GIRLS BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT
SENIOR CHESED DAY
HEALTH WEEK
ROBOTICS
BOYS SHABBATON YUNMUN
ISRAEL
In January, Rabbi Wienerkur, director of Israel Guidance, and I had the distinct pleasure of visiting HAFTR High School alumni who are learning in Yeshivot and Seminaries throughout Israel. It was truly uplifting to reconnect with our talmidim and talmidot to hear about their positive experiences learning Torah, davening at holy sites, engaging in chesed activities and exploring the history of the land of Eretz Yisrael.
Spending time visiting students at 24 different programs provided us with a unique opportunity to share meaningful conversations and thoughtful reflections with our graduates. We were heartened to hear from students about the valuable time they are spending to enhance their connection to Judaism, spirituality, emunah and the Torah. Their productive growth is placing them on a path solidifying their place in the Jewish community as knowledgeable and thoughtful future leaders. Furthermore, they are building genuine connections with Rabbeim, Morot and friends that will support and guide them as they enter the next stage of life’s journey.
One of the highlights of the trip was our Alumni Reunion Melava Malka on Motzai Shabbat Students reunited to reminisce and share stories with great joy and achdut We feel tremendous nachat from all of our wonderful alumni, and HAFTR High School is very proud of each individual On this trip, it was an honor to spend time with so many remarkable HAFTR graduates, including students from the Class of 2022 as well as others who remain in Israel to study Torah, serve in the IDF, attend college or make their permanent home in Eretz Yisrael. We look forward to continuing our everlasting bond with our HAFTR alumni!
Sometimes the best way to bring people together is to dive into an intense athletic competition. Regardless of the team, the venue, or the turf, everyone shares the same passion for the game and sports. On Thursday night, February 2, the HAFTR Girls Varsity basketball team played against the Flatbush Falcons, which was not only the final regular season game for HAFTR High School, but also the kickoff game to the HAFTR Invitational Girls Varsity Tournament. Both teams fought hard throughout the course of the game. Each showed adept skill, teamwork, and school spirit. Although HAFTR initially tied the game, with just a few seconds left on the buzzer, Flatbush was fouled. Despite the pressure of making the shot, they hit both free throws from the foul line, ultimately taking the win. The competition continued, and on Friday all the teams participating in the tournament played two games. This allowed for each team to be seeded for playoffs which were scheduled to begin Saturday night
With Friday evening rapidly approaching, and after two days of intense basketball, it was time to take a break and get ready for the start of Shabbos Despite the competitive nature of the tournament, once the sun went down, all teams joined together to welcome Shabbos The team members, coaches, and chaperones gathered at HAFTR High School for the start of a beautiful Shabbos together Following a warm Friday night davening, HAFTR hosted a delicious dinner Throughout the meal, one player from each team shared a Dvar Torah, each girl delivering a unique message to uplift and inspire the group To conclude the night, the girls participated in an icebreaker allowing players from different schools to meet one another. Shabbos morning began with a meaningful davening followed by a tasty lunch. The afternoon was filled with a competitive game of Minute to Win It, and time to relax and spend time together before the tournament resumed.
With the end of Shabbos came the continuation of the games. Saturday night began with a 2-ball competition where two players from each team were chosen to represent their team in an intense game. Congratulations to the Maayanot Rapids on the well-deserved win! Following this exciting competition, playoffs began where only the winning team from each game would move on to the next round, which would take place on Sunday morning. The team that won this round would move on to battle in the championship game. After two tough games, the HAFTR Hawks and Flatbush Falcons were eliminated, leaving the Berman Cougars to face the Maayanot Rapids in the championship Sunday afternoon. Both teams fought hard till the end, but it was the Berman Cougars who claimed victory.
Congratulations to all of the participants This tournament gave players an opportunity to connect and form friendships with people from other schools while enjoying a weekend full of basketball Special thanks to Athletics Director Mr Joey Hoenig and Ms Ilona Diamond, Coordinator of Student Programs, for their hard work and tireless efforts to make this such a successful and inspiring tournament!
HAFTR High School seniors participated in a special Chesed Day on Thursday, February 2. The program began with presentations by a panel of distinguished professionals and volunteers working on behalf of outstanding chesed organizations serving our community. Students and faculty had the opportunity to meet with and hear inspiring stories from individuals representing Achiezer, a resource center that aids individuals in times of crisis; Ora, which assists agunot (women whose husbands refuse to give them a get); Chevra Kadisha, which helps families with post-death care of a loved one;
Gift of Life, a bone marrow and stem cell registry that matches donors with people in need of a transplant; and Hatzolah, an organization that responds to medical emergencies. Mr. Ben Diamond, a Hatzolah member, shared a memorable story of when he was able to save a stranger from choking. He emphasized the importance of maintaining calm and composure during times of crisis. Another memorable story was shared by Mrs. Gitta Neufeld of the Chevra Kadisha, who spoke about her own experience receiving support from the organization, which helped her and her family during a very emotional and trying time Each speaker shared moving stories of love, loss, life, and family Students felt honored to hear these stories and knew that each retelling of a memory and experience would serve as a life lesson for their own lives
After meeting with the chesed representatives, the seniors were divided into three groups, each participating in a different activity. One group focused on packing Shabbos-themed boxes that would be delivered to those sick in the hospital. The boxes included grape juice, matches, and candles. Two other groups had the pleasure of welcoming members of Yachad Long Island and students from Kulanu Academy, both organizations dedicated to enhancing the lives of those with special needs. Students enjoyed playing bingo with the groups and spending quality time together.
To end off this chesed-filled day, the seniors spent the rest of the afternoon at Woodmere Lanes for a chance to bond together as a grade with a few games of bowling. From start to end it was an amazing day that offered various opportunities to learn, grow and spend time with friends old and new. Each activity was meaningful, memorable, and filled with lessons that will last forever.
HAFTRHighSchoolspentanentireweekfocusingonstudents’well-beingduringourannualHealth Week.BeginningonMonday,February13,andconcludingonFriday,February17,studentsparticipated in informative programs and activities that raised awareness of their overall emotional and physical health
Students had opportunities to learn and experience health in many different forms On Monday, studentsworegreentoraiseawarenessofmentalhealth.Duringtheirfirstperiodclasses,theentire schooljoinedtogetheronZoomandplayedaveryinformativeandfunKahoot,whichaskedquestions pertainingtomentalhealth OnTuesday,juniorandseniorboyswereprivilegedtohearwordsfromMr IkeDweck,whoemphasizedtheimportanceofhealthybehaviorsandguardingagainstaddiction.On Wednesday,HAFTRhadtheopportunitytoparticipateinSharsheretPinkDay.Mrs.RivaGoldschmiedt, a HAFTR parent and breast cancer survivor, was the keynote speaker on behalf of Sharsheret, a nonprofitorganizationthatsupportsJewishwomendiagnosedwithbreastcancerandovariancancer Mrs. Goldschmiedt recounted her experience with students and shared an uplifting message of positivity and faith. Students came to school in their pink outfits in recognition of breast cancer awareness Theysoldraffletickets,doughnuts,apparel,pinklemonade,andevenpotatokugeltoraise moneyforSharsheret.
Inaddition,throughouttheweek,studentswereencouragedtoparticipateinaHAFTRGuinnessworld records tournament, where they tried to set and beat records by doing physical activities in gym classes.Thursdaywasdedicatedtoself-care.SophomoregirlshadtheopportunitytohearfromMrs. GilaGlassberg,adietician,tolearnabouthealthyeatinghabits Theentireschoolthenparticipatedina gratitudechallengebywritingthankyouletterstosomeoneelse OnFriday,theweekculminatedwith studentsdiscussingtheseideasintheirhealthclasses.
Throughout the week, HAFTR High School students were able to learn about mental health, raise awareness and money for a cause, participate in physical challenges, and learn how to take care of themselves.Itwasauniqueandspecialexperiencewherestudentslearnedlessonsfortheirlivestoday aswellasinthefuture
HAFTR High School is known for its Robotics Club’s creative innovations. The team designs projects and brings them to life using various metals and meticulous effort. On Wednesday, February 22, many members of the Robotics Club traveled to HAFTR Middle School to meet with and mentor their Robotics Team, which is led by Mrs. Grant. Unlike the high school, the middle school team uses plastic rather than metal to create projects for their competitions. In addition to the difference in materials, it is also an entirely different tournament, with different goals and requirements. Even with these changes, the high schoolers were eager to step in and offer their knowledge and expertise. Once students from the high school learned how this competition worked, we started getting ideas for how to build the mechanisms. We helped the middle school team with building the mechanisms to get points, some of us helped to build the bases of the robots, and some helped build the arena which we could use to test the components. Ultimately it was very successful and we made tremendous progress. We learned a lot from this experience and look forward to helping out the middle school team more throughout the year.
Mock Trial is a competition in which sch from all across the state compete in portrayal of a fabricated court case. Wednesday, February 15, HAFTR’s Mock team competed at the Supreme Court Mineola in the Nassau County Bar Associati annual Mock Trial Tournament. The Mock T team put in a valiant effort in the ma against Great Neck North. For this trial, HA represented the defense in the case Remington Stone v Marley Miser The t spent hours for months preparing for this c with the guidance of our faculty advisor, Goldman, and coaches Mrs Batsheva and Michael Altman
The lineup of witnesses included Jacob Wallach, Serena Mann, and Lilly Rotman, and student lawyers were Michal Mari, Brooke Lipton, and myself. Although the team did not win the trial, it was an intense experience in the courtroom. The witnesses did a phenomenal job getting into character and becoming their assigned personas, and the lawyers showed skill and finesse while representing their clients.
While this year ’ s competition has come to an end, the team is grateful for this incredible experience. We have learned how to speak in public and argue in a persuasive and articulate way. We all look forward to competing next year!
HAFTR High School recently hosted the HAFTR Experience, an event for incoming freshmen in the Class of 2027. This program gives prospective students a glimpse into what high school life is like here at HAFTR. On Thursday, February 23, eighth graders from different schools across the metropolitan New York area had the opportunity to participate in this exciting program.
The HAFTR Experience is designed for current eighth grade students who have been admitted to the freshman class at HAFTR High School Students were given the chance to see a day in the life of a HAFTR student. The students were greeted with welcoming remarks from Ms. Lippman, principal, and Rabbi Wallach, Limudei Kodesh coordinator. Students were then divided into several groups and assigned to designated upperclassmen, who escorted them around the school to a series of activities. Each activity gave students a taste of a different dimension of HAFTR High School’s unique program. Whether engaging in hands-on projects or participating in lessons given by the astute and experienced faculty, there was something for everyone to enjoy. Some of these activities included creating vision boards, connecting with each other during games in the gym, participating in limudei kodesh and general studies classes, and much more! Students had the chance to meet high school students, teachers, and administrators and get a sense of what their future freshman year will hold
This year, I had the privilege of escorting a group of eighth grade girls around the school throughout their experience. During our conversations, students in my group shared their thoughts about making the transition to high school. All of the students agreed that while they are nervous, they are also extremely excited to be part of the HAFTR family. Even though I have attended HAFTR since I was in a four-year nursery, I didn’t have the opportunity to attend the HAFTR Experience in the eighth grade due to the outbreak of Covid-19. While I was given a virtual tour at the time, it could not compare to this inperson experience. With such a unique opportunity, it is clear why everyone had such a memorable time. We all took pride in welcoming these students and look forward to seeing them next year!
After learning about Hafrashat Challah in Morah Kilimnick's Tanach class, students of both Morah Kilimnick and Morah Fagan’s junior classes were able to have a more in-depth experience to deepen their appreciation of this mitzvah. On Thursday, March 2, students were privileged to take part in this special mitzvah at Rebbetzin Tehila Jaeger's home in Far Rockaway. Rebbetzin Jaeger is the daughter of Rabbi Shlomo Friefeld, the founder of Shor Yoshuv, a yeshiva located in far Rockaway. During our time there we heard beautiful words of Torah that related to both Purim and ourselves. Not only did we learn about the strong voice Esther had, which saved the Jewish people in the Purim story, but we were also able to learn about the meaning behind each of our Hebrew names. Then, we each made our own challah and had the zechut to hear Rebbetzin Jaeger say the bracha of Hafrashat Challah. Ending off this great experience, we had the privilege of seeing the Rosh Yeshiva’s study. This experience was eye-opening and soul-stirring to all of us and gave us so much new information and knowledge about our purpose in life as the future generation of Jewish people.
This year’s HAFTR High School Boys’ Shabbaton was a huge success. Students from grades 9-12 joined together to spend an exciting day of activities together on Friday, February 10, which transitioned to a beautiful Shabbaton extending through motzei Shabbos, February 11.
The weekend began as students boarded the coach buses, eager to arrive at the American Dream Mall in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Upon arrival, the boys filled the fully rented-out ice skating rink for them to enjoy. While some were naturally balanced on the ice and showed off their impressive skills and tricks, others had a more challenging experience and had to rely on the plastic balance supports. In both cases, everyone had a blast. After skating for an hour, the students dispersed to their selected activities. Some played mini-golf, and others strolled the mall and went shopping. After a few hours, it was time to head to the hotel, settle into our designated rooms and claim our thoughtfully prepared goody bags.
Shabbos commenced with an uplifting davening, which began this wonderful weekend on the right note. Rabbi Blinder, our Mashgiach Ruchani, and Rabbi Riselsheimer, our Dean of Limudei Kodesh, spoke and shared words of Torah related to the Parsha. Following davening, everyone gathered together for a delicious dinner. Students were able to enjoy chicken, steak, various side dishes, and desserts. Afterward, students were able to choose from a variety of options to fill their time. They could play games and talk to their friends or participate in the numerous activities that were prepared by the HAFTR faculty. The entire weekend was packed with activities: learning groups and trivia, as well as ping-pong and foosball, were just a few.
After a phenomenal Shabbos of bonding with friends and faculty, students collected their belongings and left for the last event on the agenda, snow tubing. The bus drove into what seemed like the middle of nowhere, but amidst the dark forest, the glistening glow of artificial snow brightened the way. Students poured out of their buses to receive an entry slip; they then listened to an informative safety speech and finally collected a donutshaped tube. Students rode up the escalator as a way to reach the top of the massive hill, and after awaiting their turn, spend down the icy tracks reaching high speeds and feeling the intense adrenaline rush. The thrill was indescribable. Later on, everyone enjoyed pizza and had time to reflect back on this shared experience.
The 2023 Boys’ Shabbaton was a massive success. From start to finish, e d h d d f l d memorable time. Thank you to the HAFTR faculty for arranging this unforgett
Yeshiva University’s National Model UN conference (YUNMUN) attracts a broad array of students from yeshiva high schools around the world. The conference allows students from all over to connect and share ideas while delving into the world of international politics. There are a total of 16 committees, each of which has its own jurisdiction and capabilities, and topics can range from nuclear disarmament to the gender gap in education.
HAFTR’s Model UN team had the opportunity to attend this conference, held in Connecticut on February 5-7, and expand their knowledge on global issues. With a total of 11 delegates, each representing the country of Egypt, the HAFTR team worked tirelessly to prepare by researching Egypt and unique topics. This preparation didn’t come without reward, as I was fortunate enough to receive an honorable mention in The Disarmament and International Security Committee (DISEC).
In addition to allowing students to grow their knowledge, public speaking skills, and collaborative abilities, there is also a fun side to the program. Students of each committee all have a surprise third topic known as a crisis. These crises are often a time to let loose and have fun; whether through intense athletic competition or finding creative ways to protect the world, delegates are able to take a break from the otherwise serious decorum. These crises allow for a meaningful bonding experience between the students and encourage participants to further grow their public speaking and collaboration skills without any prior preparation, which is an important skill to master
The YUNM pics, as well as connect w vent has a great balance o learn about YU and the o UN team cannot wait to ret o explore.
What an amazing Chodesh Adar it has been at HAFTR High School! The month of Adar is always filled with celebrations and festivities. With the onset of Rosh Chodesh Adar, simcha spread through the halls in the days leading up to Purim. To start, the seniors designated dress-up days for each day of the week. On one day, seniors came to school dressed up as a favorite teacher, another day they dressed up as famous celebrities and, lastly, the girls came to school wearing tichels and sheitels for “Frum Friday ” It wasn’t just seniors who got into the spirit of the day, but the entire school with “anything but a backpack day,” where students were encouraged to find creative ways to carry their things around school in anything except a backpack It was amazing to see how creative everyone was with what they brought There were baby strollers, blow-up canoes, electronic cars, bicycles, wagons, and even microwaves.
Purim came quickly, and students immediately felt the excitement. Purim night, Monday, March 6, HAFTR High School hosted a schoolwide evening Megillah reading, read by freshman Julian Schneider. Students and teachers came to school enthusiastically, excited to hear megillah together and see everyone’s creative costumes. Following the megillah reading, everyone enjoyed a delectable break-fast and a ruach-filled chagigah. The next day, students enjoyed going to the houses of their Rabbeim and Morot. Everyone had fun spending time together and exchanging Mishloach Manot.
The festivities didn’t end there; Shushan Purim was also fabulous! The day began with a meaningful davening and a festive school-wide breakfast with delicious bagels, salad, pastries, and cereal. Students and teachers wore creative costumes, and many brought Purim joy to our friends in Kulanu. We had a carnival and played all kinds of games, which definitely put smiles on all of our faces. Toward the end of the day, HAFTR graduate and professional magician, Eric Wilzig, performed a jaw-dropping magic show for the whole school Everyone was stunned and amazed by his tricks
It has been an energized few weeks here at HAFTR, and while Purim has ended, we look forward to the weeks to come as we prepare for the conclusion of quarter three and the upcoming holiday of Pesach.
