In this Edition
Annual Fund Letter | Back to School Campaign | Before and After |
SSSQ Co-sponsors Israel Bonds Event | KB Celebrates Rosh Hashanah |
Wishing Holocaust Survivors Shana Tova!
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Tashlich
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Blowing the Shofar
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Robotics Club Competition
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Rosh Chodesh Breakfast
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Kaparot
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Remembering Pittsburgh
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A Reptilian Adventure
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SSSQ Celebrates Sukkot
| Kudos |
Alumni Corner | Upcoming Events |
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Annual Fund Letter
Dear Friends:
Each year, the generosity of Schechter Queens parents, alumni, grandparents, parents of alumni, faculty, staff and friends allows us to create exceptional opportunities and experiences for our students. While tuition supplies a strong financial base, philanthropy heightens the level of compassion, ambition and creativity that would not be possible through tuition alone. Schechter Queens welcomes your support to ensure that all students can benefit from a Schechter Queens education. We are proud of our ongoing quest for excellence in Secular and Judaic studies that helps to shape intellectually independent, creative and curious students, rooted in Torah and mitzvot.
As evidence of our rich dual curriculum, our students attend top Secular and Judaic high schools and universities, hold leadership positions in government, health care, law, engineering and the corporate world. Imbued with the teachings of a Schechter Queens education, they embrace their Judaism while thriving in the secular world.
Whether you are considering a gift to the Annual Fund that makes an immediate impact, an endowed gift that lasts for generations or a Major Gift allowing Schechter Queens to move forward with significant strategic initiatives, your contribution to Schechter Queens sustains our reputation for excellence. Together we can empower the next generation of Jewish leaders, learners, parents, and community members with the knowledge, tools and abilities to take on the challenges of the next decade.
We recognize that tzedakah, no matter the dollar amount, is a highly personal matter to which a great deal of thought is- and should be- devoted. It is also an extraordinarily meaningful way to become involved in the life and growth of an organization and a mission, in which you believe.
To make a credit card donation to the Annual Fund or an Endowment Gift, please click
here
and complete the Quick Donate option. To make a donation by check click
here
. To learn more about our Major Gifts Campaign, click
here
.
For more information about Schechter Queens giving opportunities, please contact Paul Friedman at 718-591-9800 ext. 305,
pfriedman@
sssq
.org
, or any Annual Fund Committee member listed below. On behalf of our students, faculty and administration, thank you, in advance, for your generosity – and for helping sustain and advance the Schechter Queens legacy of Jewish continuity and academic achievement.
We thank you for making Schechter Queens a giving priority!
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SSSQ hopes everyone enjoyed their summer break and would like to welcome back all of our students and families to the beginning of another fantastic school year!
We would also like to thank everyone who participated in the SSSQ 2019-2020 Back to School Campaign.
For more information about SSSQ please visit the following
link
.
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Over the summer, due to the generous donation by members of the Board of Trustees, we have made several renovations including the first floor library, bathrooms, and hallways.
In addition, we have installed three upgraded interactive flat panels (IFP's). The IFP's enable multiple students to use them simultaneously and has internal software included to bring different learning apps into the classroom. SSSQ remains committed to providing the best facilities possible for our students.
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Photo left to right: Maris Blechner, Guest speaker Stephen Flatow, Ira Chazan –Breakfast Chair
Photo credit: Robert Lunzer
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SSSQ Co-sponsors Israel Bond Event
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On Sept 15
th
, 2019 five area synagogues and SSSQ co-sponsored a bond breakfast at the Hollis Hills Bayside Jewish Center. About 85 people were in attendance and heard words of encouragement from guest speaker Stephen Flatow, father of terrorist victim Aliza, who was murdered 21 years ago. His talk detailed a description of his latest book “A Father’s Story: My Fight for Justice.”
Over $300,000 in Bond sales was raised to date. For investment opportunities contact our area Registered Representative Robert Lunzer at 212-446-5835 or
robert.lunzer@israelbonds.com
or visit
Israelbonds.com
for all current offerings/prospectuses. This is not an offering which can be made only by prospectus.
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KB Celebrates Rosh Hashanah
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The students of KB examined both the inside and the outside of an apple in honor of the Fall and Rosh Hashanah. In celebration of the Jewish New Year, students had an opportunity to dip the apples in honey, sing holiday songs, and make a bracha, which was their favorite part of the activity. The kindergartners also baked honey muffins to symbolize a sweet new year!
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Wishing Holocaust Survivors a Shana Tova!
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Mr. Wiseman's 5th grade students wrote beautiful Rosh Hashanah cards and sent them to Holocaust survivors to wish them a happy and sweet New Year. After experiencing many lost family members during the Holocaust our students wanted to show the survivors they aren’t alone. SSSQ applauds this wonderful initiative and wishes everyone a Shana Tova Umetukah!
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On a beautiful Fall day in early October our students practiced the ancient Jewish custom of Tashlich. The 5th-8th graders had an opportunity to visit Flushing Meadows Corona Park and threw bread into the water to wash their sins away. The Early Childhood- 4
th
graders practiced Tashlich in the schoolyard. They each took turns throwing bread into a pool of water and it was incredible to witness them gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of their Judaism.
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Rabbi Tomsky visited our Kindergarteners to teach them how to blow the shofar. Students learned why we blow the shofar during Rosh Hashanah and the importance of continuing this timeless tradition. The students barely could contain their excitement as they had an incredible experience having the opportunity to blow the shofar for the very first time!
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Robotics Club Competition
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The Middle School Robotics Club is preparing for another competition later this school year. The Robotics Club is part of the Science, Engineering: Technology, Teamwork, and Training program as well as STEM. The Robotics Competition is run by the Center for Initiatives in Jewish Education (CIJE) and includes over 100 Jewish Day Schools throughout the country. For this competition, two robots are assembled into an alliance. The objective is for an alliance to score the most points. Points can be scored by either placing balls into a cube or on top of a cube, or by placing the cubes in scoring corners or on platforms. The robot with the most points wins. A year ago, SSSQ had students that placed 1
st
, 2
nd
, and 3
rd
in the robotics competition and we wish all of our students’ good luck during this year’s competition!
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This year, the Middle School celebrated Rosh Chodesh with a breakfast for the entire 6
th
-8
th
grades following morning Tefillah. Rabbi Tomsky and Mr. Naparstek spoke to the students about the importance of keeping unity in community. We thank David Kalman for sponsoring and initiating this event. Future sponsorship is available, please contact the school for more information. With your help we look forward to creating a wonderful tradition at SSSQ!
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It is Jewish tradition to do good deeds in preparation of Yom Kippur. The Kindergarten students learned about the ancient Jewish custom of Kaparot and had a lot of fun, as they took money and swung it over their heads. This year the money will be donated to a non-profit organization called The Blue Card. The Blue Card provides financial assistance to Holocaust survivors residing in the United States. We are very proud of our students for practicing Kaparot and making a positive impact on people’s lives.
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Saturday, November 16th, יח חשון, is the first Yartzeit for the 11 Holy Martyrs who were killed in the Tragedy in Pittsburgh. Our middle school students will be commemorating this sad day on Friday November 15, by doing several chesed activities related to the 11 people we lost that day.
One activity we will be doing is a supplies drive for
Family House.
Family House is an organization that houses patients and/or their families who are in Pittsburgh seeking medical treatment. We chose this organization because one of those who died, Joyce Feinberg z”l was an active volunteer at Family House. By donating
here
we can walk in her ways and honor her memory.
Help us honor their memory by donating to our drive. Family House has
created a wish list of supplies
they need to provide for those who will be staying with them. We ask that you join us in participating in this chesed. Boxes will be labeled on every floor of our school and the front door where donations may be dropped off.
Thank you for your support and may the memories of those we have lost be for a blessing.
SSSQ Administration
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In connection to the Torah portions of Breishit and Noach, which includes the story of the snake in Gan Eden, students from Shorashim through grade 5 participated in a show led by "
My Reptile Guys NY
." The show included numerous turtles and snakes from around the world! Our students learned about each of these reptiles and their habitat. They were given the opportunity to touch and even hold some reptiles including Mellow Yellow, a huge snake! We look forward to providing more of these exciting, hands-on events throughout the year!
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Our students had a very special experience celebrating Sukkot in our very own Sukkah! They hung beautiful decorations on the walls and each student had an opportunity to wave the Lulav and Etrog to commemorate this special holiday. The following day students went on a Sukkah Hop and visited several Sukkahs in the local area to experience the true meaning of Sukkot. We want to thank all of our partners for hosting us at their Sukkah and speaking with our students. Wishing everyone Chag Sameach!
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Kudos to Dr. Rafi Kalman for helping to implement our revolutionary blended learning program at Schechter Queens and for co-authoring and publishing an article in Prizmah’s online journal
Hayidion
. To read Dr. Kalman’s article, “Why Teaching to Diverse Learners Is a Smart Equation” please visit the following link:
https://prizmah.org/why-teaching-diverse-learners-smart-equation
Kudos to Mrs. Ben-Harari and the SSSQ middle school students for putting chesed into practice and making a difference in the community. Click
here
to view the thank you letter from The Lexibean Foundation.
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Dear Alumni: If you would like to share your news (engagements, weddings, births, career milestones,
B'nai Mitzvot
, etc) with us or visit the school, please contact Naomi Horowitz at
nhorowitz@sssq.org
or 718-591-9800 ext. 323.
Thank you to
Adit Tal ('00)
for participating in SSSQ's 2019 graduation and presenting the
Dugma Lemot
Award.
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David Glickman ’15 was recently interviewed by the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism. In the article, he discusses how he was active in the Jewish community as a high school student and his plans to join the Jewish community as a freshman at Cornell University. You can read the complete article in this link:
We would like to share some additional thoughts from David in this brief Q&A:
How did SSSQ impact your life personally i.e. making friendships and doing community service?
“Schechter Queens was vital in defining my early identity. It gave me a foothold in the world and Jewish community. My SSSQ friends are some of my closest friends who continue to impact me today. I came to SSSQ as a timid boy who was not very excited by things. However, I left as a young Jewish leader who is passionate about both the mundane and the challenges.
Throughout my years at SSSQ, we always learned the value of helping out one another through various stories in English and examples in Jewish law and Bible studies. However, my education did not end with the mere knowledge of what is right; we went out to the world and did right. I vividly remember our various trips to do
chessed
(acts of kindness). Specifically, in 7th grade, we had a
chessed
fair with Schechter Long Island in which we ran a carnival for those with developmental needs. That day was empowering and showed me the power of everything I learned.”
How active were you in the Jewish community at SSSQ and during high school?
“SSSQ gave me the tools be a leader. From the foundation in Hebrew to the knowledge and love of Israel to the core lessons of how to be an ethical Jew, I was able to be active in my Jewish communities. My primary connections were with Hillcrest Jewish Center and USY. In USY, I served as Divisional and Regional Religion/Education Vice President. In addition, I served as Vice President at Schechter Long Island, creating fun and innovative religious programming. Finally, I had tremendous fun being captain of the SSLI Men’s Varsity Volleyball team.”
How have you enjoyed your summers at Jewish camps as a camper and staffer?
“I love spending my summers at Jewish camps. For the past couple of years I have been a counselor at Camp Ramah at Nyack where I have had the opportunity to inspire others as I myself am growing and being inspired.”
What do you plan to focus your studies on at Cornell's ILR School?
“I plan to focus on various social sciences such as economics, psychology, and law. With a broad exposure to different fields, I focus on human interaction and synergy.”
What are your plans to join any groups and the Jewish community as a freshman at Cornell?
“At Cornell, I plan to survey the different Jewish groups and see where I can have the most impact. I definitely see myself joining
Hillel
or
Chabad
and an Israel advocacy club, attending services, and having
Shabbat
dinner with the community. In addition, Cornell offers classes about
Kashrut
, Hebrew, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.”
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How do you see yourself staying connected to your synagogue life?
“It is hard to stay well connected when I will be a couple hundred miles away. However, I plan on staying updated with current events and seeing what I can do for my synagogue at college. Hillcrest Jewish Center has endowed me with gifts I can never truly give back. I can start by positively representing them at Cornell, and assisting any way I can. When I come home from breaks, I hope to lead services or read Torah!”
How would you say your family contributed to your sense of community and Jewish values?
“My family first leads by example. I am always amazed when I see how much my parents do to support me and my surrounding community. They have never had to teach me charity or patience because I see them handle tough situations with grace and patience. My siblings emulate similar behavior. As the youngest, I am lucky to have so many leaders to look up to; they each embody different values I strive to attain.”
What would you say to younger SSSQ alumni about being involved in Jewish community service groups?
“I would say that you should take everything SSSQ has given you and bring it to the world however you can. SSSQ fosters different interests, and it is up to us to channel our skills to help those around us.”
If you had one take away thought/feeling about your SSSQ years what would you like to say?
“I remember listening to Mr. Naparstek during a talk he gave to the lower school and he said `a person’s true show of character is when no one is watching.’
I have had so much fun at SSSQ, I have learned so much about being a good Jew and a positive force. With all of that, I will never forget those wise words. As much as I have learned, the true measure is what I do with it. It is not about how well I can act in front of others, but when I am alone and face my true test of character, I am reassured that I have a great education and community continuously supporting me. I would like to thank all of my teachers who sprang me forward (despite my endless questions), my friends who have helped me become who I am today and continue to be there for me, and finally all of you for allowing this amazing institution to continue inspiring and fostering the future Jewish leaders.”
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Eric Benaim ('93)
and his wife, Stephanie on the birth of their daughter, Olive Chaya born September 24th. Older brother Grayson is so happy to have a sister.
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Amy Dauber ('98)
and her fiancé, Mike Cassidy on their engagement.
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Seth Reisner ('00)
and Leslie Mitchell on their wedding July 10th in California.
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Hali ('00 Ungar)
Scott and her husband, Kory on the birth of their daughter, Madison Blake born June 7th at 12:34 pm in New Orleans.
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Adit Tal ('00)
and her husband, Liran Ayalon on the birth of their daughter, Mika Lily born August 23rd.
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Julian Felder ('03)
and Sabrina Ghalili on their engagement.
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Ashley Peaceman ('03)
and Jared Belsky on their wedding September 22nd at the Woodbury Jewish Center.
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Ian Levine ('03)
and his wife, Jenna on the birth of their daughter, Aly Mae born August 4th.
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The Engel-Weininger family on the passing of Ruth Engel z"l, mother of Ellen Engel-Weininger ('66) mother-in-law of Bill Weininger and grandmother of Aaron (SSWMS '99), Daniel (SSWHS '06), and Sara Weininger (SSWHS '09).
The Abramowitz family on the passing of Arne's mother, Ida Abramowitz, grandmother of Lauren ('99), Ellen ('03) and Karen ('05).
To the Panzok family on the passing of Bonnie's mother, Beverly Davidson, grandmother of Amy ('01) and Debbe ('02).
The Klein family on the passing of Andra’s mother, Debra Klein, grandmother of Marc ('02) and Lara ('05).
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Wednesday 11/13 Focus Group Meeting - 7:30 PM see flyer below
Thursday 11/14 - PTA Challah Bake - 7:00 PM
Friday 11/15 - Special Middle School Program in commemoration of the first Pittsburgh Yartzeit
Sunday 12/8 - SSSQ Open House - 10:00 AM- 12:00 noon
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Please click on the flyer below to find out more informaiton about the Focus Group Meeting.
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If you would like to contribute material for the monthly newsletter, please contact Paul Friedman Director of Development & Public Relations at
pfriedman@sssq.org
or 718-591-9800 ext. 305.
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The Solomon Schechter School of Queens
76-16 Parsons Boulevard
Flushing, NY 11366
Tel: 718-591-9800
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