Last week, the °µÍĝAV Academy community came together to mark Yom HaZikaron and Yom Ha’atzmaut with meaningful programming.

The week began on Monday evening with a community-wide Yom HaZikaron commemoration at °µÍĝAV High School, in partnership with the Riverdale Jewish Community Partnership. The tekes honored the courageous chayalim who gave their lives defending Israel, as well as victims of terror. Community members gathered to remember loved ones who made the ultimate sacrifice, with local rabbinic and lay leaders standing in solidarity and sharing personal stories. Among those in attendance were Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson; Councilmember Eric Dinowitz; Rabbi Dovid Zirkind (RJC); Rav Steven Exler (HIR); Rabbi Asher Abramovitz (Kinneret Day School); Rabbi Linda Shriner-Cahn (Congregation Tehillah); Rabbi Katie Greenberg (CSAIR); Rabbanit Bracha Jaffe (HIR); Rabbi Barry Dov Katz (CSAIR); Rosh Kehilah Dina Najman (Kehilah of Riverdale); Rabbi Dov Linzer (Yeshivat Chovevei Torah); Rabba Sara Hurwitz (Maharat), Miriam Zami Edeson (YIOZ), guests from Kfar Aza, Amit and Tomer Ades; and Mr. Avigdor Gargy. The program can be viewed at .

Yom HaZikaron continued in school on Tuesday. Throughout the day, students heard powerful firsthand accounts of service and sacrifice from alumni, faculty, and community members. Thank you to alumni Rachel Merczynski-Hait (AC ’19, HS ’23) and Eliyahu Najman (HS ’23), and to °µÍĝAV faculty and staff, including Morah Eden Avni, Moreh Asaf Diamant, Moreh David Engel, Daniel Hadary, Moreh Yonatan Reich, and Morah Kira Smordin, as well as spouses of faculty, Eldad Baruch and Matanel Bareli, for sharing their experiences with students and for their service.

°µÍĝAV Middle School students led impactful tekesim for younger grades, combining music and reflection to help students engage with the meaning of the day (bit.ly/MSYomHaZikaron26). The programming deepened students’ understanding of the resilience and bravery of those who defend Israel.

°µÍĝAV Academy was also honored to welcome Rachel Goldberg-Polin and Jon Polin, parents of Hersh z”l, for a moving tekes held on the school steps. As they entered to the sound of nearly 1,000 students singing, the moment captured the strength and unity of the °µÍĝAV community. Students demonstrated their connection to Israel through meaningful acts and tefilot, offering chizuk to the Polins during an emotional gathering (bit.ly/RachelJon_Steps).

On Wednesday, the community transitioned from remembrance to celebration in honor of Yom Ha’atzmaut. The day began with a spirited musical Hallel on the steps, followed by a festive chagigah on the field. Highlights included the always-inspiring sixth-grade daglanut performance, Lower School blue vs. white Maccabiah, and inflatables for Early Learning Center students. Middle School students went to Van Cortlandt Park for a day of fun after participating in the Yossi Hershkovitz z”l Beit Sefer LaMusika, named after beloved former °µÍĝAV Academy faculty member Yossi Hershkovitz z”l, which continues to be a meaningful part of the school’s Yom Ha’atzmaut celebration ().

The celebrations culminated with the Rabbi William Z. and Eda Bess Novick z”l Community Yom Ha’atzmaut BBQ, a joyful gathering of families and friends. Organized by the Parent Association and supported by dedicated staff, the event brought the community together under blue skies and Israeli flags, providing a fitting close to a powerful week.

The presence of returning friends of °µÍĝAV Academy, Amit and Tomer Ades from Kfar Aza, Israel, throughout the week added a deeply personal dimension. 

Thank you to the many faculty members, staff, and parent leaders who thoughtfully planned and executed the week’s programming, and to the families whose support made it all possible. Through remembrance, reflection, and celebration, the °µÍĝAV community honored Israel’s past while looking ahead with hope and pride toward its bright future.

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As we moved from the reflection and remembrance of Yom HaZikaron to the celebration and joy of Yom Ha’atzmaut, °µÍĝAV Academy students looked forward to one of their most beloved annual events: the Middle School Beit Sefer LaMusika program, renamed in honor of Yossi Hershkovitz z×´l. This meaningful tradition brings the community together each year to celebrate Yom Ha’atzmaut through Israeli music, and this marks the second year since the program was renamed in Yossi’s memory.

Yossi z”l, who brought his love of music and his warm, inspiring approach to teaching to °µÍĝAV Academy, played a pivotal role in shaping this program through his joyful violin playing, his kindness, and his leadership. Together with his wife, Hadas, he helped lead and accompany both the Yom HaZikaron tekes and the Beit Sefer LaMusika performances, supporting students as they prepared and guiding them not only as a teacher but as a true musical presence in the °µÍĝAV community. His death while defending Israel in November 2023 was an immense loss, but his memory continues to live on in every note played by the students.

This year, six groups took the stage and showcased their tremendous talent: Eitan Kadosh-Rogers and Eli Goldstein; Ilay Yagel; Lielle Perl and Temma Mermelstein; Koren Baruch and Max Gribetz; Liliana Greenspun and Maayan Solomon; and Leo Katz, Zohar Katz, and Noah Weinstein. Their songs were beautiful and helped frame the day with meaning, purpose, and celebration. It was especially meaningful to hear reflections from teacher-judges, Ms. Rebecca Ostro Nagata, Rabbi Eli Ollech, Rabbi Zev Hait, and Morah Ali Bloom, on each performance.

A special kol hakavod to MCs, Noam Reich and Manu Perelis, for leading the program so thoughtfully. Thank you to all the students who participated and worked so hard in preparation for their performances. To the °µÍĝAV 8th graders, after years of contributing to this program, we say goodbye with pride and a touch of sadness.

Congratulations to this year’s Yossi Hershkovitz z×´l Beit Sefer LaMusika winners: Koren Baruch and Max Gribetz. 

These performances, culminating each year on Yom Ha’atzmaut, serve as a powerful reflection of Yossi’s enduring impact and the beauty he brought to the school and the lives he touched.

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Students rolled up their sleeves and became real matzah bakers, learning that matzah must be made in just 18 minutes. With the timer set, they got right to work! They mixed and rolled the dough with rolling pins, carefully preparing it for baking in the special matzah oven.

The excitement continued as students watched the dough being hung over a wooden pole, transferred into the oven, and transformed into beautiful shmurah matzah! From start to finish, they experienced every step of the process, gaining a hands-on understanding of how matzah is made and why each detail matters.

This year, over 1,000 °µÍĝAV students participated in the Matzah Factory, from our youngest learners in the Infant and Toddler Center all the way through 8th grade! It was incredible to see the entire school come together for this meaningful experience. In addition, °µÍĝAV families joined in on the excitement to bake matzah on Sunday, March 15th.

This interactive experience brought Pesach learning to life, filled with excitement, teamwork, and a deeper connection to the chag.

Thank you to Rabbi Danny Senter and the Chof-K for running the program so smoothly and ensuring the highest standards throughout.

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Their words offered a window into both the challenges and the extraordinary strength and resilience that have defined their days since the start of the war. As the school community watched via livestream, students, faculty, and families were able to see and hear directly from those on the ground, fostering a sense of closeness despite the physical distance. For all who were present, it was an opportunity not only to listen, but to connect in a deeply personal and meaningful way.

Together, the community paused, reflected, and offered chizuk, drawing strength from one another and reinforcing the powerful sense of unity that continues to bind °µÍĝAV families everywhere.

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After months of learning tefillot, songs, and their meanings, the first graders demonstrated their growth through a joyful performance that reflected both their hard work and their deepening knowledge and connection to tefillah.

The highlight of the ceremony came as each student received a personal siddur, embracing the moment with excitement. This milestone marks an important step in their Jewish learning journey.

Mazal tov and yashar koach, Kitah Aleph!

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As Purim approached, “Adar Madness” brought daily bursts of fun and school spirit. Students showed up in wacky socks and hilarious hats, twirled through the halls in ties and tutus, wore their school colors with pride, and embraced the challenge of “Anything But a Backpack.” A sweet stop from Rita’s Ices added to the festive energy, and the school also paused for a meaningful Power of Words Day, coming together as a community. On Purim morning, students arrived in costumes full of creativity and joy, embodying the simcha of Adar even in complicated times. °µÍĝAV Academy is proud of its longstanding tradition of holding school on Purim and celebrating together as a community. Middle School students read the Megillah with care and confidence, while faculty and parent volunteers ensured that the Lower School heard the Megillah throughout the morning.

°µÍĝAV also welcomed Major Sagi Dovev, founder and CEO of House of Heroes, along with Omri, an IDF officer who lost his leg in combat in Gaza but whose determination remains unshakable, so much so that he is now competing on Israel’s The Amazing Race. Through House of Heroes, Dovev provides holistic rehabilitation for wounded soldiers, strengthening both body and spirit through martial arts, therapy, and community support. Students watched Sagi and Omri demonstrate Krav Maga and even trained alongside them, experiencing firsthand powerful lessons in perseverance, partnership, and resilience.

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In the Purim story, collective prayer paved the way for the redemption of the Jewish people from evil that sought to destroy them. More than 2,300 years later, that message resonates with renewed urgency.

On the steps of the school, students and faculty came together in tefillah at a time when families across Israel are living in a constant state of uncertainty, moving in and out of shelters, and reservists being called back to duty. The °µÍĝAV community stood in solidarity with the people of Israel and with the brave soldiers of both the Israeli and U.S. military, offering prayers for their protection and safety.

But protection is not only physical; it is spiritual as well.

That same morning marked the culmination of the °µÍĝAV Mezuzah Project (TheMezuzahProject.org/sar), a schoolwide initiative to ensure that every IDF base has checked and kosher mezuzot. In their classrooms, students learned about the mitzvah of mezuzah, its meaning, its halachic requirements, and its role as a symbol of divine protection. Simultaneously, the broader °µÍĝAV community mobilized to raise support for nearly 800 mezuzot.

Each mezuzah represents a tangible reminder to our chayalim that they are not alone, that an entire community supports them.

As Purim began that evening, the lessons of Esther and Mordechai felt especially timely. When Haman sought to annihilate the Jewish people of ancient Persia, it was unity, courage, and unwavering faith that ultimately brought about salvation. Today, as challenges once again confront Am Yisrael, that same spirit endures.

Our strength lies in standing together, in tefillah, in mitzvot, and in mutual responsibility.

Am Yisrael Chai.

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