An emphasis on the basics

PAT JOHNSON REPORTER

To Rabbi Pinchas Levy, the study of Oral Law – the Talmud – is more than a religious mitzvah. It helps children (and adults) develop strong critical thinking and also provides a foundation for religious practice so that being an observant Jew is more than just going through the motions on holidays.

Levy's belief in the importance of the study of Oral Law means that students at Vancouver Talmud Torah elementary and high schools will experience a greater emphasis on this facet of their education beginning this year. Levy arrived in Vancouver from Israel this month to take up the position as head of the schools' Judaic studies programs. He replaces Rabbi Igael Minerbi, who was on a similar exchange program and has returned to Israel.

Though the deeply philosophical study of Oral Law may be daunting to young students, Levy said, it is the foundation of all Jewish philosophy and can provide a rich basis for intellectual pursuits both religious and secular.

"People who really get into it seriously understand the importance," he said.
In addition to adding emphasis to the study of Oral Law, Levy hopes to improve students' Hebrew-language skills, envisioning a class of Grade 7 students graduating into high school fluent in the tongue.

Levy is in Vancouver on a three-year assignment arranged through the Jewish Agency. (The term could be extended after the three years are up.) He and his wife, Sima, and their three young daughters have already had their eyes opened to some of the differences between Israel and the Diaspora, said the rabbi – in a positive sense.

In Israel, he explained, there is enormous antipathy on the part of secular Israelis toward the religious. In Vancouver, he has observed, there is much more interplay between these segments of the Jewish community. He is pleased to see that large audiences of non-Orthodox or relatively secular Jews will come out to hear a lecture by an Orthodox scholar.

"The difference in attitude here is, from my point of view, amazing," said Levy.
But he has few illusions about the tasks facing him, either.

"Jewish education in the Diaspora is a great challenge," he said. For example, students at Talmud Torah come from the entire spectrum of Jewish observance, making it especially important to tailor lessons to cover the broad expanse of students' backgrounds. What Levy emphasizes – which is not always the case in religious instruction – is a willingness to entertain any question posed in a respectful way. He recognizes that some parts of a lesson may be beyond a student's understanding and he insists that no student will be left behind.

Moreover, he views education as a process that may not see fruition immediately.
"Education is like a long run, not a sprint," he said. The seeds of curiosity planted early may take time to sprout.

Levy comes from Kiryat Motzkin, near Haifa. Though he made aliyah with his family before he was three years old, he speaks English with the distinctive British accent of his birthplace. He has the Israeli equivalent of a master's degree in education and has been teaching for 11 years, including assignments as a professional development instructor for teachers.

Having been in Canada for a few short weeks, Levy knows his preconceptions are likely to be challenged, especially as school begins next week. There will be aspects of Diaspora life that may jar his sense of propriety. But he is equipped with a healthy sense of humor to help him through. He invokes the story of an uncle, a kibbutznik who was travelling in the Diaspora and entered a synagogue, attired informally. The uncle was approached by a shul official who admonished him: "We're accustomed to a suit and tie in synagogue."

The uncle responded: "And we're accustomed not to drive to shul."

^TOP