School vs. Work

Natan Rosen (‘23)

YULA’s nine-hour school day poses a great challenge for YULA students who participate in honors courses, extracurriculars, and sports. When paired with these responsibilities, the 7:45 AM – 4:30 PM schedule leaves no time for a job. 

Benji Sarir (‘23), a cashier at the Pico “burger joint” Shalom Grill, ends up “doing assignments late and getting home late.” Coby Noorani (‘23) admits that if given the choice to skip school, he “would choose to go to work instead because it prepares [him] for the future.” Similarly, Raphy Amsellem (‘23) believes that “working is a tool that helps you communicate in life – it’s like training for the future.”

He’s right: While classroom studies may challenge students academically, they cannot teach the skills required to succeed in a hands-on working environment. Some working students have discovered that compromising is key to success and have taken jobs despite their busy schedules. Moshe Darvish (‘22), who runs his own photography and videography company MD Productions, commutes between school and work during breaks and free periods. After school hours, Branden Neman (‘23) completes homework assignments on the job as a cashier at Schnitzly.

If there’s one thing about YULA students, it’s that despite the challenge of balancing work and school, they remain determined to make it work.