Due to the difficult matzav in Eretz Yisrael, the girls in the Bais Yaakov of Queens have been involved in various initiatives. Through these means, they have been demonstrating their ahavas Yisrael, their desire to be nosei b’ol chaveiro, and their g’milas chasadim. One important initiative is Match-A-Mitzvah, where each girl chooses a mitzvah to focus on more carefully as a z’chus for y’shuos in Eretz Yisrael. Another one, called Shabbos of Chesed, has the girls filling in a bookmark listing the chasadim they will perform on Shabbos, for example: set the table and babysit for younger siblings, as a z’chus for klal Yisrael.

Nearly 100 families attended YCQ’s Open House on Sunday, November 5. After Rabbi Mark Landsman, Principal, welcomed everyone and led the audience in T’hilim for Eretz Yisrael, the Uncle Moishy concert began. Uncle Moishy engaged the crowd with some old and new Torah-themed songs, including classics like the “Clean Up Song’’ and “Hashem Is Here.” Parents and their children then broke into four groups and had the opportunity to meet the moros of YCQ and see the Kindergarten and First Grade classrooms in action.

The fourth-grade students of Bnos Malka Academy gathered for a special occasion: the beginning of learning sifrei Nevi’im. As a unique siyum for finishing the first perek in Sefer Yehoshua, the students had a lavish breakfast and were thrilled to hear Rabbi Weichselbaum discuss the importance of learning Navi and the timely lessons for our daily lives. Students received a special Birkon as a gift to commemorate the morning and were able to make the connection that Yehoshua wrote the paragraph of Nodeh in bentching.

The eighth-grade boys of Yeshiva Har Torah recently participated in a meaningful event aimed at supporting the chayalim (soldiers) in Israel. In response to a request for tzitzis from the soldiers, and under the guidance of Rabbi Etan Ehrenfeld, Middle School Assistant Principal, the students engaged in the making of tzitzis. By crafting the garments, the eighth-grade boys of Yeshiva Har Torah hoped to provide the chayalim with an additional layer of protection as they fulfill their duties in protecting Medinat Yisrael.