Workshop Helps Tanya Teachers Connect Students to Tanya
Middle school and high school Tanya teachers joined the Merkos Chinuch Office for a practical online workshop focused on helping students connect to Tanya in a real and personal way.
The workshop, titled “Tanya in Real Life,” brought together grades 6–12 Tanya teachers for an evening of guidance, classroom tools, and shared discussion as the school year comes to a close.
The program featured presentations by Rabbi Moshe Kesselman, Rov and Tanya teacher in Los Angeles, and Mrs. Shterna Ginsberg, educator, mashpia, and author, who offered practical ideas for showing students how the lessons of Tanya speak directly to their daily struggles, choices, emotions, and avodas Hashem.
“Tanya isn’t a subject to learn, it’s a way to live,” said Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, General Chairman of Merkos’s Chinuch Office. “When taught right, the impact on a student stays with them for a lifetime.”
Rabbi Kesselman gave seven tips for becoming a stronger teacher, emphasizing that a Tanya teacher must be personally engaged in the work of Tanya and serve as a living example for students. When Tanya is lived by the teacher, its lessons are carried out in a real way and not reduced to philosophy.
Mrs. Ginsberg spoke about bringing Tanya into the emotional world of students, helping them see how its teachings relate to what they feel, struggle with, and experience in everyday life. She also emphasized the value of learning Tanya with others, creating space for discussion, connection, and shared growth.
The workshop emphasized that making Tanya relatable does not mean changing or simplifying its message. Rather, it means helping students see how Tanya itself gives them language, clarity, and tools to understand themselves and serve Hashem in a deeper way.
Following the presentations, teachers shared classroom experiences, discussed challenges, and exchanged ideas for strengthening next year’s Tanya classes. The collaborative format gave mechanchos a space to learn from one another and plan for the coming year.
As part of the follow-up from the event, teachers can watch the replay at chinuchoffice.org/tanya, or listen to the workshop on Spotify.
Teachers can also access a collection of letters from the Rebbe about learning Tanya and the impact it can have, available here.
Women Tanya teachers are also invited to join a dedicated WhatsApp group where they can connect with fellow Tanya teachers, share ideas, ask questions, and continue collaborating throughout the year.
The workshop is part of the Merkos Chinuch Office’s continued efforts to support mechanchim and mechanchos with practical trainings, resources, and opportunities for collaboration.
Teachers left with practical ideas and renewed focus, ready to bring Tanya into their classrooms next year in a way that connects to students’ daily lives.
