In a vibrant and energetic atmosphere, the gym at Yeshivat Noam became the gathering place for about 500 students from 13 schools across New York and New Jersey, all coming together to celebrate their shared bracha curriculum. The third annual Bracha Bowl, a fun and competitive event for students in grades three to five, gave them the opportunity to showcase what they had learned in an engaging and spirited way. The idea for the Bracha Bowl came from Rabbi Steven Eisenberg, director of Judaic studies at The Ramaz School. His vision was to create an event that blended learning with friendly competition.
“We wanted to give specifically the younger students the chance to publicly show off their knowledge of brachot while also teaching them valuable skills like teamwork, quick thinking, and friendly competition. Most importantly, we wanted to create a fun and exciting forum for students from different schools to interact with one another.’’
The gym buzzed with energy as students cheered for their teams, waved signs and supported one another. Yeshivat Noam, last year’s co-champion, graciously hosted the event, ensuring every detail of the day was special.
Rabbi Chaim Hagler, head of school at Yeshivat Noam, welcomed the participants and their guests. His inspiring words reminded the students that a bracha is a way of training ourselves to appreciate what we have. He encouraged them to follow Dovid HaMelech’s institution of making 100 brachot each day, a message that resonated throughout the event.
The competitors were privileged to have Rabbi Andrew Markowitz, rabbi of Congregation Shomrei Torah in Fair Lawn and president of the RCBC, serve as a judge for the event. His presence and deep knowledge of brachot added additional insight to the competition.
The experience was further magnified by Digital Dov, who brought his talent as a game show host. With his fun and creative challenges, including rounds like “Riddle Me This” and “Describe It,” he kept the students engaged, testing their knowledge and quick thinking while making everyone laugh and feel proud.
Abraham Zamist and his team at Motion Audio Visual enhanced the event with exceptional audio-visual work, adding energy and excitement to each moment and helping make the Bracha Bowl both entertaining and memorable.
As the event came to a close, the focus shifted from competition to unity. All the students gathered on stage to sing “Acheinu,” a heartfelt moment that celebrated not only the competition but also the connections made across schools.
The third annual Bracha Bowl demonstrated the power of community and learning, where students had the opportunity to grow both academically and personally, all while having fun. The event helped them develop essential skills and fostered a sense of unity that extended far beyond the classroom.
Participating schools include BPY, Manhattan Day School, The Moriah School, Park East Day School, Ramaz, RYNJ, SAR Academy, The Shefa School, Westchester Day School, Yavneh Academy, Yeshivat He’atid, Yeshivat Noam and Yeshivat Shalshelet.
Congratulations to SAR for winning their third Bracha Bowl in a row!
Deena Lewin is the director of student programming at Yeshivat Noam.
