Friendship Circle of NJ provides critical support throughout the year to special needs families. They run a special winter break camp this vacation week at their Lifetown facility when many special needs kids are on break from their daily routine programming and schools. At a time when many of the regular Friendship Circle volunteers are away, RKYHS students have been coming each day this week by grade to spend the day with the Friendship Circle participants and assist in programming and supervision at the winter camp, which has been enjoyed by the participants and volunteers alike! 

Voluntutor headed to the Martin Luther King Youth Center in Bridgewater for a visit to the children there. The RKYHS volunteers work with the students there in their after school program doing homework, reading, and playing games with the children at the center. The center for grade school and middle school students originally began as a youth center and a safe haven for diverse children in the neighborhood to keep them off the streets. Over time, the center expanded to include educational and summer camp programs on a sliding income scale for children from low-income families, who would not be able to afford such services.

The Sociology class is studying a unit on poverty. This week they heard from Lyndon Brown, a native of the West Ward of Newark, and a community advocate and volunteer. He has sheltered the homeless, assisted countless residents in securing employment, housing and social services. He's also the Founder & Director of the High School Academic Support Program which coordinates FREE College Prep Classes for high school students in Newark and the Greater Newark Area. He has mentored and assisted more than 5000 Newark Teens over the years with Obtaining College Scholarships, Completing Financial Aid & College Applications, SAT Prep, Community Service Projects and College Tours.  Brown spoke to students about poverty and ways to work towards overcoming it, and challenges that are faced by poverty-stricken people.

The B’Kesher Program was created by the RKYHS Chesed Executive Board to help the transition into high school for our 8th and 9th graders be a seamless process. JKHA 8th graders had an opportunity to meet with 11th grade students involved in the B'Kesher program and learn more about RKYHS, have their questions asked, and do a fun activity.

In connection to their upcoming society and disability unit and following their voluteer trip to Friendship Circle, the sociology class heard from Austin Halls.  Halls has Moebius Syndrome, which he describes as life-changing and a blessing. Austin says that Moebius Syndrome makes him different and stand out, but has also made him stronger and wiser, and makes him who he is, which in his own words is "really outgoing and confident” and “so, so mainstream.” Halls inspired our students with his message to think positively, feel confident and believe in yourself no what matter the situation.  

Congratulations to the RKYHS Boys Varsity Hockey team on their 6-1 win vs Frisch.

Congratulations to the RKYHS Girls Varsity Basketball team on their 36-28 win vs Hillel

Congratulations to the RKYHS Girls Varsity Volleyball on their win vs Hillel. It was great to celebrate our graduating senior at senior night.

Our seniors on the RKYHS Varsity Basketball team were celebrated at senior night last night before their game vs MTA.

Mazel Tov to Gavi Dickman (JKHA ‘17/RKYHS ‘21) on his marriage to Nechama Hirsch!

Mazel Tov to Aliza and Yechiel Roth (JKHA '03) on the birth of a baby boy!

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Click here to read this week's JLC The Schmooze

December 29 - 17 Tevet

Was dedicated by

Hadassah and Roni Kotel

in loving memory of

Saul Moshe Friedman z"l

 שאול משה בן פייוול אהרון ז״ל

brother of Hadassah and

uncle to Ma’ayan (7th Grade), Erez (3rd Grade) and Nitzan (1st) Kotel

in commemoration of his upcoming yahrtzeit on 18 Tevet.

May today’s learning serve as an aliyah for his neshama.

December 28 - 16 Tevet

Was dedicated by 

Livingston Friends

in honor of the marriage of

Nechama Hirsch and Gavi Dickman (JKHA '17/RKYHS '21)

December 27 – 15 Tevet

Was dedicated by

Aviva and Amishav Bresler

in memory of

Brenda Gottfried

Brunya bat Dov Ber z"l

beloved great-great aunt of Ezra (2nd grade), Anaelle (Gan) and Rena (EC3) Bresler

in commemoration of her yahrzeit.

December 26 – 14 Tevet

Was dedicated by

Harriet and George Blank

in memory of

Yitzhok Silber

Yitzhok Yaakov ben Asher Yehuda z”l

beloved grandfather of George Blank

great-grandfather of Leslie and Joshua Ostrin and Sandra and Howard Blank, great-great grandfather of Jessica Zeffren (JKHA '03/RKYHS '07) and Dr. Noam Zeffren, Danielle Chustckie Blank (RKYHS '10) and Adam Blank (JKHA '06/RKYHS '10), Danielle Stark Blank (JKHA '09/RKYHS '13) and Joshua Blank (JKHA '09/RKYHS '13), Tamar and Daniel Blank (JKHA '13/RKYHS '17), Alex Ostrin, Uri Ostrin, Ayelet Ostrin and Sigal Ostrin, and

great-great-great grandfather of Jonah (2nd Grade), Max (Gan), and Lizzy Zeffren and Leah (Gan), Eitan (EC3) and Avital Blank

in commemoration of his yahrtzeit.

December 26 – 14 Tevet

Was dedicated by

Rebekah and Andy Freeman

in memory of

Fred Barber ZT”L

beloved grandfather of Abby Freeman (EC3), in commemoration of his 70th birthday.

May his neshama have an aliyah. 

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If you are interested in sponsoring a Day of Learning, contact Aly Greenstein: agreenstein@jkha.org or (862) 437-8001