Frisch School

Frisch School
Location
W. 120 Century Road
Paramus, NJ 07652
Information
Type Private High School, Yeshiva
Motto Cougars Run Together
Established 1972
Founder R. Menachem Meier and Alfred Frisch
Principal Rabbi Eli Ciner
Asst. principals Rabbi David Goldfischer
Elaine Keigher /kiːr/
Rabbi Joshua Wald
Faculty 65.0 (on FTE basis)[1]
Grades 9 - 12
Enrollment 562 (as of 2013-14)[1]
Student to teacher ratio 8.6:1[1]
Color(s)      Red and
     White[2]
Team name Cougars[2]
Accreditation Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
Publication FrischBits
Newspaper The Struggle
Website www.frisch.org

The Frisch School, commonly known as Frisch /frɪʃ/, is a coeducational yeshiva high school located in Paramus in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1972 by Rabbi Menachem Meier and Alfred Frisch, it adheres to the tenets and practices of Modern Orthodox Judaism. Most of the students are from the Jewish communities of Teaneck, Englewood, Fair Lawn, and Monsey, with some commuting from New York City. Students commit to several core values including the spirit of inquiry, religious and spiritual growth, a culture of kindness, the pursuit of passion, and meaningful relationships. Academically, students benefit from a rigorous dual curriculum of Judaic and secular studies, which are integrated to produce greater insights and understanding of both. In addition, specialty tracks, electives and directed study enable students to pursue their particular interests and hone their unique talents. A robust schedule of informal educational programs, such as Shabbatonim, chagigot and grade trips, allow students to grow, learn and bond with each other outside the classroom setting.

The school is named for founder Alfred Frisch, who owned the land on which the original campus was situated prior to the school's inception in 1972. The school has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Secondary Schools since 1992. Its accreditation expires in 2022.[3]

As of the 2016-17 school year, the school had an enrollment of 700 students and nearly 100 faculty members.[1]

Campus

For the 2007-08 school year, Frisch moved to a new campus at 120 West Century Road in Paramus. Frisch purchased this site, 14 acres (57,000 m2) of land and an 115,000-square-foot (10,700 m2) office building, from Hewlett-Packard and renovated what had been an office building, constructing an 25,000-square-foot (2,300 m2) addition. The campus includes 41 classrooms, a learning center, six science laboratories, a state-of-the-art gymnasium, a two-story library, music and art studios, a Beit Midrash, and a publications room. Outdoors, the campus has a softball field, two tennis courts, a basketball-hockey, and a soccer field encircled by a running track. Indoors, the building is wired for a modern computer network and cutting-edge technology.[4]

The school formerly resided at E. 243 Frisch Court in Paramus, on a 7-acre (28,000 m2) plot of land. The Frisch Court property was leased to the girls yeshiva high school of Bat Torah, and then the elementary school Ben Porat Yosef.[5]

History

Founded in 1972, by Abraham Kremer, Marvin Eiseman, Rabbi Menacham Meier and Alfred & Ethel Frisch, with a mere dozen students, the school has since grown to include over 650 students. The class of 2005 consisted of over 160 students, a number which is rapidly rising. The class of 2007 had 165 students. The school began accepting smaller numbers of students into the freshman class, beginning with the 2010-2011 school year.

Rabbi Menachem Meier served as the school's first principal and was responsible for the school's early development. Rabbi Saul Zucker succeeded Rabbi Meier and served as principal for one year, followed by Rabbi Dr. John Krug as interim principal before Dr. Kalman Stein took the job in 1999. Under Dr. Stein's direction, the school experienced a period of tremendous growth. Thanks to the leadership of Rabbi Eli Ciner, who assumed the principal position in 2014, the school grew from 536 students to its current student body of 700. Dr. Stein was named the Principal Emeritus and retains a vital role in the school's continued growth and development.

Academics

Frisch's combination of excellent teachers, challenging courses, supportive atmosphere and strong religious values allows students at all academic levels to succeed and achieve their potential.

Frisch is unique in offering several tracks from which incoming students can choose to pursue during their time at Frisch. Students may choose from an Engineering Track, which allows students to expand their scientific intellect by developing skills of inquiry, critical thinking, problem solving and research and presentation; the Visual Arts Track, which immerses students in a broad array of artistic expression; and the Music Track, which allows students to develop skills in composing, arranging, recording and performing music on a professional level.

For the first two years at Frisch, a student's courses are set according to the school's core curriculum. This includes, for both years: Hebrew Language, Torah (the Pentateuch), Nach (Nevi'im "Prophets" and Ketuvim "Writings"), and Talmud (Jewish Law), a hard science (biology in 9th grade and chemistry in 10th grade), English, History (World History in 9th grade and American History in 10th grade), Mathematics, and an elective (Spanish, French, Latin, or engineering).

In 11th grade, students have the option of either furthering a third year of a language or taking a different elective. Electives include six Advanced Placement Program (AP) courses offered to 11th grade students (AP US Government, AP Art History, AP Statistics, AP United States History, AP Physics, and AP English Language and Composition).

In 12th grade, as in 11th grade, a student may continue with the language which they had previously been taking at the AP Level. Electives available to 12th graders include: AP Macroeconomics, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Psychology, AP Physics C, AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, AP Statistics, Music Theory, AP Studio Art, AP Art History, AP Computer Science A, Psychology and more. AP English Literature and Composition and AP European History are offered as honors level courses. In addition, 12th graders are allowed to choose a Judaic Studies elective in place of the traditional Nach class offered for the first three years. Judiac Studies electives include a variety of classes.

Co-curricular programs and activities

Sports

There are 25 athletic teams and seven athletic clubs in total. More than 70 percent of students participate on one or more of the sports teams and clubs. There are four basketball teams, one baseball team, two boys floor hockey teams, one girls floor hockey team, and one boys wrestling team, which consecutively won five Wittenberg wrestling titles. There are three volleyball teams - the girls volleyball teams have won the most championship games of any yeshiva volleyball team - three soccer teams, two swimming teams, three softball teams, one bowling team, and two track teams, among others. Frisch also has the first ever yeshiva ice hockey team, which, in its first year of existence, qualified for the NJ state tournament.[6] Frisch competes in ice hockey under the supervision of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association.[2] In 2016, 50 percent of Frisch's Yeshiva League sports teams qualified for the championships, and six teams won the championships.

The baseball team has won three consecutive Metropolitan Yeshiva High School Athletic League titles (2014, 2015, 2016)[7][8][9] and won the Columbus Baseball Invitational yeshiva high school tournament, dubbed the "Jewish World Series," in each of 2016 and 2017.[10][11]

In 2015, Frisch won the Red Sarachek Tournament hosted by Yeshiva University for the first time. After losing in the championship game in 2013 and 2014, they defeated the Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway by a score of 75-73 in triple-overtime to claim the title. In 2017, for the second time Frisch came back and won the Red Sarachek Tournament hosted by Yeshiva University. Frisch played the Shalhevet firehawks (of Los Angeles, CA) by a score of 49-47. In 2016, Frisch hosted the Wittenberg Wrestling Tournament, the first time a high school has ever hosted the annual event.[12]

Academic teams

Frisch has many academic teams including chess, debate, college bowl, Torah bowl (boys and girls teams), Chidon HaTanach (International Bible Contest), Model United Nations, Model Congress, Mock Trial and business bowl team. Like the sports teams, most academic teams compete in the Yeshiva league; except for the debate team, which competes among local public schools.

Clubs and activities

Frisch has over 100 clubs and co-curricular activities from which they can choose to explore their passions, skills and interests. They include: Debate, Model United Nations, Model Congress, Book Club, Film Club,Performance ensemble, jazz ensemble, choir, Science Club, Engineering Club, Chess, Junior Statesmen of America, Israel Action Committee (A.I.S.A.C.), Yeshiva University Thursday Night Mishmar (bible studies), Finance Club, Choir, Acting the Classics, Poetry Club, Dance Team, College Bowl, Mock Trial, Community Service (Chessed) Club, RealSchool, Photography Club, Improv Club, Drama Society, Philosophy Club, Torah Bowl, Chidon HaTanach (International Bible Contest), numerous publications, and many others.

Student Council

The Frisch School Student council consists of three class representatives from each grade and four members of an executive board, one of whom is president. Elections are held in May for executive board and for the class representatives of rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Freshman elect their class representatives in October.

Shiriyah

Once a year, the Frisch school has a week-long festival known as Shiriyah. Each team, i.e. each grade, competes in trivia competitions, hallway design, slow song, fast song, stomp, and video. Every year, each grade is assigned a theme which must be worked into every presentation. Each grade has two generals, a boy and a girl, and at least four captains. Shiriyah culminates at the end of the week with the final presentation, where students and parents are welcome to see slow song, fast song, and the junior and senior stomps. However, only students and teachers see the videos and the freshman and sophomore stomps.[13]

The Bayrish Schreiber Mishmar Program

Each Thursday evening, at the end of the school day, up to 92 percent of students stay late to learn Torah as part of the Bayrish Schreiber Mishmar Program.Students pick a shiur to attend from a variety of topics including Parshat haShavua, Mesilat Yesharim, and many more.[14]

Chessed

Chessed (lovingkindness) is interwoven into the culture of the school. A Chessed Society coordinates projects throughout the year such as food drives, weekly Friendship Circle events, and more. Grade Chessed Days allow students to take the values they are instilled with in school and actualize them in service to local organizations and institutions, like nursing homes, food pantries and soup kitchens, and Jewish cemeteries.[15] Frisch students run a winter camp for children with special needs who have off from public school during the winter break week. Frisch students run activities and accompany the children on special outings to give these children's parents a respite and the ability to go to work.[16]

Administrators

Core members of the school's administration are:[17]

Post high school

Frisch provides a college preparatory education and all students attend a four-year college after graduation. Additionally, a significant proportion of the student body, varying from year to year, spends a year in Israel post-graduation, prior to college. 87 percent of the class of 2016's 139 graduates studied in Israel during their post-graduation year.

Frisch maintains a strong and active Alumni Association Program in which the school's network of over 4,000 alumni are invited to connect with each other and Frisch through class reunions, a Young Alumni Shabbat dinner, and other programs throughout the year.[19]

Notable alumni

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 School Data for Frisch Yeshiva High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed November 11, 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 Frisch School, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 12, 2017.
  3. ↑ Frisch School, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Secondary Schools. Accessed September 2, 2011.
  4. ↑ Our New Campus, accessed October 12, 2006
  5. ↑ Goldrich, Lois. "Bat Torah headed for Paramus", Jewish Standard, May 2, 2008. Accessed June 23, 2008. "While Bat Torah, which Bak said "has very high academic aspirations," will rent the whole building, the school hopes ultimately to share the facility with other groups. "We’ll want to remain small," said Bak, indicating that she would not want more than 40 students per grade."
  6. ↑ http://jewishstandard.timesofisrael.com/the-frozen-chosen/
  7. ↑ http://jewishlinknj.com/sports/3977-frisch-cougars-win-baseball-championship
  8. ↑ https://www.jewishlinkbwc.com/index.php?option=com_content&id=7000:frisch-cougars-defeat-tabc-storm-repeat-as-yeshiva-high-school-varsity-baseball-champs&Itemid=586
  9. ↑ http://jewishlinknj.com/component/content/article?id=13640
  10. ↑ http://www.jewishlinknj.com/sports/13309-frisch-cougars-top-tabc-storm-in-columbus-invitational-tournament
  11. ↑ http://www.jewishlinknj.com/sports/18856-frisch-cougars-are-columbus-champions
  12. ↑ Staff. "Frisch Wins Sarachek in Triple OT", Jewish Link of New Jersey, March 26, 2015. Accessed November 10, 2016. "It took three grueling, extra periods for the 2014-15 Frisch Varsity Cougars (the 3-seed coming into the tournament having being reseeded from the top spot after losing a flukey heartbreaker in the Yeshiva League semifinals) to finally dispatch the top nationally ranked HAFTR Hawks by final score of 75-73.... HAFTR’s last-gasp fling fell short and the Red Sea of Frisch fans parted onto the Court to celebrate Frisch's first Sarachek championship."
  13. ↑ Shiriyah 5771, Frisch School, March 24, 2011. Accessed January 15, 2012.
  14. ↑ http://admissions.frisch.org/new-home/religious-growth/
  15. ↑
  16. ↑
  17. ↑ Administration, Frisch School. Accessed November 11, 2015.
  18. 1 2 3 4 Message from the Headmaster and Principal, The Frisch School. Accessed November 13, 2014.
  19. ↑ https://frisch.org/alumni/overview/
  20. ↑ Mooney, John. "2 RHODES SCHOLARS, SO FAR -- A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION CHALLENGE", The Record (Bergen County), February 6, 1997. Accessed November 11, 2015. "A year ago, the scholarship went to Jeremy Dauber, Class of '90, now in his first of two years at Oxford."
  21. ↑ Siemaszko, Corky. "EERIE LINKS BETWEEN 2 N.J. WOMEN", New York Daily News, February 26, 1996. Accessed August 19, 2008. "The New Jersey women killed yesterday in a bus bombing in Jerusalem followed in the tragic footsteps of a former classmate Alisa Flatow. Sara Duker was one year ahead of Flatow at the Frisch Yeshiva High School in Paramus, N.J."
  22. ↑ Park, Pearl J. "HE LEARNS POLITICAL SCIENCE FROM FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE -- FRISCH SENIOR IS LOBBYIST", The Record (Bergen County), October 16, 1991. Accessed February 20, 2008. "Frisch School senior Ryan Karben has strong political convictions -- and an equally strong desire to advocate them."
  23. ↑ Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, Senior Rabbi, Congregation Beit Simchat Torah. Accessed September 2, 2011. "She is a graduate of the Frisch Yeshiva High School and Barnard College and was ordained by the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College."
  24. ↑ Hyman, Vicki. "Ivanka Trump to convert to Judaism to wed Jared Kushner", The Star-Ledger, November 5, 2008. Accessed September 2, 2011. "Kushner, a graduate of the Frisch School, a coed Jewish high school in Paramus, was raised in the Orthodox Jewish tradition, which frowns -- to put it mildly -- on intermarriages."
  25. ↑ Peters, Jeremy W. (2011-06-24). "Life in the Fishbowl for Jared Kushner". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2017-04-19.
  26. ↑ Yellin, Deena. "Arthur Lenk", The Record (Bergen County), May 3, 1998, accessed April 16, 2007. "I grew up in Teaneck and graduated from Frisch Yeshiva High School in Paramus."
  27. ↑ Leichman, Abigail. "North Jerseyan named JTS dean", The Record (Bergen County), February 8, 2007. Accessed November 11, 2015.
  28. ↑ Staff. "Behind the Jewcan Sam controversy: Controvesial Plastic Surgeon Offers Free Surgery To Jewish Singles", South Florida Jewish Home, March 29, 2012. Accessed August 26, 2015. "I went to A.S.H.A.R. in Monsey, Moriah in Englewood, NJ; spent freshman year of high school in Public School (Tappan Zee High School), where incidentally I was teased pretty regularly for my 'big Jewish Schnoz'; then went to the Frisch Yeshiva High School in Paramus, New Jersey."
  29. ↑ Rosenblatt, Gary. "Joining ‘Gangs’ to Work With the Best: Executive producer Rick Schwartz savors a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work with Martin Scorsese and others.", The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles, January 2, 2003. Accessed October 22, 2011. "Schwartz said that while the rest of his family is 'quite Orthodox, I am still finding my way, but I no longer take my Jewish education for granted.' He graduated from the Moriah day school in Englewood and Frisch yeshiva high school in Paramus, N.J., and said he increasingly appreciates the rootedness his traditional Jewish lifestyle gives him."
  30. ↑ Dickter, Adam. "Sofer Sex", The Jewish Week, September 19, 2003. Accessed September 2, 2011. "It's not a likely career path for a former student of Achei Temimim, a Lubavitch grade school in Massachusetts, or the Frisch High School in Paramus. Sofer's father, Martin, is an Orthodox rabbi, as anyone who peruses her online biography or recent media interviews will learn."
  31. ↑ Bloom, Nate. "Noshes: Worth Checking Out", The Jewish Standard, June 29, 2007. "Spektor... went to middle school yeshiva in New York and, for her first two years in high school, she went to the Frisch School in Paramus."
  32. ↑ Engelmayer, Shammai. "A dream come true", The Jewish Standard, October 26, 2007. Accessed November 11, 2015. "One of the most interesting from a sectarian perspective is Yashar Books, located in Brooklyn and the brainchild of Gil Student, who grew up locally and who graduated from the Solomon Schechter Day School and the Frisch high school."

Coordinates: 40°56′03″N 74°04′49″W / 40.934173°N 74.080172°W / 40.934173; -74.080172

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