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What a School, What a People!

January 17, 2020
By Adam Tilove

This week, I attended a presentation of our 7th graders, who were pitching the school administration on their ideas to improve the school. One of the presentations included innovative suggestions to make Taste of Shabbat more comfortable and engaging. The other presentation focused on creating an All-Girls Minyan. 

They were both great ideas that showed investment, careful thought, and real leadership- but I admit, I was especially moved by the Girls Minyan presentation. You see, these girls want leadership. They want to lead the service and they want to read Torah, and they want to do it in an Orthodox setting. They are knowledgeable and powerful, and they want to live their Jewish lives to the fullest...and according to Halacha (Jewish law). 

I found it inspiring to see these girls (and a boy) ready to take on leadership roles in the school, challenge the administration, and proudly claim their places as Jewish, Orthodox feminists. It shows a natural evolution with the times, yet with a deep attachment to traditions that our students find so important and moving. And it was entirely student led. 

I am eager to support these students and see where their ideas lead. While I will never be able to attend their minyan, I could not be prouder of the work they did, the vision they have, their fierceness of their belief, and the passion of their desires.

Oh, and by the way, they presented entirely in Hebrew.

What a school, what a people!