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Esther Zimand
Purposes
St. Louis, Missouri  | Esther Zimand |
Esther Zimand has been the Director of Melton since 1989 and has taught since 1994."Teaching, for me, enhances my job as Director," says Esther. " It gives me the opportunity to really get to know the students as they begin their first year."
There is no doubt in her mind that every student who takes Melton classes seriously grows. "I love watching how the Tanach becomes a comfortable book for them," she says, " and how they begin to feel comfortable interpreting texts on their own." Esther described a special moment that happened after class one day. Approximately half an hour after class she found three students still sitting in the atrium of their building with their notebooks continuing the discussion from class.
Esther has a degree in Jewish Education and in Mathematics from Stern College for Women of Yeshiva University and taught Judaic Studies in Day School for twelve years. She spent a year studying in Jerusalem at the Senior Educators Program of the Melton Centre and is a graduate of the Teacher Educator Institute sponsored by Mandel. "I have learned a tremendous amount from teaching adults," says Esther. "When I studied education, adult education was never mentioned. It is only through my experiences with Melton and supervising other teachers that I have become proficient in teaching adults."
Esther loves teaching the material of the Mini-School because it is so rich and ripe for questions and discussion. She also loves the students and enjoys watching them "grow". "It is so interesting for me in my capacity as Director," she says, "to sit in second year classes and watch my former students and see how far they have come."
The greatest challenge is finding enough time to study the texts in the classroom, have discussions and have the students reflect on what they learned so that they can ask questions. Advice Esther would give to new faculty is: prepare, prepare, prepare. "No matter how skilled and how knowledgeable you might be," she says, "you do yourself and your students an injustice if you are not prepared for each lesson."
Esther met her husband in summer camp in the Catskill Mountains of New York State where they were both counselors. They have six children, which includes two sets of twins. All of the children are married with children and they have 18 grandchildren. Two of their daughters live in Israel with their families. Half of their grandchildren are Israelis.
Her husband, Rabbi Ephraim Zimand, is also the Ethics teacher. They, at times, will discuss some of the texts and share a variety of interpretations. As her husband's "supervisor" they also will discuss methodology. He, too, has learned a tremendous amount about the "Melton" style of teaching. Their daughter, Dr. Elana Zimand, teaches Ethics in Atlanta. When she started teaching she and her Abba discussed strategies and shared ideas and with Esther, discussed methodology. Their son-in-law Rabbi Morey Schwartz, works in the Israel office as Curriculum Coordinator for FMAMS and Esther says they have many wonderful discussions. In particular Morey is working on the curriculum for PEP which Esther both directs and teaches. "So we really have a lot to talk about," she says.
Her favorite hobby is visiting Israel and she loves to explore archaeological sites. She used to sew a lot but now does needlework and reads.
Esther also worked in the national office for a few years doing site-visits and training teachers. "There is nothing like training others that works better to make you an "expert", says Esther. "In addition I helped develop the idea for the Israel Seminars in 1992 and have participated in many of them."
Esther says that being a good listener and knowing that the teacher and everyone in the room will learn from each students comments is important. She says she has changed tremendously in her approach to Jews of all "flavors". It is only through her work with Melton that she has had opportunities to meet people she would not have had any contact with. "All of these people have contributed to my growth and to my appreciation of Klal Yisrael."
"The major thing that separates me and the students is my experience in Jewish education and my years of learning," says Esther. "Otherwise we are the same."
Esther Zimand can be reached by e-mail at ezimand@cajestl.org
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