Smith Jewish Academy is excited to welcome Avi and Sigi Bitton and their family to our community next year as part of the Morim Shlichim (Israeli Educator Emissary) Program, a partnership between Smith Jewish Academy and Congregation Darchei Noam.

The Morim Shlichim Program places highly trained Israeli educators in Jewish communities around the world, creating meaningful opportunities for students to learn directly from Israelis while strengthening connections to Hebrew language, Israeli culture, and Jewish peoplehood.

For Smith students, this is much more than an addition to the teaching staff. Research consistently shows that language acquisition is most effective when students engage regularly with native speakers in authentic settings. Avi and Sigi will help bring Hebrew to life while providing students with a firsthand connection to contemporary Israeli society, culture, and daily life.

“We want our students to understand that they are part of a global Jewish community,” said Rabbi Justin Held, director of Jewish living and learning. “The most powerful learning happens when students encounter ideas through real people. Avi and Sigi will bring authenticity, creativity, and lived experience into our classrooms, enriching both our Hebrew program and our students’ understanding of contemporary Israeli life.”

Avi brings a unique educational background as a SHELACH teacher, an Israeli program that combines field studies, environmental education, and a deep connection to the land of Israel. Sigi is a visual art therapist whose creativity and artistic perspective will enrich our community in countless ways.

The Bittons are arriving not only as educators, but as a family. Their daughters, Oriya and Yaeli, will join Smith as students, while little Noa will be cheering them on from the sidelines. Together, they bring a spirit of curiosity, hospitality, creativity, and love of Jewish life.

Building on five successful years of partnership with Darchei Noam through the b'not sherut program, this new chapter represents an exciting investment in Hebrew learning, Israel education, and the relationships that help students develop a lifelong connection to both.

Please join us in giving the Bitton family a warm Smith welcome when they arrive this August.