Educational director Phyllis Mintz in the classroom; she has retired after 21 years with the religious school at Temple Beth El in Oakhurst.
Photo by Jill Huber
June 24, 2008
When Phyllis Mintz began teaching at the religious school of Temple Beth El in Oakhurst in 1987, she found an outlet for two of the most important aspects of her life: a love of Jewish education and the opportunity to share that passion with young minds.
Mintz retired in June after 21 years at the temple, the last 11 years as the school’s educational director; temple administrator Vickie Amron has taken over as religious school director.
Mintz began her tenure at the Conservative temple by teaching the third and fourth grades from 1987 to 1997. When she was asked to become educational director in 1997, when her predecessor moved out of state, she didn’t hesitate to accept the offer.
“I was given the chance to share the beauty and richness of Jewish culture with children who were beginning to learn how to embrace their Jewish identity,” she said. “It was the perfect way to establish a course of learning and enrichment that these students could carry with them throughout their lives.”
Mintz said her love of children and her devotion to their Jewish education have guided her throughout her career.
“I never regarded my job as ‘work,’” she said. “I loved being with the children and watching their learning process grow and mature. Seeing this process has made everything worthwhile. When students I knew earlier in my career now bring their own children to visit me, I see how their lives have evolved and that they are carrying on the concept of Jewish education. And I think the concept will continue to evolve — and that’s something very special to an educator.”
Mintz has lived in Middletown for 37 years with her husband, Barry, an account executive for an audio/video sound company. The couple has three grown daughters and three grandchildren (with another on the way). Mintz was raised in an Orthodox home in Brooklyn, attended high school at the borough’s Bais Yaakov Yeshiva, and earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Brooklyn College.
Not long after moving to Monmouth County in 1972, Mintz found a friend and mentor at another area synagogue, who encouraged her to pursue her interest in teaching Jewish studies.
“It wasn’t a ‘hard sell’ by any stretch of the imagination,” she laughed. “It all came about very naturally, because being involved in teaching Jewish studies was something I always, always wanted to do.”
She began to attend religious education workshops, a practice she continues.
“You’re never, ever done learning,” said Mintz, and when Beth El put out the call for a religious school teacher in 1987, she was ready for the challenge.
“I’ve always said that every child is an individual and should be treated with respect,” Mintz said. “It’s our job to inspire each child to become a mensch — a good human being. If we can teach them to be good people, that’s a lesson they’ll take with them when they go out into the world.”
The temple’s religious school has 11 teachers and approximately 100 students in Torah for Tots through seventh grade. And each student is like a member of Mintz’s family.
“I’m a mother first and foremost, and then I’m a principal,” she said. “I feel that I’ve been helping to take care of our religious school children for a long time, and being both a mother and a principal has given me the incentive to forge a bond of respect with the students. As educators, we have to respect them in order for them to respect us.”
Throughout her years at Beth El, Mintz said, she made it a point to engage the students in casual conversation on a regular basis, which led to better communication between teachers and students.
“If you’ve established this rapport, you can often see if a student is struggling,” she said. “That’s when you try your hardest to reach out, and there are a lot of resources at your disposal. The bottom line is that every child is worth teaching — if you reach out to them, they’ll reach out to you.”
Her legacy of trust and understanding has become a permanent resource at Beth El, according to Rabbi Gordon Yaffe, the congregation’s religious leader.
“Phyllis was always interested in the welfare of our students,” Yaffe said. “She always had their best interests at heart. She brought her love for Judaism and passion for teaching to our children, and created a warm and conducive atmosphere in which they could learn.”
In recognition of her record of achievement, Mintz received an award of merit at a May 9 Shabbat service at the temple.
Mintz and her husband are now anticipating spending their “golden years” with friends and family, but, she said, the value of Jewish education will never be far from her thoughts.
“We have to teach our children that the world will always be a complicated place,” she said, “but that reliance on faith and Jewish teachings can bring perspective. Judaism is steeped in tradition that can help build self-esteem and establish a balance in life.”
--TOP--
- Comment: comments@njjewishnews.com
