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The Weekly Newsletter of the Weinbaum Yeshiva High School
Parshat B'Shalach
Friday, February 2, 2007
Shabbat begins in Boca at 5:46
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From the desk of
Rabbi Perry
Tirschwell
We just don?t view ourselves as private school
parents. Should we?
For the past two weeks, I have had the distinct
privilege of immersing myself in studying the
phenomena of private and public schools as a
Klingenstein Visiting Fellow at Teachers College of
Columbia University, with 20 heads of schools from
throughout the world. We read a huge amount, we
visited four great schools, learned a lot from each
other and from erudite professors.
The following is an exerp from a paper that I wrote
for one of my classes:
I often hear parents say, that if not for their
commitment to a Jewish education and religious
environment for their children, they would send their
children to public school. When our minds wander, we
whimsically dream about how our lifestyles would be
different if not for tuition (Solomon, 2003).
How many of us wished that the recent Lawrence
initiative (Gluck, 2005) to get public schools to
provide secular studies for yeshiva students would
have succeeded? It is widely assumed that the
number one issue facing the Jewish community in the
US today is day school tuition (Jewish Action, 2005).
Many believe that it is one of the largest factors
driving the marked increase in aliyah to Israel from
the US modern Orthodox community (German, 2006).
Many of us went to public school ourselves. We
turned out alright! Paradoxically, I believe that deep
down, many of us subscribe to the widely-held belief
that sending a child to private school is un-American
(Greene, 1998).
Click here
to
read the
rest of
this paper.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Perry Tirschwell
Click
on the images below
to
link to these
five websites
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Upcoming Events
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Tuesday, Feb. 6
Parent/ Teacher Conference @ 8:00pm
Jr. College Kickoff @ 8:00pm
Sr. Parent Meeting @8:00pm
Girls Varsity Basketball Tournament
Feb. 7-11 @ RASG Hebrew
Academy
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Buy The Fantasticks DVD!
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The DVDs for WYHS?s Production of The Fantasticks
are ready. For only $20 you will receive a
professionally recorded and edited video that will
last
you a lifetime. Please send cash or check to
the front office. You
can email Mrs. Saddler, our drama director at mes@wyhs.net
for more details.
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A Teacher's Greatest
Reward
Rabbi Spodek Visits Alumni Studying
In Israel
By Rabbi Josh Spodek
There is nothing more
rewarding for a teacher then to see his students
succeeding, growing and happy. I was privileged to
spend two rewarding weeks with our alumni studying
in Israel in various yeshivot and seminaries
throughout the country. In a whirlwind trip that
included visiting all of our boys in their respective
yeshivot and seeing many of the new
yeshivot, I learnt a great deal about the many
differences between the various yeshivot. I
was also able to see first hand, how WYHS?s Israel
Guidance Department, headed by Mrs. Kanner for the
girls and Rabbi Horowitz for the boys, really
understands our students and at which seminary or
yeshivot they will
maximize their Israel experience.
In my conversations with our alumni I heard all
about their new experiences, friends and daily
schedules. Without fail, our talks turned back to life
at WYHS. Questions about this year?s Shabbaton,
Color War, the new freshmen class and when the
next edition of the Yeshiva Highlites will appear were
repeatedly asked by our alumni who feel as close
to our school as ever.
It was truly inspiring to hear how well
prepared our students felt when graduating high
school and how well adjusted they were when
coming to Israel.
Visiting 22 yeshivot in 9 days might seem
like an absurd idea. How different could each
yeshiva be? Aren?t they all looking to
accomplish the same things? In truth, the goals are
the same ? to produce well rounded, passionate
bnei torah who are learned and dedicated to
Torah and Mitzvot. Nevertheless the path to
get there is uniquely different. 22
yeshivot, 22 different paths, 22 different
approaches. After reviewing my detailed notes
from each yeshiva, I have really been trying
to
define what makes each place unique. Together with
Rabbi Horowitz, we have spent the past week
discussing where we feel each and every senior boy
should go next year to get the most out of his year.
This unforgettable trip was both inspiring and
educational and I only hope that our current seniors
will be as successful next year as our alumni in Israel
are this year.
Click Here To See WYHS Graduate Ziyona Rantz ('06) In The News
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Connecting
Torah
And
Science
Rabbi Tendler Visits
WYHS
By Shira Borzak ('07)
On January 8th, the juniors and seniors of WYHS
were given an unprecedented opportunity to hear
from one of the leading Torah scholars of this
generation, Rabbi Dr. Moshe Tendler. Rabbi
Tendler, rabbi of the Community Synagogue of
Monsey, as well as a senior Rosh Yeshiva of YU, is
one of the foremost experts on Jewish medical ethics
and issues concerning science and Torah.
Rabbi Tendler gave a thoughtful and
moving d?var Torah on the parsha of
the week. Students were also able to ask Rabbi
Tendler personal questions, and touched on
topics including brain death, organ donation and
transplant, abortion and evolution.
The Judaic faculty enjoyed a delicious luncheon
with Rabbi Tendler, and were also given a forum for
personal discussion. Rabbi Tendler urged the
teachers and rebbeim to ?synthesize the morning and
afternoon,? to connect the Judaic and College
Prepatory classes.
Thanks so much to Rabbi Tendler for spending his
valuable time with us, and to JCRC Director Mrs.
Elyse
Dolgow, mother to Ilana (?02) and Rachel (?04), for
helping plan this inspiring event.
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Ending With
A Bang!
Girls Soccer Celebrates
Amazing
Season
By Jen Fisher ('07)
The girls soccer season
has truly been a great one, and ended with a
bang. The last game of the season was against
Sheridan Hills on Saturday night, January 13th, and
was one of the most intense games of the season.
The Storm was neck and neck with the opposition for
most of the game, and each player fought hard.
Ultimately the game ended with a respectable tie,
but it was one of the best played games yet, and
the Storm walked off the field proud.
The team has come far this season,
thanks to each player?s commitment to play their
hearts out each game. The team?s hard work
paid off as we saw the results of our effort in every
game. The team?s success is also due to the
dedication and leadership of coaches Ozzy Oliviera
and Melissa Pereira, and to the inspiration of our
phenomenal captains, Ali Cristina (?07) and Malka
Hizkiya (?07). Thank you and farewell to the
seniors of the team, and look out for girls soccer
next season!
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Taking A
Final Bow
Girls Celebrate With "Fantastick" Cast Party
By Jessica Friedman ('08)
On Saturday night, January 6, the cast
members of The Fantasticks joined together
one last time to celebrate their smashing success
in the theater. After loading up their plates with
delicious food, the actresses sat down to watch the
fabulous DVD of the show, laughing and singing
along.
Cast members also voted for the bi-annual ?Saddler
Awards,? a time honored tradition that includes
awards such as ?Best Actress,? ?Least Nervous
Before the Show,? and ?Most Energy.?
This was also an opportunity to bid farewell to
Senior Meira Tirschwell and to award her with a
special trophy, celebrating her four years of
effort and commitment to the WYHS Drama
Department.
The cast party was a ?Fantastick? way
to end the unforgettable experience of the show.
Special thank you to Mrs. Saddler for planning this
event and to the Friedman family for opening their
home. See you at ?Rumors,? WYHS? side-splitting
spring comedy in March!
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He Said/ She Said
Checking Up On
The
Class
Of '06
With Mordechai Siev
and Mimi
Begas
Alexa Bryn (?08)
As the year has just reached its midpoint, it
seemed like an appropriate time to check up on our
alumni from the class of 2006 studying in Israel for
the year. Below, Mimi Begas (?06) and Mordechai Seiv
(?06) talk about developing their connection to
Torah,
maintaining their relationship with WYHS, and growing
as both individuals and Jews.
How have you changed
and
developed during the first half of your year in Israel?
He said: It's definitely a maturing
experience. The amount of time and mental effort
put into the study of Torah affects you in many
ways. I have started to view things through a
different perspective and I realize the inner
complexities of different circumstances now.
She said: You grow up a little and realize
there?s a bigger picture out there in which you want
to find your place in. You want to keep your
individuality but work on your character at the same
time.
What is the most significant thing you have learned
since you have been in Israel?
He said: The complexity involved in a single
word of
Tanach, how that word can affect 20 perakim
in another sefer and how a word can have
multiple meanings within one sentence. It?s so
interesting how all of these things affect our
interpretation of the main theme of the sefer.
She said: It?s important that we?re always
striving to grow, but we must take
the challenges step by step. I?ve learned that there
is so much for us to do at any given moments at our
lives, and it?s important that we don?t get
overwhelmed.
How has your WYHS
experience impacted your year in Israel?
He said: I definitely was prepared in regards
to my
skills for yeshiva. But I also believe that the
kesher that WYHS tries to instill between its
students and Israel allows me to appreciate to a
greater extent the power and kedusha of the
land that I am in.
She said: WYHS taught me that religiosity
is
something tangible and approachable, that you can
still be your own person, still be involved in the
world
at large, but always in the realm of Judaism.
How have you tried to maintain your connection with
your teachers and Rebbeim at WYHS throughout this
year?
He said: I read the Highlites and use email
to speak
to my teachers because it?s convenient and doesn't
interrupt their sleep.
She said: Let?s just say the Rebbe called
me on my birthday. I call the teachers all the time.
They are amazing people and so good to talk to
when
I?m away from home! I love them.
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27
Number of hours
students spent studying for the AP Biology
midterm
27 Number of seconds Mrs. Rainbeau
spent grading each midterm
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96 Percent of alumni who read the
Yeshiva Highlites weekly
12
Percent of alumni who
read the Yeshiva Highlites while attending
WYHS
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?You have
fashioned a wonderful creation;
a school for
Jewish
teenage souls.
I am sure your parents are
kvelling;
your grandparents would be too. ?
--Susan Levin
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here
Yeshiva Highlites
Staff |
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| 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) |
Chief of Correspondents |
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