It was a remarkable year at the Hartman Institute.
It was a remarkable year at the Hartman Institute.
It was a remarkable year at the Hartman Institute.
It was a remarkable year at the Hartman Institute.
Religious Zionist education that is committed to academic excellence, religious depth and pluralism, democratic values, and respect for the diversity of Israeli society and the Jewish world
The Charles E. Smith High School for Boys and the Midrashiya High School for Girls are the vanguard of religious Zionist education, with a progressive approach to Jewish studies that emphasizes personal growth and social responsibility. Graduates demonstrate a commitment to pluralism, gender equality, and enriching the democratic character of Israel. As the religious Zionist community in Israel grows more influential in political, military, social, and business arenas, the importance of liberal education in religious high schools has become critical.
The schools provide nearly 700 students in grades 7-12 with rigorous, cutting-edge Jewish and general studies programs that promote critical thinking, religious tolerance and community leadership in an environment that fosters intellectual and spiritual achievement. Beyond the classroom, all students participate in community projects that directly support underprivileged sectors in Israeli society. Nearly all our alumni serve in the IDF or perform national service.
Both Hartman schools have been nominated for and received prestigious awards for excellence from the Ministry of Education. In 2019, the MoE awarded the Boys’ School a prize for excellence for their unique, values-based core curriculum, noting the school’s success in developing critical and creative learners while touching students souls, not just their intellect. The Midrashiya was nominated for the MoE’s National Prize for Advancing Health for the school’s Body-Soul-Consciousness program, a unique physical wellness and gender curriculum.
Meanwhile, the Boys’ School’s groundbreaking gender curriculum for religious boys continued to generate interest in the Israeli educational system and media.
Maintaining the Connection: Parent and Alumni Study
This year we began building an active community of Hartman high school parents and alumni who are committed to Zionism, pluralism, and human rights. More than 60 Midrashiya alumnae and parents participated in a multi-part beit midrash program structured around the holidays that gives alumnae a platform to share their activities and accomplishments since graduation and provides parents access to Hartman curriculum.
In May, more than 150 alumni convened to honor the Boys’ School’s first principal and beloved teacher David Dishon upon his retirement after four decades as an educator, mentor, and curriculum-writer.
Roi Levi
Hartman High School Class of 2010
Company Commander, Paratroopers Brigade
Personal Development: "When you hear Hartman High School, you immediately think of openness of thought. At Hartman, we were encouraged to be independent. Each student lived the idea that he always has room to advance, that he can go beyond, that the sky is the limit."
Caring for the Other: "Alongside personal development, we were taught to constantly think about the other. Giving and volunteering are part of the curriculum and agenda of each student. This spirit flows through the school and is felt from the very first day of classes to the last. I absorbed this during my six years of study, which together with a very lively discourse about the importance of contributing to the IDF, are part of what drove me to become a commander and a leader."
Hartman High Schools are supported by Jane and Michael Lewittes, Shelley and Donald Meltzer,
The Spitzer Wachs Family, and other generous donors.