The middle school students at the Yeshiva of Central Queens (YCQ) recently participated in the school’s first Day of Chesed of the 2019-20 academic year. As part of the special program on Thursday, October 10, the students engaged in a number of activities, all of which spread a degree of warmth, love, and learning to different parts of the Queens Jewish community.
YCQ’s Day of Chesed initiative, which takes place several times throughout the year, is a prime example of the school’s innovative and interactive approach to academic and religious growth. The full range of YCQ’s quality religious and general studies programs will be on display during the school’s upcoming Open House, which will take place on Sunday morning, November 10, at 10:00, at 147-37 70th Road in Kew Gardens Hills.
The sixth-grade girls traveled to the Atria Kew Gardens and the Margaret Tietz Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, where they played Human Bingo. The seventh-grade girls volunteered at Masbia (Queens) and the Kehilat Sefardim food pantry, while the eighth-grade girls decorated the sukkah at Meadow Park Rehabilitation & Health Care Center and at Boulevard Assisted Living.
The sixth-grade boys went to Cliffside Rehabilitation and Residential Healthcare Center in Flushing and Rego Park Health Care, where they played Human Bingo, while the seventh-grade boys spent time in the YCQ Multi-Purpose Room learning about Sukkos with individuals from Bais Ezra, a division of OHEL Children’s Home and Family Services, which assists people with developmental disabilities and their families. The eighth-grade boys made fall projects with the students at the Hebrew Academy for Special Children (HASC), which provides education and services to children with special needs.
“Learning is not only done in the classroom; learning also takes place in the community,” said YCQ Principal Rabbi Mark Landsman. “Imparting to our students the importance of doing chesed for others and providing them with opportunities to engage in experiential educational activities designed to help those in need is a core component of our educational mission. At YCQ, our comprehensive curriculum is designed to enable our students to constantly grow academically, socially, and spiritually.”
The November 10 Open House will feature guided tours of the Yeshiva and a stimulating first-grade lesson for parents, which will include a session on YCQ’s creative Hebrew immersion program. While parents are occupied with the programming relating to the adults, children will enjoy interactive lessons with YCQ’s Kindergarten staff.
YCQ features smart-board technology in every classroom, a state-of-the-art science lab, two fully-equipped computer labs, and separate classes for boys and girls beginning in fourth grade. The school also offers numerous after-school programs and clubs, including mishmar, chess, band instruction, drama, and dance. Additionally, YCQ runs an extensive sports program, including a boys’ junior varsity basketball team, a varsity boys’ basketball team, a girls’ basketball team, and a hockey team.
Free transportation to YCQ is available from Queens, the Five Towns, West Hempstead, and Great Neck.
For more information about YCQ and the November 10 Open House, please call 718-793-8500 (ext. 313) or visit www.ycqweb.com.