I remember sitting in the Chemistry classroom of Mrs. Virginia Levin back in 1971 at Northwestern High School.
These were the days of slide rules and of course periodic tables. But the bottom line was that I was phobic about numbers and feared what sort of grade I’d end up earning in Chemistry.
I tell my children that you’ll look back in your life and you’ll understand that if you were lucky you were blessed with a handful of “master” teachers.
These were instructors who reached out to you and really cared for you. I remember like it was yesterday Mrs. Levin saying to me, “Philip, you are a good boy.” For me, back then, that’s all I needed. She willed me to pass this course. She figuratively held my hand through it. And I’ll never forget her as one of my master teachers.
I can name a small group of others as well, Pearl Lerner, my French teacher, Mr. Grant, my Modern Problems and homeroom teacher, Mrs. Denenberg, my history teacher, Mr. Cooper, my high school newspaper advisor.
At the University of Maryland, my favorite teacher was actually a nun. She taught me math, and like Mrs. Levin, really cared enough to help me understand and learn.
Teachers can have such an important impact on our lives. It’s wonderful when we can remember even a select few who were there for us. It’s difficult enough to master the courses we are faced with. But to have a caring, loving, impactful teacher, means so very much.
Next Thursday, my daughter Emily will graduate from Yeshivat Rambam. It is my prayer that she and her classmates carry with them the example and memory of their own “master” teachers.
And to those teachers, be they my own or my those of my children, I say what isn’t said enough. Thank you.

Dear Phil,
Some people win a Nobel Prize. Some people win the lottery. Your article was even better for me. I really enjoyed teaching your class at Northwestern.
I am happy to hear that you have children of your own and that you are steering them in the right direction.
To know that you remembered me after all of these years made all my teaching and work worthwhile.
With Best Wishes,
Virginia Levin