HALB Celebrates Tu B’Shvat

On Monday, children from 3-year nursery in Lev Chana through 8th grade in HALB celebrated

Tu B’Shvat. Whether they tasted dried fruits, planted seeds, or baked cookies, they got to enjoy the excitement of the holiday. Thank you to the Ivrit teachers for making it such a fun and memorable day!

Chai Lifeline Names Drs. Scott Moerdler and Joe Oved as New Co-Medical Directors of Camp Simcha

Following a nationwide search, Chai Lifeline, the leading children’s health support network, is pleased to announce the appointment of Drs. Scott Moerdler and Joe Oved as the new Co-Medical Directors of Camp Simcha, Chai Lifeline’s world-renowned summer program for children with cancer and other blood disorders.

“Drs. Moerdler and Oved are both highly qualified and experienced pediatric oncologists who share a commitment to the mission of Chai Lifeline,” said Rabbi Simcha Scholar, CEO of Chai Lifeline. “We are confident that under their leadership, Camp Simcha will continue to provide the highest level of medical care and support to our campers and look forward to the positive impact they will have on our children and families.”

Drs. Moerdler and Oved are no

On Monday, February 6, 500 people came to school after hours to attend HAFTR’s Tu B’Shvat Family Learning Night. The night kicked off in HAFTR’s Hawk’s Nest with pizza, French fries and self-guided family learning on the topic of making brachot. It was heartwarming to see children learning vibrantly with their parents.

Around 7 p.m. everyone made a Bracha Achrona together, led by a group of HAFTR students. Attendees were each given a beautiful HAFTR Al Hamichya card dedicated in loving memory of Irving Braun, z”l.

The crowd then moved to the lower school gym to celebrate a Siyum for strangers to Camp Simcha, having both previously served as members of Camp Simcha’s medical team. Dr. Moerdler, of Riverdale, NY, serves as a pediatric hematologist-oncologist at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, and is a former Camp Simcha counselor, division head, and assistant head counselor. Dr. Oved, of Allenhurst, NJ, serves as a pediatric hematologist-oncologist and bone marrow transplanter at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

Drs. Moerdler and Oved succeed Drs. Peter and Laurel Steinherz, who have led Camp Simcha’s medical program since its inception.

“We express our sincerest appreciation and hakaras hatov to the Steinherzes, the founding medical directors of Camp Simcha, for their decades of leadership and dedication to our children,” said finishing Sefrei Shemot and Vayikra. Rabbi Asher Klein sang and played on his guitar, while lower school students started up some impromptu simcha dancing with boys dancing with HAFTR Principal, Josh Gold, and girls dancing with HAFTR Lower School Assistant Principal, Tova Zucker. After the Siyum, all 500 guests played a game of Panoply to put their brachot knowledge to the test. At the end of the game, Rabbi Klein walked the audience through the answers to each question, encouraging them to shout out the right response. It was beautiful to see so many people, young and old alike, shouting out the names of brachot belonging to each type

Rabbi Scholar. Camp Simcha has been providing life-changing experiences to children and teens with serious illnesses and their families for over 30 years. The program offers a safe, nurturing, and fun environment for children to be children, while receiv- ing top-notch medical care and support. To learn more or to make a donation, visit www.campsimcha.org. of food.

The night finished off with prizes and a raffle. Families left inspired and happy.

The children at HALB Lev Chana had a super fun time shopping at Seasons for items beginning with the letter S