Kol HaKavod Fall 2015 by Anna Chosak

Fall 2015

‫סתו תשע”ו‬

K‫כל הכבוד‬ ol HaKavod

JOSEPH KUSHNER HEBREW ACADEMY RAE KUSHNER YESHIVA HIGH SCHOOL

In this issue... A look ahead..........................3 In the classroom...................4 Science Highlights.............10 Focus on the Library........11 Torah in Action.................. 12 Alumni Corner.................... 13

Inspiring Excellence

From our Head of School People rightfully assume that a teacher’s main function is to teach. Teachers are expected to prepare thoughtful lessons, demonstrate competence in the classrooms, follow up on students’ assignments, grade papers, mark exams and perform myriad everyday functions that are integral in the creation of meaningful learning environments for their students. What sometimes gets overlooked is our other primary goal: to be educators. At JKHA/RKYHS, with our every interaction and engagement with students, we convey meaning suffused with love, informed by caring, and motivated by our commitment to be engaged educators. Educators transmit values of kindness while demonstrating empathy and providing support. We model Torah’s way of life, create opportunities for students to develop their curiosity, help students identify their strengths, and encourage them to overcome challenges as we inspire them to assume their roles in our community, starting in nursery three. I am proud of our impressive and remarkable achievements. JKHA/RKYHS educators are passionate about shaping the minds, hearts and souls of our students. We are grateful for the privilege to partner with you, our parent community and philanthropic friends, as we nurture opportunities to help each of our children embrace academic challenges, reach beyond their learning comfort zones, and integrate and personalize our core values. We are intent on developing students’ academic acumen while helping them refine their characters, inspiring them to enhance their religious commitments. The growth of our school and the success of our major fundraising campaign reflect the successful and inspiring partnership we enjoy with our community. —Rabbi Eliezer E. Rubin, Head of School, The Klatt Family Rosh HaYeshiva

From our President Dear Students, Parents, Alumni, Alumni Parents, Donors and Friends of our School: Welcome to the 2015-2016 school year! How many of you watched the “Welcome Back to JKHA” video sent around on the first day of school? In just over 2 minutes the video captured the warm and upbeat environment that has been created in our building. As parents, we are so appreciative of the exciting learning atmosphere that our children are experiencing. Thank you to the faculty and administration for providing an education filled with such expertise and TLC. This year brings substantial growth for our school. We have added a Nursery 3 program, plus new sections in first, second and third grades. Our incoming freshman class of 73 students is the largest in recent years. Our reputation and profile throughout New Jersey and parts of New York continue to grow. Last year there were 233 inquiries for tours and information about our school. We have seen increased enrollment from Elizabeth, Hillside, East Brunswick and Highland Park, and we thank those families for entrusting our school with your children. We look forward to continued growth as our school adds more Jew Jersey and New York communities to our service area. I would also like to welcome new families who have taken advantage of our Bonim program and moved to be closer to the school. This partnership between our school, local shuls, and the JCC provides up to $50,000 in incentives for families who move to one of the school communities. Spread the word! There are many factors that are contributing to the school’s growing reputation. Parent satisfaction overall is very high and our level of education is highly acclaimed; we are the only Orthodox yeshiva day school in New Jersey accredited by the New Jersey Association of Independent Schools. We have disseminated nearly $3,000,000 in affordability assistance and new funds have been created for donors to invest in our school to support educational excellence and tuition affordability. Thanks to our donors, we have also been able to make capital improvements throughout the building and are planning exciting renovations for the upcoming year. We owe our gratitude to so many people for the success our school is having. Rabbi Rubin and his staff deserve so much credit—as do the parents, students, board members, alumni and donors who contribute so much to make our school such a proud institution. We can all look forward to a fantastic 2015-2016 school year. —Michael Luxenberg, President, JKHA/RKYHS Board of Trustees

A LOOK AHEAD AT 2015-16 LOWER SCHOOL

The introduction of Recess Enrichment Programming will provide students with opportunities to pursue passions, deepen understanding, and make new friends. The new Hebrew language curriculum for 4th and 5th grades, Chaverim b’Ivrit, offers a more ageappropriate, enriching curriculum that applies practical, everyday vernacular with a focus on Israel. Older grades will be partnered with younger grades for the Reading Buddies program. Students will participate in guided activities with teachers as well have the opportunity to read books together, do projects, and play games. This year we will have a full math-related build up to the 100th day culminating in math activities in Nursery–4th grade in General and Judaic Studies. Monthly Shabbat Assemblies for Pre-K through 4th grade will bring grades together to celebrate Shabbat with songs and stories, enhancing school unity and a passion for Shabbat. This year we will have Classroom Book Battles to see how many books a class can read in a month in honor of Read Across America.

MIDDLE SCHOOL

CIJE-Tech Program for all 8th graders will provide instruction and real-world activities to teach basic engineering concepts, with a focus on the design process. A new weekly Beur Tefilla class for grades 5–8 will allow students to formally analyze the siddur, enhancing their personal tefillot. We are expanding cross-curricular work between social studies classes and language arts classes through projects and assignments that students can work on across both classes, such as research initiatives and projects (see page 7). Halacha study in grades 6–8 will be complemented by TorahLive, a program using cutting-edge multimedia presentations to communicate Jewish values.

HIGH SCHOOL

The Ike Krenkel Technology Center (formerly the Stein Computer Lab) is undergoing a state-of-the-art renovation, with an emphasis on collaboration and flexibility. It will include a full complement of Chromebooks, a 3D scanner and printer, and videographic equipment. Our STEM program has expanded to include a new elective course in Robotics. RKYHS alumni Ari Zucker (RKYHS ‘10) and Eleorah Sandman (RKYHS ‘12), both studying in advanced Torah learning programs at Yeshiva University, will be at RKYHS every Friday morning, learning with students and running Torah-oriented programming.

Sundog Theatre will present “Ellis Island: Gateway to a Dream”–a Broadway-style musical performance about the immigrant experience.

The new writing program for grades 9-12 will include exposure to different writing formats, with a special focus on preparing students for the changes in the SAT.

JKHA will pilot a new online Navi curriculum using audio-visual materials, audio translations, and online assessments providing instant feedback.

The Interdisciplinary Seminar series for 11th graders will combine science, psychology, ethics, law, and literature (see article on page 8).

Our new Director of Student Life will give students more individualized attention, ensuring their smooth adjustment to Middle School.

The new advanced Talmud program will allow our advanced upperclassman to delve into highlevel Talmud studies.

SCHOOL-WIDE We are thrilled to welcome Rabbi Gershom Tave as Educational Technologist. Rabbi Tave will be teaching technology classes, working with teachers to better integrate technology in the classroom, managing the school website, and overseeing the renovation of the new state-of-the-art RKYHS computer lab. He has already been integral in managing the school’s transition to Google Apps for Education. With 25 years of educational experience, Rabbi Tave is the creator of the TeqNikud modified Hebrew keyboard, which greatly facilitates typing Hebrew with vowels on Windows computers, and the Torah Picture Scroll, which has almost 3,500 downloads. His SMART Notebook lessons on Parashat Hashavua have likewise been used around the world both in classrooms as well as by other educational technology trainers. Students were welcomed back on the first day of school with an exciting new look to their dining hall. The Orbach family refurbished the space and dedicated the Jocheved Orbach Dining Hall in memory of their beloved mother and grandmother.

Mazal tov to the Class of 2015! Barnard College Baruch College of the CUNY Binghamton University Boston University Brandeis University College of Staten Island George Washington University Massachusetts Institute of Technology Middlesex County College Muhlenberg College New York University

Northeastern University Passaic County Community College Ramapo College of New Jersey Rutgers University School of Visual Arts State University of New York at Albany Syracuse University Tel Aviv University University of California, Irvine

University of Chicago University of Hartford University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign University of Maryland University of Massachusetts, Amherst University of Michigan University of Pennsylvania Yale University Yeshiva University

Aardvark Ashreinu Bar Ilan Israel Experience Birkat Moshe (Ma’aleh Adumim) Eretz Hatzvi Hakotel Lev HaTorah Machon Ma’ayan

Mevaseret Zion Michlalah Michlelet Mevaseret Yerushalayim Midreshet Amit Midreshet Harova Midreshet Lindenbaum Midreshet Moriah Migdal Oz

Nativ Netiv Aryeh Nishmat Orayta Reishit Tiferet Torat Shraga Young Judea Year Course

Courtesy of Zee Photography

ANOTHER BANNER YEAR IN COLLEGE ADMISSIONS! Our students will be attending the prestigious colleges, universities, yeshivot and seminaries listed below:

Honors Programs at 5 colleges

National Merit Recipient

$2 million+

in merit-based scholarships awarded to 21 students National Merit Commended Students*

National Hispanic Recognition Program Scholar

* From a class of 60 students

IN THE CLASSROOM...AND BEYOND Smart Moves The JKHA Early Education Department has transformed one of the classrooms into a beautiful indoor facility where children can develop both fine and gross motor skills. The Movement Room provides an environment in which students are encouraged to partake in activities that strengthen both body and mind. Students in Nursery 3 through first grade have frequent access to the room, in either small-group or whole-class activities; grades two through four have opportunities for learning that involve movement in a safe environment. The room contains equipment that helps students improve balance and hand-eye coordination, such as balance beams, stepping stones stilts, see-saws, ring tosses and basketball hoops. The Early Childhood teachers creatively combine exercise and skill review; one JKHA Lower School teacher, Morah Feldman, had her class walk across the room on stilts in order to read Hebrew vocabulary words. The students then climbed through an obstacle course while reviewing the Hebrew words for “move” and “do not move.” The Movement Room provides many different options for developing important skills in a fun and healthy way, and the students are enjoying it greatly. Thank you to JKHA grandparents Ivan and Eva Horak for their generous gift to help fund this new addition in our Lower School.

Bringing the Parsha to life In their weekly parsha study, Lower School students learn both the ancient history of the Jewish people and the modern relevance of the mitzvot. JKHA educators spend many hours creating memorable multisensory experiences to bring the Torah passages vividly to life for the students. In their study of Parshat Beshalach, for example, Moshe led the students out of Mitzrayim, only to halt at Yam Suf with the Egyptians in hot pursuit. After a heartfelt group prayer, Moshe raised his staff and the sea split, allowing the children to walk through. Following “the cloud by day and flames by night,” the children journeyed to the auditorium for a special multimedia presentation, where they learned about the significance of a “song” in the Torah and saw the distinct spacing and configuration of Az Yashir; the assembly concluded with the beat of Miriam’s drum. To instill the importance of Hachnassat Orchim (welcoming guests) and Bikur Cholim (visiting the sick) during the week of Parshat Vayera, the school atrium was transformed into a desert scene. Students entered Avraham’s tent and witnessed the visit of the melachim (angels). This reenactment formed a deeper understanding of how these mitzvot were performed in the time of the Torah; to appreciate their modern relevance, students participated in classroom activities including inviting guests into their tents and fashioning refuah shelema projects.

How do you get to Carnegie Hall? On April 1, 16 students from third through 10th grades (pictured at left) performed at Carnegie Hall with Itzhak Perlman in a celebration concert for the Yiddish Folksbeine Theatre. Performing songs in Yiddish with over 250 other students from NY/NJ schools and synagogues, they received a rousing standing ovation on New York’s biggest stage! JKHA Lower School students also joined school choirs from around the tri-state area at the end of March for a concert at The New School in New York City. Our students performed Hebrew songs by renowned Israeli lyricist and songwriter Naomi Shemer as part of the Hagigah Ivrit Festival celebrating the Hebrew language in New York.

Lower School Scope and Sequence: An overview What is a “scope and sequence”? The teachers at JKHA/RKYHS are undertaking a schoolwide project to draft the full school curriculum, year by year and subject by subject. What is the purpose? Together we will examine our program to see how each grade reinforces the previous one and builds skills for the next, as well as identify areas that need strengthening. An additional benefit of an articulated curriculum is that it highlights opportunities for cross-curricular learning. What is the timeline? The entire faculty will be contributing to this effort over a period of three years. What does the document look like? It is a multi-page grid where teachers will document acquired knowledge, skills, and resources, and craft benchmarks that represent a standard of learning. As a fully accredited school within a larger professional community, we will share our educational philosophy and methods with our colleagues. The curriculum guide will serve as both this external document as well as a road map for our longterm goals. —Dr. Rosemary Steinbaum, Dean of Instruction

New Nursery program expands Early Childhood division

While math education tends to be perceived as a series of discrete topics, such as addition in first grade or subtraction in second, it’s actually an integrated process lasting from Pre-K through senior year. Skills are taught in a way that not only builds on the mathematical knowledge that students have already acquired, but also creates a foundation to support further learning. For example, a young in the math department child might interpret the equal symbol in “5 + 8 = ?” as an instruction to give the sum. In upper grades, we emphasize that the symbol indicates “equivalent to” rather than a command to perform an operation. This is a crucial idea requiring more sophisticated conceptual thinking—yet the understanding of equality was built in kindergarten.

Scope and Sequence

In math, a solid foundation requires that two goals be met: computational mastery and a deep conceptual understanding built over several years. Our teachers use a comprehensive and integrated curriculum that meets these goals and is shaped by national standards set out by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and by state standards. Furthermore, teachers work collaboratively both within and across grades; at regular grade meetings, we clarify learning objectives and share best practices. Beginning this year, Lower and Middle school teachers will visit, observe and participate in each other’s math classrooms, which will help them contextualize their roles in developing students’ mathematical knowledge. —Ms. Deborah Hunter, JKHA Math Department Chair

The 2015-16 school year welcomes the introduction of the Nursery 3 class. They join Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten to complete JKHA’s Early Childhood program, under the guidance of Early Education Director Ruth DiGiovanni, JKHA veteran teacher and highly regarded leader in the field of elementary education. Like our other Early Childhood classes, the Nursery at JKHA features a structured curriculum designed to support exploration and imagination, while accommodating the diverse learning styles of all students: tactile, auditory, and visual. In our Early Childhood classrooms, nurturing teachers support each student’s intelligence, striving each day to help them build character and integrity along with their academic skill set. The students also emerge from the program with a love of Israel, a deep appreciation of their Jewish heritage, and an eagerness to uphold the midot that are modeled for them. Under Mrs. DiGiovanni’s direction, the Early Childhood division will be implementing a scope and sequence for the program to ensure consistency throughout the division and a seamless transition as young learners advance in the Lower School grades.

The Lower School theme for Yom Ha’atzmaut in 2015 was “A Day In the Life of an Israeli Child.” After a simulated flight to Israel, students enjoyed a tiyul to a shuk, learning in an Israeli classroom, Israeli sports, a Beit Haknesset, delicious Israeli food, a video about a child on a Kibbutz, and some fun on the beach. The activities were both informative and experiential, supporting our school’s Mission Statement, “to forge a lifelong bond with the Land and State of Israel.” Happy 67th, Medinat Yisrael!

or f s

ce i n Science

JKHA is one of the nation’s day schools benefitting from CIJE’s (Center for Initiatives in Jewish Education) collaboration with the Israel Center for Excellence through Education. The past year marked the completion of another successful year with E2K, a popular after-school program providing math and science enrichment. The main objective for the science component, says teacher Esther Grossman, “is to conduct experiments with everyday materials and teach the scientific principles applicable for each, in a relaxed and fun environment.”

lle n

Initiat ive

IN THE CLASSROOM...AND BEYOND

E xc

In the unit on eggs (left), students performed experiments demonstrating the importance of the egg shape. They learned about the candling process farmers use, and observed diffusion when they placed eggs in corn syrup for a couple of days. The unit concluded with an exciting “egg drop,” for which students had to build a contraption which would keep the egg safe when dropped from a third floor. In another unit, they examined the different parts of a candle, observed what occurred when a part of the fire triangle was missing or replaced, and tested which parts of the flame had the highest temperature. The year ended with students building and launching rockets as they learned about the different forces responsible for the rocket soaring into the air.

“The most satisfying part of teaching the E2K class was to watch their amazement when they discovered something new,” recounts Grossman. “The beautiful thing was that it happened just about in every class!”

There’s so much happening in science at JKHA/RKYHS! Please see our special feature on page 10.

“Names Not Numbers©: A Movie in the Making” The JKHA eighth graders once again participated in the lifechanging program “Names Not Numbers©: A Movie in the Making.” This oral history film project and curriculum take the teaching of the Holocaust and its lessons well beyond the classroom. Throughout the year-long project, the students are guided by professionals in their fields: a television producer, a filmmaker, and Jewish studies teachers to learn proper interview and filming techniques, as well as to explore the concepts of faith and belief. Working in small groups with twelfth grade mentors, and using the skills they learned from the professionals, the students themselves interviewed, filmed, and edited eight local Holocaust survivors, recording their stories for posterity. The project culminated in a public movie screening featuring the survivors’ stories, edited by the students, woven together with a documentary produced by a professional videographer who followed the students throughout the year. JKHA is grateful to the survivors who gave of their time for this very important project: Fran Gruber, Gladys Halpern, Clara Kramer, Sophie Lubka, Fran Malkin, David Mermelstein z”l, Erika Sauerhoff, and Karmela Waldman.

Shabbat comes to school JKHA Middle Schoolers participated in a variety of programming over the course of several days in conjunction with the International Shabbat Project. Rabbi Zwickler of West Orange’s AABJ&D kicked off the multi-day program with an introduction to the project. After a division-wide challah baking and chulent making, the entire Middle School enjoyed a “Shabbat” meal together. Students got a more in-depth look at the 39 melachot for Shabbat during a round robin dedicated to the subject. On “Disconnect Day,” students checked in all their devices in order to disconnect and reconnect just as we do on Shabbat. The jam-packed schedule culminated in a special havdalah celebration and chagigah.

Middle School

Instabracha

A month-long Middle School initiative promoted learning about and making Brachot. Judaics Studies faculty began by reviewing with their students the different brachot and their halachot, then stepped it up by generating excitement through the halls with the Instabracha Selfie campaign. Students generated a Bracha list with their favorite and least favorite foods, along with the proper bracha for each; these lists then served as a study guide for individual class Bracha Bees.

The winners from each class participated in a heated battle between 20+ students. The competition began with three lightning rounds, trying to eliminate and narrow down the finalists. But it was tough—even the high-speed rounds only knocked out a few students! The remaining finalists were then asked to come up with the bracha for foods that were not on the study guide, but even this challenge posed little difficulty to our well-versed finalists. After a long battle, first-place winner Eli Novick and runner-up Goldy Franks won $36 and $18 gift certificates to Woxx. The enthusiasm throughout the campaign was contagious and will carry over to an enhanced effort in brachot making. A big thank you to Woxx in West Orange for their generous sponsorship of this competition!

A cross-curricular approach to research and writing skills Cross-curricular learning encourages students to take responsibility for what they learn and how they learn it. Middle School students hone their research skills It highlights while writing a Social Studies paper their strengths in different areas, as well as engaging different parts of their brains as they access a variety of skills and subject matters. The JKHA faculty takes advantage of every opportunity to collaborate on projects that engage the children in forming connections between different subjects.

beyond, they get plenty of practice keeping up with useful software and web-based tools. For the research project, the eighth-graders used NoodleTools, a website offering tools for note-taking, outlining, citation and collaborative research and writing, which helped them keep their research organized and easily accessible. Rough drafts were shared with peers via GoogleDrive, so students could get immediate feedback, instantly make corrections, and keep all their documents in one place—essentially keeping this project paper-free.

Thanks to the generosity of the Benrimon family, JKHA and RKYHS debuted their first-ever float at the Celebrate Israel Parade. The enthusiastic students marched and “floated” up NYC’s Fifth Avenue proudly waving their Israeli flags and heralding the “Hatikvah” theme carried out in the school’s float, banners, and signs.

One example is the eighth-grade Social Studies research project, an opportunity for students to practice their research and perfect their writing skills. Choosing topics from famous people to major historical events, the students did research using various academic databases. In Social Studies class, they focused on their research, while in Language Arts class, they composed their theses, essay outlines and more. They received two separate grades: one for “process,” given in Language Arts, and a Social Studies grade for the final product. One crucial aspect of cross-curricular learning is the teaching of technology. As our students prepare for High School and

IN THE CLASSROOM...AND BEYOND Guest speakers offer new perspectives to students

Dan Webb shared his story of how using the Israeli technology ReWalk—a computerized exoskeleton for people with lower-body paralysis—has changed his life and is helping him walk again.

The 2015-16 school year will see a newly enhanced SEED (Student Enrichment, Education, and Development) speaker program. The series will continue to identify accomplished and broad-thinking professionals and volunteers throughout the community who will encourage the students to challenge assumptions and engage issues. During the 2014-15 school year, RKYHS students heard from a wide-ranging list of speakers, broadening what they were learning inside the classroom and opening up new vistas in a variety of areas and topics, including: Mr. Stephen Flatow spoke on the 20th yahrtzeit of his daughter Alisa HY”D, a 1988 graduate of JKHA, about his faith in humanity after Alisa was murdered in a terrorist attack and his commitment to Israel.

Miriam Peretz, mother of two fallen IDF Golani officers, travels all over Israel offering solace to families who have lost their loved ones defending the country. Ms. Peretz spoke about the IDF, bereavement, and emunah.

Rabbi Steven Weil, Senior Managing Director of the Orthodox Union (OU), addressed the RKYHS students on the importance of reaching out to the unaffiliated Jewish community. Jennifer Teege, author of My Grandfather Would Have Shot Me, captivated students when she spoke about discovering that her grandfather was the notorious Nazi Amon Goeth, responsible for the deaths of so many.

Jacy Good shared her haunting message about the dangers of distracted driving. Jacy nearly died in a car accident that killed her parents, because of a distracted driver. Michael Zakkour, principal at Tompkins International and author of China’s Super Consumers spoke about China as a global economic leading country in the world.

Jon Starks, renowned former NBA player and NY Knicks guard, described overcoming challenging times and transforming it into positive, successful experiences.

Interdisciplinary focus fosters deeper learning Synthesizing knowledge from different subject areas helps students approach a problem or situation with more resourceful, robust and creative solutions. It also fosters the critical thinking skills necessary to any field of study. That’s why RKYHS emphasizes an interdisciplinary approach as often as possible. For example, last April the English department, in collaboration with the Judaics, history, and science departments, launched a school-wide “Book Day,” focusing on Sophocles’ Antigone. This 2500-year-old Greek tragedy tells the story of a young woman who risks a death sentence to bury her brother after he is killed in a rebellion. All students had read the play in English class and were well-prepared to examine it through varied lenses. The day opened with a lecture on Greek drama and why such an ancient piece of literature is still relevant. Discussions facilitated by the various departments involved Jewish burial laws; the characteristics of a tragic hero; a look at historical and Biblical heroes; and the clash between religious and secular law, including modern case studies. The day culminated with an improvisational skit by the English teachers presenting a student’s moral dilemma after witnessing a friend cheat. At the end of the skit, students voted on whether they would choose “loyalty to friends” or “integrity to oneself.” This year RKYHS will offer an interdisciplinary unit called SPELL, or Science, Psychology, Ethics, Law and Literature. Students will examine a contemporary issue raised in an important work of literature through various lenses: that of the scientist, the ethicist, the lawyer and the psychologist. Using court cases, news articles and scientific studies, they will ponder a fast-growing modern dilemma: that what is scientifically possible may not be acceptable legally or ethically. There is no “right” answer to these dilemmas; instead; our goal is to have students gain a deeper understanding of and appreciation for the problem-solving process—a skill that will stand them in good stead in college and thereafter, creating thoughtful citizens of the world.

High School Connecting the past to the present At RKYHS, we recognize that teenagers become much more engaged in the study of history if they can see how past events determine current ones that affect their own lives. Our history Department excels at linking the past with the present. Our students, keenly aware of the threat of Islamic fundamentalism to Israel and the US, received a thorough background in its origins in their ninth-grade Western Civilization class. Beginning with the pre- and post-war reactions in Muslim-dominated lands and continuing on to European imperialism and mandates, our students participated in an extended series of classes on the rise and modern development of the Muslim Brotherhood, Al-Qaeda, and ISIS. In American History II, classes reviewed headlines from 2007 warning Americans of forthcoming economic problems, which were eerily similar to the warning signs of the 1929 market crash. They also learned how many of the safeguards put in place following the 1929 crash kept the nation out of a full-fledged Depression in 2007. In a noteworthy collaboration between the history department and a science club, one SEED period was devoted to a discussion, complete with a Powerpoint presentation, in which Pre-Med club members taught the scientific and biological background of Ebola. History teachers Mr. Justin Bryant and Mr. Jeff Reiss explained the political component of how the disease affects Africa, especially Liberia. This in turn led to a discussion of how Ebola impacts US issues of immigration and the geopolitical dynamics of our nation in addressing it. Maps and charts provided a visual component that bolstered the students’ understanding of the material.

A unified Judaic Studies program In RKYHS Torah classes, studies have been centered around unified yearly themes that give a sense of focus to Torah learning. In the 2014 - 2015 school year, our school wide theme centered around the pursuit of kedusha, holiness, and was focused on the concept of “‫“ — ”והיה מחניך קדוש‬And your encampment should be Holy.” This year’s classes will focus on the theme of “ ‫“ — ”מה רבו מעשיך ה׳‬Appreciating the greatness of Hashem’s creations and the goodness in one another.” Our Tanach program will learn sefer Bereishit, which will allow us to explore how the Torah presents the wondrous formation of the world and the role of humankind in its development. Talmud classes will focus on masechet Berachot and the analysis of berachot, a critical means of expressing appreciation for Hashem’s creations. In addition to the regular Judaic Studies curriculum, the theme will be extended in various ways throughout the year. Our school Shabbaton will revolve around this theme, and throughout the year, we will host scholars in Torah and secular studies to help us build our appreciation for the wonders of the world. Most importantly, we will implement programs in which students are challenged to show greater appreciation for Hashem as well as for those around them. We hope that by exploring this theme from various approaches, our students will gain a deeper understanding of this very foundational Torah ideal.

The students involved with AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee) at RKYHS are fortunate to have Rabbi Richard Kirsch (top left) as their tireless leader and faculty advisor. Rabbi Kirsch was recognized for his leadership when he received the AIPAC Faculty Advisor of the Year Award at the AIPAC Policy Conference 2015 earlier this year in Washington, DC. AIPAC’s Faculty Advisor of the Year Award recognizes professionals and volunteers who have done the most to nurture AIPAC high school champions.

RKYHS takes great pride that it is the only New Jersey Yeshiva high school to have graduated a 2015 National Merit Scholarship winner. Dalya Dickstein (right), class of 2015, received the exceptional academic honor of being selected as a 2015 National Merit Scholarship winner. Competing with over 1.5 million entrants, Dalya made it through to the final round based on her abilities, skills and accomplishments. After being selected as a Finalist, the NMSC notified Dalya and approximately 7,600 Finalists around the country that they were selected to receive a Merit Scholarship award. We recognize with pride all of our students who have been selected by the National Scholarship Program over the past years. Congratulations to the RKYHS 2015 National Merit Commended students Shep Gerszberg, Jacob Mendelson, and Samuel Cherna (pictured left to right with Rabbi Rubin).

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SCIENCE ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES AP Environmental Studies students went to Sandy Hook National Park to perform WQI testing (water quality index). The visit is part of a series of nine scientific data collection tests in which the students perform real environmental tests to prove how safe and clean the water is for both drinking and recreational use. Since Sandy Hook is a large destination area where people visit and camp out overnight, its water quality is a significant public health concern.

BIOLOGY

CHEMISTRY

Approximately 40 sophomore chemistry students visited Students2Science.org, a chemistry lab in East Hanover devoted to STEM education, for a handson lesson in analytical chemistry testing. Some of the day’s research included the importance of recycling, analysis of antacids in the stomach, and the effects of UVA and UVB rays on different strengths of sunblock. The experience gave students a new understanding of how the fundamentals they learn in class are used in real-world lab applications.

The ninth grade biology class got a behind-thescenes look at the ornithology department of the Museum of Natural History in NYC. They learned about the preservation of specimens and visited labs where specimen DNA is processed, bringing to life topics in evolutionary biology, genetic engineering, and ecology.

FOUNDATIONS IN SCIENCE

The Lower School science curriculum is an experiential, hands-on approach to science, using the Smithsonian Institute’s STC (Science and Technology Concepts) program, which teaches students the FERA method: They focus on a topic, explore objects or organisms, reflect on observations and data collected, and apply their understanding of science concepts to new situations.

COMPUTER SCIENCE

In December, over 100 students from the Middle School joined over 76 million students participating in an Hour of Code. The Hour of Code is a one-hour introduction to computer science, designed to demystify code and spark students’ interest with tutorials, such as the one based on the characters from Frozen (above right). This was a school-wide initiative, and several High School students and recent RKYHS alumni acted as coding coaches. In the High School, our new ninth-grade Introduction to Coding class introduces students to the principles of computer science and includes an overview of common programming languages.

RKYHS STEM PROGRAM Our STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) courses comprise Scientific Engineering (10th grade), Genetic Engineering (11th grade) and Bioengineering (12th grade). These courses foster a creative, hands-on approach to scientific problems, encouraging students to develop critical thinking and analysis skills, as well as key gateway skills in computer programming, circuitry, anatomy and genetics. In partnership with the Waksman Institute at Rutgers University, our Genetic Engineering students (pictured at right) are isolating, identifying and determining the DNA sequence of genes from a species of plant having importance as a potential biofuel and in bioremediation, as well as generating data published in NCBI, the international repository of DNA sequences. Here are just a few examples of the exciting projects that RKYHS STEM students have dreamed up and built prototypes for:

ENGINEERING

SCIENTIFIC

Project The Windy Sleepwell measures PCRduino ThermoBoost is a winda user’s brain wave activity via EEG Students in Gecycler is a student- built microconenergy collection system that and then wirelessly transmits the data to a netic Engineering identitroller (arduino)-based thermocycler to synuses an array of horizontally disposed tursmart phone. The device can distinguish befied a duckweed gene which shows signifithesize DNA chains. The expected cost of the bines situated within hollow perforated tween different phases of sleep; a related cant homology with the human CFTR gene, PCRduino Thermocycler is around $250, a lampposts and linked in series to increase alarm clock wakes the user in a programmed which when mutated causes cystic fibrosis price-point which could create broad availelectrical yield. Because there are millions timeframe during the lightest phase of (CF). The students were tasked with proposability to sophisticated molecular genetof lampposts all linked to the electrical grid, sleep, which would be the easiest mo- BI ing original research on an aspect of CF disic engineering work, as most thermocyOEN even a small amount of wind can supply large ment to wake up feeling reease using the approach of an NIH grant apclers cost many thousands G E I NGI NEE amounts of energy to the elecfreshed. plication. NEE of dollars). RIN trical grid. RIN G TIC E Helping Hands for people who N G GE The Smart Trigger is desuffer from Parkinson’s Disease is a twoA papermon heathy lung synsigned to address the problem of layer glove system with built-in acceleromthesis proposes a novel gene therapy apaccidental and school shootings. A transeters and servo motors. It provides an oppoproach using autologous stem cells, replacceiver prevents trigger activation, effectivesite and equal counter-motion to counteract ing the defective CFTR gene using an AAV ly creating a “protected zone” where a gun shaking, thus enabling a patient with an unvector. The autologous stem cells are used to cannot be fired except by an authorized user. controlled hand tremor to hold a cup of cofform a 3D printed organ which can be used This device, which was selected as a winning fee or a spoon or a fork. in an autologous lung transplant for cystic fiproject of the 2014 Young Engineers Conbrosis patients. ference.

FOCUS ON THE LIBRARY

Ms. Litland’s 7th grade social studies class used their new research skills and the school’s iPads to work on reports about life in the early American colonies.

Our beautiful library has gone through some exciting new expansions over the past year. We expanded our collection by nearly 450 books, spanning fiction (both picture books and novels) and non-fiction. Nearly 5,500 items were circulated to our students and faculty. Our new librarian, Ms. Abbey Roth, MLIS, taught 20 Middle School classes and 38 High School classes in collaboration with the English and history departments, focusing on research/inquiry projects. Lessons taught in these classes included paraphrasing, citing sources, evaluating websites, searching and using online tools for the research process. She also worked with the Middle School Judaics faculty to enhance the annual Haggadah project.

Above, Ms. Roth teaches a class of High School students how to steer clear of plagiarism in their research papers.

Our most exciting days included our special library programs such as Battle of the Books with the Middle School; a night-time storytime with the Lower School; Poem in Your Pocket with the Lower School; and President’s Day virtual scavenger hunt with the Middle School. Finally, we acquired a cart of Google Chromebooks, which will transform the way our students do research next year. Going forward, we are very excited to expand our current educational storytime program for the new 3’s program. In addition, we are creating a JKHmAkerspace in the library. As part of this new trend across libraries, our library will be a place to explore and make projects as well as a place to borrow materials. We will have Middle School Maker Mondays at lunchtime and our third and fourth grade students will be able to choose to participate in Maker projects during recess one day a week. Our younger students (Kindergarten through second grade) will be able to explore our new JKHmAkerspace during their weekly library schedule. “We’ll be conducting even more collaborative lessons with teachers—on everything from advanced search to paraphrasing to citation skills—and then watching the students immediately put these skills to use on the Chromebooks for their research/inquiry projects,” said Ms. Roth. “We look forward to another wonderful year as we continue to make magic in the library.”

To provide motivation for independent reading, JKHA launched our first annual Battle of the Books competition for fifth and sixth graders. Culminating in a “battle” of over 20 teams, the six finalist teams competed for the championship title as their peers cheered them on in the auditorium. The students proved to have retained a ton of literary details, with the winning team (pictured above) finishing with 22 points and second place tied with 20 points!

Courtesy of Photography by Lisa

SPORTS ROUND-UP The RKYHS Boys Varsity Baseball team (below) captured the championship at the Sixth Annual Columbus Baseball Invitational Tournament. This three-day tournament, also known as “the Jewish World Series,” draws various yeshiva high schools from around the country in a very competitive, intense tournament. The Kushner Cobras played superbly; Seth Wengrofsky won the MVP award.

The RKYHS Boys JV Soccer Team (above) won the Yeshiva League championship and finished first in the division in the regular season. RKYHS Track Teams placed in the top three in the various track meets. The RKYHS Girls Hockey made it to the post-season after a successful year. The JKHA-MS Girls Hockey team reached the playoffs.

TORAH IN ACTION

RKYHS students came together for the inaugural RKYHS Yom Chesed. The students had meaningful experiences traveling to a variety of locations in the area to perform acts of chesed and community service. Some ways in which the students contributed to the local community: building new homes with Habitat for Humanity in Newark and Morris County; packing food for the needy at The Community Food Bank of New Jersey; visiting nursing home residents at Daughters of Israel; working with young children with Down Syndrome at The Arc of Essex County; bowling with participants from New Jersey Yachad; visiting and singing with residents of The Lester Senior Housing Community; and distributing food and clothing to the poor through Street Torah. All of these events contributed to a great day of chesed benefitting both volunteers and recipients.

The month of Adar began with a special Rosh Chodesh Adar chagigah. The ruach, music, and dancing helped kick off a Kids4Chai Judaithon for Chai Lifeline’s Camp Simcha where children with cancer and other illnesses can temporarily escape the challenges of their illness. All Torah learning for the month of Adar was dedicated in honor of the children of Camp Simcha.

Students from all divisions contributed to bring joy to children with illnesses for the Chai Lifeline Chanukah Toy Drive. Below, Lower School students stand proudly near a trunk filled with toys ready to distribute.

As part of week-long chesed activities for the Middle School over Chanukah, the seventh grade students began the chesed initiatives by hitting the kitchen and cooking pounds and pounds of chicken, potatoes and green beans, which were then distributed by Tomchei Shabbos to Passaic families in need of food for Shabbat.

High Schoolers Rose Ginsberg (left) and Racheli Klibanoff (center) led an initiative to complete a reading of the book of Tehillim. The event was dedicated to the Sassoon family, victims of the tragic fire in Brooklyn. Each day for a week, the students recited Tehillim, shared divrei Torah and songs, ending the event with a special siyyum breakfast and speaker. The sifrei Tehillim were donated by Mrs. Diane Covkin (right) in memory of her mother and motherin-law as part of the Parnas Hayom program.

Lower School students (left) made cards to send to JKHA/RKYHS alumni currently serving in the IDF to thank them for defending the Land of Israel and to wish them a happy Purim. The cards were distributed along with delicious mishloach manot to JKHA/RKYHS alumni as well as other lone soldiers (IDF soldiers with no immediate family in Israel). The packages from the students brought joy to the soldiers and enhanced their Purim. At right, Jordan Stark (JKHA ‘09/RKYHS ‘13) happily receives his mishloach manot.

ALUMNI CORNER

Kate Arian, Class of 2007, owner of ManiCare mobile beauty service.

RKYHS teachers and alumni recall Kate Arian (JKHA ‘03/RKYHS ‘07) as a spunky girl who never let cystic fibrosis slow her down. Shortly after her graduation from University of Pennsylvania, Kate received a double-lung transplant. “I was homebound prior to the surgery, hospitalized immediately after, and homebound again for many months,” she recalls. “A simple manicure was out of reach. I began to appreciate the power that my usual beauty routines would have had to restore my sense of normalcy.”

That experience was the impetus for her to create ManiCare, a mobile nail and beauty service whose technicians travel to homes, offices, or hospitals. Now serving around 80 to 120 clients a month, ManiCare is everywhere from the Governor’s Ball music festival to the NHL Headquarters, as well as within most major New York City hospitals. Having grown from three manicurists to a team of 14 employees, ManiCare has expanded its service menu to include makeup, waxing, hair styling, and nail art. “We position our brand in a medically-sensitive way,” says Arian, “but are happy to work at bridal/bachelorette parties, plus office, corporate, brand, press, and charity events.” The success of the business has been making the news, profiled by InnovationInsider, Glamour.com, TheSkimm, Bridal Guide, NY Daily News, MY 9’s Chasing News, and BeautyNewsNYC.

Sometimes knowing the answer isn’t always the best thing for a student, says Leana Silverberg, RKYHS class of 2014 and a sophomore at Brandeis. She is continuing her work on her human body-powered, self-charging cell phone charger (ChargeMe), a project she started in the RKYHS Bioengineering course. Leana Silverberg, JKHA ‘10/ RKYHS ‘14, with ChargeMe, She was selected as a semi-finala body-powered cell phone ist for an innovation (“SPARK”) charger she developed in Bioengrant and as such has been ingineering class at RKYHS. vited to participate in a Virtual Incubator Boot Camp program to further develop the project. “I came into the Bioengineering class with no idea what I was doing. Whenever I asked Dr. Stein (RKYHS Science Department Chair) a question, he would challenge me with another question. Finding an answer was never easy, but it triggered my team and me to brainstorm and research, which in the end was a lot better than an answer.” Leana would like to extend her thanks to Benji Lazar (RKYHS ‘14) and Alex Mendelsohn (JKHA ‘10/RKYHS ‘14), without whom, she says, “I could not have done this project.” She adds that “it has been such a privilege to be taught and guided by Dr. Stein. He has inspired me to immerse myself in the science world.”

Kate credits the school with teaching her many of the lessons she is now using to achieve her success. “Kushner’s talented and devoted faculty always inspired me to strive for excellence, and for every academic focus, equal time and importance was placed on the community, chesed, and giving back.”

RKYHS

200CLASSES OF 10 5 20

Ten-year reunion

Five-year reunion

Sunday, 1/10/16 Sunday, 12/20 Save the dates for a chance to catch up with classmates and check your inboxes for additional details. For more information or to join the reunion committee, please contact Erica Rosenfeld at 862-437-8176 or erosenfeld@jkha.org.

At RKYHS, we are proud of the fact that ManiCare does indeed give back—10 percent of ManiCare’s proceeds go to charity. The company has also provided services at charity events for the American Cancer Society, Ronald McDonald House, Fighting Pretty, and many others.

The Alumni Association serves graduates of HYA, JKHA, and RKYHS. Whether you live near or far, in New Jersey or abroad, the Alumni Association helps you stay connected to friends, classmates, and the school community. We want to hear from you! Please keep us posted on lifecycle events, career or other updates, and changes of address. To send us updates or to get involved with our Alumni Association, please contact Erica Rosenfeld at 862-4378176 or erosenfeld@jkha.org. Please visit www.jkha.org/alumni to update your contact information and read alumni news and information.

So many RKYHS alumni returned to school for a reunion while they were home from college for their winter break. The attendees reminisced with fellow classmates, saw current students, caught up with their former teachers, and engaged in informative round-table discussions. Other highlights of the morning: two members of the Class of 2011, Jacob Koenigson (above right) and Jon Liebman (left), spoke about their recent time serving in Tzahal, and their experience while training in the Tanks division and the Golani Brigade. Adina Lichtman, also from the Class of 2011, shared her insight on how she started her non-profit “Knock Knock Give a Sock” at NYU (www. knockknockgiveasock.org), which has now spread to more than 20 college campuses and numerous day schools. It has collected over 15,000 pairs of socks, the most needed, yet least donated, article of clothing for the homeless.

ADMISSIONS & AFFORDABILITY Affordability and excellence lead to significant growth for our school Enrollment grew significantly for this school year, and it’s not hard to see why. Our reputation for educational excellence, coupled with our commitment to affordability, sparked increased interest in our school. Not only did the number of inquiries increase almost threefold—parents who visited liked what they saw, and enrollment increased across all three divisions. According to our survey results, families who chose JKHA/RKYHS are happy with the outstanding education their children receive, along with our innovative enrichment programming and wide range of extracurricular activities. Parents also expressed appreciation for our multi-tiered affordability initiatives, which lets them choose the package that best meets their needs. Here’s how our admissions statistics compare to last year’s:

Reputation for ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

Inquiries increased

Commitment to AFFORDABILITY

716

from 84 last year

233

to this year.

students enrolled schoolwide Satisfied parents

47%

227% increase in enrollment from new inquiries

increase in new families

40% increase in retention in grades 1-8

Largest

freshman class since 2003, with 31 from feeder schools

Our BONIM program attracted new families from South Africa, Manhattan, Montreal, Staten Island and Florida.

Building Foundations for our Future It’s no secret that affordability is a major challenge facing day schools nationwide. Our creative approach to sustainable tuition costs consists of three parts comprising a cohesive strategy: BONIM YESODOT L’ATIDENU: Building Foundations for Our Future.

NDA TIO

‫דות‬ ‫סו‬

‫י‬

Our traditional Financial Assistance Program will be enhanced by a new initiative called L’ATIDENU (For Our Future), which will build a robust endowment fund which will perpetually provide additional resources to our annual Financial Assistance Program, ensuring our ability to continue providing our excellent education to every Jewish child. FOU

The YESODOT (Foundations) Middle Income Affordability Program provides relief to middle-income families by capping total tuition at a percentage of a family’s Adjusted Gross Income—regardless of how many children are enrolled. It combines a generous benefit with a user-friendly application process requiring minimal documentation and disclosure. We are grateful for the leadership of Paula and Jerry Gottesman Family Supporting Foundation, the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater MetroWest NJ, and The Partnership for Jewish Learning and Life for their support of this endeavor.

‫ בו‬H ‫ נים‬Y GROWATM NIT O GR M U E PR COM ENTIV IN C

The BONIM program is a community-wide effort to attract new families to JKHA/RKYHS and surrounding Jewish communities and synagogues. The school offers up to $25,000 in tuition credit for new families who move to those areas. The participating synagogues will be offering additional incentives of up to $12,500. Additionally, the JCC will be offering benefits of up to $15,000, bringing the potential total benefit up to over $50,000.

‫לעתידנו‬ FOR OUR FUTURE

www.jkha.org/Affordability

DEVELOPMENT JKHA/RKYHS launches $10 million fundraising campaign JKHA/RKYHS is rolling out a transformative $10 million fundraising campaign committed to the institution’s foundational pillars of academic excellence and affordability. The comprehensive initiative encompasses:

Campaign For Excellence

L’ATIDENU Financial Assistance Endowment Fund

The Campaign for Excellence is part of a unique challenge grant generously offered by the Gottesman Family Supporting Foundation, the Seryl and Charles Kushner Family Foundation, and Linda and Murray Laulicht, that will galvanize the school community around a $5 million fundraising goal over a period of five years. These three donor families have offered an unprecedented 3:1 match opportunity and committed $1.25 million each over the next five years, contingent on JKHA/RKYHS raising $1.25 million in the same time frame. JKHA/RKYHS has already secured commitments for more than 75% of qualifying gifts for the match to set us well on our way to reaching our goal. The $5 million in infusion funding from the Campaign for Excellence will serve to expand and elevate academics throughout JKHA and RKYHS including science/STEM, Judaics, and teacher professional development, and secure investment for certain capital improvements of the campus and facilities to ensure students will continue to learn and flourish in a stateof-the-art learning environment.

JKHA/RKYHS launched the L’Atidenu Financial Assistance Endowment Fund through the initiative of campaign chairs and JKHA/RKYHS grandparents Harriet and George Blank, to strengthen the school’s commitment to making our top-rate Jewish education more affordable to more of our families. In the last 10 years, JKHA/RKYHS has increased spending on financial assistance from $750,000 to more than $2.6 million per year, a number that continues to increase. The L’Atidenu Financial Assistance Endowment Fund will create a robust, permanent endowment to provide funding for the more than 50% of our JKHA/RKYHS students whose families require financial assistance to afford the cost of our Yeshiva’s exceptional Jewish education. The L’Atidenu Endowment, when fully funded, will exceed more than $5 million and will directly reduce the pressure on our annual operating budget, which currently provides this vital help to our families.

JKHA/RKYHS 67th Annual Dinner

Names Not Numbers Dinner Honorees

JKHA/RKYHS hosted its 67th Annual Dinner on Thursday, May 14, 2015, at The Grove, in Cedar Grove, NJ, honoring generations of Giborim, the Jewish heroes whom JKHA/RKYHS are proud to call our own. Honorees included 16 members of the school community who survived the Holocaust and who have shared their personal experiences and stories with the students through the Names Not Numbers© Program. Honorees also included a special group of over 45 JKHA and RKYHS alumni who have bravely elected to serve in the Israel Defense Forces to protect the Jewish Homeland. The coveted Susan H. Dworken Educational Excellence Award was presented to JKHA Assistant Principal and 21-year veteran of JKHA, Rabbi Nachum Wachtel. The JKHA/RKYHS Annual Dinner is the biggest fundraising event of the year. It enables the school to continue its mission of inspiring excellence and enhancing all facets of the learning environment, as well as ensuring adequate financial assistance to an ever-growing number of families. It was a celebrated evening with over 550 attendees including parents, grandparents, alumni, and friends of the school community. Top: Rabbi Nachum Wachtel (left) is presented with the Susan H. Dworken Award by Head of School Rabbi Eliezer Rubin. At top right, the Holocaust survivors who were honored: top row, left to right: Sophie Lubka, Morris Lewinter, Fran Gruber, Lori Raskin; second row: Ibolya Kreissman, Magda Feig, Zoltan Lefkovits, Millie Zuckerman; third row: Henry Schanzer, Fran Malkin, Erika Sauerhoff, Gladys Halpern; bottom row: Karmela Waldman, David Gruber, Clara Kramer, David Mermelstein z”l. Bottom left: The decor at the dinner included a poster listing all the JKHA/RKYHS alumni who have served in the IDF.

The school recently held a dedication of the Arie & Eva Halpern Library and Holocaust Studies Center. Henry and Sherry Stein dedicated the room and center in loving memory of their parents. The room is a re-creation of the library designed and built by Arie and Eva Halpern in their Springfield, NJ home. The extensive collection of seforim, Holocaust literature and modern Judaic books was donated by Arie and Eva Halpern’s children. The Arie & Eva Halpern Library and Holocaust Studies Center is the premier multimedia education center for independent and classroom learning about the Holocaust, and is central to the school’s study of anti-Semitism, Jewish survival, and persecution throughout the ages. The center is led by Rabbi Dr. Sasha Pecaric, a noted author and researcher whose scholarship has enhanced the students’ understanding of Jewish history, and inspires them to embrace their responsibility to the Jewish people. From left: Talia Stein, Ben Stein, Bat Sheva Halpern, Shelley Paradis, Gladys Halpern, Sherry Stein, Henry Stein, Josef Paradis, Alex Halpern, David Halpern

NON-PROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID LAKEWOOD, NJ PERMIT #17

Experience the only NJAIS-accredited Modern Orthodox day school at our Open Houses! Rae Kushner Yeshiva High School

Joseph Kushner Hebrew Academy

OPEN HOUSE

OPEN HOUSE & FAMILY FUN DAY

November 15 • 9:30AM

Bring your friends and family! Register online at www.jkha.org/jkhaopenhouse

December 6 • 10AM

Interested in learning more about our school’s admissions process? Know anyone moving to the area or families that might be interested in more information about our school? To inquire or to receive an application, please contact Sandra Blank, Director of Admissions, at 862-437-8050 or sblank@ jkha.org. You can also visit our website at www.jkha.org/admissions.

Come learn about our mission and our vision. Come and be inspired. Joseph Kushner Hebrew Academy Rae Kushner Yeshiva High School 110 South Orange Avenue Livingston, NJ 07039 (862) 437-8100 • www.jkha.org Rabbi Eliezer E. Rubin Head of School The Klatt Family Rosh HaYeshiva

Design and typesetting: Puffin Graphic Design

Debbie Finkelstein Principal, JKHA Sandra Blank Director of Admissions Lauren Shapiro Director of Development Kol HaKavod editor Erica Rosenfeld