Gianna Goldfarb: So, where are you from?
Dr. Naya Lekht: I was born in the former Soviet Union, in what is now Ukraine. When we immigrated to America, we came to Los Angeles. I have called California home for many years. This is my first year as a Manhattan resident.
G.G: Were you a good student in High School? What were your favorite and least favorite subjects?
N.L:I was not the best student in High School mainly because my parents wanted me to take AP math and AP science classes, but my heart was always in the Humanities. My favorite subjects were English, Journalism, and Art.
G.G: Why did you want to return to High School/Academia? Why become a teacher?
N.L:I absolutely love to connect with people over ideas. I also believe that a classroom is a laboratory where I can take pedagogical risks; I view my students as being in partnership with me. In other words, teaching is about community—a community centered on ideas and intellectual growth. I have always wanted to teach. Maybe because I am a Levite?
G.G:Why are you passionate about English? What did you study in college?
N.L:I studied Modern Literary Studies in college and fell in love with Russian Literature, so much so that I decided to study the great Russian literary classics in graduate school. I am passionate about World Literature because literature is the ultimate gateway to the human heart and mind.
G.G:Do you have any special talents or hobbies? Any fun facts?
N.L:I love to paint and take photos. In my free time, I also write fiction and educate the Jewish community on antisemitism. In addition to my passion for teaching literature, my equal calling in life is to empower the Jewish community to be knowledgeable advocates for themselves and the Jewish people.
G.G:Where did you work before Ramaz?
N.L:I taught at UCLA and Cal State Long Beach.
G.G: Do you have a favorite book or movie?
N.L:My favorite book is Anna Karenina by Lev Tolstoy, and my favorite movie changes over time. Currently, my favorite movie is Zelig by Woody Allen.
G.G:What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
N.L:I like going to cafes and writing, spending time with my son, and going to museums and parks.
G.G:What advice do you have with kids who struggle with English?
N.L:Most people do not know this about me, but because English was not my first language in elementary and middle school, I struggled with writing. I did not let this dissuade me and pursued my love for writing by reading. With English, it is quite simple: the more you read, the better you will write.
G.G:What classes/courses are you teaching this year?
N.L:I teach ninth-grade fundamentals, 10th-grade English, 10th-grade Literary Seminar, and an elective for the Seniors on Propaganda and Russian Literature.
G.G:Is there anything you would like students to know about you?
N.L:I speak Russian and Hebrew and love to sing Yiddish songs.
