Do you get defensive in your friendships and love relationships? What triggers that response from you? Is it inescapable to be on the defensive at times? Did you stumble upon a part of his character that drives you bats? Let’s be honest. We all have annoying habits and at times we release overwhelming degrees of frustration to our loved ones. Sure, you’d love to put some people on mute. I get it. Yet if you venture to air your grievances, he may get upset and even angry.

The much anticipated Seventh and Eighth Grade Girls Shabbaton began at the beautiful Holiday Inn in Piscataway, New Jersey, on Friday afternoon. Students swam in the indoor pool and participated in exciting “Pre-Shabbos ruach,” to welcome in Shabbos with singing and dancing. The energy continued throughout the evening.

October 7 continues. This past week, I had the privilege of joining 30 other students from my high school, Yeshiva University High School for Boys (MTA), on a mission to Israel. The purpose of the mission was to bear witness to the atrocities committed by Hamas on October 7 as well as to do chesed for people affected by that day and the IDF chayalim. One of the hardest parts of the trip was going from the sites of horror and hearing the saddest stories, to dancing and smiling with children who were just allowed back home in Kfar Maimon. Normally, one would need several days or months to cope with hearing so much bad news or seeing something terrible; but here, in a matter of hours, we were experiencing a once-in-a-lifetime emotional roller coaster that I will attempt to describe.

Mazal tov to Rebbe Karr and TAL 2, the oldest class at TAL Academy, on their siyum in honor of the completion of Perek Alef in Mishnayos Sukkah! Rebbe Karr and his students celebrated this momentous occasion with their fathers and grandfathers (and a few uncles and older brothers) at a Sunday morning program at the school.

Bnos Malka Academy is participating in the “Chayal of the Day” Program. Partnering with the yishuv of Neriyah, students are introduced to a different soldier each day. A picture, his name for t’filah, and a short bio, is provided so that students can connect to the person that they are davening for and, im yirtzeh Hashem, help create z’chuyos for his safety and protection. Pictures of students davening and the soldier posted in school are then sent back to Neriyah to bring chizuk to the family, letting them know that the girls of Bnos Malka are davening. May all of our soldiers be safe and home, im yirtzeh Hashem.