Yeshivah of Flatbush הישיבה דפלטבוש
August 2016 Av 5776
August 2016 Av 5776
Enriching Education Through Chesed
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Classrooms Without Walls
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A Tribute to Rabbi Levy
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Judaic Learning Culmination Celebrations
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Basketball and Chesed
High School
Classrooms Without Walls By Rabbi Joseph Beyda, JBHS Principal
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he Yeshivah of Flatbush Joel Braverman High School is well known for its outstanding academic offerings with advanced and rigorous courses that develop and expand the minds of our students. While the classroom has always been the sacred space in which we accomplish our core mission, an additional “room� has become a serious part of the Flatbush education--a room without walls. Important growth is taking place for hundreds of YOFJBHS students
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through a variety of different excursions to Israel and Europe, as well as local learning opportunities through our Pathfinders program. Each educational journey has its own unique objectives and accomplishments, but the bond that ties them together is that educational trips can play a major role in developing a broader worldview and understanding that enhance the commitment and leadership skills of our students.
Seniors Take the Ropes
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The JBHS Class of 2016 was ready for adventure as they engaged in these activities for the Senior Trip: ropes course and ziplining, speedboat cruise, nature hike, improv comedy show, baseball, trampoline, and white water rafting.
Heritage Trip to Poland
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ach spring over thirty 12th Grade students embark on the JBHS week-long Heritage Trip to Poland, a unique opportunity to journey through 400 years of rich Jewish history in Eastern Europe. Students are able to pray in the same synagogues as some of the Torah giants of previous generations, to breathe life into longabandoned halls of study, and walk the streets of once heavily populated Jewish towns and villages. The trip takes students through the ghettos, labor camps and death camps of Poland; as they stand beside its many mass-graves, they become witness to the dark years of the Holocaust. By walking the paths of Eastern European Jewry, the glorious and the tragic, JBHS students gain an on-site understanding of our heritage in a very personal way.
Sephardic Heritage Trip
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epharad — birthplace of Maimonides, sponsor of Columbus, and infamous for the Expulsion — is a land that has a special place in the story of the Jewish People. In the past few years, three different groups of over 20 JBHS students trekked to Spain under the leadership of Ms. Miriam Wielgus, Chair, Jewish History, to discover firsthand what makes this important country so captivating and influential in the Jewish experience. Touring Madrid, Seville, Cordoba, Granada, and Toledo, students explore the natural beauty of this dazzling country and get a feel for the land that birthed so many great Jewish thinkers and ideas. Students stand in the very room in which the Decree
of Expulsion was signed and from where Columbus was dispatched in 1492. Shabbat is spent in the thriving Jewish community of Gibraltar, a British entity wedged into the southern corner of Spain. During that time, students interact with local teens, learning about a different way of life and appreciating their own. The Spanish Jewish experience has many similarities to ours in the United States. The society was an open and flourishing one, in which Jews reached the upper echelons
of society, including in politics, philosophy and the arts. Through their visit, students are able to reflect on the lessons of the Golden Age of Spain and the dark years that followed.
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High School
STEM & Entrepreneurial Mission to Israel T
he robust offerings of the engineering, graphic design and business courses offered at JBHS have been enhanced by our Mission to Israel, “The Start-Up Nation.” This trip, led by Associate Principal Sari Bacon, is an opportunity for our students to gain first-hand knowledge of what it means to be an inventor and entrepreneur while enhancing their pride in and their connection to the
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land and the people of Israel. Starting with hands-on workshops at the Technion and traveling to different parts of the country, students meet developers of a variety of technologies, often when they are in their start-up stages. Mobile-eye, one of the most successful producers of car sensors and cameras, PrimeSense, the pioneers who engineered X-Box Kinect and smart TV technology,
and Given Imaging’s PillCam, a miniature camera inserted into a pill to examine the digestive tract, were all in their infant stages when our students visited them. And because of the ever-changing Israeli startup landscape, each trip brings our students something new and exciting to discover. Woven throughout the week are meetings with Israeli entrepreneurs and a mini-course on brainstorming, funding and pitching their own start-ups under the guidance of professional innovators at places like PresenTense, JVP, and the Zell Entrepreneurial School at IDC. Of course, the backdrop of the history and holiness of Eretz Yisrael brings special meaning to the entire experience. At the conclusion of this jam-packed and meaningful trip, students come back energized with the understanding that they each can tap into their own unique abilities, drive and connections to be successful and to make a difference in the world.
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College Bowl Championships After a valiant battle of wits and scholarship, the JBHS team won a trophy and a second place finish in this year’s final College Bowl Championships. Throughout the year, the team was cheered on by College Bowl Coach and JBHS Librarian Rachail Kurtz, family and friends.
Pathfinders Program Offers Invaluable Career Guidance
Pathfinders Summer Opportunities
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Here is an impressive gathering of Pathfinders summer opportunities where our students are currently engaged in internships and projects:
hrough the Pathfinders Program, YOF encourages its students to discover and expand their unique academic pursuits, talents, and career ideas. This innovative program, a natural complement to college guidance, is an exciting way for students to strengthen their college portfolios, build resumes, and network with industry professionals. At the beginning of every school year, Pathfinders counselor Shifra Hanon, and her assistant Doris Anteby, give each student a survey in which students describe their interests, hobbies, and career pursuits. The
students are then matched with opportunities throughout the year where they can volunteer, intern, and attend trips. The students are coached on communication, leadership, and team-building skills. YOF’s main goal is to have students get a taste of an industry in which they are interested and become familiar with a realistic working environment. Flatbush student interns gain hands-on exposure in the field of their interests, while building their resumes and creating professional relationships for their future.
n Aini & Associates Law Office n Albert Nerken School of Engineering at The Cooper Union n American Museum of Natural History Saltz Internship n Bank Hapoalim n Brookdale Community College Fast Start Program n Brooklyn Museum BKM Digital Artizens: Feminist Project n Dr. Shira Bernstein, Internist n Fir Tree Partners Real Estate n Joyce Silverman Interiors n KIDBOX n Maimonides Medical Center: Women in Science Program n Manhattan Tech Support n Monmouth Medical Center n New York Historical Society n NYU School of Professional Studies Schack Institute of Real Estate n PieOMy n Purses for Nurses n Quantum Networks n Real NY Properties n Unroll.me
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High School Students Display Their Diverse Artistic Talents In One Show
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t the annual Evening of the Arts, our talented JBHS students and faculty came together to present a plethora of artistic offerings showcasing their musical, dramatic and artistic pursuits. The lobby was transformed into an art gallery, where visitors were greeted with beautifully intricate hand-drawn design work, including coloring-book style pieces. Projects from the graphic design and photography classes graced the hallway that led to the salon-style gallery show in the student lounge, where works displayed various textures and styles. Student artists mingled with guests and discussed their work, giving
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them an opportunity to elaborate on their pieces. The evening also included diverse instrumental, vocal and dramatic
performances in an intimate theater-in-the-round setting in the Beit Midrash, for a standingroom-only crowd. Joining stu-
dents on stage were members of the faculty, who foster our students’ creativity on a daily basis. Performances featured piano, violin, vocals, oratory, guitar, clarinet and saxophone and ranged from classical to pop. The chamber choir opened and closed the show. One highlight was Rabbi Ronald Levy’s surprise performance of “Shir Hamaalot”. Special appreciation goes to the evening’s MC, Ms. Shelley Kaplowitz, and the JBHS Arts and Music departments faculty: Ms. Therese Berkowitz, Mr. Jason Novetsky, Ms. Lesley Kassin, Ms. Lilia Mauskop, Ms. Erica Shaposhnik, Mr. Joel Hessel, and Mr. Brian Gelfand.
A Bounteous Bread Basket
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The last Cooking for a Cause event this year was a grand challah bake. The event was sponsored by Cookie and David Fishel and Renee Gindi. Volunteers demonstrated how to do Hafrashat Challah and how to braid the challah. The challot were sent to needy area families.
AP Students Get Introduced to Henry V
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he students of Ms. Mica Bloom’s AP Literature and senior AP Language classes went to the Brooklyn Academy of Music to see the Royal Shakespeare Company’s enactment of “Henry V”. Prior to the trip, an instructor from BAM visited the classes to give an acting workshop and intro-
duce some background on the play. Front row seats added to the excitement of the thrilling, action-packed scenes. The last act had all of the students laughing, and Ms. Bloom even got a wink from King Henry!
JBHS Reeling in the Awards
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ongratulations to Class of 2016 Stephanie Dweck on winning first place in the local and second place in the national Better 2 Write/Tov L’chtov writing contest! Stephanie, a member of this year’s Witness Theater presentation, shared her experience working with survivors and being part of this intergenerational program. As a result of her awards, Stephanie will receive a scholarship towards her year in Israel, where she will be studying at Midreshet Lindenbaum. And, as an additional prize, YOF will also receive money towards the support of its programming. Better Together is a program part of a nationally known and respected foundation.
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he JBHS student newspaper, The Phoenix, won first place in the American Scholastic Press Association! Congratulations to all of the contributing student writers and editors, and to English faculty advisor Mr. Adam Hofstetter.
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annah Waide of class 3-HR was honored at Brooklyn Borough Hall by Borough President Eric Adams for winning the Barnes & Noble “My Favorite Teacher” essay contest. Mr. Hofstetter, who was the subject of Hannah’s essay, was honored as well.
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High School A Tribute to Rabbi Levy By JBHS Student Michelle Harari Miri Zenilman and Ezra Faks contributed to this story.
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latbush has grown and expanded in numerous ways during the 43 years that Rabbi Ronald Levy has worked here. The pool is gone, but there is a new gym; plenty of new sports teams; seminars and
kumzitzes. The one constant has been the beloved and irreplaceable Rabbi Levy. To help us transition through this change, we’ve collected a few anecdotes and quotes from students and colleagues alike who were touched by his warmth and inspiration. Ms. Mica Bloom, English Department Chair, recalled the first time she was summoned to his office. “I was as scared as a student would be. But I soon realized that Rabbi Levy was, in fact, a fabulous man who would always be fair, honorable and kind. These days, I am only too happy to be called to his office for a chat!” Several other of Rabbi Levy’s colleagues highlighted his affability. History teacher, Ms. Shelley Kaplowitz, reminisced about the times the two of them would spend together in his office discussing politics and school news. “I would call him a friend — a pretty rare thing to say about a boss,” expressed Ms. Kaplowitz. “Since Rabbi Levy is in a position of authority and discipline many students don’t realize how nurturing he can really be,” explained English Department faculty advisor,
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Mr. Adam Hofstetter. “During my first year at YOF, he was a big help, offering advice and encouragement. I’m definitely better at my job because of him.” Students also mentioned Rabbi Levy’s comforting demeanor. YOF Senior Ralph Missry developed a close relationship with him over the years. “He was the perfect balance of what it meant to be a principal and a friend.” A common thing would be “to see Rabbi Levy cleaning up garbage in the hallway,” said outgoing SGO president Danielle Ashkenazi when she described the extent that Rabbi Levy cared about the school. In fact, Rabbi Levy can’t really bring himself to leave YOF entirely—he has been hired to serve as an educational consultant/teacher mentor three days a week for the 2016-2017 school year. The change will be a healthy one for him, since, he says, “I have reached a stage in my life where reducing the amount of tension, stress and anxiety that comes with being the principal of such a large educational society as YOF” would be beneficial. Members of the faculty appeared to be pleased with the arrangement since it will still allow them to access Rabbi Levy’s experience and advice, said Ms. Bloom. Perhaps Missry summed up every student’s feelings best, “Rabbi Levy didn’t graduate from YOF only as an esteemed principal and teacher — he graduated Flatbush as one of the Seniors of 2016.”
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YOF Celebrates the Past and Welcomes the Future YOF installed new leadership in June and paid tribute to Rabbi Levy at a special presentation. Rabbi Dr. Raymond Harari thanked Rabbi Levy for his 43 years of service. YOF President Robert Frastai concluded the evening with the Installation of the 2016-2018 Trustees and Officers.
YOF Math Team
More Than Just a Number
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he JBHS Math Team [Max Edeson (Captain), Chiya Abramowitz, Jacques Mosseri, Alan Frastai, Abe Madeb, and Yaron Sternberg] traveled to Yale University under the supervision of coach Ms. Sarah Shulman and under the training of Dr. Robert Goldberg, to participate in the Math Majors of America Tournament for High Schools (MMATHS). The Jewish students of Yale organized a second tournament date on a Sunday in the Slifka Center for Jewish Life so that Jewish high
school students could also participate, since the tournament is only held on Saturdays. The tournament began with Individual Rounds in which every student had to complete a challenging math word problem exam. Top scorers participated in a tie-breaker round. There was also a Mixer Round where all of the students were placed on teams from different schools so they could get acquainted with one another. Team Rounds had the participating schools
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going head-to-head answering difficult questions in groups of three. Near the end of the day at the awards ceremony, our own Max Edeson received a medal for being one of the top scorers of the Individual Round.
Witness Theater
The Wisdom of Storytellers
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his year’s Witness Theater Production, “The Wisdom of Storytellers,” was the culminating performance of a heartfelt partnership between our High School students and local Holocaust survivors. Seeing the students and Shoah survivors tenderly interact on stage gave audience members a small glimpse into just how deep their bond has become. To establish a more meaningful connection, the students
visited the survivors at home and met their relatives. Each survivor story had a unique title and feel, capturing the essence of the person being portrayed. All of the stories taught us the power and strength of the human spirit.
Selfhelp Community Services Social Worker Ashley Rearick and Selfhelp Social Worker Fran Tarshish. Our talented choir performed under director Brian Gelfand.
This compelling program was coordinated by Drama Therapist and Director Sally Shatzkes, Project and Production Assistant Jeanne Franco,
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Elementar y School
Lively Math Curriculum Broadens Students’ Horizons YOF students get more comfortable learning math while engaging in fun activities. The enthusiasm of the teachers and students is evident in our classrooms. Older Lower Division students work with place value blocks, clocks, play money, scales, fraction circles, percent cubes, and much more. Here are some creative math activities from this past school year. Museum of Mathematics Two students from each math streaming group in grades three, four, and five went on an exciting trip to the Museum of Mathematics, where they learned about topology, the study of the properties of objects. In the workshop titled “Mobius Madness,” students con-
structed topological objects such as Mobius bands. This educational workshop with hands-on activities led students to discover interesting properties when they turned and studied the bands. After, everyone enjoyed the many exhibits of the museum.
National League Contest Students in grades four and five took the National League Contest. Every student tried to figure out challenging problems. The top scorer in each grade received a book of past contests. Children who had the top score in each class received an award certificate. Annual Math Bee Fifth grade students participated in the annual Math Bee. Three students from each streaming group were chosen by their teachers to participate. Each of three teams had one student from each math class. The teams were given individual and team questions. The contest and bee were coordinated by Ms. Marsha Kevelson, Lower Division Math Coordinator.
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Square-wheeled tricycles that actually work? Our students discovered that at the Museum of Math they do!
Innovative Math Manipulatives Staff members in grades one through five were busy with interesting and informative professional development in mathematics. A representative from Lakeshore Learning met with our staff to demonstrate new innovative math manipulatives to utilize in our classrooms. Ms. Marsha Kevelson emphasized, “It is of the
Happy Birthday Israel!
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utmost importance for children to learn math in a concrete way with manipulatives which allows them to better understand concepts and move on to the abstract.” Math Solution Workshop A math solution workshop taught staff and teachers different ways to encourage students to solve problems using more than one strategy. The lower grade teachers also learned about strengthening the students’ skills in using numbers 1-5 and 1-10 as a foundation on which to build later thinking. New and interesting math vocabulary was introduced. Ms. Adele Tabush, second grade teacher, commented, “The math workshop was very
The rain on June 5 didn’t dampen any YOF spirits at the Celebrate Israel Parade. Both the Elementary and High Schools painted colorful banners and peaceful creations to portray some of the best things Israel has to offer.
Off-Broadway Gets Scientific
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ourth and fifth grade students were treated to a private showing of the acclaimed OffBroadway show, That Physics Show. They watched, amazed, wearing special glasses, as the science concepts of motion, friction, energy, and sound waves that they learned in class became concrete. Students interacted with David Maiullo, a physics demonstrator at Rutgers University, as he conducted several experiments
showing Newton’s Laws and expounded on how we live in a world controlled by physics. Students were called up to stand on a bed of nails (with Mr. Maiullo underneath the bed) as he explained how the force produced by the weight of the body is distributed over hundreds of nails — therefore, the students’ weight on the bed did not affect or hurt him at all. Faculty member Ms. Shaindy Finkiel organized this trip.
informative. It got me thinking about my students’ abilities to work flexibly with number strategies. It stressed the value of having students explain their thinking to one another. I have been implementing the techniques I learned in my classroom.” The workshop for fourth and fifth grade teachers concentrated on number sense which is the foundation piece for learning more complex math. Ms. Samantha Mandel, fifth grade teacher, found the workshop very thought provoking. “I now ask students how they reached their answers and to think about other strategies they can use to solve the same problem.” We look forward to more exciting activities for our students and workshops for our staff in the coming year.
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Elementary School Judaic Learning Culmination Celebrations
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n celebration of Yom Yerushalayim, Lower Division classes, led by music teacher Ms. Sylvia Schwartz, sang songs and watched a video covering the sights and sounds of Jerusalem. Head of Elementary School Rabbi Lawrence Schwed spoke to students about the Six-Day War and how, without that miracle, we would not have a unified Jerusalem as the capital of Israel today. Students viewed a beautiful display that worked with the theme of the 70 names of Jerusalem. Each board depicted a different name, along with an explanation. Students completed a worksheet answering questions about Jerusalem. They also wrote notes and prayers to be added to our model Kotel. Teachers Ms. Leah Fink, Ms. Michal Azancot, Ms. Rachel Dreifus, Ms. Sylvia Schwartz and Bnot Sherut Eden and Efrat coordinated this program together. Early Childhood Nursery classes celebrated the culmination of the year’s lessons on Midot at the Nursery Midot Fair on Wednesday and Thursday.
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Students had been learning about different midot and the importance of behaving as a Ben/Bat Yisrael. At the Fair, each class represented and illustrated in song a different midah to their proud parents. They finished with an encore performance of the song “I Can Be,” originally performed at Grandparents Day. Class 3-204, under the guidance of Ms. Naomi Gez and Assistant Teacher Ms. Aimee Sidoui, created a Judaic fair covering topics they completed throughout the year. Since last fall, students were divided into four groups named for different aspects of the Torah and Tefilah of Shemah: Matar (Rain), Dagan (Grain), Tirosh (Wine grapes) and Itzhar (Olive oil). The names gave meaning to the Hebrew vocabulary and the concepts behind them. Parents as well as other classes from the third grade were invited to the fair to explore the achievements of the students. Some students used games while others performed a puppet show using stories from the Torah.
Middle Division faculty member Rabbi Kalman Nochlin’s Navi classes far exceeded his expectations with their end-of-year project. The two classes (boys and girls) were each divided into three groups of about six or seven students. Each group prepared a video on a Perek of Shmuel Aleph (from Perek 14-16). The topics were the war against the Pelishtim, the war against Amalek (and Shaul’s loss of the kingship) and Hashem’s sending Shmuel to Yishai to choose David as king. Much of the videotaping was done during class time and some groups even brought or made props for their videos. Many students added special effects and edited their videos with movie apps. “It was amazing and personally gratifying to see the amount of serious and independent work that the students did during the last few weeks of school. The groups worked hard but had fun too. Baruch Ha-shem, the end product was way beyond my expectations,” reflected Rabbi Nochlin.
Survivors and Fifth Graders Connect
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Ms. Helen Ender’s 5th graders met with Holocaust survivors from the JBHS Witness Theater program. Students recently finished a unit on immigration and prepared questions that were used in small group discussions, bridging the gap between decades.
Poetic Perceptions If I were president, everyone would like me. If I were a giant, everyone would look up to me. If I were a princess, everyone would bow down to me. But if I get everything, life would not be a challenge.
— By Sue Ann Gindi
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he students of class 5-334 have discernibly evolved in their perceptions about writing according to their teacher Ms. Helen Orzel. This epiphany occurred early on as students began writing about what they think instead of thinking about what to write, the result of immersion in poetry. Tapping into students’ emotions and ideas about themselves and the world around them has created seamless connections and endless opportunities for self expression. Students crafted original poems to mirror the timeless expectations and possibilities of life’s purpose in
Rudyard Kipling’s, “If”. They responded to Emma Lazarus’, “The New Colossus” through inspirational messages of hope to new immigrants. Robert Frost figuratively paved the way for students’ commentaries on the choices they’ve made and their profound effects in, “A Road Not Taken”. The depth and magnitude of students’ emotions were evident in personal reflective narratives after reading selected poetry from the children of Theresienstadt (Terezin). Shel Silverstein’s, “Tell Me,” provided a forum for students’ self portrayals through writing.
State Politician Rebecca Harary Visits YOF
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ach child in Ms. Paulina Salem’s class 2-304 wrote a letter to politician Rebecca Harary, who is running for the New York State Assembly, sharing his or her ideas on how to make the state a better place. Upon receiving the letters, Mrs. Harary was impressed with the students’ writing and ideas and decided to pay a surprise visit to the class. Ms. Salem, who also happens to be Rebecca Harary’s daughter, (and granddaughter of Lower Division Director of Curriculum Ms. Joyce Salame), began the learning unit by teaching the students about how governments work on a national and statewide scale, so they would be prepared for the visit. Mrs. Harary, who is also a YOF Honorary Ladies Auxiliary President, spoke to the class about what her role would be in the State Assembly if she were to win the election. Every student received a “Team Harary” hat and a special pin from her campaign trail.
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Elementary School Two Interactive Programs Covering Child Safety Make Students Think Twice
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stranger danger and what to do in case of an emergency. The program featured YOF parent Ms. Sylvia Fallas, a certified child safety technician and representative of Safe Kids New York. In honor of May being National Bike Month, a competition was launched for students to create an advertisement promoting bicycle safety. Visit www.safekids.org for some great safety tips.
rofessionals from The Child Abuse Prevention Program (CAPP) presented a safety program to third graders. CAPP’s mission is to educate students on how to identify and resist abuse. The program, through a puppet show and discussion, provided students with the skills necessary to distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate touching. Students were encouraged to ask questions and offer comments after the program. Third and fourth graders participated in a different kind of interactive program on child safety organized
by school psychologist Ms. Carly Namdar. Students learned about bicycle safety, pedestrian safety,
At YOF, it is our priority to keep our children safe and provide them with the tools necessary to advocate for themselves, during and after school hours.
FOURTH GRADE LITERARY CORNER
The Invention Convention
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n “Invention Convention” met in class 4-332, the culmination of a year long project with their teacher, Ms. Rina Himber. The students, with the help of the Elementary School General Studies Librarian Ms. Lynne Grant, used books as well as online resources via iPads to research different inventions and inventors.
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Based on their findings they published small books, which they personalized with dedications, illustrations, and other text features. The students then conceived their own creative inventions and fashioned prototypes. The Invention Convention gave students the opportunity to show off their published books as well as their own inventions to parents, faculty, administrators and visiting students.
Students Learn About Good and Evil
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Eighth graders participated in an Israel Awareness Program during which they watched videos and heard lectures focusing on the IDF and Israel’s search and rescue teams. After the program, they visited the 9/11 Memorial.
Sweets and& aTennis TennisTournament Match Bake Sale Support YOF
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he President and President-Elect for the 2015-2016 school year, Ms. Lynne Erdos and Ms. Nicole Oved, respectively, and their spectacular Ladies Auxiliary team, Ms. Annie Sidaoui, Ms. Esther Shasho, Ms. Tzivia Ovadia, Ms. Fayge Nissenbaum and tons of chef-worthy volunteers, capped the year off with the Taste of Israel Ladies Auxiliary Edith Wachsman A”H Memorial Bake Sale and Auction, held at the home of Lena and David Waingort in memory of Renee Tawil A”H.
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n July, a cheerful and sporty group of parents and community members attended the Annual Tennis Tournament, held at the home of Barbara and Howard Klaus, where they welcomed Ms. Nicole Oved and Ms. Naomi Houllou as Co-Presidents for the 2016-17 school year. Thanks to all of the faithful volunteers for their assistance throughout the year.
Author Visits YOF
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uthor Rachel Nickerson Luna, creator of the series “The Eel Grass Girls Mysteries,” visited class 4-330. Their teacher, Ms. Leah Weiner, had once read the author’s manuscripts and given her feedback on them when she was in Elementary School. Mrs. Nickerson Luna spoke about the writing process and how her stories are inspired by life experiences and her family’s history, which correlated with 4-330’s recent project researching their own families. The class had opportunities to ask questions and get insight into
what goes into writing a mystery novel. To finish off the day, Mrs. Nickerson Luna donated her book “Murder Aboard the California Girl” to the class’s library, and read passages from her book.
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Sports
Three Firsts for the Girls! Y OF introduced three new exciting sports to the girl’s athletic program — intramural football, competitive gymnastics, and floor hockey. INTRAMURAL FOOTBALL A new chapter in Flatbush Physical Education and Athletics began when a group of JBHS students made their way over to the Elementary School to begin implementing the lessons from the new Phys Ed elective course, Coaching and Officiating Theory (see story at right). The course lent itself to a new intramural sports activity — the Elementary School girls were interested in pursuing football! Seventh Grader Adele Ayash had approached the principals and Athletic Director Mr. Eric Amkraut about starting a girls’ football team for Middle Division. She presented a list of more than 50 girls interested in the program. As a result, the first
intramural football program in school history was established, providing new and increased opportunities for Flatbush’s Middle Division female student-athletes. For the first game, 20 Middle Division girls assembled in the Elementary School gym, ready to play some football! With Coach Mr. Mike Gelber on hand to oversee the program, the girls were divided into three groups, each assigned a handful of “coaches” who were High School students. The coaches went over basic football skills then took the girls through drills. While the girls were clearly excited to be playing football, the coaches began to put in practice what they themselves were learning in their own classroom.
COMPETITIVE GYMNASTICS In a year filled with firsts, Flatbush’s Athletic Program also outfitted its first competitive gymnastics team. With the combined impetus from Head Coach Ms. Lorelei Black and a dedicated cadre of Flatbush student-athletes, YOF girls competed on three different apparatuses with divisions in two separate levels. The rotations included Level 2 and Level 3 competition on balance beam, vault and floor exercise. The main goal of the meet was to give the Flatbush gymnasts their first opportunity to perform their respective routines in front of a judge for a true evaluation based on accepted competitive standards. Coach Black expressed how impressed she was with the work of her student-athletes, “They worked hard, and they deserved all of the applause they received.” Now YOF is looking to build on this program, with an eye towards scheduling three meets and adding the final apparatus — the uneven parallel bars — so the girls can compete in the full rotation of events.
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In Honor of Daniel Chernikoff A”H
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The YOF community gathered for the 6th Annual Daniel Chernikoff A”H Memorial Hockey Tournament and Day of Learning in May. The event was a fitting tribute to Daniel (ES 99, HS 03), as it celebrated his love of Torah and his passion for hockey. Rabbi Naftali Besser delivered an uplifting shiur.
JBHS Offers New Coaching & Officiating Theory Phys Ed Elective Course FLOOR HOCKEY JBHS’ revised Physical Education curriculum introduced floor hockey to all students this year and the sport found new fans in the school’s female students. This new interest led to the introduction of hockey as a potential new varsity sport for YOF girls. Under the leadership of Coach Ms. Chelsea Donovan, the girls took to the court in the Laniado Auxiliary Gym for their first practice session. Coach Donovan was impressed by the dedication shown by the girls. “The plan now is to continue to build upon the skills they have and strive to become fierce competitors for next season,” said Coach Donovan. The girls trained weekly with the goal of having a competitive team ready to play as early as next spring.
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he new Coaching and Officiating Theory elective is headed by veteran Physical Education Teacher and YOF Coach Mr. Michael Gelber. The course has given students the opportunity to view the roles of both coach and official in a new light. Mr. Eric Amkraut, YOF Athletic Director, shared that the class “is an innovative course geared to those students interested in a more intense instructional model with a focus on developing skills and exploring issues related to coaching and officiating a wide range of competitive sports.” The course will also give each student a better understanding of the relationship between a coach and teacher and his or her player. In October, students were treated to a surprise guest speaker: the 17-year veteran Major League Baseball Umpire CB Bucknor. Bucknor shared the umpire training process and how he progressed to the Major League. He noted how it is a challenge to be “perfect” all the time. An umpire is always being monitored and evaluated, “every single day, every single play, every single pitch.” Umpires must always have justification for their actions. The issues raised during Bucknor’s question and answer session continued to fuel discussion in class. Coach Gelber monitored a spirited debate over topics from video replay (man vs. machine) to home crowd influence.
Towards the end of the school year, the student coaches were ready to put theory into practice, and they took the reins of the new Middle Division Girls Flag Football teams. The teams were taught important skills for playing the game, and eventually were divided into four teams led by the students. Each student coach brought something personal to the program. Al Tawil directed his players with exuberance while alongside him Amanda Heskiel was calm and organized as they guided their players through drills. Daniel Sitt was pragmatic and focused in encouraging precision in his players, while Abie Rosow was impressed by how receptive the teams were to his instruction and how what he learned in theory class was both practical and applicable. Coach Gelber reflected,“Seeing both the girls and their coaches grow in skills, abilities and experience throughout the program is what this opportunity is all about.”
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YOF Alumni
Reunions 2005
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he Yeshivah of Flatbush Alumni Association celebrated the 10th Anniversary Reunion for the Class of 2005, the 25th Silver Anniversary Reunion for the Class of 1991 and the 50th Golden Anniversary for the Class of 1966. All three reunions had record turnouts of alumni and educators in attendance. Â
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It was wonderful to witness how the unbreakable bonds that were formed so many years ago still remain strong. Friendships were rekindled and memories were shared as a feeling of nostalgia and warmth filled the air. It was undeniable that YOF had, and continues to have, an extraordinary impact on our alumni.
Alumni Score Three in Hall of Fame
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Congratulations to alumni Mr. Saul Goldberg (HS 1974), Mr. Fred Levine (HS 1980) and Ms. Sara Purow-Munk (HS 2000).The three were inducted into the Yeshiva Alumni Basketball Association Hall of Fame in May. See www.yabausa.org
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Alumni Spotlight:
Ariella Fallack (HS 05)
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riella Fallack (HS 05) was awarded the Young Pioneers Award from the Jewish Education Project, an organization that works with educators, clergy and volunteers to create outstanding Jewish experiences for children, teens and families in more than 800 programs in New York City and the surrounding areas. Ms. Fallack, a local Judaic studies teacher who is much beloved by her students, won the award for her commitment to new approaches and innovation, as well as her ability to convince leadership to embrace new ideas and implement a creative
educational initiative. She found and tested different approaches to help her students learn. When Ms. Fallack saw that her students were not engaged in a certain curriculum, she visited the online “Institute of Play” and studied its “Quest to Learn” model for ideas on how to capture her students’ interests. After visiting the website, she was inspired to link gaming ideas to creative learning choices.
experimenting with new ideas, utilizing new technologies, and developing new opportunities for Jewish learning. We were shown examples of Ariella’s teaching and we were simply amazed by its sophistication and creativity.”
According to the Jewish Education Project, “Our Young Pioneers Award recipients are educators who are
YOF congratulates Ms. Fallack and is proud to have her as one of our distinguished alumni.
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Israel Student Chesed Mission to Israel W hile most people cancelled trips to Israel, YOF eagerly booked one. The 14th Annual Student Chesed Mission took off on January 19th for a non- stop chesed experience in Israel. A group of 53 students and five faculty members, led by JBHS Dean of Students, Rabbi Naftali Besser and YOF community member, Ms. Susan Franco, decided to spend their winter break in Israel visiting the sick, dancing with soldiers, volunteering in soup kitchens, interacting with special children, and embarking on a life-changing journey filled with chesed. Here are some quotes from the students describing some of the highlights of the trip.
DAY “While we prayed Arbit, 1 each one of us felt the presence of Hashem, while we requested His assistance to ensure our safety. Many of us either cried, were overcome with pride, or left meaningful notes in the wall.” RACHEL NUSSBAUM, CLASS OF 2016
DAY “At Haddasah Hospital in 2 Jerusalem, we visited pediatric patients, greeting them with smiles and presents. Each child reciprocated with smiles and hugs. These small acts of kindness warmed our hearts, helping us appreciate the potential each of us has to bring happiness and joy to others.” SHLOMO HUSNI, CLASS OF 2017
DAY “At the Michael and Lola 3 Goldstein Emunah Day Care Center, the children range from 3 months to 3 years old and come from poor families who need help to support and watch their children. We were taken to the garden to plant little trees with the children for Tu B’ Shvat. We also blew bubbles with them and made them laugh.” BONNIE TAWIL, CLASS OF 2017
DAY “After Shabbat, we visited an 4 Israeli army base with the Thank Israeli Soldiers organization. As the night was coming to a close, one of the soldiers told us that ‘We cherish the moment when you guys come and visit us — it makes everything we do worth it.’ The feeling we all got was indescribable. It was truly an inspirational day.” BARBARA SCHWARTZBARD AND DENISE AZRAK, CLASS OF 2016
“On the way to the city of DAY 5 Holon, we saw the beauti- ful farms, gardens and mountains of Israel. We went to the Children’s Museum of Israel, where we saw the Dialogue in the Dark — the Blind Museum. As we felt our way through the pitch black series of rooms, we developed some understanding of what blind people go through on a daily basis.” SARAH TORGUEMAN, CLASS OF 2016
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Treats Raise Money for Lifesavers
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The seventh grade girls held a bake sale at the home of Maya and Rafael Mugrabi for United Hatzalah of Israel, an organization which unites all sectors of Israeli society to save lives and provides relief to anyone in distress.
“United Hatzalah of Israel is a DAY 6 group of volunteers from all religions who respond within 90 seconds to emergencies, so that they can help stabilize the patient until the ambulance arrives. It was inspiring to see how dedicated all of the volunteers were. They constantly put everything aside including their families, jobs, and even Shabbat.” GRACE SUTTON, CLASS OF 2017
“The teachers at Keren DAY 7 Or, an institution for children with severe mental and physical disabilities, explained to us that it is the highlight of their year when the YOF Chesed Mission comes to dance and sing with the children. This made us even more grateful for what we have and it felt wonderful to make these children happy.” JOAN JEMAL, CLASS OF 2016
“Today was the last day of DAY 8 the Chesed Mission, and we visited Emunah’s Bet Elezraki Children’s Home which houses children from troubled families. We had a mini kumzitz, handed out presents to the bar and bat mitzvah children as well as to the seniors before saying our goodbyes. There are no words to describe how amazing Chesed Mission is. It opened up our minds and made us put things in perspective. There was such a warm and special vibe that we’ve never felt before. Thank you so much to Rabbi Besser, Ms. Susan Franco, and staff for an unbelievable experience.” SARI CATTAN, CLASS OF 2017
Putting Kindness into Action By YOF Parent Amy Sasson
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his past May, 60 community men and women participated in the 8th Annual Flatbush Adult Chesed Mission to Israel. This unique spiritual journey not only offers an opportunity to help and heal, but also has the tremendous power to inspire. So much good was performed on this mission, which was centered on the mantra “olam hesed yibaneh” — the world is built with chesed. We distributed gifts to sick children in hospitals, which put smiles on their faces and offered strength to their families; we danced and sang with hundreds of neglected children at Beit Elazraki and Achuzat Sara Emunah Children’s Homes; we visited Hemla, a Jewish home shelter for abused women and shared in their dreams of a new life; we packaged food for the needy at Pantry Packers and entertained immigrant children at an Ethiopian absorption center; and we interacted with special needs children at Shalva, Aleh and Keren Or, which was especially rewarding. Many of our activities also included time with members of the IDF. We expressed to the soldiers our appreciation for their defense and prayed for their protection. We heard firsthand
accounts from the heroes of Tikvot, who work to overcome the physical and mental wounds of war and terror. At Har Herzl, we paid our respects to those who gave their lives while defending the State of Israel. We also met a group of brave young men and women with special needs who volunteer for service in the IDF as part of a unique inclusion project called Special in Uniform. Others we met with included the Tazpit Press Service, trying to change the way Israel is documented, both locally and internationally. One heart at a time, SACH brings children from underdeveloped countries into Israel and offers them quality cardiac care for free. We got a close look at specially equipped motorcycle ambulances and bore witness to the generosity of the Ben-Haim and Harary families, who donated an ambucycle in honor of all the dedicated United Hatzalah volunteers. The moments of inspiration and clarity we shared were G-d given gifts and opportunities for growth. We have returned from our mission feeling humbled yet confident. As the days pass, we strive to hold onto the spiritual experiences we had and express them in some beautiful new way here at home.
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YOF Chesed Healing Comes Full Circle with Chesed Mandala Project
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he Morris Franco Cancer Center welcomed a group of JBHS students to collaborate on an art project with their clients who are fighting cancer. The program began with a tour of the Cancer Center and a video presentation focusing on the clients’ experiences and how instrumental volunteers at the Cancer Center have been in helping them cope with their illnesses. Ms. Dayna Weiner, art
therapist at the Cancer Center, led a guided meditation, segueing into the art project in which everyone created beautiful painted mandalas on lucite circles. Our students were grateful for the opportunity to be part of the journey to recovery for these inspiring women. Ms. Rebecca Esses of the Cancer Center coordinated this event with YOF guidance counselor and art therapist Ms. Eva Dayan.
An Overseas Trip Blending Basketball and Chesed By JBHS Student Abie Rosow
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arlier this year, I represented the USA in the Pan-American Maccabi games in Santiago, Chile on the 16U men’s basketball team. The Maccabi organization brought Jews together from all over the world for this one event. However, the trip wasn’t only about sports; I met so many new people and learned about their cultures. One of the highlights of my trip was the opening ceremony, where each country was introduced one by one to a huge stadium filled
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with cheering fans. The ceremony concluded with the audience singing “Hatikvah”. One of the most memorable aspects of the trip was the chesed project. We visited a lower income area where some Jewish families lived. It was sad and humbling to see how these people lived, in makeshift huts, with stray, sick-looking dogs running around. I appreciated my time there, being able to talk to some of the kids and make
Special Needs Students Guided by YOF
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In preparation for their mentorship program next year, YOF 7th graders worked with Imagine Academy students to create Father’s Day presents. They also participated in rikkudim and a kumzitz.
Heart to Heart
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hat better way to spend a cold winter’s day than by YOF families sharing their love with the children at the Special Children’s Center? Led by JBHS Dean of Students Rabbi Naftali Besser, a group of 25 families headed over to Lakewood, New Jersey to visit children with mental and physical disabilities.
The group engaged in art and music activities as well as singing and dancing. The room radiated with joy and warmth, and the day was unforgettable.
them feel good. It made me take a step back and be thankful for what I have here in New York. On the basketball court, our team went undefeated and ultimately won the gold medal. I really enjoyed bonding with my teammates from all over the country on and off the court. This trip was something that I will never forget!
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Yeshivah of Flatbush 919 East 10th Street Brooklyn, NY 11230
Yeshivah of Flatbush Elementary School 919 East 10th Street Brooklyn, NY 11230 718-377-4466
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