Bringing Israel to Chicago Day School Students

The Eretz Chemda program now has teaching partnerships with 60 schools around the world. Photo credit: Moshe Efrati and Rachel Levin

Cutting-edge virtual learning program expands to reach schools worldwide

It may be a gray, rainy morning in Chicago, but when select Jewish day school students log into class at Eretz Chemda, they are immediately transported to a bright, sunny day in Israel, no matter the season.

A pioneer in distance learning, the Eretz Chemda program of the “Beit Midrash For Halacha in Agriculture” has been offering online Judaic studies lessons broadcast live from Har Nof long before the COVID-19 pandemic made Zoom a household name. The program is geared toward 5th and 6th graders and is fully adaptable to different academic levels and educational goals.

“The boys in my class are always asking if we have Eretz Chemda today and are very excited when we do,” says Rabbi Yisroel Meir Schwarcz, a 5th-grade teacher at Arie Crown Hebrew Day School in Skokie. “The lessons are very clear and entertaining, and it really gives them even more excitement for wanting to go visit Israel. The teachers are energetic and really connect with the boys–which is super hard, being that it is all on video!”

Teachers in Israel deliver lessons to classrooms around the world.

Established nearly a decade ago with just four partner schools in North America, the Eretz Chemda program now has teaching partnerships with 60 schools around the world–including two in the Chicago area (Arie Crown and Hillel Torah). Though many virtual resources now exist for students in the Diaspora to learn about Israel, no other program offers live, interactive lessons taught directly to individual classes by teachers in Israel–just like they would experience if they were there in person.

“Our teachers work from 3:30 p.m. Israel time to almost midnight so that we can show up live during the school day for kids throughout the East Coast, West Coast, Canada, and South Africa,” says Rabbi Michael Merrill, the program’s director of education.

Due to its rising popularity, demand for the program is ever-increasing. With support from Walder Foundation, Eretz Chemda was recently able to hire a third teacher and build a new on-site classroom in order to serve more students abroad. Funding has also enabled them to redo their course workbook and digital materials to ensure that everything they share with students stays up-to-date and engaging.

“Often, religious studies workbooks are way behind the quality of general studies materials,” said Merrill. “We want to make sure we’re always on the same level or above. We don’t want kids to look at our stuff and think it’s subpar.”

With their increased capacity, the program now hopes to build additional partnerships with Chicago-area schools and beyond.