Students at HANC HS experience a ‘Winter Extreme’

The HANC High School Girls’ Winter Extreme trip kicked off with a lively glow-in-the-dark dodgeball game followed by a wonderful dinner. After that, buses were boarded and we headed to a hotel in New Jersey.

The evening featured students and faculty in game shows with a DJ and Dov Katz (known as Digital Dov) as the game show host. There were lively Lip Sync battles, followed by a spirited chagiga and a heartfelt kumzitz. The evening wrapped up with midnight snacks of fried oreos and churros.

The following morning began with Shacharit, breakfast and a presentation by Rabbi Benzion Klatzko, founder of Shabbat.com. Rabbi Klatzko emphasized the ability of every person, no matter their circumstance, to make a positive impact on their community and the world.

The girls then headed to an escape room challenge, where they were divided into teams to see who could crack the puzzles first and escape the room. After a pizza lunch, the warmest jackets and winter gear were donned for snowtubing that reached exhilierating speeds.

The trip was capped with dinner in Teaneck.

Meanwhile, the boys began their trip closer to home.

On Thursday, they traveled to the Five Towns to hear a series of shiurim at Aish Kodesh in Woodmere.

After an opening by Rabbi Yirmi Ginsberg, the boys heard from the renowned Rabbi Moshe Weinberger, founder of the very shul they were sitting in and father-in-law of HANC’s Rabbi Yisroel Simcha Weingot.

Afterwards, Rabbi Eytan Feiner, Rav of the White Shul in Far Rockaway, inspired the audience with words of Torah. The impactful morning left a durable impression on the participants.

After their Torah-filled morning, the boys headed to the American Dream Mall in East Rutherford.

The trip continued at the Prudential Center in Newark, with a New York Islanders vs. New Jersey Devils game (the Islanders beat the Devils, 3-1).

Students reported that the HANC High School winter retreat was nothing short of amazing.