Spotlight on Jake Lewin (FYHS '02)

Graduating Year: 2002

Current Location: Teaneck, NJ

Profession: Attorney at Stein Adler Dabah & Zelkowitz LLP in Manhattan, focusing on commercial and real estate litigation. 

Tell us a little bit about your family: 

 There are six of us: my wife is the director of student programming at Yeshiva Noam, where three (3) of our four kids go to school, ages 10, 8 and 6. My youngest, 2, goes to Anshei Lubavitch day care.

What is your favorite memory/(memories) from FYHS/HTC/Kayitz:

It is hard to pin down one specific moment, but in totality, living in the dorms and the camaraderie were certainly the best parts of the Yeshiva. The Yeshiva catered towards Modern Orthodox kids but gave us a yeshiva environment, which made it a unique place and I have never found replicated in another school. The Yeshiva afforded all students, especially myself, with the opportunity to develop an ability to learn on my own which gave a leg-up as I went to Shaalvim, YU and REITS for semicha. 

Please share a lesson/takeaway from your time at FYHS/HTC/Kayitz:

You have to be very self motivated and self sufficient. Being away from home at fourteen years old is not a common thing for most kids, especially now, and forced me to handle more than just studies and friendships, but also household type chores and not having a parent around to I pushed myself to go to davening and study for tests. 

Advice for current students:

Take the opportunities that you have there. Resiliency and independence can be developed in your formative years, and while it may seem daunting and hard to handle school, friends, personal life and ministerial responsibilities at such a young age, it is something you can handle and will serve you for the rest of your life.