It’s a new year at the Yeshiva University High School for Girls (Central)! With the observance of Rosh HaShanah, Wildcats are excited for a year filled with new joys, new challenges, and new chances to grow and learn. Some of these growth experiences are familiar. On Tuesday, September 15, the Holliswood campus was open late to welcome Wildcat families into the building for Back to School Night. Parents were invited to walk through their students’ Monday schedule, meet teachers, and talk about the year’s curriculum, as well as spend time with grade deans and administration.
Back to School Night was a tried-and-true return to the school year, while elsewhere on the calendar, new experiences made their impact. YUHSG’s FIRE (Friends Inspiring Religious Experiences) Luach Fellows, advised by Director of Israel and Religious Guidance, Senior Grade Dean, and Judaic Studies faculty member Mrs. Yael Axelrod, took the initiative to facilitate meaningful programming in observance of the Aseres Y’mei T’shuvah, marked by t’shuvah, t’filah, and tz’dakah.
This year’s FIRE Luach Fellows – seniors Camryn Brunner, Maya Goykadosh, Annabelle Klein, and Sarah Wagman – worked to coordinate the events observing this period. The fellows hosted a schoolwide kumsitz for Rosh HaShanah on Monday, September 14. On Wednesday, September 16, YUHSG welcomed Rabbi Yaakov Glasser, Managing Director for Community Engagement at the Orthodox Union and the Rav of the Young Israel of Passaic-Clifton, who spoke to students about leaps of faith and reflected on Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur. And on Thursday, September 17, the school dedicated its Tzedakah Day to Daily Giving, which distributes funds to organizations in need every day.
The FIRE Fellows program, now in its fourth year, offers seniors leadership opportunities and experience in coordinating meaningful events and activities that encourage religious engagement. This year’s FIRE Luach Fellows will be joined by FIRE Ruach Fellows – seniors Nili Aharon, Noa Berman, Emma Katz, and Orly Spinner – who will also facilitate programming for YUHSG students. Together, the two Fellow teams will enrich the semester’s religious programming.
“It has been incredible seeing the programs we’ve created come together and inspire others,” said senior Camryn Brunner. “I feel so privileged to be a FIRE Fellow, and I’m looking forward to many more amazing events throughout the year!”
The fall semester continues at YUHSG with a short but dynamic week ahead of the holiday. The school will hold its annual Club Day event on Tuesday, September 22, giving Wildcats an opportunity to explore extracurricular offerings for the new year.
On Wednesday, September 23, YUHSG’s Pre-Med Club will hold the first in a series of events hosted in conjunction with the Jewish Orthodox Women’s Medical Association (JOWMA). The event, “Beneath the Surface: A Live Ultrasound Session,” will feature guest speaker Dr. Ayelet Hilewitz, Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell.