Gearing Up For A Great Year At YSZ

The school year is just around the corner and Yeshiva Sha’arei Zion in Forest Hills is gearing up for quite a productive program. The Bukharian Jewish Link spoke with newly appointed principal Rabbi Avraham Fridman to continue our fascinating discussion (Part 1 in Issue #74).

When Rabbi Fridman first accepted the position of principal some five months ago, the novel coronavirus was barely on the horizon. “My first day on the job was March 16, exactly two weeks after I accepted the offer to join the yeshiva! What a way to enter the job! My first official introduction to the staff was to inform them of major changes,” explains Rabbi Fridman. Educators around the world were in a complete overhaul and Yeshiva Sha’arei Zion was no different. The teaching patterns that educationalists had been accustomed to over the years were being replaced with an entire new system that required the teachers to quickly learn new methodologies. “Wow, what an amazing experience! Honestly, I only felt fast paced and smooth growth with our faculty,” noted the new principal. With in-class education set to begin, the yeshiva will again face the realities of the tight quarters along the Grand Central Parkway. The yeshiva’s administration is hard at work finding a more appropriate home and intends to announce the acquisition of a new, larger, beautiful campus in the coming months. For this September, social distancing between classes and the probability of no school buses seem likely. This means that one class would not be allowed in a common area when another is already there. Schedules are being arranged and lunchtime will be taking place in the classrooms. As the year progresses, YSZ will integrate new contingency plans as the administration has prepped for many scenarios.

When COVID-19 hit, YSZ’s administration soon felt its full wrath. For about a week, all began smoothly and one of our principals welcomed a baby boy. Then, most of the staff fell ill with the dreaded virus. “Interestingly, we all had identical symptoms and course of infection,” said Rabbi Fridman. “It is only a testament to their dedication that the faculty continued to grow as the entire administration was sick for two weeks!”

Since our inception, the BJL has always been a tool for unity within the community at large. YSZ follows this mantra, standing tall as a yeshiva guaranteeing the future of our community. Rabbi Fridman added, “We learn in the Torah that when Yaakov Avinu was heading to Mitzrayim, he first sent Yehuda to establish a yeshiva. In today’s day and age, outside of the Chassidish world, it is hard to find a yeshiva that is solely focused on continuing the mesorah (traditions) of one particular community.” YSZ was built for the Bukharian community.

Parents, community leaders, and rabbonim acknowledge a common goal – the continuity of the Bukharian community is dependent upon the success of our yeshiva. “Our goal at YSZ is to work with the parents ensuring that their children are receiving the best chinuch (Jewish education) according to the Sephardic/Bukharian practices,” noted Rabbi Fridman. In the months ahead, creating pride in the Sephardic and Bukharian mesorah for the talmidim and talmidot will remain a core point on Rabbi Fridman’s agenda. Additionally, the strong foundational skills in limud haTorah will be an underlying principle in the yeshiva, striving to always have a connection to Hashem and yahadut (love for Judaism) no matter where life takes each student. Being a productive member in society is pivotal in education and driving educational excellence in general studies will ensure this becomes a reality for the YSZ student body.

It is no secret that the diverse Queens communities are home to many of both Sephardic and Ashkenazic descent. Twenty years ago, there was a strong push to assimilate the Sephardic children into the Ashkenazic world through the yeshiva system. At YSZ the aim is quite the opposite. Rabbi Fridman relates, “The seforim tell us that there were 12 shevatim, each one with its own individual path in avodat Hashem (serving our Creator).” The rav continued, “As an Ashkenazi, it is unfortunate that too often we look down on our Sephardic brethren and it is even more unfortunate that many Sephardim, especially in the yeshiva world, feel that they need to “Ashkenize” themselves.” Sha’arei Zion remains committed to delivering an education following Sephardic customs.

When asked what sets the chinuch landscape apart from other yeshivot, Rabbi Fridman simply replied, “I keep telling the board members of our yeshiva to lecture to all the boards of yeshivot around the country. Our board function in pristine order.” As for the yeshiva itself, the principal highlighted, “The rebbeim, morot, and teachers have been inspirational. The amount of kochot (strength) they have put into making Zoom videoconferencing classes a success is unbelievable. The mentors went from almost no technological infrastructure at the school to running, by many accounts, one of the best online learning experiences of any school in under 48 hours.”

Many are under the impression that the virtual atmosphere has all but rid the educational system of bullying. Rabbi Fridman explained how the new platform may have made student to student intimidation worse. “The yeshiva plans on holding parenting events where the administration and teachers will address these issues as we develop and implement protocols to prevent and stop bullying.” Every person, more so children, has a strong inherent desire to be productive. It drives the human psyche probably more than anything else. To boost the morale of students who struggle, Rabbi Fridman heralded the yeshiva’s efforts, “We need to provide engaging learning and activities to children at their level so that they can be producing and accomplishing.” This philosophy will enable students to feel and believe that they are accomplishing something of meaning. Rabbi Fridman observed, “This is the explanation of mitzvah goreret mitzvah, that one good deed will bring on another good deed.”

The Bukharian community knows the life from the Union of Soviet Socialists Republics (USSR) very well. Rabbi Fridman, a first generation American, easily relates to those from that upbringing as his parents also grew up in the USSR. “I have discovered that the Carpathian and Bukharian cultures are very similar. My mother makes plov and it is my kids’ favorite food!”