FEDERATION NEWS - The Jewish Georgian

July-August 2012 THE JEWISH GEORGIAN Page 35
We are God’s partners
By Celia Gilner
On May 4, 2012, at the Kabbalat
Shabbat service and
a celebratory dinner
attended by over
one hundred people,
Barbara Kleber was
honored for fifty
years as a teacher at
Ahavath Achim’s
religious school.
Rabbi Arnold
Goodman’s letter of
Barbara Kleber
tribute stated,
“During my tenure
as Ahavath Achim’s
Rabbi[sic], it was a privilege having you
anchor our Religious school faculty with
your warmth, infectious smile, and engaging
personality. All of us who worked with
you knew we could rely upon you. You
have been a model of consistency and stability
that has inspired not only your students
but also your colleagues on staff.”
Rabbi Raphael Gold stated at the dinner,
“All the children and parents wanted to
be in her class. God sent me a gift in 1962.”
Rabbi Neil Sandler wrote, “She has
influenced three generations of Ahavath
Achim students and to continue to do so
over the course of fifty years is both
astounding and incredibly praiseworthy.”
What has contributed to her remarkable
career, and what motivates Barbara to continue
to inspire her students?
Upon meeting Barbara, you are struck
by her attractiveness, energy, and determination.
Her conversation is peppered with
references to God and her love of Judaism.
She said, “This is what I was meant to do
with my life. God expects me to teach as
long as I am able.” She believes His hand
has guided her life and spawned her lifetime
desire to teach.
As a teenager, Barbara was asked to be
an assistant teacher in the Coral Gables
Jewish Center’s 2nd grade. The Florida
conservative synagogue grew so rapidly,
that the class was divided in two. The
teacher, Janet Finkelhor, recommended 15year-old
Barbara as the instructor for one of
the classes, which she continued to teach
until her high school graduation.
While studying at the University of
Miami for her master’s degree in elementary
education, with a minor in Jewish studies,
she still managed to teach at Coral
Gables Jewish Center. She taught in a public
school for one year and part-time at the
synagogue but was asked by Rabbi Morris
Skop to start teaching there full-time.
Six years later, Rabbi Raphael Gold
interviewed Barbara for a position at
Ahavath Achim Synagogue. She had just
moved to Atlanta with her husband, Garvin,
and their sons, four-year-old Steven and
two-year-old Scott. She was anxious to
make new friends. She had an easy rapport
with Rabbi Gold, who told her, “You could
not possibly meet more people than you
will meet at Ahavath Achim.” Indeed, most
of her friendships developed and continue
at the synagogue, where she found that
women have always been welcomed and
appreciated.
Barbara had multiple opportunities to
teach in secular schools but feels there is an
additional dimension to teaching in religious
schools. She stressed that the importance
of her teaching is not its longevity but
the effect she has on the lives of others in
the framework of a Jewish education. She
hopes her pupils will continue to honor
their heritage and feel comfortable about
being Jewish. Nothing is more exciting to
her and her pupils than when their faces
light up because they understand a Bible
story, learn Hebrew, or lead others in
prayer.
“What you teach can inspire and influence
the way your pupils live and what kind
of people they become. We are God’s partners.
If I can get the children involved in the
subject they really want to learn—if they
know I care, they care; if I’m excited and
feel it is important, they do too.” Positive
reinforcement, by praising those who have
their books open and are ready to study,
motivates others to do the same. Having her
students choose between two acceptable
options involves them in the learning
process.
Fifty years of teaching has required
Barbara to go over the same material countless
times. She always learns new things in
preparing lessons, by finding a different
interpretation or a new way to relate a Bible
story to the present time. “It takes a lot of
creativity and ingenuity to keep the children
interested,” she says.
If the story is about Jacob’s dreams,
she asks the children about their dreams. If
God’s miracles and healing the sick are
being discussed, she explains how sickness
can sometimes be averted by not smoking
and by eating properly.
Barbara now teaches on Wednesday
evenings and Sunday mornings. She has a
3rd- and 4th-grade class in Bible studies
and a 5th-grade class in prayers.
Marcia Lindner, director of formal and
informal education at Ahavath Achim, was
a student of Barbara Kleber’s. Today, her
daughter Hope is in Barbara’s class, and
next year her son Seth will be. Marcia said
that students come to class on Wednesday
evenings after a full day of school, tired and
knowing they have even more homework
awaiting them. Even with their demanding
schedules, Barbara is able to capture their
attention, Marcia, says, by “her intuitive
ability to reach the students, by adapting to
their particular needs and interests. She
teaches from the heart.”
L’DOR V’DOR—FROM GENERATION
TO GENERATION
It is easy to see why teaching remains
exciting and rewarding for Barbara Kleber.
Her ideas are fresh, and her enthusiasm per-
Barbara Kleber (center) working with students and parents
meates her speech. Lucky are the thousands
of students she has touched through her talents.
In her closing remarks at the May 4
celebratory dinner, she stated, “ I have been
blessed to be able to use my ability, talent,
and passion for teaching and my love of
Judaism in such a meaningful and inspiring
way. My life has been enriched and filled
with purpose. My influence will continue to
make a difference long after my years are
over. I pray that God will grant me the ability
to continue teaching and improving others
in the years ahead.” May Barbara continue
to be an influence for good in the lives
of the children, parents, and the congregation
of Ahavath Achim Synagogue.