In just a few weeks Bnos Bais Yaakov of Far Rockaway will be forced to remove the entire brick façade of its beautiful building due to and widespread cracking and buckling of the bricks.

Wednesday, May 22 seemed like a typical day in Bnos Bais Yaakov, as hundreds of happy, enthusiastic students entered the building. Teachers relayed timeless messages with their usual passion. Smiling girls studied chumash, navi, and parashah, played jump rope and machanayim, and chatted with friends.

Then suddenly, without warning, the serene school day was interrupted by a resounding vibration, as a significant portion of the school building’s brick façade became disengaged from the main structure. Students jumped in alarm, and were directed to the lunchroom for an impromptu assembly. Under the guidance of construction professionals, the school was forced to immediately stage a controlled collapse, while implementing extreme precautions to ensure that everyone remained safe.

After the collapse, a team of engineers commissioned by the school evaluated the extent of the damage, the cause of the collapse and the steps necessary to rehabilitate the building. Though they gave clearance for the building to remain in use temporarily, these professionals advised that the school must immediately replace the entire façade since there are similar faults throughout the entire brick face and signs of significant deterioration. This project will cost the school over 1.2 million dollars.

Without these funds, the school cannot commence this critical project. The situation is urgent. To hundreds of students, Bnos Bais Yaakov is more than just a school; it is a home away from home. Students and teachers arrive each day excited and eager to learn and grow. It is impossible to continue operating under these conditions, but we cannot turn our students down.       To raise the vital funds necessary, BBY has initiated a “bricks and mortar emergency campaign”. Bnos Bais Yaakov is a bastion of Torah chinuch and every dollar donated to this campaign will go directly to rebuilding the façade and ensuring that classes continue unabated.  and every Parents have extended themselves over and beyond their tuition obligations to raise the necessary funds, but significant monies are still needed. Through the generosity of Klal Yisroel and with the help of Hakadosh Baruch Hu, the school will be”H open its doors as scheduled.

This is a serious safety concern and the school year is nearly upon us. Hundreds of students and faculty will be arriving at school in just a few weeks.

Please visit www.rayze.it/bbybricks/ to make a generous donation and make an indelible impact on the chinuch of over 1250 girls