Northwest Yeshiva High School

Jewish high school in Mercer Island, Washington, United States

Northwest Yeshiva High School

Location

5017 90th Avenue S.E.

Mercer Island

Washington

98040

United States

Information
Type| Jewish High School
Established| 1974[2]
CEEB code| 481173
NCES School ID| 01913756[1]
Head of School| Rabbi Yehuda Gabay
Faculty| 29[1]
Grades| High School
Gender| coed[1]
Number of students| 57
Campus type| Urban
Color(s)| Gold, Navy Blue
Athletics| WIAA Class IB[3]
Mascot| Lions
Accreditation| Northwest Accreditation Commission (NWAC)[4]
Website| www.nyhs.org

Located in Mercer Island, Washington, Northwest Yeshiva High School is the state's only accredited, co-ed, college preparatory, dual-curriculum Jewish High School.[5]

## History[edit]

Northwest Yeshiva High School/NYHS was founded in 1974 to incubate a Jewish environment for higher college preparatory learning in the region.[6] Originally, it was housed in the basement of the Seattle Hebrew Academy. In 1992, it moved to Mercer Island, Washington to the campus that it occupies today.[7] Rabbi Bernie Fox retired in 2016 as Head of School after 31 years in the position. Jason Feld, former dean of students at Shalhevet High School in Los Angeles, assumed the role of Head of School in July 2017. He led the school for six years before accepting a position in Dallas. In the fall of 2023, Rabbi Yehudah Gabay became the current Head of School. He is the first Sephardic head of school in the school's history.

## Facilities[edit]

The school's suburban campus includes a sanctuary for prayer, multifunctional classrooms, STEM Lab, science lab, art studio, a lunchroom, and an outdoor sport court.[6]

## Curriculum[edit]

Northwest Yeshiva's curriculum is integrated, encompassing both Judaic studies, including comprehensive Torah study that emphasis the development of critical thinking skills, as well as College Preparatory Academics.[8]

The school is accredited by the Northwest Accreditation Commission (NWAC).[4]

### Judaic Studies[edit]

In 2019, Rabbi Naftali Rothstein joined the faculty as the Campus Rabbi. Rabbi Dr. Jeremy Wieder, a Rosh Yeshiva at Yeshiva University, is the school's Halachic (Jewish law) authority.

### College Preparatory Studies[edit]

NYHS offers College in the High School courses in which students can earn University of Washington college credit. Currently, NYHS offers this option for Calculus A & B, Biology, Expository Writing, Environmental Science and Human Physiology. Freshmen have the opportunity to take a full STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) curriculum thanks to NYHS's partnership with the Center for the Initiatives in Jewish Education and the Samis Foundation.

NYHS students and faculty engage in monthly Town Halls, open to the public. The student led, Agenda Committee, organizes and guides the civil discourse opportunities. Topics are proposed by the student body and often are focused on school and communal issues.

### Israel and Experiential Studies[edit]

Learning about and supporting the centrality of the State of Israel in Jewish life today is a key component of an NYHS education. Students travel to Israel and Poland during their senior year to participate on the March of the Living.

In 2022, NYHS seniors were the first teen group in the United States to volunteer with NCSY Relief in Romania at the Tikva House with Ukrainian refugee and orphans who had fled Odesa, Ukraine.

### Journalism[edit]

NYHS's student newspaper, the Mane Idea won three top prizes at the Columbia University's Jewish Scholastic Press Association conference in the Spring of 2023. Three NYHS students won for their stories in the Mane Idea.

## Athletics[edit]

A member of the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA), within the State Class IB, Northwest Yeshiva competes in multiple sports.[3] The school changed its team name from the 613s, a reference to the Torah's total number of mitzvot or commandments, to the Lions in memory of Ari Grashin Z"L, a student of NYHS who died in 2002–Ari being the Hebrew word for lion.

The Lions compete in men's basketball, women's basketball, women's volleyball, and co-ed cross-country, golf, and track.

The Lions girls volleyball competed in the annual Atlanta Jewish Academy Girls Volleyball Invitationa l[9] in the fall of 2023.

In 2022, the Men's Lions basketball team competed in the Washington State Championship and placed 5th overall.

In 2010, a WIAA State Girls' Basketball Tournament conflicted with Purim's Fast of Esther. The school's team, who had made it to State for the first time, had to balance religious obligations with playing and, in the end, decided there would be "no forfeit of faith," garnering significant media coverage. [5][10] Again in 2011, a WIAA State Girls' Volleyball Tournament conflicted, this time with Sabbath. Northwest's team once again decided "no forfeit of faith."[11]

## Affiliations[edit]

* Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle[2]
* Samis Foundation[2]
* Prizmah

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b c "Search for Private Schools – School Detail for Northwest Yeshiva High School". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved Oct 6, 2014.
2. ^ a b c "Facts About NYHS". Northwest Yeshiva High School. Retrieved 2012-03-22.
3. ^ a b "Member School Directory". Washington Interscholastic Athletic Association. Retrieved 2012-03-23.
4. ^ a b "Northwest Yeshiva Maintains Accreditation". Mercer Island Patch. Retrieved 2012-03-23.
5. ^ a b Sandsberry, Scott. "No Forfeit For Faith For Jewish High School". Yakima Herald. Retrieved 2012-03-23.
6. ^ a b "History". Northwest Yeshiva High School. Retrieved 2012-03-23.
7. ^ "Guide To Jewish Washington". Jewish Transcript of Washington. Retrieved 2012-03-22.
8. ^ "About NYHS". Northwest Yeshiva High School. Retrieved 2012-03-23.
9. ^ Heller, Sasha (2023-12-27). "AJA Volleyball Invitational Nets All-Around Win". Atlanta Jewish Times. Retrieved 2023-12-31.
10. ^ "100 Reasons We Love Seattle, #71". Seattle Met. Retrieved 2012-03-23.
11. ^ "Sabbath scheduling forces its volleyball team from state tournament". Sabbath scheduling forces Northwest Yeshiva's volleyball team from state tournament. Q13 Fox Seattle. Retrieved 2012-03-23.

## External links[edit]

* Official website
* Official athletics site
* NYHS Main Idea Student News

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WIAA Sea-King District Two

AA-AAAA Classifications

4A Classification

Kingco 4A
Bothell Cougars
Eastlake Wolves
Inglemoor Vikings
Issaquah Eagles
Mount Si Wildcats
Newport Knights
North Creek Jaguars
Redmond Mustangs
Skyline Spartans
Woodinville Falcons

3A Classification

Kingco 3A
Bellevue Wolverines
Hazen Highlanders
Interlake Saints
Juanita Ravens
Lake Washington Kangs
Liberty Patriots
Mercer Island Islanders

Metro 3A
Ballard Beavers
Bishop Blanchet Bears
Cleveland Eagles
Eastside Catholic Crusaders
Franklin Quakers
Garfield Bulldogs
Nathan Hale Raiders
Holy Names Cougars
Ingraham Rams
Lakeside Lions
Lincoln Lynx
O'Dea Irish
Rainier Beach Vikings
Roosevelt Rough Riders
Chief Sealth Seahawks
Seattle Prep Panthers
West Seattle Wildcats

2A Classification

Kingco 2A
Evergreen Wolverines
Foster Bulldogs
Highline Pirates
Lindbergh Eagles
Renton Indians
Sammamish Totems
Tyee Totems

A & B-BB Classifications

1A Classification

Emerald Sound League 1A
Bear Creek Grizzlies
Cedar Park Christian Eagles
The Bush School Blazers
Eastside Prep Eagles
Forest Ridge Ravens
Granite Falls Tigers
King's Knights
The Northwest School
Overlake Owls
Seattle Academy Cardinals
South Whidbey Falcons
Sultan Turks
University Prep Pumas

1B/2B Classification

Sea-Tac 1B/2B
Auburn Adventist Falcons-2B
Concordia Christian Hawks-1B
Crosspoint Warriors-1B
Evergreen Lutheran Eagles-1B
Muckleshoot Tribal School Kings-1B
Northwest Christian (Lacey) Navigators-2B
Northwest Yeshiva Lions-1B
Pacific Christian Eagles-1B
Pope John Paul II Eagles-1B
Puget Sound Adventist Sharks-1B
Quilcene Rangers-1B
Rainier Christian Mustangs-1B
Seattle Lutheran Saints
Sound Christian Crusaders-1B

Independents
Heritage Christian Eagles
Summit Atlas Orcas
Summit Classical Christian Mountaineers
Summit Sierra Spartans
Willows Prep Wildcats
Why Not You

47°33′29.51″N 122°13′11.94″W﻿ / ﻿47.5581972°N 122.2199833°W﻿ / 47.5581972; -122.2199833

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* https://nyhsmaneidea.com/

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