Yeshivah of Flatbush Takes High School Education Beyond the Campus

Over the past few months, students at the Yeshivah of Flatbush Joel Braverman High School have been taking their education outside the classroom. As the High School’s Head of School Rabbi Dr. Raymond Harari explained, “That’s who we are: engaging with society in ways that put our values into action and allow us to learn, in turn.”

Students from the AP Biology class visited the Museum of Natural History. Seeing the exhibits up close allowed them to better understand the changes of organisms over time. An assignment after the trip reinforced what they learned.

Jewish History classes visited the Living Torah Museum which houses hundreds of ancient artifacts. The visit demonstrated to the juniors how archeology can help us achieve a better understanding of the ancient world.

Students in the Sephardic Jewish History class went to explore two synagogues. Rabbi Dr. Elie Abadie, Rabbi of Congregation Edmond J. Safra on the Upper East Side, led a tour of the synagogue, pointing out the significance of each part of its architecture. Rabbi Ricky Hidary, of Congregation Shearith Israel (The Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue) on the Upper West Side, guided students through a tour of the building that houses the oldest congregation in North America, founded by 23 Jews in 1654.

The AP Political Science class attended a political breakfast for the New York Democratic Party during the height of the election season. This engaging political experience allowed them to gain insight into the political world and mingle with leading Democrats. Through conversations and questions, students experienced the political world first hand.

The JBHS Israel Activism Commission attended AIPAC’s High School Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C. to see how policy can be put into play. Students were trained in pro-Israel advocacy, lobbying techniques and methods to increase student engagement. After the training sessions, they went to Capitol Hill to lobby a member of Congress. Israel Activism Commissioner Andrew Hersh said, “We don’t know what the US-Israel relationship will be in 20 years from now, but we need to work now to secure it. Hopefully our trip will set a precedent for Flatbush as well as other high schools.”

The Model UN team visited the United Nations headquarters as part of preparing for a debate and presentation at the Yeshiva University National Model United Nations Competition. “Seeing how the UN really works will benefit the team at the competition,” said senior Charles Chakkalo.

Students in Expository Writing, College Level Writing and Journalism classes visited the Jewish Museum’s exhibition “Art Spiegelman’s Co-Mix: A Retrospective.” Students participated in a workshop which focused on the use of text and image and how both are used to explore feelings on world events, including the Holocaust and 9/11. Students gained insight into new ways to express themselves in their writing.

The AP Art History class and the Advanced Art class visited The Frick Collection to see “Vermeer, Rembrandt, and Hals: Masterpieces of Dutch Painting from the Mauritshuis.” In addition to the pivotal works from the Dutch Masters, students were surrounded by the glorious architecture of the Frick building.

The YOF Travelling Troupe, which entertains nursing home inhabitants with songs and music, attended a performance of the Off-Broadway Production “Every Day a Visitor.” The show, about residents of a Jewish nursing home in the Bronx, helped them understand the importance of hesed.

YOF juniors also explored hesed outside of school, when they spent a day performing different charitable acts at Ohel, Imagine Academy, the Special Children’s Center, and Sephardic Bikur Holim. These educational experiences help shape JBHS students into informed and involved individuals, reinforce their studies and love of Am Yisrael and make high school rewarding, inside and outside their classrooms.

By Faith Edeson, a staff writer for the YOF public relations office.