Dear Members of the TC Community:

With the holiday weekend upon us and Erev Rosh Hashanah beginning this year at sundown on Labor Day, I wanted to take this moment to wish all of our Jewish students and fellow colleagues Shanah tovah umtukah, and extend my fervent hope for a “good and sweet year” to every member of our Teachers College family. 

While we will continue to observe prudent safety measures and to incorporate virtual platforms in our classes more readily, I am anticipating that the experience of having all of us back “in community” in person will be all the sweeter for having been physically apart for the past 16 months.  

In the spirit of these “Days of Awe,” I also anticipate that the new academic year will mark a time of renewed commitment to become the best versions of ourselves as individuals, as an extended family of scholars, colleagues, alumni, friends, and partners – all united in our resolve to create a smarter, healthier, more equitable and just world. 

In her recent Chancellor’s message to the community of the Jewish Theological Seminary a block to our north, my colleague Shuly Rubin Schwartz quoted this stirring exhortation ascribed to Rabbi Nahman of Bratzlav (1772-1810): “If you believe that you have the power to spoil things, then you must also believe that you can repair them.”

In the wake of the most tumultuous 16 months that most of us have ever experienced, there is so much for all of us to repair – both in the world around us and within ourselves. If we stay focused and united in our goal to pursue justice, then I believe we all will be better off by this time next year. So let this new year be good in every sense of the word. Shanah tovah!

Thomas Bailey
President, Teachers College