Ruthie Hollander, at The Blogs

Apr 5, 2023, 5:58 PM

I think a lot about the four children every year. As someone who works in Jewish education, this text is extremely compelling to me. First we have the contrasts between the questions and answers given to the wise and the...

Mar 16, 2023, 4:29 AM

Vayakhel-Pekudei: Blueprints for Holy Work

What does it look like to commit to a project and see it through to completion? How can we create, lead, and complete in an ethical manner? Parshat Vayakhel-Pekudei lays out a blueprint for the ways we must do our...

Jan 6, 2023, 6:21 AM

When the Pieces Fit

Looking back to the teenage years, it’s easy to remember the feelings of confusion and flux. Those years — which, from a developmental perspective, are critical to the formation of healthy identity — can be difficult. My adolescent years were characterized...

Dec 8, 2022, 10:14 PM

Pivoting to Play: Religious School in 2022

A few years ago during the High Holiday season, I was teaching a class on teshuva (repentance) to a small class of fourth graders. My students were at least mildly interested and engaged with the concepts enthusiastically. Then one...

About Me

Ruthie Hollander is the Principal of NYC-based Hebrew school Jewish Youth Connection, where she is able to indulge in her passion for educational accessibility and asking "the big questions" with her students. Ruthie is the Programming and Development Manager for creative arts sleep-away camp Tizmoret Shoshana, is partnering with the mayor of her city to build a sustainability-focused community garden in her neighborhood, and is the founder of Achayot: a community network that enables Jewish women to find support, friendship, free events, and Shabbat meals. She lives in New Jersey with her husband Max, her daughter Mila, and her dog Momo.