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Friday, December 11, 2009
24 Kislev 5770
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Parshat Vayeishev
Candle Lighting at 5:11 PM
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Click on the images above to jump to the corresponding article
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 From the Desk of
Rabbi Horowitz
WYHS has earned its outstanding reputation by excelling in so many different areas:
· Teachers who work "overtime", hosting students for Shabbat meals and attending sports games, to ensure that they have warm relationships with their students both in and out of the classroom
· Programs for holidays and special events, kumsitzes, and chagigahs that are designed to inspire our students and infuse them with religious energy
· Extracurricular programs such as drama and sports that give our students an opportunity to express their unique talents
Each of these is an avenue towards personal and religious achievement, and together they foster an atmosphere of spiritual growth. And while basketball tournaments and Rosh Chodesh concerts are often the more memorable high school experiences, the "underrated" experience of sitting in class and learning can also help us reach our spiritual goals!
The more deeply we understand the Torah the more deeply we can appreciate it, but a real understanding of Torah takes work. Honing our reading skills, analytical thinking, and grasp of the concepts are all an integral part of the process of learning Torah. Sometimes, sitting in class day after day laboring over a difficult passage of chumash or gemara can seem rigorous, or even--forgive me!--tedious. But then comes the "aha! moment" where you really get it, and you recognize that all your hard work has finally paid off.
I am always inspired by seeing my students achieve this clarity, because it is moments like these that make the Torah relevant and personal. It's like finally being "on the inside" after feeling like an outsider. I am also aware of the power of this feeling to inspire the students themselves.
The palpable energy of a chagigah. A meaningful conversation with a teacher. A Friday night tisch at a Rebbe's home. An "aha! moment" in Navi class. Each of these is an avenue towards religious growth and together they are a recipe for spiritual success.
Rabbi Benjy Horowitz
Director of Judaic Studies
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Happy
Chanukah |
Sunday 12/13
No mishmar
Monday 12/14
Chagigah 5:30pm
for present students & their families
Tuesday 12/15
Panapluka
Lunch & 6th Period
Wednesday 12/16
Rebbemania
Periods 1&2
No Night Seder
Thursday 12/17
Extreme Sports
Lunch
Tuesday-Wednesday 1/5-1/6
School Retreat
Monday 2/22
Golf Tournament
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Brandy Brener ('05)
on her engagement to Aryeh Meiteles of Monsey
Mindy Fuchs('03) on her engagement to Max Horowitz of Jacksonville
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News Brief |
By Adam Poliak ('11)
STAFF WRITER
Celebrated their dedication to learning Torah after school, the participants of the boys weekly Night Seder at the annual Night Seder Shabbaton. The Shabbaton was filled with an intense ruach and enthusiasm. On Friday night, the students ate at their Rebbeim's homes and afterward joined one another at a tisch at the Horowitz home. Shabbat day, all of the 25 boys ate lunch at the Tirschwells'. The boys were privileged to hear from two esteemed Torah scholars at the meals, Rabbi J.J. Shachter and Rabbi Rabinovici, on the topic of Chanukah. | |
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 News Brief
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By Matthew Wolkowicz ('12)
STAFF WRITER
Visited the WYHS male alumni in New York, Rabbi Sugerman. At Yeshiva University, he met up with 30 former WYHS students from graduating classes of '03 through '08. The objective of his trip was to reopen lines of communication between former students and their previous rabbis and to improve the connection between the alumni themselves.
Elana and Justin Kohlhagen ('04) hosted all of the meals and even fed Rabbi Sugerman schwarma on motzei Shabbat. Rabbi Sugerman officially reported that "the alumni at YU are doing great, and Shabbatthere these days is fantastic, especially at the Beit Midrash on Friday night, which was awesome."
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Scorecard
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Girls Varsity SAR Basketball Tournament 
By Leora Litwin ('12)STAFF WRITER
Congratulations to the Girls Varsity Basketball Team for coming in 3rd place in the SAR 6th Annual David Cooper Memorial Basketball Tournament that took place in Riverdale last week. Six different schools from across the country and Canada joined together to play basketball and to experience a wonderfully uplifting Shabbat. The tournament was a great start of the season; it got the whole team really pumped and really improved the friendships between all the players. A special mazal tov to captain Daniella Litwin ('10) on winning the Hot-Shot competition and to Leora Litwin ('12) on winning the 3-point competition. Thank you to the Yudewitzs for chaperoning. Good luck to the entire team on the rest of the season!
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Featurette
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Makin' the Connection
By Sarah Struhl ('12)
STAFF WRITER
Although we are small in in both size and number, and our record so far does not look too promising, the Girls JV basketball team this year is nevertheless off to an enthusiastic and fun start. Led by coach Gila Stern as well as captains Sarah Struhl ('12) and Elana Kaminetsky ('12), the team is rigorously practicing and improving, hoping to take home a few wins during this greatly anticipated season.
By David Hopen ('12)
STAFF WRITER
Loaded with talent, maturity, and "lethal offensive weapons," Boys JV has kicked off a potent and exciting season. A close-knit team brimming with stars, jokes, and deadly three-pointers, JV has started off strong. With heads held high despite facing genetically superior ability, JV defeated rival Hillel NMB and looks ahead to a high scoring season of palpable excitement, possibly some dunks, and beautiful victory.
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Multimedia |
 
Boys Basketball Girls Basketball
See the Storm in action!
Click on the images above to play the videos. | |
Inbox
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Beyond the Court
During the SAR basketball tournament, the WYHS Girls Varsity team impressed their hosts and opposing teams, not only with their athletic prowress but also with their enthusiasm, good sportsmanship, Jewish values, derech eretz, and midot tovot. The following is an email we received from an administrator at SAR:
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WYHS Publications Mo-ed Menorah |
MO-ED
MENORAH
Click on the image above to download the Mo-ed Menorah.
Enlighten your Chanukah with the Mo-ed Menorah!
This compilation of insightful divrei torah written by WYHS students is sure to enhance your understanding and appreciation of this meaningful holiday. Thank you to all of the faculty members and students who helped produce this wonderful and informative publication.
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Spirituality D'var Torah
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The
Inconvenient
Truth Parshat Vayeishev
By Rebecca Fuchs ('10)
D'VAR TORAH EDITOR
In this week's Parshah, Vayeishev, we learn about the dispute between Yosef and his brothers. This story begs us to question what could have possibly caused such hatred between brothers. The pasuk states that Yosef brought "Dibatam Raah" to his father, meaning that he told Yaakov evil reports regarding his brothers. This explains why the sons of Yaakov could have felt such animosity towards Yosef. As we know, Lashon Hara is a very serious and terrible act against a fellow Jew. It can ruin lives, just as the brothers feared that the reports of Yosef would exclude them from the future of the Jewish people. This explanation, however, is a bit confusing. Why would Yosef, whom we know was incredible Tzaddik, speak Lashon Hara against his brothers?
Yosef gave these "evil reports" for the same reason that many caring, committed Jews continue to speak Lashon Hara despite the fact that it contradicts our basic morals. He felt that he was justified. Rashi lists various acts that the brothers committed which were accidentally misinterpreted by Yosef. In those specific situations, Yosef's accusations actually seem justified, and yet he had been mistaken in his assumptions; a mistake that eventually led to his being sold into slavery.
Even a true derogatory statement is Lashon Hara, no matter how sure we are that our actions are justified and that the accused completely deserves the consequences of our slanders. Therefore, how much more serious is an assumption made and spoken about when not backed by actual fact? We learn from this historic event that we can never make assumptions, no matter how clear the situation seems, for the difficulties caused by Lashon Hara have no limit. May we strive to guard our tongues as seriously as we guard our lives, for one's mouth is so powerful that it can even shape the course of history.
Shabbat Shalom!
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