HAFTR highlights

This past week at HAFTR has been very energetic. From college acceptances to the Panim El Panim trip, to the Chanukah holiday, the hallways have been brimming with excitement.

This week a group of students acting as school representatives went on a trip called Panim El Panim to Washington, DC. Panim El Panim literally means Face to Face, but it’s really a trip for Jewish students to learn how to lobby for what they believe in. Sydney Hecht, an 11th grader who went on the trip said, “On Panim el Panim I was able to come face to face with many Jewish teens from all different states. We were taught how to advocate for what we believe in. I even got the opportunity to meet with my representative in Congress, Carolyn McCarthy, about issues that I believe are important.” The trip was split up into three main parts: service, talking with your representative, and learning groups. The students went to an animal shelter and the Wider Circle, which gives furniture to the less fortunate. The students sat down with Carolyn McCarthy to talk about issues that are taking place right now. The students also went to learning groups and learned about Occupy Wall Street and other events in our country. It’s really important that Jewish students learn how to advocate; because of our small size we need more people to make a difference. I think that this trip was a really excellent opportunity and a great step in the right direction of informing the new Jewish generation of the problems it will inevitably face.

Getting back an acceptance or a rejection from a college is a scary and momentous occasion. So, it’s not hard to believe that it caused quite the commotion at HAFTR this week. Students were anxiously waiting to receive their letters or waiting to hear the news from a friend. However, there are still people who haven’t heard back yet, so we will just have to wait and see what happens next.

Lastly, it’s Chanukah, a creative holiday for HAFTR. The student treasurer Justin Merkin, an 11th grader, said that “We came up with some really interesting ideas and we hope everyone will love them. I can’t give anything away because it’s a surprise.” One can only imagine how they’re going to top off last year’s amazing Chanukah. Chanukah is an amazing time of year where families get together to light candles, eat jelly doughnuts, and spin dreidels for snacks.