Hebrew Teachers Form National Organization

(Jewish Daily Bulletin)

A national organization of Hebrew teachers and principals was formed at the convention of Hebrew educational workers which concluded its sessions here this week. Dr. N. Touroff was elected honorary president of the organization.

In a paper read to the convention, Dr. Emanuel Gameron, educational director or the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, pointed out the importance of the teacher’s place in American Jewish education. A study of three hundred teachers in New York City showed that 82 per cent. are men and 64 per cent. are married, thus indicating a group ready to make Jewish education a profession.

American Jewry, he said, is not giving attention either to the improvement of the status of Jewish education in general or Hebrew teachers in particular. In New York City the Jewish child population has increased by about 47,000 in the last ten years. The Hebrew schools founded during the past ten years accomodate only 15,000 of these. The educational problem thus increases at the rate of 30,000 unschooled children every ten years, he declared.

Israel Chipkin reported the Hebrew teacher’s salary is still 12 per cent below the cost of living. The average Hebrew teacher’s salary based on the study by Ben Rosen of Philadelphia for ten cities, including New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Boston, is $1,560. The public school teacher’s average salary for the same cities is $1,968. It is high time for the Jewish community to take the burden of the economic improvement of the Hebrew teacher from the shoulders of professionals and give it to the laity where it belongs, he said.