HAFTRites learn how government works

More than 200 yeshiva high school students from New York and New Jersey gathered at Young Israel of Woodmere for the 25th annual Yeshiva Model Congress.

HAFTR High School was the host school and Model Congress co-presidents Ezra Appel, Daniella Haft, Amanda Jedweb and Ezra Lent led the school’s delegation. 

Model Congress is a simulation of congressional conferences. Students are assigned to committees and prepare and debate proposed legislation. This year the committees included appropriations, armed services, banking, housing and urban affairs, education and labor, energy and commerce, environment and public works, ethics, foreign relations, homeland security, intelligence, judiciary, science and technology, transportation and infrastructure, and ways and means. There was also a crisis committee.

HAFTR seniors served as committee chairs and the students from nearly 12 schools debated the bills. Awards were presented and several went to HAFTR students.