A record number of attendees took part in the Rae Kushner Yeshiva High School open house on Sunday, October 30. There was a palpable energy throughout the building as prospective students and their parents participated in an enlightening morning of programming that highlighted the distinct values embodied at RKYHS and the many opportunities both in and out of the classroom that abound at RKYHS. Despite the large turnout from the current eighth grade at the Joseph Kushner Hebrew Academy, the student attendees from other schools far exceeded the number of JKHA eighth graders.
To accommodate the anticipated large turnout, the format of the program had to be adjusted into some of the larger venues in the building. As parents and prospective students began the program, they heard from student speakers who shared their perspectives on how RKYHS has inspired them to connect to Torah, achieve academic excellence, think critically and cultivate their curiosity. They spoke about how they were challenged to dive deeper into material, empowered to assume leadership roles and inspired to explore many opportunities from AIPAC and rikudiah to robotics, outside the classroom Torah learning and macroeconomics. A parent representative illustrated the positive impact the school has had on his children, each with varying academic pursuits and interests, and Head of School and Klatt Family Rosh HaYeshiva Rabbi Eliezer Rubin illuminated how every student defines their own difference and strives for academic excellence.
The remainder of the program enabled prospective parents and students to participate in programs geared toward each group. Parents were able to experience the RKYHS difference and values firsthand by participating in a sampling of courses that highlighted the high level of academic excellence and Torah learning offered at RKYHS, such as “Law and Literature: A Study of Antigone and the Bill of Rights,” “The Spirit of Capitalism and the Jewish Work Ethic” and how the RKYHS STEM program enables students to “learn science by doing science.”
The prospective ninth graders had their own set of programming where they experienced a variety of academic and co-curricular activities ranging from the school’s state-of-the-art STEM program to Torah-learning opportunities and a “co-curricular fair” highlighting all the many extra-curricular opportunities for students, ranging from video production and robotics to literary magazine and Torah bowl and so much more. They also heard from a number of faculty members who spoke about student life and the RKYHS academic experience.
A panel of RKYHS alumni exemplified the embodiment of the school’s values as they discussed the many leadership roles and academic successes that they pursued and have experienced post-high school. All panelists wholeheartedly agreed that without the opportunities and education that were made available to them and the inspiration, preparation and personal attention that they received from the faculty at RKYHS, they would not be thriving in their current roles. Alexis Mayer Goldstein, RKYHS Class of 2008, who is currently pursuing an MBA/MSW dual-degree at Columbia University commented, “I credit RKYHS with providing me with a high-level Judaic and general studies education that set me up for success and prepared me for leadership roles in professional and extracurricular settings. The smaller, warm nature of the school allowed for individualized attention that put each student in a position to thrive. The desire to merge business with my desire to effect change in society that I’m currently pursuing in my advanced MBA/MSW degree was born directly out of my experience at RKYHS.”
“We were thrilled to welcome so many prospective families to RKYHS at our open house,” commented Sandra Blank, RKYHS director of admissions and community relations. “Our values define RKYHS and create the difference in our school. It gave us great pleasure to be able to share and enlighten so many families on what inspires each of our students every day at RKYHS. We look forward to continuing the conversation with them.”
The school has already received many new inquiries and applications as more and more families come to experience the RKYHS difference. RKYHS looks forward to welcoming the class of 2021.
