Four years ago, they stepped through the gates of a brand-new school. Last week, they walked the stage as its first-ever graduates.
As Yeshiva Sha’arei Zion High School for Girls marked its inaugural graduation, the air was filled with pride, gratitude, and anticipation. This wasn’t just the end of a school year—it was the culmination of a journey that began with a vision and took shape through the heart and soul of its very first class. We watched these young women walk the stage not only as students completing high school, but as trailblazers—leaders, builders, and true bnot Torah. It was more than a ceremony; it was the realization of a dream and the beginning of a legacy.
Founding Menahelet Mrs. Rina Zerykier addressed the graduates with words that captured the essence of the evening and the mission of the school. Drawing from the school’s name, Sha’arei Zion, she reflected on the deep spiritual symbolism of gates—thresholds that invite pause, intention, and courage.
“Now you stand at the next gate,” she said. “Yours to choose, to push open, and to walk through with everything you’ve become.”
Mrs. Zerykier reminded the students that they were never simply high schoolers, but bnot Zion—daughters of Yisrael with the strength to shape their own destinies.
“You were never just our students. You were always bnot Zion, who don’t ask, ‘Who do they expect me to be?’ but ask, ‘Who did Hashem create me to become?’”
She concluded with a charge that echoed throughout the room:
“Go build something beautiful. Go walk through the next gate. We’ll be rooting for you.”
The theme of stepping forward with purpose echoed beautifully in the voices of the graduates themselves.
Valedictorian Leah Zavlyanov delivered a powerful address centered on the palindrome “ונתנו.” She explained how high school was a time of receiving—of personal investment, development, and discovery. But now, the time had come to transition from growth to giving.
“And thus build ourselves, because doing chesed in the long run comes back to you. Our cups are full now, and it’s time to start pouring into others.”
Her message captured a sacred shift—from inward formation to outward impact—a calling to contribute meaningfully to the world around them.
This idea was complemented by Salutatorian Shoshana Musheyev, who spoke about identity, heritage, and sacred continuity. She reminded her classmates that they are not simply stepping forward—they are stepping into a chain.
“We are the answers to generations of prayer,” she said. “And the way we live our lives and pray now will shape the lives of those who come after us.”
Her words served as a powerful reminder of the responsibility to carry our past with honor while building our future with clarity and commitment.
The celebration continued with the presentation of personalized awards to each graduate, thoughtfully crafted to recognize each student’s unique strengths, talents, and middot. Laughter and tears filled the room as teachers paid tribute to the special bond they had with this pioneering group of girls. Faculty members were acknowledged for their unwavering dedication—not only in educating the students, but in helping build a school from the ground up.
The evening closed with music, heartfelt expressions of gratitude, and an overwhelming sense of joy and pride. There was a deep awareness that something historic had occurred. The Class of 2025 walked into a school that didn’t yet exist—and walked out as its legacy.
As the graduates now go on to face the next chapters of their lives, they do so having left an indelible mark. Their presence shaped the culture, identity, and soul of YSZ High School for Girls. And now, as they step into the world beyond its walls, they do so ready to lead, to give, and to become.
Mrs. Zerykier’s final words offered both blessing and hope:
“Now you stand at the next gate, yours to choose, to push open, and to walk through with everything you’ve become. May we all be zoche to walk through the real Sha’arei Tzion—Sha’arei Geulah. May you see redemption in your stories, in our people, and in our world.”
The gates are open. The path is theirs. And the future is bright.
By Shabsie Saphirstein
Stepping Through The Gates: YSZ HS For Girls Graduation
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