North Shore Hebrew Academy Head Rabbi Jeffrey Kobrin said he was “humbled” by his experience at the White House for a Teacher Appreciation Day program on May 3.
“I found it tremendously inspirational and a tremendous honor to be representing hundreds of people in my particular section of the educational field,” Kobrin said. “That they included me was a greater honor personally.”
Every year during Teacher Appreciation Week, White House officials invite educators across the country for a special program held by President Barack Obama in which he honors the national teacher of the year.
Of the more than 300 teachers at the event, Kobrin said, he was the lone representative from a Yeshiva.
He said he was nominated to attend the program by someone he works with at the Orthodox Union, an educational, outreach and social service organization with offices in Washington, D.C.
Kobrin said Obama addressed the educators in attendance and thanked them for their efforts in providing the nation’s students with a well-rounded education.
“This is really just to say thank you and make people feel good about what they do and what makes teachers so important,” he said. “It is also to try to inspire future generations of people to consider teaching and education as a career.”
Kobrin said Obama honored Jahana Hayes, a high school history teacher in Waterbury, Conn., with the “National Teacher of the Year” award.
While he did not get to meet the country’s leader, Kobrin said he stood about 30 feet away from Obama, which he described as “pretty cool.”
Kobrin, a Riverdale resident, is currently serving his fourth year as head of the North Shore Hebrew Academy.
Prior to his current post, he served as principal of the modern Orthodox Yeshiva’s middle school for three years.
Kobrin said his visit to the White House was one he would never forget.
“It was a remarkable honor and an incredible experience to be included in this event,” he said. “The opportunity to offer and receive thanks for the hard work of educators across the country in the historic East Wing of the White House was absolutely unforgettable.”
