Page 13 - KolHakavod_2019

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.
12 13