A group of 30 students from RKYHS and Saint Benedict’s Prep (SBP) in Newark are participating in the Seminar on Antisemitism and Racism (SOAR). Now in its third year, the students meet weekly on Zoom to work together to combat racism and antisemitism and increase cultural and racial understanding and awareness. In their first session after October 7, the entire session was spent on Israel. RKYHS Principal Rabbi Avishur provided history and an overview of the current situation. RKYHS students talked about their personal ties to Israel including family and friends living in Israel and those who have been called up to fight. The SBP students asked insightful questions and the group engaged in respectful and thoughtful conversation. The SBP students and faculty sent RKYHS a peace lily communicating that they stand in solidarity with the school and Israel, and Father Ed Leahy, head of School at SBP, arrived at RKYHS on the Monday after the attacks simply to give support to his colleague, Head of School Rabbi Rubin and the RKYHS school community. He stayed to meet and talk with some students, hear their feelings and share his own.

This past Sunday, the students joined together for the first in-person activity at ax throwing, where the energy, enthusiasm and friendship were contagious. Together, the students learned to “bury the hatchet” and set differences aside in the common goal of achieving friendship and understanding.