Torah Day School Launches ‘Panorama Podcast’
The podcast, hosted by Rabbi Tzvi Oratz, covers important topics related to parenting.
Parenting in today’s complex world is a challenging task; one that all parents strive to do well. Most parents, though, are left wondering if their efforts are enough.
How do we reach our children? We shower them with love and affection, but how do we make sure they absorb our values? Learn what is important? Grow resilient? Kind? Confident? How do we know what is important to focus on to help our children be the best they can be? The task of parenting often feels overwhelming and good parenting sometimes feels impossible and unattainable. What is a thinking, 21st century parent to do?
One way to weather the stresses of parenting is for parents to rely on a village of helpers. Most often this “village” is composed of family, close friends and neighbors, but your child’s school is another critical piece of the village. The teachers and administrators at Torah Day School of Atlanta are familiar with these struggles both as educators and as parents themselves. Together, the head of school, Rabbi Meir Cohen and the school’s Mashgiach Ruchani, Rabbi Tzvi Oratz, developed an idea to deepen the parent-school partnership and provide parents with a little extra support. And so, this year, TDSA launched a podcast.
“The Panorama Podcast” is hosted by Rabbi Tzvi Oratz. The process of creating a podcast begins with Rabbi Oratz reaching out to educators, parents, and mental health professionals about ideas and perspectives they would like to share with parents. He seeks out topics that are helpful to parents and inspire and enhance their approach to raising their children.
Once a topic has been determined for a “Panorama” episode, he further refines his ideas by scouting sources (both Torah and secular) and coming up with practical applications. Then comes the fun part: recording. Rabbi Oratz admits, “My favorite part of the process is coming up with a way to express the concepts that are edible and Torah-based. It’s an enjoyable challenge to have to think of how someone else will receive and be excited by an idea that’s exciting to me.”
Astonishingly, Rabbi Oratz usually records each episode as a single, 10-minute take. It gives the podcast a seamless flow and makes it feel like you’re getting a quick shot of advice from a trusted friend.
So far, “The Panorama Podcast” has delved into some critical parenting topics, with each episode building on the previous one. Some of the themes have included reframing how parents feel about and interact with their children and reflecting on the way parents speak to their children and how their speech can positively impact their child’s mindset. In another episode, Rabbi Oratz explored strategies for parents to cut through the noise of how their children are acting to get to the roots of their behavior.
The right words at the right time.
All of these topics have resonated deeply with “Panorama” listeners. One listener, who has several students at TDSA, expressed that she appreciates the bite-sized concepts and the practical applications Rabbi Oratz shares. Another parent called the podcast, “The right words at the right time.” Still more feedback has referred to the podcast as, “Gold! Great concepts! (I love what) he (Rabbi Oratz) shared about being real with our kids and letting them see how we navigate life’s challenges. Rabbi Oratz’s examples are so helpful. Really, really enjoying it!”
Rabbi Cohen is proud of the podcast and what it is able to provide TDSA’s parents. According to Rabbi Cohen, “The key message is that raising a child is a partnership between the school and the home. One way in which we (the school) can be helpful is through parental education on how to approach situations through a Torah and educational lens.”
That’s Rabbi Oratz’s take on things as well. When asked what he would like people to know about parenting he says, “Even though raising children is super complex and difficult, there are so many practical and beneficial ideas out there that can make it a fulfilling and rewarding process. Sometimes, all it takes is to pause for a couple of minutes to hear a thought you might have not contemplated before, let it percolate, and try it out!”
If you have a chance, “The Panorama Podcast” is worth checking out! Parenting can be a pleasure with a little more support!
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