The Gemara in Megilla (6B), relates the following:
“Rabbi Yitzchok says: [One who says] I have labored and not found success, do not believe; [one who says] I have not labored but I have found success, do not believe; [one who says] I have labored and I have found success, believe.”
There are myriad ways R’ Yitzchok’s statement can be applied to Ohr Chadash Academy’s staff, teachers, students, parents, and community. It is, however, particularly relevant to a momentous project OCA has embarked on over the past two and a half years. In 2021, OCA’s Board tasked Dr. Deborah Rapoport and her administrative team with obtaining accreditation for Ohr Chadash Academy from the Association of Maryland Independent Schools (AIMS).
The AIMS accreditation process involved an extensive (nearly 300 page) self-study and culminated in a three-day visit to the school by a national team of experienced educators. The self-study challenged literally every member of OCA’s staff to review their work, the school’s curriculum, programming, policies, procedures, culture, mission, and values. The effort expended by our teachers and staff cannot be overstated. Board members volunteered extra time to help compile the board section of the self-study and parents sacrificed valuable time to meet with the accreditation team during their visit in March.
The culmination of this community wide effort is the summary accessible here. It provides accolades for the growth Ohr Chadash Academy has labored to produce over the past thirteen years and areas to focus on in the next stage of the school’s life cycle.
To each administrator who labored through the self-study and showed the best of our school to the visiting team: thank you. It is because of your efforts, vision, and leadership that the OCA Community has found and will with GD’s help will continue to find success.
To each and every teacher who labored through the self-study and shared your inspiration and gifts with the visiting team: thank you. It is because of your efforts that our school and our precious children will find success for decades to come.
To my fellow Board Members: our Hakarat HaTov (thanks) is owed to Mrs. Lanie Carter who selflessly completed the lion’s share of the Board’s portion of the self-study. Thanks to each of you as well for your leadership that allows OCA to remain true to its Mission and Torah Values.
To my fellow Executive Committee Members: thank you for your constant support for the school, for meeting with and inspiring the accreditation team, and for guiding OCA’s Board and Leadership through our turbulent world.
To our Head of School, Dr. Deborah Rapoport: thank you for conducting the symphony that is OCA’s stakeholders through the lengthy and arduous AIMS application process. Your leadership in developing the quality and strength of our staff, teachers, and the education OCA provides has made our accreditation possible.
To my fellow members of the Ohr Chadash Academy Community: thank you for your steadfast support and advocacy for our school. Our strong sense of community was evident to the AIMS committee.
Speaking of our Community:
In Parshat Shoftim, the Jewish People are reminded by Moshe Rabbenu that the Tribe of Levi does not receive a portion in the Land of Israel as “GD is their portion” (Devarim 18:2). Maimonides explains the Levite’s job was to educate and serve GD on behalf of the other Tribes to sustain them spiritually, therefore it was the other Tribe’s obligation to provide for the Levites’ physical needs through tithes, offerings, and gifts.
Similarly, in this week’s Parsha, we are reminded that before we eat from the fruits of our labors, we must first feed those who sustain us (the Levites) and those who cannot sustain themselves (specifically orphans and widows). We are even commanded to state a long and detailed oath before GD before taking part in our own consecrated produce testifying to the truth that we fulfilled our spiritual obligations with our fruits before enjoying them ourselves (Devarim 26:12:15).
Modern Poskim, among them the C’Tav Sofer and Rabbi Moshe Feinstein (C’Tav Sofer & Dibros Moshe both on Parshas Shoftim 18:2), extrapolate from the obligation of feeding the Children of Levi, the Torah educators of their day, an obligation support Jewish schools in our time.
All of you reading this are in some way supporters of Ohr Chadash Academy. Without each of you, we could not labor and we could not find success, nor would our work be sustainable. May we together go from Strength to Strength.
Thank you, שבת שלום, וכתיבה וחתימה טובה!