200 Step into Sarah’s Tent in Flatbush

Beis Yaakov Ohel Sarah isn’t the biggest girls’ school in all of Brooklyn, and that’s a status they prefer to keep. The waiting list to enroll a new student into their Chabad Mosad in the heart of Midwood attests to their tight-ship operation.

Flatbush Shluchim, Rabbi Schneur Zalman and Sarah Mendelsohn together with 200 of their closest friends and supporters gathered at Menorah Hall in Borough Park, Brooklyn to celebrate twelve years since they first opened the doors to what they refer to as an “Oasis of Chassidishe warmth.” While there’s certainly a feeling of exclusivity to their school as the levels of education far-exceed the ever-growing expectations of the schools’ parent-body, their doors have always been open to those who sought out a high-quality personalized learning experience for their daughters; the Sarah Imeinus of tomorrow.

The evening was highlighted by a warm speech delivered by the personal Mashpiah of the school, Rabbi Feivel Rimler of the NCFJE. Following Rabbi Rimler, world-renown orator, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Jacobson, spoke of the uniqueness of the girls’ school, and often times in his talk, likened the Mosad in Flatbush to none other than the very tent of Sarah Imenu.

The evening honored Mr. Baruch and Rivka Eliav as dedicated parents of the year, and awarded Mrs. Yehudis Kranz with the honor of “Educator of the Year.

“Twelve Years –” Said Rabbi Mendelsohn into the microphone at the dinner. “Twelve years have whisked by, and not a day passes that one of the parents of our school won’t randomly walk up to me and thank me or my wife for doing what we do.” Shying away from the mic, Rabbi Mendelsohn lifts a glass of water for a sip, places it back down on the beautifully covered table next to him and finishes his sentence “To them I say, just you wait until your little one grows up and establishes a tent of her very own. Then, we’ll thank each other!” The crowd ate it all up, and burst out in applause.

Photos by Alex Gorokhov