1st Annual Released Time Conference: A Success

NAPONACH, NY [CHI] — Statistic after staggering statistic. 2,444,000 1,428,000… 712,000 out of 1,084,000 Jewish Children in the USA do not receive a Jewish education. “We are going to change it all, this is our goal. We are waging an uphill battle, and we will succeed” is the way Rabbi Sadya Engel of the NCFJE opened his speech at the first Annual NCFJE Released Time Conference earlier this week.

More pictures in the Extended Article!

The two day conference is the first of a new multi-faceted initiative by the NCFJE to change the face of the young, hip, and sometimes unaffiliated new generation of American Jewry.

“Educating the Educators” is how one participant called it. The conference was attended by over 50 Rabbinical students, studying at Lubavitch World Headquarters 770, and was addressed by leading professionals, psychologists and educators.

After the initial registration the participants sat down to the first of a two- part series by the inimitable Dr. Laz who spoke about how to engage the students in an interactive form and transform the children from passive observers to active participants. He provided suggestions, tips and ideas on how to relate to the students and their lives and how to make the lesson cool and enjoyable.

Following the presentation by Dr. Laz, Professor Novack stressed the importance of this project and the responsibility that the instructors have to their young charges. He remarked that although you may not always see the results of your hard work and effort, it will always pay off in some way or another. He shared a story about a girl who had attended Released Time as a child. When she grew up, she met a non-Jewish boy and they decided to get married. As she was cleaning up her things, she found her Released Time book and because of that, decided to break up with her fiancé.

The conference included a step-by-step virtual tour of Released Time by Rabbi Zevi Shusterman, an inspiring farbrengen with Rabbi Efraim Piekarski and a Shiur Chassidus and letters of the Rebbe about Released Time shared by Rabbi Zeligson. The Bochurim were also treated to a special video of the Rebbe at an exclusive Sukkos farbrengen with the students and instructors of Released Time.

Besides for giving over tools to teaching and inspiring students during the actual Released Time hour, Rabbi Zirkind, Released Time Director, spoke about dealing with large groups of children. Rabbi Berel Bruchstat shared his experiences of visiting his students at home and Rabbi Arele Matusof spoke about the building up of a presence in a new public school and expanding the Released Time Program.

The conference concluded with Rabbi Shea Hecht, Executive Committee for N.C.F.J.E, stressing that the ultimate goal of Released Time is that the children should develop a positive relationship with their instructor and an intense pride in their Jewishness. Because of the difficulty in developing an intimate relationship with a large amount of children, he recommended that each Bochur take on two children and foster a strong personal connection with those kids.

During the closing dinner Rabbi Sholom Ber Hecht, Chairman Executive Committee for N.C.F.J.E., presented an array of Released Time ideas and ideals from its inception. Overall the conference imbued the Bochurim with an excitement and strong desire to further enhance and develop this fundamental and crucial program.

Special thanks to the National Committee for the Furtherance of Jewish Education (N.C.F.J.E.), Rabbi Zirkind, Released Time Director, and Rabbi Arele Matusof for initiating and organizing this important conference.