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Friday December 2, 2011
6 Kislev, 5772
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Parashat Vayetzei
Candle Lighting at 5:10PM |
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 Your Voice Matters!
School is a partnership between students, parents, faculty and administration. I'd like to highlight a number of important discussions between us and changes that we have implemented in response to them in the past week.
Singing During Davening
A group of students and faculty members met on Tuesday about adding singing to our Beit Midrash minyan. We identified a few key prayers and catchy songs. We began this Wednesday and I believe that it has been well received.
Workload Summit
The eight class presidents (students elect a boy and a girl to represent each grade) met yesterday afternoon for two hours with the department chairs of each subject to discuss making changes in Elective (eg. Business, Art, Spanish, etc.) Grading, to the Test and Quiz Schedule, and Homework. I will share the decisions made in the coming week. Topics were chosen based on the responses of parents and students to my e-mail about this subject. All involved felt that the meeting was productive and that we should meet again.
Three AP Limit
Thank you to the many parents and students who responded to my query about limiting the number of APs that a student can take in a given year. On the college recommendations completed by WYHS for students who take 3 AP courses, it will be indicated that they took the "Most Challenging" program. The response to this suggestion was overwhelmingly positive. Those concerned about the ability of exceptional students to take 4 (or more!) APs, were reassured that such students will be granted a waiver to the rule.
Older Boys Return to Navi
Rabbi Hershel Shachter has pointed out that often girls receive a more rounded Judaic education than boys in traditional yeshivot. He has always encouraged Modern Orthodox schools to include Navi in their boys Judaic curriculum. Though boys curriculum is often behind girls in practical halacha as well, we began our year with a course in the Torah SheBaal Peh. Due to popular demand, we have returned to Navi for Boys with the beginning of the second trimester.
Students, parents, teachers and administration sacrifice much to provide and obtain an Inspiring and Challenging yeshiva high school experience. Working together we can maximize this experience for all.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Perry Tirschwell
Head of School
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Coming Attractions
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Mon. Dec. 5
Junior Night Out
Sat. Dec. 10 Girls Night Seder Shabbaton
Faculty vs. Student Basketball Game
Dec. 21-28 Chanukah Mon. Dec. 26 No School |
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Good and Welfare
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Mazel Tov
Donna Sabag ('02) & Adam Von Samek on their marriage
Maya Tansman ('03) on her engagement to Gil Rubenstein of Tel Aviv
Michelle & Zev Kilstein ('04) on their marriage
Chaya Berman ('06) on her engagement to Jake Stone of Teaneck
Ora & Avi Lasko ('07) on the birth of a girl
Eli Rigol ('07) on her engagement to Joseph Schwartz of Scarsdale
Tamar Grunhaus ('10) on her engagement to Uri Weingarten of Teaneck
Amiel Abir ('10) on enlisting in the IDF
Sarya Genet ('10) on being accepted to IDF Tzanchanim
Condolences
Ira Feintuch on the loss of his mother
Mr. Tzvi Gold on the loss of his mother
Dr. Neil Shachter on the loss of his mother
The Kaplan family on the passing of former WYHS American History Teacher Mr. Michael Kaplan
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Feature Story
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The Biggest & Best Open House Yet
WYHS Opens its Doors to the Class of 2016
Graphic By Amir Tsarfati ('13)
Written by Matthew Silkin ('14)
At many school events, the students only see the finished product. But how does the entire event come together? The simple answer: A lot of work. The descriptive answer: Hours of effort by the teachers and students that wanted to make a lasting impression on the eighth graders who attended this year's WYHS Open House for Prospective Students & Parents. The reason all those involved in creating the event felt so accomplished is because they achieved the goal of showing prospective students how WYHS runs and why they should join our big, loving WYHS family. "I feel that the work we put in will make prospective students want to come and be a part of WYHS," said Michael Krasna ('12), Chairman of Student Development. The effort did not go to waste - both incoming students and parents were impressed with the information packed and entertaining display that WYHS had in store. Mr. Drew Fein, parent of a prospective student commented, "It was a very enjoyable program." Prospective student Sarah Haar agreed and added, "I've been told that there are a lot of new people and they are very social and friendly." As the eighth graders participated in the multitude of activities at the Extracurricular Fair, both faculty and students - especially Student Council President Ezra Kurtz ('12) - felt accomplished at the response to their many hours of dedication. "I think that we have achieved what we wanted to and more," commented Kurtz. "The students loved the event and the school."
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News Brief
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Israel Confidential
A Look Inside Different Yeshivot and Seminaries
 Graphic By Jonathan Razon ('13)
Written By Elana Kaminetsky ('12)
Seminary and Yeshiva season is upon us. Whether it is the discussions commencing in all the senior classes or the daily guests that visit our school representing their program, this topic is on everyone's mind. Over the past few weeks the seniors have been privileged to hear from these esteemed guests about the respective Seminaries and Yeshivot they are interested in. The presentations have been both informative and exciting. The interviewing process starts soon and the students are well prepared. To get a real sense of what is going on in the seminary world, Mrs. Ora Lee Kanner traveled to Israel to meet and reconnect with the class of 2011, as well as to scout out different options for the current seniors. All the girls of the class of 2011 in Israel gathered together with Mrs. Kanner for a Melaveh Malkah. The students and Mrs. Kanner enjoyed bonding and catching up. She had only amazing things to report back about the progress of our alumni. They all informed her that they are in the absolute right places and they are happy and thriving. Additionally, she was proud to say that they felt extremely prepared for the rigorous academics at the respective seminaries and they are at the top of their classes. Among the schools that she visited were Bnot Torah, Midreshet Amit, Harova, Michlalah, MMY, Midreshet Lindenbaum, Midreshet Moriah, Midreshat Tehillah, Midreshet Tzvia, Shaalavim, The Israel Experience, and Tiferet. Mrs. Kanner now has a more updated perspective of the present seminaries and she is ready to inform the seniors and help them out with their upcoming decisions.
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Article
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The Nights of Our Lives
Sophomores and Seniors Enjoy Nights Out
Graphic By Binyamin Feit ('12)
Concept By Rashel Maikhor ('12) and Shoshana Linzer ('12)
Written By Meyer Grunberg ('14), Ezra Kurtz ('12), and Ayelet Petrover ('12)
This past Monday night, the sophomore class went on their annual night out to Kabooms. As soon as they got off the buses, students were given stacks of tokens, and the amusement began. Many headed straight to the roller skating rink while others found the arcade games more entertaining. A few tried Zorbing, an attraction which consisted of students encased in giant plastic balls running around on water, which immediately became a favorite of the night.
Later, the sophomores all engaged in a big laser tag game which put a nice finishing touch to the great night. In addition to the activities, this night brought all the sophomores much closer as a class. A special thanks to the sophomore class presidents, Ari Clements and Kira Dennis, for the hours of hard work and planning they put in to making the event a success.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Although Vin Diesel was no where to be seen, the senior boys night out can only be described Fast and Furious. After a BBQ dinner at WYHS, the boys went to K1 Speed Indoor Go Kart Racing in Hollywood, where following a brief safety tutorial, the seniors were racing around the track. The combination of vehicles that traveled in excess of 60 MPH and hairpin 180 degree turns made the race for the checkered flag all the more intense. Live "lap time" updates from each vehicle, the roar of the engines, and the smell of burning rubber contributed to the atmosphere of excitement and adventure which paralleled that of a NASCAR race. A huge thank you to senior class president Ross Nimhauser and the Programming Department for organizing the outing and allowing the senior boys to start their engines. Click here to view the Senior Boy's Night Out trailer. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Before heading south for a glamorous night out to see Disney's Beauty and the Beast, the senior girls gathered to bond over a delectable dinner of pizza and salad. Excitedly, they drove to Fort Lauderdale, singing show tunes the whole way! After converging for some photo-opps, the girls eagerly rushed into the magnificent Broward Center for the Performing Arts and were soon floored by the brilliance of the masterful production. Undoubtedly, the senior girls' night out was a chic evening of bonding they will always remember.
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News Brief
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The Case for Caring
Speaker Urges Students to Value What They Have
Graphic By Aaron Rose ('12)
Written By Isaac Kurtz ('13)
This Thursday, the entire student body was privileged to hear the world-renowned speaker Rabbi David Orlofsky. Previously the director of NCSY Long Island and now a teacher at Darchei Binah Seminary, Rabbi Orlofsky has inspired thousands of Jews including the students at WYHS this past week. Specifically, Rabbi Orlofsky expressed to the students the importance of the details in life and advised them to value everyone and everything they were given. While keeping the audience captivated with his witty jokes, Rabbi Orlofsky illustrated the mission of Satan in this world. He explained how the Satan attempts to muddle our minds and tries to stop our progress in life. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that every action we take in life helps us reach a goal. He warned that too often people "live the life that happens, not the life they want." Rabbi Orlofsky summed up by illustrating the extent of the darkness the Jewish Nation is going through and challenged each student to take charge. In the darkest moments, the stars shine the brightest-- and Rabbi Orlofsky emphasized that in today's society there is something each student can do to help change the world. Overall, the entire speech motivated WYHS students to care about every opportunity that is presented to them. Just as Yaakov returned for what seemed like insignificant pots in this week's Parsha, students were taught to appreciate the smallest aspects of life. Rabbi Orlofsky truly inspired every student and surely caused introspection in every student that heard.
Click here to watch Rabbi Orlofsky's speech.
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Interview Dept.
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WYHS Gets Healthy
Nutritionists Advise Students on Beneficial Habits
Graphic By Jesse Slomowitz ('13)
Interview by Jessica Hopen ('13)
This past Wednesday, WYHS got a taste of a healthy lifestyle. The boys were privileged to hear the remarkable words of bodybuilder and professional trainer Jason Katz, president of Circle of Life Fitness. As the boys listened to Katz's educational words, they gained a sense of how to obtain a fit and healthy body, as well as to maintain beneficial eating habits. Specifically, he discussed the importance of a well balanced breakfast complete with protein and carbs, as well as the necessity of drinking lots of water every day.
Concurrently, the girls received vital tips to stay healthy from Rachael Richardson, founder and CEO of Nutrolution Inc. I was able to talk to her after her presentation to find out a bit more about her job.
Jessica Hopen: How long have you been involved in nutrition?
Rachael Richardson: Since my second year in college at the University of North Florida, where I got my bachelors degree in the science of nutrition and worked at a local hospital for Sedexo Marriot doing nutrition checks for patients in the hospital. This was in 1997, and it's been non-stop learning and working in ever-evolving field of nutrition ever since.
JH: What prompted you to pursue this as a career?
RR: Wanting to become a doctor, which I thought at the time equated to healing, though loving to cook, and then having my own personal experience with nutrition that taught me how powerful food is in our bodies and lives/livelihood.
JH: What is important for teenagers to do to maintain healthy habits?
RR: Teenagers must first gain awareness and gain knowledge that will allow them to understand what is most important in staying healthy. It's always personal and individual as far as what comprises the total health picture per individual. However some basic essentials involved in staying healthy include clean organic food, balanced eating with lots of vegetables, both raw and cooked. Also, rest, healthy relationships, and exercise are key. Friends, community, having survival skills and a broad perspective of life are learned in time, though if learned early, can really help a lot of teenagers.
JH: What does a healthy diet consistent of?
RR: Natural, or as I call them, "Real Food". If you can pick it from a tree or pluck it from the ground and apply simple cooking such as boiling or stir-frying, it's "kosher" in my book. Also, if it grazes on grass (pesticide free) or swims in the ocean and eats algae, it's also healthy, generally speaking. There are concerns about water pollution, as well as land pollution that can take a healthy food and pollute it, energetically even. The more we can clean our land and water, start growing foods which are organic and safe from pollution, and keep processed food eating in check and balance with raw, organic, homemade foods, we can have a healthy civilization consisting of healthy teenagers, kids and adults, including the older population.
JH: What are good sleeping habits for high-school students?
RR: Healthy sleep is a MUST. I forget which philosopher said that things that matter most should never be at the mercy of things that matter least. Sleep is one of those things that matter most, and I recommend 8-9 hours per night. If you miss some of those hours during the week, best to make it up on Saturday or Sunday or during other breaks or vacations.
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Ashreinu
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Click on the image above to view this week's Ashreinu. |
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Alumni
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Graphic By Ariel Haar ('13)
Written By Kelley Tripp ('13)
Usually Jeremy Hodkin likes to Keep It Secret, as his new company kisgroup.com (Keep it Secret Group) stands for, but here is the inside scoop on the company's founder. Jeremy Hodkin is a WYHS alumni from the class of 2009, and is a current student of YU's Syms School of business.
During his years at WYHS, Jeremy was taught invaluable lessons from his countless meetings in Rabbi Tirschwell's office and his time spent with Claudia Cohen on video projects. WYHS constantly emphasized the importance of time management and self-confidence, and Jeremy utilizes those values to achieve success in the business world. Since Jeremy's early days at WYHS, he watched Rabbi Tirschwell conduct meetings and run the school, which showed Jeremy what it meant to be a leader. Additionally, Claudia inspired Jeremy to learn videography, video editing and to follow his passions which ultimately led him to start his own business.
Since age 16, Jeremy has been involved in the business world, gaining skills that have brought him to his newest creation: the company kisgroup.com (Keep It Secret), which is a "members only website that features informational and instructional vides from top experts in a variety of categories aimed at high-end clients." If you want to learn how to shoot a basketball, you can learn it from a professional basketball player. If you want to learn how to put on makeup, you can learn from a video of professionals, rather then the random "youtube-er."
Scheduled to launch on December 5th, 2011, the website is already receiving countless requests for membership. Jeremy has brought on Doron David ('09) as a partner who is "responsible for all of the relations with the experts." Also, Hodkin has enlisted Chana Brauser ('10) to write for the site. With this group of WYHS alumni, the company is on the right track for success. Now sign up and learn from the masters at www.kisgroup.com
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| The Yeshiva Highlites Staff | 
| Sarah Struhl
Editor-in-Chief |  |  |  |  |  |  | Ezra Kurtz
Senior Editor | Aaron Rose
Technical Editor | Shoshana Linzer
Creative Editor | Rashel Maikhor
Creative Editor | Jeffrey Herr
Layout Editor | Darren Jacoby
English Editor |
 |  |  |  |  | Aaron Zimmerman
Chief-of-Writers | Amir Tsarfati
Chief Photographer | Josh Firestone
Video Editor | Binyamin Feit
Asst. Tech. Editor | Jonathan Razon
Asst. Tech. Editor |
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