The Jewish Educational Center played host to the Torah Bowl playoffs last week for the very first time. The RTMA middle school faced off against RPRY, Kushner and the Yeshiva at the Jersey Shore in the JEC Library while the Bruriah junior high team hosted its playoff against the school’s female counterparts in the Halpern Beis Medrash on the school’s lower level.

“This is exciting for the boys,” shared RTMA middle school Associate Principal Rabbi Sharir Yablonsky, whose division played at their home base. The Bruriah team traveled from its campus one mile down the road, accompanied by junior high coordinator, Zehava Greenwald, whose girls looked to her with excitement with every correct answer they buzzed in.

While Bruriah has long dominated the competition, this is the first year that RTMA middle school participated. Students from the participating schools in this playoff division were quick to mingle and get to know each other, and students even enjoyed a pizza lunch together sponsored by the JEC.