WTA stays open over Chol Hamoed Sukkot, giving the school the chance to focus on each chag as it comes up. After Rosh Hashanah, students have the opportunity to study Tzom Gedalia and Yom Kippur, and even when those studies go to the last minute, they get to learn about Sukkot during Chol Hamoed. Last week, WTA middle school started off 5783 with a highly interactive yom iyun multimedia presentation. Rav Bet Sefer Rabbi Avi Hoffman explained the history and tragedy behind Tzom Gedalia, as well as practical moral lessons that the students could apply to their everyday lives.

In lower school, students learned about the minhagim, simanim and halachot of Yom Kippur.

As classes, in groups and even during individual reading time, students combined different disciplines to gain a broader understanding. They had the opportunity to learn with their hands, working with clay in their art class, and with their whole bodies, as they presented little hatzagot to their peers. At each stage, they showed off their knowledge of the important dos and don’ts of Yom Kippur.

Some students even had the amazing opportunity to make their own shofarot! Rav Chaim Pinczower joined WTA, showing students just how this ancient symbol is made—a little different from how our ancestors used to, but the final products are the same. Kitot gimmel and daled were lucky enough to take their shofarot home for both Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur this year.