Ramaz Development
Newsletter | June 2020
The Switch to Online Learning With the launch of the Ramaz distance learning website, we have adapted to a virtual school with an online campus. Through the integrated website, students log on to watch classes, view assignments, and connect with peers. Throughout this change to online classrooms, Ramaz has remained committed to its values and mission, including instilling in our students a love of learning, participating in arts and culture, having an active voice, and maintaining a sense of responsibility to the world at large, which our students have continued to exemplify from home. Ramaz students have been excited to hear from guest speakers, and collaborate on chesed projects, choir performances, cooking clubs, and co-curricular programming while still staying safely at home. Faculty have also been creative in finding ways to expand at home learning with innovative ideas such as cooking demos for learning about kashrut and using supplies around the house for experiments and presentations.
Academic Excellence The ECC and Lower School hosted story times for students with Ruth Gafni, Head of Ramaz N-8. Each story was connected to their year-long focus on middot. Middle School and Upper School students remained committed to religious growth by engaging in our “after school” virtual Mishmar. These programs exposed students to the idea and experience of learning L’shma and provided the opportunity for our students to engage in topics outside of the standard curriculum. Together with Rabbi Laniado and Rabbi Hagler, fifth and sixth grade students learned the Rambam, and seventh and eight grade students learned Mishna Brura Hilchot Tefillah. During Upper School’s Aschendorf Family Mishmar students learned from different teachers each week. Classes were driven by student questions allowing them to continue to explore Jewish values and thought even from home. We love that our students get excited about the idea of connecting to Hashem through learning Torah!
THE SWITCH TO ONLINE LEARNING After months outside the building, a group of Upper School students came together to recreate the Ramaz school building using Minecraft, the video game that builds structures in the form of cubes. This dedicated group collaborated through various forms of media to create the structure the Ramaz Upper School. They began by using their recollections of the school, and moved on to referencing pictures and floorplans to get a greater sense of details. They engaged staff and faculty for help with some specifics down the smallest detail, such as the amount of computers ECC students created a volcano to continue their STEAM learning from home. in the computer room. “Even though we only met virtually, as a group created a bond right from the start. Every garbage can, painting, and menshlichkeit sign is there to see. It was a true team effort. Check out their hard work by clicking HERE.
Guest Speakers in Our Virtual Classrooms Upper School students heard from Stephane Mandel, CEO of Moderna, the pharmaceutical company that is at the forefront of the search for the COVID-19 Vaccine. He went through details of the steps in creating a vaccine and how it is implemented. The fascinating talk was moderated by Jonathan Cannon. Lower School students heard from Ramaz alumna Emily A. ‘19 about her position as an IDF medic. She spoke about her experience testing individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic. We are so proud of our alumni who have joined the IDF. As part of their education about modern Israel, the 8th grade was privileged to hear from Jerusalem’s Deputy Mayor Fleur Hassan-Nahoum. Ms. Hassan-Nahoum explained to the students that she is a firm believer that women should be part of the local government, and is currently trying to help women in the Haredi community who are interested in politics. Many students were curious about how COVID-19 has affected Israeli life. Ms. Hassan-Nahoum spoke about how Israel handled the crisis very well, and how the Country is coming out of lockdown with the hope of getting the tourist-based businesses back on track. To view the Zoom with Ms. Hassan-Nahoum and our students, please click HERE. Former Ramaz Parent Mrs. Nazee Moinian, a prior consultant on Iran at the Council on Foreign Relations spoke to to Upper School students. Mrs. Moinian spoke to the students about Persian history, and about her experience living as a Jew in Iran up until the Iranian Revolution in 1979. She fled Iran within 24 hours in December 1978 and ultimately ended up in the U.S. She pointed out the many cultural riches of Persian history such as poetry, music, and a long line of kingship. Mrs. Moinian spoke about the Shah and his Country’s progress towards modernization. Under the Shah, Jews were free to practice Judaism and thrive in their businesses. Mrs. Moinian’s message for the club was to represent our heritage with pride and educate people about the rich culture.
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THE SWITCH TO ONLINE LEARNING Chesed Highlights For their senior course, 26 Ramaz students partnered with the Jewish Union Foundation (JUF), a nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities. Through its numerous programs, the JUF uses an individualized approach to help each person maximize their potential. Our Ramaz seniors who enrolled in the course met virtually with the program directors to hear about the daily challenges they face to service clients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Students followed each class by designing projects and activities that support the agencies’ needs that can be implemented virtually. The whole Ramaz community came together to honor frontline workers on our Ramaz Reponds Facebook group. Doctors, nurses, EMTs, restaurant workers and more were featured - and Ramaz said a big thank you! Inspired by those who take action, on Lag B’Omer, our Middle School students wrote thank you notes to Ramaz first responders, Lower School students made masks to send to a local nursing home, and Upper School students raised money for Kosher Response to provide kosher food to NYC hospital staff. The Upper School Persian Culture Club created a cookbook for sale During the year, many of our Uper School students to raise funds for healthcare workers. The club collected more than worked with young men and women at the Yachad day$4,000 and began delivering food to healthcare workers. hab. Knowing that they too were quarantined during the pandemic, Ramaz students thought of the idea to have a lunchtime elective on Zoom to stay connected. They put a lot of time and effort into organizing the Zooms with parents and families. Two Ramaz students were paired with each one of our friends and they spent time together catching up and sharing stories.
The Ramaz Lower School Film Club created a video about peer pressure with messages we can all learn from: don’t believe everything you hear and read, ignore it, encourage good behavior, and subscribe to positive support. Thank you to the Ramaz Parents Council for co-sponsoring the video. Click HERE to watch the video.
Maintaining a sense of community through special programs and celebrations is equally important as academics at Ramaz. It has therefore been essential for us to find a way for our students to connect. Our ECC and Lower School onegs took on a whole new meaning via Zoom. Families have joined together for singing, dancing, and weekly Kabbalat Shabbat on Friday afternoons. Thank you to those who have enhanced our onegs by “visiting,” including special guest Chazan Chaim Dovid Berson, of KJ. Incoming ECC students were invited to an at-home ice cream making party. The children were given ingredients and instructions to make ice cream, to make the welcome to Ramaz also a fun learning experience.
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THE SWITCH TO ONLINE LEARNING Our kindergarten and fourth graders turned their annual musical celebrations into a Zoom-riah, which was full of excitement. It was wonderful to see family members join to celebrate, smile, and laugh as our students performed songs they have been practicing all year. Speaking in fluent Hebrew, our children continued their Hebrew immersion, and gave gratitude to first responders and family, a middah that they have been focusing on this year. Also a culmination of their year, fourth graders celebrated moving up to middle school.
A Ramaz Chaverim program was initiated by Ruth Gafni, the Head of N-8, to help keep the young Ramaz children positively engaged. The program was purposely kept small, and for starters only five families were invited to take part in this new venture. Within minutes, five Upper School school students signed on to Zoom with first graders twice a week. Ramaz teens prepared stories, interactive games, and fun conversations. The children were excited to have their very own high school Chaver who was spending time with them on Zoom.
While we are home, staying active is more important than ever for our health, and sportsmanship and school spirit is crucial for children’s emotional health and growth. Middle School Coach Candel created a daily “boot camp” for students to exercise Ramaz style. These 15-minute morning workouts helped our students start their day full of energy! Upper School students continued their athletic distance learning during Ramsville, a newly established Ramaz mini-series of interviews with exceptional Jewish athletes and coaches. Students “met” with four stars of the YU Macs Men’s Basketball Team - Ryan Turell, Gabe Leifer, Simcha Halpert, and Dani Katz; Tamir Goodman; and Gabe Cramer, professional baseball pitcher of the Kansas City Royals. Students had the opportunity to submit questions about athletic training, sportsmanship, and playing professional games. This year, the Middle School enhanced their music education and programming. The Ramaz Middle School Band continued practicing and playing their instruments together virtually. During an online recital they performed Pachelbel’s Canon. Click HERE to watch the performance. Thank you to the Martin and Susan Sanders Family Foundation for ongoing sponsorship of programs throughout the year that bring classical music to our students.
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THE SWITCH TO ONLINE LEARNING
The annual Celebration of the Arts, one of the most exciting Ramaz programs showcasing various forms of artistic expression from our talented Upper School student body, was adapted into a virtual program. Our student artists and performers overcame all the obstacles they faced to put on a fantastic show, which included solo performances and poetry recitations, as well as socially distanced duets, choruses, and collaborations. Students presented samples of their artwork with interviews, and Parallax, our award-winning literary and art magazine, premiered its newest issue digitally during the program. Finally, the Ramaz Class of 2020 performed together one last time in a heartwarming group rendition of Maroon 5’s Memories! Click HERE to watch VIDEOS from Celebration of the Arts Click HERE to watch the ART SPOTLIGHTS Click HERE to view PARALLAX ‘20
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A RAMAZ EDUCATION FOR THE WHOLE COMMUNITY
In March, we launched the Ramaz Alumni Virtual Campus to educate and engage the Ramaz community during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. In the past four months, it has grown to become a space where current parents, alumni, parents of alumni, grandparents, and KJ community members gather to learn, grow professionally, cook, meditate, and tour the world, all from the comfort of their homes. It has been wonderful to see so many familiar faces join together to learn and share special moments. Below are highlights of some of the virtual lectures that our community has been enjoying. If you were unable to attend a talk that interests you, please click on the corresponding link below to watch or visit the Ramaz Alumni Virtual Campus for recordings. By virtually bringing Ramaz to your home, we continue to be here for our community, and seek new ways to learn, grow, and “see different.” To sponsor a Virtual Campus program for the entire community in memory or in honor of a loved one, please email kroch@ramaz.org.
In Keeping Ahead of the Curve, Dr. Sarah Schlesinger Hirschfeld, Ramaz Parent and Associate Professor of Clinical Investigation at The Rockefeller University, discussed the current state of COVID-19, and what to expect about a vaccine. This event was moderated by Rabbi Chaim Steinmetz. Thank you to Hattie and Arthur Dubroff who sponsored the event in honor of their grandchildren. Based on the success of the previous program, we are excited to announce a new series with Dr. Sarah Schlesinger Hirschfeld called The Doctor Is In: COVID & Education. During these talks, Dr. Schlesinger Hirschfeld will discuss a handful of topics relating to COVID-19 and everyday life. Save the date for our first episode, June 30, at 8pm: COVID & Education with Dr. Jason Perlman ‘93, moderated by Ramaz Head of School, Jonathan Cannon. Rabbi Haskel Lookstein ’49 and Natan Sharansky gave a wonderful lecture, titled A Conversation that Began in Moscow on Shemini Atzeret in 1975. Amanda Newman ‘84, Ramaz US teacher introduced Rabbi Lookstein and Sharansky, Israeli politician and human rights activist. Thank you to The Waitman Family who co-sponsored the event in memory of Joshua Waitman ‘86 z”l, and Rebecca Schub ‘81 who co-sponsored the event in memory of Frances Durst Schub ‘55 z”l.
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A RAMAZ EDUCATION FOR THE WHOLE COMMUNITY On the evening before Shavuot, our community joined together for a Leil Iyun - an evening of learning. Click HERE to access 10 faculty-led torah learning sessions such as The Perplexing Nature of the Book of Ruth with Rabbi Ilan Schimmel, and Reflections on Our Approach to Shavuot with Rabbi Kenny Schiowitz. Thank you to the sponsors of the Leil Iyun: Nava and Dan Bettinger, Camille and Adam Dunst, Rose ‘68 and Mark Friedman, Karen and Michael Herschkowitz, Bonnie and Isaac Pollak, Julie and Edward Rubinchik, Lauren and Ronnie Simhon, Linda ‘76 and Alan Sklar, Gabriel Slotnick, Meg Rosenblatt and David Stein, and Jennifer Taub. In a fascinating talk, Yaakov Katz and Beverly Gribetz ‘69 discussed the state of Israel Post Corona. Yaakov Katz is the Editor-in-Chief of the Jerusalem Post and the paper’s previous military reporter and defense analyst. Dr. Beverly Gribetz served as the Principal of Evelina de Rothschild-Tehilla, Assistant Dean of the Ramaz Upper School from 1987 to 1996, and as the first Headmistress of the Ramaz Middle School. In The World That Was: A Virtual Walking Tour of the Warsaw Jewish Cemetery, David Bernstein, Dean of Pardes, talked about some of the great Polish Jewish rabbis, leaders, and writers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries who reflect the mosaic that was Polish Jewry as it confronted modernization. David Bernstein holds an M.A. in History and a Ph.D. in Religious Education from New York University. Before making Aliyah in 1984, Dr. Bernstein was the director of informal education at the Ramaz Upper School, and taught a 2-year curriculum integrating world and Jewish history. Night at the Museum, a two part series: Ronnit Vasserman, Ramaz parent and member of the Parents Council, took members of the Ramaz and KJ communities to museums around the world with two sessions of A Night At The Museum. In the first tour, The Many Nishei Chayil of Art History, Ronnit gave an in-depth history of famous artwork featuring women. The class explored the context, artist, and impact on today’s culture. In the second session, Madame d’Ora, Ronnit walked the class through the life of Dora Kallmus, an incredible photographer living in Austria at the turn of the 20th century. Madame d’Ora photographed socialites and celebrities and dominated in a mostly male industry. The tour highlighted the differences in her photographs pre and post WWII.
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HIGHLIGHTS OF ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS Over the past few months, in addition to the ways we have come together as a student body and as a community, we have been able to celebrate individual accomplishments of Ramaz students who reached new academic achievements, even while they were learning from home. Upper School student Samantha S. was awarded two prizes for her poetry submission to the “Water Resources and Poetry” contest. Middle School student Avi F. won the Hebrew Division of Chidon HaTanach in the Upper School. The Upper School team spent months learning different sections from Tanach and mastering the content. Mazal Tov to each of our team members for all of their hard work and effort and Yitzhak T. ‘23 for making it to the National Finals! Watch HERE. Middle School student Jeremy P. placed 8th in the Daily News Spelling Bee, and was set to advance to the national competition before it was cancelled due to the pandemic. Middle School student Elliott W. won the “Most Original” award in The Coding Space’s Code 4 Change Challenge of creating a project that supports one of the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
Congratulations to all our Ramaz graduates of 2020! We are so proud of the Class of 2020, as well as our 4th and 8th grade students for advancing to middle school and high school.
The Ramaz School Office of Institutional Advancement 60 East 78th Street New York, NY 10075 212-774-8055 www.ramaz.org
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