Hebrew University Secondary School

Hebrew University High School (Hebrew: התיכון ליד האוניברסיטה‎), commonly known as Leyada (literally "next to"), is a semi-private high school in West Jerusalem, established in 1935 by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.[1] The school is located next to the Givat Ram campus of the Hebrew University. It is considered one of the country's most prestigious and selective institutions of secondary education.[2][3]

Entrance to Hebrew University High School
School logo

History

Founded in 1935 as Beit-Hakerem High School, it soon established a unique methodology and syllabus, carefully screening applicants through psychometric entrance exams. Over the years, the school has carried out several integration projects initially founded by Professor Karl Frankenstein (Hebrew: קרל פרנקנשטיין; born 16 February 1905, died 1990), a ground-breaking Israeli professor in special education and pedagogy. Over the years, these projects have changed names and structure and have attempted to diminish the school's social elitist stereotype. However, due to its semi-private status, most students come from middle- and upper-class families.[4]

Academics

Leyada is considered one of the country's most prestigious high schools.[2][3] The school is in the process of reform and restructuring. Dr. Gilead Amir will continue as principal of the six-year programme, Dr. Rivka Berger will continue as Pedagogical Director and Vice Principal. Erez Hacker has been appointed coordinator of the junior high and Rena Gampel, coordinator of the high school.

The school has a five-day week (Sunday through Thursday), keeping facilities open on Fridays for special classes, self-study and projects.[5] In addition to the 40+ classrooms upgraded with projectors, wi-fi and whiteboards, facilities include two 200 seat lecture halls, fully equipped physics and chemistry laboratories, a library, state-of-the-art art center, a chamber-music auditorium, a 600-seat theatre, a modern professional sports center and a regulation-size basketball court.

The current principal is Dr. Gilead Amir (class of 1970), who joined faculty in 1977 as a math teacher, and took the top position in 2003 from 35-year veteran Hana Levitte. Among the school's board of directors is Israeli Labor Party member Orna Angel, a 1980 Leyada graduate and former CEO of the Tel Aviv Port Authority.

Notable alumni
Etgar Keret

The current prime minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, has studied in the school, but did not graduate from it, because of his family's relocation to the United States.


Notable faculty
  • Yeshayahu Leibowitz (1903–94), an Israeli public intellectual, professor to Biochemistry, Organic chemistry and Neurophysiology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and a polymath known for his outspoken opinions on Judaism, ethics, religion and politics.
  • Batya Gur (1947-2005) Israeli writer.

References
  1. Greetings from the School Principal Archived 2011-10-23 at the Wayback Machine
  2. Haaretz, 28-Jan-2005: To be private or not to be "
  3. The World Today, 12-December-2006: Green line turns Israel's schools into political battleground
  4. Haaretz 26-December-2006: Prestigious Jerusalem high school opens its doors city-wide, ushering in conflict in the process
  5. Five-day school week? Jerusalem Post, 5-Sep-2003

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