Bostoner Rebbe of Yerushalayim Visits Yavneh Academy

Bostoner Rebbe of Yerushalayim Visits Yavneh Academy
The students and faculty of Yavneh Academy had the unique privilege of hosting the Bostoner Rebbe of Yerushalayim. The Rebbe spent the day meeting with one or two grades at a time, and ending each meeting by greeting each and every child individually. Displaying the warmth and sensitivity that is a hallmark of the Bostoner chassidim, the Rebbe shared different messages with each age group, each time connecting his words to what the students are currently learning. The Rebbe taught niggunim to many of the younger students, and the students quickly caught on and eagerly joined in to produce a beautiful ruach in the beit midrash. The older students were inspired and uplifted by the Rebbe’s divrei chizuk and bracha and by the opportunity to spend time with a world-renowned Torah luminary. Truly, today was a special day for Yavneh Academy and one that will hopefully be a sweet memory for its students.

Yavneh Academy Honors Wounded Chayalim

Yavneh Academy Honors Wounded Chayalim

On Monday, November 27, Yavneh Academy middle school student were granted an opportunity to be inspired, through a program called “Together for Them,” by two IDF soldiers who were wounded in battle.

Reuven shared his story first. The students listened respectfully as he shared how he was called into battle, leaving his family, and how he was the only survivor of his 14-man squadron. He was rescued, but was left with a severe leg injury, causing him to have a permanent limp. He has since changed his life, going from an engineer to a para-Olympic rower. He shared his story as inspiration to others to never let a challenge knock you down.

The next moving story the students heard was from Elad, the leader of a squadron going into Gaza. As the chayalim silently crept through the night, they were fired upon. As Elad went to check on a soldier screaming for help, he was shot in the head. Elad lost his hearing in his left ear and his right eye. Today, as he studies psychology in Hebrew University, Elad wants people to, not only be inspired, but to also show support and love for Israel.

Yavneh Academy Gets Dressed for Thanksgiving

Yavneh Academy Gets Dressed for Thanksgiving
Yavneh Academy students celebrated Thanksgiving dressed in their hand-made costumes. The children marched through the Yavneh hallways while singing festive songs during the annual Yavneh Thanksgiving Parade. The children then gathered in the cafeteria for their Thanksgiving feast.

Yavneh Academy Faculty Give ‘Pillow Power’ to Patients at Valley Hospital

Yavneh Academy Faculty Give ‘Pillow Power’ to Patients at Valley Hospital
On Election Day, Yavneh Academy staff, working under the guidance of art therapist Sarah Tarzik, created soft and cuddly pillows and a beautiful quilt to deliver to patients at Valley Hospital. While learning about the emotional and social benefits of artistic expression, teachers modeled how chesed is an important pillar in all our lives. The patients at Valley Hospital were thrilled to receive this gift entitled “Pillow Power” filled with pillows, an empowering quilt with special messages and cards of encouragement and strength.

Norbert Strauss Addresses Yavneh Eighth Graders on Kristallnacht

Norbert Strauss Addresses Yavneh Eighth Graders on Kristallnacht

On November 9-10, 1938, Nazi soldiers went around smashing the windows and burning the buildings of Jews throughout Germany. Around 90 people were killed and more than 30,000 men were taken by the German police into concentration camps.

On November 9, 2017, the 79th anniversary of Kristallnacht, Norbert Strauss, a Holocaust and Kristallnacht survivor, came to Yavneh Academy to speak to an intrigued crowd of eighth graders. Strauss lived in Frankfurt during the time of Kristallnacht. He had lived a regular life until then: went to yeshiva, went to shul and occasionally encountered a young group of anti-Semitic children.

Then, on November 9-10, 1938, the SS men began smashing and burning Jewish belongings. Strauss recalls being thrown into a spiral of events from having everything he had known leveled and burned, to not seeing his extended family ever again. Fortunately, his immediate family met up in America. Strauss’ father was on the St. Louis but was eventually able to sail to America, while his mother was able to acquire plane tickets out of Germany. Strauss shared a rare moment with Yavneh Academy and the eighth graders were grateful to have shared in his memories.

‘Breakout’ From Traditional Professional Development at Yavneh Academy

‘Breakout’ From Traditional Professional Development at Yavneh Academy

The educational technology department of Yavneh Academy provided their fellow faculty members an opportunity to experience BreakoutEDU (a classroom version of escape the room) during an in-service on Election Day. BreakoutEDU is an immersive learning games platform that allows for the facilitation of games where players use teamwork and critical thinking to solve a series of challenging puzzles in order to open a locked box. Teachers participated in several examples of the BreakoutEDU games that require content knowledge, critical thinking, collaboration, creativity and communication to succeed in opening the locked boxes.

Teachers have already begun to give their students the keys to engaging BreakoutEDU sessions in order to practice and assess curricular skills. For example, in first grade, students completed one Breakout game requiring spelling and addition skills, and another centering around a classroom read aloud. First graders worked in groups as they raced the clock to solve each riddle, while teachers were able to support role-taking, critical thinking, collaboration and assess students’ content knowledge. The pictures of the event portray students’ rapid appreciation for this new approach to learning.

Hachnasat Orchim Is Alive at Yavneh Academy

Hachnasat Orchim Is Alive at Yavneh Academy
The mitzvah of hachnasat orchim was in full swing at Yavneh Academy. The students were busy inviting, preparing, baking and setting up for guests to enjoy their weekly Shabbat parties together. After lengthy discussions of how to make guests feel welcome and comfortable, classes wrote and decorated invitations to send to other classes, cleaned the rooms to make them shine for their guests and prepared delicious Shabbat party treats. Shabbat parties were full of ruach, music, dancing and excitement. Students even made fresh pitot for their guests! The students at Yavneh truly felt like Avraham Avinu inviting guests into their tents.

Yavneh Students Participate in Mitzvah Day

Yavneh Students Participate in Mitzvah Day

On Sunday, Mitzvah Day, six sixth graders joined Yavneh Academy sixth grade dean Jordana Baruchov and packed 500 books in an hour and half! The sixth graders, led by Sienna Dube, organized a children’s book drive to benefit St. Maarten following the disastrous damage caused by Hurricane Irma. Rabbi and Mrs. Moishe Chanowitz of the Chabad of St. Maarten are eagerly awaiting the shipment of new and used children’s books. The students can’t wait until they receive them.

Residents of the Jewish Home at Rockleigh and Yavneh Academy middle school students had a wonderful Mitzvah Day morning as well. Children either partnered with residents to make beautiful fall wreaths or engaged in some exciting games of Bingo. Thank you to the Jewish Home for always welcoming the Yavneh children.

Yavneh Academy Hosts Election Day Physical Education Conference

Yavneh Academy Hosts Election Day Physical Education Conference
Professional development spread to the gym on Election Day. Physical education teachers from BPY, Moriah, RYNJ, SAR, Yavneh Academy and Yeshivat Noam gathered together at Yavneh Academy to present new and exciting ideas to each other. Everyone left with great ideas to take back to their school and implement into their very own physical education classes!