This week, the Warrior Word sat down and interviewed Mr. Lubitz, a new English staff member at Hebrew Academy. Get to know him as he shares his theatre experience, where he has lived, and his many hobbies!
Adina Shagalov: Hi, what's your name?
Mr. Lubitz: My name is Mr. Lubitz.
Adela Kopfstein: What was your profession prior to teaching at Hebrew Academy?
ML: I worked at the City University of New York as a college professor, and I also had a career as an actor.
AS: Did you act in any popular movies? What else did you do related to acting?
ML: I was in independent films. I was in a feature-length film called Nia on Vacation, which went through international film festivals. I did a lot of theater and Shakespeare, a lot of classics in New York. I was in independent shorts and mysteries. I went on Nat Geo; I was in a docudrama.
AK: Where were you born?
ML: I was born in New Jersey. I lived there until shortly after my Bar Mitzvah.
AK: Where did you move to?
ML: I moved to New Hampshire after my Bar Mitzvah. I then moved to Providence, where I went to college, and then back to New York for grad-school, where I stayed for 10 years. In August of this year, I finally moved to Miami.
AS: How are you liking Miami?
ML: Miami has been quite nice so far. I’ve been in the ocean about twenty times. The weather is very pleasant and warm, which is very relaxing.
AK: What made you want to come to Miami?
ML: A colleague of mine saw the job posting for my position and asked if I could see myself in Miami. I only knew one person in the Jewish community here, whom I had been on a learning trip with to the English countryside. I knew since the trip, he moved from New York to be in Miami, and I didn't know what he was doing here, so I called him up and said, “Hey, Rabbi Jack, do you know of a school named Hebrew Academy Miami?” He then told me he's the Head of Judaics there. I asked him if I should apply, and he told me I should.
AS: How has your time at Hebrew Academy been so far?
ML: It’s been good. I like the community. The people that are here are focused on the right things. It's clearly a community that cares about the people in it and has good values.
AK: What subjects do you teach?
ML: I teach ninth grade college-prep and honors English, eleventh grade AP Lang, and I teach an SAT test prep elective.
AS: What hobbies do you have outside of teaching?
ML: I really like fishing and golf. As well, I like music, dancing, and nature.
AK: Did you have a Jewish education growing up?
ML: I was raised Reform, and my family was strongly culturally Jewish and cared very much about our heritage, but I wish I had a better Jewish education. My Hebrew is bad, which I am trying to improve. I love learning, but my Hebrew is slow. If anyone is willing to spare me a minute to teach me Hebrew, I'm all about it.
AS: What's your favorite part of teaching?
ML: I like giving people the satisfaction of understanding and getting them to the next level. Keeping them curious about the world that we live in, as there is so much to learn and much we don't know yet. It's always very exciting.
Composed by: Adela Kopfstein (10th) & Adina Shagalov (10th)
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