Q&A: Brandeis School Places Priority on Jewish Identity

While practically every other Jewish school in the Five Towns serves the Orthodox population, the Brandeis School exists somewhere between the yeshivas and public schools, according to Raz Levin, who took over as head of school this school year.

Levin, an Israeli immigrant who joined the staff at Brandeis about 11 years ago as a Hebrew teacher, was promoted to assistant principal in 2010. As the new head of school, he’s already been credited by parents as strengthening the Brandeis experience and was the honoree at the school’s recent 83rd anniversary dinner dance.

Patch recently sat down with Levin to discuss what makes Brandeis unique.

What is most appealing about working at Brandeis?

The moment I joined the Brandeis force, I felt at home. The values we hold are not only Jewish values, but they’re my own personal values. There are three fields we emphasize: the secular department and being a model American citizen; the Judaic department and being part of the Jewish nation; and the strong connection to the State of Israel. Those are three worlds that I see intersect on so many levels at Brandeis.

What new things do you hope to bring to the school?

The nursery program is something new this year. In a competitive world, you need to have some kind of community to feed on. When the parents understand the advantage of this school, they’ll keep their kids in this school. A well-rounded Jew, when they grow up, tends to focus on their secular subjects. That’s why we try to establish the foundation of a Jewish person in their early years.

There are a lot of Jewish private schools in the Five Towns. What makes Brandeis stand out?

Although Brandeis is affiliated with the Conservative Movement, that’s not 100 percent accurate. We’re more religious than the average school in Israel. We have morning prayers and require boys wear a Kippah. We have Shabbat attire on Friday. In that way, we’re like an Orthodox school.

On the other hand, during the week we do keep a respectful dress code, but we don’t require skirts and tzitzit. We keep kosher.

However, we give 60 percent of our schedule to secular studies. Brandeis students are one step ahead getting into college. Our kids end up in honor classes in high school.

Looking around, people here have options. They can go to the public schools or a yeshiva. We’re somewhere in the middle.

Would it be fair to say that Jewish identity is more important here than studying Jewish law?

What we compromise is the amount of information we give from holy books. We definitely focus more on the Jewish identity and belonging to the Jewish nation. My catchy phrase is, ‘Here, we choose how to be part of the Jewish World.’

We look at what the expected graduate of Brandeis will look like. These kids will eventually be committed to the Jewish world because they want to be, not because they’re forced to be.

Would you like to add anything else?

I love what I’m doing because Brandeis is me. People ask me where I would send my kids — there’s no doubt. The Israel, Jewish and secular connections are exactly what I would need for my own kids. For an Israeli, to come to school and see the Israeli flag, to hear three year olds to eighth graders sing the Hatikva, to see eighth graders doing a presentation about the Holocaust, it’s an important thing. Brandeis would be the only option for me.