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From: Rabbi Perry Tirschwell <rpt@wyhs.net>
Subject: Yeshiva Highlites featuring Yom HaZikaron and Yom HaAtzmaut Videos
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Yeshiva Highlites featuring Yom HaZikaron and Yom HaAtzmaut Videos
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The Weekly Newsletter of
Weinbaum
Yeshiva High School

Parshat Acharei Mot and Kedoshim
Friday, April 27, 2007
Shabbat begins in Boca at 7:32pm

rpt

From the desk of
Rabbi Perry Tirschwell

Should our school create opportunities for our students to interact with teenagers who do not have a yeshiva background? Are all such programs created equal?

It is crucial that we inspire our students to be active participants in the broader Jewish and American communities. They have so much to offer others who have not been afforded the same education and raised with the same values. They also have much to learn from the sense of wonderment and respect of those to whom our lifestyle is not pedestrian. Most important perhaps is the educational message that we are all one people.

On the other hand, teenagers have vastly different pressures on them than adults. Most adults have spouses and careers and are relatively secure in their identity. Most teenagers, however, are trying to figure out who they are, where they stand in relation to others, and what their principles are. Teenagers understandably have a deep desire to be "normal" (if not cool) in the eyes of their peers.

How do we resolve our seemingly contradictory goals of interaction with the broader community and exposing them solely to positive peer pressure in terms of our values? I believe that the answer is creating venues for interactions that will inspire and not weaken our teens.

This week's Yom Haatzmaut Celebration was one. The day schools of South Palm Beach County marched as schools, followed by the community and yeshiva high school students celebrating together and listening to an important message. The message was that we unite with our fellow Jews to support Israel, in good times as well as bad.

The Jewish Roots / Kiryat Bialik program is another. Some of our most deeply committed students meet with local non Yeshiva teens and (via videoconference) hiloni Israeli peers to understand each other's perspectives. For one week each year, we send students to Israel with a faculty mentor to actually live in the homes of these Israelis, and they reciprocate for a week as well.

The lifestyle that we preach to our children is both empowering and restrictive. Kashrut, non- physical relationships between boys and girls, kipot, tzniut, and tefila frame what a child eats, wears, and does. For teenagers, who by their nature test limits, an observant Jewish lifestyle is a tall order. We ask a lot.

Programs which do not have our standards or level of supervision are unfair challenges to expect a high school student to withstand. This is doubly true if they are lengthy.

Our Religious Zionist worldview requires us to walk a tightrope throughout our lives- remaining faithful to Torah observance while participating in the broader world. Though tightrope walking is dangerous, we believe that it is what G-d wants from us. May we be successful in teaching our children to walk this tightrope.

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Perry Tirschwell

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Upcoming Events

  • Hollywood 6th & 7th grade
    Parent Meeting @ the Kurtzes

    Sat. night, April 28

  • Boca Raton 7th grade
    Parent Meeting @ the Walds

    Monday, April 28 @ 8:00 pm

  • Boca Raton 5th & 6th grade
    Parent Meeting @ the Landas

    Wednesday, May 2 @ 8:00pm

  • Girls Hebrew Play
    Friday, May 4

  • Last Day of Senior Classes
    Monday, May 7

  • Sports Banquet
    Monday, May 7 @ 6:30pm

  • Freshman Shabbaton
    Friday, May 11- Motzei Shabbat, May 12



  • Good and Welfare

    Mazel Tov to

  • Alexa Bryn ('08) on being awarded Gold Keys for Short Stories and Poetry in the Scholastic Writing Awards of 2007

  • Dr. and Mrs. Michael Kanner on the birth of a granddaughter

  • Dr. and Mrs. Hedy Zaghi on the bar mitzvah of son Eram

  • Mr. Stewart Harris on being installed as the Chair of the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County

    Refuah Shleimah to

  • Mr. Danny Wasserman


  •  

    Click On Picture Above For A Yom HaAtzmaut Slideshow

    Happy 59th Birthday, Israel!



    WYHS Celebrates


    Yom HaAtzmaut In Style



    By Danielle Wolkowicz ('09)

    On Tuesday, the students at WYHS celebrated Yom HaAtzmaut, Israel Independence Day, in a truly special way, involving the entire South Florida Day School community for the first time ever.

    Students gathered at Hillel Day School of Boca Raton for davening which was a sentimental experience for the many students who were Hillel alumni. After a delicious breakfast, the students participated in a parade around the JCC campus with students from Solomon Schechter, Hillel Day School, Donna Klein Jewish Academy and Torah Academy. It was inspiring to see so many students with such different backgrounds gathering together to celebrate the State of Israel.

    After the parade, WYHS and Donna Klein students enjoyed a chagigah performed by the school's own band, Chazak. They then watched a movie which highlighted Israel's many accomplishments in its 59 years of existence. Arielle Struhl ('09) remarked that she "had no idea Israel was such a technologically advanced country," coming in 3rd place after only US and Canada as the country with the biggest trade. Rabbi Gur Berman addressed the students about the importance of spending time in Israel after school and how amazing it is to see the places they heard about in Tanach come to life.

    But the celebration was far from over. On Tuesday afternoon, many students assembled at Mizner Park Amphitheater for a ceremony which first commemorated the many wars Israel had overcome and the soldiers who were lost in battle, then lightened up the atmosphere with a concert by Sam Glaser. In their third gig of the day, Chazak opened for Glaser, with their biggest performance yet, an impressive 1,000 people. Students also introduced the Israeli veterans and gave short descriptions of each of the wars.

    Thank you to Rabbi Spodek, Ethan Wasserman, Amanda Markovitch, Avi Dennis, Yoni San Solo and the JEC of the South Palm Beach County Jewish Federation, for making this program possible.

    Click on the links below for the Yom HaAtzmaut Video

    Part One Part Two

     

    Take Me Out


    To The Ball Game

    By Naftali Simon('10)

    On Thursday, April 19, Rabbi Schochet's ninth, tenth, and eleventh grade Gemara shiur took a trip to watch our own Florida Marlins take on the New York Mets. There, we enjoyed the game, as well as hot dogs, ices, and tons of delicious snacks.

    During the game, Rabbi Schochet made an exciting deal: if one of us caught a ball and gave it to him, we would all get a deli-roll and a jam session. With this incentive, Zack Goldglantz ('10) made a gravity-defying catch at the end of the game and earned the whole class some more fun with Rabbi Schochet.

    Although the Marlins lost 11 to 3, it was still an awesome night. We had lots of laughs, and were able to come together as a shiur in this great bonding experience. Thanks so much to Rabbi Schochet for a memorable game!

     

    "It Ain't Over Till Its Over!"


    Baseball Team Slams

    Season Out Of The Park



    By Eli Albert ('09)

    The baseball team's unbelievable season came to a close this week with a great last game. After hard work and practice, the Storm was able to go out with a great game against Lakeworth. Although the Storm started the game strong, with a whopping five runs in the first inning alone, they were unable to take the game.

    The season ended with a loss, but the team showed great improvement from the beginning of the season and finally came together as a team. Thanks so much to Coach Thomas and Assistant Coach Joshua Thomas for putting in much effort throughout the season to improve this team . See you next year!

     

    Click On Picture Above For A Yom HaZikaron Slideshow




    Yom HaZikaron 5767:


    Behind Every Name Is A Story




    By LeeLee Borzak ('10)

    As WYHS students walked through the doors on Yom HaZikaron, Monday, April 23, we were greeted by pictures of Israeli soldiers who were kidnapped during their army service. The theme of the day was to remember all the soldiers who made the ultimate kiddush Hashem and died for the state of Israel, but in particular, the eight soldiers who are missing in action: Gilad Shalit, Eldad Regev, Ehud Goldwasser, Ron Arad, Guy Hever, Zachary Baumel, Yehuda Katz and Zvi Feldman.

    Students were led to the ball room, where they were privileged to watch an incredible slide show made by the Yom HaZikaron committee. The slideshow allowed students to "get to know" these eight missing soldiers ; we learned about their families, their hometowns, and their lives. It really helped us to understand that these soldiers that we daven for weekly are not just "names;" after this program, we really got a grasp of who they were as people, and our prayers will be so much more meaningful.

    Thanks to the school's video conferencing program, we were able to hear from Yona Baumel, father of MIA soldier Zachary Baumel, who has been missing for 25 years. We got a first hand look on how the immediate family of a missing soldier is coping with their tragic loss and growing from their pain.

    Additionally, Dr. Stuart Dicthek, Zachary's childhood best friend and founder of the Committee of the Release of Zachary Baumel, spoke about how difficult it is to have a loved one missing. He also explained how we, high school students, can help. Having the soldiers in our minds when we daven daily is key. Each student sent letters asking for assistance in releasing the soldiers, which will be sent to United Nations, secretary general. Hopefully, they will make an impact.

    Yom Hazikaron 5767 was a moving experience for all. Thank you so much to the Yom HaZikaron committee and Rabbi Spodek for making the day unforgettable.

    Click on the links below for the Yom HaZikaron Video

    Part One Part Two

     

    Up Close and Personal with

    Director of College Preparatory Classes


    Mr. Adam Dobrick


    By Alexa Bryn ('08)

    "AP Season" is one of the most stressful times of the year for WYHS students. Those taking exams can be seen all over school with review books and highlighters, trying to absorb every last fact. And while most students rue the day APs were invented, Mr. Adam Dobrick, Director of College Preparatory Studies and an AP European History grader thinks otherwise. Below, Mr. Dobrick shares the benefits of APs, some last minute study tips, and insight into how WYHS students have achieved AP success in the past. APs have caused some controversy in the past few years. Some schools are moving away from APs because they feel that they are restrictive and stressful. Others see an AP curriculum as a way to challenge students beyond the parameters of an Honors class. Which side of the fence are you on? "?

    I strongly believe in the AP program. I experienced the excitement of an AP curriculum in high school and I see now how an AP curriculum can change students' perspectives about the world and build their confidence tremendously.
    What is an AP scholar and have WYHS students been AP scholars in the past?

    An AP scholar is a student who receives a grade of 3 or higher on 3 or more AP exams. Each year, we have several students who are designated AP scholars.
    Is WYHS planning to add or take away any APs from its curriculum next year?

    At WYHS we are always trying to build upon our current curriculum. We are investigating an AP Studio Art program for next year.
    How did you come to be selected as an AP grader?

    I registered and they assessed my students' success on the exams and my own performance. I was appointed to be an AP grader for 7 years and it's an experience that has given me special insight into the exam that I can share with my students.
    What is the best piece of last minute advice you can give to your students before they go in to take the AP?

    Be realistic: a night of cramming won't take the place of a year's worth of hard work. However, pressure can produce a diamond, so be sure to study hard leading up to the AP. Reviewing essays and multiple choice questions from previous AP exams is always a good idea.

     

    3 Number of times Chazak played in one day

    7,900 Number of people Chazak played for in one day  

    22 Number of calculators given out to committee heads at the SLAB Awards

    1 Number of calculators actually being used

    17 Number of Number of boys who went with
    Rabbi Schochet

    84 Number of hot dogs eaten

     



    "These soldiers are not just names They are fathers, sons,

    brothers, husbands, and friends. Remember that behind

    every name is a story, and behind every story is a life."


    -- Yom HaZikaron Presentation, on the Israeli MIAs


    here

    Yeshiva Highlites Staff

    Shira Borzak (’07)

    Editor-in-Chief

    Alexa Bryn (’08)

    Assistant Editor

    Mrs. Claudia Cohen

    Director of Technology
    Alana Dweck ('09) Assistant Photo Editor

    Jordana Kaminetsky (’07)

    Senior Editor

    Benjamin Shai (’07)

    Photo Editor

    Rabbi Josh Spodek Staff Advisor

    Danielle Wolkowicz ('09)

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