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The Weekly Newsletter of Weinbaum Yeshiva High School
Friday, September 16, 2005 / Erev Shabbat Parshat Ki Teitzei 5765
Shabbat begins in Boca Raton at 7:05 p.m.
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From the desk of
Rabbi Perry
Tirschwell
Though this was only the first full week of school,
the excitement about our unbelievable Boys Soccer
season is already palpable. Six consecutive
wins is a record in the annals of WYHS Storm
sports. After a big win before a big crowd last
Saturday night, this Motzei Shabbat the
Storm takes on Posnack at 9 p.m. at Woodlands
Park. I look forward to seeing you there!
We have taken full advantage of there being no
classes this coming Wednesday to enable the faculty
to attend a community wide professional
development program. It begins on Tuesday
evening, with a "Senior Night Out". On
Wednesday, we are
offeringThe
optional
PLAN exam for sophomores (3 - 6 p.m.) at
the school
The
freshman/junior girls Big Sister program (3 -
5 p.m.) at the Boca home of the
RubinsThe freshman/junior boys
Big Brother program (5 - 7 p.m.) at Quiet Waters
Park in Deerfield Beach
Individual yearbook pictures for seniors at
school (individual appointments from 10-4).
Mazel tov to Athletic Director Coach Jon and Susie
Kaweblum
on the birth of their first child, a son whose bris the
students will G-d willing be participating in this
coming Tuesday. Mazel tov to Dr. Moshe and Shari
Hirth on the bar mitzvah of their son and to older
sister Yael (’06). And certainly last, but not least,
Mazel tov to President Dr. Sam and
Mrs. Arlene Lasko on the first bar mitzvah of a
grandson and to uncle Avi (’07).
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Perry Tirschwell
Principal
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STORM Winning
Streak Continues
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for an
unbelievable slideshow
click on the image above
by Gil
Tansman ('06)
and
Jennifer Fisher
('07)
“You’ve done a great job, Coach," Rabbi Tirschwell
complimented Coach Ozzy shortly after the Storm
victory over Donna Klein on Saturday night.
Great things have indeed occurred with the
boy’s soccer
team beating their cross-town rivals 3-1. This
victory was achieved by solid athleticism from the
entire Storm team, especially from Jason Mann (‘07),
who scored the game’s first goal with a well
earned “header”. Another notable mention is Shai
Barel (‘07), who shadowed Donna Klein's star
forward,
thus completely minimizing the opponent’s
effectiveness on the field. Marc Finkelstein (‘08),
Josh Goldberg (‘06), and Daniel Poliak (‘06) all
played with tremendous heart and displayed
their desire to win on the field. Jordan (‘06) and Dov
Lieber (‘06) finished up the game with a goal each.
All in all, it was a solid game for the Storm.
And the winning streak
continues.
On Tuesday, WYHS faced Wellington and
came out on top with a final score of 4-0. Almost the
entire bench got time on the field in order to ensure
them some experience for the future. Doni
Matilsky (’09) demonstrated great potential with his
solid playing in the second half.
And the winning streak continues.
On Thursday, Storm soccer beat Community
Christian, making it the second
mercy rule victory (8-0) this season for the Storm.
This victory makes boys’ soccer
the only Storm team to win six consecutive
games in a row in any sport in the history of
this school. Jordan and Dov Lieber each had a “hat
trick” and then some, with
Jordan scoring four and Dov scoring three.
Meanwhile, Moshe Genet (‘06) kicked one in as well.
In this historic event, every player received
significant time on the field to help bring the team to
this unprecedented win. The win puts our current
record at 6-1.
And the winning streak continues.
As our game this Saturday night approaches, we
cannot stress how important it is that all you Storm
fans come out to cheer us on to our seventh victory
in a row!
As our girls’ volleyball season progresses, the team
has been improving more and more. Our scores
continue to increase, and we, as a team and as
individuals, have all made vast improvements
from
the beginning of the season. This past week we
played three fantastic games against Hebrew
Academy on Saturday night, Grandview on Tuesday
and Donna Klein on Thursday. Although we did not
win any of the games, our efforts and improvements
have become apparent to all.
Saturday night's game at Hebrew Academy was quite
the competitive game. Though the score resulted in
a
loss for our team, there was a great turn out of fans
who supported us with wild cheering until the very
end. Tuesday's game at Grandview was yet
another
learning experience.
This past Thursday night, we really began to
understand and experience the notion that “it is not
all about winning.” Being able to watch the Storm
demonstrate such amazing skills, was “as sweet as
any victory” gloated team players. In the words of
Coach Arnaldo Jagle, “the team is finally
demonstrating the skills of real volleyball
players.” Stephanie Trachtenberg (’07) and
Malka Hizkiya (’07) kept the score thrillingly close
with their amazing serves and passes. Our bump-set-
spike plays, executed flawlessly by juniors Shira
Borzak, Jordana Kaminetsky and Leah Bensimon,
racked up countless points for our team. All together,
our team is improving every game and every practice
that we have. The team is looking forward to more
exciting (and hopefully productive) games as well as
an exhilarating rest of the season!
Come cheer us on—who knows
what
luck you can bring us!
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A Summer to Remember
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Many of our students have spent this past summer in
Israel on various summer programs. These programs
have provided religious, social and powerful
experiences that have had a tremendous
impact
on our student’s lives and in turn, our school.
Over
the next few weeks, we will be devoting several
articles highlighting these unbelievable and enriching
experiences.
By Rachel Berkowitz (’07)
The places we go, the people we meet, and the
choices we make help mold us into the person we
ultimately become. One such experience that gave
me insight into who I am today and who I want to be
was the NCSY Israel program I attended this past
summer, Michlelet. A truly remarkable and unique
program, Michlelet offers high school girls an
opportunity to spend their summer learning
Torah and
hearing from inspirational, world renowned
speakers.
This summer helped me identify not only my
strengths, but also the areas in which I need to
grow. Of course, one of the most exciting parts of
the program was the tiyulim. These fun and
exciting trips all around the country strengthened
my love and passion for the State of Israel.
Sharing such a meaningful experience with young
girls
from across the United States allowed me to feel a
unique sense of achdut – unity, which I had
never before encountered.
I wish to share with you one particularly poignant
experience from this summer. Rabbi Kelleman, a
prominent author and teacher, came to speak to us
one night and shared with us a story about his
friend,
Alex. He told us how Alex was a man of truth, an
exemplary role model, and how he always strove to
do the “right thing.” Alex decided to do what he
thought was right by joining the Israeli army. One
day, Alex sent Rabbi Kelleman a letter explaining to
him his fears. The only thing that scared Alex was
the possibility that he might be put in a situation in
which he would be forced to do the “wrong thing.”
A
few weeks later, Rabbi Kelleman was informed that
Alex was killed in battle. By joining the army,
Alex “took a step forward” and put himself at risk and
in danger. Although Alex, unfortunately, lost his life,
he lived and died with pride and dignity, and he left
this world with a tremendous sense of
accomplishment. Rabbi Kelleman continued
to
speak
about choices, and how these choices deeply
impact our lives and our futures. Rabbi Kelleman
then told us that it was time for each and every one
of us to take a “step forward.” Any little step, he
said, that leads us to the truth is in fact not a little
step at all. Rabbi Kelleman asked us if we were
willing to take that step forward with him, and if we
were, to please stand up. Slowly all the girls in the
room rose. With tears in his eyes, he yelled
out, “Thank you Michlelet. Because of the steps
that
you are willing to take, we will be zocheh to
experience the coming of Moshiach.”
Michlelet was a small step for me, but it
was one that has made a tremendous difference
in my life.
By Chaim Seligman (’07)
This past summer was my first time in the
greatest place in the world, Israel. I feel that
this is quite possibly the best way one could spend
their summer. My experiences had a powerful impact
on me and have helped shape my identity.
Before landing in Israel, I expected to feel some
powerful shock and to be really spiritually “wowed.”
In truth, upon arriving it felt like I had landed in a
country with the same grass, trees, water, and
stones that can be found anywhere else in the world.
However, as I quickly discovered, there is one major
difference that makes Israel so unique and so
special.
Israel, as opposed to all other countries is our
home. It is the place our ancestors dwelled, the
place our history has been shaped and where our
destiny will be fulfilled. When I finally arrived
at the
Kotel for the first time, I truly felt awe
inspired
and was overcome with emotions. I had heard other
people’s stories of standing in front of such a holy
site, but I, myself, had never experienced these life
changing emotions. What a powerful
moment. Day by
day, I slowly began to feel more and more at home.
The atmosphere in Israel didn’t feel foreign to me,
nor
did I experience any culture shock. Rather, Israel
felt like home and I was receiving the warm
welcome I had been missing all my life. For the first
time, I really
understood what Israel and the Jewish nation are all
about. One of the central themes of Judaism
is
achdut – unity, and the importance of feeling
a fellow Jew’s joy and pain. When I hear stories of
Israel and my brethren who are lucky enough to
reside there, I can now honestly feel a connection to
them. This summer gave me a sense of where I was
going in life, and where I should be headed. I realized
during my stay in Israel that my family does not only
include someone with whom I share DNA, but it also
includes anyone who is Jewish. I finally had the
opportunity to travel and live in the land I had
learned to love.
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Veteran WYHS Staff
Take on New Challenges
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by Rabbi Perry Tirschwell,
Principal
As the student body and services that
WYHS
provides grow, so do the responsibilities of its
hardworking faculty. A number of veteran staff
members wear new hats this year, and a number of
new faces have come on board to assist them.
Mrs. Ora Lee Kanner has always
been
involved at WYHS in so much more than just heading
the Judaic studies department. Her new title of
Associate Principal reflects this participation. Some
of the duties Mrs. Kanner performed this August,
were
creating Tuesday’s after school electives, finding
loving homes for WYHS students living away from
their families, and designing the Judaic schedule and
placement for all 174 students in it.
Mr. Adam Dobrick’s dedication to his
students and our school is legendary. From teaching
our school’s first AP course in its inaugural year, to
becoming a grader of that same exam, Mr. Dobrick
has truly grown with WYHS. As Director of College
Preparatory Studies, he is responsible for students’
placement in and supervision of college preparatory
subjects, curriculum and textbooks.
Beloved to all, Mrs. Melissa Pereira
has
always been there for the school in so many ways,
as well as being the very busy executive assistant to
the principal. Melissa revamped the school’s
bookkeeping for two years, and then breathed new
life into the athletic department for another two
years. Now, Melissa is assuming the critically
important position of admissions coordinator. In
preparation for her new position, Melissa spent a
week in July training at the Independent School
Management in Wilmington, Delaware.
Over the past three years, Mrs. Claudia
Cohen has become an increasingly familiar face
at WYHS.
She captures every chagiga, every speaker,
every special event for posterity with her ubiquitous
camera, and then shares them with close to 1300
people each week through this newsletter. She
maintains the hardware, software and network of
computers, printers and projectors, our website, our
new parent teacher conference system, and
passwords for all the programs we use including
Edline.
Coach Jon Kaweblum, famous for
leading our
Boys’ Varsity Basketball Team to its Tier Two
championship at Yeshiva University’s Red Saracheck
Tournament last year, has now added to his
responsibilities those of Athletic Director (AD). The
AD hires and supervises coaches, sets up games,
reserves fields and courts, provides uniforms and
material for our 9 FHSAA league teams.
Chesed has always been a passion of
Mrs.
Heather Andron . Raised in
South Florida and an active member in the Boca
Raton Synagogue community, Mrs. Andron will be
connecting students with community service
opportunities throughout the South Florida
community and is the address for any one who would
like our
students to assist a worthy cause.
We would also like to welcome a new
member to our
staff, Rabbi Mordechai Smolarcik . A wiz at
maximizing computer software, Rabbi Smolarcik
serves as the
school’s Database and Edline Coordinator, and
teaches administration and teachers how to use and
make the most of Edline, Gradequick and
Administrators Plus.
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Chiddush of the Chodesh
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by Shira Borzak ('07)
Chodesh: The Hebrew word for
month.
Chiddush: From the Hebrew
word “new.” A new thought or original
idea.
The title of the school’s monthly Torah
newsletter is a seemingly paradoxical one, although
quite catchy. Juxtaposing the words “month,” a
seemingly repetitive cycle of days and weeks that
occur year after year, and a phrase that connotes
newness and originality seems like an editing
blunder. However, the beauty of the Jewish months
lies in this very contradictory notion: while the
average Jew will experience over 80 Tishreis
in
his life, each time around he or she can experience
something new, something inspiring every single time.
The Chodesh Chiddush’s aim is to provide
newness and inspiration for all of its
readers. Founded in 2003 by the multi-talented
Rabbi
Sugerman with the help of alumni Ilana Borzak (’05)
and Jake Singer (’05), the Chodesh Chiddush had a
few humble objectives:
a) To provide inspiring and interesting articles
of Torah pertaining to the Jewish month
b) To bring all students with varied talents
and
interests together into a productive, Torah-
infused literary outlet
Our computer whiz Oren Hizkiya (’07) and our English
genius Alexa Bryn (’08) now have a forum to utilize
their incomparable talents. As partners in the
Chodesh Chiddush, Oren is our trusty Layout
Editor, putting all the articles together in an
aesthetically pleasing package and Alexa is our
priceless Associate Editor, carefully editing each
article that is submitted. As Senior Editor I am able
to
enhance my writing, copy editing and leadership
skills. Furthermore, our monthly contributors from the
student body are given a chance to creatively
and
thoughtfully develop fresh ideas and
interesting topics for every month, holiday and
theme.
We are looking forward to the wonderful
words of Torah provided by new and rising stars in
our student body. Watch out for the Chodesh
Chiddush in shuls throughout the tri-
county area, and as a link on the Highlites! And
remember— it’s not a Chodesh without the
Chiddush!
click
on the
logo below to read
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Students Take Advantage
of Day Off
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DON'T MISS OUT!
Inspirational Shabbat Ahead
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phone:
561.417.7422
Yeshiva
High-lites
Staff
| Shira Borzak (’07) | Copy
Editor |
| Mrs. Claudia Cohen | Director of
Technology | | Jordana Kaminetsky
(’07) | Vice
President Student Council | | Chava
Rubin (’07)
| Chief of
Correspondents | | Rabbi Josh
Spodek | Editor
in Chief |
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