The
school year is finally over and it’s been a wild ride. The typical school
graduation – on a stage, in caps and gowns – is no more. In the upside-down
world we are now experiencing, some of our local schools nevertheless managed
to make graduations and end-of-the-year parties special for their students. I
was blown away by the creativity, love, and enthusiasm that the teachers and
staff put into making sure that no one would feel they were missing something. In
reality, it may have been more fun than in a regular year!
Bais Yaakov’s
Third-Grade Shemoneh Esrei Party
Third
grade in Bais Yaakov is the year the students learn how to daven Shemoneh Esrei.
They spend a lot of time learning the meaning of the brachos, how to stand, and when to bow, etc. The climax at the end
of the year is being allowed to daven Shemoneh Esrei standing up, followed by a
special party.
Mrs.
Shulamis Juravel, a third-grade teacher in Bais Yaakov, spoke about the drive-through
party this year. With a third grade consisting of about 150 girls, in seven
classes, this was not a small project. There were four stations set up around
the parking lot.
At
the first station, the girls got a gift bag. Among the contents was a necklace
with a heart pendant, to represent davening, which is a “service of the heart.”
At the second station, each girl got out of her car and had her picture taken
in front of a mazal tov banner. At the third station each girl got little
containers of icing and sprinkles and a donut to decorate. The fourth station
was the siyum on Parshas Toldos, which the girls are going to finish on the last day
of school. That bag contained a can of
Coca Cola to represent “hakol kol Yaakov,”
a fuzzy key chain to represent “hayadayim
yedei Eisav,” and some chocolate
lentils to represent the lentil soup which Yaakov gave Eisav.
After
the girls passed through the four stations they proceeded to the front of the
school and received a bag with their summer homework and the picture of themselves,
framed, that had been taken just a few minutes before! Ah, the wonders of
modern technology! A complete party, nothing was missing – and all with social
distancing.
Bnos Yisrael’ s
Twelfth-Grade Graduation
My
neighbors and their daughter Rena* spoke enthusiastically about Rena’s
graduation from Bnos Yisrael. “Rena was one of four girls who spoke at the
graduation, and she did a great job,” my neighbor told me proudly.
The
ceremony for the 28 graduates took place at Ateres Elka, on
“Fathers
and mothers and sisters were allowed to come,” my neighbor said. There was also
a Zoom link so that grandparents and brothers could be part of the graduation as
well. The guest speaker, Rabbi Heber, spoke over Zoom, and the teachers made a
video wishing them mazal tov. Social distancing was achieved by having each
family group sit alone, along with its graduate. Each girl was called up to get
her diploma and flower, which were laid on a table.
Rena
couldn’t say enough about how much she enjoyed the graduation and how much she
loves Bnos Yisroel!
Yeshivas Toras Chaim Siyum and Graduation
Yeshivas
Toras Chaim had a wonderful, socially distanced siyum and graduation on June 21 at the Owings Mills Synogogue.
Rabbi Chanina Szendro, Menahel, and
Rabbi Ayson Englander, Rosh Mesivta,
shared inspiring words of chizuk as
they bid farewell to an impressive group of budding bnei Torah.
Families sat together with more than six feet between
tables. The Rebbeim sat up front at individual tables. Students took their
diplomas and awards from a table, and then posed for a picture with a life-size
cutout of the Menahel!
Yisroel Pepper and Moshe Hoffman both spoke
beautifully of the special relationships they were fortunate to develop with
their Rebbeim as well as fond memories of their years in mesivta! Who could believe four years could go by so
quickly! Also graduating were Shmuli Dixler, Avraham Friedman, Avi
Levin, Ezra Yaakov van Messel, and Yehuda Steiner.
With a full enrollment for next year’s ninth grade, Toras Chaim is
looking forward, iy”H, to a regular
schedule back at yeshiva next zman.
TA Kindergarten
Graduation
My
daughter Esther Goldie Friedman and her son Chaim Yosef were very excited to
tell me about Chaim Yosef’s kindergarten graduation from TA.
Before
graduation day, the boys went to the Morah’s house and had their picture taken
in a cap and gown. Each child had a part in a play, which they practiced at
home. The parents then sent in a video clip to the school.
On
the big day, the family awoke to a sign on their front lawn announcing to the
whole word that a TA graduate lived there. Then the whole family drove to TA at
the assigned time slot. Staying in their car, they stopped at the first station,
where Chaim Yosef got to choose a certain color bow tie. Then they paused
before a big video screen. On the video, they saw all the graduates in their
gowns as well as the play that the teachers put together with the video clips
that had been sent to them. They also heard mazal tov wishes from the
administration.
Then
came the big moment: Each child came out of his car one at a time, with a
parent, and walked to the front, where his morah
handed him an amazing bag full of treasures, including a beautiful new siddur with Chaim Yosef’s name on the
front. In the bag were a bubbles set and a cookie with a picture of a graduate
on the front. Instead of clapping, everyone honked their horn for each graduate,
so it was a little noisy. And finally, each family was given ices to eat on the
way home.
According
to my daughter and her son, “It was absolutely amazing!” A whole graduation,
including caps and gowns, a brand-new siddur,
and an exciting goody bag, all while keeping the rules!
How
lucky we are to have schools, teachers and administrations that care enough to
go all out for our children.
