COMMUNITY
Vol. 1, Issue 1, Quarter 1 - January 2017 - Tevet 5777
Vol. 1, Issue 1, Quarter 2
January 2017
Tevet 5777
The end of one era. The beginning of another. Rabbi Abraham Lieberman announces his departure
Rabbi Joshua Spodek set to assume YULA Girls leadership
Rabbi Abraham Lieberman, the YULA Girls’ widely beloved Head of School since 2008, announced on Nov. 2 in a school wide email that he will be stepping down at the end of the 2016-17 school year. Replacing him next year will be Rabbi Joshua Spodek, the principal of Scheck Hillel Community School in Boca Raton, Florida. In his nine years at YULA, students and teachers could find Rabbi Lieberman in his office, or strolling around the high school, almost always with a smile on his face. Students would often approach him for academic help or for personal advice. “He always has a positive attitude and gives off a warm and safe feeling, like you can tell him anything. He is just someone you can approach who will accept you for who you are no matter what,” said Liana Seidenfeld (‘18). Before becoming an educator, Rabbi Lieberman had a different path in mind. As a high school student
As Rabbi Abraham Lieberman winds down his celebrated tenure as the head of YULA Girls High School, Rabbi Joshua Spodek is preparing to assume leadership beginning in the 2017-18 school year. Spodek, the current principal at Scheck Hillel Community School in Boca Raton, Florida, will officially make the move west in June with his wife, Tova and their four children. A Toronto native and also a U.S. and Israeli citizen, before joining Scheck seven years ago, Spodek was at Yeshiva High School of Boca Raton, and, prior to that studied and lived at Yeshivat Shaalavim for eight years, four of them in kollel. Rabbi Spodek sat down with The Panther Post for an interview to discuss his background, his new role, and his hopes for the YULA Girls School in the years ahead. Below is a lightly edited transcript. Panther Post: Tell us a little about yourself. Where are you and your wife
Hannah Gootin, Contributing Writer
Meital Gershov, Contributing Writer
(cont’d on pg. 17)
(cont’d on pg. 17)
What’s Inside: Torah
After years of delays, YULA’s massive construction project takes off Benjamin Tarko, Staff Writer
Q&A with prof. Avi Helfand (pg. 6) Feature
Ben Shapiro (pg. 9) Community
Boys’ new Masmidim class (pg. 3) Sports
Boys varsity basketball (pg. 12)
After millions of dollars pledged, years of One reason for the long wait before the start planning and a series of unexpected delays, YULA of construction was the difficult process of obtaining Boys High School began its $15 million expansion construction permits from the city, a particularly difproject on Nov. 17 with the destruction of the parking ficult task in a residential area. YULA made several lot and basketball court. concessions with the neighboring residents in order YULA has to secure the necgone through essary permits, twenty graduating most notably the classes and three addition in 2015 heads of school of the cul-de-sac since the project’s on S. Castello Ave. inception in 1996. to prevent through “There’s always traffic on the resibeen a plan for a dential street. second phase of The project, construction,” said which is being Head of School managed by Ed Rabbi Dov EmerGrush General son, referring to Contracting, Inc. the building’s first is expected to take phase of construc15 to 18 months to tion in the early complete. Of the 2000s. “Together $15 million price Gym Construction (Source: Gavriel Gershov) with some very tag, $9 million has dedicated membeen raised so far. bers of the community, we’ve worked very hard in The construction project will also add two the last couple years to make that vision a reality.” STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) By the time it’s completed, YULA will have a labs complete with new technology, including the Ocnew state of the art gym that will double as an assem- ulus Rift virtual reality headset and a number of 3D bly hall, an underground parking garage and a library, printers. Additionally, the renovation will allow for an providing new resources for students, teachers and outdoor courtyard that will provide a place for stusports teams. dents to eat, relax, and get some fresh air and sunlight.
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(cont’d on pg. 17)