SINAI Schools has had such a strong impact on my life, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without it. I started SINAI when I was in first grade at Yavneh Academy, and transferred to RYNJ in third grade. I had some difficulty but then I moved to SINAI at Kushner, which is where my SINAI story really begins.

When I started at Kushner I was a huge troublemaker, as many kids that age are. I was not a serious student and left class a lot. Then Jake Weinstein, z”l, one of the SINAI teachers, helped me enter the world of cooking. I took it seriously and he even got me a job in the school cafeteria where I helped out with lunch. That helped me mature, and I graduated from Kushner middle school still a little bit of a troublemaker, but ready to learn new things at TABC.

At TABC, SINAI assigns students to different job sites for the year, such as working at Grand & Essex bakery, YU cafe, Party City or Eighth Day Catering. From that experience I learned a lot, such as to be on time for work and be dressed in your work clothes. My graduation from TABC was very emotional for me but I still visit and still cheer for their teams.

I’m currently at SINAI at Heichal HaTorah; in the mornings I work in the Ben Porat Yosef (BPY) cafeteria with Five Star Catering and in the afternoons I learn at Heichal.

I would like to thank Rabbi Rothwachs, my parents and the whole SINAI staff, office and teachers for helping me get to where I am today. If I didn’t go to SINAI, I really don’t know where I would be. I owe them all so much.

Aryeh Mack attends SINAI at Heichal HaTorah and works at BPY as a chef.