The Phoenix 2015-2016 Issue 3

A Student Publication of the Yeshivah of Flatbush Joel Braverman High School • 1609 Avenue J, Brooklyn, New York • Issue 3 • November 2015 / 5776

New Teacher Profile:

Coach Michael “Optional Friday” Myth Is Reality Gurock Friday Attendance Lower than Other Days

By Miri Zenilman Managing Editor

An examination of the attendance records at the Yeshivah of Flatbush suggests that many students, particularly seniors, share the “optional Friday” mindset. The number of student absences is drastically higher on Fridays than any other day of the week, according to the school’s attendance records from September 9 through November 11 of this year.

The term “optional Friday” refers to a

Search for New Principal In Beginning Stages

By Michelle Harari Editor-In-Chief

Last year Rabbi Levy announced after decades as a teacher, administrator, and principal that he would be accompanying

By Robert Adler

joke among students that Fridays are not necessary school days due to the briefness of each period—only 28 minutes each throughout the winter. Although each day of school is mandatory, some students clearly do not feel the same motivation to attend classes on Fridays that they feel the other four days of the school week.

“The classes are really short,” a senior who wished to remain anonymous said about Fridays, pointing out that those who don’t come to school “don’t have to

make up a lot of work, plus [they] get a long weekend.” Although the senior conceded that attendance to class is mandatory, she admitted that she does not feel compelled to come to school on Fridays.

The data detailing students’ absence histories reveals that the day with the highest attendance rate is Monday, with a total of only 150 absences throughout the six Mondays that have been schooldays since Flatbush has been in session this year. Freshmen have the lowest absence record on that day, with only a to-

the class of 2016 in their graduation from the Yeshivah of Flatbush. Sadness over Rabbi Levy’s planned departure was soon followed by practical concerns over who might be hired. This year, the Yeshivah of Flatbush contacted Yeshiva University— specifically, the YU School Partnership— for help with the search for a new principal. The hunt is led by Shira Heller from YU, who describes the search process as an “intensive recruitment” with multiple steps.

The YU School Partnership was enlisted because of its extensive experience

in such matters. The YU team has been involved in more than 150 school searches at different leadership levels over the past six years, and is currently involved in 11 searches nationally. YU is coordinating the search and offering guidance, but the ultimate decision will be made by the search committee, which includes members of the Yeshivah’s Board of Education and Yeshivah administrators, among others.

The process for the YU team begins with a tour of the school so that the applicant will fully understand the Ye-

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In This Issue Current Events: NY bans fantasy sites. Page 3

Religion: Yaakov gets a leg up on evil Page 3

Entertainment: Winning cast lifts Suffragette Page 6

Contributing Writer

Understanding, inspiring, patient.

These are just three words that describe our new physical education teacher and coach, Michael G. Before he came to Flatbush, Coach Gurock was a graduate student studying at NYU. He then interned for social work at NYU Medical Center. After coaching the varsity and JV basketball teams at Ramaz, he found a new home at the Yeshivah of Flatbush.

Coach Gurock said that he knew it would be tough transitioning to a new school, but the supportive, spirited, and warm environment created by the student body made Flatbush more appealing. He also said that he has developed a strong relationship with Rabbi Beyda over the past few years, and that Rabbi Beyda’s willingness to mentor him in student life made the choice to come to Flatbush even more attractive. Finally, the opportunity to coach the entire boys’ basketball program sealed the deal. Now, besides being the newest gym teacher at Flatbush, Coach Gurock coaches boys’ Varsity Basketball and is an assistant coach for Junior Varsity. continued on page 2

Sports: Varsity Hockey off to winning start Page 8

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Meet a Flatbush Family:

Alumna Interview: Leah Chwat (’92)

Jeanette and Danielle Mosseri

By Jessica Vaysman Contributing Writer

Jeanette Mosseri in class 4-V and Danielle Mosseri in class 2-S are typical high school students, but they also know better than most people what it’s like having a sibling in high school.

Jeanette and Danielle are a lot alike, yet different in many ways. Danielle loves Color War and hanging out with friends.

Although she is the younger sibling she is taller than her sister. Jeannette is on the Yachad committee and loves doing chessed. She loves rikudim and kumzitzes with her friends. The Mosseri sisters like to help each other out in school, and Danielle said that in her freshman year when she felt lost, she was always able to turn to her sister for assistance.

Unlike some pairs of siblings, Jeanette and Danielle acknowledge each other’s existence in the halls and they are not ashamed to tell other people that they are sisters.

Danielle says that teachers who have taught Jeanette usually realize that they are sisters. Jeanette says many people have mistaken them for twins and Danielle said that she thinks that she and her sister look alike.

They both said that they agree on most things and that they are a lot alike. In fact, when asked how similar they are, Danielle and Jeanette an-

swered the question the same way, mentioning that sometimes they even say the same thing at the same time! Jeanette and Danielle have very similar personalities and are both very kind. They both say that, although they have never sent each other any Shabbat-O-Grams, they both love having the other one in school. Although sometimes it’s annoying to always have your sister around, it can be a really nice thing, too!

By Jane Zakay Junior Editor

Yeshivah of Flatbush alumna Leah Chwat (H.S. ’92) says that Flatbush was not easy, but the school is a big part of her success, both practicing tax and cooperate law as a partner at a Long Island law firm and as the mother of two teenagers.

For Chwat, known as Leah Shulman when she was a student, the Yeshivah of Flatbush was the best education for limudei kodesh. “It also made me a snob about how Ivrit is taught.” Chwat said that, thanks in part to Rabbi Harari, she is able to pick up a Gemara and teach it to her kids with no problem.

Another great part about Flatbush for Chwat was the way it fostered her love for Israel; she says that if she had attended any other school she doesn’t think she would have the same spiritual connection to the land that she has now. One thing she misses the most is Seminar, especially the rikudim and the spiritual connection she gained in those programs.

There’s one part of her four years at Flatbush that Chwat holds especially dear: her husband, Jeremy, who was in the same graduating class.

Today, Chwat lives in the Five Towns but comes to Brooklyn often, especially to attend Islanders games with her family. She also enjoys trying new restaurants with her friends.

Chwat said she wouldn’t change much about her experience at the Yeshivah of Flatbush. She found her husband there, she learned a lot, and she had a great time. As for advice to current students, she said, “Don’t sweat the small stuff.” Don’t go crazy over small details, she explained, because in the end your experience at Flatbush will be one to remember for the rest of your life. “And don’t let anyone lock you on the roof.”

Student Survey:

How much sleep do you get on an average school night?

8 hours 19 6.5% or more

293 responses

Jeanette (left) and Danielle Mosseri

Coach Gurock... continued from front page Coach Mike Gelber said that Coach Gurock “was great before, and he is excellent now.” Students described Coach Gurock as “a great coach” and said he knows how to run a well-organized class

The Phoenix Staff Editor-in-Chief: Michelle Harari Managing Editor: Miriam Zenilman Senior Editor: Gabriel Vizgan School News Editor: Gabrielle Cohen Religion Editor: Sarah Torgueman Entertainment Editor: Daniella Babaee Music Editor: Esty Fromer Sports Editor: Albert Dweck Fun and Ganes Editor: Merle Dweck Standard of Fabulous Editors: Sylvia Ashkenazie, Aida Hasson Web Editor: Joey Baum Junior Editors: David Azrak, Diana Hoffstein, Mimi Lazerowitz, Naomi Sanders, Jane Zakay Sophomore Editors: Daliah Ben-Ari, Mary Jajati

and keep order while still having fun.

Coach Gurock says he has been enjoying his time at Flatbush so far. With his help, the Falcons and all students in general are sure to excel.

High School Administration Rabbi Raymond Harari Head of School

7 hours 54

18.4%

6 hours 101

34.5%

5 hours 62

21.2%

4 hours 26

8.9%

<4 hours 31

10.6%

Rabbi Ronald Levy Principal Ms. Jill W. Sanders Associate Principal Director of Admissions Ms. Sari Bacon Associate Principal Rabbi Joseph Beyda Assistant Principal

Design: Therese Berkowitz Faculty Adviser: Adam Hofstetter

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College Readiness Now Includes Handling AntiSemitism

D’var Torah: Good vs.

Evil

By Danielle Duchan Contributing Writer

By Linda Guindi Contributing Writer

On Monday morning, November 9, the seniors had the honor of having a celebrity in their midst. Shoshana Palatnick, the creator of the documentary film Crossing the Line 2: The New Face of Anti-Semitism on Campus, came to address the grade about her video and about handling anti-Semitism on college campuses.

Palatnick’s visit was designed to supplement “Israel in World Relations,” a required course for every Flatbush senior that is based on the curriculum developed by an organization called Our Soldiers Speak, which aims to spread the truth about the Israeli Army by sending Tzahal soldiers to speak and teach around the world.

“I approached Rabbi Levy after hearing [Our Soldiers Speak founder] Sargent Benjamin Anthony speaking in my shul, the Young Israel of Lawrence-Cedarhurst, about the need to better prepare our youth for dealing with the anti-Semitism and the critics of Israel on our college campuses,” Mr. Lazar explained.

Mr. Lazar began teaching the course to seniors last year. Ultimately the course is geared toward educating the seniors with both sides of the narrative, Israeli

NY Rules Fantasy Sports Sites Illegal

By Michelle Harari Editor-in-Chief

Last week, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman’s office issued letters to fantasy sports websites FanDuel and DraftKings, demanding they stop offering their for-pay games in New York. Schneiderman condemns FanDuel and DraftKings for being “plainly illegal” and said they “pose precisely the same risks to New York residents that New York’s antigambling laws were intended to avoid,” despite the sites’ denying their status as gambling enterprises.

Schneiderman’s court papers included a range of accusations, stating the com-

Shoshana Palattnick addresses seniors

and Palestinian, before they embark on their journey to college campuses. In addition, the goal is to make our students informed advocates for Israel and to be able to approach and educate the approximately 80% of college students who are indifferent toward Israel.

This year’s course mainly targets “specific accusations targeted toward Israel and major issues that Israel has to deal with, and then after looking at the different narratives, looking at the causes and possible solutions to those issues,” Mr. Lazar explained. In addition, the course allows teachers to address current events in Israel. For example, recently the students examined the roots of the Intifada in 1987 and 2000 and related it to the current situation in Israel.

It was no surprise, then, that Palatnick’s film was integrated into the curriculum. In her visit to the school she explained the reality of anti-Semitism on college campuses and explained what we have to do in order to advocate for our spiritual homeland. The ever growing anti-Semitism is not only very real,

but very local as well. Anit-Israel rallies occur not only on far-off campuses such as UCLA or Michigan, but right here at Brooklyn College mock security checkpoints and die-ins are staged by anti-Israel groups.

The senior course meets three times a week and so far has been running smoothly, with Mr. Lazar and Mr. Rothbort both now teaching the class and tweaking the curriculum with the help of a textbook written by a teacher connected with Our Soldiers Speak.

By broadening the seniors’ education to include Israel and its conflicts, Palatnick and the Yeshivah of Flatbush continue to prep the seniors for the political strife ahead of them. While seniors may be preoccupied with college applications and graduation ahead of them, it is sometimes difficult for them to focus and absorb all the course has to offer. Regardless, Mr. Rothbort and Mr. Lazar are confident they can continue to properly educate and prepare the students for exiting the halls of the Yeshivah of Flatbush and entering a much less welcoming world.

panies collected user fees in states where the sites are banned and that they raised false hopes of winning when roughly 90 percent of players have lost money.

FanDuel and DraftKings are willing to bet their money that they are indeed legal. “We believe the Attorney General’s view of this issue is based on an incomplete understanding of the facts about how our business operates … and a misinterpretation and misapplication of the law,” stated Boston-based DraftKings.

DraftKings further announced that it will continue to take entries for customers in New York.

despite antigambling statues, as they were deemed games of skill rather than games of chance. This is Schneiderman’s focal point to attack and crumble; in the court papers he explains that in regard to fantasy sports, chance outweighs skill.

Interestingly enough, he explains that FanDuel had once told an early investor that its main target is the male sports fan who “cannot gamble online legally,” while DraftKings’ chief executive Jason Robins once called daily fantasy sports a “mash-up between poker and fantasy sports.” Robins even added that its mode of revenue was “identical to a casino.”

A rather sneaky move by these fantasy sites to ensure fewer payouts to customers is to encourage employees to play on each other’s platforms and against regular customers. Employees are instructed to minimize public presence so users are less inclined to get angry or suspicious. Additionally, to attract a larger customer base, DraftKings programmed gambling key words into the search code for its website like “weekly fantasy basketball betting” and “weekly fantasy college football.”

FanDuel had once told an early investor that its main target is the male sports fan who “cannot gamble online legally.”

New York-based FanDuel, however, said that at least until the court hearing it would temporarily bar customers from New York and prevent them from playing.

An exemption from a 2006 federal law has allowed fantasy sites to operate

Parashat Vayishlach contains what is arguably the climax of Bereshit and a turning point in Jewish history. Yaakov fights with an angel and emerges victorious, albeit with a little bit of damage to the all-important gid hanasheh, or hip socket, the part of an animal from which we are still forbidden to eat. This strange confrontation earns him the name by which the Jewish people are known biblically, a name that is the name for our Jewish nation, Yisrael!

Why? “Ki sarita im elokim v’im anashim va tuchal”—“Because you have struggled with G-d and with people and have overcome.”

For such an important event in Jewish history, it seems to have come out of left field. After all, isn’t the main point of this parasha the reunion between Eisav and Yaakov? One minute, Yaakov is preparing for battle with Eisav and helping his family move across Nachal Yabbok, and the next minute, he’s all alone and fighting with an angel. How? Why? First of all, Rashi explains that Yaakov in fact intended to cross Nachal Yabbok already, but forgot some small bottles or other such objects and returned for them alone. Additionally, Rashi explains that this battle was actually a preliminary battle between Eisav and Yaakov, a battle between Eisav’s guardian angel and Yaakov himself.

Chazal take a deeper look at this.

They explain that every nation has its angel that represents it before G-d and helps guide the nation’s destiny. However, two nations are unique: the Jewish people, or B’nei Yisrael as we are known after this fight, and Eisav’s descendants, biblically dubbed Edom. Since the Jewish people are G-d’s chosen people, we do not need an angel to intercede on our behalf; we are represented by G-d Himself. Since Eisav and his descendants are the epitome of evil, they are represented by the main force of evil: Satan. Thus, this battle was not merely a battle between an angel and a human, but a battle between the very forces of good and evil within all of us.

This fight serves as a reminder to follow the path of our forefather, our namesake, Yisrael. It is a reminder to always try to conquer our evil inclinations and do the right thing. It is a reminder to try to overcome evil wherever it exists. May we all have the strength to follow the example of our forefathers and triumph over evil in its many forms.

The two sites targeted by Schneiderman are the largest in the for-pay market, with 12.8 percent of total daily fantasy sport users, which is a major reason New York is taking a more aggressive stance towards these specific sites. Schneiderman says they foster gambling addiction and hide behind the veil of technology, and that he is determined to expose these fantasy sites for what they truly are.

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Sophomore Mentorship Program Continues Expansion

By Judy Shalam Contributing Writer

With the pressure of several Regents exams and very few electives, sophomore year might be the toughest in high school. The ever-expanding Sophomore Mentoring program instituted by Associate Principal Ms. Sanders aims to make sophomore year much more palatable.

For the past three years, Ms. Sanders, Mr. Engel, teacher mentors, and the sophomores themselves have worked together to create new programs for the sophomores in order to enhance their year. In its first year the program simply assigned each sophomore class a teacher mentor to help students find and follow their interests and navigate the myriad extracurricular programs available to them. Last year the program grew to include one fun trip for each class during the year. This year the program has expanded further: sophomores have a mentor, will go on two fun trips, and had their very own Sophomore Day last month.

This year’s mentors are Mr. Hofstetter (2HN), Mr. Kweller (2V), Mr. Lazar (2S),

Ms. Marcus (2T), Ms. Ovadia (2HR), and Ms. Pahuskin (2R). “My job as an adviser is to keep the students up to date on all the extracurricular activities, and to plan two trips per year for my designated class,” Ms. Marcus explained. Ms. Pahuskin adds, “I am here to create a fun atmosphere and be a personal mentor for the students if they have any questions or need any advice.” Many students really love having a teacher as an adviser to remind them of important things coming up. “I didn’t know that soccer tryouts were that day until my adviser told me, and if I missed soccer tryouts, I wouldn’t know what to do with myself,” said one student.

On October 14 Flatbush held its first-ever Sophomore Day. While juniors and freshman took national standardized tests, each sophomore class worked together in team-building exercises to not only create a class bond, but also to have fun.

Mr. Engel explained that the idea for Sophomore Day came about because the freshman have Welcome Week, the juniors have Junior Picnic, the seniors have the scavenger hunt in Midtown Manhattan, so it would be nice if the sophomores had something special. “One of the other motivations was to try to foster cohesiveness and teamwork within the classes; so, the sophomores worked together on activities to accomplish certain goals as a class,” he said.

No longer needing the help they needed as freshman and not yet getting constant attention from the College Guidance department, the sophomores have historically suffered through “middle child syndrome.” Ms. Sanders said, “Sophomore Day makes the sophomores more involved in school; but not only

Sophomores work on one of their Sophomore Day activities

that, it brought the classes to work together and it encouraged the grade together.”

By the end of the day the Sophomores were raving about it! “Definitely best day in sophomore year so far,” one student said. “I joined a new class this year and it helped me make friends with some of the people I didn’t know,” said another.

A third student added, “I loved the trivia game with Mr. Hofstetter and Ms. Pahuskin. In the game, we all started off standing up and in order to sit, you would have to answer a trivia question correctly; for each question a person got right he/she took a seat and when the next person got one right, we all moved over one. If someone needed help, he/she could only ask the person sitting in front of him or her. It was a lot of fun!”

So many of last year’s sophomores enjoyed the fun trips their mentors planned

Four New Commissions Offer Students More Options plays to lobby decorations for various holidays, the entire school will look a lot livelier thanks to the extraordinary efforts of faculty adviser Mr. Novetsky and commissioners Hannah Wade and Esty Fromer.

Another revived commission in the school is the Reaching Out Commission.

Supervised by Mr. Engel with the help of

Daniella Babaee and Gabriel Vizgan, its goal is to raise awareness of and combat homelessness in New York City. Reaching Out is currently looking for volunteers with new and creative ideas, so if you are innovative and take the commandment to love your neighbor seriously, you might be the perfect volunteer.

The newly formed Jewish Feminism

(JFEM) commission is supervised by Mr. Lazar with the help of Commissioner Esther Levy of class 3-HR. It aims to help girls find answers to questions they have about women’s roles in Jewish life.

Levy says the commission is focused on analyzing different viewpoints to gain greater understanding. This allows members to fully embrace feminism within the context of Orthodox Judaism.

On a more athletic note, Daniel Saltzman and Ness Mugrabi have started a new commission called Careers in Sports. This club teaches students that you don’t have to be a professional athlete to make a living in the world of sports. The goal is to open students’ eyes to different opportunities available in the industry, and the commission has already had its first guest speaker: professional sports agent Ari Nissim.

Students who did not sign up for these commissions at the SGO Commission Fair can still get involved by attending club events or by contacting the commissioners.

In a year of change for Flatbush’s revamped physical education program, none has been as unpopular with students as the recent prohibition of gym bump-ups.

“It just doesn’t make sense. Why shouldn’t I be able to get out early because of gym?” said one twelfth grader.

Although many students see this

rule as a nuisance and even illogical, girls’ gym teacher Ms. Stern explained the reasoning behind it: every gym class follows the same curriculum, but each class goes at a different pace. Allowing a more advanced class to intrude on a less advanced class would be disruptive, and it would be equally unfair for a less advanced class to share a lesson with a class

that is further ahead.

“It is a nice idea but obviously some people are resistant to change, so making this rule caused some conflicts between us and the students,” Stern reported.

Despite the complaints, the gym teachers are hopeful this rule change in the long run will further improve the school’s physical education program.

By Linda Banbahji Contributing Writer

With more than 50 commissions, there’s something at Flatbush for everyone. Never has that been truer than this year, with four new additions to the existing range of academic, athletic, musical, and spiritual commissions.

The Art Commission is one example.

It’s the revival of a commission that does all the art for the school. From the Salute to Israel parade, to sets for school

Ban on Gym Bump-Ups Met with Anger

By Marlene Levy Contributing Writer

that the program was expanded this year to include two trips, one in the fall semester and one in the spring. Teacher mentors are organizing ice skating and laser tag trips and considering other possibilities. Students look forward to a fun break from working hard during school hours, and teachers enjoy the opportunity to get to know students better. When asked if he was excited to go on the trips, one sophomore simply responded, “Wait, what? We get to go on trips? Yay! You just made my day!”

The new and improved sophomore programs have been a hit with both the students and the faculty members, who all agree that the program should be continued in future years. So for all of you freshmen dreading the hard work and Regents exams of sophomore year, get excited; sophomore year will definitely exceed your expectations!

Reaching Out Commissioner Daniella Babaee at the Commission Fair in October

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Friday Attendance...

continued from front page

Hair Drive Garners 20 Donations

By Naomi Sanders Junior Editor

On November 16, 20 girls from the community, including several Yeshivah of Flatbush students, entered Hadass Style hair salon to donate their hair to Zichron Menachem in Israel to be made into wigs for people with cancer.

Each girl’s hair was washed, combed out, measured, cut to length, styled, and blown dry. The severed ponytails were secured with hair ties and put into Ziploc bags. Once all the hair was dry it was shipped to Israel to become wigs.

The first to donate was Senora Ovadia, who planned the hair drive along with the members of the Tzedakah Commission.

All the girls watched as Hadass, the owner of the salon, snipped off 12 inches of Senora Ovadia’s hair. As Hadass held the ponytail in her hand, all the girls began to applaud.

“It’s different for teenage girls. I cover my hair, but for girls it’s about how it looks,” Senora Ovadia explained. To help

Donors pose before their haircuts

minimize the emotional trauma of such drastic haircuts, Hadass and the other hairstylists finished the job by styling each girl’s hair to frame her face, causing each of them to walk out with a smile.

It was an emotional experience for those participating, as well as those watching all the excitement happen.

Many of the girls took before-and-after pictures to send to family and friends.

Some mothers even came to support and watch their daughters participate in this transformational mitzvah.

“I feel very accomplished,” said sophomore Dorette Dayan. “My hair feels so much lighter and it was so weird when I asked my friend Sarah to hold my [cutoff] hair for a second.”

Throughout the hair drive, the girls grew to appreciate the blessing of having hair, and realized the importance of the mitzvah that they fulfilled. Before her haircut, junior Esther Levy described how she felt: “I’m very excited because hair is something that I’ve always had. I feel ungrateful sometimes, but we should really feel blessed because when you look at things in perspective, we’ll always have hair, while other people don’t have the same blessing.”

After all the cutting and styling, the donors took a group picture, each with her donated ponytail in her hand. In total, 264 inches of hair were donated that morning.

The girls came back to school with confidence in their walk and smiles on their faces, knowing that they did something incredible and enjoying their new looks.

“I feel very good and I’m happy I did it,” senior Jennifer Maleh said.

Thanks to the efforts of Senora Ovadia, the Tzedakah Commission and Hadass Style, the event had a positive impact on the girls donating and on Zichron Menachem’s ability to provide wigs to several more patients in need. Tizku l’mitzvot!

tal of 12 boys and 4 girls being absent on a Monday. Twelfth graders, however, have accumulated a total of 84 absences on Mondays, with more than 30 seniors being absent on November 2, the day after Senior Seminar.

Conversely, the day that has gathered the most absences is Friday. There have been eight Fridays in which school has been in session, with a total of 448 student absences over the course of those eight days. On October 16 alone there were 130 students who did not come to school. However, many of those absences can be attributed to the SBH Junior Marathon that took place that weekend, as 99 of those 130 missing students were ninth and tenth graders. Nevertheless, the absences on the other Fridays are substantially high as well. On October 23, for example, 28 boys and 38 girls missed school. Of those 66 students, 17 were senior boys and 21 were senior girls, totaling 38 absences from just one grade. In contrast, only six students from the tenth grade missed school that day.

There have been 152 absences on Fridays this year from the twelfth grade alone. That’s 40 more Friday absences than the grade with the next highest total. So why exactly has the senior grade collected so many nonattendances on the last day of the week?

According to senior Raquel Erdos, the reason twelfth graders share the “optional Friday” mentality is due to sheer lack of motivation on the students’ part. “I guess senioritis got to all of us,” she said.

Another senior, Stephanie Dweck, said she used to be lax about Friday attendance because AP classes do not tend to meet on Fridays. “But now we have history tests on Fridays,” she said.

Consequently, Dweck now attends school on Fridays with regularity.

“This is an old phenomenon which is the new phenomenon,” Assistant Principal Rabbi Joseph Beyda, the senior grade adviser, said. According to Rabbi Beyda, attendance on Fridays has actually improved over the past few years, but Friday absenteeism is nonetheless a problem at Flatbush. “People are inviting stricter policies that will be applied this year,” he warned.

Multiple studies have shown a correlation between improved attendance and improved performance in school.

With no shortage of opportunities for learning and fun available at the Yeshivah, there are many reasons to be at school every day of the week.

After their haircuts, donors pose with their hairdressers and donated ponytails

Prinicpal Search... continued from front page shivah’s needs and dynamic. During the tour, Heller and the visitor speak to individuals and groups including students, faculty, and parents. Hearing what each hopes for in a new leader is a key component for the search.

All this also helps in an effort to advertise the school and entice qualified individuals to apply for the job. During one of the meetings with the teachers, Heller asked why one should leave one’s job and come work at Flatbush. One teacher’s reply was simply because we are a family,

and the other attendees agreed. As for the student meetings, the students similarly agreed that Flatbush is indeed very tightknit, and further expressed how thrilled they are that their voices are being heard.

YU also reaches out to their broad range of educators to seek out potential candidates. Heller added that “great candidates can come from anywhere, and we always encourage the school to look internally for candidates who might be a good fit for the job also.”

The school ultimately will conduct a series of interviews to winnow the can-

didates further. The finalists will be made public and will have a chance to interact with students and teachers and principals.

The community will have the opportunity to share their feedback with the search committee through a “structured process.”

Finally the search committee will select the fittest candidate.

Heller explained that the hope is to announce the new principal early next semester, at which point he or she will enter the “transitioning process” which includes visits to the school and further interaction with students and faculty

members to not only get to know one another but begin to imagine the next steps for the school.

However, this is still a long way off.

Heller said that she is still currently receiving more applicants’ résumés by the day.

Though the school is months away from selecting its new principal, many teachers and students expressed concern about Rabbi’s Levy’s impending departure and hope that Heller and the search committee will find a new principal who is worthy of following in Rabbi Levy’s impressive footsteps.

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Entertainment Movie Review: Suffragette If you were to cast a film about the late-19th-century feminist movement in England, your wish list might include renowned actresses like Meryl Streep, Helena Bonham Carter, and Carey Mulligan.

Yet despite its impressive cast, Suffragette has faced criticism for both its content and its marketing.

The title of the film refers to what members of the Woman’s Social and Political Union (WSPU), founded by Emmeline Pankhurst in 1903, called themselves, distinguishing themselves from other women who fought for equality at the time. Suffragette, which focuses on

the militant acts of suffragettes under Pankhurst’s leadership and the dangers they faced, opened in limited release in the United States at the end of October.

The film, directed by Sarah Gavron, is set in a time when a husband could legally beat his wife and women were prohibited by law to own anything. The film follows the narrative of Maud Watts (Mulligan), a laundress who becomes involved with the militant suffragette movement. In the movie, Watts, who has a husband and a son, is uninvolved when we meet her but is eventually arrested for giving testimony to Parliament in favor of women’s suffrage.

The movie showcases the unrestrained violence with which the police historically responded to suffragettes who were protesting peacefully. Suffragettes in 1910 were even subject to sexual assault at the hands of officers and handed over to their husbands “to deal with,” leading to domestic abuse.

Once Watts is jailed we see suffragettes using hunger strikes, adopted by the WSPU as protocol for all future imprisoned members, as a weapons against the

Ask Merle

Merle, Why do freshies walk so slowly in the halls?

ImpAtient Sen1or

By Esther Levy Contributing Writer

By Merle Dweck Fun And Games Editor

Merle, How come Staircase C doesn’t go down to the basement? I hear it leads to the basement. Is this true?

C Is For Confused Confused, When Joey Baum heard this question, he said, “3 leads to the basement, not C.” Although I don’t quite understand that statement, I don’t feel the need to elaborate. We all know the real use of staircase C and where it leads.

Always, Merle Merle, How come I can’t get more than 5 hours of sleep as a Flatbush student?

Walking Zombie Zombie, Dr. Bailey gives advice to Dereck about how to give advice. I’m gonna try it out and see if it works: life is a roller coaster.

(Sorry, only Grey’s Anatomy fans can understand this: metaphors solve everything by doing nothing.)

Always, Merle Merle, What are the best type of shoes for climbing the steep stairs of Flatbush?

Barefoot Barefoot, Depends. What kind of shoes do you wear to climb Masada?

Always, Merle

law. Hunger strikes not only helped the movement gain publicity and humiliated the government, but also allowed sickly prisoners to be released early. However, as shown in the movie, by September 1909, the government directed hunger-striking prisoners to be force fed, which was often done by a doctor forcing nonsterile rubber tubes down the throats of such prisoners.

The movie also displays perhaps the most radical action taken by a WSPU member. On Derby Day at the famous Epson racetrack in 1913, Emily Wildings Davison ran onto the track to wave a “Votes for Women” banner but was promptly trampled by King George’s horse and died four days later from her injuries.

Many historians believe that Davison ran onto the track not realizing that there was still one horse left, but the movie portrays Davison’s actions as intentional, depicting her jump in front of the horse as a form of protest that made her the first women to actively die for the cause.

It is almost ironic that the WSPU, a group based on the premise of gaining attention, has been largely forgotten in

the century since its most prominent efforts. Despite various negative reviews surrounding the film itself and some of its marketing, overall it does a great job at educating viewers about the rich and disturbing history of the women’s suffrage movement.

Senior, Sorry to use a cliché but it’s not them, it’s you. They are simply mice trying to find their cheese in a maze of rats. They don’t know where to go or how to get there. You can’t blame them; they’re so small and lost that seniors tend to bump them, building up their anxiety and making them go even slower. Don’t pet a sleeping lion: if you want entertainment, watch TV. Always, Merle Merle!

Who are the new security guards?

Insecure Insecure, This has been a mystery file sitting on my desk for quite some time. I did the math, calculated the science, read the notes and have come to only one conclusion. They are, quite literally, men in black. They are secret FBI agents hired specifically to protect you and your best interests. They are on a covert operation that revolves around the school and you are simply their cover story. Don’t believe me? It’s a simple equation. Earpieces + black suits + them shady black glasses + deep voice + evasive = Tommy Lee Jones. Look it up.

Always, Merle

Music Review: ‫יותר‬

By Esty Fromer Music Editor

Natan Goshen’s album ‫דברי איתי‬ ‫ יותר‬is soulfully composed. The album exudes a vibe of calm acoustic nights, setting a mood of serenity. The first

‫דברי איתי‬

single featured on the album is the title track, ‫ ;דברי איתי יותר‬it gives the feeling of hanging out in the summer air and watching the clouds. Goshen’s music has a different vibe from usual Israeli artists and that’s what all the hype is about: being different. #SeniorFrustration, Why are we all so concerned about freshies? They are fresh. New. Neuvo. Novyy.

Jadid. Neuf. Nuovo. ‫חדש‬. You’re a senior.

Go home.

Always, Merle

Merle, At what point in the school year can I start playing games on my iPad during class?

Candy Crusher

detected. Needless to say, one should never play games on an iPad. It’s kids like you who encourage teachers to “track” their students. Teacher tracking is a form of learning where the students have to keep constant eye contact with their teachers to hold their attention. Dr. Saad-Lessler can tell you all about it. For the sake of studentkind, stay off your iPad, learn, and be the student I know you can be.

Always, Merle

Candy, Never. If you even have to ask, your skills aren’t developed enough to stealthily swipe across the screen to play a game un-

Dear Merle, Why don’t freshies have a single clue where their classes are? #SeniorFrustration

#LoungeObsessed, They didn’t. They built doors.

Always, Merle

Dear Merle, Why did they build a wall in front of the lounge? #LoungeObsessed

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Standard of Fabulous Sneakers Rule America

By Sammy Vaysman Contributing Writer

Sneakers are a big part of your outfit in the 21st century, so wouldn’t you want to have really cool ones? I have a very large sneaker collection, and I enjoy collecting the many different types of sneakers.

Sneaker collecting started becoming a common hobby in 1985, when Michael Jordan’s sneakers became extremely popular. The Jordan brand is the main cause for the sneaker frenzy in stores and online, though they don’t come cheap. Jordans range from $170 to $250, and they’re so limited that you are only allowed to purchase one pair at a time.

Jordans are not the type of shoe that you can walk into the store, try them on, and walk out with. People line up outside the store for several hours just for a pair of Jordans. Some people even camp out overnight depending how limited the shoes are. Many companies, such as Flight Club and Sole Supremacy, buy limited edition sneakers and resell them for $100 or even $4,000 more than the retail price.

I’m sure you all know Kanye West as a famous singer/rapper, but did you know he has his own shoe design? Nike signed a shoe deal with Kanye in 2011 and called the shoes the Nike Air Yeezy.

When these shoes were released to the public, everyone who wanted them

knew that they would have to put up a really good fight to snag a pair. They are $245 shoes that were limited to around 1,000 pairs per size. They sold out in seconds. After these sneakers sold out, they were selling online for $5,000. Since Kanye’s first shoes, he has made several other pairs that have also increased tremendously in price.

In the movie Back to The Future II, the main character, Marty McFly, traveled 30 years into the future (to 2015) and wore futuristic self-tying Nike sneakers.

Those Nikes have actually been released recently, but not to the public. Nike had an auction on eBay starting at $10 a pair per size, and each pair was ultimately bought for between $10,000 and $30,000, which just goes to how popular these sneakers really are. Nike is now deciding whether they should actually put these shoes on shelves for the public to buy at a more reasonable price.

The reason I started collecting sneakers, and the reason I think everyone should collect them, is because clothes are not the only way to express yourself.

Sneakers come in many different shapes, colors, and styles. Not only does it make your outfit ten times better, but also the shoes can also take you back in history, like with Jordan’s basketball shoes. If you like music, Kanye West’s Yeezys are a perfect way to go. The can remind you of his successful career while looking fantastic. Instead of going to the past with Jordan or the present with Kanye, you can go into the future with the sneakers from Back to The Future. Whether you want a solid black shoe, or a shoe as colorful as the rainbow, there is no doubt you will find it in the incredible array of sneakers that exist. So go out there and show off your kicks!

Fabulous Improved Costumes for Freshie: Perry Sanders, Hebrew Play

By Jessica Vaysman 1-HR Perry Sanders walks through the halls of Flatbush confident and comfortable in his own unique style. His personal style is a mix of intricate and colorful clothing but at the same time staying true to himself.

Perry’s wardrobe consists of all colors from black to gold, all of which match his colorful personality. He can often be seen wearing a tie, but his favorite pieces of clothing are striped/plaid button down shirts layered on top on a simple white t-shirt.

Perry’s favorite designers are Ralph Lauren, Paul Smith, Crewcuts, and Tea and he loves to shop in stores that sell their products.

Keep an eye out for this month’s fabulous freshie!

Fashion through the Ages

Louis Vuítton burns all their old bags so their new line can be completely exclusive.

On Mondays We Wear Pink, Sam Says

By Sam Tuesdays We Wear Jerseys Anonymous Student

By Katie Fishel Contributing Writer

On October 19, the Yeshivah held its annual Pink Day for breast cancer awareness. However, according to Snapchat, the Flatbush family wasn’t the only group celebrating that week. Turns out there were a few national Pink Days all around the country. Even though the day was called for on short notice, a large number of faculty and students participated by wearing pink. From skirts to ties and from phone cases to notebooks, pink could be spotted all over the school. This was a great booster for breast cancer awareness.

Outfits changed from pink to orange and blue on October 27, when the school held “Mets Day” to honor the Mets becoming champions of the National League.

Many of the team’s YOF supporters donned fan gear to show their support for the Mets’ World Series appearance. Although some students rebelled by wearing Yankees attire, this didn’t stop the Mets’ rising popularity. In fact, on Senior Seminar a screen was set up so that students could watch Game 4 of the Series.

Whether students were raising awareness or celebrating the Mets’ success, it was great to see the fantastic enthusiasm from the Flatbush family.

Hello everyone, Sam Says here, giving you your monthly men’s fashion advice.

I wanted to talk to you guys about accessorizing this month. Now, I know that may sound a little girly to some people, but all men accessorize even if they don’t realize it. For example, you can accessorize with watches, jackets, shoes, belts, and even kippot. These accessories are things that we all wear every day. They can completely turn an outfit around. I want to challenge all the boys out there to pay a little bit more attention to their accessories (if you don’t already) and experiment with different things. I want you to see how the accessories you choose change an outfit and how you can use that to your advantage to achieve the look you’re going for.

As for me, this month I’ll be accessorizing with my new brightly colored sneakers. If you think you’ve figured out who I am, email thisissamsays@gmail.com

Contributing Writer

This year’s Hebrew play, The Lion King, will be performed on December 8 and 9. Previously most costumes for the play were purchased, and whatever wasn’t affordable was put together from things found in the actors’ closets. However, the costumes this year will be better and more extravagant than ever before. Mrs. Rachel Hasson, with the help of her daughter Aida Hasson, a sophomore (and SOF Editor) who is playing Nala in this year’s play, are designing and hand crafting each costume.

Why did the costumes change this year? Director Mrs. Sally Shatzkes said “The Lion King is a musical known for its costumes. I knew we had to do something super special, if we were going to do this show right.” According to Mrs. Shatzkes, this year’s costumes are going to be “Broadway-quality pieces.”

Mrs. Hasson explained that she wanted to try and mimic the phenomenal puppetry and abstract images used in the original Broadway show to keep the integrity of the show, rather than dressing the cast in childish animal costumes. She says that she loves working with different textures and natural looking materials. Mrs. Hasson said “one of the most fun parts was challenging myself to think out of the box, and see what strange materials I could use to recreate those natural looks.” She said that she is taking risks with her own style in her costumes as well, and that is what she knew she needed to do to make these costumes.

Mrs. Hasson has never done such a big project before. She said that she tries to recreate some Pinterest “pins” and create fun and original ideas along the way. The Hassons are working hand in hand on sewing, designing and creating these wonderful creations that we all can’t wait to see! “It is amazing to see the actors come alive when they put on their costumes and you can see their excitement and watch them get further into character by simply dressing the part!” Mrs. Hasson concluded.

I am extremely excited to see the wonderful show and costumes this year! The costumes will surely take this year’s show to new heights and I would not be surprised if it will exceed most of our expectations. A big thank you to the Hassons for creating new and wonderful costumes for the production this year, and to the talented director Mrs. Sally Shatzkes who creates these wonderful plays for our pleasure. All their time and dedication will surely pay off when we all see the incredible production of The Lion King!

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Sports Boys Basketball Makes Buckets and Memories in Memphis

Sportsman Spotlight: Allan Bailey

By Zachary Fernandez Contributing Writer

Even though Falcons Varsity Hockey had a rough season last year and didn’t make the playoffs, defenseman Allan Bailey expects a championship for this year’s team. “This year we have an exceptionally talented team consisting of great offense, defense, and teamwork,” he said. And that answer alone displays the type of player that Allan Bailey is: a team player, a man who always places his team above all.

Bailey began playing hockey at a young age, excelling on the ice and at the roller rink. “First of all, I love professional hockey and the New York Rangers. I admire [Rangers center] Kevin Hayes,” he said. That’s where it all began for him: by watching the Rangers and slowly translating what he saw into his own performance on the ice.

Bailey’s love of hockey goes much deeper than the Flatbush Falcons. “I love

By Joe Terzi Contributing Writer

the sport itself. I enjoy practicing my skills every time I touch the puck with my stick. It’s a team sport and learning to play like one is extremely important.”

Bailey began in his freshman year on the Junior Varsity squad and hasn’t slowed since, increasing his playing time for the Falcons each year as more of his skills began translating to the rink. Allan has become a steady option for the defense and now hopes he can be an instrumental part of a team that he thinks “can take it all home.”

Road games for the Boys’ Varsity Basketball Team usually mean an hourlong bus ride to a yeshiva in Queens or Long Island. But the team spent several days in early November a little further away—in Memphis, Tennessee, to be exact—participating in the Cooper Invitational Varsity Basketball Tournament.

Memphis is known as the home of Graceland and country music rath-

er than a hotbed of Jewish life, but the tournament, hosted by Cooper Yeshiva High School for Boys, attracted 16 teams from yeshivot from around the country and even Canada. New York was well represented with four teams, including the eventual tournament champion DRS Wildcats, but participating schools came from as far away as Los Angeles and Toronto. Flatbush was seeded seventh.

Every member of the Falcons agreed that the trip was loads of fun, and not just because of the games. “During the tournament the team was very serious” senior Joe Gindi said, “but off the court, the nights in the hotel rooms were hilarious—never a dull moment.”

Coach Gus reportedly put on a show for the team late at night, proving to them that he is the number one dancer.

Ultimately the Falcons finished the tournament in the top half, but just barely: 8th place. Some say the team’s biggest loss happened Sunday morning, when some seniors slept in and missed minyan, resulting in one-game suspensions.

Nonetheless, the Falcons came back with smiles on their faces and lots of fun memories of a great trip.

Above: New benches add a professional feel Left: Falcons shake hands with opponents after a recent home-court victory Below: Face-off at center court

Hockey Off to Fast Start in New Gym

By Victor Allaham Contributing Writer

After plenty of years having the basketball team, hockey team, soccer team, and volleyball team share the same gym, Flatbush recently unveiled a brand new state of the art gym for our many teams to

thrive. However, the new gym was built with one main purpose in mind: hockey.

The Varsity Hockey team has taken advantage of that by starting off the season with five straight victories, three of them at home.

The Flatbush Falcons played their home opener against their archrivals, the Magen David Warriors. The game opened with a resounding rendition of the national anthem by senior Moey Levy, and the team led early, thanks to goals from Sam Beyda, Abe Goldman and team captain Sam Laniado. Flatbush routed Magen by a score of 7-2, but most astonishing was the fact that they played in front of approximately 100 fans. Ac-

cording to Beyda, the huge boost in attendance “made a great difference for the team. Seeing our fans out there and supporting us really gave us a great edge and led us to victory.”

Laniado said the built-in curved edges in the new hockey gym give Flatbush a much bigger home-court advantage.

Laniado also said he’s a fan of the newly added glassed-in benches: “It makes us feel more professional.”

Although the new gym is a bit smaller than the other one, the players seem to use that to their advantage. According to Falcon Joseph Habert, the decrease in size of the gym makes for a faster-paced game. He added that the atmosphere

is great, thanks in part to increased attendance but also due to the speakers and scoreboard that were made to make games seem like the real deal.

Even the visiting players are impressed. Max Shemtob, who attended YDE and played for their hockey team last year, said, “This gym is much better than the YDE gym. This gym was made for hockey!”

While the indoor soccer team still hasn’t had its first game in the new gym yet, team captain Joey Aini hopes to enjoy the same home-field advantage as the hockey team. “It’ll be very beneficial to our success and I’m looking forward to it,” he said. Aini said the new curved walls are not seen at most other schools, and should thus give Flatbush an edge.

If the hockey team’s early-season record is any indication, the new gym has brought new life to Flatbush athletics.

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