Yeshiva of Greater Washington

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The Yeshiva of Greater Washington BOYS DIVISION
Location
Silver Spring , Maryland
Information
Type	Private
Established	1964
Headmaster	Rabbi Yitzchok Merkin
Grades	7-12
Enrollment	85
Location	Girls School and Business Office 2010 Linden Lane Silver Spring, Maryland, United States 20910 39°0′32″N 77°2′42″W / 39.00889°N 77.04500°W / 39.00889; -77.04500 Boys School and Yeshiva Gedolah 1216 Arcola Avenue Silver Spring, MD, USA 20902 39°2′33″N 77°1′48″W / 39.04250°N 77.03000°W / 39.04250; -77.03000
Website	http://www.yeshiva.edu/

The Yeshiva of Greater Washington is an Orthodox community-based Jewish Day School, that is located in Silver Spring, Maryland. It was founded in 1964 by Rabbi Gedaliah Anemer. It consists of separate high schools for boys and girls and a beis medrash.

The Yeshiva of Greater Washington Boys Division[]

The Yeshiva Boys Division is for boys in grades 7 through 12, with a student body of approximately 145. The Yeshiva of Greater Washington (colloquially known as YGW) has a dual curriculum that emphasizes both general and Judaic studies, and holds its students to high academic standards. The Yeshiva encourages its students to pursue a year of study in Yeshiva in Israel before attending college. In addition to the boys school, The Yeshiva has a girls division located in a separate building.

The Yeshiva College Of The Nation's Capital[]

The Yeshiva College Of The Nation's Capital program offers a nationally accredited Bachelor's in Talmudic Law (BTL). To earn this degree, a student must earn four years of Talmud study credits, two of which can be transferred from other accredited Yeshivos. The Yeshiva offers a warm and unique atmosphere in which one's development can thrive, catering best to those who are self-motivated in making learning their priority. University of Maryland University College (UMUC) and the Yeshiva College have an exclusive articulation agreement and is their primary college program. The program offers a full range of undergraduate degree programs with a schedule that allows the talmidim (students) to still learn a full 1st and 2nd seder in yeshiva.

Rabbi Gedaliah Anemer[]

Rabbi Anemer led one of the Washington area's oldest and largest Orthodox Jewish synagogues and was considered the chief rabbi of Greater Washington. Rabbi Anemer led the Young Israel Shomrai Emunah synagogue for over 50 years and he established a large orthodox Jewish community in the Kemp Mill Silver Spring Area. Rabbi Anemer came to Washington, DC in 1957 to lead a Hyattsville congregation that eventually moved to Washington. In 1961, he settled in Silver Spring and led Jewish services in his basement while also leading the synagogue in his community. On Sabbath Rabbi Anemer had to walk 7 miles just to lead his services at the synagogue. In 1964, as the community began to expand, he established a Jewish school, the Yeshiva of Greater Washington which is here till this day. He taught advanced classes on the Talmud, or Jewish law. In 1974, Rabbi Anemer's synagogue expanded with a second location on Arcola Avenue. Unfortunately Rabbi Anemer died April 15, 2010, but was well known for building the community which expanded from 30 families to over 500 today and will be remembered for many generations to come. Although Rabbi Anemer was not buried in Silver Spring, there was a large gathering to commemorate the Rabbi who had such a great impact. The commemoration ceremony was filled with students, Rabbis and families throughout the Jewish communities. Every student from the Yeshiva of Greater Washington and the Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy attended this ceremony.

Curriculum[]

Yeshiva curriculum is split into two parts. One part is devoted to the general studies of Mathematics, Science, English, Computers, and History. The other part of the day consists of Judaic studies such as Gemara, which is focused on the most, Chumash, Jewish Law, and Hebrew Language. The school offers three levels of High School courses: Regular, Honors, and A.P Classes. The various Advanced Placement classes include AP European History, AP United States History, AP English Literature and Composition, and AP Government. The school has a College preparatory program that is designed to provide the students with a comprehensive academic program, emphasizing the development of critical thinking and research skills both written and oral. These classes prepare the students academically for admission to the colleges of their choice as a primary goal.

Faculty[]

The development department is led by Rabbi Binyamin Sanders, who assists the headmaster, Rabbi Yitzchok Merkin. The development coordinator is Mrs. Donna Goldman. The boys middle school and high school division is currently under the leadership of the Menahel, Rabbi Amram Hes. Rabbi Ahron Lopiansky is the Rosh Yeshiva of the Yeshiva Gedolah Division. Rabbi Kreiser is the Mashgiach. Yeshiva has both Jewish and non Jewish staff for their classes throughout the day. The classes are quite small in size, ensuring that the necessary focus is provided for individual students. Throughout the year the faculty often becomes very close with their students, making them feel at home.

Extra curricular activities[]

The Yeshiva of Greater Washington has some extra curricular activities which include, but are not limited to, a robotics club, a public speaking club, Minyonaire Club, Art club, science club and a krav maga club (a number of these clubs no longer exist). They have a Junior Varsity basketball team and a varsity baseball team. During the fall season they play an intramural football team called Yeshiva Football League. The school has a newspaper printed every quarter of the school year that many of the students post articles in for the community. Once a year they have a Shabbaton program for both the high school and the middle school. The past few years the school has taken the seniors to Israel to tour and evaluate the schools for their upcoming year in Israel. In addition, the whole school takes a ski trip during the winter. They have many different committees in school, such as: the Chesed committee, the business committee, yearbook committee, and the trip committee. The school has a student council for each grade but one president from the senior class. Overall the students participate in the schools extra curricular activities during school and help the Jewish community with their needs.

Yeshiva Gedolah[]

The Yeshiva Gedolah of Greater Washington accepts Jewish students who are committed to making Torah the major focus of their formative years. This is a separate section of the Yeshiva High School, and accepts students after High School. Students that attend the Yeshiva Gedolah have the option of receiving a four-year Bachelor of Talmudic Law (BTL). This degree has been accepted by various programs, and alumni have proceeded to gain access to prestigious Graduate schools. Other students study Torah with the Yeshiva during the day, and take separate college classes during the night. Until recently, a portion of the Yeshiva Gedolah students have lived in the Warwick apartments in Kemp Mill Maryland, while the remaining students lived in houses in Kemp Mill Maryland. The Yeshiva no longer places students in the Warwick apartments, and has instead increased the number of houses it provides. The rabbis that assist the students with their studies are Rabbi Aaron Lopiansky, Rabbi Reingold, Rabbi Arzouan, Rabbi Weinberger, Rabbi Ginsberg, Rabbi Kesierer, and Rabbi Kreiser. The rabbinic staff provides a three "seder" yeshiva education and places much emphasis on personalized interaction. The Yeshiva takes great care that the students develop their own skills and learn how to apply their skills and Torah knowledge to their daily lives. During the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Yeshiva Gedolah relocated to the Camp Chaveirim campus in Fannettsburg, Pennsylvania, and later, along with Rabbi Lopiansky, to the Camp Shoresh campus in Adamstown, Maryland. This created a "bubble", thus insuring the safety of the student body. The Yeshiva required students to self-quarantine before coming, and all students were urged to vaccinate at the earliest opportunity. The Yeshiva moved back to Fannettsburg on the Sunday of June 13 at the termination of their rental of the Shoresh campus. Upon the commencement of the Fall semester, the Yeshiva renewed its lease on Camp Shoresh, with the goal of rejoining the High School on November 15. Rabbi Lopiansky did not reside at Camp Shoresh during this period, instead commuting daily from Silver Springs. It was during that period of time that the Bochurim affixed the famed "Ezra at Shoresh" picture upon the wall with blue Painters Tape. The Yeshiva Gedolah moved back to Silver Spring on the target date. The Yeshiva no longer rents Warwicks Apartments as dorm space, renting multiple houses throughout the Silver Spring community instead.

References[]

1) http://www.yeshiva.edu/BOYSDIVISION/tabid/54/Default.aspx

2)http://washingtonjewishweek.com/main.asp?SectionID=4&SubSectionID=17&ArticleID=12656&TM=34178.68

3) http://www.jirs.org/jirs/jirs0024ao.html

4) http://www.yeshiva.edu/BOYSDIVISION/Activities/tabid/70/Default.aspx

5) http://www.yeshiva.edu/BOYSDIVISION/JudaicStudies/tabid/68/Default.aspx

6) https://www.vaadgw.org/rabbi-gedaliah-anemer.html

External links[]

• Website for The Yeshiva College Of The Nation's Capital