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Ben Gamla: A former Miami-Dade public school teacher’s view

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By FJN Readers

 

You may be interested in some history of South Florida, particularly Miami-Dade County. When North Miami Beach Senior High School opened, I was hired to teach Hebrew. At that time, there were about four or five high schools that had Hebrew programs along with Spanish, Italian, Latin and French. Along with a colleague, I also wrote the curriculum for all the courses.

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I started my program with one class and eventually it advanced to six levels of Hebrew which included native Israelis.

I taught Hebrew in NMB for twenty-five years without a problem about teaching anything but language despite the fact that I am an Orthodox Jew and everyone knew it.

When the demographics of the neighborhood changed I stopped teaching Hebrew and taught only Spanish (which I had previously taught in addition to Hebrew) unitl I retired in the year 2000. I am now happily living in Israel with my husband and family.

I read about the Ben Gamla school and wonder what all the fuss is about. Of course, I didn’t have to worry about schools opening that would teach Arabic and Intafada, but my classes were not limited to Jewish students.

At that time, if a student wanted to take Hebrew in NMB he/she was allowed to transfer from a neighborhood school Therefore, my classes included kids from all races and religions. There was never a problem!

I was looking for a forum to express my opnion and experience and I hope enough people will read this and encourage the Broward School Board to give the Ben Gamla school a chance to do what it is slated to do.

Kol Hakavod B’hatzlacha!

 

Havivah Goldsmith
Ramat Bet Shemesh, Israel

Posted by FJN Readers on 09/07 at 02:56 PM • Hits: 101



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