News

Glad to be back in school after an uplifting Sukkos and a ten-day hiatus on Zoom, the students of the Stella K. Abraham High School for Girls enjoyed a special chesed program sponsored by the Student Council on Wednesday, October 21. The month of Cheshvan is usually referred to as MarCheshvan since no Jewish holidays are found there; the Council members wanted to welcome the month in an original and pleasant way while masked and socially distancing.

Hidden Sparks Shares Guidance for Schools That Are Reverting
to Virtual Learning Due to COVID Precautions

With many of the region’s Jewish day schools temporarily transitioning back to virtual learning as a result of students testing positive for COVID-19, Hidden Sparks has released five tips for teachers to support students in mainstream Jewish day schools.

Hadar Bet Yaakov Ninth Graders have taken the “lead” in chesed projects this year with their recent chesed trip to pack Project LEAD food bags for the needy. Rabbi Avroham Hecht, director of Project LEAD, generously sponsored Hadar Bet Yaakov’s apple-picking trip, and so when the girls heard there was a giving opportunity from the same organization, they were excited to participate in this vital community mitzvah.

On Monday, October 19, talmidim participating in MTA’s Honors College were privileged to hear from Dr. Dean Hosgood, a professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Population Health at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Dr. Hosgood gave a virtual presentation on the topic of how epidemiologists identify and analyze diseases within populations. He explained the process through which epidemiologists investigate an outbreak of a disease and many of the external factors that could affect the results of their studies.

Rachel’s Children Reclamation Foundation (RCRF) celebrated its 26^th Annual Commemoration Dinner for Rachel Imeinu’s Yahrzeit of 11 MarCheshvan, on Sunday, October 25, at the Manhattan Beach Jewish Center in Brooklyn. (L-R) Keynote Speaker Rabbi Etan Tokayer, mara d’asra of Kingsway Jewish Center; Author, Artist, and Illusionist Rabbi Yonah Weinrib, who created the beautiful Awards, displayed by Honorees and Presenters; Sparks Next Video Producer Danny Finkelman, whose award-winning videos, “Rachel’s Children” – in collaboration with Evelyn Haies – and “Mira,” both written and composed by Cecelia Margules, were shown, Actualist Award; Perennial Master of Ceremonies Dr. Paul Brody, displaying the Brooklyn Borough President’s Proclamation of “Yahrzeit of Rachel Imeinu, Jewish Mother’s Day in Brooklyn;” Evelyn Haies, Founder and President, RCRF; Blogger Robin Ticker, presenter, Memorial Recognition for Helen Freedman a”h, Co-Executive Director, AFSI; and Margot Bayroff, presenter of Memorial Recognition for her father, Bruce Bayroff, Esq. z”l. COVID-19 precautions, such as wearing masks, social distancing, and limited attendance, were strictly observed.

Photo Credit: Deborah Scop

Acts of chesed these days are more important than ever, even while social distancing. With that in mind, the students of the Stella K. Abraham High School for Girls spent the week of October 26 listening to and learning from people who personify the attribute of chesed.