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Midreshet Shalhevet celebrates its Class of 2017

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As Midreshet Shalhevet celebrated its sixth annual commencement ceremony, at Temple Hillel, menahelet Esther Eisenman praised the graduates for their hard work and personal growth.

“Part of what makes Midreshet Shalhevet special is that the girls are not sacrificing anything by coming to a small school,” she said. “They receive a top notch education in both limudei kodesh and general studies, clubs, and extracurriculars in a close and warm environment focused on each individual girl.”

Eisenman discussed her graduates’ high level of creativity, mentioning Sarit Perl, Michal Beer, Avigail Borah, and Tamar Lifshitz, who created incredible AP Art compositions. She concluded her remarks by expressing how the girls can use their creativity to further their relationship with Hashem.

Valedictorian Avigayil Lev of Woodmere’s many accomplishments include four years as a Shalhevet Scholar; she was a Wendy’s High School Heisman School Winner, an AP Scholar with Honors, Mock Trial team captain leading the Midreshet Shalhevet team to the Nassau County Sweet Sixteen round two years in a row, and a participant on the math team, and college bowl team.

Avigayil addressed the packed house, congratulating her fellow graduates on all the hard work they have put in over the past four years succeeding academically, socially, and otherwise.

“We crave independence,” she said. “We talk about it all the time — going to Israel and college, making our own choices, becoming ‘adults’. I used to believe independence was the ability to think for oneself, but my understanding of this has changed recently. I realized that I need other people, to depend on them, to learn new ideas and a broad range of skills.

“The only way to actually become independent is through other people’s intelligences, influence, and ideas.”

Avigayil will be attend Amudim in the fall, and has been accepted to Barnard College. 

Salutatorian Shaindy Greenberg of Queens was, for four years, a Dean’s list Shalhevet Scholar, yearbook editor-in-chief, and Torah Bowl captain, Shaindy has acted as a peer tutor, a member of the math team and STEM science enrichment program. 

Shaindy discussed a dvar Torah by Rav Moshe Feinstein which she connected to her high school experience. 

“Our teachers have a love of teaching — lessons are clearly thought out, with examples given to make them clear,” she said. “If we don’t understand, they will try different strategies to elucidate the concept. Whenever I had trouble on how to apply a mathematical equation, or how to understand the deeper meaning behind a poem, my teachers would spend as much time as I needed to ensure my success.

“Whether we are grappling with the fundamentals of Bereishit or trying to identify the yitron within ourselves, we owe much to our teachers who taught us so many priceless lessons through the texts.”

Shaindy will continue her education at Darchei Bina and Queens College.

Midreshet Shalhevet is proud of the rest of its graduates who have been accepted to the following prestigious schools: Avital Weinberg of Brooklyn, MIT; Aviva Chait of Far Rockaway, William E. Macaulay Honors College at CUNY Queens College; Yael Eiferman of West Hempstead, William E. Macaulay Honors College at CUNY Baruch College; Avigayil Borah of Hewlett, Barnard College; Zahava Fertig of Woodmere, S. Daniel Abraham Honors Program at YU  Stern College for Women; Sarit Perl of Atlantic Beach, S. Daniel Abraham Honors Program at YU Stern College for Women; and Suri Lipsky of Cedarhurst, YU Stern College for Women Dean’s Scholarship Program. 

Congratulations to National Honor Society scholars Avigail Borah, Aviva Chait, Zahava Fertig, Shaindy Greenberg, Avigail Lev, Suri Lipsky, Sarit Perl, and Aviva Rubenstein, and to AP Scholars with Honors Avigayil Lev and Sarit Perl.  

Source: Midreshet Shalhevet