For 66 years, Sonia Rosenblatt has been teaching math. She began her career in 1959 at a high school in Kyiv, Ukraine. Now at 88 years old, she has no intention of retiring. “I still remember the first time I walked into a classroom,” she recalls. “When I immigrated to Israel over 30 years ago, I felt pure joy knowing I was teaching children of my own people, in my own country," she says.
"In Kyiv, teachers were greatly respected, but here, I feel surrounded by love. When I walk down the street, former students who pass by shout hello, teacher!"
The war has been a deeply emotional experience for her. “This year has been incredibly difficult for both me and my students. The situation is dire, both in the south and the north. We live in a world where no one seems to like us, and they just want to kill us.”
Rosenblatt tragically lost one of her former students, Eli Amsalem, who was killed in combat in Gaza. “I taught him three years ago. He was a wonderful boy, so handsome, and well-loved by his friends.”
The war has only strengthened Sonia's resolve to continue teaching, driven by her desire to contribute to the country. “At my age, the best thing I can do for my country is to teach,” she says. “I will keep teaching with all my heart for as long as I can.”
At the high school where she works, Rosenblatt is treated with special care. “The faculty here is wonderful, the teachers help me, and three days a week, they arrange for transportation to and from school. I teach small groups of students in advanced math classes.”
“A teacher for life, an educator who embodies love for her students, love for her country, and a passion for mathematics. She is an inspiration,” Rabbi Yoni Berlin, the principal of AMIT Kfar Batya, says.