The HAFTR Family joined together on the evening of Saturday, Feb. 25, for the institution's 34th Annual HAFTR Dinner. We paid tribute to guests of honor Michelle and Scott Sulzberger, Yachad awardees Miriam and Avi Kestenbaum, and Rabbi Dr. Gilbert Klaperman, Esq., recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award.
HAFTR Welcomes Adar With Basketball
In honor of Rosh Chodesh Adar, ran its first annual student-faculty basketball game, with eighth grade boys playing against several HAFTR Middle school rabbis and basketball coaches.
The members of the eighth grade team were Coby Neuman, Sammy Mandel, Alex Schlesinger, Jacob Siri, Brian Nathan, David Rubin, Ezra Appel, Daniel Iliyasayev, Justin Glickman, Sasha Stern, Josh Kratka, Tzvi Gettenberg, Jesse Katz, Jonathan Zarka and Jacob Hoffman.
The faculty members who played included Rabbi Siff, Rabbi Weber, Rabbi Klapper, Mr. Lieber, Joey Hoenig, Moshe Cohen, and Yoni Lipshitz.
The gym was full of enthusiasm, as the entire middle school cheered on their fellow students and faculty members. At a special halftime show, students were chosen from the audience at random to shoot a 3-pointer and win exciting prizes. Though the faculty members defeated the students, a good time was had by all.
HAFTR Lower School Health Week
This week marked health week in HAFTR Lower School. Students learned all about the brain, using their brain to study the different sections of the brain and their functions.
Students in every grade learned about the brain in various ways, from the younger grades attempting brainteasers to the fourth and fifth grades performing virtual brain surgery. ‘Brainy’ facts decorated the school hallways and the PTA provided healthy snacks. Parents in health professions visited classes to lecture about health-related topics, with one parent bringing in a cow heart.
Students participated in a grade-wide ‘Brain Gym’ tournament with physical education teacher Mr. Jonathan Waisbrot, during which they exercised both their bodies and minds.
Challah Baking
The 10th grade girls’ Gemara class visited the home of Rabbi Steve Moskowitz, director of student activities, to bake challah with a friend of the Moskowitz family.
The instructor served as an inspirational teacher of the mitzvah of hafrashat challah (the baking of challah bread). Students were taught through a hands-on baking class about the importance of challah baking for Jewish women by learning the proper preparations of the dough and the spiritual meaning behind them.
