Headmaster’s Report - Rabbi Yitzchok Merkin Good evening –

This week’s reading Masei enumerates the manifold journeys that Klal Yisroel experienced in the desert. Rashi asks the question- what is the significance of the specific listing of the travels during these years? Perhaps the Torah is teaching us about the TRUE journey of life.

The journey of Klal Yisroel was “al pi HaShem yis’u, v’al pi HaShem yachanu”. According to the word of HaShem they would journey and according to the word of HaShem they would encamp. The journeys of Klal Yisroel represent challenges, episodes that require growth yet at the same time a closeness and a connection to G-d remained. It was still al pi HaShem yis’u. Each human being travels a journey, facing situations which can be challenging yet replete with spiritual opportunities. The goal of life is to utilize these opportunities and strengthen his or her connection to HaKodesh Baruch Hu.

What is true for the individual, I believe is also true for a yeshiva. A yeshiva – our yeshiva – must not be stagnant; we travel many journeys facing difficult challenges. Yet it is these very challenges which can serve as the catalyst to motivate us to continually improve the yeshiva and more effectively fulfill our holy mission educating young men and women, impacting our community and of being an institution of al pi HaShem yis’u, v’al pi HaShem yachanu. According to the word of HaShem they would journey and according to the word of HaShem they would encamp.

These past two years, as Louis stated, we have tackled many issues. Our work is not done and in truth as an institution committed to excellence, it will never be done. But we should all feel a sense of pride in the progress we have made. I would personally like to thank Louis and the board for their support in this necessary, but at times painful, process.

This year, our 50th year, has been a strong year and the first area I would like to address is the Judaic Studies program in both middle and high school divisions.

Under the leadership of the menahelim, Rabbi Katz and Rabbi Katzenstein, we have enhanced our program in areas that speak to the core of who we are. Special speakers, new programming and informal educational opportunities have been added to our already strong learning curriculum.

At the Boys Division we reinstituted the all-school in the fall; we set-up special Chol HaMoed learning at both Succos and Pesach and opened it to the community which filled the Bais Medrash and cafeteria areas with the kol Torah; seven boys completed Mesechtas Gittin; twenty boys finished Mesechtas Sukkah; Seder Moed was finished in a voluntary Mishna program; Friday nights during the winter saw many of our students return to the Bais Medrash to join the Yeshiva Gedolah students for learning and ; and our third annual “Super Torah Sunday” took place on Super Bowl Sunday, this year with the participation of the Avos U’Bonim program which is hosted at the Yeshiva.

Rabbi Teitelbaum’s post shacharis mishnayos group through short consistent learning sessions were able to hold a siyum on Seder Nashim in May. Shovavim brought a special six-hour straight learning session in which I was personally able to join 25 boys.

I’d like to share with you an experience I had that for me illustrates the quality of our students. During our liquor-free Purim celebration at the Boys Campus this year, I spent time talking and celebrating with many of our seniors. To see their neshomos shine through, to listen to them discuss their goals for growth in Torah, I was personally blown away by how far they’ve come in the last few years and the aspirations that they’ve set for themselves for the years to come. It was exhilarating. And just as an aside the stories from the annual senior trip and the impressions made on the boys in Israel and Europe were amazing and if you see one of our recent graduates, you should ask them about their experiences.

A last note about our graduating seniors, they were a strongly sought after commodity in the Israeli yeshivas and the same can be said about our girls in their applications to seminary.

In our Girls Division, we had a successful and innovative year- I’d like to point out a few highlights. Our seventh grade halachah class led by Mrs. Reingold produced a sefer as the culmination of their study of the Lamed Tes Melachos. Pictures and explanations penned by the students were organized and professionally published.

Our tenth grade Holocaust studies class created a Holocaust Mini-Museum exhibition for Yom HaShoah observance for their fellow students which was so impressive that it was opened up to parents and the community. One daughter of a Holocaust survivor after viewing the exhibit wrote: “You have taught your students the subject matter and, perhaps even more importantly, the spirit of remembrance that is so vital for future generations.”

As part of our chesed program, we continued our relationship with the “Ladies of the Ring House” with them hosting our girls and our girls hosting them for celebratory programs around the holidays, production and crafting projects. Additionally, our girls have been active with the Bikkur Cholim and visiting the Alfred House residents on Shabbos in Kemp Mill.

We are proud to share that four of our graduates were chosen to give closing speeches to their seminaries in Eretz Yisroel this year and two graduates received special awards at the Touro graduation including a “shout-out” by Dr. Luchins to YGW itself during the ceremony.

All three divisions were zoche to experience one of the most impactful speakers in recent memory. Rav Yosef Mendelevich shared his story of faith, courage and survival in the former Soviet Union with our students inspiring them with his mesiras nefesh and simchas hachaim.

Our Yeshiva Gedolah, which this year will be celebrating its 20th year, had a very strong year. Our first year post high school program entered its second year. All of the bochrim from the inaugural year returned for a second year of Bais Medrash learning. In the Bais Medrash, this was a year filled with constant learning and tremendous individual growth. A parent sent his personal thanks stating “[My son] is having a wonderful year, probably his best ever!!”, with the parent emphasizing the last three words.

The Kollel continued with expanded community shiurim, welcoming learners into the Bais Medrash and being welcomed into shuls around the area. We strengthened connections to our YG alumni through a weekly email newsletter and an expanded bi-monthly email containing collections of online shiurim and columns from the rebbeim and alumni. Additionally our annual NY alumni get-together was well attended and a new series of local get-togethers and shiurim for alumni have been created.

I’d like to turn now to the General Studies program in both the Boys and Girls divisions. We have restructured the general studies department creating the position of Director of General Studies Curriculum and Instruction filled from within by Mr. Kevin Andersen, our Boys Division General Studies Principal. Supervised by the Headmaster and working with both Menahelim, the DGSCI will be responsible for the coordination and implementation of the general studies curriculum in both divisions.

The position is a reflection of our commitment to high quality general studies and will enable me as the Headmaster to be more involved in supervising the General Studies Curriculum, to ensure a consistent product between the campuses with standardized curricula, to implement performance enhancement tools, and to realize cost savings from coordinated staffing and purchasing. In addition, staff reviews using the Danielson method of evaluation have been piloted at the Boys Division and professional development opportunities have been placed high on the agenda with an in-service program which includes time before school opens in the fall and three additional days during the school year for all staff.

The second major change to the General Studies Department is the hiring of Mrs. Yael Cortell as the new Girls Division General Studies Principal. In discussing his first new hire, Mr. Andersen indicated the fact that Mrs. Cortell stood out in a national search speaks volumes about her strong academic background and qualifications. It is a bonus that she brings an understanding of YGW as an institution and the parent and student body that it serves. She formally begins her position on August 1 but has already been active acclimating herself to the job.

This year saw several initiatives using 21st century tools in the classroom at both divisions. We received a grant and implemented online PSAT preparation. Computer programming came to the fore as we participated in the international “Hour of Code” which introduced our students to programming and techniques which will be used in their advanced courses. Many of the students continued the programming assignments on their own outside of class. English classes created online websites showcasing their research and our programming course created 3D animated movies. Additionally, we are researching the implementation of “flipped”, “blended” and “distance learning” opportunities in order to expand the options available to our students.

As part of our direct community outreach piloted by the Boys Division, we created opportunities hosted in homes around our area for families with children in elementary school to meet informally with our staff, learn about our programs, convey their expectations of a middle and high school, ask their questions and raise their concerns. These informal give-and-take sessions allowed us to hear from our future constituents, to answer many misconceptions and apprehensions and allowed them to hear first-hand about our programs and guiding philosophies. The goal of these get-togethers was for YGW to be in a position to better serve the community and the community to have a better understanding of YGW. The success of these programs will be followed up by an informal committee structure for continual feedback and another series of open community meetings for both divisions beginning in the fall.

As Louis mentioned Rav Ahron Lopiansky has accepted the position of Rosh HaYeshiva of the entire institution. A yeshiva needs a Rosh HaYeshiva. Since the passing of Rabbi Anemer, zt”l, there has been a void. We are blessed that Rav Ahron, a man of such immense Torah scholarship and understanding about chinuch, has accepted this role. I am excited about his anticipated positive impact on all the divisions of YGW.

In conclusion, it has been a year of reflection and visioning; we built on our strengths, considered our opportunities and confronted our challenges. We made strides in a never ending process. It has been a tough but good year. Our young men and women have grown in many areas, both academic and non-academic.

With new systems and staff in place, we have tremendous potential and much to accomplish as we look to the future. May we work together to take the Yeshiva of Greater Washington-Tiferes Gedaliah, a most vital institution in our community, to the next level.

Thank you.