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The Weekly Newsletter of Weinbaum Yeshiva High School
Friday, May 27, 2005 / Lag B'Omer 5765
Shabbat begins in Boca Raton at 7:49 p.m.
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From the desk of
Rabbi Perry
Tirschwell
A great school year ended on a great note
with a
Sports
Recognition Program followed by an after school
barbeque last night. After two weeks of taking end of
the trimester tests and completing term papers, the
students have an extended weekend to prepare for
final exams, which begin on Tuesday. The schedule is
available right before the end of this e-mail.
We invite all friends of WYHS to join us at
graduation on Tuesday evening. Mincha is at
7:15; processional at 7:30 PM.
Mazel tov to Mr. and Mrs. Barry Tokayer on
the
Bar Mitzvah of their son and to older sister Esti
('07).
Please enjoy this, the largest edition of High-lites
that we have ever produced. It covers a range
of
special end of the year activities. Look for the
Graduation Special in the coming week. The regular
weekly Yeshiva High-lites will return in the fall.
As always, just hit "reply" to this e-mail if you have
anything you would like to discuss with me.
Rabbi Perry Tirschwell
Principal
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Seniors Travel
North of the Border
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by Amanda Ruben ('05)
For the past week, the senior class spent more
bonding time together than ever before. Throughout
a flurry of cities, tourist sites, and activities, our
collective high school career came to an end in the
best, most memorable way. At the end of a day of
traveling with Mrs. Kanner and Rabbi Spodek, we
arrived on the American side of Niagara
Falls, strolling to the magnificent site at night to
take in the unbelievable view.
On Thursday, we got an even closer look at the falls
through the Cave of the Winds, Maid of the Mist, and
Whirlpool Jet-Boating, each while wearing a different
snazzy waterproof outfit. Crossing the border
twice in one night was some experience!
Once in Canada, we went to Clifton Hills for an
evening of
Ripley's Believe It Or Not, a haunted house, and a "4-
D" movie.
On Friday, after an early morning international trip to
Toronto and a hot breakfast, we were off to the
Canada's Wonderland theme park. Canada's
Wonderland let us venture outside the realms of
Orlando to see and experience some new and
different attractions, including a backwards
rollercoaster.
On Shabbat, we experienced the
tremendous hospitality of the the world
famous BAYT shul in Thornhill,
Ontario. We met several other high school seniors
over Shabbat and compared our hopes and
aspirations for our post high school year in Israel.
The boys were even invited to an oneg at the
Mara D'asra Rabbi Baruch Taub's home on
Friday night, which was for the senior boys of the
shul. Rabbi Taub joined us for Seudah Shlishit,
and shared a few ideas which fit in nicely with the
divrei Torah that our classmates shared
throughout Shabbat. Motzei Shabbat
WYHS style always calls for bowling!
Sunday brought us to downtown Toronto, to
the famed CN Tower, a Toronto Blue Jays baseball
game, and the cavernous Eaton Centre, followed by
popular Toronto kosher restaurant Marky's for dinner.
Sunday night we bussed to the province of Quebec
to a quaint spot on the Ottawa River for our Monday
of White Water Rafting. With our newest
addition to the trip, Mrs. Schultz, we made our way
to our cabins. The rafting itself was quite an
experience, as we could see our breath and frolicked
in the river. Aside from the near freezing
temperatures, it was an unbelievable day of battling
rapids, falling out of boats, and then watching the
video of ourselves.
On Tuesday we visited the Old Port of
Montreal, Quebec, where we navigated
ourselves through a life-size maze, followed by horse-
and-buggy rides. At our last meal in Canada we dined
on the
Canadian delicacy of Poutine, which some (Rabbi
Spodek) liked more than
others (the rest of us).
However, it was not these activities that made the
trip a climactic culmination of our WYHS experience.
It was the little things, like all the girls getting
together to watch American Idol, going pot luck for
roommates on Shabbat, and all the seniors
coming together as one. We are
richer for having had this bonding experience- it
could not have been more perfect. Let's just say
our yearbook autographs are much longer than
anticipated.
Kudos to Rabbi Spodek and the Class Trip Committee
for planning the trip of a lifetime.
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"Pardon the Interruption"
To Recognize Athletics
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by Moshe Genet ('06)
What a fitting way to end the greatest sports year
ever at WYHS- with an awards ceremony
and two of those excellent video presentations for
which Yeshiva is notoriously famous.
The highlight of this year's program was a designated
"Pardon the Interruption" show mimicking the
real PTI show on cable TV network ESPN Sports.
Each sport was represented by two members of the
team. On camera they discussed funny events that
occurred throughout the year. Freshman Moshe
Wahba stole the show with his hilarious Rabbi
Horowitz joke and humorous antics. Possibly,
Sephardic Girls Soccer players Raquel Amram ('07)
and Shana Maikhor ('05) bit about Soccer vs.
"Futebol" was even funnier. A good laugh was had by
all.
Each team member was called up and presented
a team photo as a keepsake. The last two team
members called up were recognized as the MIP (Most
Improved
Player) and MVP (Most Valuable Player).
Congratulations to senior Jake Singer ('05), juniors
Jordan Lieber and Jon Struhl, sophomores Leah
Bensimon, Alyssa Muckley and Ali Christina, and
freshman Daniel Shimansky for
winning the MVP award in their respective
sports. Congratulations to freshmen Daniuel
Shimansky and Moshe Wahba, sophomore Malka
Hizkiya and Jason Mann, juniors Josh Goldberg, Nicole
Tryfus and Sahar Zaghi and senior Jake Singer for
winning the MIP award in their respective
sports.
It was excellent meeting up with our coaches and
hearing their sum ups of our year. Special thanks to
coaches Scott Lubin, Jimmy Batmasian, Ozzy, Jon
Kaweblum and
Errol Thomas for their inspirational speeches.
The Boxer brothers entertained us all with their nifty
boys varsity
basketball video. Thanks to the Struhl Family for
sponsoring that memorable and exciting video
montage of the Boys Varsity Basketball's winning
season and Tier Two Championship in Yeshiva
University's Red Saracheck tournament. It was great
seeing old highlights and fantastic pictures from
throughout the season. Go Storm!
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Engaging in Disengagement
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by Mordechai Siev ('06)
Prime Minister Sharon's Disengagement Plan, which
calls from a withdrawal of Israeli soldiers and
citizens from the Gaza Strip and parts of the
northern Shomron, is a complex issue
confronting the Israeli populace and its brethren in
the Diaspora. Disengagement is unfortunately causing
strife and discord among brothers. The plan has
been portrayed in many different lights by the media;
a long overdue move for peace, a totalitarian
attempt to remove people's free will-and everyone is
entitled to their own opinion. However, one should
base
his or her opinion based on unbiased facts, not myths
or legends.
This is why Mr. Adam Dobrick, as part of our school's
program of Israel Advocacy called The David Project,
gave a presentation of the pure facts-unbiased
and unedited-to each class in the school. Mr.
Dobrick provided all the information in regards to the
current Gaza situation.
The history of the Gaza Strip was presented
to the class from the time of King David, through the
British Mandate up to the present time. In addition,
the demographics of the Gaza Strip-birth rates,
population size, and Israeli to Arab ratios-were all
analyzed. This was all done to give the students an
unbiased perspective in order to form educated
opinions.
The presentation engendered widespread student
participation. Spirited debate ensued after
each arguement for or against was raised. Social,
political and economic
consequences were discussed for each scenario in
the Disengagement debate. Students walked away
with a new point of view on events in the Middle
East and much discussion was heard following the
presentation.
The David Project, a non-profit organization based in
Boston whose target audience is Jewish high school
students, has asked Mr. Dobrick to serve as a
trainer for teachers in other Jewish high schools
in
North America. The David Project is arming students
with the
answers to the questions they will undoubtedly hear
on college campuses.
Thank you to the Tepper Family for
sponsoring this year's David Project programs at
WYHS.
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An Inferno of Our Own
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by Shira Borzak ('07)
After studying the legendary poem by Dante Alighieri,
The Inferno, describing the inner circles of hell and
its occupants, Mrs. Greer gave her sophomore English
class the daunting task of creating our own
versions of the Inferno. Such a creative writing
project required a lengthy and detailed description of
the hero or heroine, their guide, and the hell in which
their sinners resided. However, all or a majority of
this narrative was required to be in verse, rhyming as
eloquently as Dante did almost 700 years ago.
With such a broad topic, each student in the class
came
up with original and creative "sins" for their
satirical hell. They ranged from bad driving to
deplorable
hygiene. This past Wednesday, or "Hell Day," all of
the student's narratives were read, and delicacies
such as devil's food cake and deviled eggs added
to the aura.
Calling it "one of the most original and unique
assignments I was ever given," Alyssa Muckley
greatly enjoyed writing her own version of hell for
greedy sinners. One student's Inferno had a more
satiric edge, as it described a place for all students
who turned in English essays and assignments late.
Mrs. Greer was thrilled to read all of her students'
papers, whom she said "captured the elegant and
descriptive nature that embodies Dante's
Inferno."
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A Siyum, NETA Style
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by Jordy Kaminetsky ('07)
On Tuesday, the girls from Mrs. Alcalay's
Hebrew language classes enjoyed an evening of fun
and
at games at their Hebrew teacher's home at an
end of the year celebration. Because one
of the classes just finished a NETA book on the
theme of sports, Mrs. Alcalay
decided to invite both of her female classes over to
compete
in some of the sports about which the students
learned.
Following the end of school, we loaded into cars, and
drove over to Mrs. Alcalay's north Boca home. As
each group arrived, it made a bee line to the pizza
and various
Israeli snacks Mrs. Alcalay had set up for us. After
eating, we
all went outside where Mrs. Alcalay had many props
to play the games learnt in
the NETA books. She divided us into teams by
classes, and we competed in several individual races.
We had to balance eggs on spoons, run in
pairs with one leg in each leg of a pair of shorts, and
even guide a classmate
across the pool area while the classmate was
blindfolded.
Once done with the games, we were going to go sit
with our legs in her pool. Unfortunately, as I
walked towards the water, I was thrown in by a
classmate; and yes, I was
completely clothed. So, I threw the classmate in and
subsequently, everyone else
came in. While some girls sat in the Jacuzzi, others
swam in the pool.
In honor of Amanda Markovitch's birthday, we
had a delicious cake. Over dessert, Mrs. Alcalay
handed out various
prizes for those who won their races.
For the last segment of the evening we went inside.
There, Mrs. Alcalay's
daughter Sharon entertained us on the piano
as she played and sang.
It really was a lot of fun; not only were we well fed
and given prizes,
but it was definitely a bonding experience for two
classes who otherwise
would not be brought together. Mrs. Alcalay's
hospitality and creativity made the
afternoon truly memorable. It was a lot of fun to go
and visit her outside of
school; to get to know her as a person rather than a
teacher.
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What AP Students
Do After the AP
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by Shira Borzak ('07)
Preparing for the expansive European History AP that
almost half of the sophomore class took on
May
5th was a daunting task that consumed our year.
However, after all the bubbles were filled in, the
DBQ's (Document Based Questions) written, and the
study guides were passed down to our younger
sibings, three weeks of classes remained until the
end of the school year.
You might have thought that the AP European
History class
would become a joke, a pointless period in the day.
Then you don't know our master history
teacher, Mr. Dobrick. The past three weeks have
been some of the most creative and fun classes
of
the year.
For our last assignment of the year, as per WYHS
tradition, Mr. Dobrick assigned groups of three and
four students the task of creating a skit
pertaining to
the figures and events we studied so intensely
over
the year. With such a broad range of topics, the
performances were different from one another.
One group featured the " Socially Awkward
Geniuses,"-
Einstein, Beethoven, and Van Gogh" in a parody
of a
popular dating show. King Henry VIII and his
notorious bevy of wives were portrayed on a take off
of "Oprah." The Protestant Reformation was
interpreted through the "Protestant Eye for the
Catholic Guy", with influential religious reformers
remaking a staunchly Catholic king.
After portraying the "Big Three" Allied leaders of
World War II on a mock MTV's "Real World,"
Ali Cristina noted that, "this assignment gave us the
ability to visualize what we learned, and to
connect
it to our everyday lives. I believe it was truly
enhancing and enlightening." Everyone in the class
greatly enjoyed their peers' presentations, which
included a special guest star: Rabbi Tirschwell
himself, as King Henry VIII of England.
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Boys Bid Farewell to a Great Rebbe
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by Avi Lasko ('07)
As we bid goodbye to a fantastic year at WYHS, the
boys had an exceptional farewell to our very
special Rabbi Chaim Lanner. On Thursday,
Lag B'Omer eve, the Tirschwells opened their
home to nearly sixty boys for a delicious BBQ and a
bittersweet program honoring our beloved teacher.
The scrumptious hot dogs and hamburgers were
grilled by Rabbis Benjy Horowitz and Ben Sugerman,
ably assisted by sophomores Avi Dennis and Yoni San
Solo.
The program was kicked off by Yoni Brander ('07)
who gave a truly moving dvar Torah
about Rabbi Lanner being not only a rebbe but
also a friend to all of us. Sophomores Chaim Seligman
and Yoni San Solo then sang a hilarious song
about Rabbi Lanner and his gemara shiur! And,
of course, no WYHS program would be complete
without a Top Ten List from Rabbi
Sugerman! The "Top Things Overheard when Rabbi
Lanner Announced his Premature Departure" were
rebbe's funniest yet!
The climax of the evening was Rabbi Lanner's
speech, which left everyone in the room
teary-eyed. He spoke about a rebbe
learning more from his students than he can learn
from anyone else. He said that each and every one
of us has made an impact in his life.
The truth is that Rabbi Lanner has made an
impact on our lives in more ways than words can
express! The night was filled with nostalgic feelings
from all! Rabbi Lanner- we thank you, we love you
and
we wish you hatzlacha rabbah (good luck)!
You will be sorely missed!
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Electing a New
Student Council
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by Avi Dennis ('07)
The hype and excitement at WYHS was palpable this
past week as elections for next year's student
council were held. Witty posters and
slogans were plastered throughout the school
and campaign spirit was in the air. With juniors
Tuvia Brander and Sahar Zaghi running unopposed as
school presidents, suspense remained only as to
who would win for position of VP.
On Wednesday during breakfast, Program Director
Rabbi Josh Spodek
gave each of the vice presidential candidates an
opportunity to address the
student body. The candidates presented their
platforms persuasively and the
crowd was inspired and motivated.
On the way out of school that afternoon, Executive
Director Shimmie Kaminetsky and Rabbi
Spodek organized official polling places so
that each
student could cast a
ballot for officers as well as for class presidents. The
candidates were called at home and informed of the
results. Now, with all the votes finally tallied, the
results are in;
Class of 2008- Leora Cohen, Tehilah Weiss
Class of 2007- Raquel Amram, Jason Mann
Class of 2006- Zach Cohen, Sarah Dray
Vice Presidents
Ali Cristina, Jordy Kaminetsky, Avi Lasko, Meir
Weiss
Presidents
Tuvia Brander, Sahar Zaghi
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click on the image below for the
Final Exam Schedule
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click on the image below for the
Book Replacement Costs
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phone:
561.417.7422
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