FRIEDA AZRAK, GLORIA CHABBOTT & JOELLE BAWABEH
GEARING UP FOR A FABULOUS YEAR, THE MAGEN DAVID YESHIVAH PTA MET ONE SUMMER DAY TO DISCUSS THE COMING SCHOOL YEAR. AS WE WERE PLANNING, A MEMBER OF OUR TEAM RECEIVED A NOTICE ON THEIR PHONE, ISHAY RIBO HAD SOLD OUT HIS CONCERT IN MADISON SQUARE GARDEN ON SEPTEMBER 3RD.
We allowed ourselves to drift into a daydream for a moment and consider what it would be like if we were able to host him in our school for our children. We immediately added it to our wish list.
Fast forward to October 7th, a war broke out in Israel, as a school and community we put our plans on hold, with a focus on doing everything possible we could to support the soldiers, the country, and the effort. Prayers, fundraisers and hesed, no stone was left unturned. We banded together to achieve one common goal.
Jews from all over the world attended a huge rally held in Washington, DC in support of Israel. One performer who had flown in from Israel to sing at the rally was Ishay Ribo. As he got onto the stage, his music and words brought such a special spirituality to the event. That same feeling crept up on us once again, we would love Ishay to perform for our school! We would welcome that ruach with open arms!
The MDY family has been working so hard in support of Israel, we thought it would be amazing if we could present our school with the ultimate Hanukkah gift! Lo and behold after being introduced to his team, Ishay Ribo was going to be coming to Magen David Yeshivah! We were bursting with excitement, but there was one catch. We couldn’t tell a soul! It was going to be a Hanukkah surprise for our students and teachers! We planned for two concerts, to accommodate grades 3 through 12, and started counting down the days until showtime! December 5th could not come fast enough! We were eager to see the reaction of the Magen David family!
A surprise assembly was scheduled, and students did not know what to expect. As they entered the auditorium under our Hanukkah inspired balloon arch, their faces lit up with excitement and anticipation. They knew something special was happening. The electricity was palpable, the room smoldering with excitement! When our principal Rabbi Cohen-Saban introduced the world-famous performer, the cheers that erupted were deafening. Everyone was ready for the music, and the light it would bring to their lives. The energy level only increased with each song. He sang his beautiful tunes, impactful words, words of prayer and hizuk. Ishay possesses a velvety soft voice, accompanied by the strum of his guitar that captures your heart and pierces your soul.
What a dream come true! Ishay Ribo was in our auditorium, performing for our children in their home, and he was spectacular! It was better than anything we could have imagined. The students and teachers of Magen David were all singing, dancing, cheering and enjoying as one. Ishay sang with them, prayed with our students for the soldiers and the release of the hostages, as we all united in solidarity under the Israeli flag.
There were moments looking out at the crowd of children waving their light up wands that just felt like a pure blessing. The PTA could not have presented our school with a more perfect gift. They needed this. We needed this! How important in this time in such an unstable world, to be unified as one. In a time filled with worry and desperation, we encourage pride in who we are, a Jewish nation, and where we come from.
At MDY we are grateful to be united in such a harmonious fashion. Faculty members were so touched and grateful to be part of such an uplifting experience. We have received numerous messages about that very special day. Here are just a few:
“Wow, wow, wow, what an incredible day!”
‘So grateful, and you managed to pull off Ishay Ribo twice! Kol HaKavod, unbelievable!”
“The PTA did an amazing job connecting our community through Ishay Ribo and his spiritual music, and made me proud to be part of Am Yisrael, thank you!”
As the day came to a close, we felt a deep sense of satisfaction that we ignited a flame in their hearts. We felt very confident to send our children home saying “Now go, light the candles of Hanukkah and celebrate the miracle of our salvation.”
Beezrat Hashem it will come again soon.
Frieda Azrak, Gloria Chabbott, and Joelle Bawabeh are Magen David Yeshivah PTA Presidium.
