Rabbi Reuven Youkhehpaz celebrated after being awarded with the Milken Family Foundation Jewish Educator Award. (photo courtesy of Milken Family Foundation)

Four Jewish day school educators were surprised with $18,000 cash prizes across Los Angeles County as part of the Milken Family Foundation’s annual Jewish Educator Awards. 

During all-school assemblies, surprise awards were given to: Nili Isenberg, a middle school Judaic Studies teacher at Pressman Academy in Los Angeles; Jared Stein, director of instrumental music at de Toledo High School in West Hills; Hadassah Weiner, girls elementary principal at Yeshiva Rav Isacsohn Toras Emes Academy in Los Angeles and Rabbi Reuven Youkhehpaz, the fifth grade boys Rebbe at Yeshiva Aharon Yaakov/Ohr Eliyahu in Los Angeles. The awards recognize the profession of teaching and educators who make a big impression on students to inspire the next generation of educators. 

“Developing our community’s future leaders starts with outstanding educators like Nili Isenberg, Jared Stein, Hadassah Weiner and Rabbi Reuven Youkhehpaz,” said Milken Family Foundation Executive Vice President Richard Sandler. “Every day they prepare the future leaders of our community by teaching them Torah so they will know who they are, where they come from and why it matters.” 

During the Sept. 29 ceremony, cheering fifth grade students chanted Youkhehpaz’s name when he was announced. Youkhehpaz, visibly emotional, embraced his colleagues and dean of school Rabbi Shlomo Goldberg before accepting the prize. 

“Rabbi Youkhehpaz’s classroom is a hub of excitement as students engage in group discussions about Jewish texts. Each lesson is a master in academic rigor, integrating learning, ethical principles and analytical skills,” the Milken Family Foundation said in a statement. “Beyond the classroom, he is a role model to students and colleagues alike. Highly visible in weekly staff meetings, Rabbi Youkhehpaz offers valuable insights into effective instructional practices that improve the craft of others and enrich the educational environment of the school at large.” 

Youkhehpaz thanked Goldberg for supporting his teaching. 

“Any accomplishments on my part, it’s all due to the guidance and the teachings of Rabbi Goldberg, and not just Rabbi Goldberg, but the camaraderie and actions that exist in the school, amongst the ordained, amongst the morals and amongst the administration that they’re willing to guide you, but not micromanage you.” he said. “I feel very grateful. This is not [how] I expected … my day [to] go today – that’s for sure. I thought it would end with dismissing kids to carpool, but I am very grateful to be honored for this, and also to the Milken Foundation for considering me.” 

His fellow recipients had similar reactions during their schoolwide assemblies. 

“I’m speechless. I am entirely, 100% completely surprised,” Isenberg said. “I’m just so incredibly touched. Everything that [Sandler] said about teachers not being recognized by society is so true … And we look around this room and see all the happy, smiling faces of our students – that’s what it’s all about.” 

“I just want to thank all the teachers because the teachers are what make this school,” Weiner said. “The teachers are beyond devoted. They think, and they plan, and they dream and they create for the students every minute.” 

Stein thanked former head of de Toledo High School Bruce Powell in his speech, crediting him for inspiring him to become a teacher. 

“Thank you from the bottom of my heart,” Stein said. “I am so grateful to have been a part of this vision – past, present and future. When I see people that I have taught here or been a mentor to who are now grown ups, out in the world and doing amazing things … I know that what we do is not always for right now, even though we’re in the now. It’s for when the light reaches us at a later time.”