When the siren went off in the hallways and classrooms of the Stella K. Abraham High School for Girls on Thursday, April 28, students and teachers stood in silence, reflecting on those who had lost their lives in the Holocaust. Adding to the solemnity of the day, posters and original student art depicting the World War II war years were on display throughout the school.

Bnos Malka Academy had the honor of hearing from Mr. Yani Halpert on Yom HaShoah, where he shared his experience during the Holocaust. Mr. Halpert, born in Slovakia, survived the war as a child in hiding, together with his family. Using maps, he showed the route of his journey. “The places and towns are all foreign to the girls. The maps can give them a sense of where we hid in the forests and how far we had traveled.”

IVDU 5 Towns was excited to have a special Rosh Chodesh smoothie breakfast, highlighting the “blending” of all students together. Chodesh Iyar and the days of Sefiras HaOmer leading to Lag BaOmer, focus on the ideals of midos bein adam lchavero and interpersonal skills. Learning at IVDU 5 Towns has been focused on the importance of positive relationships amongst peers, including how we speak to friends and working cooperatively together.

MTA hosted programming to commemorate Yom HaShoah, enabling talmidim to engage in meaningful learning about the Holocaust, and lit six candles to honor the lives of the six million Jews who perished, Hy”d, whose memories will never be forgotten.