This past Sunday morning, the sophomore class got up bright and early for an awesome trip to the keys. Immediately after arriving in Key Largo, we were offshore!

By nine in the morning, the boys were off snorkeling in the ocean and the girls were enjoying a glass bottom boat tour of a coral reef. After lunch, the boys headed back out to the ocean and enjoyed four hours of fishing- winning a big 30! The girls also headed to the water for canoe and kayak rides (and a bit of unscheduled swimming when some canoes flipped!) and then headed to the ocean for snorkeling.

At night, the boys and girls met at a beach where we enjoyed a BBQ and bonfire kumsitz. The singing under the stars was phenomenal and really a class bonding experience. After the beach, everyone went to their respective motels. The day for the boys wasn't over yet--they topped their night off with an exciting water fight! Hillel Lefokowitz commented that the "water fight definitely brought the all the boys together as a group. It was crazy. It was fun. It was aaaaamazing".

The next day, the girls headed on a four hour fishing trip, but beat the boys by catching 37 fish and even caught a baby shark! The boys headed towards the mangroves for canoeing and kayaking. Everyone met up for lunch and the Theater of the Sea. The class observed, learned and interacted with the different animals. Some students even got the opportunity to touch the dolphins and sea lions.

For dinner we had a BBQ again at a local park and played a game of football. Before we all headed back home, we rounded off the great trip with a breathtaking sunset cruise.

This trip was really an incredible experience and would not have been possible without the hard work of Rabbi Spodek, Ms. Sardano, sophomores Raquel Amram, Jason Mann and Chaim Seligman. Thanks so much to our class of 2004 alumni chaperones, who were "fresh off the boat" home for Pesach from Israel- Avi Amsalem, Shulamit Atkin, Batsheva Davis and Shira Pritzker. Thank you so much!

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A Great Sophomore Trip Slide Show

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Who wants to deal with the massive amounts of food received in Mishloach Manot only weeks before Pesach? Not many people, including my family! So, this year, shortly after Purim, my mother was forwarded an e-mail from a shul in New York that stated that they'd be taking all that excess food and donating it to a worthy organization.

Immediately, my mother approached Rabbi Tirschwell with the idea to establish a similar program here in Boca Raton; it was a win-win situation. Not only were we relieved of the tons of food that overtook our house just weeks before Pesach, but also, a local food pantry would receive heaps of food to feed the needy. Rabbi Tirschwell asked me to head up this creative drive.

So, an e-mail was sent out to all the entire Yeshiva High-lites and Boca Raton Synagogue e-mail lists. The response was incredible. Over the course of the week, the food came in, dropped off in a box outside the school office. There was everything from spices to lollipops; chocolate and bagels. Before we knew it, we had accumulated so much food - forty pounds worth - that it took carts to transfer it all.

I contacted "The Caring Kitchen" of Delray Beach, and they were more than interested in receiving our donation. This past Tuesday I, along with my sister Sarah, drove up to Delray to deliver the food. Their response to the delivery was astounding; it seemed as if never before had they seen such a massive amount of candy. After teaching the volunteers and members of their community a little bit about Purim and Pesach, we invited them to help themselves to the Purim themed lollipops and groggers, and my sister and I left to head back to Boca.

Such a simple, uncomplicated project had such a rewarding, heartwarming effect. Not only did I "kill two birds with one stone," but especially after seeing their response, I can appreciate just how worthwhile and gratifying it is to give to others. G-d willing, next year we are going to publicize the project before Purim and collect Mishloach Manot in each community.