A Parent Looks Back
By Sharon G. Newman
We enrolled our daughters at Levey Day School when we first moved
from Cleveland to Maine in 1996. Growing up in Philadelphia, I had
attended a Jewish day school (grades K-5), and I knew that I wanted a
similar education for our children. I was delighted (and amazed) that
such a small Jewish community offered a day school program and, for
me, it was a factor in our decision to move here. My husband Perry, on
the other hand, had attended public schools, and it took some effort to
persuade him that this would be a good choice.
Looking back, we agree that sending our girls to Levey was one of the
best decisions we have ever made for them and for us as a family.
Hallie and Lennie received a superb general education while they were
at Levey. Their teachers, Debbie Kantor and Leslie Wilhelm, truly knew
them as individuals, had an intimate understanding of their learning
styles and personalities, and were deeply committed to fostering their
progress academically and socially. Hallie and Lennie have had some
excellent teachers since they left Levey, but none better.
We found that they were more than well-prepared by the Levey
curriculum for their transition to public school. Every child is unique, but
we feel that early exposure to a bilingual environment not only was
beneficial to their early cognitive development, but also improved their
foreign language acquisition generally.
The Jewish education they received has had a lasting effect, despite the
fact that they could not remain at Levey past second grade (in those days
the school had not yet achieved its current grade level). Nonetheless,
early intensive exposure paid many dividends. Hebrew is second nature
to them, so when we attend services at Congregation Bet Ha’am, they
are completely familiar and comfortable with the prayer book. Morning
tefilah (prayer) was a happy time for them at Levey, full of song, a chance
to be with friends. Their earliest associations with tefilah were those of
fun, not “do I have to go?” Both have remained committed to completing
their religious studies at Bet Ha’am.
Jewish holidays are fully celebrated at Levey. Torah study and Jewish
values are integrated into the curriculum. At Levey, there was (and is) a
relaxed and seamless connection between life and Judaism that is
difficult to experience outside of travel to Israel or a summer at a Jewish
sleep away camp. Hallie and Lennie are most fortunate to have had a
taste of what it is like for Judaism to be lived normally, as a matter of
course, especially since they have had many years of being “different” at
other schools.
Because Levey is a community day school, not affiliated with any
particular movement of Judaism, our children also had the unusual
experience of being friends with a diverse group of other Jewish
children. They also got to know all of the Portland rabbis, who were
regular visitors to the school. They learned at an early age that there is
more than one way to be Jewish. I believe that those early experiences
have given them a foundation for acceptance of differences that extends
well beyond their Jewish identity. Knowing truly and deeply who you are
enables you to see differences as intriguing rather than threatening. In
our multicultural society, that is a gift.
We are delighted with the progress that the school has made since our
daughters were students at Levey -- a new building, expansion to grade
five, and implementation of an innovative modern Hebrew language
program. Hallie and Lennie have been a part of Levey’s special role in
the history of the Portland Jewish community. We look forward to the
future as the school goes “from strength to strength.”
BACK TO NEWS
We enrolled our daughters at Levey Day School when we first moved
from Cleveland to Maine in 1996. Growing up in Philadelphia, I had
attended a Jewish day school (grades K-5), and I knew that I wanted a
similar education for our children. I was delighted (and amazed) that
such a small Jewish community offered a day school program and, for
me, it was a factor in our decision to move here. My husband Perry, on
the other hand, had attended public schools, and it took some effort to
persuade him that this would be a good choice.
Looking back, we agree that sending our girls to Levey was one of the
best decisions we have ever made for them and for us as a family.
Hallie and Lennie received a superb general education while they were
at Levey. Their teachers, Debbie Kantor and Leslie Wilhelm, truly knew
them as individuals, had an intimate understanding of their learning
styles and personalities, and were deeply committed to fostering their
progress academically and socially. Hallie and Lennie have had some
excellent teachers since they left Levey, but none better.
We found that they were more than well-prepared by the Levey
curriculum for their transition to public school. Every child is unique, but
we feel that early exposure to a bilingual environment not only was
beneficial to their early cognitive development, but also improved their
foreign language acquisition generally.
The Jewish education they received has had a lasting effect, despite the
fact that they could not remain at Levey past second grade (in those days
the school had not yet achieved its current grade level). Nonetheless,
early intensive exposure paid many dividends. Hebrew is second nature
to them, so when we attend services at Congregation Bet Ha’am, they
are completely familiar and comfortable with the prayer book. Morning
tefilah (prayer) was a happy time for them at Levey, full of song, a chance
to be with friends. Their earliest associations with tefilah were those of
fun, not “do I have to go?” Both have remained committed to completing
their religious studies at Bet Ha’am.
Jewish holidays are fully celebrated at Levey. Torah study and Jewish
values are integrated into the curriculum. At Levey, there was (and is) a
relaxed and seamless connection between life and Judaism that is
difficult to experience outside of travel to Israel or a summer at a Jewish
sleep away camp. Hallie and Lennie are most fortunate to have had a
taste of what it is like for Judaism to be lived normally, as a matter of
course, especially since they have had many years of being “different” at
other schools.
Because Levey is a community day school, not affiliated with any
particular movement of Judaism, our children also had the unusual
experience of being friends with a diverse group of other Jewish
children. They also got to know all of the Portland rabbis, who were
regular visitors to the school. They learned at an early age that there is
more than one way to be Jewish. I believe that those early experiences
have given them a foundation for acceptance of differences that extends
well beyond their Jewish identity. Knowing truly and deeply who you are
enables you to see differences as intriguing rather than threatening. In
our multicultural society, that is a gift.
We are delighted with the progress that the school has made since our
daughters were students at Levey -- a new building, expansion to grade
five, and implementation of an innovative modern Hebrew language
program. Hallie and Lennie have been a part of Levey’s special role in
the history of the Portland Jewish community. We look forward to the
future as the school goes “from strength to strength.”
BACK TO NEWS
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Levey Day School
A Community Jewish Day School
