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MEDINAT YISRAEL—FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH                                                                                 MEDINAT YISRAEL—FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH


     ISRAEL AT 70!

     Israel’s 70th birthday was celebrated on Yom Ha’atzmaut throughout the building with enriching activities to highlight Israel’s history, culture, technologies and more.    STRENGTHENING ISRAEL ADVOCACY
     It was a spectacular sight to watch all of JKHA and RKYHS gather together to sing hatikvah, watch a daglanut performance, and dance at a lively school-wide chagigah.    Israel is a cornerstone of the educational philosophy at JKHA/RKYHS.  A strong emphasis at
                                                                                                                                 RKYHS is placed on educating students about the country over their four years, before they
                                                                                                                                 embark on their next stages in life.  Through classroom learning, the SEED speaker program that
                                                                                                                                 exposes students to multiple perspectives on a range of topics, and outside the classroom programs,
                                                                                                                                 students learn the history of Medinat Yisrael, discuss the challenges it faces, and learn the best
                                                                                                                                 strategies to advocate for it, both politically and personally.

                                                                                                                                 The RKYHS juniors participated in a three-day Israel Studies Seminar, jointly run by Bnei Akiva
                                                                                                                                 and RKYHS, at Bnei Akiva’s Camp Moshava to learn about Zionism and the history of the State
                                                                                                                                 of Israel from Israeli educators and Bnei Akiva madrichim and madrichot.  Sessions emphasized
                                                                                                                                 Jewish identity, continuity, and nationhood, with interactive, informal, and engaging learning to
                                                                                                                                 empower the next generation of Jewish leaders.
     VIRTUAL HEBREW LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
     Students throughout JKHA and RKYHS had the opportunity to strengthen their Hebrew language
     skills and learn more about daily life in Israel through online correspondence and learning with
     Israelis.  Ninth grade students corresponded all year via video conference with counterparts in
     Neve Chana and Neve Shmuel Yeshivot in Yehuda and Shmoron.  The two groups also practiced
     their written language skills via letters through a dedicated website.                                                                                                                SEED PROGRAM GUEST SPEAKERS
                                                                                                                                                                                            With poise, humility, and grace, Michal Salomon recounted the details of when
     Eighth graders participated in Skype                                                                                                                                                   a terrorist infiltrated the home of her in-laws in Chalamish, Israel where she, her
     conversations  with  a  retired  school  teacher                                                                                                                                       husband Elad, and their five children, along with Elad’s family had gathered.  With
     from Kfar Saba, Israel, and had the opportu-                           In partnership with Federation of Greater MetroWest, JKHA                                                       unimaginable strength, Michal spoke of protecting her children while her husband
                                                                                                                                                                                            fought the terrorist downstairs. Elad, his father and sister were all killed that night.
     nity to meet her in person on her visit to the                         welcomed Osya Elkin as part of the Rishonim program.  These                                                     Michal inspired the students as she shared the lasting message to look on the bright
     US. Throughout the year, fifth grade students                          young Israelis come as shlichim to educate children and teen-                                                   side of life, that it will give you strength and make you keep going.
     participated  in  the  Eretz  Chemda  Distance                         agers about Israel, Israeli people, and Israeli culture.  Osya’s   Michal Salomon  Stephen Flatow
     Learning Program, an interactive bi-weekly                             focus was to offer programming and learning opportunities to                                                    JKHA Alumni parent Stephen Flatow spoke to RKYHS students in commemoration
     course, taught directly from Jerusalem, that                           highlight the seven decades of Israeli history.                                                                 of the 23rd yahrzeit of his daughter Alisa Flatow hy”d (JKHA ‘88). Alisa was killed
     taught the mitzvot of the Land of Israel in a way that brought their theory and practice to life                                                                                       when a suicide bomber from Palestinian Islamic Jihad, a terrorist group with ties to
                                                                                                                                                                                            Iran, attacked her bus.  In an unprecedented case, Mr. Flatow successfully sued Iran
     in an exciting, user-friendly and experiential way, while strengthening students’ connection to                                                                                        as a state sponsor of terrorism. His inspiring talk imparted to students the impor-
                                   Israel and the Jewish people at large.                                                                                                                   tance of standing up for something you believe in and left students with the lasting
                                                                                                                                                                                            message that we all have a responsibility for advocacy and to inspire others.
                                   JKHA is proud to be one of ten schools nationwide
                                   that piloted iTaLAm, a new web-based adaptive                                                                                                            Rabbi Roger Lerner, a congregational leader in Kingston, PA, exposed students
                                                                                                                                                                                            to a potentially unfamiliar perspective on the Israeli and Palestinian conflict, as he
                                   program based on the  TaLAm Hebrew literacy                                                                                                              advocates for peace in the Middle East through taking stands that are often in op-
                                   curriculum that uses a “blended learning” model.                                             Rabbi Roger Lerner            Dr. Eric Mandel               position to the Israeli government, and supporting a two-state solution.  Students
                                   The updated curriculum harnesses the benefits of                                                                                                         asked Rabbi Lerner  thoughtful, educated questions in a very respectful way, as he
                                   technology to facilitate adaptive and personalized   Close to 50 RKYHS students attended the AIPAC Policy Confer-                                        emphasized the need for them to understand all “sides” of the situation in order to
                                   learning to promote better literacy in Hebrew in a   ence in Washington, DC. The students were also invited for a                                        strengthen their own beliefs and views.
                                   multimedia environment.                   special briefing given by the CEO of AIPAC, Mr. Howard Kohr as a                                               Benjamin Ryberg, the COO and Director of Research at The Lawfare Project, an
                                                                             special recognition of their exemplary activism.  The AIPAC Pol-                                               organization that helps protect the rights and interests of the Jewish people around
                                                                             icy Conference is an extension of the work done by the vibrant                                                 the world, spoke to students about examples of anti-Semitism on college campuses,
                                                                             RKYHS AIPAC student group throughout the year.  The group                                                      and about the fundamental rights that all citizens are guaranteed in the US.  He ex-
                                                                                                                                                                                            plained to students the mechanisms on campus and outside of campus to advocate
                                                                             meets weekly to plan political advocacy projects, host guest                                                   for those rights.
                                                                                                                                Yahya Mahamed
                                                                             speakers, hear student presentations, as well as participate in   Yahya Mahamed  Benjamin Ryberg
                                                                             special trips.
                                                                                                                                Dr. Eric Mandel, the founder and director of MEPIN (the Middle East Political and Information Network) and the Northeast Co-Chair of StandWithUs, an international organization
     Thirty one RKYHS seniors concluded an eight day powerful trip to Poland with a visit to                                    dedicated to educating the public about Israel while fighting the BDS movement, shared with students insightful remarks about the 100-year-old legacy of the Balfour Declaration
     Israel that strengthened their Jewish identities and connection to their history and roots.  The   EXTRA EXTRA READ ALL ABOUT IT!   and how it helped pave the path for the establishment of the State of Israel, putting this pivotal declaration into context.
     students came away with a new understanding of the devastation of the Holocaust through   The freshman Hebrew class wrote the first all Hebrew newspaper,
     visiting the once-vibrant Jewish communities in Poland and concentration camps and also    which was student-led, and complete with an interview with   Yahya Mahamed, an Israeli-Arab who grew up in ISIS stronghold Umm Al Fahm discussed his transition from being indoctrinated with anti-Israel rhetoric to becoming a strong
     to surviving area synagogues.  In Israel they were able to truly appreciate the country as the   Rabbi Rubin, current events, an Israeli fashion section, a cross-  Israel advocate working to combat the negative stereotypes of Jews and of Israel.
     Jewish homeland.                                                        word puzzle, theater reviews, an advice column, and even ads.
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