As a child, I was imparted upon the wisdom that there is a difference between studying and learning, a concept that I later on experienced firsthand. In secular education, students study their material to pass an exam, pass the class, and move on to the next grade. In yeshiva education, students learn their material through a thorough reading of the Talmud, reckoning with the teachings to form their own opinions of the world, and carrying these understandings with them for the rest of their lives.
Learning is living in your education. Learning binds you to your reality, while studying merely acts as a transport for a fleeting, superficial understanding of existence.
There has been some criticism in recent years of the educations provided by yeshivas in New York City. Well, I’m here to tell you that my yeshiva education prepared me for a life of thoroughly analyzing situations prior to forming any opinions. It prepared me to pursue undertakings with an open mind, utilizing my learned experiences to influence my decision making, thus granting a more malleable path forward.
As a young boy learning the Talmud’s teachings, I quickly understood that we would not cover much of the book every day. Instead, my teachers preached quality over quantity, a philosophy I live by to this day. We were made to think while we learned, constantly questioning what we were learning to come to a conclusion that makes the most sense of all other options.
It is because of my yeshiva education that I was able to start my healthcare company, which allows me to pursue my passion of caring for those around me in an innovative way. I developed an understanding of the needs of the elderly, disabled, and their caregivers after caring for my grandfather, Aaron.
I approached the formation of my company, not only as a grandson-turned-caregiver, but as a yeshiva graduate. My education brought a unique perspective to the company: a focus on quality of care, not the quantity of customers.
My mission always has and always will be to help those around me. That’s why I cared for my grandfather and why I started my company. My yeshiva education made me particularly suited for my career path because it taught me to be a student of the world every day; I thoroughly analyze my customers’ needs and am able to adapt accordingly.
Yeshiva education provides innumerable benefits. It allows students to learn, not study; analyze, not assume; and shape their own informed opinions, not blindly follow another. It is constantly growing and progressing and improving, just like its students, and should not be interfered with based on governmental opposition.
Hershy Marton is the Founder and CEO of a small health care company located in Brooklyn. He is a graduate of Brooklyn’s yeshiva schools.
