We join Baltimoreans in mourning the petira of our beloved Rabbi Diskind, zt”l. Much has been said – much will be continue to be said – about his warmth, his kindness, and his profound contribution to the education of our girls. In his memory, we reprint this interview. Although it appeared 22 years ago, in 1991, the wisdom of Rabbi Diskind’s words still apply.

What could be more appropriate on a Friday morning than the aroma of Shabbos that greeted me at the home of Rabbi and Mrs. Hirsch Diskind. The table was set, the candles ready. The house

This fall, Bnos Yisroel and Torah Institute switched their pre-algebra curriculum to a state-of-theart, “blended learning” course that has students newly motivated to learn and achieve in math. What is even more impressive is that the course is homegrown; it

was developed in its entirety by three administrators at the schools.

A year ago, Bnos Yisroel and Torah Institute were chosen to receive a grant from the Avi Chai Foundationto develop a blended learning math course for their schools. This grant was a result of the initiative of Dr. Harry Bloom, strategy manager of Yeshiva University’s Partnership for Excellence in Jewish Education,

Across the street from Kiryat Sefer, with its tall apartment buildings, and just down the road from the gleaming new city of Modiin, the homes of Moshav Matityahu nestle amid graceful shaded pathways, stores, playgrounds, and a modern shul and school buildings. A bit further out lie fields and vineyards planted by its original settlers over 20 years ago. At that time, the settlement was a dusty, isolated plot of land just across the Green Line, and its 11 families were olim (immigrants) from the States beset by the difficulties of their new endeavor.

Meanwhile,