Hebrew Academy Kindergarten Judaic Studies Instructor Recognized as Teacher of the Year
Hebrew Academy, Orange County’s longest-running Jewish day school joins students, parents, and staff in congratulating Devorah Lovitch, a Judaic studies teacher, for her recent recognition as a Teacher of the Year. Mrs. Lovitch has been teaching at Hebrew Academy for 15 years and was recently named a finalist for the 2022 Teacher of the Year award from Parenting OC magazine.
Mrs. Lovitch exemplifies the dedication, passion, and commitment of the entire teaching staff at Hebrew Academy, a Blue Ribbon school that offers early childhood through high school educational programs.
“While these past few years have been filled with change and uncertainty, our instructors’ unwavering love for teaching has brought consistency, stability, and joy to our students when they need it most,” says Hebrew Academy’s Principal, Dr. Bryn Harari. “Mrs. Lovitch has gone above and beyond to ensure her students are safe, motivated, and engaged. Parents have noticed.”
Like all teachers at Hebrew Academy, Mrs. Lovitch employs an active approach that brings the school’s award-winning curriculum to life. Project-based and hands-on learning help students strengthen critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills while clarifying the meaning, purpose, and everyday application behind each lesson.
Mrs. Lovitch fully embraces Hebrew Academy’s philosophy of personalizing the classroom experience to meet each child’s individual learning needs and abilities. This requires being deeply attuned to students’ emotional and social as well as academic development.
“As a mother myself, I understand that the needs of students go far beyond the classroom,” she explains. “I try to create a safe, inclusive environment that supports all students and gives them the tools to work together to reach goals, solve problems, and express empathy. That’s how students thrive.”
Dedicated teachers like Devorah Lovitch are among the key reasons families love Hebrew Academy, and why the campus was recently voted the best Faith-Based K-12 School in Orange County by readers of Parenting OC. Hebrew Academy students are clearly thriving under the guidance of Mrs. Lovitch and Hebrew Academy teachers; students perform well above national averages on standardized tests and College Board exams, and have a 98% placement rate with institutions of higher education.
“Mrs. Lovitch’s passion for teaching, devotion to our students, and joy for life truly embody the unique educational experience at Hebrew Academy,” adds Dr. Harari. “We’re thrilled but not surprised that she has been nominated Teacher of the Year by Orange County’s parents.”
To learn more about Hebrew Academy, visit hacds.org, call (714) 898-0051, or email admissions@hacds.org.
Heritage Pointe
Mission Viejo, is turning to robots to increase serving efficiency during mealtimes for Residents.
The non-profit facility received two robots today as part of a pilot program run by Morrison Living, the building’s food service operator, to provide additional help as staffing has been a struggle in the industry.
“It’s like extra pairs of hands we can use and its working really well,” said Mike Silverman, CEO of Heritage Pointe.
To get the robots up and running, a representative of Bear Robotics, the creators of the hospitality robots, showed staff how the robots work and programmed them for the layout of the facility’s kitchen and dining room. After being programmed, the robots can then understand specific tables to visit, the amount of meal trays to hold and how close to stop at a table, Silverman said.
Using robots like these help the staff in improving an important part of their job—communicating with Residents to ensure an excellent dining experience.
The dining services staff have been enthusiastic about their new coworkers—temporarily nicknamed Challah and Babka—and are happy to have extra help running food and bussing tables. So far, Heritage Pointe is the first senior living facility in Orange County that have introduced robots to elevate the dining experience for Residents.
“The Residents love it because they don’t have to wait for the food,” Silverman observed.
Founded more than 30 years ago, Heritage Pointe provides the highest quality assisted living and memory care services to seniors in Orange County. Welcoming to those of all faiths, Heritage Pointe is Orange County’s only senior community rooted in Jewish culture, tradition and values.
For those who need some level of support to live their best lives, Heritage Pointe inspires independence and wellness through an extraordinary lifestyle, high-quality care, and rich traditions. It’s a trusted, joyful community offering a lifestyle filled with possibilities – wherever a Resident may be on their senior living journey.
