Rochelle Zell Jewish High School

Rochelle Zell Jewish High School[1] (RZJHS), formerly Chicagoland Jewish High School (CJHS), (Rochelle Zell, Hebrew: תיכון שיקאגו‎), located 25 miles northwest of downtown Chicago, is a private, full-day, co-educational high school for students in grades nine through twelve. Rochelle Zell first opened its doors in 2001 to 26 students.

Rochelle Zell Jewish High School
‏תיכון רושל זל
Rochelle Zell Jewish High School Logo
Address
1095 Lake Cook Road

Deerfield
,
Illinois
60015

United States
Coordinates42.151°N 87.854°W / 42.151; -87.854
Information
Former nameChicagoland Jewish High School
TypePrivate
Religious affiliation(s)Judaism
Established2001 (2001)
DeanJason Loeb (Academic Dean)
Head of schoolTony Frank
ChaplainRabbi Zachary Silver
Grades9-12
GenderCo-educational
Average class size14
LanguageTeaches English, Hebrew, and Spanish
Campus sizeSmall
Campus typeSuburban
Color(s)Blue and White   
SongHallelujah
MascotTiger
NicknameCJ, RZ
RivalIda Crown
Annual tuition$29,300 (Not including book fees, security fees etc.)
Feeder schoolsSolomon Schechter Day School and Chicagoland Jewish Day School, Akiba Schechter, Public and Private Schools
Websitewww.rzjhs.org

Mission Statement: Rochelle Zell Jewish High School creates a culture of academic excellence that inspires and prepares our students to think critically, achieve their full potential, and live Judaism as responsible and involved citizens in the modern world.

History

Rochelle Zell Jewish High School opened its doors in 2001 as Chicagoland Jewish High School, welcoming 26 students, 23 freshmen and 3 sophomores. In the 2005–2006 school year, 94 students attended Rochelle Zell, and the number increased to 132 students in the 2007–2008 school year, along with many new faculty members. Due to growth in its student body, Rochelle Zell moved from its Morton Grove campus to a state-of-the-art high school in Deerfield in fall 2007.

In 2015, the school received a generous gift from the Zell Family Foundation and subsequently changed its name to Rochelle Zell Jewish High School.[2]

For the 2019-2020 school year, enrollment was nearly 180 students drawn from over 20 communities throughout Chicago and its suburbs. Roughly three-quarters of current students advance to Rochelle Zell from Jewish day schools. The remaining students attend local public and private schools before Rochelle Zell.[3]

Curriculum

Rochelle Zell Jewish High School[4] offers a dual curriculum of general studies and Jewish studies. It is affiliated with Prizmah: Center for Jewish Day Schools,[5] and its student body includes students from all streams of Judaism.

Every day begins at 8:00 A.M. with Shacharit, Jewish morning prayer service, followed by breakfast. Classes begin at 9:00 A.M. and end at 3:42 P.M., with optional Minchah, Jewish afternoon prayer services, held in the afternoon. There is also an extra class period from 3:45 P.M. until 4:15 P.M. for students to have a physical education class, practice with their sport team, or meet with teachers.

Athletics

Rochelle Zell offers a variety of sports, such baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, swimming, tennis, volleyball, and wrestling. Rochelle Zell is a member of the Chicago Prep Conference (CPC). The Rochelle Zell boys basketball team were CPC division champions in the 2016-2017 and IHSA Regional Champions in 2010, 2013, 2014, 2019. In 2013 the boys basketball team became the first Jewish High School in Illinois to compete in an IHSA Sectional Championship. The boys cross country team has won CPC championships in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017, while the girls team won the CPC championships in 2010, 2011, and 2019. The girls soccer team won CPC championships in 2015, 2016, 2019. The boys soccer team won their first CPC championship in 2018. The girls Volleyball team won the 2012 IHSA Regional Championship. The boys volleyball team won the CPC in 2012 and 2018 and the CPC tournament in 2017 and 2018.

The bowling team was cut in the 2019-2020 academic year.

Co-Curriculars-Fine, Performing and Literary Arts

The school schedule allots a 41-minute period on Tuesdays and Thursdays, immediately following lunch, during which activities such as Band, Broadcast-Media seminar, Intro to Computer Science, Intro to Java, Dance, Debate, Model United Nations, Vocal Ensemble, Literary Journal, Yearbook, Studio Art/Advanced Studio Art take place. Each winter, there is a Performing Arts Showcase as well as a spring musical.

Va'ad

The student government, the Va'ad Hastudentim (formerly Va'ad Hatalmidim; Va'ad means committee), represents the student body. There are also many other clubs, such as ARK Café, ARK in the Park, Art Club, Chess Club, Comic Book Club, DEAP (Va’ad Tikkun Olam), DECA, Environmental Club, Feminism Club, Gidwitz, Holla For Challah, Interfaith Youth Corps (IFYC), Math Team, Mock Trial, Music Club, Ping Pong Club, Pride, QuarkNet, Robotics Club, RZ Capella, Spirit Club, S.T.A.N.D.(Taking a Stand Against Genocide), Student Ambassadors, The Stripe (Student Newspaper), US Politics Club, Va’ad Israel, Va’ad Shabbatonim, Va’ad HaStudentim, Va’ad Tefillah, and Yad B’Yad (Partnership with Cove School). Students are encouraged to start new clubs with the help of a faculty adviser.

Shabbatonim

Each year, Rochelle Zell has three Shabbatonim, one for freshmen, one for seniors, and one for the entire school community. Each Shabbaton features the opportunity to build community among both students and faculty and celebrate the joy of Shabbat. The programs over the course of the day are planned both by students and faculty. They feature the school at its best, celebrating Jewish life and Jewish time, having fun with friends, and delving deep into discussion topics of shared meaning.

Model UN

The RZJHS Model United Nations Team received first place awards at the National Model UN Conference for 6th consecutive year in March 2020.

Holidays

The Rochelle Zell Jewish High School calendar is built around the rhythm of Jewish life. Throughout the course of the year, students and faculty observe religious holidays as a community, including important days on the American calendar, such as 9/11, Veterans Day, and Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

One example of RZJHS' holiday celebrations is Purim, which is one of the highlights of each year. On Purim, RZJHS students begin celebration in school and then each grade volunteers around Chicago during the afternoon. The morning celebration features festive prayers, followed by video parodies, "Purim shpiels" created by students and faculty.

In order to facilitate students’ observance of the holidays, faculty is committed to limiting homework demands during certain seasons of the year. Holiday programs and celebrations are developed and run by the school Rabbi, "Rav Beit Sefer" and a committee of students and faculty.

References
  1. http://www.rzjhs.org
  2. Liebenson, Donald (November 23, 2015). "Deerfield private high school named for Jewish philanthropist". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
  3. "Rochelle Zell Jewish High School Profile (2020) | Deerfield, IL". Private School Review. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
  4. "Rochelle Zell Jewish High School". rzjhs.org.
  5. "Schechter Day School Network". ssdsa.org.
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