DRAMA IN THE CLASSROOM

R’ Tomer Rothaus, a Lubavitcher actor, decided to take his acting talent to public schools around Eretz Yisroel and teach Tanach in a dramatic way that includes the students.  He includes explanations and stories that intensify the learning experience and draws the fascination of the students to the soul of Torah. * The organization he started has grown and now employs a staff of teachers.

The Lubavitcher actor, Tomer Rothaus, entered a third grade public school classroom where he teaches “drama.”  The subject he was teaching through drama was the story of the Splitting of the Sea.  In the middle of the lesson, a girl got up and politely asked to say something.

“Moreh Tomer, do you believe that the story is true?”

R’ Rothaus, who did not expect to hear such a provocative question from a little girl, was momentarily thrown off guard.  But he quickly recovered and answered, “Every story in the Torah is absolutely true.”

“But my parents taught me that the Bible stories are made up!”

R’ Rothaus was now in a bind.  How should he react? Should he explain or deflect?  It wasn’t the girl’s fault that her parents taught her that. 

Then he had an idea.  He decided to act based on the principle with which he had founded his drama organization, L’Sachek M’Breishit.

“I greatly respect your parents and you, but at the same time I expect you to respect the truth of Judaism.”

What happened at that point was astonishing.  The children in the classroom, who had remained silent and curious as they watched this dialogue, suddenly began shouting in unison, “We believe that the story of the Splitting of the Sea really happened.”  A few minutes went by and the girl joined in and said that she also believed it.  At that point, the lesson was back on track. 

“Experiences like that make it worth getting up in the morning,” said R’ Rothaus, summing up three years of work.

Before he became religious, R’ Tomer Rothaus studied acting at the renowned acting school in Tel Aviv, Nissan Nativ, and he had started an acting career.  When he became religious, he resolved to use his acting talents to spread the wellsprings.  He is allowed by the government to enter public school classrooms with an enrichment program.  “We started with one school and now we operate in about twenty public schools in the center of the country.”

A TASTE OF TANYA

He started his acting career right after his army service.  He registered for the Nissan Nativ acting school where, out of 1500 students who apply each year, only fifteen are accepted.  He was one of the few lucky ones. 

“The classes were very demanding and exhausting and after three years of study, producers and directors started casting me in various roles in theater and movies.  I felt that my career was beginning to take off and then I decided to fly to India.”

The feeling was that after three years in the army and another three years of serious studying, he should take some time off before beginning life.  “I decided to have all the experiences India has to offer.  I went to ashrams where I took courses.  I went from city to city and as part of my India experience I also went to the Chabad House in Pushkar which is run by R’ Shimmy Goldstein.  I remember my first encounter with him; outside it was forty degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) and he was wearing woolen tzitzis and a jacket.  I realized he was very committed to his religion.”

After a Vipassana meditation course, Rothaus joined a Menorah lighting on the banks of the river and he enjoyed it.  The next encounter was more personal.  He sat with R’ Goldstein and learned Shaar HaYichud V’HaEmuna in Tanya with him. 

“Thirty minutes of conversation with R’ Shimmy were enough for me.  All the courses and experiences I’d had suddenly looked shockingly superficial and shallow and from then on, I became a regular guest at the Chabad house.

“Before I returned home, R’ Goldstein suggested that I write to the Rebbe through the Igros Kodesh.  I did so and was amazed.  The Rebbe wrote about the need to harness the media of radio and television to spread the wellsprings and not to ignore this field.  This answer impressed me and I felt I have a shlichus from the Rebbe to use my talents and abilities to be mekarev people and spread the wellsprings.  Instead of accepting jobs that were offered to me in the acting world, I started writing plays and shows in the spirit of Chassidus.”

It seems that every Lubavitcher child in Eretz Yisroel has met R’ Rothaus in one of his plays.  Along with a number of different casts, he constructed a number of fascinating shows and presentations and he has appeared with them all over the country.  The high point for him was in 5666 when he performed before the shluchim at the Kinus HaShluchim.

HOW IT ALL BEGAN

“One day, an irreligious relative asked me whether I would substitute for a drama teacher who was on maternity leave.  I was unsure about accepting the offer and was first inclined to refuse, for what kind of fit would it be for me in a public school?  And during that time I would not be performing in other venues; was it worth it?

In general, I had the feeling that the principal of the public school would not like seeing a religious bachur with tzitzis out, a kippa, and a beard.  I finally decided to do what every Chassid does in a dilemma – I wrote to the Rebbe.  I was excited by the clear answer I got.

“The Rebbe wrote, ‘Blessing and success in both your new and old work together, may you merit to instill the spirit of love for G-d and fear of G-d in all those connected to you.’  This answer did not leave me with any doubts and that week I went for an interview, and as the Rebbe wrote in his letter, I got the job.

“I decided I wouldn’t be an ordinary drama teacher.  Instead of having the children dramatize nonsense, I would use the stories in Tanach which are learned by that specific grade.  In the first part of the lesson I taught them the section in the spirit of traditional Judaism and in the second part we worked on dramatizing it.

“I wanted to instill the Torah stories, which are usually given over to them in a boring way, in an experiential way, through drama.  The curriculum was constructed so that it wasn’t preaching but greatly respectful of the target audience.  We have never been accused of religious coercion; we make Avrohom Avinu and Moshe Rabbeinu into dignified personalities, with depth.  We write all the lessons according to explanations given in Chassidic teachings.  At first there were doubts about how successful it would be, but it has worked out well.”

At the end of the first year another two schools joined and the project received the encouragement of mashpiim and rabbanim.  When the demand grew and other schools wanted to join, they had to get more teachers involved and R’ Rothaus opened a non-profit organization and included his friend from Even Yehuda, R’ Alon Simon.  They began a search for Lubavitcher teachers who were happy at the opportunity both for the salaried work and for the shlichus aspect of it.  “Today we operate in eighteen schools and have plans for expansion.”

MAKING AN IMPACT

When we spoke with the teachers, we heard many moving stories that illustrate the shlichus aspect of this educational endeavor.

“When I taught the third graders about the midwives in Parshas Shmos, one girl asked, ‘Why didn’t the midwives listen to Pharaoh?’ Another child in the class answered, ‘Because they had a Jewish soul.’  I couldn’t have given a better answer,” says one of the teachers.

That teacher told about another incident.  “One day, when we were learning about Pesach and I explained how in every generation Hashem saves us from those who wish to destroy us, we made a play about a flock of sheep grazing in the meadow and a wolf comes and the shepherd saves them.  The concluding assignment was to draw the story in their notebooks.  In the background I played a Chassidic song whose words were how Hashem saved us from the gentiles not only in the past but in every generation.  Then one of the children began to cry and we had a hard time calming him down.  We did not know why he was crying.  When he finally calmed down he said that the song moved him very much.  In Chassidic terms, his neshama was aroused.”

Another teacher told us about connections with the students’ parents and related an incident that happened with one of the other teachers in the project.

“One of our teachers met two mothers of her students after Pesach.  One of the mothers who knew the teacher introduced her enthusiastically to the other mother who did not understand what connection there was between them and the religious woman standing there.  ‘This is the girls’ drama teacher! My daughter loves your class more than all the others.  With you she feels she has an opportunity to express her abilities.  She not only teaches drama but incorporates many values into the lessons.’

“She then parenthetically added, ‘On Pesach this year, for example, my daughter did not allow chametz into the house, not even a crumb.  She said her teacher said that it’s a mitzva and a commemoration of going out of Egypt and in this merit we will have the Geula.  And that was that, we did not have any chametz in the house this Pesach at all.’

“When we tell them about upcoming holidays, we mention practices observed by all as well as Chassidic practices.  Many children hear for the first time about basic mitzvos like the blowing of the shofar, the four minim, etc.

“We are careful not to invite them to the Aseres HaDibros or to a Lag B’Omer parade because the Education Ministry does not allow that.  Nor do we want to be accused of brainwashing but we have seen how a little bit of light dispels a lot of darkness.  I heard from many teachers that their students came, for the first time in their lives, to Hakafos Shniyos or a Lag B’Omer parade.  They said that when they learned about this custom in class, it sounded special and intriguing and when they saw the advertisements in the streets, they asked their parents about going.  There’s no doubt that the influence of the children is far greater than we imagined.”

Another teacher shared what happened in her classroom.

“When we learned about the exile in Egypt, we had a discussion about how the Jewish nation did not change their names, their language, and their way of dress, despite the hardships of servitude.  I had the children divided into groups and each group had an assignment, to put on a play for the other students in which they acted the roles of Jewish families in Egypt who were dealing with the vicissitudes of enslavement.  The family members had discussions about whether they should change their names, dress, and language and assimilate within the Egyptian people or preserve their Jewish identity. 

“One after another, the students came up and performed before the class.  It was moving to hear them say firmly, ‘We will not forgo our Jewish identity! We will not forgo our Jewish language! We are not willing to change our names to Egyptian names!’

“At the end, the students were asked what they learned and one of the girls said, ‘I learned that if the Jewish people had not been stubborn to preserve their Jewish identity in Egypt, we would not be here today.’”

AN ORDER AND A DONOR THAT WERE SENT BY THE REBBE

The activities of the organization are not limited to drama lessons.  If Tomer Rothaus thought that his shlichus ended with that, he was quickly disabused of that idea.

“At the end of the first year in which I taught in three different schools, when the week before Pesach vacation came around, I was exhausted.  I had put in hours to prepare the Pesach classes and to construct successful lessons and I was feeling it.  I looked forward to vacation so I could rest and get my energy back.

“At the first opportunity I sat down to write to the Rebbe and I told him about the many difficulties I experienced.  The answer I opened to was astonishing.  The Rebbe wrote to a teacher that he was happy to hear that he planned on giving out shmura matza to his students.  The Rebbe said, ‘Surely you will give each one at least a k’zayis and you will let me know the expenses involved for it is an extremely proper thing.’  I read it and understood that the Rebbe was not giving me a vacation but more work to do.

“I called my mashpia in a tizzy and he said simply, ‘Thank the Rebbe for telling you that he will get the money for you.’

“In the three schools that I taught I had about 250 students.  I bought 11 kilograms of matza and sat until late into the night, breaking it into k’zeisim and putting them into bags which I gave out to the students that week.

“The following year there were about 3000 students who participated in our classes and I remembered the Rebbe’s instruction from the year before.  This time I looked for a donor.  Bags were prepared with matzos along with a page of customs and blessings.  I’ll never forget how when the truck came with the matzos I thought that we are marionettes and the Rebbe pulls the strings.  Without the Rebbe’s bracha I would never have thought of undertaking such a project.”

Last year, R’ Rothaus offered that whoever wanted to be registered for a letter in a Torah scroll could do so.  “I am sure that this provides protection for the children as the Rebbe said and also gives the Rebbe much nachas.”

WIDER IMPACT

In conversations with the teachers I learned that the work doesn’t start and end with the students, but impacts the staff of the schools as well, as one of the teachers relates:

“In my work at the school in this program, I spoke with the Torah teacher about what she teaches.  She told me that she explains the verses according to Israeli commentaries that she compiles from various books.  ‘And what about Rashi’s commentary?’ I asked her.  She said it wasn’t included.  I then asked her what topic she was teaching that week and I opened a Chumash to the topic she cited. The topic was the manna.  I explained to her what Rashi said and she was fascinated.  She decided that from then on, Rashi’s commentary would enrich her lessons.

“In addition, she asked me to refer her to stories of our Sages that illustrated good behavior and character.  I told her about the series, Ko Asu Chachameinu (in English, Our Sages Showed the Way) and she asked me to buy one for her.  After I bought the book, she immediately adopted it and told me that she was telling her students stories from the book to illustrate the Ten Commandments and other subjects they learned.”

It sounds ideal… Wasn’t there any hesitation on the part of the principals of these schools about having an ultra-Orthodox person come in and teach their students?

I believe that we offer a professional curriculum on a very high level and principals recognize quality.  In many of the public schools the entire field of Tanach studies is very dry and we make it interesting so they’re definitely happy about that.  Furthermore, when I walk into the classroom, I am not coming to make any baalei teshuva; there is no attempt to impose any views.  There is an attempt to present Judaism as something nice, correct, and deep.

90% of the principals and parents do not want their children or students to be ignoramuses when it comes to the Torah and so our program is well received.

And yet, does it remain nice fluff or is there any real educational value?

Of course there is.  First, we teach subjects that cover the curriculum of that class.  If that class is learning a certain parsha in Chumash, we do drama on that subject.  If the class is studying the story of Dovid HaMelech or any other story, that is what we use in our drama lessons.  What they learn in their curriculum, we take and dramatize it, of course adding to the material that they learned.

In the final five minutes of the lesson, we tell a Chassidic story that connects with the topic we learned, and with every subject that we teach, we bring in the practical aspect.  For example, when we learn the story of Avrohom Avinu who was visited by the angels because he wasn’t well after the bris, we emphasize the value of visiting the sick.  Or we will talk about respecting others, love for another, and of course the importance of hospitality.  In some instances, together with the students, we will initiate a student activity such as to commit to be members of a bikkur cholim committee, or the like.

Where does the drama part come into the lesson?

In the forty-five minute class, half or sometimes less is devoted to the concept and in the remaining time we work with the children to act out scenes that bring out the ideas we spoke about.  For example, if we are learning about Yehoshua and the spies, the children will rehearse and then put on a play connected to the story.

PROJECTED GROWTH

R’ Rothaus credits the impressive growth of the project to the major donors of the initiative, led by Keren Meromim directed by R’ Moshe Shilat, who have helped the organization grow and develop.  When we spoke with R’ Rothaus, he was in the process of enlisting new Chabad female teachers in order to respond to the demand from principals of additional schools to have the program in their schools.

“We are looking for professional teachers with a teacher’s certificate, teachers with a shlichus spirit who also want to make good money.  We are also looking for teachers that excelled in summer camps, who know how to engage children in an experiential way.  The schools that we work in are from Haifa to Ashdod.  It’s important to have experience in working with children in a school setting with knowledge of or an inclination toward drama and teaching drama, charisma, and the ability to be both authoritative and to generate enthusiasm.

“Our organization prepares the teaching materials, maintains contact with the schools, and professionally supports the teachers with hours of enrichment, training, an experienced coach and more.  We are overseen by R’ Chaim Shlomo Diskin, the rav of Kiryat Ata, along with a staff of Lubavitcher educators.”