What does it mean to be trusted with other people’s growth?

In this episode of Behind the Bima, we sit down with Rabbi Moshe Don Kestenbaum, a renowned educator and mentor, to explore the quiet but weighty decisions that parents and teachers face every day.

Rather than offering formulas or slogans, Rabbi Kestenbaum speaks honestly about discernment—knowing when to guide, when to step back, and how to bring out the best in children and students without crushing their individuality. Drawing from decades in education, he reflects on responsibility, restraint, and the long-term impact of the choices educators make in moments that often go unnoticed.

This season of Behind the Bima is sponsored by Julie Charlestein & Darryl Benjamin in honor of their grandparents, Morton & Malvina Charlestein, and their children, Ruby and Maccabi Benjamin.

This Episode Discusses:

• Knowing when to speak—and when silence is more powerful
• Bringing out the best in students without overmanaging
• Parenting and teaching as long-term responsibility
• Why trust is the heaviest burden educators carry
• Letting children grow without fear-driven control
• Modeling judgment, not just rules

This is a conversation for anyone who teaches, parents, mentors, or leads, and feels the pressure of getting it right.