Yossi Katz Celebrates with Atlanta's AMHSI

For 46 years, Alexander Muss High School in Israel (AMHSI-JNF) has been transforming the lives and minds of Jewish teenagers from across the country. And for 38 of them, Yossi Katz was at the heart of it, inspiring students and giving them invaluable lessons.

The chance to honor Katz is the impetus for Atlanta’s celebration of AMHSI-JNF. Alumni from the past 40 years will gather on September 6 at 7:00 p.m. at a private residence to visit with Katz and to relive the experiences that shaped their lives. The celebration will highlight the impact of the program and provide insights to those families considering an exceptional immersive high school program for their teens.

Katz was born in Philadelphia in 1956. He was a leader from a young age, having been involved with United Synagogue Youth and spending more than 15 summers at Camp Ramah in the Poconos as a camper, counselor and division head. Atlanta resident Bonnie Feig Cook, who spent over a decade at AMHSI-JNF, explains the significance of the study abroad experience and the unique bonds these teachers form with students. “I worked for the school in several capacities from 1977 until 1988 …I was consistently in awe of the impact that teachers like Yossi… had on the young people who were fortunate to have the experience.”

Jacqueline Morris, a Jewish educator and alum of AMHSI-JNF said, “Muss was one of the most meaningful experiences in my life, being able to learn about the Jewish history and touching it at the same exact time was amazing. It created and shaped my love and passion for Israel which I now try to pass on to my students and my friends.”

Parents and teens alike have come to value the incredible program AMHSI-JNF. Atlanta-based parent Reece Cohen, whose son attended this past summer explains, “Jackson’s experience with AMHSI-JNF was more than I could ever expect. …I knew that it was an experience of a lifetime based on the lack of calls and texts. He did text us with about a week left that he did not want to come home.”

Over the years, teens who came to learn from across the United States, and many of which attended Atlanta’s own Weber School, were taken seriously by Katz. This is evidenced by his current and ongoing communication with countless alumni, some of which has lasted for decades, not to mention the expected attendance of over 100 people at the upcoming retirement event on September 6.

And when the time came for Katz to dedicate his book, A Voice Called – Stories of Jewish Heroism, he honored the memory of Michael Levin, a former student and friend who had passed away too early.

For information on attending, contact Beth Gluck, Atlanta Executive Director, at bgluck@jnf.org, 404.236.8990 x851.