Welcome from the Director of Admissions

Bailey Daniels, Director of Admissions and Marketing

Hello, and thank you for taking the time to learn more about The Toronto Heschel School!

Heschel is a multifaceted gem of a school, gleaming from numerous directions as you examine it from various angles. Many aspects of our school are distinct from other Jewish day schools. We offer an arts-based, interdisciplinary curriculum; immersive Hebrew within a warm multidenominational Jewish community; deep social-emotional learning; and an emphasis on social responsibility and environmental stewardship.

Our overall approach also differs from Jewish day schools of old. Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel said:

One of the goals of the Jewish way of living [is] to experience commonplace deeds as spiritual adventures, to feel the hidden love and wisdom in all things.
—

We aim to inspire a sense of awe and wonder in our students. In turn, they are full of curiosity and a love of learning, becoming independent, creative and critical thinkers who eventually succeed in a multitude of fields.

I invite you to explore and discover what The Toronto Heschel School is all about. This website is full of different ways to delve into Heschel! You may want to start by:

  1. Reading The Heschel Experience and Thinking and Learning sections, especially the Integrated Curriculum page, and The Dramatized Haggadah as an example of integrated learning;
  2. Sampling articles in THINK Magazine, such as Education for the Next Generation, A Thoughtful Jewish School, and more; and
  3. Taking a 360° virtual tour of the building, allowing you to meet some of our teachers by playing videos shot in each classroom.

All of these avenues are great ways to build your understanding and appreciation of what Heschel has to offer. There are so many excellent resources to explore (and so little time!), but choosing your children’s school is one of the most important decisions you will make as a parent. Families that have chosen Heschel embrace the community and are very passionate about the school. I would be very happy to introduce you to some of them if you would like to get the parent perspective.

I also invite you to visit the school. There is nothing like seeing the space to help you get a feel for the place. I am currently offering in-person tours after school, or I would be happy to take you on a Zoom tour of the classes while they are in session.  We are also hosting an in-person Sukkot party for children aged 18 months to 6 years on Sunday, September 26 at 10 am – click here to RSVP!

Finally, if you would just like to chat about whether Heschel might be a good fit for your children, please contact me by phone at 416-635-1876 x.334 or by email at admissions@torontoheschel.org and I will be delighted to assist!

Happy exploring!

Bailey Daniels

Director of Admissions and Marketing

 

Admissions