Rabbi Eli Schindler visits Eretz Yisrael and attends a special conference reviewing the goals, growth and successes of Al Pi Darko across 6 years
Following six years of activities that have revolutionized chinuch in Eretz Yisrael and changed the lives of hundreds of children, directors of Al Pi Darko met with menahalim of participating chadarim for an inspirational summary event. In the course of the conference, the guests were exposed to the development, expansion and astounding achievements of Pele Yoetz’s flagship chinuch project since its inception only six years ago.
Rabbi Eliyahu Schindler, who founded and spearheads Al Pi Darko, arrived specially from New York to join the conference and address the guests. With brief yet emotive words, he bared his heart to the audience, describing his deep aspiration to offer the strength and support that struggling children and adolescents need in order to confront and surmount the challenges they face in life. He concluded with an expression of heartfelt gratitude to Hashem Yisborach for granting him the privilege to initiate and lead this project which is saving the spiritual lives of children day by day.
Pele Yoetz Board Member Rabbi Nesanel Tfilinsky shlit”a emceed the event. On behalf of Pele Yoetz, the participating chadarim, parents and hundreds of talmidim who have benefited from Al Pi Darko’s pioneering chinuch program, he thanked Rabbi Schindler for his perpetual support, encouragement and guidance that has changed the lives of hundreds of young talmidim in Yerushalayim, empowering them to achieve academic, social and spiritual success and remain safely ensconced in the Torah world.
Hagaon Harav Dovid Levy shlit”a, Nasi of Pele Yoetz opened with words of gratitude and praise to Rabbi Schindler. He expressed that Rabbi Schindler is no stranger to the world of investments, but he has chosen to invest in the children of Yerushalayim and its institutions through a life-saving project that brings infinite, eternal returns. He emphasized that Rabbi Schindler not only funds and raises colossal sums of money to enable the continuity of the project, but he also devotes his heart and soul to advance and expand it at every opportunity.
The Conference’s content was creatively built and presented as a large diagram depicting how Al Pi Darko impacts various groups through the model of concentric circles—from the inner circle of the talmid, to the broader circle of his family, and then to the wider circles of his class, cheider, the chinuch world as a whole, and eventually, future generations.
Al Pi Darko’s immediate effect on the individual world of the talmid was described by Rabbi Weitzhandler who has been engaged for several years as a tutor and mentor for Al Pi Darko. Rabbi Weitzhandler spoke movingly about the hard work and effort invested into each child, along with the joy and gratification that arrive when the child reaches a turning point and begins reaping successes.
Rabbi Elimelech Guttman, Al Pi Darko’s educational administrator, focused on the second circle and described how the project positively impacts the talmid’s entire family. When a child suffers from learning difficulties, the effort, time and money that it takes to treat them often take a severe toll on the family. The presence of a tutor and mentor in the child’s life alleviates stress from the parents and calms the general situation, which is a strong contributor to the child’s success.
The positive effect on the third circle—the classroom—was presented by Rabbi Shalom Donat, menahel of Talmud Torah Meor Chaim. Rabbi Donat described the intricate dynamics that develop in a classroom when even one student suffers learning or social difficulties. A single difficult student can drain a mechanech’s energy, attention and time, making it impossible for him to teach effectively or provide ample attention to other talmidim.
Over the past 6 years A Pi Darko had nipped this problem in the bud in many classrooms by advancing children academically and socially, which positively impacts not only the individual student, but the entire class as well.
Rabbi Shalom Gantz, menahel of Talmud Torah Karlin-Stolin and a well-known authority on chinuch, spoke about Al Pi Darko’s impact on the fourth circle, which is the entire school or cheider. He emphasized that Al Pi Darko’s mentorship model contributes positively to the entire atmosphere in the cheider.
The long term effect on the fifth circle—the world of chinuch—was described by Rabbi Avraham Vitman, Al Pi Darko’s educational advisor and project director. Rabbi Vitman quoted Hagaon Harav Dovid Levy shlit”a who often expresses that chinuch issues should be evaluated with the perspective of five years ahead. Once the potential results and consequences of an issue and how they express themselves in the future are clearly defined, one can work backwards to decide how to best treat and resolve it. Using this perspective, it is clear that Al Pi Darko is having an incredible impact on the Torah and chinuch world as a whole.
In conclusion, how Al Pi Darko impacts the sixth circle—future generations—was addressed by Rabbi Menachel Sheinberger, General Manager of Pele Yoetz. Rabbi Sheinberger expressed that people often describe Yerushalayim as “the heart of the world,” and that much of Yerushalyim’s charm is due to the special people who live, raise their children there, and choose to send them to the best schools and chadarim in the city with the goal of raising them along the path of Torah and yiras Shamayim in the ways of our ancestors.
“Here,” declared Rabbi Sheinberer, “we are privileged to be sitting together with menahalim from the finest schools in Eretz Hakodesh who have all gathered to expand the scope of Al Pi Darko’s efforts to benefit our youth.”
At the close of the evening, Rabbi Eliyahu Schindler distributed a gift to each participant and personally wished him brachah and hatzlachah in his future endeavors.
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