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Day Schools unite for Israel

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By Rick Adelman

Independence Day parade united all of Palm Beach County’s Jewish Day Schools for the first time ever.


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Students and teachers representing five Jewish day schools--Donna Klein Jewish Academy, Weinbaum Yeshiva High School, Hillel Day School of Boca Raton, Torah Academy of Boca Raton and the Solomon Schecter Day School-- made history on Tuesday, April 24 when they marched together in the first Yom Ha’atzmaut Student Parade on the campus of the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County. The delegations proudly displayed their custom-made banners as they marched together for the first time. Children from the Zale Early Childhood Learning Center sat in a long row on the sidewalk enjoying the festivities.

With Israeli flags waving in the breeze, around 1500 participants, the majority wearing blue and white, gathered in a large, open field on the Federation campus before marching down Coleman Blvd., accompanied by lively Israeli music. The display of unity in celebration of Israel’s 59th birthday reinforced the connection between American Jews and the Jewish homeland, said Tova Fischtein, a Judiacs teacher at the Donna Klein Jewish Academy.

"I think this kind of event gives these kids a huge sense of community," said Fischtein, an Israeli native. To see the flags and all these kids supporting Israel just warms my heart. I really miss my country, there’s no question about it."

According to Marilyn Nachman, educational resource director for the Federation’s Jewish Education Council, the school principals developed the parade concept at a recent meeting.

"Israel Independence Day is a celebration of a miracle that God did for us," said Rabbi Perry Tirschwell, principal of Weinbaum Yeshiva, a Modern Orthodox school housed at Boca Raton Synagogue. "When the ashes of the Holocaust were still burning, God for the first time in 2,000 years gave the Jews their own state and their own land."

Tirschwell said Israel’s existence is even more precious in light of anti-Semitic dictators in the world who call for its destruction.

"We should never take Israel for granted," he said, "because there are people who want to turn back the clock. We have enemies who want this to be an aberration in history. If we ever take Israel’s independence for granted, that’s the day we risk losing our state."

For the first time in their lives, Ra’aya Adler and Na’ama Elmashaly participated in a Yom Ha’atzmaut celebration outside of Israel. The 19-year-old Israeli women are doing their mandatory national service as B’not Sheirut Leumi at Hillel Day School of Boca Raton. They interact with children at every grade, sharing their Zionist spirit through programs, music and projects.

"In the beginning it was strange not being in Israel," said Adler. "But this is actually amazing, all the Jewish school coming together. These occasions are very good for building connections."

Added Elmashaly: "This is a great program. These kids really know what Yom Ha’atzmaut is. It’s important for Jews all over the world to feel a connection with Israel and to be proud to be Jewish."

Following the parade, the younger children returned to their schools while the older students joined together for a music and educational program.

Hillel middle school teacher Gerry Baden, one of the school’s few non-Jewish faculty members, embraced the spirit of the celebration, just as he tries to do with other Jewish holidays throughout the year.

"The first year it was like another world," said Baden, who’s in his sixth year at the school. "I’ve lived in foreign countries and that’s what it felt like. Now I’m so used to it I find that I slip Hebrew words into conversation. I often go to shul for bar mitzvahs and I find a lot of the Jewish traditions were taken by Christians. What amazes me is how close we are. There should never be anti-Semitism in a Christian-Jewish context. We come from the same source. It’s like hating your own brother."

Rabbi Yehoshua Steinman, in his first year as head of school at Torah Academy, believes the parade was so inspiring and successful that it may become an annual event.

"It was a rare opportunity for all the schools to get together and show our unity," he said. "A parade spans the demographics. You can be young or old, a student or a spectator. It doesn’t matter. I thought it was a beautiful."



Posted by Rick Adelman on 04/27 at 02:00 AM • Hits: 282



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