HAFTR Celebrates Israel’s 63rd Birthday

students and families joined together Monday night in the school yard surrounded by lights, balloons and Israeli flags.

Joy Hammer, principal of HAFTR’s Lower School, Rabbi Dr. Steven Eisenberg, director of Judaic Studies, and Tova Zucker, director of special programs greeted the crowd. A new Israeli flag from the city of Chevron was hoisted to our flagpole by the Mory Family who brought it to us from Israel.

Our Bat Ami representatives, Hodaya and Tova, worked with the fifth grade students to represent “mesorah” (tradition), “chizuk” (strength), “chachma” (knowledge), “gevurah” (valor), achdut (unity) and shalom (peace) in a lively presentation. The audience enjoyed the boys’ Maccabiah-style basketball moves with coach, Mr. W, and were entertained by the drummers performing with Rebbe Ruach. Fourth graders sang in harmony to upbeat Hebrew songs.

The event culminated in HAFTR’s amazing daglanut (flag dance) where students formed the number “63” to mark Israel’s birthday, along with other orchestrated formations that dazzled the audience. Students then formed the words “Olam Chesed Yibaneh” – through good deeds the world will be built – with their Israeli flags. Children invited HAFTR tourists and "olim" to visit cities they created in a mini-Israel display located in the gym, and ate decorated blue and white cupcakes. 

The celebration continued the next day for the children with an assembly and celebration by HAFTR’s Lower School including HAFTR’s Early Childhood and Middle School divisions. Dressed in blue and white, the entire school joined together to mark the day. Everyone danced and sang in the school yard.

HAFTR’s Early Childhood joined the fun of Israel’s birthday festivities today with a parade and song as parents watched nearby. Students from ages two through five waved their flags proudly on the sunny day to celebrate Yom Ha’Atzmaut. The children then went to the Lower School yard to watch their “big brothers” and “big sisters” at the Lower School’s presentations and programs.

This release was sent to Patch by HAFTR.