This month, the senior grade embarked on a two day overnight to Stratton Vermont for their annual Senior Ski Trip. Led by Mrs. Wielgus and other faculty members, the seniors enjoyed two fun filled days of skiing and snowboarding. On the first day the students quickly began skiing enjoying 6 inches of fresh powder on a beautiful sunny day. Many students also participated in ski lessons learning technique and tricks. The senior grade had a record number of beginners this year. The seniors also enjoyed a medley of kosher food spanning from waffles for lunch to deli for dinner. The students were exhausted after a long day of skiing and immediately went to sleep at the Stratton Black Bear Lodge.
The second day was much like the first with more sun, skiing and snowboarding. After two long days, the students and chaperones left the mountain satisfied and tired. The seniors were glad to share an intimate experience with their grade and their teachers and are grateful for Senior Council 2015 and everyone else who helped organize the trip. ~Ness Azizo
On Tuesday night, there was a joint Girls' Torah Learning-Spiritual Growth Commission-Tzedakah Commission event. Students started with pizza and a shiur led by alumna Jeanette Eliezer, who spoke about Meggilat Esther and Esther's ability to thrive despite her negative surroundings.
Next, they packaged mishloach manot for the needy. Senior, David Idy and the Tzedakah Commission organized the packages and their assembly. Over thirty girls came to this event and enjoyed learning Torah and doing Chesed all while having a great time. Special thanks to Jackie Fried, Rosie Ovadia, Rebecca Zami, David Idy, Senora Ovadia, the entire Tzedakah Commission, and Mrs. Hanau for making the program such a success!
In honor of Rosh Chodesh Adar, the Seniors dressed up for the annual Senior Masquerade! During our morning Rikkudim program, the Seniors jumped in and danced in their fun and creative Purim costumes, raising the excitement and unity of the program. After, the Seniors took turns displaying their costumes to each other, and the faculty "judges" designated several awards, such as best group costume, most original costume, and teacher look-alike. The creativity presented was great, and the Seniors, as well as the rest of the school, had a great time dancing in the spirit of Adar and being entertained by their peers awesome and humorous costumes!
On two separate occasions we had the privilege of hosting Rabbi Mechanic, who spoke to the Junior boys and girls. Rabbi Mechanic is a respected and successful lecturer who has dedicated his life to bringing Jews back to their Jewish roots. Rabbi Mechanic spoke about truth in Judaism and believing in the authenticity of the Torah. Rabbi Mechanic's humorous delivery combined with convincing arguments made the program very enjoyable and inspirational.
On Sunday February 8, 2015, eleven students left for the Yeshivah University National Model United Nations competition. The opening ceremonies set the stage for the upcoming two days filled with fun, debate, and resolutions. The Secretary General, Aaron Portman, stressed the importance of voice and using words to influence change. In such a diverse world, it is important for people with different opinions and beliefs to learn the art of working together. As the eleven of us were split up into our various committee rooms, ranging from the committees of the World Food Program to the Security Council, representing either Jordan or Iraq, we were reminded that as the next generation of leaders in our communities and the country, it is incumbent upon us to use our power of speech in combination with our actions to create a better future for the Jewish people.
Congratulations to Robert Harary for winning Best Delegate and Rashelle Gersh for winning Honorable Mention. A special thank you to Mr. Lazar, our faculty advisor, for spending so much time preparing us for the competition. ~Rashelle Gersh, Class of 2015
This past Wednesday, the Yeshivah of Flatbush Chamber Choir participated in the sixth annual Nashir Choral Festival hosted by SAR High School. Other yeshiva high schools represented were Golda Och Academy, Abraham Joshua Heschel High School , North Shore High School, and SAR High School. At this unique event, students are encouraged to meet new people, learn new singing techniques, enjoy different genres of music, and above all have fun. Although the day was icy and cold the YOF chamber choir, lead by their esteemed director Mr. Brian Gelfand, set out with high hopes and some nerves. The choir had been preparing for the performance for months as it is the only time to show other schools how good you are. When we first entered the school all of the students were given folders and name tags and gathered into the auditorium where they learned an original song by Nick Page, a professional musician. Students where then split up into groups and participated in three of four different sessions. One of the post popular was perhaps the Gospel Session. Students learned classic gospel songs and learned of its roots and meaning. Other sessions includes drumming, beat boxing 101, and a session led by Nick Page. As the day came to a close students were able to showcase their talents in a school wide concert. There were unforgettable performances from Heschel’s “Stop” and North Shore's “Jewsical” but our very own YOF Chamber Choir preformed “Uri Tzion” and “Bridge Over Troubles Water.” To end the show all the choirs rose and sang together. On behalf of YOF we’d like to thank SAR for the outstanding experience and hope to be there next year as well. ~Merle Cohen
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