Hod HaSharon, Israel: July 29, 2020 – Following a global recruitment effort, Jewish National Fund-USA (JNF-USA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Mark Shinar as the incoming Head of School at its Alexander Muss High School in Israel (AMHSI/High School in Israel). Dr. Shinar’s appointment will commence in August 2020.
“This is a time of tremendous growth for High School in Israel as we provide thousands of Jewish high school students with an unparalleled academic, Jewish, and Zionist experience in Israel,” said High School in Israel President, Ron Werner. “As we stand on the brink of a new chapter for the school, Dr. Shinar is the right person to take us through this period of expansion.”
Since 1972, High School in Israel has been pioneering the academic and experiential study of Israel and Jewish history for high school students. Students are inspired to live outside their books, encounter new ideas and challenge themselves to find their own link within the chain of Jewish continuity. High School in Israel’s unique pedagogical approach fuses formal classroom study and experience-based learning, enhancing students’ intellectual understanding of history and emotional connection to identity while helping them achieve more in their General Studies.
Dr. Mark Shinar
“I am thrilled to join High School in Israel as its new Head of School and excited and inspired to work with a team of dedicated lay leaders and professionals who have already invested so much of themselves into this formidable institution,” said Dr. Mark Shinar. “Building upon its already strong reputation for providing students with academic excellence and critical thinking skills in a nurturing environment, I have no doubt that we will successfully lead the school into the next chapter of its growth and expansion. I am grateful to JNF-USA for this wonderful opportunity.”
Dr. Shinar holds a BA from Yeshiva University with an English Literature and Theater degree. In addition, Dr. Shinar holds a Master’s degree in Private School Administration from Columbia University Teachers’ College. Between 1999-2003, Dr. Shinar taught General Studies and English Literature at Salanter Akiba Riverdale (SAR) Academy’s elementary and middle schools in the Bronx, NY. Later, he went on to become the Head of School at Oakland Hebrew Day School in Oakland, CA. Dr. Shinar earned an Ed. D. in School Leadership from Mills College, Oakland in 2009. His doctoral degree focused on the role fiction and narrative can play in educational leadership preparation. Dr. Shinar has also served as Director of General Studies at SAR High School in addition to teaching English Literature. In 2017, Dr. Shinar and his family made Aliyah where he became the founding Principal of Zarkor, the first private school in Israel.
Israel is the classroom at High School in Israel
“Today, we live in a world of ‘opt-ins’ as young people choose how and when they want to engage with their Judaism and connection to Israel,” said JNF-USA Chief Executive Officer, Russell F. Robinson. “At High School in Israel, we inspire students to ‘opt-in’ and embrace their rich heritage as they choose to be the torchbearers of our People’s future. Importantly, there is no substitute in the U.S. for High School in Israel’s experiential Israel based curriculum that brings Jewish history, our customs and traditions to life – and we do all of this while supporting students to achieve better grades in their General Studies.”
JNF-USA is the leading philanthropic organization for Israel that supports critical environmental and nation-building activities in Israel’s north and south. Through its One Billion Dollar Roadmap for the Next Decade, JNF-USA is building housing sites in Israel’s north and south, providing fire trucks and stations, planting trees, creating employment opportunities, developing water infrastructure, and delivering ongoing therapeutic, emotional and psychological assistance.
For more information on High School in Israel programs, campus life, and academic offerings, visit amhsi.org or email discover@amhsi.org.
ENDS
Contact:
Media inquiries: Stefan Oberman, Jewish National Fund-USA Director of Communications.
E: soberman@jnf.org. P: 212.879.9305 x222