Yeshiva Har Torah’s graduating class of 2013 wasn’t big by the school’s standards, but it punched above its weight in high school. From a class of 46, three students were selected valedictorian or salutatorian at three different high schools this past June.
Ariel Blumstein was valedictorian at Rambam Mesivta in Lawrence, Rachel Canter was valedictorian at the Hebrew Academy of Nassau County in Uniondale and Sophia Baradarian was salutatorian at Yeshiva University High School for Girls (Central) in Holliswood.
Yeshiva Har Torah does not have an affiliated high school, so graduates typically go to a range of yeshiva high schools around the New York metropolitan area. Centrally located in Little Neck, the school draws students from communities throughout Nassau County and Queens, resulting in unusual diversity for a yeshiva day school. Blumstein, Canter and Baradarian are representative of this as Canter hails from Great Neck, Baradarian from Roslyn and Blumstein from West Hempstead.
“No words can express the tremendous hakarat hatov (gratitude) that I feel towards Yeshiva Har Torah,” said Baradarian. “The teachers and administrators not only motivate the students to aspire to achieve, but teach the students to inspire others. It takes great leadership and dedication to achieve such excellence.”
Blumstein similarly credits the school’s administration “for the hardworking attitude they imparted in me.”
Rabbi Menchel, the principal, expressed pride that so many Yeshiva Har Torah graduates “continue to distinguish themselves in their respective yeshiva high schools and beyond. Ariel, Rachel and Sophia are shining examples of the many outstanding young men and women we have graduated over the years and strive to continue to graduate.”
