Now in its 86th year, Ramaz is a co-educational Modern Orthodox day school in the heart of New York City, committed to, and inspiring a love of Torah learning, derech eretz and Israel, which is seamlessly integrated across core subjects in general and Judaic Studies.
Ours is a student-centered, inquiry-based learning, and immersive dual-language curriculum that begins in the early childhood center and continues through grade 12. For example, when our nursery students learn to converse with “Bentzi,” a turtle puppet who only “speaks” Hebrew, young students are immersed in the experience of Hebrew as a living language. Having ownership helps them engage confidently with Judaic texts, speak with Israeli soldiers on their eighth-grade mission to Israel, and participate in upper school Hebrew performances, debates and Tanakh competitions.
In addition, with all the richness New York City has to offer, and within an atmosphere of joyful, dynamic learning, our students’ educational journey is enhanced with interactive neighborhood visits to world-class art galleries, museums, Central Park or Broadway, integrating Rambam, Shakespeare, and science.
There are four key principles that help distinguish and inform our nursery-eighth grade curriculum, programs and approach to teaching:
Deep, Integrated Core Academics in Judaic and General Studies
Language arts, social studies, math, science and Hebrew language are meaningfully connected with Jewish values and text to enhance students’ individual interests, competencies, critical thinking, creativity and collaboration. This is achieved through engaging students in design thinking projects, discussions and experiences such as our new outdoor sensory classroom, GrowTorah and early childhood violin programs, and our new LEGO steam initiative to teach early coding.
Health and Well-being: Nurturing Mind, Body and Soul
Our social-emotional approach to learning empowers faculty and staff to work together to foster students’ self-confidence, self-esteem, and problem-solving skills, helping to build an inclusive, collaborative kehillah. Among these approaches are the integration of numerous research-based practices. Our focus on Jewish values, commitment to Israel and the U.S., daily tefillah, oneg Shabbat programs, parashat hashavua, textual learning, and holiday and milestone celebrations place a love of and pride in being Jewish at the center of students’ lives.
Technology and Our Changing Workplace
We equip our students with technology tools that are driven by curricular goals and the demands of an ever-changing, data- and artificial intelligence-driven future workplace to help expand and support their learning in socially engaging, safe and thoughtful ways. Our lower school innovation space and middle school Aronow Family Innovation Lab support this effort as hubs of creativity and experimentation.
Worldview
With our world becoming increasingly more connected, we challenge students to apply Jewish values when exploring world issues in an age-appropriate way. At Ramaz, students learn to consider the potential of their personal and collective impact as future Jewish and greater community leaders. Early on, students are educated to problem-solve, embrace different perspectives, collaborate and give back, so they can become compassionate leaders who will make a difference in their communities, for the Jewish people and for all humankind.
To learn more about what sets a Ramaz education apart, email our admissions team members, Judy Kahn or Ashley Buterman, at [email protected], visit our website, www.ramaz.org,
