location in 1993.[4] It is now located on the same block as a newer building for the Associated school, as well as the north campus of the Leo Baeck Day School.[5] In 2008 the school opened a preschool branch on the premises of Shaarei Shomayim Congregation in midtown Toronto.[4]

Curriculum edit

In addition to the regular Ontario curriculum, the school teaches the Hebrew language, Torah subjects, and various other Jewish-related topics.[6]

The curriculum is characterized by its Modern Orthodox and Religious Zionist approach, with an emphasis on "Ivrit b'Ivrit" (Hebrew subjects taught in Hebrew) and teachers who are shlichim (Israeli emissaries living in Canada on short, three- to five-year terms). This gives students an authentic taste of modern Israeli language and culture.

Upon completing grade 8, students mostly feed into either Bnei Akiva Schools or Tanenbaum CHAT.

Congregation Ayin L'Tzion Zichron Yisroel, a Modern Orthodox, Zionist minyan, is housed in the school.[7]

Cookbook edit

In 2003 the Netivot HaTorah parents' organization published a fund-raising cookbook titled Gatherings.[8][9] Sales of the cookbook netted over $120,000 for the school in its first year of publication.[10][11]

References edit

  1. ^ "Netivot HaTorah Day School". Netivot HaTorah Day School. 2008. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  2. ^ Diamond, Etan (2000). And I Will Dwell in Their Midst: Orthodox Jews in Suburbia. University of North Carolina Press. p. 108. ISBN 0807848891.
  3. ^ Magence, Shawna; Lesser, Carol (2003). Gatherings: Creative Kosher Cooking from Our Families to Yours. Netivot HaTorah Day School. p. x. ISBN 0973360704.
  4. ^ a b Kraft, Frances (21 May 2009). "Netivot celebrates 25th anniversary". Canadian Jewish News. Retrieved 24 January 2013.[permanent dead link]
  5. ^ Horowitz, Daniel (2 May 2012). "Celebrating Israel's 64th Birthday North of Steeles Avenue". Shalom Life. Archived from the original on 13 May 2012. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  6. ^ "Curriculum Summary". Netivot HaTorah Day School. 2008. Archived from the original on 23 October 2007. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  7. ^ "About Us". Ayin L'Tzion. 2010. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  8. ^ Magence, Shawna; Lesser, Carol (2003). Gatherings: Creative kosher cooking from our families to yours. Netivot HaTorah Day School. ISBN 0973360704.
  9. ^ "Kosher Creative". Aish.com. 15 January 2005. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  10. ^ "Why I Volunteer: Shawna Magence & Carol Lesser". Jewish Toronto Online. Jewish Federations of North America. 16 December 2004. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  11. ^ "Bestselling Canadian Jewish Cookbook, Gatherings, Makes a 'Sizzle' with its Arrival in New York and New Jersey". The Jewish Press. 1 December 2004. Archived from the original on 16 February 2013. Retrieved 23 January 2013.

External links edit