HAFTR News: UN Visit, Game Night and Sunday Minyan

Tuvia Book, the 12th grade Zionism teacher at , ventured on Nov. 14 with his class to the United Nations and the Israeli Consulate General.

Their tour guide showed various exhibits, including a memorable Holocaust exhibit. As they continued on through the exhibits, one student pointed out several false facts about a Palestine exhibit. For example, the exhibit stated double the number of actual Palestinian refugees. It also stated that the Palestinians lost the land to the Jews, however, it didn’t mention the 1947 U.N. Partition plan, Resolution 181 (II), which the Palestinian Arabs declined, and the Palestinian Jews accepted.

The tour guide responded to the student, “Well, if you are questioning the validity of this exhibit, then you can also question the validity of the Holocaust and its exhibit.” Students actually felt the hatred and anti-semitism of the world.

From learning in Book’s Zionism class about how Hasbara is such a vital necessity for the outside world, students realized the significance of Hasbara after their visit to the U.N. Their learning experience about Hasbara was enhanced at the Israeli Consulate. Students learned from the speaker that Israel is this puzzle that people put together in their own way.

From this experience, students had the chance to realize what they need to do as role models for the Jewish nation and Israel. Am Yisrael Chai!

Game Night

Befuzzled, Cowabunga, Hue New?, Ratuki, Staccabees, Swat, Ubongo Extreme and Word on the Street Jr. were just a few of the games featured on Nov. 29 at Game Night, organized by fourth grade teacher Beth Dubin.

An audience of 300 eager game players rotated from game to game to learn how to play. Students signed up to be instructors and took shifts to explain their favorite games to their audience.

“The games are fun and teach you about sportsmanship and help you with math and spelling,” said Sam Mari, a fourth grade Game Night participant.

Ezra Schechter, a fifth grade student who helped organize Game Night said, “playing games teaches you that TV and playing on the computer is not what life is all about. We can have fun playing games with friends and family.”  

The monies raised from the raffles held throughout the night will purchase games for our classrooms.

Sunday Morning Minyan

Sunday, Dec. 4th marked the beginning of an exciting new tradition at HAFTR High School. 

Rabbi Ben Zion Kirsch, a respected HAFTR faculty member, led the first Sunday Morning minyan in HAFTR High School’s recently renovated Beit Midrash. Grandfathers, fathers and sons from local yeshivas in the community united to begin their morning in prayer. More than 70 people participated in the minyan, which was followed by a delicious hot breakfast. 

Rabbi Kirsch will be leading a Sunday morning minyan each week at the HAFTR High School Beit Midrash. Davening begins at 9:00 AM. For more information, please contact Rabbi Gedaliah Oppen, HAFTR High School’s Judaic Studies Principal, at geoppen@haftr.org