Schools

YSZ High School for Girls took their Shabbat experience to a new level. Accompanied by teachers and friends, they created a Shabbat that would be hard to forget. “It was magical,” one student shared. “My friends and I got to hang out and spend real quality time together. Our phones were away, and we were all just very present.”

The Holocaust project Names, Not Numbers came to Yeshiva Tiferes Moshe this past week, as a number of eighth grade students interviewed Holocaust survivors. Last Monday, while rotating the handling of the cameras, the boys heard the riveting stories of survival from Mrs. Sarah Schonfeld and Mr. Gavriel Blau, as they interviewed them about their lives before, during, and after the war.

Yeshiva Sha'arei Zion is a school where young inquisitive minds are challenged in ways that are motivating and uplifting.

This week, MTA talmidim set off for the town of Mayfield, Kentucky, to participate in a relief mission. After suffering the ravages of a major natural disaster, the people of Mayfield have been rebuilding their infrastructure and their homes in this idyllic small town. MTA talmidim saw the needs of this community and with the help of NCSY a relief mission was organized. When interviewed by local news about their trip, Rabbi Akiva Ackerman of MTA explained “...just here to help because that’s what we believe in” a true Kiddush Hashem was made as the MTA talmidim made a lasting impression on those they assisted.

This past week, grade eight students of the Yeshiva of Central Queens went on a virtual field trip (via Zoom) to the Tenement Museum, and learned about the Rogarshevskys, a Jewish American family that lived at 97 Orchard Street in the 1910s. Students viewed immigration documents, their conditions at home, and at work. They were shown the difficulties the family endured in maintaining observant Judaism. Rabbi Landsman, Principal of YCQ, said, “It is important for new generations to understand our past in the present, in order to explore their future, a future of keeping Judaism alive and prospering.”

Students at SINAI@YCQ made a pre-Chanukah visit to the Jewish Children’s Museum in Crown Heights. Among the highlights were learning about how olive oil is made and taking part in a gameshow. What a fun, experiential way to learn about Chanukah!