HEBREW SCHOOL REOPENS AT MA'OZ TZUR
(February 7, 2025) After a hiatus of almost two years The Rabbi Eliyahu Avichayil Memorial Hebrew School has reopened again this week after having been shut in the face of an ethnic cleansing perpetuated by Meitei supremacist in the capital Imphal and surrounding valley. Over the last couple of years, Ma'oz Tzur has grown to almost 20 families and a headcount of about a hundred. The population is young with a majority being 25 or under, most having fled the valley and other districts following the onslaught of armed Meitei groups such as the Arambai Tengol and Meetei Leepun. The school-going children number 34 varying in ages from 3 to 18. As per plans, the initial 5-room structure that was built in late 2023 will serve as the school building. The occupants having been provided with independent homes. A computer, a smart TV and a printer has been procured to aid studies for the school with objectives to conduct 'smart classes'. A Wi-Fi system had been installed since the last couple of months to supplement and expedite this program.
In a conversation with Ohaliav Haokip, principal designate, he takes us through the school's educational program. Haokip holds a BTech in Aeronautical Engineering from the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology besides another degree in Economics and a Masters in Data Science which was sponsored by Degel Menashe's scholarship initiatives. He explained that the classes are divided into 3 groups; Prep & Elementary consisting of children from ages 3 to 11, middle school from 12 to 14 and seniors, 15 to 18 year-olds. Prep students are basically 3 to 5 year old children and elementary are 6 to 11 year-olds studying from grades 1 through 5. Their study hours are from 10:00 am to 01:30 pm in classes taken by Leah Baite with the help of volunteers from the older children studying in senior classes. The middle school's timings are from 06:30 to 10:00 am and seniors from 04:00 to 07:30 pm both groups are taught by Haokip. There are 21 students in the prep and elementary, 7 in the middle and 6 seniors for a total of 34. About another 10 students from the Pejang community are slated to join them soon. The chairman of Pejang has said that they will build a dormitory for them at Ma'oz Tzur in the coming days. Interest has been expressed by the Petach Tikva community of joining too which is being explored as of now.
The classes intend to impart education in creative, out of the box way to make learning fun and interesting. The idea is to provoke their curiosity, says Haokip and initiate creative thinking. That being the reason for procuring the smart TV and the Wi-Fi connection. This week, being the first week of classes was a success with the children participating with great fervor. (Readers can take peek at one of the classes by clicking on this link: https://youtu.be/mecowgHG0r0?si=EpMvn7LyUnotNelb)
Haokip explained to us that the curriculum will consist of both religious as well as secular to prepare students for a spiritual fulfillment and a career. There are two teachers and another, a third one, Shimon Thomsong, who hold religious classes on Judaism for the community especially for parents who attend his classes at night. If that can be counted, it will constitute the fourth group. There are 6 who are in the senior category on the threshold of a life as an adult. The 6 will be preparing for their board examinations and have been admitted to the National Institute of Open Schooling with their fees and expenses borne by Degel Menashe. Haokip will be giving them intense preparations, akin to private tuitions, given the importance of the examinations which will decide their future careers. In addition to religious and secular studies emphasis will also be given to learn about Israel, their future home. Life in Israel, it's people, government, education, careers, job opportunities, geography, history, whatever that may be needed for a successful integration, to survive, thrive and even flourish in Israel.
The ability to reinstate this school goes to Sam Marshall and the Mumbai ORT team for their generous contribution in sponsoring three teachers, two for Ma'oz Tzur and one for Shlom Tzion at Aizawl, Mizoram. Our heartfelt thanks goes to them.
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