|
 From the desk of
Rabbi Perry
Tirschwell
WYHS
reached new heights in parental awareness this week with the
first electronic posting of students' grades via the Edline website.
Students or parents who are having trouble accessing or using their
Edline accounts should click
here to e-mail their queries to WYHS Technology Director Mrs.
Claudia Cohen. As I explained when I introduced the program at Meet
the Teacher Night, please be patient as the administration and
faculty learn the nuances of the program.
Election fever is in the air as we prepare for Monday's
Student-led Debate representing both sides in the presidential
election. The students are being exposed to a variety of
views on the issues.
This morning our school is hosting the faculties of the
Jewish day schools of South Palm Beach County for an inservice
run by the Jewish Education Commision of the Jewish Federation. The
students are enjoying a well earned day off.
I look foward to greeting the parents both this Monday night
and next Tuesday night at Parent- Teacher Conferences.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Perry Tirschwell
Principal
| A Short, But Sweet, Week |
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It was
another action-packed week at WYHS!
After school on Thursday, the entire freshman class
enjoyed their Freshman Night Out, an evening of dinner
and entertainment at the homes of principal Rabbi Perry
Tirschwell (for boys) and guidance counselor Mrs. Simone
Broide (for girls). The fun and relaxed atmosphere
helped the freshmen connect with one another away informally.
Everyone had a fantastic time, enjoyed the company of their
classmates, and made new friends to share their freshman year
with!
Last Friday, all the boys took time out of their class
schedule to listen to inspiring words of mussar
, delivered by Rabbi Moshe Schochet of the Boca Raton
Community Kollel. Rabbi Schochet spoke to the boys about the
importance of making brachot before eating.
Several sophomores have joined the group of students
participating in the Parternship 2000 program with
other teenagers from Donna Klein Jewish Academy and the
Community Jewish High School, as well as from Kiryat Bialik,
Israel. The local students met this week, and a
videoconference between the American and Israeli teens is
scheduled for next month.
The
senior girls are busy deciding where to attend seminary in
Israel next year! This week, they had the opportunity to
hear from representatives of two schools, Orot and Midreshet
Lindenbaum. The girls will continue to hear seminary
presentations from additional schools in the coming weeks (see
the schedule available through a link above) as the
application deadline draws near.
On
Thursday afternoon, the student body had the unique privilege
of hearing from nationally renown religious leader
Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis. Rebbetzin Jungreis is an
acclaimed author and lecturer, famous for her campaign to
bring spirituality to Jews across the globe. Rebbetzin
Jungreis shared with the students her perspective as a
holocaust survivor, which allows her to truly appreciate the
debt of gratitude that we Jews owe to this country for our
ability to freely practice our religion and U.S. support of
Israel.
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| As Two Storms Leave, Four Come
In |
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Attention
all Yeshiva Storm fans! This Saturday night, October 30, is
your last chance this season to cheer on the boys varsity
soccer team as they take on the David Posnack Hebrew Day
School in a moonlight match at Sand Pine Park in Boca (a block
off Dixie Hwy, just north of Yamato Road, on the east side).
The game begins at 8:30 p.m., so make sure to be there on time
to enjoy the fun of boys' soccer one last time this
year!
Over 25
girls attended the three rigorous days of girls varsity
soccer tryouts this week. The season begins with the first
game against Lake Worth Christian on Tuesday, November
9.
In
anticipation of the start of the basketball season,
tryouts for all three Storm basketball teams begin this
weekend.
Girls
varsity basketball tryouts will begin on Sunday October 31
at 9:00 a.m. at Chaminade Madonna Preparatory School, and will
continue on Tuesday, November 2 at Loggers Run Middle School
at 7:30 p.m. and on Thursday, November 4 at Veterans Park at
6:00 p.m. Girls interested in playing should attend all three
sessions.
The first installment of the Boys Junior Varsity
Basketball Tryouts will take place from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00
p.m. this Sunday, October 31 at Chaminade Madonna Preparatory
School. The second installment will take place this Tuesday,
November 2 at Loggers Run Middle School from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30
p.m. The third and final part will take place this Thursday,
November 4 at Loggers Run Park at 7:30 p.m.
The Boys Varsity Basketball Tryouts will take
place from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. on this Sunday, October 31
at Chaminade Madonna Preparatory School.
For more information on times and directions, please
contact the WYHS school office.
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| The Week Ahead |
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In true
Democratic spirit, students will hold an Election 2004
debate and mock election next Monday afternoon after
Judaic Studies classes and lunch. Four students will represent
President George W. Bush and four students will represent
Senator John Kerry in the debate.
The first
night of Parent Teacher Conferences is scheduled for
Monday, November 1 (A-K). There will be a Friday schedule on
Monday, November 1 with a 2:45 p.m. dismissal. Parent Teacher
Conferences will continue on Tuesday, November 9 (L-Z). That
day will follow a regular Tuesday schedule.
Next
Tuesday night is Junior Night Out, beginning
immediately after school at 3:30 p.m. Students will enjoy an
afternoon of laser tag, followed by a barbecue dinner for the
entire grade at the home of Daniel Poliak in Hollywood. The
program will be over by 8:00 p.m. Students are responsible for
their own transportation to and from the event.
Seminary visits continue this week with
presentations by Sha'alvim for Women and Midreshet Moriah.
Please click on the link above for the up-to-date times and
locations for all seminary presentations.
Next Thursday, students at WYHS will have the
opportunity to hear from Tzvi Pearlman, director of
Midreshet Beit Shean, an organization dedicated to
promoting education and culture in Beit Shean, Israel. Mr.
Pearlman will speak to the entire school after davening, and
will then address a smaller group of students at a meeting of
the Committee for Israel Action (CIA).
Beginning next Friday, the senior class will be selling
beautiful roses for the low price of $10 per dozen!
This is an excellent opportunity to support the senior class
in their fundraising efforts and bring home a gorgeous bouquet
of flowers for Shabbat!
On
Sunday, November 7 at 7:00 p.m., bestselling author Naomi
Ragen will be speaking at the South Palm Beach County
Federation, in Zinman Hall, to benefit WYHS. Tickets are $25
and $45, and sponsorships are available. All sponsors will be
invited to a private dessert reception after the lecture.
Please click here to
order tickets.
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| On the Horizon |
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Next
Saturday night, November 6, will be the Sophomore Night
Out for all tenth graders. Students will meet for dinner
at 7:30 p.m. at Sara's Restaurant in Hollywood. From there,
the boys will play laser tag while the girls go ice skating.
There will be buses between Boca and Hollywood
only, leaving Boca at 7:00 p.m. and returning at
approximately 11:00 p.m.
The
WYHS School Shabbaton will take place in Orlando, from
Friday, November 19 through Sunday, November 21. Students will
leave from school on Friday at noon and will return late
Sunday night after a full day at the Islands of Adventure
theme park!
Applications are available in the school office. Return
your completed application by the Friday, November 5
deadline to make sure you don't miss out on this
unbelievable weekend!
The
WYHS Open House for prospective parents and students in
all grades will be held on Sunday, November 14 from 10:00 a.m.
to 1:00 p.m. at the school. This is your chance to meet and
hear from members of the administration and faculty,
experience model classes, and get a taste of life at WYHS. For
more information, please click here to contact
the admissions office.
The
second lecture in the three part parenting series will
be held on Tuesday, November 23 at 8:00 p.m. at the Young
Israel of Hollywood. Adolescence expert Dr. Rona Novick will
speak about how to help teenagers deal with competition,
exclusion, and relationships. All parents are encouraged to
attend this seminar. Attendance at one of the three parenting
lectures is mandatory for all WYHS parents.
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WYHS, Sephardic Style |
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The
Sephardic population at WYHS has grown to the point
that the school can support its own Sephardic minyan!
Sophomore class President Raquel Amram, who always has
her eyes on the horizon, approached Rabbi Tirschwell this past
summer and asked if the Sephardic students could make a
special minyan for slichot. Sephardim
begin saying slichot a full month before Rosh Hashanah.
The Sephadic slichot, unlike their Ashkenazic counterparts,
are the same every day.
The minyan was formed, and over twenty boys and
girls committed to coming to school an hour early at 7:00
a.m.for the entire month of Elul in order to accomodate
the longer service and the full hour of
selichot.
By
popular demand, the minyan has now been extended to
the entire year! Most of the school's Sephardic contingent
participates, representing countries such as Iraq, Iran,
Syria, Morocco, and Turkey, each bringing their unique culture
and customs to the mix.
Raquel
Amram, assures her Ashkenazi peers that, "our minyan is
not to separate ourselves from the Ashkenazim, because we are
all Jewish. But it is important to stay true to one's
heritage and maintain one's tradition. I hope that this
minyan continues and becomes an essential part of
WYHS."
In a traditional Sephardic minyan, all the men
take turns leading of the prayers. This means that many
students take an active role in the minyan on a
regular basis.
The students are often joined by members of Boca Raton
Synagogue's Sephardic community, who welcome the introduction
of a 8:00 a.m. Sephardic minyan to the community. A
special thank you to WYHS parent Dr. Hedy Zaghi, who
supervises the minyan and shares a dvar halacha
each day.
|
GOOD and
WELFARE
|
| Mazel tov to Assistant Principal
Ora Lee Kanner on the birth of a grandson.
|
| Refuah Shleima to board member Bernie
Oppenheim
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| Condolences to Rica Dray on the loss of her father
and to granddaughter junior Sarah.
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| Condolences to martial arts instructor Lisa
Chadwick on the loss of her father.
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