A lot has been happening in the Yeshiva of South Shore, both within its walls and outside as well. Last week the yeshiva hosted Rabbi Maimon Elbaz who presented one of his signature audiovisual Torah shows to the third, fourth, and fifth grades. The theme of the presentation was “emunah.” Through the use of hundreds of mesmerizing pictures, Rabbi Elbaz was able to reveal the essence of the 13 Ani Ma’amin of the Rambam in a most captivating way. The talmidim sat for over an hour as they gained an appreciation for the most basic fundamentals of Yahadus. It is an experience which not only inspired them but which will iy’H impact their daily lives.

In the Mechina division, the Zichron Tzirel Middos program is in full swing. The middos program is dedicated to the memory of Rebbitzen Tzirel Kamenetzky, a’h, and promotes middos tovos through a host of activities. The theme for this year’s program is chesed. Rabbi Zev Davidowitz, Menahel HaMechina, expressed the importance of each class going out of their comfort zone to perform acts of chesed in a physical way. As such, arrangements were made for each individual class to engage in a special chesed activity.

Some of the seventh grade classes volunteered at Masbia of Queens where they helped with various chores in preparation to feed the hungry and needy. Their rebbe, Rabbi Gideon Lemberger, expressed amazement at how the boys repackaged 1,600 lbs. of pasta in a methodical and organized way. They also carried dozens of cases of juice in preparation for distribution. He also commented on how the boys worked with achdus and zrizus.

The eighth grade volunteered at the Silver Lake Cemetery in Staten Island. They helped upkeep the cleanliness around the kevarim of hundreds of Yidden, some of whom were early immigrants to New York at the turn of the century. “I was so inspired to see the talmidim so actively involved,” said Rabbi Shlomo Drebin, the middos program coordinator. “Despite the cold, each and every boy was fired up and put in maximum effort to rake leaves, move fallen branches, and clean up this very old cemetery in order to give proper kavod hameis. They understood that kavod haniftar does not end with burial, but continues in perpetuity.”

Other classes will be visiting senior citizen centers before Chanukah to cheer up its residents. Additionally, the eighth grade will be going to HASC in Brooklyn where they will liven up the crowd with singing and dancing in the Chanukah spirit.

The talmidim of Yeshiva of South Shore have gained a true appreciation of chesed and will hopefully develop into true ba’alei chesed. 

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