Good Erev Shabbat to all!
It is with great anticipation and excitement that we announce "An Evening of Inspiration" for the benefit of the children of the Hebrew Academy of West Queens, featuring the renowned author and lecturer HaRav Yissocher Frand, Shlita. The event will, B'Ezrat Hashem, take place on Sunday evening March 16 @ 7:30 pm, and will be graciously hosted by the Young Israel of Queens Valley in Kew Garden Hills, HaRav Peretz Steinberg, Shlita, Morah D'Asra. Rabbi Frand's timely topic will be Klal Yisroel: A Study in Diversity. We are looking forward to greeting everyone personally!
Rabbi Frand in his latest Sefer points out an interesting contrast in this week’s Parsha. When the Torah describes the Luchot at the time they were first given to Moshe, they are simply referred to as “two tablets of testimony, stone tablets inscribed by the finger of Hashem”. However, when Moshe was about to destroy the Luchot, the Torah goes into great detail to delineate the miraculous nature they possessed. The fact that they were engraved from both sides, the center of the “mem” and “samach” suspended in midair, and they are called “Maaseh Elokim” (Hashem’s handiwork). Why is this unique aspect of the Luchot only highlighted as they were about to be destroyed and not when they were first presented to Moshe Rabbeinu? Rabbi Frand quotes the Shemen HaTov who explains that the Torah here is teaching us an important lesson for life. Very often we don’t appreciate the blessings Hashem showers upon us until they are gone. We don’t appreciate children until they have gone off and we have an “empty nest”. We don’t take advantage of all the time available to us to study Torah when we are young, until life’s responsibilities limit our time as we grow older. We waste cherished opportunities to be with our elderly parents until, G-d forbid, it is too late. The same concept can be derived in the story of the “Well of Mriam”. Hashem dried up the rock upon Miriam’s passing so the Klal Yisroel would appreciate that it was in her great merit that the rock brought forth water. Isn’t it tragic that for the forty years that through Miriam they were sustained, the Klal Yisroel did not recognize the true greatness of the Tzedeket in their midst? As educators, sometimes in the day to day difficulties and frustration of the classroom we lose sight of what a great Zchut we have to be the inspiration for another link in the glorious Mesorah of Klal Yisraol. We have to step back and cherish the moments we spend with our students, the future of the Jewish nation!
Shabbat Shalom!
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Friday, February 22, 2008
Saturday, February 16, 2008
February 15, 2008 Newsletter
Good Erev Shabbat to all!
This week, the boys had a special treat to celebrate their success in the Brachot Bee. The winning team was treated to lunch at Dougies and the runners-up lunch at Benji's together with their Rebbies (nice places to practice their Brachot). Also, this week we were very proud of our boys who played a fine basketball game against the Shaare Tzion team. Good sportmanship was exhibited by both teams, which, afterall, is the main goal!
In last week’s Parsha, the Torah describes the construction of the Aron Kodesh, the holy ark, the symbol of Torah in the Mishkan. The Torah teaches us that the Aron was plated with a layer of gold both on the outside as well as the inside. The Chazal learn from this that how we appear on the outside must be reflected in our inner being as well. A similar lesson can be derived from the week’s Parsha. One of the garments of Kohanim were the Michnasayim, the breeches, as it states "and you should make for them pants of linen to cover". What was the need of these pants if the Kohen’s Ketonet, his tunic, adequately covered him. The answer is that as important outer modesty is, having inner modestly is equally important. The Gemara relates a story of a woman named Kimchis who had the extraordinary honor of all her sons becoming Kohanim Gedolim. When asked to what she attributed this unbelievable accomplishment she answered that it was in the merit that "even the walls of my house never saw my hair uncovered". Piety is not a show for outside world, but it must permeate into our innermost souls. This is particularly crucial in dealing with children. Children have the uncanny ability to see right through hypocrisy. If we are to serve as proper role models, we must strive to internalize the values we portray, if want them to be absorbed by our children. The same applies to the Ahavah with which we reach out to our children. As our Mashgiach Ruchani Rabbi Hecht, Shlita always reminds us, we must constantly work on ourselves to make our Ahavah genuine, so that it will truly be felt by our students.
Shabbat Shalom!
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This week, the boys had a special treat to celebrate their success in the Brachot Bee. The winning team was treated to lunch at Dougies and the runners-up lunch at Benji's together with their Rebbies (nice places to practice their Brachot). Also, this week we were very proud of our boys who played a fine basketball game against the Shaare Tzion team. Good sportmanship was exhibited by both teams, which, afterall, is the main goal!
In last week’s Parsha, the Torah describes the construction of the Aron Kodesh, the holy ark, the symbol of Torah in the Mishkan. The Torah teaches us that the Aron was plated with a layer of gold both on the outside as well as the inside. The Chazal learn from this that how we appear on the outside must be reflected in our inner being as well. A similar lesson can be derived from the week’s Parsha. One of the garments of Kohanim were the Michnasayim, the breeches, as it states "and you should make for them pants of linen to cover". What was the need of these pants if the Kohen’s Ketonet, his tunic, adequately covered him. The answer is that as important outer modesty is, having inner modestly is equally important. The Gemara relates a story of a woman named Kimchis who had the extraordinary honor of all her sons becoming Kohanim Gedolim. When asked to what she attributed this unbelievable accomplishment she answered that it was in the merit that "even the walls of my house never saw my hair uncovered". Piety is not a show for outside world, but it must permeate into our innermost souls. This is particularly crucial in dealing with children. Children have the uncanny ability to see right through hypocrisy. If we are to serve as proper role models, we must strive to internalize the values we portray, if want them to be absorbed by our children. The same applies to the Ahavah with which we reach out to our children. As our Mashgiach Ruchani Rabbi Hecht, Shlita always reminds us, we must constantly work on ourselves to make our Ahavah genuine, so that it will truly be felt by our students.
Shabbat Shalom!
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Sunday, February 10, 2008
February 8, 2008 Newsletter
Good Erev Shabbat to all!
Here at the Hebrew Academy of West Queens, we are tremendously privileged to have in our midst our esteemed Mashgiach Ruchani, HaRav Mordechai Hecht, Sh'lita. He is truly the "Sabah" of our Torat Yisrael Sabah Middle School Division. With kindness and wisdom he connects with every member of our student body as well as the entire staff. He is the paragon of Ahavat Yisrael, that we all strive towards. His daily Gemara shiur to our select older Bochrim, has resulted in their placement in the finest Yeshiva High Schools around the country. His weekly discussion on the Parsha, with a strong emphasis on Midot development, is a highlight of the school week.
We would like to share with you a Torah thought from HaRav Hecht on this week's Parsha.
This week’s Parsha begins with Hashem instructing Moshe Rabbeinu to speak to the Bnai Yisroel and tell them, "V’Yikchu lee Terumah", they should take for me Terumah. The Chasam Sofer asks that it should say "V’Yitnu lee", they should give to me. He answers that everything belongs to Hashem. When a person uses Hashem’s property properly, according to wishes of Hashem, then he receives contentment and happiness. Therefore, by giving Terumah one actually is taking from Hashem. From this beautiful answer of the Chasam Sofer we learn a lesson in human psychology. When giving Tzedakah, if one thinks he is giving his own, it may be hard to part with one’s money. However, if one thinks of the Pasuk of "Lee HaKesef, Lee HaZahav", Hashem says that the silver and gold is mine, it becomes easier to give. When he realizes it all belongs to Hashem, he will make sure that he gives according to the wishes of Hashem and will receive Simcha and contentment
Shabbat Shalom!
Donate Now
Here at the Hebrew Academy of West Queens, we are tremendously privileged to have in our midst our esteemed Mashgiach Ruchani, HaRav Mordechai Hecht, Sh'lita. He is truly the "Sabah" of our Torat Yisrael Sabah Middle School Division. With kindness and wisdom he connects with every member of our student body as well as the entire staff. He is the paragon of Ahavat Yisrael, that we all strive towards. His daily Gemara shiur to our select older Bochrim, has resulted in their placement in the finest Yeshiva High Schools around the country. His weekly discussion on the Parsha, with a strong emphasis on Midot development, is a highlight of the school week.
We would like to share with you a Torah thought from HaRav Hecht on this week's Parsha.
This week’s Parsha begins with Hashem instructing Moshe Rabbeinu to speak to the Bnai Yisroel and tell them, "V’Yikchu lee Terumah", they should take for me Terumah. The Chasam Sofer asks that it should say "V’Yitnu lee", they should give to me. He answers that everything belongs to Hashem. When a person uses Hashem’s property properly, according to wishes of Hashem, then he receives contentment and happiness. Therefore, by giving Terumah one actually is taking from Hashem. From this beautiful answer of the Chasam Sofer we learn a lesson in human psychology. When giving Tzedakah, if one thinks he is giving his own, it may be hard to part with one’s money. However, if one thinks of the Pasuk of "Lee HaKesef, Lee HaZahav", Hashem says that the silver and gold is mine, it becomes easier to give. When he realizes it all belongs to Hashem, he will make sure that he gives according to the wishes of Hashem and will receive Simcha and contentment
Shabbat Shalom!
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February 1, 2008 Newsletter
Good Erev Shabbat to all!
All our classes in both the Boys Division and the Girls Division have been very busy gearing up for this coming week's Brachot Bee. We are looking forward to an exciting contest, but the real winner will all our students saying their Brachot better.
Our boys had intricate lessons in weaving as Rabbi Hecht began teaching about the Melacha of "weaving", as we learn Mesechet Shabbat in memory of Mr. Isidore Feld, a'h.
In the General Studies Department, we have embarked on a brand new program in our Gruss Successmaker Computer Lab. Under the guidance of Mrs. Mindy Levitz, our Gruss Computer Lab supervisor, we initiated for our younger students Painters Workshop, part of the innovative Writers Workshop Program. In this exciting program the children are assigned a topic and using colorful computer graphics create a beautiful picture related to the topic. Using their own picture as their guide, they write a paragraph about their topic. The computer then highlights their errors, and students make the proper corrections. It is a great way to inspire hesitant youngsters to express themselves in writing! Thank you, Mrs. Levitz.
In this week’s Parsha the Torah states that one should not take bribery because it "blinds the eyes of those who can see" Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser quotes the Avnei Nezer who differentiates between a actual blind person and one who is prejudiced by a bribe. A blind person knows they are blind and in need of others help. A biased person often doesn’t realize to what extent their sense of reality is distorted. He gives an example of a doctor who made his practice to examine each patient before looking at his files and payment history. He was afraid that his level of care would effected if he knew that the patient he was examining was late in payment or had poor insurance coverage. This is an important lesson for us in Chinuch as well. Very often a child becomes stigmatized at an early age with a learning problem or behavioral issues. This albatross remains with him from year to year from teacher to teacher, even from school to school. It is important for us to constantly view a student as a clean slate and to realize that if one approach was unsuccessful that does not brand him for life as a failure. We must always strive not to be blinded by past difficulties and to find new pathways to success for our children.
Shabbat Shalom!
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