Teaneck—The hopes that many parents share are universal: That our children are safe, that they get a good education that helps form their values, that they grow to be fulfilled, content, upstanding, contributing members of society. For every last one of our children in the metropolitan area, from Manhattan to Teaneck to Livingston, and everywhere in between, there is hope. And a big reason for that is Sinai Schools.
Established in 1982 as a small class in Hebrew Youth Academy, later to become the Joseph Kushner Hebrew Academy, Sinai today is known for providing children with special needs a yeshiva day school experience. Sinai has a presence on five campuses in three cities in Northern New Jersey, and the schools’ population, which draws from all over New York and New Jersey, continues to grow at a rate of 10% each year. Sinai’s campuses are located in two local yeshiva elementary schools: the Rosenbaum Yeshiva of North Jersey (RYNJ), in River Edge, and at Joseph Kushner Hebrew Academy in Livingston. Three yeshiva high schools in Northern New Jersey round out the rest of the facilities: Rae Kushner Yeshiva High School in Livingston, Torah Academy of Bergen County (TABC), and Ma’ayanot Yeshiva High School for Girls, both in Teaneck.
“Often, parents who approach us had lost hope before they found Sinai. They have knocked on so many doors. Unfortunately there are a lot of tears on the way to Sinai,” said Sinai Schools managing director Sam Fishman.
“It goes without saying how gratifying it is for our educators to watch their students regain confidence and finally feel success,” said Rabbi Dr. Yisrael Rothwachs, Sinai Schools’ dean. “But what is often just as heartwarming is the effect it has on the families. Time and again our parents tell us that now their child is finally happy, their entire family life has been transformed. Finally, their hope is restored, and they can see a bright future for their child ahead.”
The message of this year’s annual Sinai Dinner, taking place February 8th at the Marriott Glenpointe, is, therefore, hope and the transformation that comes from hope. A perfect example comes from honorees Rabbi Shimshon and Ashley Jacob. Rabbi Jacob is a former Sinai Schools student who, before his aliyah, was a high school gemara teacher at the Joseph Kushner Hebrew Academy, and, with Ashley, was a popular youth leader at Synagogue of the Suburban Torah, both in Livingston.
“He was a teacher at Kushner High School, not at Sinai. We have our Maor High School in Kushner [for college-bound students], and students from Sinai were mainstreamed into his class. Imagine the poetry of that: A Sinai alumnus who has gone on to be a teacher and a rebbe and now has Sinai students mainstreaming into his class. When we talk about hope, Shimshon is an enormous source of hope for many Sinai families,” said Fishman.
The Jacobs and their children made aliyah in June. They are currently working to develop the Kemach Institute, a new post-high school gap year program for students who benefit from a more experiential, interactive learning environment. “We are very excited to bring them back for the dinner. So many people are inspired by them,” said Fishman.
Crystallizing that message of hope every day is a family whose son’s childhood illness left him with the need for Sinai. “When we were faced with the difficult task of finding a school for our son, Sinai was there with open arms, and later to help transition our son to the next step in his education,” said Laurie and Rabbi Brian Gopin, Sinai parents for seven years, who are also being honored at the dinner.
“Children have special needs for all kinds of reasons. It’s not unusual for parents to come to us in the aftermath of a child’s illnesses or major surgery. The cognitive or developmental issues that can emerge are often beyond the scope of what the community yeshivot can meet,” said Fishman.
“The fact that this happened to a very young ‘storybook’ family living in the
Teaneck community indicates that these things can happen to anyone. “Their entire world was turned upside down,” said Fishman. One of the amazing things about the Sinai Dinner, that the Gopins can attest to, Fishman added, is that the greater community understands that Sinai must be supported, because these children, after all, could be any of our children. “What is wonderful about our community is the understanding of this reality—that there are a certain number of children who will have special needs beyond what the community yeshivot can serve,” he said. “There is a recognition in our community that this is a fact of life. And it’s random. And very few families can afford Sinai on their own. The dinner is an annual gathering of our community to express to these parents that they are not alone, that we are here with you,” said Fishman.
Joining Sinai this year at the dinner is the family of Nathaniel Cohen, A”H, a much-loved Sinai student who had Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a debilitating terminal disease. “Shelley and Ruvan Cohen devoted their lives to providing Nathaniel with the best quality of life they could possibly provide, and the most meaningful. A big part of that was what he got at Sinai, both in terms of his education and his spirituality,” said Fishman.
“We were approached by Sinai with the idea of establishing a special scholarship at Sinai in Nathaniel’s memory. The scholarship will help deserving families afford the individualized Jewish education that is Sinai’s hallmark,” said the Cohens. “After Nathaniel’s passing, our family has made it our continuing task to make sure there is a place at the Jewish communal table for all of our children, regardless of their abilities or disabilities,” they said. So many people have been inspired by Nathaniel and his family, that the scholarship has already raised $100,000 on its own.
Other honorees this year include Sinai parents Dr. Elie and Nancy Elmann, who are active members of Englewood’s Sephardic community. “We have been blessed to have found the right school for our son—they have changed the path of his life to a successful one,” the Elmanns said. “It’s not easy when your child does not fit the cookie-cutter mold of a mainstream education, and after years of struggling, we appreciate this life of peace knowing he is in the right place,” they said. “What I hear from the Elmanns is ‘thank you for saving our son. For giving us hope for him,” which fits perfectly into this year’s dinner theme, Fishman said.
Also being honored are Judy and Nathan Rephan, a special pair of Sinai grandparents. “They are just the most wonderful people: Singlemindedly dedicated to their children and grandchildren. They care so much and do so much. They are always there and engaged with the school,” said Fishman. The Rephans took the opportunity of being honored at the dinner to explain to their friends and associates the importance of supporting Sinai due to the immense cost per child, which begins at $68,500 and rises to more than $100,000. “The cost of providing individualized programs and low student to teacher ratios is astronomical. We ask you to please join us at the dinner and to give generously to support this important community endeavor,” the Rephans said.
Also recognizing that Sinai is a community endeavor is Holy Name Medical Center, which is being honored this year along with its President and CEO Michael Maron. Together they are being honored with Sinai’s Community Partnership Award. Holy Name was one of the early vocational placement sites for Sinai students.
Holy Name is publicizing their partnership with Sinai with a huge electronic billboard currently visible from Route 4. “The Hebrew words they are projecting on the billboard are ‘shevat achim gam yahad’—brothers and sisters in unity. These are universal values shared by two beloved community institutions,” said Fishman.
“Members of our staff have marveled at the dedication of the Sinai instructors who train and guide their students, equipping them with the skills they need to become independent members of society. Moreover, those students have shown intense dedication to their work and given to the hospital as much as we hope to have given them in return,” said Maron.
“I take great pride in the emphasis that Holy Name Medical Center places on community relationships. For Holy Name to be recognized in this way by another beloved community institution is very meaningful to me,” Maron said.
The Sinai Schools annual dinner takes place on February 8, 2015, at the Marriott Glenpointe in Teaneck. This year’s new feature documentary, “Sweet Boy,” a moving story about a family whose son was diagnosed with ADHD, will premiere at the event. Sign up and contribute generously here: http://www.sinaischools.org/dinner.
By Elizabeth Kratz
