Here is how Yeshivas in the Five Towns responded in support of Israel

Rallies, news conferences and prayer ceremonies in support of Israel have taken place across Nassau County, and more are expected amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. At yeshivas in the Five Towns, the reaction has been somewhat different, but no less heartfelt.

Students at the Hebrew Academy of Long Beach, Rambam Mesivta Maimonides High School and the Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway have written letters to “lone soldiers,” members of the Israel Defense Forces who have no immediate family in Israel. There are roughly 7,000 lone soldiers serving in the IDF, 45 percent whom are from Jewish communities all over the world.

Letters from HAFTR were delivered to John F. Kennedy International Airport and given to soldiers leaving for Israel.

“Getting a letter from a kid in America saying, ‘We’re happy that you’re fighting for us,’ gives a lot of strength to that soldier,” Richard Altabe, lower school principal at HALB, said. “We’re improving our good deeds, doing good things and, most importantly, being with one another. That’s been a major focus.”

Last week, students at the Woodmere school began reciting a prayer in honor of the IDF, which now accompanies the Pledge of Allegiance at the start of the day.

HALB students range from first- to eighth-graders, but Altabe emphasized that despite their youth, they are well aware of what is going on in the Middle East.

“We have direction from our social work team in how best to talk to our children,” he explained. “We are shielding kids from the most graphic information. We sent letters out to parents. They know there’s a war — they know there’s fighting going on. They’re adult enough to know that something is going on.”

Along with the letters, the school’s PTA hosted a toy and pajama drive for Israeli families in need through Oct. 13.

HAFTR has created a fundraising page through the United Hatzalah, a nonprofit volunteer emergency medical service organization that is working in Israel, asking community members to contribute for medical equipment such as oxygen tanks, trauma kits, bandages and other items.

The school initially set a goal of $5,000, but has raised over $6,000.

At Rambam Mesivta, students were brought up to speed on events in Israel at several assemblies when they returned to school from the Sukkot holiday.

“We brought kids up to date in case no one knew, but everybody knew in the community what was going on,” Rabbi Zev Meir Friedman, dean of the all-boys high school, said. “There’s a sad feeling of depression. It’s front and center on the minds of administrators and teachers.”

There have been prayer assemblies at school, and emails have been sent to parents, reminding them to monitor what students are viewing on social media. Community members have been asked to donate goods ranging from hygiene kits to batteries to food for people in Israel.

Michael Gordon, a senior at Rambam, said he feared for his family members and others in Israel. “It’s definitely scary,” he said. “I have a lot of family members in Israel — many are fighting. We’re feeling it a lot here. Our day-to-day lives are affected by this, both on an emotional level and on a practical level. We’re changing our actions based on it.”

Gordon and other students attended a rally in Eisenhower Park, in East Meadow, on Oct. 10 to show their support for Israel. The event attracted more than 5,000 people.

Even when Rambam senior Dani Meir isn’t thinking directly about Israel, he said, feelings about the war linger in his mind.

“I’ve had an unsettling feeling in me,” Meir said. “It’s eating at me, and my father’s brother, his entire family, are there in Israel. We have a lot of people fighting in the army. I hope that they stay OK.”

The first week of a new reality for many Jewish students at yeshivas, ironically, coincided with the week of Mental Health Day, Oct. 10. They are trying their best to maintain positive attitudes despite what is happening more than 5,700 miles away.

One assembly at Rambam focused entirely on students’ mental health.

“When there’s tragic events like 9/11 and things like that, where kids are traumatized,” Friedman said, “either they’re traumatized by the event, which is usually the case, or they’re traumatized because of something else and the event triggers it. We want the kids to feel comfortable.”