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Jewish Foundation School Showcases Tefillah, Learning & Basketball at 2nd Annual “Turn Sunday into Father & Son Torah Day”
Edited by: TJVNews.com
Sunday, January 7, 2024, the Jewish Foundation School of Staten Island (JFS) located in the Willowbrook Section of the borough transformed Sunday into Father and Son Torah Today. From a strong start with Schachris and hearty breakfast some 100 fathers and sons congregated at Staten Island’s oldest Day School congregated and spent time learning Torah and bonding not only with the school, Rebbiem and teachers but together with their sons making it a memorable family father son experience. To cap off the day, JFS legendary Coach John Fuentes lead the school a healthy game of basketball was played leaving the crowd with an upbeat feeling of accomplishment.
Mrs. Ruth Garber thanked Iva Reuven, JFS, PTA, president, and Oshri Reuven, Volunteer Basketball Coach and Morah Simona Hovav, “for organizing the Second Annual Turn Sunday into Father and Son Torah Day.” Mrs. Garber explained that, “as an educator I search for all opportunities to be a learning experience. I firmly believe that the current climate that the Jewish community finds itself in needs us to become more refined people. I am proud that JFS is using a Torah activity to make our children and families better people and it truly is a win-win situation.”
Coach John Fuentes remarked, “as the Coach of the School, I have the privilege of being there for the students in sports. What I appreciate the most is that the students educate me more then I can ever provide for them with basketballs or footballs. The students are refined, well-mannered who truly take interest in what I have to say and play with sensitivity and respect. It is honor to be with them and to teach them. Whenever I complete an activity with them I feel loke the biggest winner. I walk away inspired and uplifted and I feel the same today. I thank JFS for allowing me to be part of the JFS community and I am honored to be a member of this very special family.”
Mendy Mirocznik, president of the Staten Island Council of Jewish Organizations commented, “each time I have the privilege of attending a JFS event I leave impressed and proud. Mrs. Garber, Mrs. Reuven and their great dedicated team of educators and Rebbiem have truly changed the direction of JFS and have reinvigorated it with an energized sense of purpose and being.
Mirocznik continued, “these dedicated people bring excitement to the school and make the students happy to attend school and develop a passion for Yiddishkeit. As Israel finds itself in war against Hamas and as we witness a ferocious rise in anti-Semitism along comes JFS and gives the students a sense of meaning. JFS is preaching responsibility that each individual Jew has a member of Klal Yisrael. It stresses the importance to pray, to learn Torah not as an academic activity or as am intellectual pursuit, but rather as a proud Jew who is perpetuating Torah and continuing in a link that connects back to the Patriarch Avraham Avinu. They make Torah exhilarating and this make them better Jews who understand how important it is to pray properly and practice the Torah they learn. It truly was demonstrated in how loving the student’s played basketball. May the Torah study and Ahavas Yisrael practices by the students be a merit for Israel and help them defeat Hamas and help usher in a true and everlasting peace for Israel.
