30 | MAY 25 • 2023 

S

hmirat haguf, Hebrew 
for “caring for the 
body,” is an important 
act for all — but taking care 
of one’s body early on in life? 
Even more so. 
At West Bloomfield’s 
Frankel Jewish Academy 
(FJA), students are caring for 
their bodies — hitting the 
gym while also hitting the 
books.
For four years now, FJA 
has offered a unique elective 
course: a weight training 
class. The class is led by Rabbi 
Jeremy Yoskowitz, who also 
teaches several Judaic studies 
courses at FJA. 
Along with having a 
master’s degree in Jewish 
education, Yoskowitz trained 
as an athletic trainer in college 
and has always been into 
weight training and physical 
fitness. 
The weight training class 
has increased in popularity 
since its inception, Yoskowitz 

says, with some students 
training with him for all four 
years of high school. The 
class takes place three times a 
week. Yoskowitz, who began 
lifting weights in high school 
himself, says it’s amazing 
seeing the students’ growth. 
“There’s been fantastic 
research relating to mental 
health and how weight 
training and seeing those 
gains can be a really positive 
thing for young people’s 
development, and I want to 
latch on to that,” Yoskowitz 
said. “We not only talk about 
the safe way to lift weights 
and having good form and 
the standard weight training, 
but also about eating a healthy 
diet, getting plenty of rest and 
caring for our whole selves.”
That line of thinking 
connects with Yoskowitz’s 
Judaic studies courses, often 
focusing on spiritual growth 
and development. Educating 
the whole student by paying 

attention to both their 
physical and spiritual needs is 
crucial, Yoskowitz says. 
“You can’t neglect the 
physical for the spiritual or 
vice versa. These things have 
to be done together,” he said. 
“We work with our students 
and their families about ways 
in which they can enrich 
their own selves, how they 

can become not just better 
learners, but the best version 
of themselves.”
When the JCC health club 
shut down, a separate training 
room was opened in the JCC’s 
Edward & Shirley Rosenberg 
Recreation Center, where the 
weight training takes place. 
Yoskowitz works with 
students on building 
personalized workout plans 
for their individual goals, 
adjusted every month based 
on their progress. 
Students take advantage 
of what the course offers 
for many different reasons 
— some to improve their 
performance for their sports 
teams, some to become 
healthier and some simply 
for fun. This semester, there 
are about two dozen students 
across two sections for 
Yoskowitz’s weight training 
classes.
With young people being 
put under more and more 
stress, Yoksowitz’s weight- 
training curriculum stresses 
the idea that along with 
working hard in the gym 
and in school, students have 
to make time for themselves 
outside of that.

OUR COMMUNITY

PHOTOS COURTESY OF FJA

Frankel Jewish Academy offers a weight training class 
led by Rabbi Jeremy Yoskowitz.

Hit the Books, 
 Hit the Gym

DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER

Rabbi Jeremy 
Yoskowitz and 
Caleb Robbins.

TOP: Gabe 
Gordon and 
Caleb Robbins.

