A model of the Bait Hamikdash — the Temple that was on Mount Moriah in Jerusalem — is coming to Long Island in the New Year, part of a campaign to make Judaism’s ancient spiritual citadel something tangible, right here, right now. “People sometimes think that the Bait Hamikdash (Temple) has nothing to do with us,” said Rabbi Mordechai Persoff, educational director of Machon Hamikdash (Temple Institute). “It was 2,000 years ago, or it’s for the times of Mashiach another 2,000 years from now.” more

Marshmallow, Morah Karen Yager’s beloved classroom guinea pig pet, almost didn’t make it to the start of the school year. Happily, she’ll be back with the four-year-olds when nursery classes resume at the Hebrew Academy of Long Beach’s Lev Chana Early Childhood Center, thanks to the efforts of a kind veterinarian. more

To improve overall security procedures while making the best use of their financial resources, three of the area’s Jewish day schools — the Hebrew Academy of Long Beach, the Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway and Yeshiva of South Shore — will partner to hire a director of security. more

Last summer, I was offered the wonderful opportunity to volunteer at Kulanu’s summer program, Camp Discovery. I was nervous at first, as I never taught cake, cookie and cupcake decorating to children. The first day I rushed in with all my supplies and within five minutes my first group of kids bounded in. more

Both children and adults doubled their fun as the beautiful weather and exciting attractions made Kulanu’s annual community fair at Andrew J. Parise Cedarhurst Park the place to be last Sunday. The fair raises money for the Cedarhurst-based Center for Special Services. “It is important to support Kulanu for the wonderful work that they do for the special needs children in the community,” said Jay Goldmark, a Woodmere resident. more

Challenging students to focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and having them use that knowledge to produce a project which could spur them to a career applying those principles is the mission of the Manhattan-based Center for Initiatives in Jewish Education. The eight-year-old center hosted its second annual Young Engineers conference at the Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway (HAFTR) on May 30. more

Touro College conferred an honorary doctorate of political science degree on Robert Goldschmidt, dean of its Lander College of Arts and Sciences and Touro’s vice president for planning and assessment, at Touro’s 39th commencement exercises on May 26 at Avery Fisher Hall in Lincoln Center. More than 2,000 guests were in attendance. more

Time is a precious commodity. We’re told to cherish it, not to delay until later. However, we don’t always follow this philosophy. Rather, through all of the tests, DBQs, APs and other schoolwork, we live our lives in this moment, as if we will never evolve to something else. We can’t see ourselves being older because here we are now. more

The Brandeis School celebrated a delayed JSAM (Jewish Social Action Month) on May 2, hosting a party for the children of SIBS Place. The event featured a bounce house, face painting, cotton candy, pizza and dessert. SIBS Place, a program of South Nassau Community Hospital, provides services for children who have acutely ill siblings or parents. more