From the desk of Rabbi Perry Tirschwell
Powerful pre-Succot programs and a much deserved
Succot break were followed by a New York vs. Florida, World
Series-hyped, packed week at WYHS.
As the last week of the fall sports season begins, we wish
the Storm Girls Volleyball and Boys Soccer Teams well in the
districts. Girls and Boys Basketball and Girls Soccer seasons begin
in November.
Please click on the revised calendar (and senior families-
click on the revised Israeli Yeshivot Visit link) to see all the
inspiring and exciting experiences planned for our students in the
coming weeks. Don't miss the awesome volleyball video below.
As always, thanks to Mrs. Claudia Cohen, Mrs. Amy Horowitz and
Rabbi Josh Spodek for their extraordinary efforts in producing
another fantastic issue of Yeshiva High-lites.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Perry Tirschwell
Rebbe/Talmid Game, Wild Tisch, JARC Sukkah,
J-town Simchat Beit Hashoeva |
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October was a flurry of activity at WYHS! On Erev
Shabbos Shuva, many WYHS boys met at Sugar Sand Park in
Boca for a Rebbe- Talmid baseball game. The rivalry was
fierce between the two pitchers, Rabbis Josh Spodek and Benjy
Horowitz, and everyone enjoyed the good-natured competition.
Kudos to senior Mitchell Slugh for his two hits, and to
freshman Jason Mann for his all around good play.
That night, the boys packed the house as principal Rabbi
Perry Tirschwell and his family hosted a standing-room-only
crowd at the Shabbos Shuva Tisch. The singing was
beautiful and the divrei torah were inspiring, but the
highlight of the evening was definitely Mrs. Tirschwell's
famous meatballs and cholent!
Before Sukkot, WYHS seniors and their parents
gathered at school for Israel Night, where WYHS alumni and
other area graduates presented information on yeshiva and
seminary programs in Israel. Participants heard the "real
scoop" on the various programs available for next year.
One highlight was hearing from former WYHS teacher Rabbi Avi
Schneider via telephone as he presented information on some of
the new Israel yeshivot.
A Faculty Inservice on Learning Differences was
presented by Drs. Brand and Berland, before Succot. Teachers
learned new strategies to use in their classrooms to help
students overcome a variety of challenges, with a special
focus on non-verbal learning disorders.
On the last night of school before vacation, students
stayed late to decorate a sukkah with the
developmentally disabled members of JARC, the Jewish
Association for Residential Care. Fifteen members of JARC and
40 high school students from all four grades spent two hours
beautifying the shul's sukkah. Delicious pizza and
great music were also provided to help motivate the
decorators! Thank you to senior Yitty Levine for coordinating
this special event!
Our alumni in Israel also enjoyed an event in honor of
Sukkot! Rabbi and Mrs. Avi and Leba Schneider hosted an
alumni simchat beit hashoeva in Jerusalem during
chol hamoed. Everyone enjoyed spending time
together socializing and learning Torah, and our graduates
especially enjoyed seeing Rabbi and Mrs. Schneider, who have
already hosted many of our alumni for Shabbos at their new
home in Israel!
Click here for Succah Decorating with the
Developmentally Disabled Pics »
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Planning for a Bright Future
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Before Sukkot, WYHS seniors and their parents
gathered at school for WYHS' First Annual Israel Night,
where alumni (pictured at right- the class of 2002's Chava
Turk, Shira Melcer and Judith Bensimon) presented information
on yeshiva and seminary programs in Israel. Participants
heard the "real scoop" on the various programs
available for next year.
A highlight was hearing from former WYHS teacher
Rabbi Avi Schneider at 3 AM Israel time via telephone
as he shared first hand knowledge of two of the boys yeshivot
in which he teaches. Kudos to Israel Advisors Rabbi Horowitz
(pictured at right) and Mrs. Ora Lee Kanner for putting
together a great evening.
WYHS freshmen, sophomores, and juniors came back to
school after vacation armed with pencils and calculators in
hand, ready to take the PSAT exam on Tuesday morning.
Although many students were nervous about taking this big
test, most were well prepared, having attended a special
PSAT-prep at WYHS the previous day. Test scores will be
available in early December.
The freshman class is proud to announce the election of
student council class representatives Ali Cristina and
Jason Mann. There were six nominees on the ballot, and they
each gave speeches explaining their platforms. Luckily, there
were no "hanging chads", and the election went off without a
hitch! Congratulations to all the nominees on a very close
race!
The 10th & 11th grade student council
representatives presented their classmates with their
plans for special programs, a class trip, and fundraisers for
the year. They also discussed their role as liaisons between
their class and the school administration.
The senior class was busy this week as representatives from
Barnard, Brandeis, and Brovenders (Midreshet
Lindenbaum) visited WYHS to meet with and interview
prospective students.
After meeting with students in school on the 17th,
Yeshiva University will be holding meetings for
prospective parents on Monday, November 17 at the home of
Warren and Gail Kastzl in North Miami Beach, and on Tuesday,
November 18th at the home of Ted and Linda Struhl in Boca
Raton. More specific information will be available as the
dates draw near.
More school and yeshiva visits are coming up in the
near future. Click on the quick link at the right for newly
revised schedule information.
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Hurricane Season Isn't Over
Yet |
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Yeshiva Storm girls varsity volleyball is having
their best season yet as they add yet another win to their
growing list of victories! The girls played a tough 5- game
match against Donna Klein Jewish Academy on Tuesday and came
out ahead in the end! Everyone played incredibly well,
especially junior Jessica Hoffman, who served two aces!
The boys varsity soccer team had a disappointing week, with
two losses on Wednesday and Thursday. Spirits are high,
however, as the team prepares for a Boys Soccer
Shabbaton in Boca this weekend, to be followed by
Saturday night's big game against Donna Klein Jewish
Academy, at Woodlands Park in Boca Raton. Be there to
cheer the team to victory, this Saturday night at 8:30 p.m.!
Click here to watch an AWESOME Volleyball
Video »
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Next Week and Beyond |
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There is a lot to look forward to in the upcoming weeks
at WYHS! Next Monday is Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan,
and students and faculty will enjoy an especially beautiful
davening, a fantastic breakfast, and a special program,
including live music and dancing. This program marks the
debut of WYHS's new school band, who will provide the
entertainment for this event!
Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan also marks the beginning
of a delicious new fundraiser run by the C.I.A. (Committee for
Israel Affairs). Three days a week for the entire month of
Cheshvan, five different combinations of bagels and
cream cheese will be available for sale during breakfast,
courtesy of Main Street Bagel in Boca Raton. Proceeds from
this fundraiser will be donated to One Family, an Israeli
organization that assists survivors of terrorist attacks in
Israel.
On Tuesday, October 28, a Spanish Class Trip to the Boca
Raton Museum of Art will take place. The museum is
featuring an exhibit on the Language of Sculpture by Jimenez
Deredia. Students will leave school at lunchtime and return at
2:30 p.m.
After davening on Wednesday, October 29, the entire
student body will meet a group of disabled Israeli war
veterans, who will visit our school to speak about their
sacrifices on behalf of the State of Israel. Students
will have the privilege of interacting with ten veterans,
ranging in age from 18-60, each of whom participated in at
least one of the various Israeli wars, including the current
conflict.
On Wednesday, October 29 and Monday November 3, from
5-9 p.m., parent teacher conferences will be held at
WYHS. Parents of students whose last names begin with A-K are
invited to schedule conferences for Wednesday, October 29, and
parents of students whose last names begin with L-Z are
invited to schedule conferences for Monday, November 3. Please
submit the form requesting conferences with individual
teachers as soon as possible.
Next Friday, WYHS students will hear from BU Hillel
Director Rabbi Joseph Polak, who has served in this
position for over 25 years, as well as being an adjunct
professor at BU's law school. Rabbi Polak also serves as
chairman of the law committee at the Rabbinical Court of
Massachusetts. Rabbi Polak will also be the
scholar-in-residence at the Boca Raton Synagogue next Shabbos.
Also next Shabbos, all WYHS girls are invited to Boca
Raton to take part in a girls' Friday night
tisch at the home of Mrs. Esther Grossman.
Save the date! On Tuesday, December 16th at 3 p.m.,
WYHS's Girls Varsity Basketball team will play at the
American Airlines Arena against the Rabbi Alexander
Gross Hebrew Academy of Greater Miami. Tickets are $15 and
$25, and entitle Lady Storm fans to stay for the Miami Heat
game afterwards. In order to allow student fans to cheer on
their team, that Tuesday will follow a Friday schedule.
Tickets must be bought through the school and will go on sale
in the coming weeks.
All freshmen and their parents are invited to Dinner
Theatre WYHS style! Reserve your tickets to see The
Chosen performed at the Coconut Grove Playhouse on Sunday,
February 1st at 2 p.m., followed by dinner at a local
restaurant. Tickets are $10 for students and $26 for parents,
and must be purchased by Monday, November 17th.
WYHS also presents an amazing opportunity to take
advantage of Broadway in South Florida. All WYHS girls and
their mothers are invited to a performance of Les
Miserables at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach on
Wednesday, May 12 at 8 p.m.
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And
The Winner Is... |
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This week, WYHS joined the rest of the
country and got caught up in World Series fanfare! Joseph
"J.B." (pictured above, on the left) and Lisa Bensmihen
donated two tickets to Tuesday night's Marlins game to
be raffled off in order to raise money for the David Bensmihen
Scholarship Fund.
The fund was established three years ago by J.B. and Lisa
Bensmihen in memory of J.B.'s father, David Bensmihen,
who passed away in December 2000. The Bensmihens chose to
create a scholarship fund at WYHS because of J.B.'s father
belief in the power of education and the esteem they have for
WYHS. Thanks to Bensmihen's tireless efforts and generous
donations provided by donors, the financial assistance
provided by the fund helps several students attend WYHS
each year.
WYHS Executive Director Shimmie Kaminetsky (pictured above,
at right) organized the raffle, which raised over $4000 for
the David Bensmihen scholarship fund and was originally
won by Ruthe and Ed Forkush. They were unfortunately not able
to attend Tuesday night's game and so, in the same spirit of
generosity inspired by the scholarship fund itself, asked that
their tickets be "reraffled" to a WYHS student.
Congratulations to sophomore Estee Skurowitz, who ultimately
won the raffle!
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