On Sunday, November 1, Yeshiva University High School for Girls (Central) welcomed prospective eighth graders and their families to the Holliswood campus for this year’s Open House event. Newcomers were greeted by current YUHSG student volunteers, staff, and faculty, as well as representatives from Yeshiva University, including YU Senior Vice President Mr. Andrew (Avi) Lauer and the Rosh Yeshiva of YU RIETS, Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz. YUHSG thanks the community for an outstanding (and enthusiastic!) turnout.
And building the momentum for the 2026 Open House was this year’s Shabbos Week, spearheaded by student leadership, in this case, the school’s FIRE (Friends Inspiring Religious Experiences) Ruach Fellows, which is guided by YUHSG’s Director of Religious & Israel Guidance and Judaic Studies faculty member, Mrs. Yael Axelrod. This year’s Ruach Fellows, seniors Nili Aharon, Noa Berman, Emma Katz, and Orly Spinner, were instrumental in making the week’s events possible, from their inspiring talks at schoolwide announcements to their coordination of activities. “Shabbos Week is a special opportunity for Central students to connect to Shabbos and to each other,” Orly said. “As a FIRE Ruach Fellow, I’ve loved helping plan and organize the week’s events and activities, and seeing everyone involved in the meaningful week.”
To guide students in reflecting on the whole trajectory of Shabbos, each day was organized around a specific aspect of observance: Monday was the introduction to the week, with a Shabbos breakfast and a candle-making activity. Tichel Tuesday brought a chaburah, followed by last year’s hit, a student-judged faculty cholent cook-off. As always, YUHSG faculty brought their absolute best, making the competition a close one, but mazal tov to the cholent champion, Director of Finance Mrs. Alisa Goldberger, whose recipe won the day. The end of the week brought the assemblage of Shabbos packages, as well as a Shabbos party filled with music, ruach, and fun, as well as a kugel competition and rousing gradewide rounds of “Who Wants to Be a Minyan Man.” A huge thanks to Mrs. Axelrod and the FIRE Ruach Fellows for an inspirational Shabbos Week!
And the fall semester is still in full swing at YUHSG. The month of November brings highlights including the Freshman Family Panoply, visits from several guest speakers, and perhaps the most anticipated event of the year, the schoolwide Shabbaton, which will run from Friday, November 6, to Sunday, November 8, at the Camelback Resort in Tannersville, Pennsylvania.