77 Years Strong – Celebrating Israel!

SAR Academy transitioned from remembrance to celebration for Yom Ha’atzmaut. The day began with a beautiful musical Hallel on the steps, followed by a joyous chagigah on the field. A highlight was our always-inspiring 6th-grade daglanut performance. Students in grades 1–5 enjoyed a spirited Blue vs. White Maccabiah, ELC students had fun with inflatables, and middle schoolers took a trip to Van Cortlandt Park after participating in the Yossi Hershkovitz z”l Beit Sefer LaMusika. This beloved event has become an annual tradition that wouldn’t be what it is today without Yossi, and one which we are proud to rename in his memory.

The day culminated with the Rabbi William Z. & Eda Bess Novick z”l Community Yom Ha’atzmaut BBQ. The event was a joyful gathering of families and friends, celebrating together under blue skies and Israeli flags—a fitting finale to a week that honored the past, uplifted the present, and looked with hope toward the future.

In a time when 59 hostages remain in Gaza and IDF soldiers stand on the front lines, SAR students’ visible pride and deep-rooted connection to Israel served as a powerful expression of Jewish unity and hope.