Coming back to school after Pesach is always a challenge! This year it was more daunting than ever, with AP's beginning the day we returned and having to prepare appropriate programs for special commemorations and celebrations.

My hakarat hatov to all of our AP teachers who worked so, so hard to prepare their classes for success. I thank you for all of your dedication, passion for your subject area and sensitivity. May all of our students do you proud! I know they will!

We have experienced a whirlwind of special days, each with its own unique character, and each executed magnificently under the able and creative direction of Rabbi Zak. I thank him and Mrs. Kaminetsky for all of their brainstorming, talent and hard work in making Yom Hashoah, Yom Hazikaron and Yom Haatzmaut such meaningful days for our school community.

Special commendation to our Freshman Class, under the outstanding direction of Grade Advisors Mrs. Gross and Mrs. Leibtag, who produced a moving Yom Hashoah program last Friday. No detail was too small and no idea too large for our girls! Power Point presentations, dramatic skits, yellow stars, jailed windows, lists of survivors and a magnificent Holocaust Journal gave every freshman the opportunity to participate in a meaningful and memorable way. The rest of our school was the beneficiary!

Yom Hazikaron gave us all a chance to reflect and to memorialize. Special thanks to Mrs. Haber who created the "Living for Those who Died" program and the fabulous sourcebook from which all of our students learned when the school was transformed into a giant Beit Midrash. Thank you to all of our Grade Advisors for their work in setting up Chavrutot and to the many teachers and rabbeim who helped supervise the learning. The Beit Midrash experience was outstanding and the enthusiasm of our girls was almost tangible.

Following a magnificent and spirited Tefilat Chagigit, our 11th grade Yom Haatzmaut program blew us all away yesterday. The Juniors were amazing in their preparations: the presentations, decorations, tour guides, background work and flair for detail all contributed to an extraordinary program. Hakarat Hatov to Miss Fragin and Mrs. Wagner for all of their dedicated efforts and their creativity and for instilling in the girls a sense of purpose and sense of self that were the secrets to the grade's success. The program could never have succeeded without the hard work of Mechanchot Miss Allen, Mrs. Block and Mrs. Hirtz who helped the juniors shine with such distinction and unity.

Yasher Koach to Ms. Keene, SKA social worker, who prepared Transitions, a fabulous program for our Seniors, which highlighted the areas where our graduates will need to direct their efforts next year. We look forward to this Tuesday evening, when Dr. Victor Schwartz of Yeshiva University will address 12th grade parents as to how to guide their daughters in the adjustment and separation process.

Our Seniors have already begun their Work Study assignments and we are proud to have a full time Beit Midrash in operation for more than a dozen seniors who want to focus on their learning and personal growth. It was exciting to welcome 33 seniors today for a day of learning and of course, Color War breakout. Thanks to our G.O. for its hilarious review of potential breakouts. You had us all in stitches. I look forward to Monday's activities and presentations as the school comes together for a day of competition and then achdut.

We look forward to welcoming our 86 incoming freshmen at this Sunday's Yom Chaverut program. I can't wait to see all of the 8th graders have the opportunity to break the ice and meet one another through our activities and programs.

May the commemoration of Yom Hazikaron and celebration of Yom Haatzmaut give us the strength to appreciate the miracles Hashem has showered upon us, as we continue to express our hakarat hatov and deal with the many challenges facing Medinat Yisrael today.

Here's to an inspiring and Torah-filled Shabbos and of course, an outstanding Color War program on Monday, iy"h.

On May 11th, SKA observed Yom Hazikaron. The program began with a moving video of the Weiss family, American olim in Israel, whose son gave up his life while serving his country. The entire student body then sat riveted as SKA Sophomore Jamie Sokolow relayed the story of her personal encounter with terrorism three years ago. Her strength and self awareness were inspiring. At the programs' conclusion, students broke up into pairs for a session of chevruta learning in memory of the 188 children who have perished in terrorist attacks. The source material was an impressive collection compiled by Mrs. Sara Leah Haber who helped create the "Living for Those Who Died" program. The entire school was transformed into a Beit Midrash where powerful learning took place. This year's commemoration was poignant, uplifting and inspirational, and truly helped to reinforce each girl's appreciation of Tzahal and its mesirat nefesh and our connection with Torah and Eretz Yisrael.

On May 12th, the Juniors organized a beautiful program to celebrate Yom Haatzmaut! Each 11th grade class chose an episode in Jewish History in which Jews were persecuted simply because they were Jews. They worked extremely hard to make a strong impact through painted sceneries, costumes, props and phenomenal acting.

The program started on a flight that crashed and led them into their past. The flight attendants led the passengers through Jewish history. The Churban Habayit was shown through a dramatization of the story of Kamtza and Bar Kamtza which then flipped to a modern story of sinat chinam. The blood libel room was set in Russia, 1871 and included the viewers in a Pesach Seder that was interrupted by Christian police. The Spanish Inquisition was described in flashback by a heartbroken mother sitting in jail longing for her family, recalling how she got there. She remembered the Friday night when her Shabbat meal was interrupted by the Christians coming to arrest her for being a converso, a secret Jew. The Chevron massacre of 1929 was depicted by Jewish townspeople who warmly welcomed the travelers to Chevron and then suddenly screamed as the brutal series of Arab attacks began. The few Jews who survived were those who were fortunate enough to be hidden by friendly Arabs. The Holocaust room was black with one yellow star up on the wall. The horrors were portrayed through a meaningful slideshow and narrated story about the life of a young boy.

Each room left the viewers speechless. A number of students commented that "the Juniors were awesome!" and that "their performances were mesmerizing and really made an amazing impact on everyone!"

Once an announcement was made that "the plane was fixed," everyone gathered into the auditorium to celebrate the fact that we now have the State of Israel and that we don't have to suffer as our ancestors did. The whole school came together with achdut to dance and sing for the State of Israel.

Special thanks to Miss Fragin and Mrs. Wagner who created this year's Yom Haatzmaut program, and to Mrs. Block, Miss Allen, Mrs. Hirtz, Mrs. Kaminetsky, and Rabbi Zak who were instrumental in the execution of this extremely successful and inspired celebration!

Last Thursday, the faculty and students of SKA commemorated the memory of the six million Jews who died in the Holocaust 60 years ago. Under the direction of Grade Level Advisors Mrs. Leibtag and Mrs. Gross, the ninth grade students were in charge of the day's program. From calling out the names of victims and displaying pictures of those who perished to handing out yellow stars and placing numbers on the students' arms, the Freshmen put together an outstanding program. After a wailing siren was sounded in the building, as is done in Israel, each teacher and student silently walked to the auditorium to take part in a meaningful presentation. The ninth graders formed six lines and walked into the room. Each row was led by one of the editors of "Kochavim L'ohr Layla: Six Million Sparks," SKA's Holocaust Journal, who each proceeded to light a Yortzeit candle, accompanied by a moving performance by the SKA Choir. A touching video presentation and dramatic skits performed by the Freshmen were followed by the inspiring words of our keynote speaker, Mr. Irving Roth, a Holocaust survivor and grandfather of 10th grader Talya, who recounted his experiences before, during, and after the war. He was only 15 years old when he was liberated from the Concentration Camps. The program ended with the reading of select poems from the Holocaust Journal and a Tefilah recited by Mr. Roth. SKA will never forget.

Five SKA Juniors are among the top 50,000 students out of the 1.3 million students who have entered the 2006 National Merit Scholarship Program. Approximately 16,000 of these high performers will be named semifinalists and 34,000 will be named commended students next fall. Mazal Tov to Batya Herzberg, Michal Jager, Gittel Klein, Aviva Schiffmiller and Elkie Spitzer. We look forward to our students reaching the next level in the National Merit Scholarship Competition.

Congratulations to our ninth grade award-winning poets! With the encouragement of Mrs. Shenker, many students experienced the process of writing for publication. Poems written by Sophomore Emily Harris and Freshmen Temima Herzberg and Elisheva Zinberg were selected for publication by Creative Communications. This contest celebrates the works of talented young poets. A copy of the anthology will be available in the school library. In addition, Elisheva Zinberg won Second Place in the Jossi Berger Holocaust Study Center Essay and Poetry Contest sponsored by Emunah of America. Elisheva attended a special award ceremony this week in Manhattan with her family. Her essay will be posted next week on www.emunah.org. The focus of this contest was the formation of an eternal link between Jews who perished in Nazi Germany and the generations who survive them. Finally, the poems of 9th graders Chloe Goldschmidt and Lisa Heller were selected as winners in a contest sponsored by the Holocaust Memorial and Educational Center of Nassau County. Mrs. Shenker will accompany Chloe, Lisa and their families to the presentation of the awards on May 22nd.

Mazal Tov to sophomore Tzipporah Leah Shapiro who won First Place in the Nassau Region of the Hadassah Essay Contest. Her piece on the topic "A Personal Jewish Moment: What Makes You Feel Like a Jewish- American" was noted for being "well developed, written with mature thinking and analytical in a way that greatly impressed our judges."

Yasher Koach to all of our winners and budding writers!