Laurie & Joe Brofsky - Hewlett E. Rockaway Jewish Center

our jewish future
nursery school
CHERYL KARP
The following quote from The Little
Prince has served me well as an educator
and nursery school director:
“That which is essential is invisible
to the eye.” It always reminds me
that the measure of our worth is
inside our heads and hearts and not
in what we possess. It is a message to
all parents and anyone associated
with education that the thoughts and feelings of children
are what truly matter. As we near the end of
school, I am comforted to see our children move forward
with more compassion and a kinder heart, a better
sense of responsibility, and an ever-growing love for
learning.
Children should always be our prime concern. We
need to create peace in the world by first creating peace
in our families and schools. We all must provide the
richest environment possible so that our children grow
up to express their fullest humanity. At HERJC Nursery
School, our teachers and I try to teach children the art
of relating to each other with kind words that express
their feelings. Our number one concern is to make sure
every child is provided with enough decision making
and problem-solving experiences that will one day
serve him or her well as an adult.
It is said that while you grow out of everything else
in life, you never recover from childhood. Adult behavior
indelibly marks the hearts of kids. It is critical we
make time to listen to our children so they will learn
how to do the same for others. We must give our children
the gift of time, which allows them to learn how to
solve a problem on their own. Our teachers spend a
good part of each day, stooping down to listen to the
children.
I would like to thank all the nursery parents who
believe as we do that there is only one rule to follow
each and every day, and that is to BE KIND! Your support
and kindness for my entire professional staff and
me is both inspirational and motivational. We truly feel
your partnership in this incredible journey.
A special thank you goes to the entire HERJC School
Board, the professional staff and my wonderful secretaries
for the outstanding job they do to make this a
“happy home” for both children and parents.
Early childhood educators know that in our work the
rewards aren’t in dollars earned but in knowing that our
love makes a difference in children’s lives and in the
world at large. My deepest thanks to all my teachers
who taught the children to sing, dance, learn, love and
care for one another. Thank you for seeing your work as
a “hug above” other jobs.
Marie Montessori said “The aim of education should
not be to teach how to use human energies to improve
our environment, for we are finally beginning to realize
that the cornerstone of education is the development of
the human personality. In this regard, education is of
the immediate importance for the salvation of
mankind.” Our future rests in the caring and loving
deeds we show our children and the encouraging words
we give them. This will plant the seeds for a rich harvest
for tomorrow’s adults and the world they’ll live in.
Have a wonderful summer!
The Nursery School and Religious School would like to thank TERRI AND STEVEN GOLD
for their generous donation of Gold’s Horseradish for all of our school seders.
No one else could ever make the “bitter” so sweet!
page 18 MAY/JUNE 2011 www.herjc.org HAKOL