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Connections is a nonprofit organization founded by Ari and Raphael Unger with the goal of connecting Jewish high school students with other communities in the greater New York City area. Inspired by their own experiences growing up in the Bronx, the founders recognized the power of mentorship and engagement.
To achieve its goals, Connections has launched a tutoring program that pairs Jewish high school students with public school students — kindergarten through eighth grade — who have fallen behind academically due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Tutors are brought to community centers in the Bronx and Washington Heights, where they provide academic support and positive role models. The program has expanded to include additional tutoring centers in Crown Heights and beyond.
“We saw an educational need for this community to help public school students who, after COVID, found the education system lagging behind,” Ari said of the initiative in an interview with Jewish Link“First, it puts Jewish students like us, who haven’t had the opportunity to really get to know people outside their community, in a position to provide a service to the community. Second, it’s designed to create a connection, which is why we call it Connections.”
Ari further explained how the campaign began at the institution they attend, the Marsha Stern Talmudical Academy/Yeshiva University High School for Boys (or MTA for short). “It was kind of natural that we would establish our first hub there,” Ari explained. “The tutors in the program are solid and very successful in all their educational subjects. They can be good role models and also good representatives of the Jewish community. We also knew that they wanted to do community service.”
The official Connections website currently estimates 25 tutors per 100 students per month. Other partners include the Williamsbridge Oval Recreation Center and the Mosholu Montefiore Community Center. For more information about Connections, click here.
