Queens Jewish Link
Connecting the Queens Jewish Community 
May has been designated as Mental Health Awareness month, and several programs outside of school about managing emotions have been made available to teachers and students of the Stella K. Abraham High School for Girls, including a session about managing mental health during the gap year in Israel.
On Erev Shabbos, Parshas Emor, Shevach students were treated to an address by Avichai Koch, a Sh’mitah-observant farmer in the south of Israel. Complete with a PowerPoint presentation, Mr. Koch explained how the concept of Emunah is transferred to the reality on the ground (literally) on a Sh’mitah farm. The financial burden of Sh’mitah is significant. That is where miracles are seen on a day-to-day basis. And Avichai and his family have experienced those miracles.
It was a morning of inspiration and flower arranging fun!
YSZ HS for Girls hosted a beautiful mother-daughter breakfast for their current and incoming freshmen this Sunday morning in honor of the upcoming holiday of Shavuot. The room was decorated with beautiful springtime flowers and a festive breakfast spread.
The Yeshiva of Central Queens announced that Rabbi Joshua Rohr will join the YCQ Administration as Assistant Principal of Judaic Studies for the Elementary School, effective July 1. The Search Committee, Board of Education, and Board of Trustees commended his 14 years of dedication, energy, and passion for maintaining high standards of academic excellence at YCQ, and his warm relationships with the entire school community.
Junior high school boys at SINAI@YCQ recently visited Tomchei Shabbos to pack boxes of much-needed Shabbos items for needy families. What a fantastic way to help the wider Jewish community!
Bnos Malka middle school had the amazing z’chus to hear from a farmer who is currently keeping Sh’mitah. Avichai Koch and his wife Keren shared with the girls the amazing experience of being farmers in Eretz Yisrael. The farm, which produces organic vegetables, is on a moshav right next to Gaza. Through great courage and m’siras nefesh, Mr. Koch left his career in hi-tech to work the land and develop his deep “roots” to Eretz HaK’doshah.
