Ohr Torah Stone | Features | Newsletter May 2001

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COPING WITH TRYING TIMES

Like all of Israel, Ohr Torah Stone's institutions are adjusting to the difficult new reality brought on by the current wave of violence and unrest across the country. For Ohr Torah Stone's high schools and junior high schools located in Gush Etzion, that means making extraordinary efforts to cope with both the physical logistics and emotional issues related to the situation while ensuring that life remains as normal as possible for their students.

Staying on Schedule

The frequent stoning and shooting on the Tunnel Road, which connects Gush Etzion with Jerusalem, have made it necessary for Ohr Torah Stone to purchase two bulletproof buses, to date. Although the buses cannot be available to all OTS institutions at all times, the Gush Etzion schools are cooperating to share this vital resource, carefully coordinating their schedules to accommodate the students who live outside Gush Etzion. "More than 20% of our students commute to school from Jerusalem every day, except for Monday nights when they sleep in the school," notes Rabbi Avishai Milner, principal of the Neveh Channah High School for Girls.

Students from Neveh Shmuel distribute
snacks to soldiers on duty in Gush Etzion

Milner points out a further complication: "The road to Gush Etzion is often closed by Israeli security forces, causing additional delays for girls traveling to and from school. What should be a twenty-minute ride often turns into an hour-and-a-half trip."

The Ohr Torah Stone schools in Gush Etzion ended classes early each day during the winter months to enable students to travel home before nightfall. "They arrive late and then they have to leave early," Milner explains. "But their level of motivation and commitment remains high as we continuously squeeze in extra classes to make up for the hours that are missed."

Boaz Columbus, principal of the Ohr Torah Stone Junior High School in Efrat, emphasizes that many of the teachers face the same transportation problems, as they, too, commute to school along dangerous roads. Ohr Torah Stone has subsidized the purchase of bulletproof vests to help ensure their safety, and, says Columbus, "The students have been extremely understanding and flexible about making up classes that are cancelled when teachers are prevented from arriving due to road closures."

Normalcy -- With Modifications

Still, all institutions are trying to keep their students' school life as normal as possible. Class trips are continuing, with modifications, although even the shortest outing now requires weeks of planning and coordination with security officials, as well as the great expense of renting additional bulletproof buses. "The easiest response would be to cancel most out-of-school activities," says Rabbi Yaakov Fisher, principal of the Neveh Shmuel Boys High School in Efrat. "But we're determined that this year's students enjoy the class trips, seminars and workshops that are an important part of the high school experience every year."

The schools keep parents involved in every aspect of their children's security, holding regular meetings to discuss routes, pick-up points and other aspects of their daily schedules. "We have the cell-phone numbers and e-mail addresses of all parents so that we can be in touch with them instantly to save them worry and fear whenever possible," adds Columbus.

Raw Emotions

To help the students cope with their own feelings and fears, guidance counselors and psychologists meet with all of the teenagers on a regular basis -- and students are finding their own means of adjusting to the new reality of their lives. At the Shavei Rachel High School for Girls, the art and drama curriculum offered by the Ann Belsky Moranis School of Arts provides a natural outlet for expressing and working through stress and anxiety. "Many students have written and performed monologues and dialogues dealing with their feelings," says Rabbi Danny Epstein, principal of Shavei Rachel. "And others are producing artwork that reflects very raw emotions."

Nevertheless, all of the principals agree that the students are amazingly resilient. "Traveling to and from school might be difficult, but inside the school, the atmosphere is completely normal," observes Columbus. Rabbi Fisher concurs: "We're finding that as the security situation becomes more difficult, the emotional security of our students has become stronger."

Rabbi Shlomo Riskin, Chancellor of Ohr Torah Stone, summarizes, "These young people are beautiful rays of light in dark times."

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