Olga Lipkowitz was born in Ukraine, where she worked as an English teacher and a deputy principal. Upon immigrating to Eretz Israel in 1995 and since 2000, Olga has worked at the AMIT Karmiel school. Olga comes from a line of educators, following her grandmother and mother, who both were teachers. She’s proud to be a teacher and share her story with students so that they can understand how difficult it was for Jews in Ukraine.
Who I am in 99 words
Olga Lipkowitz, married and a mother of three children. I was born in 1961 in Ukraine, where I worked as an English teacher and a deputy principal. I immigrated to Eretz, Israel in 1995 and since 2000 have worked at the AMIT Karmiel school. My grandmother was a teacher, my mother was a teacher, and I followed in their footsteps. I remember myself as a little girl teaching everyone around me. As the granddaughter and daughter of Jews from Ukraine who suffered from anti-Semitism in their time, I am proud to be a teacher and share my story with my students to understand how difficult it was for Jews in Ukraine. For generations, my family members wanted to immigrate to Eretz, Israel, but only I could fulfill the dream after many years of effort.
I chose to be photographed…
With a 100-year-old antique clock. This is a clock that Grandma Rachel and Grandpa Moshe received on their wedding day. This watch was passed down from generation to generation, arrived in Eretz, Israel, and has been hanging in my living room for 24 years. Every Friday, before lighting candles, my husband turns the clock with a unique key, and it starts working.
Motto for life
Waking up every morning with a smile, thankful for what I have, and keeping the good in life. When I believe in all that is good, it is also a message that I convey to those close to me, family, children, friends, and of course, students.
Teacher for Life
Several teachers have influenced me. One of them was my English teacher at school, who taught me English and explained what it means to be Jewish. When I immigrated, I met her, and I keep in touch with her to this day. The second teacher who influenced me is my teacher in the studio, Ruthi Alkabetz. Ruthie gave me all the tools to deal with the new reality, explained to me many things about Israel, the mentality of Israelis, and what it means to be a teacher in Israel.
A teacher in Corona
Very organized, orderly, agenda very clear despite all the new technology that until now we have not used it so much. A teacher in Corona is a person who is very supportive and listens to students even before the material needs to be taught. First of all, there has to be a person who cares about the other, and only then – when you know it is suitable for the student, and he is available for learning – can you reach out to him and teach him.
A true teacher
A teacher with a big heart who cares about his students cares about being suitable to students. A teacher who understands that school is the students’ home, and we are their father and mother while they are in the school.
One student – one story
I had a student who, already in middle school, thought English was not her strong suit. I believed in her, and when she went to high school, I placed her in a five-unit class, but after two lessons, she had already asked to leave. I did not give up on her, and we agreed that she would study in a class of four units but would approach matriculation of five. She learned a lot and invested in her free time and free lessons, believed in herself, and of course, did well in the five-unit matriculation. To this day, we are in good contact.
