HAFTR High School Happenings 12-2021

HAFTR

January 2022 Shevat 5782

HIGH SCHOOL

Happenings

FULL HOUSE

High School Open House

By Rachel Czeisler, Junior HAFTR High School opened its doors on Sunday, November 14, to welcome the Class of 2026 to our annual Open House.

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After last year's virtual open house, HAFTR students, faculty, and staff were excited to welcome next year's freshmen in person. It was refreshing to interact with future students as we guided them through our building. The Open House was bustling with people who were all excited to see everything our school has to offer, from programs and activities to classes and extracurriculars.

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Our Associate Principal, Dr. Josh Wyner, welcomed everyone to the event and spoke about the ability for each student to reach his or her potential here at HAFTR. Following Dr. Wyner, our Principal, Ms. Naomi Lippman, spoke about the level of excellence and academic achievement of our students, as well as the warm and inclusive atmosphere.

She was followed by Dean of Judaic Studies, Rabbi Yitzi Riselsheimer, as well as Abby Rabinowitz, a senior, who discussed her experience as a current student.

Make your Mark art installation

Limudei Kodesh mini lesson with Rabbi Ira Wallach

After a beautiful video, attendees were divided into groups and given a tour of the building. Students and their parents were able to see the state of the art STEM lab, fabrication lab, art studio, and science lab and attend sessions by many of HAFTR’s engaging teachers. Representatives from HAFTR’s current freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior classes attended the function as well to lend a helping hand in guiding prospective students and their parents around the building. They took the initiative to direct parents and students to the correct classrooms, and answer questions they had about the school. Faculty members joined as well to lead group sessions and activities. At the end of the event, refreshments were offered in the Scott Satran Arena, as a montage displaying some of HAFTR’s greatest moments could be seen on a jumbo screen.

Although the Class of 2026 could only roam the halls of HAFTR High School for one morning, the program offered a glimpse into what the future could hold for each student.

Members of the HAFTR High School broadcasting team

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MITZVAH DAY

BY HANNAH GOLDENBERG, SENIOR Immediately following Rosh Hashana, on Tzom Gedaliah, HAFTR High School students began to prepare for the new year ahead with a Mitzvah Day. The girls were involved in programming related to deepening their appreciation of Shabbat candles, and the boys participated in an engaging tzitzit making activity.

The girls had the opportunity to learn about the mitzvah of candle lighting for Shabbat. Rabbi Fogel began the event by discussing the importance of this mitzvah, which is specifically given to women to bring the Shabbat spirit and ruach into our homes each week. Rabbi Fogel discussed the logistics of the mitzvah and explained what women should say after lighting the candles. After the Dvar Torah, the girls created an acrylic stand that displayed the prayer recited after lighting the candles. Students cut and pasted this prayer onto beautifully designed pieces that the young women will use to display the prayer during candle lighting. Each girl was able to design a Hadlakat Neirot tefillah display in her own unique way.

Meanwhile, the boys learned about the intricacies of tzitzit with their Rebbeim. Rabbi Blinder, our Mashgiach Ruchani, offered a meaningful Dvar Torah, after which the students watched an informative slideshow. The boys then were able to craft their own tzitzit, and understand this mitzvah in a whole new way. These events were enjoyed by everyone involved, and each student was able to walk away with a deeper understanding of these mitzvot, as well as a physical reminder of these lessons.

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IMPRESSIVE EXTRACURRICULARS PIQUE STUDENTS’ INTERESTS

BY KYRA SEIDEL, JUNIOR

HAFTR High School recently held our annual Club Fair, where students were able to see all of the clubs and teams that HAFTR has to offer. With over 40 options, students spent time learning about each activity, and then signed up for the programs that interested them the most. On the morning of October 19, club leaders set up tables on the front lawn with posters and information promoting their clubs.

Students eagerly circled the mesmerizing selection to learn about the different activities. HAFTR hosts a variety of clubs ranging from Culinary to Chesed, Ping Pong to Public Speaking, Robotics to Roving Reporters and many more. These clubs offer students unique opportunities to learn new things and make friends with students who have similar interests.

Students are encouraged to establish new clubs based on their interests and passions. For example, senior Abby Rabinowitz and I founded the Medicine and Public Health Club. This club gives students who have an interest in science and medicine a chance to learn about the medical field as well as medical issues. Another popular club at HAFTR is the Chesed Club, run by Michelle Kirschner and Hannah Nierenberg. This club provides students with the opportunity to volunteer for charity and community service. Students pack boxes filled with fresh food and canned goods for the Sabbath, which are then delivered to people in need. For those who enjoy thrill and mystery, HAFTR has a Murder Mystery Club, where students interested in criminology and forensics are given the opportunity to explore homicide cases and attempt to solve the crime. The club leaders, Mia Cohen and Shoshana Schebovitz, provide students with a case, the evidence behind it, and all the possible suspects.

All of these clubs give students unique opportunities to find new interests and learn about a range of different subjects. Students form great bonds with their club leaders, faculty advisors and fellow peers in their clubs, leading to strong friendships throughout all the grades at HAFTR. Wishing all HAFTR students a great time in their new clubs and a successful year of pursuing their interests.

CLUBS OFF TO AN EXCITING START By Meir Farkas, Junior This year has been filled with new clubs like the Ping Pong Club. Ping pong is a top sport in China, and now a spirited activity every other week in the school gym.

What could be a better way to spend a Wednesday afternoon during club hour than playing some intense ping pong? Over 25 students had the same idea, and the inaugural meeting was hugely successful. With five ping pong tables and an abundance of enthusiasm, the club met for the first time on Wednesday, November 3. The energy in the room drew in even more students who stopped by after attending other clubs. At the conclusion of the games, participants enjoyed pizza and prizes. The first place winners went to Elisha Skolnick (sophomore), Jeffrey Zelmanovich (junior), and Corey Listman (senior). What a great way to start a new year, and we look forward to many high energy competitions as the year goes on.

Elisha Skolnick, Jeffrey Zelmanovich, Corey Listman

HAFTR VOLLEYBALL SEASON BEGINS

By Eva Czegledi and Sydney Schneider, juniors HAFTR freshman and sophomore girls participated in their first JV volleyball game of the year on Tuesday, November 9. After just a few practices and late nights working on serves and volleys, the team was ready to compete. The stands were filled with HAFTR parents to cheer on our team and the game was filled with energy and excitement as girls volleyed, spiked, and worked together throughout the competition. They played exceptionally well and were thrilled to finally be back on the court. They showed incredible teamwork, as well as sportsmanship towards each other and the other team. Go Hawks!

HAFTR Boys JV Hockey

By Eva Czegledi and Sydney Schneider, juniors After months of waiting for the thrill and energy of live games, HAFTR sports is finally back! The HAFTR boys JV hockey team played their first game since before the pandemic began. The team, led by captain and goalie Max Newmark, competed against DRS in an intense and close competition on Wednesday, November 10. After long hours of training and practicing, they played their hardest and showed commendable sportsmanship.

Freshman Trip By Nathaniel Ilyayev, Freshman

Freshman students joined together on Monday, September 13 for an exciting whitewater rafting trip. The annual freshman trip is an opportunity for students to deepen friendships and create new ones. This year’s teambuilding experience was held at Pocono Whitewater Rafting in Pennsylvania. It all started at 6 am when we departed on a three-hour bus ride. Although we had risen early, we were excited for the fun-filled day ahead.

The ride gave all of us a chance to relax and get to know each other and our teachers. Once we arrived, we were eager to get in the rafts and work together to maneuver down the wild rapids. We knew that to get to our goal safely, we would have to communicate well and work together. We learned how to paddle in sync, row at the correct times, and hold on when the rapids got rough. While the entire trip was unforgettable, the most memorable moments were the unexpected ones, like when rafts bounced on unseen rapids, forcing us to hold on tight and ride through the exhilarating river.

After all of the energy we spent paddling, as well as rushing through the waves while trying to avoid the massive boulders in our way, we were starving. Thankfully, once back on dry land, we were greeted with a delicious barbeque of all our favorite foods. Once we finished enjoying our well-deserved cookout, we concluded our evening with mincha. The trip ended the way it began: a long bus ride home, but one filled with new friends and deeper connections than we had only a few hours before. The rafting trip was truly a blast, and helped the grade bond in a unique way that we will all remember forever. We can’t wait to see what other trips the school has planned, and look forward to an exciting year ahead!

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LUNCH ON THE LAWN

BY MICHAEL SIMNOWITZ, FRESHMAN

For the past few weeks, freshmen and faculty at HAFTR High School have been getting to know each other through a program we have come to call “Lunch on the Lawn,” which is led by our Mashgiach Ruchani, Rabbi Yisachar Blinder, along with Mr. Elie Hirt, Dr. Tara Klestzick, Ms. Talia Kutner and Ms. Kayla Silverman. Throughout this month, different groups of freshmen have met on the front lawn during lunch to enjoy hot pizza and fun icebreaker activities. Monday, October 18, was my turn to participate in this experience, and I was unsure of what to expect. After sitting down to lunch, each of us was asked to introduce ourselves by saying our name, (L-R) Jack Krup, Tal Kerity, Eric Vashovsky, William Rapp, Mr. Hirt

where we went to middle school, what we did over the summer, and one fun fact about ourselves. After each student was given time to speak, we ended the program by playing Hedbanz, an interactive game where players try to figure out a secret card by asking other players for clues. Between the delicious lunch, engaging games and the time spent together, we all had a great time. It was a unique opportunity to hang out with different people, and get to learn fun facts about each other.

This was a great way to get the year started, and my friends and I can’t wait to see what other freshman activities await us throughout the year!

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SOPHOMORE TRIP

BY EMILY GORBACZ , SOPHOMORE

The students in the sophomore class recently enjoyed a memorable class trip with fun-filled activities and unique experiences. On Wednesday morning, October 20, the entire grade boarded coach buses, and we excitedly took our seats as we made our way to Queens.

Our first stop was Launch Trampoline Park, where we flipped, jumped and played basketball mid-air. We organized a girls vs. boys dodgeball game, which was made even more exciting as we saw our teachers watching and cheering us on. These activities were all on trampolines, so we had to figure out how to swiftly duck under and jump over the zooming dodgeballs in an entirely new way. In addition, there was an American Ninja Warrior course and a battle pit, where one person would skillfully jump through an obstacle course and fall into a foam pit. Looking around, I saw the room filled with smiling faces, and everyone laughing with their friends and teachers. Luckily for us, the trampoline park was just the beginning. After leaving our first stop, we enjoyed pizza for lunch and then went to Area 53. The number of activities there were endless, including ropes course, ziplines, paintball, ping pong, ski ball, huge slides, roller skating, and pop-a-shot basketball. We played all of these games against our friends and teachers, and we were amazed to see Dr. Wyner’s impressive skills.

After leaving Area 53, we enjoyed a delicious dinner and captivating entertainment at the Sephardic Temple. Dinner was an amazing buffet of hamburgers, hot dogs, french fries, onion rings, salad, pulled beef, and other delicacies, but the night didn’t end there. Each person received a special trip sweatshirt, which we all wore during the evening’s entertainment. The highlight of the night was a hypnotist. It was very funny seeing our friends get hypnotized, and it was especially memorable to see their impressions of our teachers. After the show it was time for dessert--cookies, cake pops, and brownies. There is no doubt that these memories will stay with us for a lifetime and be a high point of our sophomore year. By the end of the night, it was clear we were all united in a new way, and were much closer with friends and teachers than we were before. Thank you to Mrs. Schechter, Ms. Diamond, and the entire faculty for coordinating this wonderful day.

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“Big Sib” Program

By Ruthee Rosner, Senior As a senior looking back on my freshman year, I remember the overwhelmingly jittery feelings I had as the first days of high school approached. There were so many new things to learn, and so much to acclimate to, such as experiencing a new environment, navigating my way around a new building, meeting new teachers and being introduced to so many new classmates.

However, those feelings of angst were made much lighter because of the “Big Sib” program. This program is held in the beginning of the school year, where each freshman student is paired up with a student in the senior class. This senior serves as a “big sib” - a friend and mentor for the incoming student. I can still remember when I received a text from a senior girl who introduced herself to me as my “big sister,” and told me that she would always be there to help me or answer any of my questions. I benefited so much from this relationship, and felt relieved to know I had someone looking out for me. Just knowing that someone was there to guide me and help me with my transition to high school made such a big impact on my freshman year.

Years later, I am happy to be able to switch roles and give that kind of support to current students in the freshman class. It makes me so happy to walk through the halls and see my “little siblings,” and give them the same comfort and reassurance that was given to me years ago. Each year this program begins with an activity that brings all the “siblings” together. This year, students participated in a painting activity, which allowed us to have fun, talk and be creative.

Between the painting, socializing, and delicious donuts, freshmen and seniors were able to begin fostering relationships that will carry through the rest of the year. I look forward to many more times spent with students in the freshman class, and am eager for us to experience all the wonderful things HAFTR has to offer!

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JUNIOR GIRLS INSPIRED

BY BAT-GALIM SHAER

BY ERIN MERRILL,

Junior girls at HAFTR High School were fortunate to hear inspirational words from Mrs. Bat-Galim Shaer, a woman whose son was tragically murdered in 2014. On Tuesday, December 14, Asara B’Tevet, HAFTR girls, along with students JUNIOR from Stella K. Abraham (SKA) and Shulamith High School,

traveled to the Young Israel of Woodmere to hear Mrs. Shaer’s story. Bat-Galim Shaer is the mother of Gilad Shaer, who was one of the three Israeli yeshiva students murdered in June of 2014.

She spoke about the devastating loss of her son and the impact it had on her. Along with her husband, Shaer founded Sonshine, a program created in their son’s memory to promote unity and connection among the Jewish people. An essential lesson she emphasized during her speech was that even though her loss was tragic, it brought Jews together from Israel and America.

She emphasized the importance of having this unity, not only during times of challenge, but during times of peace. While Shaer suffered an unfathomable loss, she expressed the comfort of knowing that her tragedy led to the unity of Am Yisrael.

The NCSY Jewish Unity Mentoring Program, known as JUMP, recently held a conference for high school students to train and empower them to become leaders. HAFTR juniors Raquel Greenstein, Kayla Merrill, Lauren Monderer, Hayley Soshtain and I attended the conference on October 24-25. We met with delegates of many other yeshivas from all over the U.S., including students from Arizona, Illinois, Maryland, and Florida. It was a great opportunity to meet with peers and discuss issues relevant to Jewish communities nationwide.

During the conference, each school chose a challenge that was endemic in their neighborhood and developed a solution to tackle it.

The HAFTR team took on an issue related to Torah learning. Many yeshiva students do not learn Torah outside of school because they do not have the proper resources to do so. We

BY JAMIE KORNBLUM, proposed a way to solve this issue by establishing a chevrumeet, a way for high school students to connect with a chevruta, someone to learn with, who shares common interests and is of a similar age to the student. This would allow and encourage high schoolers to delve into learning in an entirely new way. HAFTR representatives presented this idea to a group of investors and explained our plan to them, along with how we intended to implement it. After our presentation, we were excited to learn that our program would be funded, and that we could commence in making a positive impact on our community.

JUMP CONFERENCE

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JUNIOR

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NATIONAL MERIT COMMENDATION HAFTR High School is proud to congratulate five students on being awarded a National Merit Scholarship Letter of Commendation.

Seniors Shirly Gottleib, Devorah Gottesman, Lulu Morse, Abby Rabinowitz and Ethan Rabinowitz were selected out of more than 900,000 students who took the PSAT last year. Based on their high scores, these students have been recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation for

PHOTO BY MARTIN R. SMITH

their scholarship and academic promise.

KINDNESS BOOMERANG

By Erin Merrill and Alexis Pollack, juniors The students in HAFTR High School’s junior class were treated to an engaging discussion led by Orly Wahba, the creator of Life Vest Inside, on Tuesday, October 26. The purpose of her company is to spread kindness to all different people, regardless of race, religion or culture.

Wahba shared her viral video “Kindness Boomerang” with the class, showing kindness circulating from person to person, and eventually ending back at the beginning to the original person. In her speech, she reminded students that they have a purpose in life, goals to accomplish, and that they should always recognize that there is a reason each of us was chosen to wake up in the morning. Her words were moving, compelling and powerful. This was an amazing opportunity for the students of HAFTR, and one that left everyone with a sense of ambition and inspiration.

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AN INSIGHT INTO CLUBS

By Gabrielle Kalish, junior

A group of over 55 students joined together on Zoom to bake rugelach as part of the Culinary Club at HAFTR High School. As the student leader of this club, working alongside faculty advisor, Mrs. Schechter, I found it so fulfilling to see the number of participants who attended our Zoom meeting this past Wednesday, November 10.

Cooking and baking has become a passionate hobby for so many people, and as a result, the Culinary Club has become the largest club at HAFTR High School. Students not only learned how to bake rugelach, but were also informed about different techniques and hacks to help while in the kitchen.

Another popular club among students is the Media Marketing club. This program focuses on current events that are featured on different social media platforms. The club is led by student leaders juniors Rachel Wenger and Jamie Kornblum, and faculty advisor Ms. Diamond. Last Thursday, November 11, the group held their first meeting via Zoom.

Organizers presented a slideshow that introduced the general idea of media marketing, as well as the goal of the club. The evening ended with each student completing a survey that polled their favorite social media platform, as well as the amount of time spent on social media.

Students left with a new understanding of media marketing, as well as insights into their own social media use.

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Kumzitz & Kugel

By Jamie Kornblum, Junior Girls throughout HAFTR High School participated in a kumzitz in honor of Rosh Chodesh Kislev on Friday, November 5. The beautiful program took place in the spacious auditorium where students were joined by their teachers and representatives from NCSY. What made the event so special was that this was the first time that we have had an in-person school-wide event like this since prior to the outbreak of the pandemic. It made joining together as a group extremely moving. Each tune began with a single voice spontaneously singing a verse, and within seconds, the song spread throughout the entire room. The acapella voices permeating the space were enchanting and filled with depth of emotion.

As a special Rosh Chodesh treat, the PTA provided hot chocolate and munchkins, which everyone agreed were delicious. In addition to the singing, various students and faculty members presented divrei Torah related to the month of Kislev and the holiday of Chanukah. The kumzitz was a meaningful event that not only ushered in a new month, but the growth and unity of the student body. We are all looking forward to the ruach of Kislev, and gearing up for the next school-wide event!

Inspirational Kumzitz By Lilly Azizo, Sophomore One Friday each month, the girls at HAFTR High School bring in the spirit of Shabbat by joining together in the Beit Midrash for a program called Kumzitz & Kugel. During this program, students sing, eat kugel, and listen to divrei Torah from Judaic studies Morot or Rebbeim. This week, Rabbi Riselsheimer, Dean of Judaic Studies, spoke about Parshat Vayigash, and used its ideas to uplift the entire group. Setting aside this time to learn, sing, and share in these moments is a fun and meaningful way to connect with friends outside of class. We always sing nostalgic and moving songs like “Tatty My King,” “Tov Lehodot,” and “Acheinu.” The emotion in each tune can be felt throughout the room, and helps us get into the spirit of Shabbat. A special thank you to all of our Judaic studies teachers who organize and run this program, including Mrs. Russ, Mrs. Guttman, and of course Tess from NCSY, who comes in especially for the kumzitz! There is no better way to feel the spirit of Shabbat, and this is something we all look forward to experiencing each month.

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Last week, HAFTR High School hosted the Center for Initiatives in Jewish Education (CIJE) Vex Robotics Competition. Students from many yeshivot came to compete from places as far as New Jersey and Connecticut. Each team competed in five 90-second matches, in which a remote-controlled robot had to pick up rings and move mobile bases to score points. Rankings determined who would go on to the playoffs and then championships. The robot built by HAFTR sophomores Yoni Goldstein and Harry Fleschner and freshman Sean Harris placed second, which allowed them to advance to the semifinals. The sophomore-freshman robot would go on to defeat JEC, Solomon Schechter of Long Island, and Ramaz to take first place and win the competition. After a few months of designing, building, and programming the robots, HAFTR was victorious, and the students’ hard work paid off tremendously.

HAFTR HAFTR HIGH HIGH SCHOOL SCHOOL HOLDS HOLDS GIRLS’ GIRLS’ MISHMAR MISHMAR BY

BY BAILEY BAILEY LEVINE, LEVINE, SOPHOMORE SOPHOMORE

HAFTR High School recently held a wonderful Mishmar for 9th and 10th grade girls. On Thursday evening, December 23, the girls gathered together and were eager to see what the night would bring. The event included many special activities such as Divrei Torah, an exciting scavenger hunt and a delicious dinner. The program began as students enjoyed selecting from an array of beautifully prepared dishes.

Following the dinner, Mrs. Vann presented an inspiring D’var Torah about the week's Parsha, Shemot. Afterwards, students were divided into teams and participated in a lively scavenger hunt around the building. The scavenger hunt consisted of many different tasks that each team had to accomplish. Some of these tasks included taking pictures in front of different signs found all around the building, organizing each group member into height order, doing a good deed, finding a calendar and taking a picture of the month June, and many other creative tasks.

Each group was required to photograph each action being completed so that Mrs. Schechter could determine which group won. This activity encouraged us to work together, but also allowed us to spend time with one another in a memorable way. The hunt was even more exciting because each team was competing for a special mystery prize! The event was educational, fun, and a great opportunity to bond with friends! A huge thank you to Mrs. Schechter and our Student Activities Department for organizing the event, as well as all the other teachers and students who participated.

pep rally

By Rachel Czeisler and Ayala Benscher, Juniors

HAFTR High School was buzzing with excited anticipation in the days leading up to the first pep rally of the year. The entire high school, including students, faculty, administration, and staff, joined together to participate in this high energy rally on November 9. The Scott Satran Arena was decorated, floor to ceiling, with posters, streamers, and lots of HAFTR spirit. The pep rally brought all of us together in a way that we have not been able to experience since before the pandemic. It was a welcome reminder of what life used to be like, and infused everyone with a jolt of school spirit. The pep rally was an amazing opportunity for all of HAFTR High School to show their spirit, and to acknowledge the boys and girls JV and varsity basketball teams, the girls JV and varsity volleyball teams, and the boys JV and varsity hockey and football teams. Each and every one of the HAFTR athletes had a chance to be recognized and appreciated. Among those recognized was Jacob Steinmetz, a HAFTR 2021 graduate, who has been drafted to the MLB. Steinmetz, along with the faculty, participated in a special video presentation. The event boosted HAFTR spirit, and left everyone with a buzz and energy that continues to reverberate throughout the school. Go Hawks!

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COLOR WAR CRAZE BY

DANIELLA

HOFFMAN

AND

LAUREN

MONDERER,

JUNIORS

When students entered the HAFTR High School gym on the first day of Chanukah for a schoolwide concert by DJ Raphi, it soon became clear that even more fun was in store for them.

As the energy mounted with singing and dancing, HAFTR broke out in an intense color war. The days that unfolded were filled with many competitive games and bonding experiences for the students and faculty. Each team, led by student generals, lieutenants, sergeants and majors, spent three fierce days engrossed in stimulating and competitive activities and programs.

The two teams, red and blue, represented the themes of earth, Eretz, and the heavens, Shamayim. The intensity in the air was palpable, and everyone wanted to know: who would win?

Some highlights were competitive lip syncing, musical chairs, tic-tac-toe and dodgeball. On Thursday evening, the entire school gathered outside for a very special menorah lighting.

The menorah on HAFTR’s front lawn stands as a symbol of Chanukah, but also our continued unity and triumph as a nation, as it was built from rockets fired into Israel. The lighting of this menorah reminds us of the light amid the darkness.

This beautiful event brought students together with their friends on the other team, making them forget about the competition and remember the importance of this holiday. The battle culminated with a schoolwide amazing race, followed by the finale, in which students from each team presented their creative STEM projects, art banners, and divrei Torah on the themes of Eretz and Shamayim. The atmosphere in the school was filled with positive energy and excitement.

Before the winner was announced, the seniors had a special moment where they sang their own color war song.

Both team Eretz and team Shamayim put in so much effort, but only one could win. The scores were close, but the blue team, Shamayim, won!

STEVE GLOUBERMAN TOURNAMENT

BY ABBI KAMMERMAN, SOPHOMORE The HAFTR Hawks varsity girls’ and boys’ basketball teams recently set out west to participate in the seventh annual Steve Glouberman Basketball Tournament, held in Los Angeles, CA. The tournament included participants from all over the country, including Ida Crown Jewish Academy from Chicago, Hebrew Academy from Miami, Berman Hebrew Academy from Maryland and many more. The competition began on Thursday, November 4, when the HAFTR girls’ and boys’ teams played two games each. The energy in the room was intense, and so was our HAFTR spirit. With each dribble, shot and score, HAFTR demonstrated the hours of practice and drills leading up to the games. After a day of nonstop matches, all of the teams gathered at Shalhevet High School for a delicious barbeque. During dinner, students learned about Steve Glouberman’s life, and the history behind this tournament. Playoff games continued Friday morning, but by early afternoon, the games were paused to begin preparing for Shabbat. Shalhevet High School hosted a beautiful Shabbaton for all of the tournament participants. On Friday night, students enjoyed a memorable oneg, and on Shabbat day everyone joined together for an inspiring davening and delicious lunch. Once Shabbat ended, the tournament concluded with the championship games.

Being part of this tournament was an amazing experience for everyone. We had the opportunity to not only play in competitive games, but also to meet and connect with other Modern Orthodox student athletes from different communities. What was even more heartwarming was that despite the competitiveness on the court, everyone felt connected and a sense of friendship regardless of community, age or school. The tournament was a win for all! Go Hawks!

VARSITY VOLLEYBALL

BY LAUREN MONDERER, JUNIOR HAFTR High School’s girls varsity volleyball team, the HAFTR Hawks, has started off the season strong! As of the end of November, HAFTR has a record of 3-0. First, the girls took on and defeated the SKA Sonics on November 9. The team played a total of three out of five games, winning all of them. The second game of the season took place at Flatbush High School on November 16. Once again, spirits were high and the Hawks defeated their opponents within three rounds. Two days later, HAFTR had their second game against SKA, this time taking place at the Sonics home court. For the third time, HAFTR won all three rounds and took home the win. Over the past month, every single member of the team participated and displayed exceptional skills and teamwork. In each game, the girls worked together to achieve their wins by calling out to each other to communicate, and to make sure that the ball never hit the ground. After every point was scored, or even lost, the girls cheered their teammates on and gave them a friendly high five. These games mark the beginning of an exciting, competitive season for the girls volleyball team.

BY KAYLA MUCHNICK, SENIOR

Senior girls in Mrs. Saffra’s Tanach class, as well as a select group of boys, were treated to a special workshop prepared by the WorkAtIt organization on November 10. WorkAtIt is a non-profit organization committed to helping struggling students find their passions, strengths, and talents. They provide social work and counseling to teenage students in need, hoping to guide each individual toward a path of success. Led by Yael Wedeck, students participated in three different activities, each pertaining to self-analysis and learning how to apply their skills and talents to real life situations.

In the girls’ workshop, each person was given a bag of positive adjectives printed out on pieces of paper. The students chose five distinct characteristics from the bag that they noticed in a friend sitting next to them, as well as five characteristics that they noticed about themselves.

After comparing the two, participants discovered something that they may not have appreciated about themselves in the past. In the boys’ session, they played a jumbo Jenga game with character traits written on each block. For each turn, a boy removed a Jenga piece from the stack, and gave it to a student in the room with that personality trait. This encouraged the boys to consider the strengths of their friends and themselves. Following these workshops, students took an online personality quiz, helping them explore different traits they might possess. Lastly, the groups chose their strongest attributes and explored different ways that they could utilize these qualities in their lives, especially during interviews, and future scenarios.

This workshop was inspiring and meaningful to everyone involved. For lowerclassmen, it served as a guide to navigate the upcoming challenges of high school, and for seniors, this presented the perfect opportunity to prepare for making major decisions related to future school choices and career options. A big thank you to Mr. Hirt and Dr. Klestzick for organizing this activity, as well as the Community Chest for sponsoring this event.

@haftr_hs

516.569.3807 highschoolinfo@haftr.org

www.haftr.org

Speech & Debate Team News High School debate has the power to inspire new leaders, spread new ideas, and lead our nation towards a brighter future for all.

- President Barack Obama

HAFTR Speech and Debate Team Success

Model Congress Tournament Success

By Michal Mari, sophomore

By Daniella Hoffman, junior

Last week’s virtual Debate

Calling all senators! Model Congress

competition was a smashing success

tournament in session! HAFTR High

for HAFTR High School’s Speech and

School skillfully competed against

Debate Team. In total, the

Katz, Lynbrook, Lawrence, Ramaz,

competition hosted 61 students, 23

North Hall, DRS and Flatbush High

judges, and 12 schools, some from as

Schools. On Wednesday, November

far as Georgia and Texas. In the

17, HAFTR challenged these seven

Extemporaneous debate, two

schools in a Model Congress

sophomore teams tied for first place:

tournament on Zoom. After intense

myself and Maya Karasanti; and Dasi

research and practice about certain

Well and Sophie Gober. Both teams

bills and resolutions, members of the

won 3 of their 4 rounds. In the

HAFTR Model Congress team placed

Lincoln-Douglas debate, sophomore

first, second and third. Junior Meir

Kaitlin Pollack placed first place

Farkas and senior AJ Solinsky placed

overall, winning both of her rounds.

first; sophomore Kaitlin Pollack placed second; and junior Deborah

Following these accomplishments, the

Becker, sophomore Dasi Well and

team participated in a speech

senior Jesse Muller placed third. With

competition on Monday, December 13,

around 65 participants, this was the

continuing to put HAFTR in the

largest model congress session held

spotlight and emphasizing another

on Zoom so far; the rooms were filled

successful endeavor for the Speech

with fierce competition and well

and Debate team. In Radio Speaking,

rounded debates. Our HAFTR

sophomore Maya Karasanti and

students took the lead and captivated

freshman Alexandra Fuchs, both of

the rooms with their astonishing

whom are new team members this

speeches. We can’t wait for many

year, tied for first place. Together,

more tournaments and more

they took down the reigning

competitions to win!

champion from Ramaz. In addition, junior Andrew Berger placed third overall and fourth overall in impromptu speaking. Kyra Seidel also placed third overall in impromptu speaking.

123 Anywhere St., Any City, ST 12345

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MORNING Debut of HAFTR High School Morning Announcements

By Kyra Seidel, Junior

Last week, the Morning Announcement weekly video podcast debuted at HAFTR High School. The show is a platform to inform the student body, faculty, and everyone at HAFTR about the current happenings at school, as well as upcoming events to look out for. This all started when Kaitlin Pollack, a sophomore, was at Debate practice and heard her fellow team members talking about previous and upcoming events at HAFTR. Kaitlin wondered, “Why didn’t I know about any of these things?” This sparked the idea that led to the creation of Morning Announcements. After Kaitlin and I discussed the idea, we approached Ms. Ilona Diamond, Coordinator of Student Programs, and Dr. Joshua Wyner, Associate Principal, to turn this vision into a reality. Thus, Morning Announcements was born. Kaitlin now produces and directs the filming of our two co-hosts: myself and Eitan Hazan, along with the filming and editing crew of Corey Spitzer and Zack Newmark. With the many events and programs at HAFTR, it is crucial and exciting to have these morning announcements. The podcasts can be viewed at HAFTR High School’s Instagram account @haftr_hs and we hope everyone keeps up to date and enjoys them!

@haftr_hs

516.569.3807 highschoolinfo@haftr.org

www.haftr.org

@haftralumni Update

Noah Nierenberg

BIRTHS:

Class of 2019

Mazel Tov Noah on completing IDF training in the tank combat/sniper unit! ‫ בהצלחה בהמשך הדרך‬,‫!מזל טוב אל סוף מסייעת שריון‬ You and 389 people liked this.

Zoey (Glaubach) Rosenfeld

Elijah Gurvitch Class of 2019

Class of 2013 Mazel Tov to Zoey (Glaubach) & Eitan Rosenfeld on the birth of their son Mason James, Asher Zelig.

Mazel Tov Elijah on completing IDF training in the paratrooper unit!

You and 563 people liked this.

Jacob Steinmetz

Class of 2021

Mazel Tov Jacob! The Arizona Diamondbacks selected the @haftr_hs Alumnus with the 77th overall pick in the 2021 MLB first-year player draft!

You and 907 people liked this.

Alyssa Fuchs

Class of 2016

Mazel Tov Alyssa, Baruch College Valedictorian for the Class of 2021! She was selected for her academic excellence, engagement in on-campus activities and clubs, and community efforts through volunteerism.

Next Stop: JPMorgan Chase Analyst You and 412 people liked this.

Samantha (Greenbaum) Schlessel Joshua Schlessel

Class of 2007 Mazel Tov to Samantha (Greenbaum) and Joshua Schlessel on the birth of their son, Harley James. Mazal tov to big sisters Caroline and Elizabeth!

HAFTR High School 635 Central Avenue Cedarhurst, NY 11516 516.569.3807 highschoolinfo@haftr.org @haftr_hs www.haftr.org