There are some exciting changes afoot at Louisville’s High School of Jewish Studies. With the first day of classes just a few week away on Sunday, September 11, faculty and staff are gearing up to not only welcome the school’s first 11th graders to the program, but to launch some exciting new electives.
Thanks to a generous grant from the Jewish Foundation of Louisville and a special allocation from the Jewish Federation, HSJS will be in the second cohort of supplemental community high schools to compete on the national level in the annual Moot Beit Din competition. Think Jewish Mock Trial.
Once the exclusive purview of Jewish day schools, Moot Beit Din offers an opportunity for students not only to become deeply immersed in rabbinic law, but to practice argument and debate skills while building their college resumes (and having a great time in the process).
This past year, two of our fellow supplemental schools participated in the competition; one school took second place in its division and the other team won the ruach prize for the entire competition.
HSJS is confident that we will join our fellow NAACCHHS (North American Association of Community and Congregational Hebrew High Schools) schools and represent the Louisville Jewish community well next March 16-19.
Rabbi Michael Wolk will be our primary halakhic expert and the Honorable Jennifer Liebson will serve as our argument/mock trial coach.
If you’re the parent of a Jewish high school student who’s not yet registered, it’s not too late! Go to www.louisvillehsjs.org/register to make sure your kids can be a part of the exciting Jewish learning and growth that’s happening at HSJS. For questions, contact Sarah Harlan at hsjssarah@gmail.com.
