(Courtesy of SINAI Schools) Sarah and Michael Keane hosted a parlor meeting and wine and cheese tasting at their home in Edison, New Jersey on July 9 to raise awareness of the life-changing special education SINAI Schools provides for so many children throughout the community. The Keanes’ son Reuvy is a recent graduate of SINAI’s Maor High School at RKYHS, and he spoke about the difference SINAI has made in his life.

Following is an excerpt from his speech:

When I went to SINAI in sixth grade, it was a huge leap from public school, where I went for elementary. I had to wake up much earlier than before. It was a big adjustment, but the SINAI classes were as small as three students to a teacher and I was learning things I never really did before: not only Chumash, about the holidays, Jewish laws, and how to read Hebrew, but advancing in my secular studies as well, with a lot of personal attention.

All the teachers were amazing. I felt that I was getting the help I needed in both the secular and Jewish curriculum.

The thing that makes SINAI so special is that it is part of Kushner, so if you and the school feel that you’re capable, you can go into a mainstream class. Also, the fact that it’s part of Kushner means you can make friends from both SINAI and Kushner. I made plenty of friends from SINAI and Kushner, some of whom I’m still in contact with today.

Going to Maor, which is the high school version of SINAI at RKYHS, wasn’t as intense for me as going from public school to SINAI, because the staff prepared me and helped with the transition. But it was still different. You have more pressure and responsibilities.

I graduated with my Kushner class with a true sense of achievement.

Without SINAI not only do I think I would have struggled terribly in public school, but I wouldn’t have had the confidence, which my teachers, rebe’eim, and counselor instilled in me, to be where I am today—just back from two incredible years in Israel and ready to take on my next challenge: college, at Touro.

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SINAI Schools operates eight schools across New Jersey and the New York metropolitan area, serving children with a wide range of learning disabilities and complex special needs. For more information, visit www.sinaischools.org.