Before closing for the Thanksgiving break, the Samuel H. Wang Yeshiva University High School for Girls (Central) delivered a powerful message about America as a haven for immigrants in its first-ever Talia Talks, the school’s version of the famed TED Talks. Mrs. Audi Hecht, chairwoman of the history department, introduced the program with these words, “Today, we gather at Central to give thanks, to reflect and to share stories. These stories build upon the original epic journey of our Puritan ancestors who in 1620 decided to create and fulfill a new vision for their future.” The Talia Talk speakers comprised several students and faculty members who shared their families deeply felt “coming to America” stories. Nava Grief ’21, Leora Khaimov ’20, Orah Massisrehlian ’20, and Mrs. Leah Moskovich, student activities coordinator, spoke of their families’ journeys from Morocco, Uzbekistan, Iran and South Africa, respectively. They described how their parents and grandparents traveled to the United States, often in the face of persecution, in search of security, peace and freedom. Mr. Erez Bar-Levy, who teaches Spanish, and Mrs. Hani Ricardo, who teaches Hebrew, spoke of their own recent experiences of emigrating to the United State from Israel and El Salvador. Mrs. Hecht noted that “our school community has been inspired by these heartfelt accounts of America as a home to immigrants and what that home has come to represent for each of our speakers.”

Nava Grief ’21 shares her family's “coming to America” story at Central's first Talia Talks