Samantha Erin
Rosen Nursery
School
Congregation Beth Ahm
5075 West Maple Road
West Bloomfield, MI
48322
I;
THE SAMANTHA ERIN ROSEN NURSERY SCHOOL
•Offering individualized programs in a warm and welcoming setting
perseverance to stick with it?
"Ninety-five percent of the students
who attend this school will never be
able to read. But for the overwhelming
majority, we'll see the number of chil-
dren diagnosed as learning disabled
drop."
Elyakin said that his ideas are not
new Educational philosophers have
been haranguing the establishment on
many of these issues for at least one
generation, if not two.
"Of course, these things have been dis-
cussed for 30 years, for 40 years," he said,
"but that doesn't mean you give up.
"
Building Ties
Born in Brooklyn, Elyakin
was trained as an architect.
It took four years of hanging
out with his sister, a special
educator in Israel, to change
his career plans.
"When I went there in
1976, she taught me about
the joy of teaching," he said.
"When I got back to the
United States in 1980, I
didn't want to be an archi-
tect any more."
While In Israel, he met
his wife, a nurse from Birmingham,
Mich. Margaret Elyakin is always known
as "Bunky," her husband said. "Nobody
calls her by her real name."
The couple spent another year in
Israel in 1984, where Elyakin began his
teaching career in Kiryat Yam, near
Haifa. Back in Michigan, he earned a
master's degree in special education from
Eastern Michigan University and special
education director's certificate from
Grand Valley State University.
Hired as a teacher by the Washtenaw
ISD, he was promoted to supervisor five
years ago.
"If nothing else, a supervisor or a prin-
cipal leaves as a legacy the people they
hire," he said.
"An administrator must hire and
maintain the best-qualified teachers, give
them high-quality support services and
demand that these high-quality people
use the best practices to teach all chil-
dren."
Elyakin and his wife have two chil-
dren, Shira, 10, and Natan, 3. Both
parents are highly involved in their
education, both secular and Jewish.
"When we moved here in 1985, we
were involved in Hillel at the
University of Michigan," Elyakin said.
"We joined the Conservative syna-
gogue, Beth Israel."
From there, Elyakin's involvement
snowballed. He began with the commu-
nity relations committee of the Jewish
Federation of Washtenaw County and
soon became chair of the annual cam-
paign. Last April, he chaired the organi-
zation's mission to Israel.
He is on the board of the Friends of
the Israel Defense
c_o Forces, American Jewish
• Committee and Seeds of
Peace and occasionally
serves as a consultant for
the Hebrew Day School
of Ann Arbor. Most
recently, he was elected
vice president of the
Michigan Jewish
Conference, the
statewide organization
that serves the.political
and community rela-
tions needs of
Michigan's Jewish community.
"Part of my teaching my kids Torah is
by example," Elyakin said, referring to
his daughter and son. "When my
daughter was a baby, she used to go to
meetings with me. After a while, she'd
cud up and go to sleep.
"It is important to show our children
that being Jewish is not just for Friday
night."
Elyakin said his co-workers at the
Washtenaw ISD look on him as a
resource for Judaism.
"I live a Jewish life. Though not a
`religious' man, I'm a friend of Rabbi
Aharon Goldstein [of Ann Arbor
Chabad]. I go to lunch at his house —
he's not there to 'convert' me — but
because he's my friend.
"It's all part of showing my kids that
diversity is who we are. We participate
in many diverse communities. It
enhances and enriches our lives as
Jews.'' E'
10 Openings bailable in Private Violin Studio for Violin Lessons
Farmington Hills/West Bloomfield Area at Orchard Lake & 14 Mile Rd.
LOCATED IN HUNTERS RIDGE
• Children Ages 4 and Up •All Students Welcome
•Beginning & Advanced Level Training Offered •Individual Private Lessons
•"Beginners" Class Forming • Suzuki/Traditional Methods Utilized
•Complete Beginners Welcomed •Weekday & Weekend Lesson Times
Call Sharon at (248) 865-3060 For Information
•Child-centered curriculum structured to promote emotional,
physical and cognitive growth.
•The development of the creative process, offered in an atmosphere
that reflects our Jewish tradition and heritage.
111511111MITVID
A very special morning for you and your toddler (15 - 30 months) to
meet new friends in a welcoming and fun atmosphere! Movement,
music, story-telling, art and dramatic play in a developmentally
appropriate setting. Thursdays from 9:45 - 11:15 a.m.
And that's not all!!!!
;
:
Join us on Wednesday mornings with Lynn Breuer for a Baby Music
Class, a program of songs, finger plays and rhythm.
(Use of bubbles and parachutes included)
Babies 3 months - 9 months 9:45 to 10:15
Babies 10 months - 18 months 10:30 to 11:00
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL (248) 851-8820
LEARN READ HEBREW ON-LINE
- Learn in your spare time
and at your own pace
- One on One Teacher
student interaction
T o
Attend anytime 2 4/ 7
- For teens and Adults
tEARN MORE ABOUT OUR PROGRAM GO
Fun, bandsmen, meaningful
Sunday School!
Dedicated to Jewish community, Yiddish culture,
and social Justice.
•A meaningful alternative to Jewish affiliation
• Relevant, timely holiday observances
• Intriguing education for all ages
•A warm, vibrant, creative, democratically-run
community
•Yiddish & Hebrew
26341 Coolidge (n. Oak Park) •A group to embrace your culturally mixed family
248-545-0985
• Individualized Bar & Bat Mitzvahs
micirclel@aol.com
8/15
2003
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