On Monday, June 5, The Idea School graduated its last class of seniors, a bittersweet moment that was nevertheless joyful and celebratory as each graduate was offered the opportunity to speak about what the school has meant to them and to reflect on all they had accomplished.
About the school’s non-coercive approach to Orthodox Judaism, Rebbeca Miranda shared, “Because the [teachers at The Idea School] encourage rather than enforce, the connection we have to Judaism is our own. The Idea School has taught us how to revolve our Judaism around our own principles, and has supported us to take our Judaism to the next level because we feel a connection [to it].”
Mo Wasserman talked about the project-based learning (PBL) model: “The Idea School is not only a school, it’s a concept that kind, caring, fun and intelligent people flock towards. This, coupled with the various opportunities for collaboration, creates a unique sense of camaraderie and companionship within not only the student body, but the faculty as well.
He added, “With all these passionate people gathering in one place, recognizing each other for who they are, we don’t see much stigma in the school at all. This allows people to embody their true selves and live to the fullest with other passionate individuals.”
Yehuda Zinberg gave the student keynote speech:
“It has always been hard to define … what makes our school different from others, but I think the main distinction is this: In the traditional model of education, the primary aspect of the student experience is the acquisition of knowledge. In The Idea School, this is only the first step. Here, students have had to put their learning into action, to take ownership of it and to make things with it.” He continued, “When we, as students, are continuously encouraged … to integrate our own passions into learning … we are given the tools we need to thrive and to live more meaningful Jewish lives within it.”
In her speech, Head of School Tikvah Wiener reflected that the key accomplishment of the school has been to create an inclusive community where everyone feels welcome, no matter their background and identity: “[A]t its core, beyond the projects and passions and real-world skill building, PBL is an equity project, an endeavor that ultimately tries to make all people equal.”
Two-thirds of The Idea School Class of 2023 are attending yeshivot, seminaries and gap-year programs in Israel, including Amudim, Bar Ilan University, Ein HaNetzvi, Kivunnim, Netiv Aryeh, Yeshivat Reishitt, and more. The graduates have been accepted to a wide variety of colleges and universities, including Columbia University/JTS Joint Program, Hofstra, University of Maryland, Montclair State University, Rutgers University, and more.
Congratulations to all the graduates on their hard work and on reaching this incredible milestone in their lives.
