Schools

On Tuesday, September 1, the enthusiasm was palpable throughout the building as Shevach High School held its faculty and student orientations. Rebbetzin Rochelle Hirtz, Shevach’s principal, opened the meeting to welcome both new and previous faculty members to a new year. Mr. Heshy Neuman, Shevach’s co-president, then described all the various upgrades and innovations that have taken place over the summer in order to prepare the building for the safe and secure opening of the coming school year. Students and staff alike were particularly excited to be back in the classrooms, after being away for close to six months, due to the trying times of the coronavirus.

The Yeshiva of Central Queens got off to a great start this week, as faculty and students returned to the physical building for the first time in six months. Students and staff were patient as everyone began to acclimate to the new environment. The Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) decorated the school with banners, flags, and signs, welcoming students and staff back from a very long break.

September 11 is a day of infamy and filled with grief. On this tragic day, The World Trade Center was crashed into by hijacked airplanes, an airplane taken hostage had crashed into the Pentagon, and the heroic passengers of Flight 93 fought their hijackers over Pennsylvania. HANC, a Long Island yeshivah, was honored to host guest speaker Ben Diamond, a volunteer EMT who portrayed his emotional, heroic story for the students, in a riveting program honoring the fallen.

SINAI at YCQ is finally here! Children from first through eighth grade gathered for t’filah, learning, and playing with their peers. SINAI is so grateful to the Yeshiva of Central Queens and the Queens community for welcoming it with open arms. Let’s have a great year, everyone!

On Thursday, September 10, MTA’s Student Activities Department challenged each shiur to take a creative, socially distant selfie with an original theme. It was a great way for talmidim to bond with their friends and rebbeim and work together as a team. Each shiur made sure to include talmidim who are participating in yeshivah via Zoom and had a great time coming up with fun ideas and ways to fit everyone into the photos in a socially distanced way.

What a difference a year makes!

SKA’s faculty and staff orientation, held on Tuesday, September 1, was unlike any other year’s. School desks surrounded by special plastic barriers and spaced out chairs filled the auditorium, while photos were plastered on shirts of mask wearers for identification. The warmth and camaraderie of the SKA administrators, teachers, and staff, however, remained the same. “I’m smiling,” was a constant refrain throughout the day.

After a stirring welcome from SKA Principals Mrs. Elisheva Kaminetsky and Mrs. Bluma Drebin, discussions on the theme of Orientation centered around preparing for the fall semester and the future, with special emphasis on social and emotional learning – for faculty and students alike. Connecting with our students, even with physical barriers in place, is a top priority for SKA, and much thought was given to how to reach our girls in every class.

Thanks go to Associate Principal Ms. Elana Flaumenhaft and School Social Worker Mrs. Yael Fischman for their input into this vital area. A special note of thanks goes to SKA Administrative Coordinator Mrs. Shira Englander and SKA Nurse Mrs. Joan Sherman for their endless support and assistance in making the school ready for this academic year.

We are so excited to welcome SKA students – and the largest Freshman class ever – to our building!