As Teshuvathon 5767 began, the students knew it would be an incredible way to prepare for the Yomim Noraim. This year, our featured speaker was Rabbi Wallerstein, founder of Ohr Nava, an organization that runs inspirational and educational programs for Jewish women. Rabbi Wallerstein began by explaining how Ohr Nava came to be. In doing so, he stressed the importance of women’s education and the tremendous power possessed by the Jewish woman- an idea that everyone in the room could relate to! He then told a captivating story to demonstrate the power of teshuva which was very appropriate at this critical time of year. Rabbi Wallerstein left us all with some very poignant ideas about what we should be thinking as we went into Rosh Hashana. We were all very grateful to have had the opportunity to hear from such a wonderful speaker!

To highlight the Aseret Yemei Teshuva and to conclude our annual Teshuvathon, every grade participated in different workshops and organized tzedaka projects for various important causes. The 9th grade received booklets that contained numerous poems and stories highlighting the effects of a person’s actions, commonly known as the “ripple effect.” They gained a deeper understanding of this concept by sharing personal examples of how different actions in the morning affected not only their day but also the day of those around them. Additionally, throughout the week the 9th grade sold flowers for Sukkot to raise money to send to the Klein family, who were deeply affected by the loss of their father and husband, Roi Klein, an Israeli commander who gave up his life by jumping on a grenade to save his fellow soldiers.

The 10th grade delved into the world of self-discovery through their workshops that, through writing their traits in a “body diagram,” helped them identify their strengths and weaknesses to facilitate their respective Teshuva processes. They also raised money for Or Meir U’Bracha, an organization that delivers food packages to families of terrorist victims, by packaging and selling challah and honey. Thanks to parent Sam Gross for his generosity and to sophomores Eliana Brecher and Liron Eiger for their organizational skills, all who helped the 10th grade raise so much money for this worthy cause.

For the 11th grade workshops, juniors received “Hakarat Hatov” booklets that included different exercises to help direct the girls to recognize their own strengths and how to use them to serve Hashem. The 11th grade combined two acts of chesed by running a camp on erev Rosh Hashana for students in the lower grades of our HALB Elementary School to allow the mothers a chance to prepare by taking care of their children for a few hours, while simultaneously donating the money raised to Karmei Ha’ir, a soup kitchen in Israel that is designed like a restaurant so as not to embarrass the poor that come to eat.

Instead of bringing a speaker for the 12th grade girls, the girls were privileged to hear from their peers, Jessica Cohen, Chevie Nussbaum, Jackie Schwalb, Baatsheva Schwartz, and Aliza Zombek who told of their experiences that helped strengthen them in their avodat Hashem. Afterwards, other girls volunteered to share their own experiences that helped them grow in order to inspire the grade in their Teshuva process. The 12th grade also sold Shana Tova cards, beautifully illustrated by senior Rena Thalheim, to benefit an organization called Simchat Tzion that provides weddings for people who cannot afford them.

On September 20th, the SKA juniors and seniors joined more than 30,000 Jews in Manhattan to rally in front of the United Nations building, protesting the holding of Israeli soldiers captive, global terrorism, and the appearance of Iran’s president in front of the U.N. General Assembly. The girls commenced the bus ride to the city by reciting various perakim of Tehilim and different tefilot for the captured soldiers, Eldad Regev, Gilad Shalit, and Ehud Goldwasser. Special thanks to 11th grader Ariella Eisenberg for preparing both the Tefila sheets and Fact Sheets for the day. The rally was very powerful and moving, and was accurately described by some of the signs the girls held reading, “Our hearts are with you in Israel.”

On Tuesday, September 26th, the girls were privileged to experience a unique and heart wrenching presentation when Gadi Goldwasser spoke about his brother, captured Israeli soldier Ehud. Ehud was abducted by Hezbollah terrorists on the last day of his reserves duty in the North, an impetus for the Israel-Lebanon war this past summer. He described his brother's personality and helped the girls understand that Ehud is not only a soldier, he is a caring and beloved person. Following his presentation, Gadi welcomed all questions, touching upon both the personal and the political aspects of the situation. In particular, many students and parents were interested to learn how the local community can act to increase the likelihood of the captives' speedy release. Gadi stressed that as a community, one of the most important things we can do is to "never ever forget" the situation of the hostages and to "stand united." The program concluded with a heartfelt rendition of Hatikva.

Hakarat Hatov to Phil Rosen for arranging this special event at SKA.

CLICK HERE to view the website that the families of the three kidnapped soldiers set up to learn how you can help.

We were privileged to have Mrs. Sora Yaroslawitz address us in this year's first Community Wide Lecture for Women. Her address, "Never Say Never," brought tears to our eyes and drew smiles from the audience as she told the incredibly inspiring story of raising a daughter who was diagnosed with autism, deafness, and blindness and the miraculous journey that brought her back to complete functionality as a seeing, hearing wife and mother. Perhaps even more amazing than the slew of unbelievable miracles Hashem granted to the family was Mrs. Yaroslawitz's unshakable faith in Hashem, her trust and gratitude to Him above any doctor, and the mussar and lessons we took home about bitachon, tefila, and the perfection of every person formed by the Creator.

Our weekly drop-in lunch at the Woodmere Rehabilitation Center have begun and the first weeks were a huge success. Almost 40 girls availed themselves of the opportunity to visit with senior citizens during their Wednesday lunch period. These visits really make a difference in the lives of the nursing home residents, many of whom don’t get any other visitors, and the relationships that can be built – just by going for a short visit on a weekly basis – are remarkable. We hope that everyone with 6th period lunch will take advantage of this amazing opportunity!

In an effort to utilize their early dismissal on Tzom Gedaliah to make their Aseret Yemei Tshuva more chesed oriented, more than 20 girls came along for our trip to the Woodmere Rehabiliatation Center to teach the residents about the Tishrei holidays. A big thank you to juniors Avigayil Chesner and Esti Klein who helped publicize the trip and created a very entertaining performance. The rest of us sang holiday songs, talked to the residents, and made Sukkot decorations together with the residents – a festive mood was created and a good time was had by all!

Each year, our 12th graders have several opportunities to visit a school in Queens populated primarily by Russian children with limited Judaic knowledge. This week we made our first trip to Gymnasia and it was inspiring before Sukkot to share a sense of the Chagim with them. Through the projects that were together, SKAers taught the Gymnasia students about Sukkot. In addition, many of the seniors filled the atmosphere with ruach by handing out “shtick” and dancing with the older students. It was an amazing experience – not only for the Gymnasia students, but for SKA students as well!

We thank Mrs. Yafa Storch, our Chesed Coordinator, for providing these worthwhile opportunities.

Mazal Tov to Yoey Sachs who is a Semifinalist in the National Merit Scholarship Competition.

Mazal Tov to Mijal Bitton, Yardana Galler, Sarah Gross, Ilana Lefkowitz, Danielle Lent, Emily Levine and Michelle Zomber who are Commendees in the National Merit Scholarship Competition.

We are so impressed with their academic achievements. But we are also impressed with who they have become: young women involved in science research, SKA publications, SKA leadership, Torah learning, tons of chesed and community involvement. We wish them and their families much hatzlacha in their future endeavors and once again, Mazal Tov!!

For the second time in two years, an SKA student has won the National Council of Teachers of English Award. Tzipora Leah Shapiro, a Co- Editor in Chief of Parsha Press, was one of 606 students nationally to take this honor, which recognizes the best high school writers in the nation.

Mazal Tov to Tzipora Leah!! Keep writing!!!

SKA is proud to announce the AP Scholars for the year 2005-2006/ These students earned this recognition on the basis of their outstanding academic performance with the AP courses and exams.

Eight students qualified for the AP Scholar with Distinction Award by earning an average grade of at least 3.5 on all AP exams taken and grades of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams.

Six students qualified for the AP Scholar with Honor Award by earning an average grade of at least 3.25 on all AP exams taken and grades of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams.

Seventeen students qualified for the AP Scholar Award by completing three or more AP Examinations with grades of 3 or higher.

We congratulate the following students and their families:

AP Scholar with Distinction:
Daniella Adler
Kayli Gerson
Batya Herzberg
Gittel Klein
Daniella Morad
Aviva Schiffmiller
Avital Shenker
Elkie Spitzer


AP Scholar with Honor:
Miriam Herschman
Gittel Klinger
Tzipora Kuperman
Shoshana Naiman
Naomi Perry
Orah Weiss


AP Scholar:
Atara Aeder
Dina Bangiyev
Hanna Berger
Zahava Farkas
Yardana Galler
Judith Kaplan
Dani Lent
Gila Lerman
Emily Levine
Ayelet Nussbaum
Michelle Schwartz
Alex Sher
Beth Stein
Mindi Werblowsky
Pamela Young
Ariela Zenilman
Michelle Zomber