The Jewish Home | MAY 5, 2022
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Around the Community
YSZ Kindergarten Learns about the Omer
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t Yeshiva Sha’arei Zion, the kindergarten 1 students were super excited to be back at school after their Pesach vacation! The week was packed with excitement as the children baked challah with a key inside, prayed for klal Yisrael, and davened for Moshiach. The children heard special stories about Rabbi Akiva and about the concepts of v’ahavta l’reecha kamocha and sefirat haomer. The children learned that we count every day until Shavuot because the Torah is so sweet and precious! The class counted by placing one lollipop on the class chart each day and also counted on their own abacuses (bead charts) that the children cannot wait to take them home to show their parents.
YCQ Class of 1972’s 50th Anniversary Reunion
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ith close to 100 people participating, the YCQ Class of 1972 50th Anniversary Reunion, held on Sunday, May 1 at YCQ, was a huge success. Enjoying a sunny sky and a light breeze, members of the YCQ graduating class reconnected, reminisced, and reveled in the company of their former classmates. In addition to the former students and their spouses who attended the event at YCQ, many members of the class of 1972 attended via Zoom, from as far away as Europe and Israel. Following a buffet lunch and meet and greet, the attendees viewed three videos. The first included original class photos and reminiscence of classmates’
fond memories of teachers, friends, and funny anecdotes. The second video honored the memory of six classmates: Mark Davidman, Jeffrey Faktor, Bonnye Kaufman, Ellen Miller, Rena Spigelman, and Brent Treiger, z”l. The third video featured an address given by English Class Valedictorian, Mrs. Tamar (Feder) Kramer, who spoke at the 1972 Class Graduation. Mrs. Kramer made Aliyah, raised her family, and now enjoys time with her grandchildren living in Eretz Yisrael. She spoke of the education and values she took on at YCQ and how the small details that influenced her childhood inform the life she lives today. She report-
ed that fifteen percent of the YCQ Class of 1972 has made Aliyah, and she looks forward to more classmates joining her there in their retirement. Rabbi Mark Landsman, principal, remarked, “It was gratifying to see so many YCQ alumni joining together after so many years, with unlimited gratitude to our yeshiva for instilling within them the necessary skills to succeed in life, as well as the spiritual inspiration to be Torah observant religious Zionist Jews.” Said Laura (Krim) Turk, “This day is very exciting. When we heard about the reunion, we were thrilled, and as it got closer, we got more excited. It’s special to see everyone that I haven’t seen in a
very long time, and it’s really a trip down memory lane.” Michael Schussheim, Reunion Committee Member, stated, “I’m always very proud to say that I’m a graduate of Yeshiva of Central Queens. This reunion is so special. I’m grateful that I played a role in making it happen.” “One memory that really stands out to me was the dancing that we did on Fifth Avenue in the Israeli Day Parade,” Cheryl (Greenberg) Miodownik recalled. “Our costumes were amazing, and I remember dancing with my classmates. This is a perfect occasion – thank you to the reunion committee and YCQ.”
