January 8, 2016
27 Tevet 5776  



  

 
     Parshat Va'eira
Candle Lighting at 5:26 PM
 
Becoming Avot
 

Our parsha begins by describing how God appeared (וארא) to our forefathers, "And I appeared to Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov" (Shmot 6:3). Rashi offers a two-word cryptic comment on the word וארא--"appeared". Rashi says: ״אל האבות״. God appeared to the Avot, our forefathers. This comment appears to be superfluous; why does Rashi feel it is significant?  

The Chatam Sofer offers a beautiful homiletic interpretation. The word "avot" can be interpreted not as referring to "forefathers" as it would most normally be translated, but in a more novel way. The word אבה elsewhere in Tanach means "to want." The Chatam Sofer suggests that Rashi is not simply stating the obvious, that God appeared to the Avot -- our forefathers. Instead he is telling us that God appears to the "avot" -- those who want God to appear to them, those who seek God, those who long for transcendence. It is our job as a school to help our students be "avot," to be seekers, to search, to long for deeper meaning and a connection to Hashem. Through meaningful Torah learning, honest conversation, deep connections with teachers, and a sense of the joy that is Judaism, our students are being guided down that path.

Thank you to the entire Highlites staff for putting together another stellar edition.

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Jonathan Kroll
Head of School
Good and Welfare
Births

Rachey ( Berkowitz '09) and Rabbi Ari Mirzoeff on the birth of a girl
 
Two
Well, Hello Dolly!
 Girls' Musical Hits All the Right Notes

Graphic by Akiva Stadlan ('19) and Alec Gelman ('17)
Article by Ella Herman ('16)

After months of hard work, the cast of Yeshiva High School's "Hello Dolly" performed a wonderful show this past Wednesday night. The fun music, dances, and witty dialogue made this year's play an enjoyable experience for both the audience and the actors. The cast had the best time performing every scene and song and put on an amazing show.

Being involved in the play is no simple thing. Although we do have fun, commitment and practice is key to putting on a successful show. This year the cast of "Hello Dolly" worked hard, meeting in school on Tuesdays and Thursdays, giving up personal time on Sundays, and taking any and every opportunity to practice. The most integral part of any show, however, is the director. Mrs. Jill Lustig, our incredibly talented and devoted director, worked incredibly hard to orchestrate our show and made the process an enjoyable experience. Her charisma, energy and fun personality allowed her to be our fearless leader as well as our friend.

The three days spent in the theater were hectic, but the intensity of every practice paid off the night of the performance. Once we got past our pre-show nerves, the musical was a blast for both the actors and the audience. The thrill and excitement of "Hello Dolly", the costumes and choreography, all enhanced and contributed to the major success of the performance. I'm sure the cast as a whole would agree that Wednesday night's show was an incredibly rewarding and fun experience!
Two
Storm Heating Up   
Boys and Girls Varsity Score Victories
at American Airlines Arena 

Graphic by Ariel Schneider ('17)
Article by Shanee Markovitz ('16)
This Monday YHS students had the incredible opportunity to cheer on our boys and girls varsity basketball teams as they played Berean Christian at American Airlines Arena, home of the Miami Heat.
Both games were hard-fought back-and-forth battles that ended with Storm victories. However, those victories were not the biggest win of the day. Having the whole school together -- students and faculty -- watching the game was an amazing bonding experience. It was a rare but special chance to join together during school hours and cheer for our teams, hang out in a casual setting, and get to talk and interact with people that we don't always get to spend time with every day.

Shared experiences like these enhance our school spirit and camaraderie, and we all look forward to having more opportunities like these in the future. 
Two  
Sage Advice 
Alumni Panel Discussion Gives Seniors Insight into the College Experience 

Graphic by Ariella Mamann ('16) and Meir Lazar ('18)
Article by Highlites Staff
   
On Thursday, December 24, nine recent YHS graduates came back to school to share their wit and wisdom about college with seniors. The panel included:  Eric Ditchek (Johns Hopkins University), Seth Fisher (University of Florida), Sarah Katz (Barnard College), Isaac Kurtz (Brandeis University), Rachel Pachter (Binghampton University), Sophie Rose (University of Pennsylvania), Avi Schnedier (University of Maryland), Sarah Struhl (Yeshiva University/Stern College for Women) and Jessica Wolff (University of Central Florida).   

Advice from Alumni
  1. Visit the college before choosing to enroll
  2. Take some easy classes to balance out the rigorous ones
  3. Get used to college life before committing to outside internships
  4. Branch out, meet people, network, and join clubs
  5. College is fun - enjoy!
Two
Old School Vs. New School
Girls Varsity Takes Down Alumnae
in Spirited Basketball Game 
Graphic by Gabi Frohlich ('17) and Avi Kroll ('19)
   

The Yeshiva Highlites Staff