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Friday, June 1, 2012
11 Sivan, 5772
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| Parshat Naso
Candle Lighting at 7:51 PM |
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Where Do We Go From Here?
On Memorial Day Weekend 1995, I stepped down from my position running the youth organization which I had joined 18 years before as a ninth grader. I remember feeling a strange mix of accomplishment, nostalgia and uncertainty. My whole life revolved around New Jersey Senior NCSY. It is there I became observant, met my wife, and found my life's mission. I couldn't imagine then that I would find a cause that would mean as much to me.
That weekend, I remember Mrs. Goldstein's son in law, Rabbi Matt Tropp, proclaiming (in front of 600 people) that "Rabbi Perry Tirschwell is destined to create a great new Jewish organization." I was so embarrassed by this hyperbole. How did he know what the future had in store, and why was he creating such high expectations for the next chapter in our lives?
Three weeks later a friend mentioned to me that a rabbi in Boca Raton was planning on starting a high school in a few years, and that he predicted that I would come run it. A year and a half later, on a snowy day in Brooklyn, Rabbi Brander and I met. I found a mission in which I so deeply believed.
It is natural to be scared of the unknown. What will be WYHS's next chapter?
Though I have not been bestowed with the gift of prophecy, I can tell you that WYHS's future is bright. An incoming freshman class of 75 students, a rising senior class with unbelievable academic and spiritual stars, a talented, dedicated and stable faculty under the stewardship of two nationally-renown school leaders, Mrs. Kanner and Shimmie Kaminetsky.
I might only be able to see clearly the horizon of next year, which I can tell you will be the most preplanned of any WYHS years. I know that past the horizon is a bright sunrise.
Thank you so much for the opportunity to lead WYHS for the past 15 years. The next chapter for both of us will be even brighter.
Shabbat Shalom & Have a Great Summer,
Rabbi Perry Tirschwell
Head of School
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Good & Welfare
| Mazel Tov to
Elie Baratz('08) & Naomi Kastzl('08) on their engagement-WYHS's 9th Couple! Yoni Stern('06) on his engagement to Chaya Kessler Eli (Rigol '07) & Joseph Schwartz on their marriage Iliana (Nash '09) Rotkopf on the birth of a girl Mrs. Bambi Rainbeau on the birth of a grandson Joseph Hostyk('13) for coming in 4th nationally on the Lander College Math Competition |
Anosh Zaghi ('08), Valedictorian of Sy Syms School of Business of Yeshiva University
Elie Baratz ('08) on being recognized for Excellence in Jewish Studies at YU Graduation
Yocheved Tirschwell ('08) on being recognized for Excellence in Math at YU Graduation
Dorit Genet on receiving the Women's Philanthropy Award by the Broward Jewish Federation
Shlomit Heering ('11) on making a Siyum of Masechet Brachot
Condolences
Tzvi Schwarzbaum ('04) on the loss of his mother
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Coming Attractions
| Sun. June 3
SAT @ WYHS
Mon. June 4 11 AM Sign Language Final 1 PM English Final 7 PM Graduation @ Olympic Heights
June 4-7 Senior Trip
Tues. June 5
No School, Study Day
Wed. June 6 10:30 AM Science Final 1 PM Navi Final
Thurs. June 7
No School, Study Day
Fri. June 8
10:30 AM Math Final
1 PM Girl's Tushba Final
1 PM Boy's Chumash Final
Mon. June 11
Book Return
10:15 AM Machshava Final
10:30 AM Elective Final
12 PM History Final School ends with the completion of the History Final.
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Dept. Of Athletics
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Hunger Games? Not!
The 2012 Sports Banquet Concludes a Banner Year for Storm Sports
Graphic By Jonah Stein
Click on the tiles above to view the video tribute to each sport.
Click Here to watch a video interview with Rachel Yudewitz and Megan Wasserstrom ('13) about the spectacular year for the Storm.
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Featurette
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Vocational Visitations
Career Day Connects Students with a Variety of Professionals
Graphic By Jonathan Razon ('13)
Career Day is the most recent of WYHS's many undertakings aimed at preparing students for all aspects of life. The students requested to hear from professionals practicing in whichever fields interested them. Ranging from finance to fitness, the various presentations covered the soup to nuts of the most popular careers. The personalized nature of each presentation allowed individuals to inquire about specific nuances that interested them, so that they could gain a richer understanding of the many fields available in today's competitive world. Overall, Career Day was surely a success!
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Dept. Of Athletics
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Pros vs. Joes
The Baseball Team Plays the Teachers in an Intense Softball Game
Graphic By Eric Ditchek ('14)
Written By Aaron Zimmerman('13)
The WYHS baseball team's toughest adversary yet: the faculty. In a game rife with excitement and blood-pumping fervor, the WYHS Storm played its own teachers and administrators in a clutch and fierce match-up. Student pitchers found themselves delivering fastballs to their favorite Rebbes, while many a teacher learned that their students' brilliance was not limited to academics; their skill and dedication was as apparent on the field as it was in the classroom. With fervent competitiveness and admirable athleticism exhibited by both teams, the game proved riveting to the very last strike; however, it was the WYHS faculty that landed the vaunted victory. With Rabbi Houben scoring the winning run, the WYHS administration taught the students a lesson they will never forget. No assignment or exam, despite the difficulty, can parallel the frustration of the WYHS Storm in knowing that their teachers had bested them in their very own area of expertise. It looks like WYHS should be recruiting some of its oldest members to join the team!
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Student Council
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Plastered with Posters
WYHS's Hallways get Redecorated as Election Season Begins
Graphic By Jesse Slomowitz('13)
The word of the week has no doubt been "Vote." This Friday, WYHS elected its student council members for the 5773 school year. The campaigning has certainly been elaborate and fierce: Twitter accounts and Facebook pages have been created to spread every candidate's message throughout the school, though the most impressive aspect of the campaigning is certainly the decorations which have masked the walls of WYHS for the past several days. Starting Wednesday morning, students were allowed to hang their signs---candidates embraced the newfound permission with great fervor. Virtually every inch of available wall space has been covered with posters. Not even the vending machines have escaped the enthusiasm of WYHS campaigners! With all this excitement and intense competition preceding the elections, there is no doubt that the WYHS student council of 5773 will be staffed by some of the best that the school has to offer.
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Dept. of Alumni Affairs
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College Knowledge
Alumni Share their Experiences at Various Colleges
Graphic By Seth Fisher ('13)
Written By Seth Fisher ('13)
Even though the College Knowledge club was founded just this year, it has become one of the most active and influential clubs on the WYHS campus. College Knowledge provides students with the opportunity to hear directly from alumni about their universities. Topics ranging from the classroom style to the student diversity or the Shabbat experience to types of internships are tackled. This club provides students with the opportunity to hear from a peer about a college, providing a different perspective than that of an adult.
This past week, College Knowledge held a plethora of presentations. Nadia Bakst ('10) from Parsons School of Design spoke about her experiences at such a diverse school, and about the distinctive artwork she has created. Danielle Wolkowicz ('09) from NYU educated the students about "city life" in New York-with a multitude of internships and programs. Ari Grunberg ('10) from Johns Hopkins spoke about how his transition from high school to college was seamless due to the guidance he received at WYHS.
The College Knowledge club provides a platform for the school's alumni to interact with the current student body in very personal atmosphere. Underclassmen can gain a much better perspective of a particular school through an alumni than through a brochure. Essentially, the College Knowledge club provides a channel for students to further explore their interests and open their eyes to new colleges.
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Classroom Spotlight
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Hands on Halacha
Classes put their Learning into Practice
Graphic By Ariel Haar ('13)
Written By Avi Schneider ('14)
After learning earlier this year about the mitzva of Tzitzit, Rabbi Houben's 10th grade Chumash class had the opportunity to fulfill the mitzva in a unique way. We were each asked to bring in an old pair of Tzitzit in need of repair, and we set about learning how to actually tie the Tzitzit for ourselves. While we had learned many of the rules involved, even how to tie them in theory, trying to put our knowledge into practice was more difficult than we had anticipated. Rabbi Houben demonstrated the process step by step and walked around to assist us with carrying out his instructions. We slowly got the hang of it, and were excited to have a "brand new" pair of Tzitzit that we can wear with an extra sense of pride, having made them ourselves.
Having an hour long class is not usually something to get excited about, but this Thursday marked an exception to this rule. Rabbi Houben's 9th grade Tushba class took advantage of the elongated 3rd period to take a field trip, of sorts, to his house for a different kind of final exam review. From Hadlakat Neirot (lighting candles) to Kiddush, Bishul (cooking), and Havdala, they experienced a "simulated Shabbat" complete with grape juice for Kiddush and chulent for the meal. Rabbi Houben reviewed much of the information covered in the second semester by acting out various scenarios, such as serving chulent and making oatmeal, asking the class what he should do or what he was allowed to do at every step. "It made everything come to life," said Ellin Gurvitch ('15). Francine Szerer ('14) added that the experience "was very inspirational and a lot of fun!" All participants agreed it was an enjoyable, interactive and tasty way to review for the final exam!
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Click on the image above to see this week's Ashreinu
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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 | Bracha Brauser
Creative Staff |
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