In an age where “everything is instant,” Boys Town Jerusalem science teacher Rabbi Yosef Katzav has proudly taught his students the art of methodical research to explore science and nature. This year, both he and his students were cited for excellence by the Israeli Ministry of Education.
Now in his 23rd year of teaching – and eleventh at Boys Town Jerusalem – Rabbi Katzav’s passion for his work remains intense. “I teach seventh, eighth and ninth graders to boost their curiosity for how things work. When you know how a car’s engine operates, you’re a better driver. When you investigate a scientific phenomenon or process, you gain research skills for life.”
Recently, Rabbi Katzav was commended by the Ministry of Education for excellence in teaching research skills in science. Inventions by two of his ninth-grade students’ teams were among the top projects in the 2024 Jerusalem Scientific Research Fair, sponsored by the Israeli Ministry of Education and the Jerusalem Municipality.
“The generous Boys Town Jerusalem donors who provide top-level equipment for our Science Laboratory give a priceless gift,” Rabbi Katzav stresses. “Unlike so many other schools, we can offer students crucial scientific resources to advance, experiment and discover.”
The father of nine children (aged four to twenty-one), Rabbi Yosef Katzav is a grandson of Iranian immigrants to Israel. Now in his mid-forties, the prizewinning science instructor integrates constantly-evolving technological advancements into the basic curriculum. “I’m very proud of my students who have gone on to pursue careers in science-based realms,” he notes, “but above all, I’m grateful to offer every student the basic knowledge and tools to explore, conceptualize and envision solutions to challenges ahead.”