News

Before winter break, the Grade 6 Girls, alongside Morah Rina Bienenfeld, hosted an amazing Shuk Tu BiSh’vat for the students at YCQ. When students arrived at the shuk, they were handed a passport, “shekalim,” and a sheet with T’hilim that had the name of a YCQ alumnus currently serving in the IDF. Students had their passports stamped and were transported to Machane Yehuda. They used their shekalim to “purchase” Israeli foods and make all the different b’rachot.

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.

At SINAI at YCQ, our oldest and youngest students read together, an activity that offers older kids the chance to practice their reading and social skills, and to feel empowered.

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.

Over winter break, several students and staff, including Rabbi and Lisa Zakutinsky, delivered letters to chayalim in Israel written by HALB, Lev Chana, and SKA students. Each and every letter brought smiles and feelings of hope to those protecting Israel and the Jewish people.

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.