The Rae Kushner Yeshiva High School welcomed a full house into their building for its Open House. One could feel the 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. In addition to the large turnout from the current eighth grade at the Joseph Kushner Hebrew Academy, there were a large number of student attendees from other schools and other geographic regions including Bergen, Essex, Middlesex, Passaic and Union counties, and Staten Island, New York.
As parents and prospective students began the program, they heard from student speakers who shared their perspectives on how RKYHS has inspired them to take leadership roles, pursue their passions and excel academically. They spoke about how the smaller size of RKYHS has enabled them to form close bonds with their faculty, feel that their voices were heard and facilitate opportunities that would not have otherwise been possible. Head of School and Klatt Family Rosh HaYeshiva Rabbi Eliezer Rubin reinforced how each student matters at RKYHS and illuminated how RKYHS gives students opportunities to engage through multiple portals, with a supportive faculty. He explained how each student learns to take responsibility for themselves and for others as they grow and develop throughout their high school years.
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 “The Legacy of the Balfour Declaration on its 100th Anniversary,” a rhetorical analysis of Anthony’s oration in “Julius Caesar,” “Torat Emet and Torat Chesed,” and how the RKYHS STEM program enables students to “learn science by doing science.”
The prospective ninth graders had their own set of programming in which they experienced a look inside the inspiring and rigorous academic and Judaic program. Sample courses for the students included topics such as “Gossip Girl—Understanding the Power of Speech,” “The Neuroscience of Optical Illusions” and “Exploring the Concept of Tzaar Baalei Chaim—What is Considered Animal Cruelty.” Hal Levy, student activities director, detailed for the prospective students the school-wide programming such as tiyul beit sifri and shabbaton and the extensive co-curricular activities ranging from video production, woodworking and literary magazine to championship sports teams, first-rate girls dance team, a student-led inter-yeshiva Battle of the Bands competition for tzedaka and so much more. They also heard from a panel of current students who answered a variety of questions about student life and the RKYHS academic experience. Parents also had the opportunity to learn about the many chugim (clubs) and co-curricular opportunities and participated in a Q&A session with Rabbi Rubin and current seniors.
“We were thrilled to welcome so many prospective families to RKYHS at our Open House,” commented Allison Lyons, RKYHS director of admissions and community relations. “Our school is committed to our values, dedicated to offering a first-rate educational program and devoted to student learning and their individual successes, and we were happy that we could convey these core pillars to the prospective students. We look forward to being in touch with families to continue the process.”
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 2022.
