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Inspiring & Challenging
Teenagers Since 1998
Parshat Vayeshev
Friday, Dec. 19, 2008
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Life After WYHS
Inspire and Challenge, our school's mission,
guides our students in their college choices. When
they leave WYHS' hallowed halls, our graduates want
to continue their religious and academic growth. It is
our job to help them identify schools at which this can,
and most probably will, happen.
One can't judge a college's religious atmosphere
by the number of Jews on campus, or its
academics according to its ranking by US News and
Report. One has to judge the school by how day
school grads actually do there.
On Friday night, is there a significant group
that "does shabbos" who won't go to the party,
game or bar? Are there enough observant students to
date? Do the day school grads sow their wild oats for
four years, or do they create a strong observant
community whose centripetal force pulls others in?
I have begun spending Shabbat at college
campuses to help us guide students regarding
observant Jewish life on campus. In October, I was at
University of Maryland, and I'll be at University of
Pennsylvania in late January. Rabbi Horowitz spent
last Shabbat at Yeshiva University with boys who
attend a number of colleges in the New York area.
Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus (JLIC) is the
Orthodox Union's program which has placed
young observant couples on 15 college campuses to
do "inreach" with the day school grads. I have learnt a
tremendous amount from my participation in its
Advisory Board over the past year.
Over half of our students come to the conclusion
that the logical choice for them is Yeshiva
University. It offers the dual curriculum to which
our students have become accustomed, on a
collegiate level. YU boasts 3,000 observant
undergraduates and has an excellent record of
graduate school admissions.
Some of our students will flourish in the
deeply intellectual atmosphere of an Ivy League
or a competitive private and state university. Some
students will be strengthened by being in an
environment in
which they have to choose to be observant. There are
a select number of
campuses which possess a significant observant
community.
Barnard, NYU, Stern, Touro, University of
Pennsylvania, Yale and Yeshiva were the
universities that offered our students early decision
acceptances this week. As these seniors each send
in their deferrals to enable them to study next year in
Israel, we look forward to their continued search for
inspiration and challenge at the post secondary level.
Freshman and sophomore parents will meet
with our Director of College
Guidance, Mrs. Marcy Roberts on Monday evening,
January 5. She will help interpret
the PSAT and PLAN scores and explain what can be
done now to
help prepare for college. Junior parents will
begin the college selection process with Mrs.
Roberts right after vacation (February 3).
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Perry
Tirschwell
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The Best WYHS Chanukah Ever!
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Mesibas At The Rebbes
Breakfast, Monday Dec. 22
Storm Spirit Day
All Day, Tuesday Dec. 23
The Great Dreidel Hunt
Lunch, Wednesday Dec. 24
Chanuka
Chagiga
for present families & alumni
Lunch, Thursday, Dec. 25
followed by 1:30pm
dismissal
Special Breakfast
Friday Dec 26
Chanukah Toy Drive
for
Chai
Lifeline
Click
here for information
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Good & Welfare
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Our Condolences
Mrs. Aviva Bronner on the loss of her father
Our Prayers Are With
Eliyahu ben Zahava Webberly
Yehoshua Tzvi ben Sarah Weiss
Chana bat Devorah
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From Girls to Graduates
The WoMAD Shabbaton
and Alumni
Shabbaton
By Rachelli Kaplan ('09) and Zach Cohen
('06)
This past Shabbat, WYHS was a two-fold: the
annual
WoMAD
Shabbaton for girls in Boca and an
Alumni
Shabbaton for boys in New York with Rabbi
Horowitz.
This past Shabbat was truly uplifting. At
every meal, there was singing and a strong
feeling of unity among all the girls--no
matter what grade.
This past weekend was awesome- just us guys
chilling with Rabbi Horowitz and the WYHS
alumni at YU. There were even some people who
didn't even go to YU, but happened to be in
the area, like Danny Krasna ('05) who is
currently at Queen's College.
Friday night was a special treat, mainly for
the seniors who had the honor and privilege
of eating at Rabbi Tirschwell's home with
Mrs. Kanner, her family, and Rabbi Haber, the
Rav of MMY (Michlelet Mevaseret Yerushalyim.)
There were beautiful Divrei Torah given and
of course, amazing food!
The meals were delightful and there was
plenty to go around! By any stretch of the
imagination, it would be pretty difficult to
prepare food for about twenty guys around the
age of twenty. But the meal was fantastic.
But really the best part of the night was the
Senior girls' "chilled out" kumzits with Mrs.
Kanner. We had the opportunity to tell funny
stories of the past four years and ended the
night with some beautiful Zemirot and true
words of wisdom.
There were roughly 20 people in this
apartment at once. Most people would think
that would be an inconvenience for people, as
apartments in New York are not generally too
spacious. Yet Justin and Elana Kohlhagen
('04) were gracious hosts and set up their
apartment to accommodate all of the guests
perfectly.
Shabbat day was even more exciting as we had
a motivating Shiur by Rabbi Englander
discussing the overall theme of the
Shabbaton: Hakarat Hatov. We then ate
together with the company of our teachers and
their adorable children who truly enhanced
the Shabbat atmosphere.
Everyone enjoyed inspirational Divrei Torah
by Rabbi Horowitz and Justin Kohlhagen ('04)
which
really added to the Shabbat feeling.
But the fun did not end there! We played
"Bananagrams," davened Mincha, and then ate
Seudah Shlishit. At the conclusion of the
Shabbaton, we had another kumzits which truly
sparked girls' spirituality and left them
with a true understanding of Hakarat Hatov.
Thank you Justin and Elana again for
accommodating all of us, a group which ranged
from the class of 2002 to the class of 2007.
All in all, the weekend was really great and
I hope it happens as often as possible!
Click
Here to Comment
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Click on the picture
for a great slideshow!
YESHI-WHAT?
YESHIVA!
The Best Girls Soccer Season
in WYHS
History
This year, like the boys soccer team last
season, the girls varsity soccer team is
having its best season in WYHS
history! New
players and seasoned soccer veterans have
joined together to create a successful team
which practices and plays with lots of effort
and intensity...and it pays off! The team has
won four games so far this season. GO STORM!
Click
Here to Comment
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Spotted: Rabbi Simon, Rosh Yeshiva of
Yeshiva
University
Speaking To: The 12th grade boys Beit
Midrash Class
Speaking About: The different levels
of the mitzvah of lighting the
Chanukia on Chanukah
****
Spotted: Jeremy Horelick, AIPAC South
Palm Beach County Area Director
Speaking To: The CIA and AIPAC Committees
Speaking About: The importance of
student action in American-Israeli politics,
and the need to lobby Congress.
Click
Here to Comment
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Click the picture
to download the Yearbook Ad Form
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WYHS 101
Multi-Community Town Hall Meetings
By Shimmie Kaminetsky,
Executive Director
Over the past two weeks, in living rooms in
three of
our
constituent communities (Hollywood, North
Miami
Beach, and Boca Raton), there was a forum for
parents to raise issues that were on their
minds with
the school administration. This year we added
a new
element: presentations about the school
budget and
future campus plans.
WYHS' income and expenses were presented in
pie charts. 85% of the school's income comes
from tuition. Parents commented about how
impressed they were with our openness to share
what in many other schools is confidential
information.
The site plan, floor plans, and exterior
renderings of our planned permanent campus
and facility were presented. Issues raised
by parents
include why we chose this particular parcel
of land on
the Federation campus, the anticipated cost and
timetable of the project.
Parents asked questions about the NETA
Hebrew curriculum, the school's policy on
overseas
trips, and credit for students who take
honors classes.
Suggestions made included student surveys
evaluating each class.
Thank you to the Gelman, Tokayer, and Bakst
families for opening their homes for the
Town
Hall meetings and for the delicious desserts.
Thank
you to all the parents who took out time from
their busy
schedules to attend.
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What are you
looking forward to most
about Chanukah?
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Do you think Color
War will be on Chanuka?
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"The moving Divrei Torah on the WoMAD
Shabbaton
gave us all a complete understanding of
Hakarat
HaTov-what it means is to be
truly
thankful."
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Yeshiva Highlites
Staff |
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| LeeLee
Borzak (’10) |
Editor-in-
Chief |
| Danielle Wolkowicz
('09) |
Senior Editor |
Josh
Kaminetsky(’09) |
Layout
Editor |
| Ilana Ben-Ezra
('10) |
Features
Editor |
David
Petrover(’10) |
Technical
Editor |
| Alana Dweck
('09) |
Photo Editor |
Josh Stadlan
('11) |
Creative
Editor |
Aleeza
Rubin(’09) |
Chief of
Correspondents |
David
Spektor(’10) |
Assistant Technical
Editor |
Michael Feit
('10) |
Assistant Technical
Editor |
| Paul Hess ('11) |
Staff |
| Claudia Cohen |
Faculty Advisor |
Rabbi Allan
Houben |
Faculty
Advisor |
| Mrs. Amy
Horowitz |
Proofreader |
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