Local

The Bais Yaakov Academy of Queens always seeks to meet the needs of all of their parents and students. Last year, as the midwinter break approached, the administration noted that, although a large number of families would be traveling out of town for vacation, a significant number would remain in the New York City area. Many of the parents had work or other obligations and dreaded the annual scramble to find ways to keep their daughters occupied during the break. Rabbi Mordechai Ginsparg, BYQ’s Menahel, felt that creating an optional winter camp was extremely important, and the response to the offer was overwhelming. Following last year’s success, BYQ was ready once again to run a winter program. This year, even more girls signed up, with over 350 students attending the program, including sixth, seventh, and eighth graders, who served as counselors.

It might be cold and snowy outside, but on Tuesday, January 16, class 4C at Bnos Malka Academy “went camping” for the day! As the students walked into their English classroom, they were amazed to see it transformed into a campsite, complete with “tents” instead of desks, and a fire pit with logs for seating, replacing the usual carpet.

All MTA talmidim, rebbeim, teachers, and other staff look forward to winter break as an opportunity to unwind and take a break from the day-to-day routine. This year was no exception, but took on a new look, as everyone’s mind is more chesed-focused, and thoughts are with the people of Eretz Yisrael. Several of our talmidim spent their vacation doing chesed, both in Israel, and in their hometowns. MTA rebbeim, faculty, and staff are so proud of their talmidim for choosing to spend their break in such a positive way.

Ezra Academy’s yearlong mitzvah program is continuing, and just finished the next step in fostering spiritual growth among its students through the implementation of the Asher Yatzar Mitzvah Program. Asher Yatzar, the brachah recited to express gratitude for the intricate design of the human body and the seamless functioning of its various systems, is often overlooked. The program at Ezra Academy was designed to instill a sense of mindfulness and appreciation for the gift from Hashem of health and well-being.

YCQ students in Grades 1-8 participated in a beautiful day of chesed on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, January 15. In partnership with “All About Kindness,” students brought in various items from home to pack for local children in need and for chayalim in Israel. Students packed goody-bags, Havdalah sets, gloves and hats, and s’farim, and wrote heartfelt letters to accompany all the packages. Grade 7 Girls participated in another act of chesed on the previous Friday when they worked with Boots for Israel, an amazing local initiative organized by the Young Israel of Holliswood.

Mrs. Wargon’s third grade boys at Yeshiva Tiferes Moshe just finished their unit on chemistry. The boys learned that all the atoms that Hashem created in our universe can be found in the Periodic Table of Elements. These elements can be combined in different ways to create all of the matter that exists.