Nurture Their Nature - Revised Edition

When our children and students ask,

What makes me unique?

How do I find my path in life?

Can I make a difference in the world?

they are poised to flourish. Our job, as parents and teachers, is to guide them on their journeys of self-discovery. This book lights the way with the wisdom of Torah from a stunning spectrum of sources, empowering us to “nurture their nature.”

“Based on a breathtaking array of writings by Jewish sages, from Talmudic times until our own age, with startling insights into their teachings, the book presents a case for self-knowledge as the key to reaching each individual’s potential.... Anyone from a beginner to a developed scholar will benefit from reading this book.”

HaRav Aharon Feldman

“The basic foundation of this sefer is to encourage each and every student to recognize his unique qualities and to grow through them.... I am certain that many will derive great benefit from it.”

HaRav Asher Zelig Weiss

“Although I no longer give haskamos (approbations), I must make an exception for a sefer that promotes self-knowledge and self-esteem, which are the foundation of mental health. Nurture Their Nature is a vital sefer and should be studied rather than just read.”

Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski, M.D.

“If teachers grasp [this book’s] message and its method, they will be empowered to inspire their students to discover what is special about them — and empower those students to grow into their unique personalities. This could be the solution to today's dispirited and dull educational process that so often results in young people falling away from their Judaism — and their potential for real happiness and achievement....”

Rabbi Akiva Tatz, M.D.

Rabbi Dr. Yosef Lynn has served as mashgiach ruchani (dean of students) and senior lecturer at Yeshivas Machon Yaakov in Jerusalem since its inception in 2005. He studied in the Mirrer Yeshiva and The Jerusalem Kollel under Rav Yitzchak Berkovits. Rabbi Lynn, a firm believer that true personal greatness results from understanding and building one’s strengths, is the founder and director of the “Greatness Within Seminars,” a successful approach to personal growth that focuses on helping individuals discover their natural strengths and build every aspect of their lives around their strengths. These seminars are rooted in Torah wisdom, and they incorporate interventions based on positive psychology (www.greatnesswithinseminars.com). He is an executive coach (www.yoseflynn.com), an author, and an adjunct professor of positive psychology at Touro College in Jerusalem. Rabbi Lynn holds a doctorate in human and organizational psychology (PsyD) from Touro and a master’s degree in applied positive psychology (MAPP) from the University of Pennsylvania.

Rabbi Jack Cohen, EdM Rabbi Cohen serves as the Director of Jewish Education and Community Engagement for Hebrew Academy High School of Miami, where he strives to teach Jewish philosophy and character development in a way that is relevant and resonant to 21st century teenagers. He also coaches and supports teachers in the school, and works to be an educational bridge to parents and the broader community. Rabbi Cohen has been teaching and mentoring young people for over fifteen years, with a focus on building educational ecosystems of growth opportunities that allow participants to choose their own adventure. Prior to his current role, Rabbi Cohen served as director of education for Olami North America, and prior to that, as director of education for Olami Manhattan. He maintains a close connection with his own mentors, Rav Beryl Gershenfeld, Rosh Yeshiva of Machon Shlomo and Machon Yaakov, and founder of MEOR, and Rav Immanuel Bernstein, renowned author and lecturer. Rabbi Cohen learned in the Mirrer Yeshiva and Yad Saadia Kollel in Jerusalem. He holds a bachelor’s degree in physics and philosophy from the University of Pennsylvania, and a master’s degree in education (EdM) from Harvard. He publishes articles about life wisdom from Judaism regularly on his website theexpressionoflife.com.