Tradition joins new technology at HAFTR

Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rckaway first-graders were given prayer books with their embossed on them during a ceremony in HAFTR’s gymnasium with more than 600 people on Jan. 29.

Lower School Principal Joy Hammer welcomed everyone and Rabbi Dovid Kupchik led the prayer for Israel. Under the direction of music teacher Janet Goldman, the students sang about prayer and Jerusalem, and played musical instruments.

The children and their guests took part in activities that focused on different aspects of prayer. Students marked specific prayers inside their prayer books with tabs and used iPads to play a matching prayer game on the app, Quizlet.

They also decorated picture frames made in art class, participated in a scavenger hunt in a mock shul and recited blessings that were written on cupcakes.
HAFTR live-streamed the event for those who could not attend.