62 minute read
Community Happenings
Around the Community
Mesivta Shaarei Chaim Opens Beis Medrash
Ten years ago, Rabbi Yerachmiel Scheiner and Rabbi Nossen Zupnik established a mossad in our community with the goal of producing bochurim who embody the maalos of true talmidei chachomim: knowledge and understanding of learning at an elevated level coupled with the middos and sensitivities of bnei Torah. After just a few years, Mesivta Shaarei Chaim quickly became a magnet for boys of the highest caliber who have demonstrated tremendous growth in both learning and yiras Shamayim. The bochurim are encouraged to have self-awareness of their true abilities and even surpass their own self expectations.
As the Mesivta continues to build on its vision, we are happy to inform the community that the Yeshiva will be opening a Bais Medrash for the upcoming Elul zman. We are honored that Harav Yaakov Furman, shlita, has accepted the position of Rosh Yeshiva. Rav Furman, a close talmid of both Rav Shmuel Berenbaum, zt”l, and yb”lch Rav Avroham Yehoshua Soloveitchik, shlita, is well-known as one of the most outstanding and dedicated Roshei Yeshiva in the United States who puts all his kochos into his talmidim. Previously, he had been Rosh Yeshiva of Vyelipol and Nipast. His shiurim are renowned for their clarity and depth. We are ecstatic that our talmidim will be exposed to a true gadol b’Torah and have the opportunity to create a lasting kesher with the Rosh Yeshiva.
Recently, the Mesivta had the supreme honor of hearing a shiur from Rav Furman, after which he spoke in learning with the bochurim. Rav Furman was duly impressed, as he felt that the bochurim are well prepared for the highest levels of learning. As the bochurim transition from mesivta, they will now have the valuable opportunity to join our Bais Medrash program and continue their growth in Shaarei Chaim’s special environment. In addition, the Bais Medrash will expand to welcome boys from outside the community, as well. We are confident that all of them will flourish under the direct guidance of the Rosh Yeshiva. Simultaneously, our Mesivta bochurim will benefit from his hashpa’eh. As Rav Furman will be relocating from Brooklyn to Far Rockaway this summer, it will be a zechus for the community at large to welcome a Talmid Chochom of such stature.
The Mesivta is currently housed in the Young Israel of Far Rockaway. As a result of its stellar reputation and incredible growth, it has long outgrown its facilities. To meet the need for a larger facility, the yeshiva has purchased a warehouse on the border of Far Rockaway and Inwood and is looking forward to start building within the next few months. The property has great potential to propel the yeshiva to even greater heights.
To be a part of this community Harbatzas HaTorah, please join us for the Mesivta Shaarei Chaim annual breakfast on Sunday, June 13, 2021 at 9:00 AM in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Yitzchok Steg, 236 Juniper Circle, Lawrence, NY. We look forward to greeting you personally.
Around the Community
HANC ECC recently finished their artist enrichment program. Each class studied several artists and then recreated their styles of art
Middos Bingo at YKLI
During the time of Sefiras Haomer, Klal Yisroel looks to improve their middos and bein adam l’chaveiro. At YKLI as well, the boys worked on a variety of mitzvos and middos throughout the days of Sefiras Haomer. Each day they got to choose from a numbered list of mitzvos/middos to perform at home. When they completed that mitzvah, they recorded it on a Bingo-type card. Boys who filled all 25 squares brought the card into school and were able to join in the Sefira Bingo game. They also received a large danish and a chocolate milk just for participating. The excitement during these bingo games was palpable, as Rabbi Pfeiffer called out the numbers. Many great prizes were given out to the winners of the Bingo games.
We are proud of all our mitzvah/middos boys!
New Women’s Chabura Launches with JEP/Nageela
On Rosh Chodesh Sivan, Wednesday, May 12, the goto WhatsApp emunah and group, “Let’s Do This” joined forces with JEP/Nageela to bring women together for an inspirational morning about Jewish femininity and inner beauty.
It was a full house and graciously hosted by Riva Goldschmiedt. Speakers included Jaclyn Franco and Devoiry Horowitz. Jaclyn spoke candidly about her personal voyage and gave chizuk to the crowd, followed by Devoiry, highly regarded speaker and writer of “The Path to Kedushah.” The new booklet will be a focus of the chaburah which will meet regularly.
Attendees shared their gratitude after the event and said this type of learning is especially needed during these challenging times as it brings us together and fills our neshamas. We would like to thank all the Let’s Do This beautiful women inside and out including Riva, Liz Schwartz, Chaya Fiedler, Suzie Schwartztein and more who made this event come to life off WhatsApp.
Proceeds raised from the chaburas go to JEP/Nageela to help inspire today’s unaffiliated Jewish children through the organizatio’’s awesome programming. To find out more about upcoming chaburas and to get involved, contact Jen Reiz at 917715-2415 or email jenr@jepli.org.
Around the Community
i-Shine 5 Towns Volunteer Gives Back
Batya, left, at a recent i-Shine event
By Batya Wolff
My decision to become an i-Shine volunteer was an easy one. i-Shine is Chai Lifeline’s afterschool program for kids impacted by illness or loss in their family. When I was a kid, my brother got sick with cancer. This impacted my family enormously. My frightened and devastated parents had to devote their time and energy to taking care of my brother, which involved daily trips to the hospital. This left little time for them to pay attention to me and my siblings. In every way, family life and all our normal routines were disrupted.
Fortunately, we discovered i-Shine, which was relatively new at the time. Joining the program was a turning point for me. I vividly remember the excitement I felt when the volunteers walked in the door because I knew it meant that I would have somebody’s full attention. Now, as a volunteer, I see the same excitement on the faces of the children that I care for when I enter the room. Being both a child in the program as well as a volunteer has taught me the importance of giving to those in need, particularly to children.
Being a former participant as well as a volunteer gives me an added level of understanding and appreciation for what i-Shine does. Even the holiday projects we do bring me back to when I was a kid. Until this very day, I use the menorah that I painted as a child in i-Shine. Even with all the incredible activities, the times I cherish most are those moments when I can just sit quietly and listen to a child. All because I know from experience that the simple act of listening does so much to make children feel important at that moment. I have the advantage of knowing firsthand what listening means.
The inspiration I get from i-Shine comes not from a single person but from every volunteer in the program. It’s heartwarming to see so many people care and commit to children in need. I feel enormous gratitude to those who were so kind and so attentive to me when I needed it. This gratitude is important to me, but the best part is knowing that I can give back to the place that gave so much to me.
Batya Wolff, 17, is from Woodmere, NY, and currently attends Stella K. Abraham High School for Girls.
Chaverim of Queens recently celebrated their ‘bar mitzvah’ year at the Annual Queens Chaverim Event
Senior Seminar
By Chaya Warren
This past week, the Shulamith seniors attended a week filled with informative and interactive seminars, all geared toward prepping the students for life posthigh school. The different seminars were dedicated to learning about healthy relationships and communication, strengthening our Jewish identity, women’s health, and different careers. Highlights include hearing from Rabbi Mordechai Willig on the halachic prenup, Shalom Task Force, Rabbi Joe Wolfson from JLIC, Aliza Starshefsky from Bruriah High School on her experience battling an eating disorder, Wayfind, and Jscreen. The girls also visited the Jewish Heritage Museum in Manhattan and took a crash course on healthy cooking in Israel from our very own Mrs. Gross. The series ended with a career fair with careers ranging from mechanical engineers, phlebotomists, orthodontists, attorneys, journalists, architects, and more.
According to the students, Senior Seminar “really broadened [their] horizons and shed light on the realities of the world,” according to Aliza Fruchter. The first week of seminars, which focused on healthy relationships, proper dieting and cooking skills, and embracing our Jewish identities, really helped the girls prepare for their year in Israel. The last day of seminars was a favorite among the students. Career day was a series of informative panels, speeches and an outdoor career fair to provide students with the opportunity to speak to professionals in their fields of interest, and also discover some new careers they haven’t thought of. Senior Rivky Widroff “loved career day because [she] got the opportunity to speak to professionals in a huge variety of different jobs and see which career really spoke to” her. Senior Lily Eisenburg adds that “meeting so many impressive Jewish women who are professionals in their field taught me that it’s possible to balance a fulfilling career and being a mom.”
PHOTOS BY GABE SOLOMON
Kosher Response founder by Gabriel Boxer and The Leon Mayer Fund, founded by Rabbi Simcha Lefkowitz, recently partnered to open the Mark Ramer Chessed Center located in the Five Towns.
This all-new chessed center is a first of its kind in the area servicing the South Shore of Long Island and beyond helping families in need of much needed necessities, only stocking brand new items from clothes, shoes, home goods, bicycles, toys, baby goods and so much to help families receive the items at no cost to them. There is a certified social worker on staff that meets with all clients and helps them find services they may need along with helping them at the Chessed Center.
Mark Ramer, of blessed memory, of Atlantic Beach, was a person who thrived to do chessed for so many. This center in his memory pays tribute to a truly remarkable person from our community.
For more information and to become a client visit: www.kosherresponse.com.
At the Leon Mayer Fund - Mark Ramer Chessed Center Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
Dr. David Schechter: The Name You Can Trust in the War Against Covid
By Malky Lowinger
Meet Dr. David Schechter, a renowned and trusted local cardiologist. This good doctor with a thriving practice could easily have continued spending his days seeing his regular patients at his Richmond Hill office. But when the dreaded pandemic settled upon the world, he knew he had to join the battle. So he and his associates developed a large-scale Covid-care facility, working tirelessly to help the community fight the dreaded pandemic with a wide range of services and expert medical care.
Dr. Schechter’s capable staff began providing their vital services just as the pandemic raged last spring. Back then, it was difficult to acquire Covid testing, as the supply of the necessary reagent chemical was severely limited. Those who were able to get tested often waited seven to fourteen days for results. During those difficult and scary times, the wait seemed endless.
Dr. Schechter and his office staff emerged on the frontlines of Covid testing and raised the bar.
“It was quite a challenge,” says his daughter, Elisheva. “We only do PCR tests because we believe rapids are not completely accurate, while PCR testing has proven to be 99.7% accurate. Because of our strong connections with local labs, we were able to acquire test results within 12 to 36 hours.”
All testing services are free of charge.
The doctor’s office handles a huge volume of tests at its Queens location, and has even dedicated a second location in Woodmere just for this purpose. They also offer an at-home testing option at no additional fee. They are literally the go-to place for anyone who needs a test. And they provide a range of special services as well.
“We handle emergencies,” says Elisheva. “If someone has to fly somewhere in a hurry, we can rush their test to the lab and have the results in just eight hours. Alternately, if someone is hosting a major event, we can accommodate large crowds and test everyone on-site.”
Recently, Dr. Schechter’s staff tested a large wedding party for Covid. “Two days before the event, all the guests showed up at the host’s backyard, and we tested everyone. That way, they would know who could participate in the simcha.”
Boruch Hashem, positive cases are rare these days, but they do happen. And when they do, the Schechter team steps in with a customized treatment plan. Instead of sending the patient home to sit and wait, they aggressively treat the symptoms and any possible complications.
“Most people who test positive sit at home and don’t know what to do,” says Elisheva. “But in our practice, we offer a custom plan for each patient, advising them on how to treat their symptoms. Our phone lines are open until ten P.M. and our WhatsApp chat line is available 24/7 except for Shabbos so patients can reach out to their provider virtually anytime. We try hard to be accessible.”
While some patients are excellent candidates for monoclonal antibody treatment, that therapy is not appropriate for everyone. Some do well with vitamins or medication, while others require special interventions. The team of Schechter has seen it all.
“Our staff lives Covid,” says Elisheva. “We’ve treated tens of thousands of patients by now. We are familiar with all the new treatments as well as the tried and true and we will administer them accordingly.”
While testing is slowing down considerably, Dr. Schechter’s team still sees two- or three-hundred patients a day for virus or antibody testing. Testing is easy, painless, and free, and results can be had within 12 to 48 hours. Each patient is treated with care and compassion and dignity and professionalism.
“For the doctor,” says Elisheva, “it’s all about giving to the community. The ability to treat a patient struggling with Covid is his greatest joy, and he has made it his personal mission.”
For more information on Covid and antibody testing, call 718-252-6843 or 718-25-COVID.
Around the Community
Mishnayos for Meron
PHOTOS BY YK IMAGES
Yeshiva Darchei Torah’s fourth and fifth grade talmidim learned Mishnayos l’ilui the neshamos of those tragically lost in Meron this past Lag B’Omer.
On Erev Shavuos morning, the boys assembled in the Yeshiva’s main Beis Medrash, Heichal Dovid, reviewed the Mishnayos, and made a collective siyum on Seder Moed.
Dr. Yehudit Abrams Inspires SKA Students
The sophomores and juniors of the Stella K. Abraham High School for Girls were privileged to listen to Dr. Yehudit Abrams on Wednesday, May 19, as she shared her incredible life story and achievements.
Founder and CEO of MonitHer, Ltd., the first at-home personal use monitor for early detection of breast cancer, Dr. Abrams spoke of her amazing career highlights. After finishing medical school, Dr. Abrams attended the exclusive Singularity University, giving her exposure to a number of fields including engineering, biotechnology, neuroscience, robotics and cognitive computing. Her professional credentials include researching ultrasound to support the Mars mission at NASA, working with tech elite in Silicon Valley and conducting medical relief missions around the world.
It was also, however, her thoughts about her conversion to Judaism and the absolute emunah that she lives by that seized the students’ attention. Everything in Dr. Abrams’ life is connected to Hashem, she says, noting that Hashem has a plan. She explained to the girls that she felt she had to work for Hashem to make a positive change in the world.
“If you follow your heart, your heart will take you to where you need to be,” Dr. Abrams quoted to the students. It’s difficult to capture Dr. Abrams’ life and work in a few short sentences but her messages resonated with the SKA students who listened with awe. Throughout the following day, SKA students spoke about what they had heard. Dr. Abrams’ inspiring personal and professional words and accomplishments made quite an impact on her student audience.
The talmidos of The Ganger Early Childhood at TAG collaborated to create a bulletin board
on achdus. Each
talmida colored
a popsicle stick, which was used
to form a large
heart with the message “k’ish echad b’lev echad.” The girls
really feel the connection at TAG!
Around the Community
YOSS Shorashim and Milim Bee
Perhaps the most central skill to a Jew and budding talmid chochom is the ability to read and know our Hebrew language. To this end, all three third grade classes at Yeshiva of South Shore competed in a Milim Bee they had spent many months learning and reviewing for. The bee consisted of over 250 words and shorashim. The boys who made it into the bee had to answer Hebrew to English translations within a five second span, and, as the bee progressed, the timer was reduced to three seconds and translating from English to Hebrew. All the other talmidim were so supportive of the competitors and displayed wonderful sportsmanship apropos to a bee involving words of Torah.
It was a fantastic opportunity for the boys to display their learning and milim skills and demonstrate what their rabbeim had taught them. May they continue to grow in their knowledge and understanding of Torah.
Around the Community
The talmidim of Siach Yitzchok had their Chumash mesiba this week
The talmidos in the Silver Nursery of the Ganger Early Childhood division of TAG had a surprise guest to help them celebrate learning os zayin. The talmidos invited Rabbi Meyer Weitman, who is the proud zaidy of our TAG talmidah Rochel Leah Spiegel, to come hear them sing the aleph-bet song.
Fourth Grade Ciphers
The fourth grade at Yeshiva of South Shore is well underway in their unit on the Revolutionary War. The boys were introduced to the concept of ciphers and how messages were sent to other patriots within the colonies. These ciphers and secret codes were used to ensure that the contents of a letter could not be understood if the correspondence was captured.
The boys got a chance to create their own cipher wheel and crack some codes! After they mastered reading the codes, their task was to create some messages of their own. This hands-on activity really made an impact on them and helped solidify the concept while having a great time.
Around the Community
JCCRP Virtual Legislative Breakfast – This Sunday
Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato
Councilwoman Selvena Brooks-Powers Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Behind the scenes with
Captain Eric Robinson
While we can’t celebrate with you in person, the Jewish Community Council of the Rockaway Peninsula (JCCRP) Annual Legislative Breakfast is slated to take place virtually on Sunday, May 30, at 10AM.
The JCCRP’s accomplishments are many. The dedicated staff and volunteers booked over 2,000 COVID-19 vaccines, has distributed over 1,000 tons of nutritious food, given out over 350,000 masks, and supported hundreds of struggling single mothers, Holocaust survivors and many others facing crises.
But how does this all happen?
Who funds these crucial services?
And how do we make sure our community continues to receive these crucial services?
The JCCRP relies heavily on the strong partnership of elected officials, generous foundations, and its strong non-profit partners. These relationships benefit the entire community, allowing for thousands of services with very little expense to community members.
This breakfast is one of the few occasions during the year in which the Rockaway Jewish community has the opportunity to come together and demonstrate our strength and gratitude as a community to the elected officials, city and state agencies and other groups with whom we relate. It is also an opportunity to collectively thank individuals who have rendered services to the Jewish community and made it the remarkable place we all know. The legislative breakfast is an opportunity to demonstrate the amazing things we can accomplish when government and the social services work hand in hand.
This year we will be honored to hear from a number of elected officials and community leaders in a concise and exciting 35 minute presentation. Speakers include UJA Federation of NY’s CEO Eric Goldstein, Met Council’s CEO David Greenfield, our new NYC Councilmember Selvena Brooks-Powers, and many of our longtime friends and supporters.
Your attendance and participation in this breakfast is the best advertisement for the community and is a source of encouragement and gratitude for the many individuals and institutions that work together with the JCCRP to make our community an even better place to live. We hope to see you there!
To join the breakfast visit https:// www.rayze.it/jccrpbreakfast/live or email info@jccrp.org for more information.
A Historic Legacy Forty-Five Sifrei Torah for the Forty-Five Neshamos
An astounding new undertaking will ensure that every family receives an everlasting tribute to their loved ones.
Our dear brethren have been taken from us too soon. Tragedy has befallen our nation, and Klal Yisrael is reeling from shock. As the news of the catastrophe in Meron rippled through our communities, it left behind waves of sorrow. Amidst the jubilant celebrations came the terrifying shouts of grief. We accepted the will of Hashem, but with heavy hearts, still mourned the losses. Where can we go from here? What can we do to commemorate these divine and pure neshamos?
All we have left is the holy Torah.
What better than a Sefer Torah? The Torah is what unites all Yidden. If even part of a letter is missing, the whole Sefer is pasul. Every Jew has a part in the Torah, and what happens to one Yid has an effect on us all. This is the most appropriate way to eternalize the names and Neshamos of those taken before their prime.
A Sefer Torah for every family
Gedolei HaRabbanim will oversee the objective to ensure that all the funds go toward writing the Sifrei Torah and will be written according to all stringencies. All the families have been notified and will receive an appropriate Sefer customized according to their mesorah. The families are looking forward to celebrating the completion of the Sefarim, which will bring them some much-needed solace. The Sifrei Torah are currently already being written, and it is now up to Klal Yisrael to ensure its completion.
Klal Yisrael Together!
The calamity has struck the entire spectrum of Judaism. Every country, every community, every kehilla, no one was left unscathed. Now Klal Yisrael will collectively take part in this historic Sefer Torah campaign. We will unite as a nation and show that nothing separates us! Yidden from all over will help create an everlasting homage to Ahavas Yisrael.
Together we mourned.
Together we will heal.
Together we will raise the money to dedicate a Sefer for every neshama. We cannot bring back those souls, but we can do our best to console the families with a legacy that will live on for eternity.
Every Yid a minimum of $45.
With a dollar for each neshama, we can make this happen!
Help bring some peace to the suffering families.
Please check the campaign site for more details.
Visit https://www.charidy. com/45 today and take part in this historic initiative.
There are more extensive sponsorship opportunities available as well.
You can also call 929-5369222 to take part by phone.
In the zechus of writing the Sifrei Torah, uniting to create a unique commemoration for the neshamos and bring comfort to the families, we should be zocheh to bracha and hatzlacha. Hashem should bring the final redemption, and may we never again hear of such tragedies.
Join Klal Yisrael and take your part in the Torah today!
Around the Community
Some of the boys in Yeshiva Ketana of Long Island who participated in this year’s Masmid Govoha Program. Masmid Govoha is a hasmada program where the boys learn extra, every night of the week over a ten week period. In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, students in HALB Middle School have been discussing mental health and wellness, mindfulness and how to integrate more intentional practices in their use of technology. Students were treated to a wonderful interactive presentation on self-improvement and goal setting through the lens of Torah and psychology by Rabbi Dr. Saul Haimoff
A Message from Rabbi Moshe Hauer, Executive Vice President, as the Orthodox Union Launches an Emergency Campaign to Provide Oxygen Concentrators for India As It Fights the Pandemic Surge
The people of this country are blessed. The unprecedented speed of development and deployment of the vaccine for COVID-19 has brought us to a place where, with G-d’s continued help and blessing, we can hope that the worst of the pandemic is behind us.
But the worst seems to lie squarely ahead of India, and we must do something about it.
We have all seen the images and figures depicting the havoc the pandemic is currently wreaking in India. As Jews, we cannot just watch this disaster unfold.
Abraham, the biological father of the Jewish people and the spiritual father of much of the world, established the absolute connection between religious devotion and social responsibility. He demonstrated care for his family, for the individual weary travelers that he welcomed into his tent, and for the city of Sodom whose wholesale destruction he could not just passively observe.
This legacy of charity and responsibility is fundamental to the character of Jewish life. Families, communities, and societies thrive on the prioritization of care and responsibility between members of the group. There is a valued intimacy and a critical bond of trust that results from our support systems, how we take care of those closest to us and put family first, loving our neighbor as ourselves.
But we must not stop there.
History has given us many examples of situations where a complete family, community, or society experienced devastating events that shook the entire traditional support system. It is specifically at those times that the broader world must step forward to act with care and concern to save those who have been rendered helpless, but the world does not always come thru. Others have stood silent in the face of evil and passive in the presence of tragedy far too many times. The Jewish people are keenly and painfully aware of this. And we have been reminded of it again during the past weeks of missile strikes in Israel and anti-Semitic attacks in America and around the world.
Silence is simply not an option.
We do not accept that this must be the reality of the world we live in. We continue to dream and to strive for a world where the rich amongst nations care for the poor and the healthy tend to the sick, where boundaries create a framework for mutual kindness rather than a barrier to extending our care to others beyond that framework, where charity begins at home but does not end there. That is what we seek within our world and the goal towards which each of us must work.
The Rambam – following on the words of the Mishna – wrote of the obligation of a Jew to support the needy of other nations so as to pursue the path of peace, darkei shalom. He clearly viewed this as more than a diplomatic stroke but rather as an extension of the generosity that G-d Himself extends to all His creatures. Moshe, the ultimate faithful shepherd and lawgiver of the Jewish people, began his journey of leadership by standing up to evil wherever he encountered it, no less when the victims were the children of the idolatrous priest of Midyan than when was it was a fellow Jew being victimized by an oppressive Egyptian.
This is a critical part of our legacy. Yes, our plates are filled with our efforts to sustain a Jewish community grappling with epic stresses. We are still assessing the harm inflicted in the latest round of missiles that rained down on millions of our brothers and sisters in Israel. Our local Jewish communities need major investment in their material well-being as well as in their Torah-education systems and infrastructure. These are issues that require time, energy, and commitment, and they must never be neglected if we are to be serious about the well-being of the State of Israel, our own community, Jewish continuity, and the central value of Torah education.
But we must retain the perspective that all those systems of caring and teaching are there for one purpose, and that is to develop students and community members blessed not only with knowledge of text but with strength and refinement of character, the kind of people who – like our father Avraham – exemplify and serve as a conduit for God’s goodness to all.
India is in a terrible crisis, facing a vicious double mutation of the virus. Our community – breathing somewhat easier – is positioned to help. We must not stand by. A modest gift from each of us will not change our lives but it will save the lives of others. And it will be a gift that will make our world more of a community that cares for each other in a way that benefits and uplifts us all.
Around the Community
The Children’s Garden at Shulamith ECC
At Shulamith Early Childhood Center, the children are blooming and growing along with the beautiful children’s garden they have planted.
As spring arrived, the children took nature walks and noticed all of the tender shoots and leaves that were just beginning to grow. They were fascinated and had many questions. Thus began their study of botany and horticulture.
First, the children studied flowers and plants by examining real seeds, dissecting flowers, and learning about the function of each part of a plant. They planted beans, grass, marigolds and zinnias in their classrooms. They even placed vegetable tops in water and eagerly watched them take root and begin to sprout.
Finally, when the weather warmed up, the children’s scientific studies moved outdoors. Under the stewardship of Morah Tzivia Lipsky, Shulamith’s treasured nursery morah, the children prepared a special children’s garden. Our young gardeners enjoyed digging in the soil and planting flowers, vegetables, and herbs in beautiful raised planters. Every single child was given the opportunity to contribute to the garden, and they quickly took ownership and professional pride in the results.
Each day, the children run to the garden to examine the progress of the young plants. They marvel at the ripening tomatoes, rub the fragrant herbs to produce wonderful scents, and examine each flower to choose their favorites. They love watering the garden and, of course, picking the tomatoes as they ripen. The Pre 1-A classes even released the ladybugs they raised into the garden. The children enjoy looking at each leaf very carefully to find the ladybugs and encourage them to eat all of the aphids in the garden.
The children in Shulamith ECC have certainly come to appreciate the beautiful world that Hashem has given us. Mah rabu ma’asechah Hashem!
Lt. Governor Visits YDT
Yeshiva Darchei Torah seventh graders Eliezer Hirtz and Shloime Stoll conducted an impromptu interview for their class newspaper with the Lieutenant Governor of the State of New York, Kathy Hochul, during her visit to the Yeshiva Darchei Torah’s brand-new, state-of-the-art CIJE STEM Center on Monday. Rabbi Baruch Rothman, director of institutional advancement, is pictured with the Lieutenant Governor.
Medals in Math for HAFTR Students
Eight HAFTR High School students were awarded medals in Math Research at this year’s Al Kalfus Long Island Math Fair.
Engaging in math research affords students an opportunity to expand on a particular topic in mathematics that they find interesting. The format of the math fair was virtual because of the pandemic; students recorded their presentations and submitted their sophisticated research projects electronically.
Senior Gabriel Kurlander and junior Ethan Rabinowitz received gold medals; juniors Devorah Gottesman, Lulu Morse, and Emily Vaysman earned silver medals; senior Matthew Mizrahi and juniors Shirly Gottlieb and Luca Lemberger received bronze medals. The students were mentored by Mr. Matthew Alt, chair of the HAFTR High School mathematics department. Congratulations to the students on their outstanding research!
Around the Community
New York City
mayoral candidate
Andrew Yang visited the Agudah
Headquarters
in downtown
Manhattan earlier this month
Showcasing Community Unity By Honoring Our Fallen Heroes
This year, members of the Lawrence-Cedarhurst community, along with neighboring patriots, will gather on Sunday morning, May 30 to participate in the 102-year-old Lawrence-Cedarhurst Fire Department Memorial Day Parade. At 10 a.m., the live parade begins at Frost Lane and Central Avenue in Lawrence concluding with a brief and meaningful tribute ceremony in Cedarhurst’s Andrew J. Parise Park.
The expanded parade, the production of creative community members and Village staff, led by Penina (Paris) Popack, Village of Lawrence trustee, and JoMarie Capone of The Village of Cedarhurst, has grown to be one of the community’s favorite events.
Popack stated, “We hope this Memorial Day Parade will be inspiring, entertaining, and the best attended ever after last year’s event was canceled due to the pandemic. We are taking necessary safety precautions hopeful that people will come out to support and cheer our volunteer fire department, military and marchers. It is going to be spectacular!”
Approximately 70 fabulous entrants will march down the Villages main shopping avenue. Highlights of the parade will include a host of Military veterans, firemen and fire trucks, Freeport Navy JROTC Color Guard, bag pipes and drums, a musical brass ensemble, antique and exotic cars, motorcycles, Hatzalah, Achiezer, local schools, scouts and organizations. Historic reenactors from Rock Hall Museum will be driven on a classic horse and carriage. Special guests will be local politicians, former navy and army veterans, Dr. Yashar and Perie Hirshaut and journalist/radio host, Cindy Grosz. Patriotic American songs will be performed by Meshugga Daddies Barbershop Singers, led by Dr. Stuart Rappaport, Mariachi Hidalgo NYC and renowned superstar Mendy J. Additional surprises are in store.
JoMarie Capone, of Cedarhurst Village Hall, expressed, “A great way to say ‘thank you’ to the men and women who have given their lives to defend our nation, our families and freedoms is by attending and applauding the parade. Businesses have been encouraged to decorate their stores in red, white and blue and salute the parade as it passes by.”
Veteran Syd Mandelbaum, commander of the American Legion Post #339, stated, “Lining the streets in support of our veterans for an hour of your Sunday morning shows incredible thanks.”
Village of Cedarhurst Mayor and Parade co-chairman Benjamin Weinstock added, “A core value of our heritage is to show respect. Teaching your children and grandchildren about the true meaning of Memorial Day is vital to appreciate our American freedoms. Participating in our parade is an ideal educational opportunity to do so and acknowledge our fallen veterans.”
Alex Edelman, Mayor of the Village of Lawrence, said, “Come out and proudly enjoy the parade and show your support for our Nation and the Lawrence-Cedarhurst community.”
Parade co-chairman, Deputy Fire Chief, Meyer Adler, responded, “We can’t take our American freedoms for granted and must never forget the ultimate sacrifices that our armed services have made so we can live in peace. Please come out, show up and show your gratitude.”
For more information, please visit: https://cedarhurst.gov/
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Touro College Salutes 2021 Valedictorians
Touro College recently announced the valedictorians of three schools: Lander College for Men, Lander College for Women and Lander College of Arts and Sciences in Flatbush. Yaakov Saxon, Elisheva (Marcus) Kaminetsky, Rena Schreier, and Jacob (Coby) Fliegelman will be honored at Touro’s commencement ceremony, which will be held virtually at 3:30pm on Sunday, May 30, 2021.
“These young men and women all have cultivated a love of learning, a desire to help others and a commitment to Torah values,” said Dr. Alan Kadish, President of Touro College and University System.
In total, 583 students will graduate from Touro’s Lander College for Women, Lander College for Men, and Lander College of Arts and Sciences in Flatbush, while 167 students will graduate from Machon L’Parnasa and The School of Lifelong Education. The 2021 graduating class includes seniors from 19 states across the United States, and five foreign countries (Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, and Israel).
Jacob (Coby) Fliegelman, Valedictorian, Touro’s Lander College of Arts and Sciences Men’s Division
The grandson of a pediatrician, Jacob (Coby) Fliegelman of Cedarhurst has a deep appreciation for medicine and an unwavering desire to be a physician in order to make a difference in people’s lives. As the valedictorian of Lander College of Arts and Sciences Men’s Division, he is on his way to achieving that goal.
Jacob is self-driven and determined about his mission. In addition to graduating as a Biology Honors Major, summa cum laude, he published an article in the Lander Science Journal and sought out internship opportunities to gain firsthand experience in medicine. Jacob was a volunteer research assistant at the Berger Research Lab, at the NYU School of Medicine, where he studied the inflammatory properties of platelets and macrophage polarization in atherosclerosis. He also interned at Amtrust Financial, working directly with the global Chief Compliance Officer.
Building on his own experiences, Jacob tutored students in Biology and Chemistry. He also mentors hearing impaired children and their families, providing emotional support and guidance.
During 12th grade, Jacob took college courses through Touro. He then spent a year participating in the Touro College Israel Option at Yeshiva Bais Yisroel in Jerusalem. When he returned to the United States, Lander College of Arts and Sciences afforded him the opportunity to continue an intensive learning program in Yeshiva Sh’or Yoshuv while completing his college degree. He praised the faculty at Lander College of Arts and Sciences for empowering students by encouraging healthy dialogue and creating a supportive, congenial atmosphere.
Rena Schreier, Valedictorian, Touro’s Lander College of Arts and Sciences Women’s Division
When Rena Schreier started at Lander College
Yaakov Saxon
Jacob (Coby) Fliegelman
of Arts and Sciences Flatbush Women’s Division, after spending a year at Machon Raaya seminary in Israel, she expected to find large lecture halls and intimidating professors. Instead, she found a warm, supportive environment that empowered her to do her best. She seized every opportunity. As a result, she will graduate as valedictorian and plans to start medical school at SUNY Downstate College of Medicine in August.
While maintaining a stellar GPA, Rena was a member of the Flatbush Society of Fellows Honors Program, the Touro Science Journal Editorial Board, the Touro Science Society, and secretary of Touro’s branch of NPreMa (National Pre-Med Association). She also participated in Touro’s Biomedical Ethics Cross-Cultural Education Program in Bangkok, Thailand. While in college, she worked as a medical assistant and a phlebotomist, gaining real world experience in medicine.
Growing up in Brooklyn, Rena had always been interested in medicine. “When I started college, I considered different options in the healthcare field, but I always knew that I wanted to care for people in their happiest moments and calm them in their hardest moments,” she said. Now, as she heads to medical school, her goal is to specialize in emergency medicine so she can capitalize on her ability to stay calm in crises.
Yaakov Saxon, Valedictorian, Touro’s Lander College for Men
Yaakov Saxon has loved tinkering with computers since his father gave him an old DOS computer when he was six years old. His interest in computers followed him through grade school, where he began honing his skills in information security. On one occasion, while taking a test in ninth grade, he figured out how to gain access into the server of an eLearning product his school used. He wrote the CEO to let him know how he was able to access the answers. His honesty paid off, and he received a college letter of recommendation and the start of an exciting career path.
At Lander College for Men, Yaakov found the opportunity to explore his interest in technology. Throughout his college career, Yaakov worked to refine his skills and test the security of various applications. He happened to find another vulnerability in another e-learning software program while at Lander, and after disclosing his findings, was offered a job with that company as an application security tester.
Today, Yaakov is putting his white hat hacking skills to good use as an Information Security Engineer for North American Bancard, a credit card processing company, while working remotely from his new home in Orlando, FL. “Cybersecurity is about figuring out how to put together all of the pieces of a puzzle,” he said. He credits his professors at Touro with giving him personal attention and additional challenges to develop his skills.
Yaakov grew up in Pittsburgh, PA, and attended Hillel Academy. He studied at Chofetz Chaim Jerusalem before moving to Queens, NY, to attend Lander College for Men.
Elisheva (Marcus) Kaminetsky,
Valedictorian, Touro’s Lander College for Women, The Anna Ruth and Mark Hasten School
Elisheva (Marcus) Kaminetsky is a perennial student who plans to become a professor someday. “If I could be paid to be a student for the rest of my life, I would be happy to do that,” she says. Her love of learning led her to become the valedictorian of Lander College for Women. She won’t stop there.
In September, Elisheva will begin her JD studies at NYU Law School. Growing up in Kew Gardens Hills, the oldest of six children, she recalls being told from a young age that she would make a great lawyer. She pushed it to the back of her mind but at Touro, political science and prelaw classes inspired her to pursue law. She interned at The Civil Legal Advice and Resource Office (CLARO) that provides limited legal advice to low-income New Yorkers being sued by debt collectors. She loved seeing how law can improve the lives of people in need. Elisheva also found time to volunteer with Partners in Torah, NORPAC, Young Israel of Queens Valley and JEP. She worked as a research assistant at Lander College for Women, sourcing data and coauthoring an academic paper.
Taking advantage of online classes during the pandemic, Elisheva spent this semester in Jerusalem. While completing her coursework at Lander College for Women, she gave a series of guest lectures at Michlalah, the seminary she had attended in her gap year. Explaining her decision to try out teaching, Elisheva points to the influence and impact of her Touro professors. “Beyond helping me appreciate their particular disciplines, they helped me appreciate the art of education,” she said. “It is largely because of them that I hope to someday re-enter the world of education as a professor of law.”
Rena Schreier Elisheva Kaminetsky
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Children at YCQ received their siddurim this week
SKA Awardees 2021
Ariella Borah Breindy Berger
The Stella K. Abraham High School for Girls is proud to announce Ariella Borah as Valedictorian, Breindy Berger and Priva Halpert as Salutatorians, and Frieda Vegh as Keter Shem Tov awardee for 2021.
Valedictorian: Ariella Borah
Editor of Looking Glass; Editor in Chief of Matrix and Holocaust Journal: National Merit Commended Scholar; AP Scholar; SHIELD awardee; SKA Middot awardee; Head of Israel Action Committee; Finalist at the NY Youth Summit; First Place Winner in Science Olympiad;
Bronka Weintraub Bekiut Competion; Co-Captain of Mock Trial Team; SKA Chessed Committee Head; Honor Society; Medical Marvels; MAGIC Mentoring *Will be attending MMY and Stern College for Women Honors Program
Salutatorian: Breindy Berger
Editor in Chief Skappenings; Yearbook Associate Editor; Winner, YU Talmud Bekiut Amud; Chidon Tanakh; Jerusalem Science Contest; Honor Society; Debate Team; Math Team;
Science Olympiad; Member of RISE; Debate Team; Magic Mentoring; Medical Marvels;
Model Congress; Israel Awareness Committee; Production; Holocaust Journal; College Bowl *Will be attending MMY and Macaulay Honors College
Salutatorian: Priva Halpert
Published in the American Chemistry Society Omega Journal for her research; Scholar in the 2021 Regeneron Science Talent Search; 1st Place NY Youth Summit; 3rd Place at the Junior Science and Humanities Symposium; Captain of Mock Trial; Yearbook Layout Editor;
Keter Torah Awardee; Head of Israel Awareness Committee; Honor Society; Volunteers at Chai Lifeline Camp Simcha/Camp Simcha Special, I-Shine and Ohel Beis Ezra *Will be attending Michlalah and Queens College Scholars Program
Keter Shem Tov: Frieda Vegh
Voted by her peers for her kindness and middot. SKA Ambassador; Production-Dance;
Track Team; Volunteers at I-Shine, Kulanu, the Leon Mayer Fund and Lev Connections *Will be attending Tiferet and Lander College for Women
Priva Halpert Frieda Vegh
The second grade girls at Cheder Chabad of Long Island tended to their
classroom plants while learning about plants in science
Engineering at Central
At the annual Center for Initiatives in Jewish Education (CIJE) Innovation Day, engineering students from Jewish schools all over the tri-state area will present projects that they have designed and executed over the course of a semester as a culmination of their year’s learning. Though the event will be held virtually this year, Mr. Michael Spindel’s freshman and sophomore engineering students at Central have approached their presentations with creativity and professionalism.
Freshmen Aviva Kessock and Tiferet Tuchman designed a “Kavanah Klock” that lights up and sounds an alarm to remind people to daven at appropriate times. This project required them to use a breadboard to build the physical clock and to write the code in Arduino to allow it to function. Freshmen Tani Fish and Lois Rifkin built a “20/20 Vision Project” to address the currently pervasive problem of eyestrain caused by long periods of computer usage. The “20/20/20 Rule,” which states that, for every 20 minutes spent looking at a computer, one should look 20 feet away for 20 seconds, is a useful principle to prevent extreme eyestrain. However, it is difficult for most of us to implement this rule in practice. Tani and Lois built a device that automatically cuts power to a computer monitor for 20 seconds after 20 minutes of use.
We are grateful to have such innovative problem solvers in our midst!
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Project ReBloom at Margaret Tietz
We are very fortunate at Margaret Tietz to have wonderful community volunteers including families, seniors, and good friends of Margaret Tietz to share a Sunday morning to beautify the magnificent garden that has been created through their hands. Project ReBloom was created in memory of Faye Dor, a resident who had passed away a few years ago. Her love of flowers and gardening inspired her friends to gather each fall and spring at Margaret Tietz to bring this beautiful garden to our residents, visitors and staff.
The RSA (Rabbinical Seminary of America) Chovetz Chaim Yeshiva holds the not-for-profit status for Margaret Tietz for their flower and bulb donations as well as donations for special programs for Holocaust survivors which is named the Margaret Tietz Initiative. Donations can be made to RSA for the Margaret Tietz Initiative, 76-01 147th St, Flushing, NY 11367.
For further information, please contact Linda Spiegel at 718-2987838.
United for Israel HANC “Twins” with Sderot
Thousands mobilized on Sunday at 7 World Trade Center – Ground Zero – and across the nation in response to a wave of anti-Semitic attacks nationwide and to stand with Israel in its ongoing battle against terrorism and demonization. The rally, “United Against Antisemitism. United Against Terror. United for Us,” was led by the Israeli-American Council (IAC) New York Region with 100 tri-state Jewish community organizations. IAC communities and many Jewish organizations joined in 14 rallies from coast to coast bringing thousands of people to the streets, as anti-Semitic hate crimes rise nationwide amid the current wave of Mideast violence.
PHOTO BY SHAHAR AZRAN Over the course of the past few months, the girls in Morah Vered Sharoni’s fifth – one girl even took the American students on a video tour of her neighborhood. When describing life here grade class in HANC’s Samuel and in New York, the children explained Elizabeth Bass Golding Elementary to the Israeli children how they find School in West Hempstead have been kosher food and what they need to meeting via Zoom with a class of girls check for when purchasing food in in Sderot. Sponsored by the Amit a store. The girls described expeorganization, HANC was twinned riences in school pertaining to the with the Toranit Mada’i Elemen- subjects they study, what they like to tary School, giving the children in do during recess, and shared hobbies both schools an opportunity to gain that they like to pursue after school. a window into their lives and school In the course of their meetings, the experiences. The girls initially intro- girls saw the differences in their daiduced themselves during their first ly lives and cultures, but also discovZoom session, and they continued ered what they have in common. to “meet” once a month and chat via During the events that took place video in order to get to know each in Israel over the past few weeks, other. During these sessions, they the students in HANC became very spoke about their schools, their com- concerned about their new friends munities, shared videos and played in Sderot. Morah Vered led a disgames together. The girls at HANC cussion about empathy and how they spoke in Hebrew and the Sderot girls could reach out and let the girls in did their best to respond in English. Israel know that they are thinking of Since the monthly meetings take them. The class decided that the best place at 10:30A.M. here, the girls in way to do that was to create a video of Sderot have already finished their support to let the students in Sderot school day and connect from their in- know that they were praying for them dividual homes. This afforded them and wishing that peace would return the opportunity to show the HANC to Israel very soon. students their homes and families
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Outdoors with Nature
HAFTR Lower School students enjoyed several outdoor experiences with nature over the past two weeks. Before Shavuot, kindergarten classes helped principal Ms. Joy Hammer fill our new garden with plants. They enjoyed digging a space to set the plants so that they will grow and fill in the garden over time. They talked about how plants need soil, air, light, and water to grow.
Morah Elaine Gross brought the kindergarten classes outside this week to watch as the butterflies, in the final stage of development, spread their delicate wings and flew up and away.
Softball and Sundaes
MTA freshmen had an amazing time bonding with their friends and rebbeim on their grade-wide overnight trip, which took place on Thursday, May 20 through Friday, May 21. The trip began with a stop at Laser One for fun games and laser tag and continued on to Camp Dora Golding for an overnight.
Talmidim took advantage of the perfect weather and enjoyed lots of outdoor sports, including a rebbe-talmid softball game and grade-wide basketball tournament. From chilling in the game room to night activities, a make-your-own ice cream sundae bar, bonfire, and a midnight BBQ, there was something for everyone. The trip was the perfect way for talmidim to spend time with friends who they may not share classes with, bond with their rebbeim outside the classroom, and come together as a grade with tremendous achdus!
Shevach Visits Bais Yaakov of Baltimore
On Wednesday, May 19, the eleventh grade of Shevach High School was privileged to visit a unique exhibit created by the students of Bais Yaakov of Baltimore. Titled “Journeys Through the Generations,” the exhibit allowed visitors to learn about Jewish history throughout the ages through a creative tour that consisted of sophisticated museum-like displays featuring Jewish life in over 30 countries worldwide. The Shevach girls were excited to review their lessons in Jewish history in a fun way and to interact with the Baltimore students.
Upon arriving at Bais Yaakov, the Shevach students were warmly welcomed by the Baltimore girls and introduced to their “tour guides.” The guides led the girls through room after room, each devoted to a different country or region, and explained the research they had done to create displays highlighting the major historical events and leaders of that area. The displays consisted of enormous hand-painted murals of famous Jewish scenes, intricate mosaics of great rabbanim, artifacts from students’ ancestors that originated from each country, and even an enormous student-made revolving door.
In the Eastern Asia room, students were impressed by a large mural of the Chinese Kaifeng shul constructed out of colored chopsticks. A mosaic of the great Sephardic rabbanim in the Spain room made entirely out of black and white dice drew a lot of attention. In the United States room, the girls saw a wall covered in the pink slips that Jewish immigrants had received for refusing to work on Shabbos, upon which the students had written names of their ancestors that had kept Shabbos as well. In the Poland and Germany room, there was a short but thorough history of the struggles of the Jews during the Holocaust that included a brick and cement model of a concentration camp.
The tour ended with a visit to “Eretz Yisrael,” where the girls saw a model of the Bais Hamikdash made on the school’s 3D printer, as well as an inspiring memorial dedicated to the recent Meron tragedy. After viewing these exhibits the girls were asked, “How have you changed?” and urged to take on a kabbalah as a zechus for the niftarim.
The Shevach students were extremely impressed by the creativity and professionalism of the Baltimore girls, and were excited to realize how much of the information they recognized from their own parallel classes. All left inspired by the history of the Jewish nation – by their sacrifices, their struggles and their triumphs. The entire group came away determined to continue this privileged legacy. In the words of one student; “I really felt such a connection to the Jews who came before us who had such mesiras nefesh for Torah and mitzvos.”
After touring the exhibit, before beginning the long journey home, the girls were treated to a delicious lunch at the Baltimore pizza shop. Kudos to Shevach staff members Rebbetzin Rochelle Hirtz, Mrs. Chaya Swerdloff and Mrs. Gitty Lipsius for making this incredible experience possible, and thank you to Shevach sophomore Chani Miller, for reporting on this special trip.
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Rabbi Eisikovic’s seventh grade class of Yeshiva Ketana of Long Island was treated to a walk to Kol Save and a shopping spree there for
accumulating many hasmoda hours
learned for Masmid Govoha
Israel is Open to U.S. Travelers. Here’s How to Get In
Our hearts and prayers are with our Israeli brothers and sisters as they endure the constant barrage of missiles and deal with the general unrest of the last couple of weeks. We hope and pray that things return to normal very soon and we can visit our friends and family and enjoy the beauty of the land of our heritage in peace and tranquility.
For those planning on a trip to the Holy Land, we sat down with the Yaacov @ PEYD Travel Team and asked them to share pertinent information to help those navigate their trip to Israel in this post COVID world.
Joseph: How’s business?
Yaacov @ PEYD Travel: Things are getting better thankfully. Travel is opening up, and, in fact, I am pleased to share that you can actually travel to Israel now!
Joseph: Really? Tell me more!
Yaacov @ PEYD Travel: Sure! For starters, Israeli citizens can travel to Israel without any restrictions. Similarly, American citizens with a First Degree Relative or those with Special Occasions (Wedding/Bar Mitzvha/Birth) can travel to Israel as well by obtaining a special permit (Ishur) to fly.
Additionally, Israel just announced that, starting on June 1, a select list of tour groups will be part of a trial of travelers visiting Israel of “regular” travelers not traveling for any special occasion or those with the close relative requirement. And even more exciting is the announcement that on June 15 government-approved organized tour groups of at least 5 people will be able to travel to Israel.
Finally, readers should be aware that it has been rumored that beginning July 1, Israel plans on opening to individual tourists who don’t have first degree relatives in Israel!
Joseph: Wow, this is very exciting news! How can our readers go about obtaining this permit??
Yaacov @ PEYD Travel: It’s a simple (albeit a little nerve wracking) process actually. In order to receive your permit, you need to email your local Israeli consulate – the Consulate General of Israel – New York can be reached at Consular.Services@ newyork.mfa.gov.il. You must send the details of who is traveling and how you are related to the people you are visiting. You can read full description of what is required at https://embassies.gov.il/new-york/ ConsularServices/Pages/COVID19PERMITS.aspx
Joseph: How much time does it take to receive a permit?
Yaacov @ PEYD Travel: It depends on how prepared you are. The consulate processes applications more quickly if all paperwork is in order. When preparing for travel, note that passengers must a) apply for a permit with applicable documentation 3 weeks prior to flight. Additionally, passengers must b) purchase COVID Insurance, which is an insurance policy where the carrier will cover passengers in the event passengers come down with the virus. Insurance can be purchased at https://www.travelexinsurance. com/. Assuming you have all this information at the time you submit your application, you should receive your permit within two weeks!
Joseph: Not too bad. What about COVID testing and general health requirements? What do passengers need to do in advance in order to be able to travel?
Yaacov @ PEYD Travel: Glad you asked, as this is an important element required by many countries in order to travel these days. The Israeli government requires negative PCR tests 3-days prior to travel (this is required on return flights as well).
Joseph: How about when you land in Israel; do passengers have to quarantine upon arrival?
Yaacov @ PEYD Travel: Yes and no. Upon arrival passengers (including those vaccinated) must quarantine until they receive antibody testing in Israel (results are very quick and generally obtained within 4-8 hours which is good news for those who are vaccinated or have a high antibody count). You can advance schedule your antibody test at https://check2fly.co.il/auth.
Joseph: That’s great! Any requirements for staying at hotels?
Yaacov @ PEYD Travel: For those staying at hotels, checking into your hotel requires you to show an antibody test result document that gets you a green passport (some travelers have reported getting into their hotel with only the antibody test results).
Joseph: So, in summary for those wanting to travel to Israel, all you need is a good reason, to spend a little extra on PCR tests on the outbound (and return flights), a brief quarantine period while your antibody results are obtained, and you are good to go!
Yaacov @ PEYD Travel: Correct! Obviously, this is a very fluid situation and one that keeps changing so travelers should check with the PEYD Travel team for the latest updates. We can be reached at (646) 801-7393 or by visiting www.travelwithpeyd.com.
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Honors at Rambam
Jake Fuchs Yoni Bench
Binyamin Werner
The Rambam Mesivta Class of 2021/5781 is represented by three standouts who exemplify the highest values of Torah, middos, and excellence.
Jake Fuchs: Rambam Valedictorian
Jake is an AP Scholar with Honors, on the Dean’s List, a 2019 Lawrence Association Good Citizen Award recipient, member of the Rambam Scholar Enrichment Program, member of Student Government, Chess Team, Torah Bowl, Model Beis Din, Odyssey of the Mind, and Entrepreneur Club. Jake volunteered at the Gural JCC packaging and distributing food to the elderly and others most impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. He is a skilled and avid writer and has written for Rambam’s Writers’ Guild, Hamasmid Rambam Torah publication, and Kol HaNearim publication. He has a passion for Torah study, archeology, and all things history related. Jake is the youngest 2021 Rambam graduate. One of his most memorable Rambam moments was getting to share his bar mitzvah in his freshman year with his classmates and the administration.
Jake will attend the Queens College Scholars Program, having received a 4-year merit award, and plans on pursuing a dual degree in History and Secondary Education (SEYS), while attending a NY-based semicha program. His goal is to pursue a career in Jewish education and administration so he can inspire the next generation.
Yoni Bench, Rambam Salutatorian
Yoni is an active member of the Rambam Mesivta community. He regularly participates in clubs such as the Writers’ Guild and Classic Film Club, where he enjoys socializing with his peers. Through his political career with the SGO, he has helped introduce several programs to improve student life. These include the outdoor student lounge, a school supplies and charging station, and yearly visits from therapy dog teams before finals. Last September, Yoni founded the Mesivta News Network, a weekly student-run news broadcast in which he acts as host and editor. Next year, he plans to continue his spiritual growth and enhance his Talmud Torah at Yeshivat Har Etzion (Gush). Subsequently, he intends to double-major in biology and film production at Brandeis University.
Binyamin Werner, Rambam
Keter Shem Tov awardee
Binyamin is a constant presence at the school’s extra-learning Masmidim Program and president of the Early Morning Learning Program. He is the chief coordinator for HaMasmid and has written many divrei Torah as well. Binyamin is a true ben Torah. He is also the recipient of the Lawrence Association 2020 Good Citizen Award and is always there to help, give words of encouragement, or serve as the humble moral compass to friends and those around him. His kindness and commitment to others makes him the ideal recipient of Rambam’s Keter Shem Tov Award.
Despite the challenges faced over the past year and half, these students continued to exhibit the best in Torah learning, academic excellence, and the desire to give back. They are fitting representatives of the Class of 2021/5781.
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The first graders at Yeshiva of South Shore are learning firsthand how food grows from a little seed. They looked at seeds under the
microscope and planted bulbs in their garden
Celebrating Four Years of Mesivta Netzach HaTorah in Woodmere
Over the past four years, Mesivta Netzach HaTorah has quickly grown into a premier boys high school in the Five Towns community and beyond. This vibrant and exciting Mesivta continues to hold true to its founding mission in which every student is inspired to “learn Torah and live Torah.” Under the leadership of the Menahel, Rabbi Yitzchok Yurman, the Mesivta is proud to graduate its very first class this June, with 100% of the boys continuing their learning in Eretz Yisrael next year.
“We could not be happier with what our boys have achieved this year in particular, but really over the last four years, in their learning, middos and personal development. As a new Mesivta, we are honored to have our talmidim be accepted into the finest yeshivas in Eretz Yisrael to continue their growth next year,” said Rabbi Yurman.
With the tremendous growth of the Five Towns Jewish community in recent years, Netzach HaTorah was founded by visionaries to meet the needs of both the growing community as well as provide families with the opportunity to join a warm and closeknit Mesivta experience. What began as only a dream, quickly turned into a reality with families in the Five Towns, Far Rockaway, Queens and Brooklyn joining the Netzach family. As the Mesivta added grades over the years, the Mesivta brought in additional dynamic and experienced rebbeim along with a top-tier general studies department run by the principal, Rabbi Yirmiyahu Lebowitz. Providing an immersive and intensive limudei kodesh focus, coupled with a thorough academic program, the talmidim graduate ready for kollel and college. Netzach looks to meet the entire needs of every student without compromise.
“I am truly in awe of the tireless dedication of the Rosh HaYeshiva, Hanhala and staff of the Mesivta. They have built a yeshiva that is the pride of the community in just four short years. I am so proud to be a part of the growth and impact that this Mesivta has, and will have, on the entire Klal Yisrael,” said Shalom Vegh, president of the board. With experiential learning, trips, kumzitzes, chessed partnerships and many other opportunities inside and outside of the classroom and beis medrash, Netzach focuses on building the students with the mindset and responsibility of personal growth and helping others.
On Sunday, June 6 at 12:30 PM at The Woodmere Club, Netzach HaTorah will celebrate a historic milestone as they graduate their first class. This gala will pay tribute to the founding families of the Mesivta graduates, the pioneers, who opened the doors of the Mesivta four years ago and paved the way for future talmidim for years to come. Featuring an elegant outdoor BBQ and world renowned music stars Beri Weber, Simcha Leiner and Joey Newcomb, the gala will be a tribute to the dedication and vision of these founding families. Reservations and ads can be made at Netzachhatorah.com/gala. Deadline for ads is June 1st.
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Sen. Kaminsky Honors Student Stars
Senator Todd Kaminsky honored local high school standout students for excelling inside and out of the classroom with the New York State Senate Student Stars Award in a ceremony held on Sunday at the Rockville Centre Recreation Center. Each school in the 9th Senate District selects one student who has demonstrated outstanding academic and extracurricular excellence.
“The recipients of the New York State Senate Student Stars Award have distinguished themselves as leaders in their schools and our local community as a whole,” said Senator Kaminsky. “I was pleased to recognize their achievements and join their families in celebrating their accomplishments. I look forward to seeing what is in store next for these talented students, as they continue to make their mark.”
Local students honored by Senator Kaminsky include:
Judah Orlanski - Rambam Mesivta
Judah is a natural leader and excellent student in Rambam who is always willing to help his classmates and get involved in extracurricular activities. He will be heading to Yeshivat Lev Hatorah in the fall followed by Binghamton University.
Amichai Miller - DRS Yeshiva High School
Amichai Miller is an exceptional
Amichai with Senator Kaminsky Judah with Senator Kaminsky
DRS student in and out of the classroom. He spearheads the Kulanu club, which matches mainstream students with special needs students every week to participate in various activities. The program requires a tremendous amount of effort and coordination on Amichai’s part, through which he exemplifies leadership in the school.
Ezra Wallach - HAFTR
Ezra Wallach is one of HAFTR’s top students, taking a rigorous course load and many AP courses. He is a member of the mock trial team, the math team, assistant captain on the chess team, as well as a leader on the college bowl and Torah bowl teams. Ezra is also a member of various athletic teams. His community service involvement includes distributing food packages to needy families. He is a role model to other students in HAFTR for his leadership. Ezra is headed to Israel at Yeshivat Netiv Aryeh next year and subsequently will attend Yeshiva University.
Orli Flug- Stella K. Abraham
High School for Girls
Orli Flug is a bright young leader at SKA, dedicating much time and effort to her academic pursuits. She participates in many extracurricular activities including the College Bowl, the Israel action committee, Stella K. Abraham (SKA) mentoring program and serves as a leader in her synagogue. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she organized a backyard camp for children to interact, an effort that helped many families during these difficult times. She has made many efforts, both inside and outside of school, to bring people together.
Caitlin Davis - Hebrew
Academy of Nassau County
Caitlin is an excellent student at HANC who has a talent for mobilizing and organizing students whenever student involvement is needed. She is vice president of the Student Senate, a member of the National Honor Society, an athlete and dancer.
Senior Seminar and Shabbaton at Central
Seniors at Central enjoyed a Zoom week of programming at home! Wednesday kicked off with two inspirational speakers: Mr. and Mrs. Ari Blau, who spoke about their journey from Hollywood to Torah, and Rabbi Wegbreit, from Israel, who spoke about having kavanah while doing mitzvot.
Thursday began with a Taharat HaMishpacha class with Mrs. Rivka Alter, followed by a virtual tour of the Teaneck mikvah! Our seniors enjoyed a very personalized tour of the space and were able to ask questions along the way. On Thursday afternoon, the seniors had an optional “Sem-Prep Adulting” class with Mrs. Aliza Gewirtz, Ms. Elana Kook, and Ms. Leah Moskovich. There was an open floor to ask questions about the transition from Central to seminary, peer pressure, spiritual growth, and things to look out for and be prepared for living in another country.
The week concluded with G.O. elections, and an introduction to the Senior Shabbaton, happening this Shabbat at Camp Kaylie! The theme of Shabbat is “Aspire,” and the schedule is jam-packed with sessions, games, panels, and zemirot galore. It is sure to be a weekend to remember! Thank you to our seniors for another great week and to the following faculty members for joining with the seniors this Shabbat: Mrs. Rivka Alter, Ms. Kymmie Baker, Mrs. Shulamith Biderman, Mrs. Chani Cooper, Mrs. Hadassah Frankel, Mrs. Aliza Gewirtz, Rabbi Josh Goller, Ms. Elana Kook, Ms. Leah Moskovich, Ms. Bracha Rutner, Rabbi Joshua Strulowitz, Mrs. Rebecca Teper, Rabbi Elie Weissman, and Mrs. Jaqueline Walkowitz.
