After two years teaching Chumash and Gemarah at Shalhevet, Rabbi Rodney Feinerman is headed to Philadelphia to teach at Kohelet Yeshiva High School, a co-ed Orthodox high school in Merion Station, Pennsylvania.

“It is a school that is being rebuilt, so that one of the exciting parts of going there is to try to build it up with a vision,” Rabbi Feinerman told The Boiling Point in an interview before embarking on a cross-country road trip with his son, freshman Moshe Feinerman.  He said the highlight of his two years at Shalhevet was “my students.”

During his stay at Shalhevet Rabbi Feinerman was able to engage students in his classes through in-depth discussions.

“Rabbi Feinerman’s class provided a unique insight into why we keep certain mitzvot,” said freshman Jenny Draizen.

Freshman Hannah-Leeba Ellenhorn agreed.

“I loved his style of teaching,” Hannah-Leeba said. “He engaged us in conversations about topics we found interesting, and related that to halacha.”

Rabbi Feinerman taught ninth grade honors Gemarah in a double period, and he taught seniors a class he developed himself called Bible and Psychology.

“I thought it was a very thought provoking class,” said senior Rebecca Asch. “He was able to pring up points regarding often discussed issues that we hadn’t thought of and he always made sure we understood the material backwards and forwards.”

Brought in by former Shalhevet Head of School Rabbi Elchanan Weinbach, Rabbi Feinerman’s departure closes a chapter in Shalhevet history. For his first year, he served as Director of Curriculum for the combined Lower and High Schools.

This year he was a 10th grade advisor, and his ma’agal group painted an original mural on a wall of his classroom, room 48. The mural features trees with mountains in the background.