Moriah middle school students have been looking to identify meaningful ways to honor the life of Joseph Rotenberg, z”l,
husband of Moriah’s beloved Barbara Rotenberg and frequent contributor to The Jewish Link. Students were able to learn about the mitzvah of nichum aveilim, as sixth and seventh grade students wrote letters to fulfill this mitzvah, while eighth grade students were able to visit Mrs. Rotenberg during her week of shiva. Additionally, each Gemara class has accepted a portion of Pirkei Avot to learn as an aliyat neshama for Mr. Rotenberg. The middle school will IY”H be mesayem the masechta in time for the shloshim, at which time they hope to begin being able to use the new siddurim that have been donated by many Moriah families, in honor of Mr. Rotenberg.

The eighth grade boys’ tefillah classes, with the guidance of Rabbi Kuessous, learned about the concept of elevating one’s neshama through acts of chesed, tefillah and talmud Torah. The boys, being moved by this and in admiration of Mrs. Rotenberg, took kabalot, acceptances, upon themselves to elevate the neshama of Mr. Rotenberg to even higher levels. Some boys committed to an hour of machsom lefi, banishing lashon hara in an intentional way for an hour during their day. Others committed to specific acts of kindness to perform in his memory, with many other students identifying specific points in tefillah that they will commit to reciting and/or do so with enhanced kavanah. The students felt good about being able to express their admiration for Mrs. Rotenberg and her family, and they pray that all of their efforts elevate the neshama of Yosef Yitzchak ben Moshe HaKohen,z”l.