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The Weekly Newsletter of
Weinbaum
Yeshiva High School
Parshat Toldot
Friday, November 9, 2007
Shabbat begins in Boca @ 5:16
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From the desk
of
Rabbi Perry
Tirschwell
"I'm sorry, Mr. X, but your child doesn't
know algebra I,"
I informed the parent of a student who wanted
to join
us in 11th grade. "We don't have algebra I in
11th
grade." The parent was perplexed. "I've done
very well
in life and I never took algebra. Why does my
son have
to learn algebra?"
It's a great question. Why do high school
students
learn algebra but not how to balance a
checkbook?
Why do yeshiva high school boys learn so little
halacha and girls learn much less
gemara than their male counterparts? What
determines which subjects students study at WYHS?
It's true. Geography is more practical
than
history,
statistics is more useful than calculus, and
halacha is more relevant than
gemara.
Relevance, however paradoxical it may sound,
is not
the determining factor of what one learns in
college
and yeshiva preparatory high school.
High school is a prozdor- a
hallway
between
middle school at one end, and college,
yeshiva and
seminary at the other. We gauge our success
by our
alumni's opinions as to how well prepared
they were
for the challenges at the next level.
A strong case can be made for redesigning high
school curriculum from the ground up.
The emphasis on the classics of literature,
history,
math and science is part of a peculiarly
American
system of liberal arts education which produces
college graduates who have no idea what they
want to
do with their lives. It's embarrassing to say
that
Jewish day school students don't know their
Bible
nearly as well as their Christian
counterparts.
Until colleges view life skills courses the
way they
view APs, boys yeshivot devote the
majority of
their day to Chumash and the seder
hayom and girls seminaries revolve around
gemara, we will continue preparing
students
for the present expectations of higher
education.
I hope we will see the day when the "big
conversation"
about overhauling education will take place.
With
college, seminary and yeshiva admissions
becoming
increasingly competitive, I unfortunately
don't see the
motivation for that conversation to happen
any time
soon.
Check out our new and updated links below
including a new WYHS in the Media link as well
as links that will bring you to every
slideshow and
youtube video we have made.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Perry Tirschwell
Click
on the images below
to
link to these
nine websites
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Upcoming Events
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JAFCO Toiletry Drive
Tuesday, Nov.
6 - Wednesday, Nov. 21
Junior Chanukah Bake Sale
Tuesday, Nov. 6 - Tuesday, Nov. 27
Click Here To Order Your
Storm Klipped Kippahs
Freshman Parent Melava
Malka
Saturday, November
10
8:30pm @ Tirschwell Home
School Shabbaton
Fri., November 16 - Sun., November 18
@ Marco
Polo Beach Resort, Sunny Isle
Thanksgiving- No School
Thursday,
November 22-
Friday, Novemebr 23
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Good and Welfare
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Mazel Tov To:
Mr. and Mrs. Dobrick on the
birth of their daughter, Kara Michelle
A Continued Refuah Shleima
To:
Susu Danis, mother of Rachel ('10)
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Singing, Torah, and
Lots of Laughter
Boys Alumni Reunion in New York a Huge
Success!
By Rabbi Josh Spodek
The deepest desire of any Torah educator is that his
or her students become true bnai Torah who
are passionate and dedicated community
leaders. It
is one thing to be observant in a sheltered high school
environment. It is a totally different ballgame when one
is in college and out on his own. The daily challenges
and pressures that a college student faces, can, at
times,
hamper his religious growth.
This past weekend, I had the distinct privilege to
spend time with twenty five of our male alumni (and
some of their fiancés) in New York. It was truly
inspiring to see how our alumni, in their own unique
ways, are choosing to be active, vibrant bnai
Torah who are committed to their own
religious
growth as well as the growth of their peers.
From YU to Landers, Queens to Rutgers, our
students have become involved in campus life and
have remained strong presences in their various
batei midrash, studying and teaching
Torah.
The zmirot and divrei Torah that filled the
home of our recently married alumni couple,
Shoshana (Turk) and Yaakov Seligman ('04),
were
heartwarming. Thank you to both the Seligmans and
to the 25 alumni who participated in this great
Shabbat.
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Our Lips Are
Sealed
WYHS Learns More about Lashon
Harah
By LeeLee Borzak ('10)
Lashon harah, watching what we say about
others, is arguably one of the most difficult
mitzvot to observe, especially in a
high school
setting. In order to raise awareness about
the power
of speech, WYHS has initiated a shmirat
halashon program, which is part of a
nationwide
program aimed at preventing Lashon Harah called
SHAC (Shmirat HaLashon Action Committee).
Spearheaded by Vice President of Torah
Affairs, Avital
Abir ('08) and Faculty Advisor Mrs. Michal
Schochet,
this inspirational program will hopefully
create an
even more thoughtful environment at WYHS.
Once a week, before each of WYHS' minchah
minyanim, a student shares a practical
halacha about the way we speak. These
pointed ideas enable students to look at
lashon
harah in different ways and make this area of
self-
improvement a more tangible goal.
On Wednesday, WYHS held its first monthly
shmirat halashon breakfast. While
enjoying
doughnuts, students broke up into groups and
conducted discussions about different
scenarios. "We
talked about what you would do and
what you
should do in an every day, school
setting,"
explained Mrs. Schochet. Specific, realistic
examples
forced students to truly think about their
actions. "It
was truly thought-provoking, and I actually
applied the
ideas we discussed during the breakfast to
the rest of
my day," added Chana Brauser ('10).
Thanks to this important program, WYHS students are
focusing on this integral mitzvah. What
makes
this particular shmirat halashon program
unique is that it does not only explore the negative
ramifications of lashon harah. "We focus
on
the impact our words
can have,
both positive and negative," explains Avital.
With the
new "JOH" program soon to be commenced, WYHS
will learn more about the power of words and
continue
to improve together.
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Girls Soccer
Begins at
WYHS
By Perla Maikhor('09) and Emily Waxman
('09)
As winter sports season arrives, WYHS' Girls
Soccer team gets pumped up with energy,
potential,
optimism, and motivation. From underclassmen
to
upperclassmen, the soccer team has been practicing
hard and shaping
up with
Coach Scott, joining the team for his first
year, as well as veteran coach, Melissa Pereira.
The Girls' Soccer Team has had three
amazing
games, but although the team is not known for
winning
they
are sure distinguished for their drive,
effort and
ability to
communicate on the field. Leading the
Yeshiva
Storm
this year are juniors Jessie Busch and
Emily
Waxman who have been playing for the team since
they
were freshmen.
Starting off the season's first game vs.
Sheridan Hills,
the
Girls' Soccer Team has had the privilege of
welcoming
sophomore Melissa Adler, who scored the
first
goal of
the season. With incredible teamwork and
great
skills, the team will continue their
victory in future
games! Just like the new Girls' soccer cheer:
"Let's
get
pumped up", everyone is invited to come out and
support the
team and "Be Pumped up"!
Next Game at the
Boca JCC @
6:45
Come
Cheer
Us On!!
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Click Picture for the Latest Edition of the
Brainstorm
Extra, Extra, Read All
About
it
WYHS School
Newspaper
Returns for Another Year
By Alexa Bryn ('08)
The Brainstorm, WYHS's first arts and opinion
newspaper, is back, and even better, in its
second year in print. This year's first issue is more
innovative than ever, featuring original graphics, a
cleaner,
more readable layout, the insight of an expanded
editorial
staff, and most excitingly, color on both the front and
back
pages.
The paper's aesthetic overhaul is due to the
technological genius of both Assistant
Editor/Technical
Editor Harry Ganz ('08) and Graphics Editor Shmuel
Dresner
('09). The two have mastered Adobe Illustrator and
InDesign software and are already "brainstorming"
about the
artwork for the next issue. Our goal is to raise enough
money in sponsorships to print all future papers
entirely in
color.
Showcasing writers from all four
grades, The Brainstorm is a forum for WYHS
students
to express their unique perspectives on the world
around
them. Politics, Judaism, Israel, teen issues, and the
arts are
covered with passion, humor, and flare. From the
SATs to
the presidential candidates, the need for a Yiddish
renaissance to Red Sox strategy, Harry Potter's
Jewishness to a Hairspray obsession,
The
Brainstorm reflects all that is important to us
as
high school students, Jews, and Americans at this
formative time in our lives. The eclectic mix of ideas
assures
that there is something for everyone, so click below,
and get
caught up in The Brainstorm.
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Up Close and
Personal
with Freshman
Class
Presidents
By Daniella Greer ('09)
This year's Student Council
freshman class presidential election was extremely
exciting, with five fantastic students running for the two
positions
open.
While all the candidates ran a fantastic race, only two
were
elected as the newest additions to the Student
Council. I
spoke to the new freshman presidents, Paul Hess
and
Racheli Mizrahi, about why they ran and their
plans
for this year.
Why did you run for Student Council?
He said: I feel as if I have the skills to
contribute a
lot towards creating an amazing first year for the
freshman
class.
She said: I feel like I can represent my
classmates very well, and together we can all improve
WYHS.
Which leader in school, in your community, or
globally,
do you look up to most and why?
He said: My dad, because I see how he
runs
everything in such a smooth way and everything he
does
always ends up a success.
She said: My Rabbi, because he is a true
example
of how one should act and I want my grade to become
an
example for the other grades in the school.
What new ideas do you have for improving your
freshman year?
He said: I want my grade to have a thrilling
trip to
an amusement park because there, every student can
have
a fun time.
She said: I am going to listen to everyone's
concerns and suggestions and do my best to
implement their ideas. I also hope
to plan
fun activities that my whole class will enjoy.
What was your campaign slogan?
He said: Vote for the power of Paul!
She said: Rock the vote for Racheli!
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850 Number of
minutes
Paul Hess spent writing his name on each
individual
doughnut he gave out during the freshman
campaign.
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4 number of
alumni
couples engaged to other
alumni
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45 vs. 85 Number of
people
who attended the Shmirat Halashon breakfast vs.
Number of doughnuts eaten at the Shmirat
Halashon
breakfast
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"You have a lot to be proud of.
It's
truly remarkable to see how much your alumni
have
accomplished and how well they are doing.
"
-- Rebbetzin Yocheved Goldberg
commenting
on the Highlites edition of
"Where are
WYHS
Alumni
Now", sent out earlier this year
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Yeshiva Highlites
Staff |
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| Danielle Wolkowicz
(’09) |
Editor-in-
Chief |
LeeLee Borzak (’10)
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Assistant
Editor |
Mrs. Claudia
Cohen |
Director of Technology
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Alana Dweck(’09)
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Photo Editor |
Daniella Greer(’09)
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Features Editor |
Josh Kaminetsky(’09)
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Layout Editor |
David Petrover(’10)
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Assistant Photo
Editor |
Aleeza Rubin(’09)
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Chief of
Correspondents |
David Spektor(’10)
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Assistant Photo
Editor |
| Rabbi Josh Spodek |
Staff Advisor |
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