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Teachers from HALB Middle School, SKA, and DRS attended Day One of the Civic Spirit Educators Institute earlier this week. At the Institute, teachers from all three schools worked with neighboring schools to gain the tools to cultivate student connection to our country’s founding values and institutions, to empower them to become influential in their communal landscape, and to increase knowledge of foundational American texts and ideas.

Lev Chana student Charles Neumann is so proud of his big brother who is in the IDF. Before his trip to Israel to visit him, Charles’ classmates wrote letters of encouragement for his brother and the entire unit. The soldiers were all so excited to receive the letters. And, of course, the students were so happy to see a picture of their letters in the soldiers’ hands!

It was a record-breaking year for the Ezra graduates of 2023 who were able to go spend a gap year in Eretz Yisrael this year. As the staff and faculty celebrated the departures of 18 students to Israel to learn Torah this September, it was clear that Ezra Academy was growing significantly in their mission to help students develop and grow their foundation for a Jewish future.

MTA’s ARISTA Honor Society takes on leadership roles within the school in various ways throughout the year. They offer peer tutoring, run all kinds of programs, and organize several events. One such event is the long-standing, highly popular Blood Drive. Twice a year, ARISTA organizes a blood drive that MTA talmidim, teachers, and YU students frequent. Giving blood has become something MTA sophomores especially look forward to doing, as they turn 16 during the school year.

Central continued this year’s focus on the Power of Positivity with “Thank You, Hashem” Day on Wednesday, November 29, one of many self-care days that will be held for students throughout the year. The focus for the end of the semester is “Positivity in Action,” a push that has incorporated various activities and outings stressing the importance of a positive mindset into student interactions with the outside world.

In response to the terrible events of October 7, and the ongoing war since then, Hatzioni, MTA’s Israel Club and Publication, knew that they needed to organize something that could make a difference in helping the soldiers in Israel. After hearing that the army base of MTA alumnus Gavriel Pudell needed kippot, a cookie sale was organized and $340 was quickly raised. The money reached Gavriel’s unit through Lev LaChayil, an organization dedicated to helping Lone Soldiers.