Purim at SKA

 

Cahal Students Enjoy Giving

Cahal at TAG celebrates Purim

This Purim season, the students in Cahal found many wonderful ways to do acts of chesed and ‘give back’ to their local communities.

The students in Rabbi Chananya Grinberg’s sixth and seventh grade Cahal class at Yeshiva of South Shore brought baskets of mishloach manos to the local Hatzalah garage in Woodmere. The boys also delivered letters of thanks to the volunteers in Hatzalah recognizing the heroic, selfless support that they give to our community members. The students were given a tour of the facilities and were astounded at the vast array of sophisticated equipment in the Hatzalah ambulances.

Ms. Shoshana Lubin’s HAFTR fourth through sixth graders created their own Purim play, including all the props and costumes. After many rehearsals, they performed their play first for the second and third grade Cahal class at YOSS and then went the next day to perform it at the New Nautilus, an assisted living facility in Atlantic Beach. Accompanied by their rebbe, Rabbi Justin Lepolstat, they followed the performance by dancing and singing Purim songs with the residents, bringing much joy.

Mrs. Aviva Balsam’s TAG sixth and seventh grade girls shopped for food and supplies and assembled 20 mishloach manos packages for the Achiezer kosher hospitality room in South Nassau Communities Hospital. They also created their very own “comic strip megillah” to pick up the spirits of the patients on Purim and made the trip to the hospital to deliver everything. Additional mishloach manos packages and letters of refuah were prepared and sent by Mrs. Yael Sara Rendler’s first and second grade Cahal class at Yeshiva Darchei Torah. Not to be outdone, the girls in Mrs. Avigayil Karmely’s fifth and sixth grade class at BBY sent misholach manos to the residents in a local Ohel Home for Women.

Many thanks to Achiezer, Ohel, Hatzalah, all the parent volunteers, and the Cahal teaching staff for enabling the children to have such rewarding and meaningful experiences.

Cahal, the local yeshiva-based and sponsored community program for children with learning challenges, now in its 27th year, provides smaller, more individualized classes in the local yeshivas catering to children’s learning styles, where all the students attend mainstream activities daily, including lunch, recess, specials, assemblies, trips, and more. When ready, children attend academic classes as well, with support from Cahal to ensure success. The experienced and caring Cahal teachers make it all happen.

Cahal is currently accepting students. For more information about the Cahal program and to donate to this great community organization, contact cahal@cahal.org or call 516-295-3666.

Bnei Akiva Hamantash Bake

Bnei Akiva Hamantash Bake

Bnei  Akiva  of  Woodmere  and  the  Young  Israel  of  Woodmere  Sisterhood joined  forces  this  past  week  for  an  epic hamantaschen bake!  With  well  over  100 people  in  attendance,  the  evening  brought  generations  together,  as  children  of  all ages baked hamantaschen with their parents and grandparents.

In true Bnei Akiva style, the high-school madrichim were empowered to help host and lead the event. Flour, jam,and sprinkles were everywhere, laughter filled the room, and everyone went  home  with  delicious  Purim  treats!  For  more  information  about  Bnei  Akiva and upcoming events, follow them on Facebook @BneiAkivaWoodmere.

Shulamith Celebrates Purim

Shulamith Purim middle grades

Shulamith students from all divisions celebrated Purim joyously! In the Early Childhood division, talmidot enjoyed the opportunity to come to school in their costumes and learn about the upcoming chag! They especially loved baking hamantashen.

In the Lower Division, the annual Mitzvah Masquerade was a resounding success. Third and fourth graders worked in groups to create costumes related to berachot, mitzvot, or Chumash. Each group was allotted three minutes to present their costumes, and the creative and original results were most impressive! Congratulations to the overall winners, Miri Bindiger, Chava Bugapolsky, Noa Hirth, Meira Moskowitz, and Avital Rosman for their costumes representing the mitzvah of shiluach hakan.

The eighth graders took charge of the annual SWO sponsored Purim Carnival. Led by Meira Berkowitz and Melissa Zalisky, the carnival afforded each student the opportunity to greet Adar with unbridled simcha. The eighth graders were thrilled to welcome their friends from Kulanu who joined them for some carnival day fun. This year’s carnival had a sports theme, so there were athletes and cheerleaders running the moon bounce, obstacle course, and booths that included the ever-popular Fluff ‘n Chips, Pickle Race, and Bean Bag Challenge, and the newly-created “Fruit Loopers.” As they noshed on cotton candy and popcorn, it was evident that a great time was had by each attendee!

South Shore Talmidim Spend Purim With Their Rebbeim

YOSS rebbeim and talmidim on Purim

Everyone knows of the special connection between the talmidim and rebbeim of Yeshiva of South Shore. This relationship transcends the in-school activities and the tremendous care that the rebbeim show their talmidim. Over Purim, the connection reached a new level, as hundreds of talmidim took advantage of this special day to rejoice with their rebbeim.

From preschool through eighth grade, for almost the entire day, talmidim streamed to the home of the rosh yeshiva, the menahalim, and their respective rebbeim to give mishloach manos and sing and dance together.

Some talmidim traveled as far as Brooklyn or Queens just to see their rebbeim on Purim. However, everything stopped mid-day when hundreds of talmidim and their fathers or another adult joined together to learn Torah at the annual Yeshivas Mordechai HaTzaddik in the yeshiva. In the spirit of community achdus and the theme of “kimu v’kiblu,” boys from the neighborhood who attend other yeshivos joined in the learning and the exciting prizes as well.

The spirit and warmth of the yeshiva permeated Purim in Yeshiva of South Shore.

One parent commented, “I know the Yeshiva is off for Purim, but my kids spent the day with their rebbeim and learning Torah!”

H-A-M-A-N-T-A-S-C-H Spells Hamantasch at Brandeis

Brandeis Purim carnival

Purim was positively perfect at Brandeis! On Purim day, parents, grandparents, graduates, and former Brandeis parents joined middle-school students for a community Megillah reading. Students then received a special Purim snack (rainbow bagels and hamantaschen). Throughout the day, teachers celebrated Purim through various classroom activities.

On Friday, Shushan Purim, students were welcomed by Purim music playing loudly in the halls. Children watched as illusionist Eric Wilzig captivated them with his magic. Younger students were entertained by Fluffy the Clown. Students were then welcomed to a school-wide carnival with inflatables and booths created and operated by seventh-grade students and parent volunteers. Younger students had the opportunity to bounce in several inflatables as well. Thank you to the Brandeis Parents’ Association for sponsoring the majority of Purim activities

In celebration of Purim, Morah Yochi invited kindergarten fathers, uncles, grandfathers, and other relatives to the classroom to build their very own leytzan (Purim clown).

Chag sameach to all!

MSH Students Bring in MiSHenichnat Adar!

MiSHenichnat Adar at MSH

The energy in the room was palpable and contagious as the Midreshet Shalhevet (MSH) students celebrated Chodesh Adar with an exciting and festive chagigah. Dressed in an array of costumes, the students walked the red carpet to enter the movie awards-themed ballroom. DJ Gary Wallin added to the simcha with lively music, and the students and female faculty danced together during the “Dance, Dance Revolution” portion of the program. Everyone was rolling with laughter at the senior class’s Purim shpiel movie.

The chagigah wrapped up with a costume contest, won by sophomores Leah Cohen and Miriam Frankel dressed as Donald Trump and “his wall.” Coming in close at second place were juniors Basya Borenstein, Jackie Kramer, Tal Gaon, Avigayil Roffe, Simone Shafiro, and Staci Steinfeld dressed as the “stages of life.” It was a great way to bring in the Purim cheer and celebrate together.

Simchat Purim At SKA

Purim at SKA

It was a vibrant and spirited scene at SKA’s annual Purim Chagigah on Tuesday evening, March 19, and everyone had a blast! The gym, decorated with different displays, was filled with joyous students, delicious food, and colorful photo booths. In addition to the hilarious Purim spiel, the students were treated to a concert by Eli Marcus whose amazing voice led the dancing to new heights!

Ta’anit Esther, which was observed the next day, took on deeper meaning this year when the SKA students participated in a video hookup with schools across the United States and Jerusalem. Esther in the Megillah exhorts “Lech knos es kol haYehudim,” — go and gather all the Jews — and hundreds of high-school students did just that on Wednesday, March 20. They heard from various speakers, said Tehillim and tefillot together, and sang.

When the fast ended, the festivities began. With individual grade Purim parties on Wednesday night, and days of Purim shtick beforehand, the girls of SKA really enjoyed simchat yom tov. Many thanks to the Paritsky, Solomon, Ganchrow, and Yudin families for opening their homes to the students and their grade-level advisers for merrymaking.

DRS Purim Party

DRS Purim Party

When walking into DRS Yeshiva on Purim night, one can’t help but feel “marbim b’simcha.” The annual DRS Purim chagigah is a highlight of the year and is unique to DRS, as it is one of the few schools that hosts its students and their parents at a fun, exciting, and inspiring Simchat Purim event. The night began as students, parents, and community members filled DRS’s beautiful beit midrash for Megillah reading led by Rabbi Kaminetsky. Following Megillah, a siyum was made by students who completed Masechet Megillah in the 60 days leading up to Purim! On Purim, we celebrate the fact the Jews at that time willingly reaccepted the Torah, and it was so inspiring to see high-school students accept this great project upon themselves in honor of the holiday.

The night continued as DRS students and rebbeim, decked out in Purim costume, danced for hours to the lively music of Neshoma Orchestra. Following dancing, everyone enjoyed the annual student-created comedy videos and a comedy performance of “DRS NEWS” by some of the DRS rebbeim. The night faded away as the student body burst into laughter.

MTA Talmidim, Rebbeim Celebrate Purim Together

MTA talmidim and rebbeim enjoyed an unforgettable Purim celebration together. The evening started with Minchah and shiurim, followed by Ma’ariv, Megillah, and break-fast. Then the real fun began with incredible dancing, tremendous ruach, an entertaining Purim video created by the seniors, and a costume contest. They ended the night at the Yeshiva University chagigah, where everyone had a great time dancing with MTA alumni as well as YU roshei yeshiva and talmidim!

HANC ECC Purim Carnival

HANC ECC Purim Carnival

HANC ECC West Hempstead celebrated Shushan Purim with a school-wide Purim carnival. The children enjoyed coming to school all dressed up in their Purim costumes and playing all the fun carnival games with their friends. Thank you to all the parent volunteers who helped make this carnival a big success.

Purim Cheer at Marion and Aaron Gural JCC

Shalom Jacobs leads Purim event for Holocaust survivors at JCC

There was plenty of freilich cheer at the Purim party for 75 Holocaust survivors at the Marion and Aaron Gural JCC. Shalom Jacobs, chazan at Chabad of the Five Towns, began the festivities with joyful singing followed by 95-year-old Holocaust survivor, Cantor Mitgang, who recited the traditional blessings. Shmuel Jacobs, a ninth-grader at Mesivta Ateres Yaakov, did a beautiful reading of the megillah.

The survivors shared a delicious Purim seudah and then the celebration continued as Jeffrey Wolberg, a junior at HAFTR High School, entertained with classical piano music, and HAFTR eighth-grader AJ Mandel walked around the tables performing stupefying magic tricks. The survivors danced to festive musical entertainment and had a blast playing Purim Bingo. A special shout out to Bingo callers Sofia Glaubach and Olivia Baruc and to the more than 30 HAFTR community volunteers who brought great simcha to the party! A very special, heartfelt thank you to Ariel and Baruch Glaubach, as well as Rifky and Eli Robinson, and Elkie and Zvi Willner for so generously sponsoring and orchestrating this amazing event and for making the JCC’s Chaverim Purim 2019 a celebration to remember!

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