Community Magazine December 2013

The Secret behind the Success of YESHIVAT OR HATORAH High School The General Studies Department is “rocking” at Yeshivat Or Hatorah! The hallways and classrooms at Yeshivat Or Hatorah are filled with palpable joy and enthusiasm. YOH’s superb faculty of teachers are brimming with energy and know how to make their subjects come alive, and motivate their students to succeed. Whether it’s a Math class or a Science class, an Honors class or a P3 Remedial class, a Power Writing class or a Public Speaking class, the atmosphere is charged with enthusiasm and passion for learning and growth. It’s not just “school”; it’s an educational experience. Y eshivat Or Hatorah credits its devoted, outstanding faculty with its reputation for educational success. Each teacher is an expert in his field, and they are all fully devoted to sharing their expertise with their charges. The students readily sense thus devotion and dedication, and feel encouraged to work hard to succeed. But Yeshivat Or Hatorah has another “secret weapon” in its educational arsenal which has also contributed significantly to its success. At YOH, every student is special, and every student is made to feel that there is nothing that the yeshiva, the administration or faculty won’t do to help him attain the highest possible level of achievement. Even more importantly, the boys are made to feel proud of their accomplishments, whether large or small, so that they feel driven and energized to continue working hard towards their goals. As they say, success breeds success. In a word, the students at Yeshivat Or Hatorah are happy. Rabbi Avrumi Portowicz, who joined the yeshiva this year as the Principal of the General Studies Department, has brought with him a wealth of experience and expertise. From day one, the students took to Rabbi Portowicz, as “fish to water.” With his first rate organizational skills and executive talents, he has created a structure which guarantees that the students are where they are supposed to be and doing what they are supposed to be doing, while giving them a sense of security and comfort which allows them to expend their energies on gaining knowledge and scholarship. When teenagers use their abilities positively, they develop into healthy, productive, young men. To create this atmosphere of structure, learning, and academic and emotional growth, Rabbi Portowicz has introduced a wide array of outstanding programs to motivate and excite the students. Some are tried and true programs that many schools have incorporated into their curriculum, while some are more innovative and unique to Yeshivat Or Hatorah. 44 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE