Passaic–This past September, Mrs. Marcy Stern, an experienced educator as well as a mother of five, opened the doors to Bais Yaakov Machon Ora, a new high school for girls. Located in Tifereth Israel, a shul in Passaic, it welcomed 11 9th-grade girls for the 2014–2015 school year. Even though the school year just started, next year is already in the forefront of Stern’s planning, and Machon Ora has already scheduled its open house for Sunday morning, November 16.
Stern has vast teaching and administrative experience. Having spent three years in Michlala, Jerusalem College for Women in Israel, Stern holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature and a Master’s in Jewish Education, Her specialty is teaching Tanach. Indeed, she began her career teaching in Shevach High School in Queens, and then taught and was part of the administration in Bruriah High School for over 20 years. For the past three years Stern taught Tanach at Stern College. Recently, however, she was approached by a number of parents looking for an alternative to the already existing high schools in the region. Stern gratefully acknowledged the efforts of the dedicated parent body to make their dream a reality.
Under the spiritual guidance of Rav Reuven Feinstein, shlita, and the educational leadership of Stern, Machon Ora will provide a unique environment where the faculty will seek to instill a love of Hashem and His Torah, and to engender in them a pride in being part of our mesorah while at the same time promoting academic excellence in both limudei kodesh and general studies. They strive to provide the students of Machon Ora with a safe environment where they will be encouraged to think, analyze, and ask questions, while at the same time helping them develop the needed academic and emotional tools necessary to succeed in their future endeavors.
The school boasts an experienced and energetic staff. As Stern said, “All of the teachers were very excited to be on the ground floor of something new. The energy has been powerful and palpable.” Many of the teachers on staff have years of experience in education. Miriam Jaffe, a well-known educator from Chicago, taught for over 20 years and is now teaching Chumash as well as being a mechaneches (guidance counselor) and coordinator for extra-curricular activities. Aliza Feder, equally well known for two books she has written geared to teenage religious development, is also a mechaneches and coordinates educational activities. Kayla Rabinowich teaches English and will work on newspapers and publications, as well as video presentation, and Dr. George Fox, who has a doctorate in Geology, brings his many years of teaching experience at Montclair High School to his position as the biology teacher. As busy as Stern may be coordinating all of this, she also teaches a class on Neviim Achronim, the later prophets. She brings to her classes her love of making Tanach come alive and making the texts relevant.
One aspect of education that Stern felt is unique to Machon Ora is its inter-department activities. Different disciplines collaborate so that topics are studied in multiple courses. One exciting example is the collaboration between the Global History teacher, Mrs. Sarah Cohen, and the English teacher, Mrs. Kayla Rabinowich, where the plays, novels, and poetry being taught are chosen to enhance the history curriculum studied concurrently. A Yom Iyun on “light” is planned for Chanukah when the many significances of light will be studied in both Judaic and General Studies classes.
Of course, Stern places Torah at the forefront of all Machon Ora’s activities and wants to teach the students how to view their life and the world at large through the perspective of Torah. One of the benefits of a small school is the ability to coordinate these types of unique opportunities. In fact, the students are going to the home of Rav Reuven Feinstein for a pre-Rosh Hashana shiur.
Mrs. Stern synopsized her goals for Machon Ora, saying, “We hope to develop women who have a love for Torah, who are well educated to understand, and therefore appreciate, their responsibility as future wives, mothers, and members of the community at large, and are excited by the prospect of passing this passion on to the next generation. Our motto is, ‘Transmitting the Mesorah with knowledge, passion, and pride.’”
“I am so excited to be part of something new,” said Stern. “I look forward to being able to harness the energy and excitement of the students and faculty into building a unique and wonderful institution of learning.”
Stern’s goal is to provide her students with a preparatory curriculum. Torah can connect to everything, and the students should be able to see the material they are learning as relevant.
“We want to prepare the girls for life outside of high school and the Bais Yaakov environment,” said Stern, “but we want to do it within the boundaries of Torah.”
By Jenny Gans
