Tuvia Book

William Davidson Graduate School of Jewish Education

For Tuvia Book, who grew up in the United Kingdom, South Africa, and Israel before coming to the United States, attending the William Davidson Graduate School of Jewish Education was the next chapter in his progression toward becoming a Jewish educator.

“I came specifically from Israel to earn my doctorate, and I knew that I would be able to study at The Jewish Theological Seminary in a very open and intellectual environment,” Tuvia says of his decision to attend The Davidson School.

Now beginning his second year, Tuvia’s academic life at JTS allows him to keep a flexible schedule. Tuvia and his wife are busy raising a four- and a six-year-old, and they recently celebrated the arrival of a new baby. For Tuvia, children represent the future. “If you teach your children well, you will create strong links in the chain of Jewish continuity,” he says.

Tuvia has enjoyed the ability to transfer lessons learned in the classroom at JTS to his role teaching a Zionism class, from curriculum he authored, at The Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns in Long Island. “It is a very dynamic process,” Tuvia explains.

The learning environment at JTS has exceeded Tuvia’s expectations. “At JTS, the small classes foster open-minded, intellectual Jewish thought,” he says, while the professors are “approachable, warm, and friendly.”

Tuvia’s experience with high school students has also benefited a side project, a new textbook on modern Jewish history. “I’ve been working on it since 2004. I come back from classes and add more information; it’s an evolving process,” Tuvia says.

Tuvia sees his JTS education as a building block for the betterment of society. “I want to make a difference in the world, and The Davidson School is the perfect place to learn how to do so.“