The Joseph Kushner Hebrew Academy Middle School just marked the culmination of a month long effort to promote brachot in the Middle School. Initially the Middle School students were taught about the different brachot and halachot associated with them. Excitement was generated throughout the halls with the Instabracha Bracha Selfie campaign. As part of the brachot initiative, faculty collected a student generated bracha list with favorite and least favorite foods, along with the proper bracha for each. The students used this as a guide to study for individual class bracha bees. The winners in each class continued on to the Woxx Bracha Bee. In an exciting battle of over 20 students, the Bracha Bee began with three lightning rounds. The finalists were called up with an unfamiliar food-bracha match.. The first place prize of a $36 gift certificate to Woxx went to Eli Novick (6th grade), and the runner up, Goldy Franks (8th grade), won an $18 gift certificate. Third runner-up was Eliana Schwartz (7th grade), Woxx in West Orange generously sponsored the competition.

By Rabbi Adam Hertzberg