Mrs. Helen Spirn, Head of School, SKA; Rabbi Yisroel Kaminetsky, Menahel, DRS; and Rabbi Dovid Plotkin, Principal, HALB
Mrs. Helen Spirn, Head of School, SKA; Rabbi Yisroel Kaminetsky, Menahel, DRS; and Rabbi Dovid Plotkin, Principal, HALB
Mrs. Helen Spirn, Head of School, SKA; Rabbi Yisroel Kaminetsky, Menahel, DRS; and Rabbi Dovid Plotkin, Principal, HALB

HALB’s 59th Annual Dinner

On March 8, Motzaei Shabbos of Shabbos Vayikra, the Hebrew Academy of Long Beach held its 59th Annual Dinner at the Woodmere campus (DRS). It was a wonderful evening that was attended by over 850 people.

HALB was privileged to honor Esther and Baruch Weinstein as Guests of Honor and Freda and Scott Englander as Rabbi Dr. Armin H. Friedman Young Leadership Awardees. Both families are shining examples of the values that HALB represents.

Lance Hirt, president, addressed the audience. He thanked the honorees for giving of themselves and for their tireless efforts on behalf of the yeshiva. He also spoke of the exciting new programs, which include a fully integrated blended learning program, educational technology initiatives, a reenergized Ivrit program, and Science Technology Engineering & Math (STEM) program. The school’s technology program has evolved beyond the use of SMART Boards with the addition of Chromebooks, iPads, Google Apps, and the Haiku learning management system. This new technology allows students to communicate and collaborate in and outside the classroom.

Also present were Rabbi Yisroel Kaminetsky, menahel, DRS Boys High School; Rabbi David Plotkin, principal, HALB; and Mrs. Helen Spirn, head of school at SKA High School for Girls, who presented the honorees with their awards. v

HALB Public Forum,

March 25

The Hebrew Academy of Long Beach is to host a public forum at 8:00 p.m. Tuesday, March 25, to discuss the Number 6 School purchase and to encourage community support for an upcoming referendum.

The public forum will be at SKA High School for Girls, 291 Meadowview Avenue, Hewlett Bay Park. “HALB wants to be a good neighbor and a reliable community partner,” said HALB board President Lance Hirt. “This public forum is part of our ongoing endeavor to be open and transparent.”

Lawrence School District 15 agreed to sell the Number 6 School to HALB for $8.5 million in cash. HALB will also post a $2.7-million note with the district to ensure that it realizes a significant annual savings on transportation, public health and welfare, and special-education costs for HALB students.

“HALB’s purchase will provide significant public benefits,” Hirt said. “It will help stabilize property taxes; safeguard the character of the residential neighborhood near the Number 6 School; and generate millions of dollars in savings for the public school district for years to come.”

Before it can take effect, voters must approve the sale in a referendum on Monday, March 31. Voting is to take place from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. at Lawrence High School, 2 Reilly Road, Cedarhurst (for voters in Cedarhurst, Woodmere, and North Woodmere); at Lawrence Middle School, 195 Broadway, Lawrence (for voters from Lawrence); at the Number 2 School, 1 Donahue Avenue, Inwood; and Atlantic Beach Village Hall, 65 The Plaza, Atlantic Beach, for voters in those communities.

HALB plans to relocate its elementary-school students from Long Beach to Woodmere after it receives Town of Hempstead approvals to renovate the Number 6 School and work on the campus is complete.

HALB intends to make better use of classroom space and public areas; improve energy efficiency with a new roof, new windows, and state-of-the-art heating and air conditioning systems; and enhance safety with new electrical and plumbing systems that comply with current building codes. v

YGFT Chanukas HaBayis, March 30

After an unprecedented effort spanning more than a decade, the Yeshiva Gedolah of the Five Towns will iy’H soon be celebrating its long-awaited chanukas ha’bayis. The event, scheduled for Sunday, March 30, will mark the culmination of an eight-year grassroots campaign to erect the first standalone post-high-school beis midrash and kollel in the Five Towns community.

Despite the limited capacity offered by its prior storefront location, Yeshiva Gedolah has experienced rapid growth in its 11 years of existence, with dozens of bachurim and kollel yungerleit visiting daily and nearly 100 mispallelim entering its doors each Shabbos. The kol Torah has been greatly amplified by the constant presence of local ba’al habatim utilizing their precious personal time in the mornings, evenings, and weekends as an opportunity to immerse in limud haTorah.

The uniqueness of the yeshiva is evidenced by the manner in which it attained its initial fundraising goal. Over 95% of the donor base who assisted towards this remarkable mikdash me’at reside in the community and participated with meaningful contributions, even as many were in modest denominations. The mesirus nefesh of these benefactors highlights the passion and thirst of the Five Towns for a beis midrash they can call their own. Notable communal askanim, young ba’al habatim, and local businesses joined together in a proclamation that limud haTorah must be the cornerstone of a viable Orthodox community.

It is against this backdrop that the yeshiva invites the entire Woodmere and greater Five Towns community to share in the celebration of this watershed moment, marking a key milestone in its growth and evolution as a makom Torah. The program promises to be a day of simcha and festivity for the entire family with a carefully choreographed schedule, which will include dancing from the current storefront location to the new edifice and divrei hisorerus from gedolei Yisrael. To accommodate families, there will also be entertainment to amuse the children.

The yeshiva and kollel are an institution that has been producing bnei Torah of the highest caliber. The kollel, run by Rav Yitzchok Knobel, shlita, has a broad reach and impact across the community and is made of yungerleit consistently growing in Torah and yiras Shamayim. Daily chavrusas, various shiurim, and unique programming all help promote Torah learning, within the walls of the yeshiva and beyond. The bachurim themselves benefit from the knowledge, mentorship, and example of the kollel and the rosh kollel. Bachurim come to the yeshiva from local communities, all over the country, and beyond. Led by Rav Moshe Zev Katzenstein, shlita, a sense of love for Torah and Yiddishkeit is fostered in these young men, and they are guided to aspire for the greatest heights in ruchniyus no matter what path their future may take. They combine to create an environment of intense learning and love for Torah that benefits the bnei hayeshiva and those who join from the outside.

The hanhalah members also take time from their busy schedules to serve the community. Rav Knobel and Rav Katzenstein give various shiurim, including an amud yomi shiur, a popular parashah shiur, a weekly iyun shiur in Gemara, a weekly mussar vaad for young married men, a Sunday-morning iyun chaburah, a mussar shiur in Alei Shur, and others. Both Rav Knobel and Rav Katzenstein share the mesorah which they received from Torah luminaries such as Rav Ahoron Kotler, zt’l, Rav Nosson Wachtfogel, zt’l, Rav Yaakov Kaminetzky, zt’l, and Rav Shlomo Wolbe, zt’l. Rav Yaakov Tzvi Goodman, Rav Moshe Miller, and Rav Gavriel Kaminsky all provide the yeshiva and the ba’al habatim with the highest standards of Torah learning.

The yeshiva expresses great gratitude to HaKadosh Baruch Hu and his shluchim who enabled this crowning moment to come to fruition, finally providing the yeshiva a physical home to match its spiritual splendor.

Share in this momentous chanukas ha’bayis on Sunday, March 30 at 10:00 a.m. The event will begin at the site of the yeshiva’s current home, 846 West Broadway in Woodmere, with a musical procession, dancing with the sifrei Torah to the new location at 218 Mosher Avenue. The procession will be followed by a formal program beginning at 10:30 a.m., including divrei berachah from Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky, shlita, Rav Matisyahu Salomon, shlita, and the Novominsker Rebbe, shlita.

For questions, building dedication, and sponsorship opportunities, call the yeshiva office at 516-295-8900, ext. 5 or e-mail baruch@ygft.org. v

YOSS Launches Parent Enrichment Program

On Tuesday evening, March 11, the Yeshiva of South Shore officially launched its bold new Parent Enrichment Program. The yeshiva developed the program to help bridge the gap between the school and home environments by providing the parent body with the resources and guidance to enrich their Torah lives and implement a hashkafah that balances the ideals of the chinuch the children are receiving from their rebbeim in yeshiva and the home. The program, directed by Rabbi Avraham Robinson, LMSW, began with a meeting of the hanhallah and a group of parents to focus on ways that the yeshiva can enrich and uplift the level of commitment and focus of Torah families in today’s hectic times.

The multi-tiered program will include workshops, roundtables, lectures, and improved Web resources, including parenting classes and shiurim to enhance the strength of the support system surrounding the children of the yeshiva.

The opening public workshop was graced by Rona Novick, Ph.D., a well-known expert in the field of child development and child relationships and dean at YU’s Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration, who presented a workshop titled “Making a Friend/Being a Friend: Guiding your children towards healthy friendships.”

Parents of the school were given the opportunity to submit questions to Dr. Novick before the event. Dr. Novick addressed many issues related to children’s friendships and the important roles they play in a child’s life. She spoke of the common struggles parents run into when attempting to steer their children towards positive relationships.

Two of the questions were “What should I do if my son has a friend who seems to be a negative influence on him? Should I discourage the friendship?” and “My child is very sensitive. A friend will say something kind of typical that boys say to each other–‘That’s stupid,’ ‘You’re dumb,’ or ‘Whatever’–and he cries as an automatic reaction. Are there tools we can provide to him that will put things in perspective and help him cope with typical friend’s behaviors at this age (11/12-year-old boys)?” These and other questions were raised and addressed with meaningful insight and practical implications. Dr. Novick provided the parents in attendance with a clear, concise, and hands-on approach to these complex issues.

True to its nearly 60-year-old tradition of warmth and caring for parents and their families, Yeshiva of South Shore will continue to provide parents with valuable tools, enabling them to foster a powerful environment both in school and at home focused on the chinuch of the next generation. v

Shulamith’s Production 2014: ‘Just One Day:

A Tribute To Mothers’

After months of preparation, beginning with auditions in September, and spanning months of practice, practice, and more practice, students of the Shulamith School for Girls Middle Division took to the stage on February 25 with confidence, talent, and panache! From the opening dance number in which students sported striking black and red costumes, to the finale which brought the entire ensemble on stage to sing the production theme song, the Shulamith Middle Schoolers wowed their audience.

The dance numbers, including “The Plumbers’ Dance,” gave the girls the chance to show off their flexibility, poise, and precision. The musical interludes, which included songs ranging from Mama Rachel to Eishet Chayil, allowed members of the choir an opportunity to lift their voices in joyous and harmonious song. Finally, the talented actresses capably tied the entire production together in some side-splitting vignettes that expressed the theme of the production–gratitude to parents.

Kudos to director Shira Dahan and assistant director Chaya Sara Levin for guiding and encouraging each dancer, singer, and actress to reach for the stars and shine! v

JEP-LI Annual Dinner, March 29

They looked like just a bunch of yeshiva boys collecting tzedakah on Purim. They were collecting for something that was personally very meaningful to them–an organization that helped them change their lives. A few years ago they switched from public school to yeshiva after being involved with Jewish Education Program (JEP) of Long Island and its summer Camp Nageela. Now, they wanted to help other boys have the same opportunity.

JEP/Nageela is a homegrown organization that is known nationally as an expert in presenting Judaism to children and teens from secular backgrounds. It is a volunteer-based organization, with hundreds of local young adults and teens involved in the outreach effort. The formula of creating encounters between yeshiva-educated mentors and children who can use the introduction to Torah benefits all. The yeshiva students are challenged to understand their way of life, and the children are introduced to an unfamiliar heritage.

JEP-LI/Nageela’s major fundraising dinner will be Motzaei Shabbos March 29 at the Lawrence Country Club. They will be honoring several community activists. Avodas Hakodesh awardees will be Hersh Leib and Sima Gefen, Yossi and Miriam Lichtman, Leon and Shalvi Lantsman, and Bracha Gefen. Young Leadership awardees will be Rafi, Effie, Shmuly, and Zvi Allman. There will be a tribute presented in memory of Mr. Charles (Haim) Egosi, and 23 young ladies who were staff in Camp Nageela and coordinators of JEP in their high schools will be honored. To attend the dinner or support the efforts, visit jepli.org/dinner or call 516-369-5202. v

JCC Upcoming Events

The JCC of the Greater Five Towns is located at 207 Grove Avenue in Cedarhurst. For more information or to register for these programs, call Rachayle Deutsch at 516-569-6733, ext. 222, or e-mail rachayle.deutsch@fivetownsjcc.org.

Jewelry Repair Workshop with Ofra Levin. Tuesday, March 25, 7:00—9:00 p.m.; $40. Do you have broken jewelry lying around that you would love to wear again but don’t know how to fix? Maybe a favorite piece that needs repair? Jewelry designer Ofra Levin will teach you how to mend different types of broken jewelry or make a fashionable new bracelet to take home. Now you can wear all your most treasured pieces for years to come! Registration required.

Long-Lasting Makeup Lesson with Allison Chait. Tuesday, March 25, 7:00—9:00 p.m.; $25. For that special occasion or a long day on the job, you’ll want makeup that lasts. View a step-by-step demonstration of a professional makeup application. Understand color tones and your own personal palette. Discover secrets of the trade! Free gift with class attendance.

Free Financial Workshop with Financial Literacy Coach Ellen Smiley. Wednesday, March 26, 7:00—8:30 p.m. Understand, improve, and manage your credit: Why are credit scores important and how do they impact on our lives? Learn how to avoid pitfalls and recover from errors in judgment. Restructuring your budget: Learn how to change your budgetary spending to free up additional money and how you can find more money without seriously impacting the quality of your life. v

Celebrating Purim 5774

At SKA

With the Stella K. Abraham High School for Girls’ annual Purim chagigah (see photo on page 63), a sophomore Shabbaton, Purim parties for each grade on motzaei Shabbat, and open house on Purim day at the home of Mrs. Helen Spirn, SKA’s Head of School, the students really enjoyed simchat yom tov! Thanks go to the Blumenthal, Gettenberg, Kirschner, Laufer, Rubin, and Stahler families and to faculty members Mrs. Antman, Mrs. Braun, and Mrs. Ralbag for opening their homes for student merrymaking. v

Annual NY—NCSY Basketball Tournament, May 4

The 8th Annual New York NCSY Community Basketball Tournament is to take place Sunday, May 4. Round-robin play for 5×5 and 3×3 teams begins at 9:00 a.m. at gyms throughout the Five Towns. After concluding the morning rounds, the teams gather at Lawrence High School for a pizza lunch hosted by Shula’s Pizza and the Sweet Sixteen 5×5 championship bracket.

The mission of NCSY’s Annual Tournament is to provide a day of enjoyable basketball and family fun for the Five Towns community, as well as to build awareness and support for NCSY’s programming and activities throughout the New York area. Each year, New York NCSY engages thousands of Jewish teens in social, educational, and leadership opportunities, and provides scholarships for those with little or no Jewish background who are looking to enhance their Jewish identity, through NCSY summer programs or post-high-school study in Israel.

As in the past, this year’s tournament looks to be highly competitive, attracting top basketball players from across New York and New Jersey. During the afternoon games, children of all ages will be treated to entertainment, and food and snacks will be available for purchase.

Throughout the day, tickets can be purchased for the spring scholarship raffle–with a grand prize of two round-trip tickets to Israel. The drawing will be held prior to the final championship game.

For more information and sponsorship opportunities, please contact Judah Rhine, basketball tournament director, at nybasketball@ncsy.org or 516-569-6279. v

News From HANC

By Rachel Canter, Freshman

HANC High School Celebrates Adar. HANC High School is known as a yeshiva which emphasizes achdut and community. Chodesh Adar has been full of celebration. The high school held several events that highlighted the spirited month. Students prepared a Purim carnival for our friends from Yachad, held the annual Purim auction and matanot l’evyonim drive to raise over $5,000 for Od Yosef Chai, and had its first ever Chulent Cook-Off. Students were hosted at the homes of their rebbeim and morot for the Purim seudah and celebrated in school with a fantastic chagigat Shushan Purim.

HANC’s partnership with Yachad is stronger than ever. After raising over $24,000 for Yachad in their annual Miami marathon, students continued their friendships by hosting Yachad at their campus for a Purim carnival extravaganza. Friends enjoyed cupcake decorating, face painting, Purim card making, lively dancing, and a pizza lunch.

The school’s first Great Chulent Cook-Off featured a spirited battle between the principal of the high school, Rabbi Shlomo Adelman, and a group of students led by junior Ezra Kushner, who claimed he could make a superior chulent. The entire school had the opportunity to taste each chulent and cast a vote for their favorite. Team Kushner was declared the victor at the school’s chagigah. The event was documented in a video by HANC’s film crew. The video included shopping, toveling, cooking, and taste-testing, which was transformed to a hilarious Purim video shown at the chagigah. It didn’t matter who won the challenge, since the event united the entire school.

The school’s Purim Chagigah, which took place on Shushan Purim, topped off an Adar to remember. Students enjoyed a gala breakfast, a musical performance by the high-school band, a Purim video, and ruach-filled dancing which was led by HANC’s own DJ, junior Daniel Dilamani. A fun time was had by all. v

HANC College Guidance Visits Local Communities. As part of the Hebrew Academy of Nassau County’s College Guidance Department’s innovative programming, parents of the high-school junior class were invited to attend one of two college-planning nights in local communities.

On February 19, the director of college guidance, Ms. Karen Sheff, and the assistant director of college guidance, Mrs. Marisa Gelb, hosted parents at the Young Israel of West Hempstead. On February 24, a second event was held, at the Mashadi Jewish Center of Great Neck.

In a discussion led by Ms. Sheff and Mrs. Gelb, parents learned more about the SAT/ACT exams, subject tests, financial aid, scholarships, Naviance, application timelines, college visitations, and more. These programs provided parents with critical information regarding the college-planning process and prompted conversations about their children’s academic futures.

These events brought HANC’s college guidance department closer to home for HANC families, and they provide a unique approach to college planning that was well received by those in attendance.

Riesterer’s Kosher Bakery generously donated cookies for the West Hempstead session, while those who attended the Great Neck event were treated to a lovely spread provided by the Mashadi Jewish Center.

Thank-you to the West Hempstead and Great Neck communities for welcoming HANC into their local synagogues. HANC College Guidance looks forward to visiting additional communities in the future. v

Danny Ayalon

In Woodmere This Shabbat

Danny Ayalon, former Israeli deputy foreign minister and ambassador to the United States and the Rennert Visiting Professor of Foreign Policy Studies at Yeshiva University, will be the scholar in residence at a special Shabbaton being hosted by the Young Israel of Woodmere this Shabbat, March 21—22.

Over the course of the weekend, Ambassador Ayalon will give three speeches, including a firsthand account of behind-the-scenes negotiations between Israel and its allies, a discourse on the evolution of Israel’s diplomatic efforts in the face of the unrelenting 24-hour news cycle and the rise of citizen journalism, and a discussion about Israel’s most realistic options as Iran moves closer to becoming a nuclear power.

Ambassador Ayalon has served in Israel’s Foreign Service for over 20 years, most recently as deputy foreign minister in 2012. During his career, he has served as political adviser to three prime ministers (Ehud Barak, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Ariel Sharon) and, in 2002, was appointed Israel’s ambassador to the United States.

Most recently, he founded The Truth About Israel, a nonprofit organization that educates the public about the core values of the State of Israel and combats delegitimization efforts, BDS, and incitement against Israel.

The Shabbaton with Ambassador Ayalon has been made possible through the generous support of Gary and Annette Kaufman, Robert and Laurie Koppel, Herb and Anne Pasternak, David and Debra Segal, and Henry and Rosalind Swergold.

For more information, please contact Julie Schreier at julie.schreier@yu.edu. v

Upcoming Events At Peninsula Public Library

Peninsula Public Library is located at 280 Central Avenue in Lawrence. For more information, call 516-239-3262 or visit www.peninsulapublic.org.

James Tissot and James McNeill Whistler. An illustrated lecture focusing on the life and work of these two master painters by art historian and lecturer at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Vivian Gordon. Monday, April 7, 1:00 p.m. Free admission.

The ‘Comfort Women’: Multimedia lecture. In 1937, the Japanese army in Korea conducted a roundup of teenage girls, who were then sexually abused and forced into prostitution to serve the Japanese soldiers. Up until today, the government of Japan has denied these charges. Wednesday, April 9, 1:00 p.m. Lecture given by Dr. Arthur Flug, Ed.D., executive director of the Harriet and Kenneth Kupferberg Holocaust Center. Free admission. v

Stepping Up To The Challenge Of Campus Leadership

By Adam Ross

Avery Feit of Lawrence and Matthew Maron of Woodmere, both 18, have joined the Jerusalem-based Eretz HaTzvi Yeshiva, which has a unique campus preparation program where students practice public speaking, discuss engaging with other Jewish denominations, and are prepared for exposure to the academic world. Rabbis and professors address a variety of academic issues, such as biblical criticism and Middle Eastern affairs, that many students, particularly those studying humanities or Jewish studies courses, are likely to encounter on campus.

The program has already borne fruit with recent alumni elected as Hillel presidents at Rutgers, Columbia, Penn, and NYU. Students have also been elected to the boards of university Hillels and Orthodox organizations at MIT, Carnegie Mellon, the University of Pennsylvania, Cornell, and Brandeis, where this year four of the twelve board members, including its president, are also former students.

Next year Avery is planning to attend Columbia while Matthew will return to Cornell.

Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Yehuda Susman says, “We are not necessarily looking for all of our students to be student leaders, but it’s clear we have a particular message that speaks to a kind of student.”

“A strong emphasis is also placed on becoming articulate spokesmen for Orthodoxy,” says Rabbi Mordy Friedman, who runs the campus preparation program. “We teach our students that they can grow in their Judaism through the leadership and initiative they take on campus.”

Helping students to maintain a commitment to Torah learning after returning to campus, the yeshiva also has a costly “recharge” program, in which it pledges up to $1,000 towards the cost of a flight for every student who returns to the yeshiva for a two-week study period during their university studies.

With around 25 to 30 students taking the yeshiva up on the offer each year, the costs easily run up to $40,000 including tuition, room, and board at the yeshiva. “The very first educational decision we made when creating the yeshiva was that there would be a recharge program,” says Rabbi Susman.

Acknowledging that not all students return to “recharge” at the yeshiva, in the last 12 months alone teaching staff have visited and held yeshiva-style Shabbat experiences at Washington U. in St. Louis, Columbia, NYU, Maryland, Cornell, Brandeis, Michigan, Penn, Rutgers, Northwestern, Princeton, McGill, and others.

Rabbi Susman adds, “We don’t see ourselves as a gap-year experience; it’s a long-term commitment.” v

Gan Chamesh Has

A “Sense”ational

Purim Carnival

Gan Chamesh, Chabad’s Early Childhood Center, welcomed Purim with a “Five Senses” Carnival, where children used all of their senses to internalize the lessons of Purim in a fun and educational way.

The many interactive tasks were designed for children to have a multisensory experience and an age-appropriate learning opportunity. The children donned costumes and visited Queen Esther’s beauty parlor to have their faces painted. They wrote their own “Megillah,” using parchment, quills, and ink. The children worked together to build an edible architectural masterpiece–a Shushan palace made out of ice-cream cones, graham crackers, and other sweet treats. The children particularly enjoyed hearing the sounds of many different graggers. They loved using the graggers as they heard the Megillah in a special “sound” booth. The children found the hamentashen-decorating station to be a highlight of the carnival as well. The day ended with a performance by the fantastic Morah Music, and the children loved singing and dancing along to the festive music.

The children all used their five senses to experience and enjoy the carnival. It was a perfect way to bring to life all the important Purim lessons. v

Fifth Annual 5 Towns 5K Run/Walk,

April 27

The fifth annual 5 Towns 5K Run/Walk supporting Friends of Israel Disabled Veterans—Beit Halochem is scheduled to take place on Sunday, April 27, 10:00 a.m. in North Woodmere Park. Beit Halochem provides rehabilitation, social, sports, and recreational facilities to disabled Israeli veterans. Last year, over 700 people participated in the run/walk. Registration for the 5 Towns 5K is $20 for preregistered participants and $10 for the children’s fun run.

After April 20, registration fees increase to $25. Volunteers for the run/walk are also desperately needed. Volunteers should contact the race director at 5towns5k@optonline.net. To register for the 5 Towns 5K, visit www.5towns5k.org and download the application or register online. Find them on Facebook at FIDV 5Towns 5K and click “Like.” v

Introducing

The Mount Sinai

Five Towns

Medical Group

With medical practitioners in primary care and pediatrics, Mount Sinai Five Towns Medical Group, a multi-specialty practice located in Hewlett, now provides residents from Long Island’s South Shore and beyond with access to comprehensive health care.

The staff comprises board-certified and highly trained physicians, nurses, and medical staff, and features state-of-the-art equipment and same-day lab results and scans, as well as an urgent-care center for the treatment of non-emergency cases requiring immediate care.

As part of the Mount Sinai Health Network, all physicians and medical personnel at Mount Sinai Five Towns Medical Group are affiliated with the Mount Sinai Health System based in Manhattan. Westmed Practice Partners manages day-to-day operations at the facility, which is located at 1436 Broadway in Hewlett. The redevelopment of the medical office building was overseen by Simone Healthcare Development, based in New York.

“As the healthcare reform debate continues and new approaches to medicine unfold, access to quality care remains critically important for our families and neighbors,” said Peter J. Tesler, MD, medical director of Mount Sinai Five Towns Medical Group. “Most of the doctors at Five Towns live in the neighborhoods we serve, and we’re pleased and honored to help our communities stay healthy and live longer.”

“Mount Sinai Five Towns Medical Group is the new standard of healthcare on Long Island–expanded access to primary care at a neighborhood hub, featuring medical specialists who work collaboratively to provide personalized care for each patient,” said Arthur A. Klein, MD, president of the Mount Sinai Health Network. “We’re proud to bring the renowned services of Mount Sinai to serve the residents of the South Shore, Nassau County, and beyond.”

Mount Sinai Five Towns Medical Group will feature on-site radiology and laboratory services, offering convenient, same-day imaging services and lab-test results. In addition, staff will use state-of-the-art electronic health records to allow for rapid and secure exchange of health information.

Led by Dr. Tesler, the physicians at Mount Sinai Five Towns Medical Group include Madeline Rose Lalia, MD, and Donald P. Lawrence, MD, pediatricians who have had longstanding private practices serving the Hewlett community. Joann Carcaterra, DO, is a primary-care physician who has practiced in Hewlett for more than a decade. Also on the staff is Linda Bryant, MD, who specializes in internal medicine and is a local resident, and Carolina Murray, DO, a family-medicine specialist who will help lead the urgent-care practice.

Services offered include preventive care and general medical exams, including yearly physicals; chronic disease management for COPD (emphysema), diabetes, hypertension (high blood pressure), high cholesterol, and asthma; treatment for minor injuries; acute medical care, including urinary-tract, throat, and ear infections; women’s health, including routine gynecologic exams and cervical-cancer screenings; and vaccinations and immunizations. Visit www.mountsinai.org/five-towns for more information or to make an appointment.

Simone Healthcare Development was responsible for the acquisition and redevelopment of the former Verizon office building at 1436 Broadway, transforming it into the new, state-of-the-art ambulatory care center that is Mount Sinai Five Towns Medical Group, under a long-term lease agreement with the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

The Mount Sinai Health System is an integrated health system committed to providing distinguished care, conducting transformative research, and advancing biomedical education. Structured around seven member hospital campuses and a single medical school, the health system has an extensive ambulatory network and a range of inpatient and outpatient services–from community-based facilities to tertiary and quaternary care.

The system includes approximately 6,600 primary and specialty-care physicians, 12 minority-owned freestanding ambulatory-surgery centers, over 45 ambulatory practices throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, and Long Island, and 31 affiliated community health centers. Physicians are affiliated with the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, which is ranked among the top 20 medical schools both in National Institutes of Health funding and by U.S. News & World Report. v

The Greatest Show

On Earth At Chabad

Of The Five Towns

Over 3,000 people came to hear Megillah at Chabad of the Five Towns this year. In addition to the hourly readings, children’s readings, and more, Megillah was also read to many in their homes for those who were homebound, seniors, or mothers of newborns. No one was left out of the mitzvah as matanos l’evyonim were distributed to the Five Towns community at large. In addition, beautiful mishloach manos packages for Chabad were created and designed by Elisheva Baum and Julie Feinberg.

Rabbi Meir Geisinsky explains, “Purim is when all the life that is at times stifled inside bursts out–full joy from young and old and all backgrounds and affiliations–and we see that here at Chabad of the Five Towns.” Those who came to Chabad of the Five Towns were treated to the gifts of a clown/balloon artist who gave the children extra incentive to be at their best behavior for the hourly readings on Sunday. Later in the day, over 150 people came to Purim at the Circus. The artistic talents of Chanie Cohen transformed 74 Maple Avenue into a venue fit for Ringling Bros. The seudah also featured popcorn and cotton-candy machines, face painting, balloon twisting, a circus show, a four-course meal, and singing. A special clown performance by Shuey Geisinsky and Yerachmiel Wolowik was a big hit.

Jews from all backgrounds and affiliations joined Purim at Chabad. Rabbi Zalman Wolowik notes, “Chabad’s success, on Purim and throughout the year, would not be possible without the financial support and the many hands-on volunteers in our community. I want to thank you all for your support. Looking forward to a successful communal Pesach Seder and reaching out to the Five Towns community at large to help enhance Pesach.” May we carry the simcha of Adar forward for the rest of the year! v

Chabad Of Hewlett Celebrates ‘Purim

In Africa’

Over 400 people celebrated “Purim in Africa” with Chabad of Hewlett. The event took place at the SKA Girls School in Hewlett Bay Park and included an African drum circle, African art, jungle-themed face painting, authentic African buffet, a professional jungle photo booth, and Megillah reading.

Unique, however, were the warmth and camaraderie at the event, where Jewish people from all backgrounds, religious to the unaffiliated, shared the Purim experience as one in an enjoyable setting.

“I never celebrated Purim,” said H Levy, a Hewlett resident, “yet Chabad gave me the opportunity to experience this great holiday.”

Special thanks to SKA High School, and to the Assis, Heyman, Grauer, Agin (Eyes on Broadway), Lerman, Rosen, Lane, Schamroth, and Nakhnanovich families for cosponsoring this successful Purim event and to the volunteers from Hewlett High School. For more information about the Chabad of Hewlett, including dedication opportunities, please contact Rabbi Tenenboim at 516-537-8770, e-mail Rabbi@JewishHewlett.com, or visit www.jewishhewlett.com. Chabad of Hewlett is an affiliate of Chabad of Five Towns. v

JCCRPurim

Megillas Esther states we are obligated to “remember and celebrate” the miracles of Purim. However, there are members of our community who cannot afford the necessities; how can they manage to afford a lavish festive meal?

Part of our obligation is to make sure that each of our neighbors can feast and rejoice on this festive day. Thankfully, Far Rockaway residents were able to celebrate Purim in royal fashion due to a partnership between Met Council and the Jewish Community Council of the Rockaway Peninsula (JCCRP). In total, 500 Purim meals were delivered to local families from Thursday night, March 13, until Sunday, March 16.

The savory meals, catered by Michael Schick, included chicken, vegetables, soup, stuffed cabbage, challah, and hamentashen–a delicious seudah food fit for a king! One happy recipient said, “My husband and I really loved the stuffed cabbage and everything else that was in the Purim package. It was really great!”

“Purim is a time for celebration–and thanks to a generous Met Council supporter, 1,000 food-insecure New Yorkers will be able to join the Jewish community in marking the occasion with joy and dignity,” said Met Council CEO and executive director David M. Frankel.

The JCCRP gave out 400 meals through dedicated volunteers of the local Tomchei Shabbos, and the remaining meals were delivered by JCCRP staff and volunteers. JCCRP also gave out $10,000 in Purim vouchers to over 100 local families who needed the funds. The vouchers were for Brach’s Supermarket to help clients buy food needed for Purim. JCCRP also had a successful Purim campaign that raised funds for members of the community that were given out as matanos l’evyonim on Purim day.

JCCRP’s executive director, Nathan Krasnovsky, said, “The JCCRP knows which families could really use the help. On a daily basis, we see clients from the community who are going through a hard time, who truly need assistance. We are dedicated to giving them all the help we can.”

The JCCRP is a proud affiliate of Met Council and a beneficiary agency of UJA Federation of NY. The JCCRP provides a range of services for any clients who need assistance in social services or resource directing within the community. JCCRP is located at 1525 Central Avenue (entrance on Foam Place), Far Rockaway, NY, 11691. Call 718-327-7755 or visit www.jccrp.org for more information. v

Adar Excitement At DRS

Jerusalem Science Contest Awards. For another year, DRS students have placed in the National Jerusalem Science Exam. This year, senior Moshe Lonner and junior Matthew Haller placed third and fourth, respectively, amongst over 120 participants from across the country and Canada. Participants are administered several exams throughout the course of the school year that focus on various areas of science of halachah, which they studied on their own through online lectures and textbook material. Of the 120 students who took the exams, the top 40 scorers traveled to Chicago to present their research and work at the Jerusalem Science Contest awards ceremony. Moshe and Matthew presented research in the field of forensics and halachah, specifically focusing on the halachah’s perspective on autopsies. At the conclusion of the ceremony, Moshe and Matthew were two of just six awardees. The other awardees came from Montreal, Chicago, and Manhattan High School. All six awardees were given a free trip to Eretz Yisrael to celebrate their achievements!

Purim Celebrations. When walking into DRS Yeshiva on Purim night, one can’t help but feel marbim b’simcha. The Annual DRS Purim Chagigah is a highlight of the year, and is unique to DRS, as it is one of the few schools that host the students and their parents at a fun, exciting, and inspiring simchat Purim event.

The night began as students, parents, and community members filled DRS’s beautiful beit medrash for Megillah reading conducted by Rabbi Kaminetsky. Following Megillah, students and parents enjoyed a festive pizza melaveh malkah in the gym. The highlight of the night was a siyum on Masechet Megillah, which was completed by 31 DRS students! About two months ago, DRS senior Moishy Rothman came up with the idea to make a siyum on Purim, by having students learn one amud of Masechet Megillah a day, in order to complete it in just 60 days. On Purim, we celebrate the fact the Jews at that time willingly reaccepted the Torah, and it was so inspiring to see high-school students accept this great project upon themselves in honor of the holiday.

The night continued as DRS students and rebbeim, decked out in Purim costume, danced for hours to the lively music of Neshoma Orchestra. Following dancing, everyone enjoyed the annual student-created comedy videos and the night faded away as the student body burst into laughter. v

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