This is a book with so many facets, it's almost impossible to define.
- It is the evolution of one man's dream to create b'nei Torah in turbulent times.
- It is a panoramic perspective of how to apply timeless principles in chinuch; essential reading for parents and teachers.
- It is a window into 20th century American Orthodoxy, its growth and development, and how that impacted the world of chinuch.
- Most of all, it is the story of dedication and devotion - told in a way that keeps us turning the pages and looking for more!
Young Chaim Segal arrived in America as a 20 year old refugee, having spent a significant part of his youth on the run. He joined Yeshivas Rabbi Chaim Berlin, becoming a talmid of Rav Yitzchok Hutner. As a young, unmarried man, he began his close to half a century career in chinuch, impacting generations of talmidim. Despite his European background, he connected to American youth and inspired them to embrace traditional Torah values.
"Der velt hat ah glantz," he would say. The material world sparkles; he viewed his job as making his students realize that the spark of Torah burns brighter. Different decades required dissimilar tools, but with fierce idealism, and clear realism, he reached his talmidim, leaving an indelible imprint upon them.
This book is a treasure for anyone interested in also being uplifted and moved by this legendary mechanech.