AHARON HERSH FRIED Ph.D. is Associate Professor of Psychology and Education at Stern College of Yeshiva University (and formerly at John Jay College of CUNY, and the Azrielli Graduate Program in Jewish Education). He also maintains a private practice in psychology working with children with learning and Behavior problems. Dr. Fried serves as a consultant to schools, helping to implement programs for the learning disabled and also working to help implement skill based programs in the teaching of Judaic studies in the "normal" or mainstream day school program, with a special emphasis on developing thinking skills.
Dr. Fried has developed course relevant to Jewish Education and Psychology, synthesizing the methodology of teaching found in the Talmud and other Judaic sources with the methodology suggested by the knowledge base of Cognitive Science. He is currently involved with the Ba'er Hetev program of Torah Umesorah to develop materials and a program for the teaching of Talmud (at the elementary level) in Hebrew Day Schools in the United States and Canada as well as a program for the enhancement of Hebrew Reading instruction in the day schools and the early identification of potential problem readers. His Kriah Scan , a test of Hebrew Reading was published by Torah Umesorah. Dr. Fried's most recent publications are an article in JEWISH ACTION entitled, Dispelling the Elitist Myth (in Jewish Education) an article on Special Needs: The Childhood Years: A Time of Opportunity A Time of Dange r in VIEWPOINT, and an article addressing the "closing of the Jewish Mind", entitled, Are our Children Too Worldly? published in the journal, HAKIRAH.
Rabbi Fried did his Rabbinic Studies at Bais Midrash Elyon in Monsey , N.Y. and at the Yeshiva of Munkatch. His secular studies were done at the New School for Social Research where he received his Doctorate in Psychology. Dr. Fried has taught Psychology and Education at various branches of the City University of New York as well as at Yeshiva University . He is also the author of a text in Psychology.
For many years prior to his starting a private practice, Rabbi Fried was involved in Jewish day schools and Chadorim . At different times he was the Principal of such diverse institutions as the Cheder of Munkatch and the Hebrew Academy of Cleveland. He is however best known as the founder of "CHUSH" - The Jewish Center for Special Education in Brooklyn, N.Y and Limudei Hashem - The Center for Special Education in Jerusalem . He has also served as a consultant and been instrumental in starting programs for the Learning Disabled in Montreal, Canada; Atlanta, Ga.; Baltimore, Md.; Cleveland, Ohio; London and Manchester, England; Zurich, Switzerland; Melbourne, Australia; and Antwerp, Belgium.
Dr. Fried has been featured a speaker at conferences of CAJE, TORAH UMESORAH, AOJS, The COUNCIL for EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN, The NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF CANADIAN JEWISH EDUCATORS, and others.