Yeshiva Highlites Returns: Yom HaShoah, Shacharit at the Beach, the Storm, & Supporting Israel
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rpt@wyhs.net
Friday, April 16, 2010 17th Day of the Omer
Parshat Tazria-Metzora Candle Lighting at 7:27 PM
Click on the images above to jump to the corresponding article
Tick, Tock, Tick, Tock
Personally, I find the message of Sefirat Ha'omer to be the value
of time. Judaism believes that each and every day counts. There are no days
off.
The rigorous schedule of a yeshiva high school student certainly sends
that message loud & clear. Over the years, I have fiddled with our school's
daily schedule adding and subtracting a minute here, a minute there, to strike
a balance between time for classes, committees & clubs, sports and art,
Highlites and yearbook, etc. After an
overprogrammed school year, students naturally want to unwind.
Summers, however, should not be about "killing time" or "vegging".
Exercise, reading for pleasure, spending time with friends and family, ACT/ SAT
prep, and even getting more sleep should certainly be on every student's agenda
for the summer. The school year doesn't always allow for enough of these.
What are you doing this summer?Many teenagers go to camp after ninth
grade and Israel after tenth grade, though this has become increasingly
challenging in this economic environment. There are no natural choices after
eleventh and twelfth grades. With only two months of school ahead of us, it's
important that teenagers are creating the structure for their summers now.
Summers are also about growth- just not necessarily academic growth. Community
service requirements withstanding, during the school year teenagers are very
focused on themselves. Helping those less fortunate should be on the agenda.
Summer provides an opportunity to explore other interests, which could turn into
career directions.
A bad summer can undue all the goodaccomplished by parents' hard-earned tuition dollars. A good summer can
complement and supplement a student's growth during the school year.
Make this a great summer!
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Perry Tirschwell Head of School
Journal Dinner Tribute Committee in formation
Anonymous Jay & Ellen Adler Phil & Lisa Baratz Marc & Lori Ben-Ezra Billy & Batzi Berman Howard & Carol Bienenfeld Michael & Darlene Bokor Steve & Yael Charlap Ben J. & Dorit Genet David & Monica Genet Stanley & Ana Haar Jeffrey & Jodi Harris Samuel & Anita Heering
Moshe & Shari Hirth Steven & Sarah Jacoby Bernie & Melanie Kaminetsky Gary & Judi Krasna Sam & Arlene Lasko Bruce & Cindy Nimhauser Jose & Fay Poliak Michael & Jill Rose Barry & Dana Schechter Zorik & Ellen Spektor Marshall & Sharon Stauber Ted & Linda Struhl
Mazel Tov! Elana Cohen ('06) is engaged to Jonathan Stern of England
Salit Cohen ('01) is engaged to Israel Zelekovitz
Dahlia Gold ('04) isengaged to Natan Goldstein of Israel
Sarah (Magid '05) and Ethan Chernofsky on their marriage in Israel
Refuah Shleima Simcha Chaya bat Luna
News Brief
Sunday Fun Day!
The Class of 2014's Athletic Get-Together
By Aaron Zimmerman ('13) GUEST WRITER
The 8th grade sports
gathering was truly a day to remember! Throughout the
fun-filled Sunday packed with sports like ultimate frisbee, soccer,
baseball, and more, the boys of Weinbaum's incoming class were given the
opportunity to integrate and get to know one another both athletically
and socially. While some enjoyed the sports and others preferred the
company of their friends, at the end of the day, everyone had had a
great time.
Bringing the boys from different schools and
communities
together proved extremely successful: this upcoming school year,
freshmen will have a
plethora of friends from all over South Florida before classes even begin!
Thank
you
so much to Athletic
Director Rachel Yudewitz and Director of Admissions Melissa
Pereira for expertly coordinating and running this awesome event, and to
the faculty members and students who helped with the program.
WYHS Videography Class Creates Videos for JEC Dinner
By Ayelet Petrover ('12) VIDEOGRAPHY STUDENT
This past Monday, Director of Technology Mrs. Claudia
Cohen and the students of the sophomore videography elective
were presented with a plaque for their outstanding work on the
video that they created for the Jewish
Education Commission's (JEC) Bar Mitzvah Year Gala. The Jewish Education Commission
is a branch of the Jewish
Federation of South
Palm Beach County that focuses on enhancing Jewish education
throughout all stages of life.
The video was made to highlight
everything the JEC does for students young and old and, perhaps
ironically, is
said to have been "the highlight of the evening." JEC Chair Mrs. Ilene
Wohlgemuth, and the chair of this year's JEC Gala Mrs. Jill Rose,
visited the class on
Monday to thank Claudia and her students
personally, and they presented the class with gifts as well as a plaque, which they hung in "Claudia's Cave." It proved to be a
great experience for the students to be able to give back to those who
do so much for them, while learning valuable film-making and production skills.
Last month, Ms. Carolyn Lawrence, a former math and physics teacher
at WYHS, returned to help the junior class prepare for the challenging
science section of the ACT, which differs from the more traditional
sections of other standardized tests. Over the course of a few class
periods, Mrs. Lawrence gave the juniors vital tips on acing the ACT.
Here are some of her pointers:
1. Make sure to underline key labels and draw general trend
lines around the graphs, so that the important information will be readily
apparent.
2. Due to the short amount of time allotted on the ACT, do not
waste time reading the background information on each experiment, as it
tends to be mostly complicated and extraneous. Rather, go directly to
the questions and then skim through the information to find the
necessary data.
3. Practice, Practice, Practice. Like most things in life,
success can only be achieved through practice. By doing practice
science sections of the ACT, you can become familiar with the test and
learn how to properly budget your time for each section.
WYHS's poignant and emotional Yom HaShoah program served as an
informative commemoration of the devastating atrocities in our past. Powerful
photographs documenting the monstrosities committed by the Nazis lined
the darkened walls of the school, alongside names of those who
perished. The commemorative display gave students a chance to reflect
on the horrors of the past, as well as set a certain somber and introspective mood for the day.
Each student lit a candle to mourn those who have perished and was
given a sticker bearing the name of one of the six million Jews who perished. The program
began with a short video illustrating the undeniable horrors of the
Holocaust and sought to undermine the gruesome lies that question the
historical facts. The presentation featured Mr. Martin and Mrs. Helen Judovits, survivors
and well-respected members of the Boca Raton community for the past 27
years who were kind enough to share their personal stories of
inspirational perseverance and survival.
The narratives and specters of the past united the student body in the
imperative task of remembering. As the years progress and the
generations of survivors dwindle, it becomes even more important for us
to perpetuate their legacy, so as to ensure that the atrocities of the
past will never be forgotten or repeated.
Thanks so much to Director of Student Activities Shira Englander,
Assistant Director of Student Activities Rabbi Allan Houben, and the
Student Council for an extremely intense and meaningful Yom HaShoah
experience. A special thank you to art teacher Mrs. Loren Stein
whose talent, creativity, and overall expertise were a huge asset to
the hallway's "adornments," which really set the tone of the day.
Click on the questions
below to listen to a selection of Mr. & Mrs.
Judovits's emotional yet inspiring responses.
Featurette
Standing Strong with Israel
WYHS Sends Delegates to AIPAC Policy Conference
By Kelley Tripp ('13) WYHS AIPAC DELEGATE
Last month three WYHS students, Kelley Tripp ('13), Martha
Baumgarten ('10), and Daniella Lieberman ('10), along with over 7,000
other delegates, traveled to Washington D.C. to participate in this
year's AIPAC Policy Conference. Motivating and inspiring, the AIPAC
conference, which took place over three days, consisted of multiple
sessions and speeches, all organized around the same theme: the importance of upholding a strong American-Israel alliance. AIPAC
allows each person to personally have an opportunity in building upon,
in his or her own unique way, the relationship between the two countries.
The many passionate speakers discussed the everyday challenges that
Israel faces and how vital America's everlasting support for Israel is
at this point in time. AIPAC instills the important message into each
of its members: live a life with a constant commitment to supporting the
Jewish homeland. Specifically, AIPAC focused on educating the student
delegates, ensuring that the generation of the future will also stand
strong in support of Israel and of America's fundamental relationship
with the Jewish homeland.
Over the course of the conference, multiple
congressmen and representatives recounted their personal trips to
Israel this summer -- trips that forever changed the way they view Israel
in all respects, and more importantly, trips that forever changed who
they are. These speakers spoke about different meaningful experiences
that taught them to appreciate Israel's vital contributions to the
world, to understand many of Israel's challenges, and finally, to
secure a place in their hearts for a country and a people that they
will now forever strongly support. A student activist explained that
AIPAC represents activism with a voice, a kind of activism that can
move mountains. Leaving the AIPAC conference, every participant stands
as part of an organization that will forever support the Jewish
homeland, ensuring Israel's existence in peace and safety.
Featurette
Sunrise at the Beach
Not many yeshiva high schools are located just ten minutes away from the beach. Two weeks before Pesach, the Junior class took advantage of WYHS's tropical location, praying Shacharit as the first rays of light glistened on the Atlantic. A wholesome breakfast and class football game in the sand followed the uplifting davening.
A.K.A. Pella Platinum, which is
A.K.A. Pella's fourth a cappella album, was just released earlier this
week. This album immediately got my attention just by looking at the
cover. Then, as I listened to the songs for the
first time, I could not stop telling myself how amazing this album is.
A.K.A.Pella is unique in the fact that they combine popular secular
songs and tunes with Jewish lyrics and, in addition, all of their songs
are recorded without the use of any instruments. Some of their notable
songs are a no-instrument rendition of Yaakov Shwekey's hit song V'hee Sheamda and
Yavo of the Miami Boys Choir
(combined with the tune of Forever, by Chris Brown). Their unique talent in the
a cappella world will amaze you.
My favorite songs on this album are: Yavo V'hee Sheamda Nilli Milli
Click on the image above to listen to album samples.
WYHS Culture Poetry & Prose
The following poem is composed by Keren Marks ('10), editor of the WYHS literary journal Allie's Mitt, in honor of Yom HaShoah and in memory of those who perished during the Holocaust.
A cautious step into
A messy room, weary
Tired of all the piles of
Clothing papers CDs.
One place where all files
And folders are in order
Where there are no more disorganized
Piles
A practiced scarred hand
Full of wrinkles and revealing
Veins guides the
Searching gaze until one
Striking image
Astounds the world
Those were quite different-such
Piles are not meant for
This world! Piling
Glasses shoes caps bags is
Not a human's job
It took much time effort
Hope to get away
From those piles of annihilation; and
G-d was always there, but
Where?
Hiding behind the
Piles of the future
Children, descendants, legacy-
Those piles of love
SpiritualityD'var Torah
Sin on the Skin?
Parshat Tazria-Metzora
By Rebecca Fuchs ('10) D'VAR TORAH EDITOR
This week's double parshah, Tazria-Metzora, discusses the laws surrounding tzara'at,
a disease that affects the skin and causes the afflicted to become
impure. Just the disease itself sounds terrible, however the laws
surrounding tzara'at make the condition even more unpleasant. One must be examined multiple times by a kohen,
priest, be isolated from the community, ritually cleanse himself, and
shave off every last hair on his body. Additionally, the afflicted will
suffer a great deal of embarrassment in his isolation and eventual
baldness so that all will see him and immediately know of his sins.
What could possibly cause such a harsh punishment? The simple act of
speaking unkindly about one's neighbor--lashon hara. Clearly G-d views lashon hara
as being so evil, so detrimental to the fabric of society, that He deems
it necessary for the punishment to be so extreme that anyone would
think twice before committing this sin.
One reads this parshah and cannot help but wonder what kind of a highly unintelligent person
would cause himself so much suffering. Had we lived during such a time,
would we not have all seriously thought twice before speaking
incorrectly? After all, what information or gossip, could possibly be
so important to spread that it would be worth all of the shame and
suffering that would result? With such a hefty punishment, it must have been so easy to control one's
tongue at that time.
Today, however, seems to be an entirely different story. How on earth
are we expected to exercise self-control over our mouths when we are
not exposed to such obvious and immediate punishment for our actions? One who desperately wants to speak lashon hara could easily be stopped by the fear of a punishment in this world, yet
the fear of G-d in the next world is not enough to stop us!? We are
completely aware of the fact that Hashem watches our actions and
punishes accordingly. Speaking lashon harawill not only, G-d forbid, detract from our merits and our olam haba,
experience in the next world, but will distance us from our Creator.
How can the thought of such a punishment, how can the fear of Heaven
not immediately stop us in our tracks?
The next time we feel the urge to speak disparagingly about another person, we should be reminded of tzara'at and remember
that the damage caused to our relationship with G-d as a result of
negative speech is infinitely worse. May we treat our mouths as gifts
and instead use them to davenand relate words of Torah.
News Brief
Jewish Music
