| The Yeshiva of Greater Washington | |
|---|---|
| Established | 1964 |
| Type | Private 7-12 |
| Headmaster | Rabbi Yitzchok Merkin |
| Students | 100 |
| Grades | 7-12 |
| Location | Silver Spring, Maryland, |
| Location | Girls School and Business Office 2010 Linden Lane Silver Spring, Maryland, USA 20910 Boys School and Yeshiva Gedolah 1216 Arcola Avenue Silver Spring, MD, USA 20902 |
| Website | http://www.yeshiva.edu/HOME/tabid/119/Default.aspx |
The Yeshiva of Greater Washington is an all boys, Modern Orthodox community based Jewish Day School, that is located in Silver Spring, Maryland. It was originally founded in 1964 by Rabbi Gedaliah Anemer. It consists of a high school and beis medrash.
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The Yeshiva Boys Division is for boys in grades 7 through 12, with a student body of 100. The Yeshiva of Greater Washington (or YGW) has a dual curriculum that emphasizes both secular and Judaic studies, and holds its students to high academic standards. The Yeshiva encourages its students to pursue a year of study in Yeshiva in Israel before attending college. The school hours are from Monday through Thursday, beginning with prayer services at 7:30 AM, and ending at 6:15 PM. Twice a week they have a mandatory program that runs until 7:30. On Sunday only Judaic studies are in session, with dismissal at 12:20. However, on Friday school ends at 12 to prepare for the Sabbath. In addition to the boys school, The Yeshiva has a girls division located in a separate building.
Rabbi Anemer led one of the Washington area's oldest and largest Orthodox Jewish synagogues and was considered the chief rabbi of Greater Washington. Rabbi Anemer led the Young Israel Shomrai Emunah synagogue for over 50 years and he established a large orthodox Jewish community in the Kemp Mill Silver Spring Area. Rabbi Anemer came to Washington, DC in 1957 to lead a Hyattsville congregation that eventually moved to Washington. In 1961, he settled in Silver Spring and led Jewish services in his basement while also leading the synagogue in his community. On the Sabbath Rabbi Anemer had to walk 7 miles just to lead his services at the synagogue. In 1964, as the community began to expand, he established a Jewish school, the Yeshiva of Greater Washington which is here till this day. He taught advanced classes on the Talmud, or Jewish law. In 1974, Rabbi Anemer's synagogue expanded with a second location on Arcola Avenue. Unfortunately Rabbi Anemer died April 15, 2010, but was well known for building the community which expanded from 30 families to over 500 today and will be remembered for many generations to come. Although Rabbi Anemer was not buried in Silver Spring, there was a large gathering to commemorate the impactful Rabbi. The commemoration ceremony was filled with students, Rabbis and families throughout the Jewish communities. Every student from the Yeshiva of Greater Washington and the Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy attended this ceremony.
Yeshiva curriculum is split into two parts. One part is devoted to the general studies of Mathematics, Science, English, Computers, and History. The other part of the day consists of Judaic studies such as Gemorah, which is focused on the most, Chumash, Jewish Law, and Hebrew Language. The school offer three levels of High School courses: Regular,Honors, and A.P Classes.The various Advanced Placement classes include AP European History, AP United States History, AP English Literature and Composition, and AP Government. They have a College preparatory program that is designed to provide the students with a comprehensive academic program, emphasizing the development of critical thinking and research skills both written and oral. These classes prepare the students academically for admission to the colleges of their choice as a primary goal.
The development department is led by Rabbi Binyamin Sanders, who assists the headmaster, Rabbi Yitzchok Merkin. The development coordinator is Mrs. Donna Goldman. The boys middle school and high school division is currently under the leadership of the Menahel, Rabbi Dovid Katzenstein. The Assistant Principal is Rabbi Pinchus Idstein. The Principal of the secular studies department is Mr. Etan Savir. Rabbi Aaron Lopiansky is the Rosh Yeshiva of the Yeshiva Gedolah Division. Yeshiva has both Jewish and non Jewish staff for their classes throughout the day. The classes are quite small in size, so that the focus is on attention to the students. Throughout the year the faculty becomes very close with their students making them feel like home.
The Yeshiva of Greater Washington extra curricular activities include, but are not limited to, a robotics club, a public speaking club,Minyonaire Club, Art club, science club and a krav maga club. They have a Junior Varsity basketball team and a varsity baseball team. During the fall season they play an intramural football team called Yeshiva Football League. The school has a newspaper once a week that many of the students post articles in for the community. Twice a year they have a Shabbaton program for both the high school and the middle school. The past two years the school has taken the seniors to Israel to tour and evaluate the schools for their upcoming year in Israel. In addition, the whole school takes a ski trip during the winter. They have many different committees in school, such as: the Chesed committee, the business committee, yearbook committee, and the trip committee. The school has a student council for each grade but one president from the senior class. Overall the students participate in the schools extra curricular activities during school and help the Jewish community with the their needs.
The Yeshiva Gedolah of Greater Washington takes in intelligent and mature students who are focused on becoming serious Jews committed to making Torah the major focus of their formative years. This is a separate section of the Yeshiva High School, and takes in students after High School. Students that attend Yeshiva Gedolah receive a four year bachelors degree in Talmudic Law and could then go to Graduate school. Many other students learn Torah during the day, and at night they take college classes. The most common college that the students go to is UMUC. Most of the Yeshiva Gedolah students live in the Warwick apartments in Kemp Mill Maryland; the students who do not live in the apartments live in house in Kemp Mill Maryland. The rabbis that teach them Torah are Rabbi Aaron Lopiansky, Rabbi Reingold, Rabbi Arzouan, and Rabbi Leifor. The Yeshiva Gedolah provides a three "seder" yeshiva education with their personalized interaction that only a small yeshiva can offer. The Yeshiva places a major focus on their students to develop their own learning skills with the Torah and how to apply it to their daily lives. The classes are given at a very high level to make sure that they develop self sufficiency in their learning. The Yeshiva Gedolah offers a unique atmosphere where student development can thrive, and is looking for students who are self motivated in making learning their priority.
1) http://www.yeshiva.edu/BOYSDIVISION/tabid/54/Default.aspx
2)http://washingtonjewishweek.com/main.asp?SectionID=4&SubSectionID=17&ArticleID=12656&TM=34178.68
3) http://www.jirs.org/jirs/jirs0024ao.html
4) http://www.yeshiva.edu/BOYSDIVISION/Activities/tabid/70/Default.aspx
5) http://www.yeshiva.edu/BOYSDIVISION/JudaicStudies/tabid/68/Default.aspx