H A F T R H I G H S C H O O L G I R L S B U I L D A S U K K A H

A small group of HAFTR High School junior and senior girls recently participated in a special chesed trip where they helped to build a sukkah in preparation for the upcoming Sukkot holiday. NCSY (the National Conference of Synagogue Youth) is a unique organization that is dedicated to inspiring and connecting Jewish teens with Judaism NCSY donated 128 sukkahs to families across Long Island and enlisted the help of HAFTR students to continue their efforts. On Thursday, October 6, the day following Yom Kippur, the group boarded the HAFTR van and made their way to Ms. Renee Azoulay’s home in Long Beach. When the girls walked into her backyard, she was ecstatic She enthusiastically told the group that this was going to be the first time she would ever have a sukkah. As the girls began their work, they also engaged in meaningful conversations with Ms. Azoulay about the Sukkot holiday. After about an hour, the hard work and effort paid off and everyone admired the completed Sukkah. Ms. Azoulay was so thankful that the group took the time to do this for her. This was a memorable activity for everyone involved While Ms Azoulay benefited from this experience, so did every participant who felt empowered and inspired to continue helping others connect to the mitzvot and the Jewish holidays.

With the new school year comes the Jewish New Year as well. In anticipation and preparation for this special time, Senior girls at HAFTR High School participated in a meaningful day of chesed. On Wednesday, September 14, the girls had the opportunity to go to the Jewish Community Council of the Rockaway Peninsula (JCCRP) to help package Rosh Hashanah boxes for families in need. When students arrived they were greeted by the JCCRP staff and volunteers with warm smiles and friendly faces. While some girls constructed the boxes, others bagged carrots and helped pack them It was beautiful to recognize how many people would be impacted and helped by such a small gesture By the end of the program, the room was overflowing with boxes, all dedicated to going to families in need HAFTR High School’s chesed team can’t wait to participate in more opportunities like this Chesed does not only benefit the needy; it also helps the ones giving Thank you to all of the amazing volunteers at the JCCRP for giving HAFTR students the chance to take part in this meaningful experience.

Rabbi Hirtz’s 11th grade Jewish History class had the privilege of learning about the Sephardic Jews and their untold stories. In 2014, the Israeli Knesset declared that November 30 would be an annual memorial day for the 850,000 Jewish refugees who were expelled from their homes in Arab countries. With this in mind, students participated in a meaningful program on Wednesday, November 30. Throughout the presentation, students were able to browse pamphlets with visuals about Sephardic Jewish life that were provided to HAFTR by the Sephardic Heritage Museum. These pamphlets made the learning come to life and were worthwhile to read. In the lesson, students were shown the challenges the Sephardic Jews faced and how they were forced from their homes They faced oppression and persecution from the government solely because they were Jewish. The stories were heartbreaking, especially since many of them are not known to most people. Now that students have been taught about the Sephardic Jewish experience, we hope to share these stories with others and make people aware of this history. Thank you to Rabbi Hirtz for organizing this program and giving us this knowledge that we can share with those in our lives

HAFTR High School is known for its inclusiveness, camaraderie, and school spirit. In this light, the high school hosted its annual Pep Rally on Wednesday, October 26. To say it was a blast is an understatement! The student government and members of the Spirit Club worked tirelessly to put together the Pep Rally and decorate the entire campus. In addition, students could b w lki th h ll ti th i f it HAFTR apparel and swag.

The rally was held in the Satran Arena, HAFTR High School’s gym, which was covered with decorations displaying HAFTR colors of red and blue, and of course, a visit from our very own HAFTR Hawks team. The Pep Rally began with senior Andrew Berger hyping up the students with his amazing piano skills and enthusiastic energy. The HAFTR Hawk, our school mascot, made a grand entrance that got the crowd going! In addition to the cheers, singing, and activities, students watched a ‘sports hype’ video, which energized the room. In anticipation of the new sports season, all of the fall and winter sports teams were announced and photographed.

Students then excitedly watched videos created by the Student Government and the faculty. Both were as entertaining as always and left students and faculty smiling, laughing, and cheering. The event continued with various activities, such as relay races between pairs of HAFTR siblings competing against each other, an intense game of musical chairs, and the challenge of making successful free throws from midcourt. Every single attendant of this year ' s Pep Rally truly enjoyed and engaged in the activities. The entire school is pumped up and eager to resume sports competitions and show HAFTR spirit throughout the year. GO HAWKS!