Rashi School

The Rashi School
Location
Dedham, Massachusetts
Coordinates	42°16′03″N 71°11′50″W / 42.2676°N 71.1971°W / 42.2676; -71.1971
Information
Established	1986 (1986)
Principal	Mallory Rome
Grades	K-8
Enrollment	300+
Team name	The Rashi Rams
Website	The Rashi School

The Rashi School is a K-8 Reform Jewish Independent School in Dedham, Massachusetts, offering a Jewish and secular education. Rashi was founded in 1986 and currently enrolls more than 300 students in grades K-8.

In 2010, The Rashi School opened the doors to its permanent home at a wooded site on the banks of the Charles River, within the NewBridge on the Charles Campus for Hebrew SeniorLife. A consequent relationship with the elderly there has been formed. The school is an integral part of a multigenerational campus shared with Hebrew SeniorLife's NewBridge on the Charles community. They have monthly bonding activities for students at the school with the residents.

History

In 1982, Rabbi Henry Zoob formed a committee to explore interest in a Reform Jewish Day School. After four years of planning, The Rashi School opened its doors to 16 students in kindergarten and first grade in 1986. The school slowly grew its enrollment as its original students progressed through the grades and in 1992, Rashi celebrated its first graduation ceremony. This group of graduates were also present at Rashi's first alumni event, held in 2002, celebrating their 10th anniversary as alumni.

The Rashi School expanded to an Elementary/Middle School format in 1996. That same year, a group of second graders founded a program called Mitzvah Makers, which created an opportunity for self-selected children to make monthly visits to Hebrew Rehabilitation. 1996 was additionally the founding of the Rashi Purim Tamchui Project - a program that has since become the crowning achievement of Rashi's social justice curriculum.

In 1999, The Rashi School introduced their core values: Ruach (Spirit), Kavod (Respect), Kehillah (Community), Tzedek (Justice), and Limud (Learning).

2006 marked the first trip taken by the eighth grade class to Israel. This trip, first organized by Rabbi Ellen Pildis, has become an annual tradition and culminating event of Jewish Studies at The Rashi School.

Past locations of The Rashi School

Dedicating the permanent building

On October 17, 2010, over 800 members of the greater Rashi community came together to celebrate Dedication Day, the opening of the school's new permanent home on the Hebrew SeniorLife campus located on the Charles River in Dedham. Activities for families, celebratory speeches, and displays from Rashi's past and present invited visitors to explore the new, permanent building to house the school.

Garnering a Citation of Excellence Award by Learning by Design magazine, The Rashi School's building was described as "integrating ritual pieces in a very contemporary setting" and lauded for its use of bay window alcoves between classrooms. Rashi's 82,000 square foot building features:

• State-of-the-art classrooms with "Smart Boards" and wireless internet/network connection
• Dedicated music room, science lab, and art studio
• 6,000 volume library
• Sukkat Shalom community space
• Beit Midrash for prayer and holiday celebrations
• Spacious auditorium for performing arts
• Regulation-sized gymnasium and sports fields

In keeping with their commitment to the Jewish value of taking care of the earth (shomrei adamah), the building is a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)-certified "green" building.

Notable visitors

• Leah Rabin
• Dalia Rabin
• Henry Kissinger
• Coretta Scott King
• Kathryn Otoshi

Heads of School

Presidents of the Board of Trustees