October 23, 2015
10th of Cheshvan 5776  



  

 
     Parshat Lech-Lecha
Candle Lighting at 6:27 PM
 
The Intimate Connection of All Jews 
 
The slapstick antics of the Three Stooges not only provided great entertainment but also sometimes great lessons. I fondly recall watching an episode in which Moe, Larry, and Curly went fishing, only to accidentally pierce a hole in their boat, which caused it begin to take in water. Frantically, they began to bail out water, while Curly went to the back of the boat and in his own style began to drill holes in the boat in order to help let the water out. Years later, when I encountered the following midrash in Vayikra Rabba, I realized that the Three Stooges may have modelled that episode after the midrash that they may have learned in their youth. The midrash states:

A group of people was travelling in a boat. One of them took a drill and began to drill a hole beneath himself. His companions said to him: "Why are you doing this?" Replied the man: "What concern is it of yours? Am I not drilling under my own place?" Said they to him: "But you will flood the boat for us all!"

The midrash's message is one of arvut , the idea that all Jews are intimately connected. When Jews anywhere in the world are celebrating then we all share in the celebration, and when Jews anywhere in the world are suffering then we are all suffering. When Jews in Israel are affected by terror, Jews in South Florida are affected too. This past Monday, four Jewish schools in South Florida united to show support for our brothers and sisters in Israel, a strong statement of arvut . As one-thousand students from all four schools joined together in tefilla and singing, we felt both the strength of our connection to the people in Israel and the strength of our community.

Thank you to the Highlites staff for putting together this abbreviated edition. The original plan was for this to be an off-week for Highlites, but with the Israel Solidarity Gathering, we just couldn't wait until next week. I also want to remind everyone to check out our new website which has plenty of updated pictures and great information about everything happening at YHS.
 
 
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Jonathan Kroll
Head of School
Upcoming Events
Mon. Oct. 26
Parent Teacher Confrences- Early Dismissal

Tues. Oct 27
Late Start at 8:45
Good and Welfare
Condolences
Esther Schwab on the loss of her father George Davidsohn

Jodi Harris on the loss of her father Bernard Rutman
Israel Assembly
Over 1,000 South Florida Jewish High School Students Come Together in Solidarity with Israel
Graphic By Simcha Stadlan ('16) 
Article by Highlites Staff (Adapted from Scheck Hillel video description) 
Teens from Boca Raton to Miami Beach joined together to demonstrate their unwavering support for Israel. On Monday, October 19, 2015, students from Yeshiva High School joined Donna Klein Jewish Academy and Rabbi Alexander S. Gross Hebrew Academy at Scheck Hillel Community School for an Israel solidarity assembly. For the first time, more than 1,000 South Florida students came together at a shared school event in solidarity for Israel.
Students from all four schools participated in leading prayers of peace and hope, including the Prayer for the State Israel, the Prayer for the Israel Defense Forces and chapters of tehilim. YHS IPAC committee heads Maya Borzak ('16) and Tani Kay ('16) led the prayer for those wounded during the recent terror attacks.
The crowd was moved by the messages of guest speakers: Deputy Consul General of Israel to Florida and Puerto Rico, Mrs. Revital Malka, Daniel Miller and Gabriel Groisman. Daniel Miller shared his story as a survivor of a suicide bomb attack on Jerusalem's Ben Yehuda Street 18 years ago. Gabriel Groisman, a board member at FIDF and AIPAC, spoke to the crowd about his 1,000 Flags Project and encouraged students to visit Israel, to get involved with Zionist groups in their communities and on college campuses, to empower themselves with information about Israel current events, and to be a light unto the nations.
In addition to gathering and praying together, YHS student council presidents Shara Saketkhou ('16) and Jacob Katz ('16) introduced an initiative to learn Torah for our brothers and sisters in Israel. Over the next two weeks, in a collective effort, students will complete the study of the entire Tanach. (See below for a link to sign up).
The assembly concluded with song and dance; a moving and emotional scene, as students proudly waved Israeli and American flags. By gathering all together we declared to the world that we, here in South Florida, stand as ONE with Jews all around the world in support of the State of Israel and peace around the world.
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Challah Bake
Students and Faculty Amongst the More Than 2,000 Women Participating in Boca's "Great Big Challah Bake"       
Graphic by Akiva Stadlan ('19)
Article by Highlites Staff

On Thursday night, YHS students and faculty joined together at B'nai Torah Congregation with more than 2,000 women in an unprecedented display of Jewish unity.  The Great Big Challah Bake Boca is Boca Raton's first annual community-wide celebration of the Shabbos Project.  Now in its third year, the Shabbos Project, is a global movement encouraging secular and religious Jews to experience one full Shabbos in accordance with Jewish law.  Students enjoyed coming together with a diverse group of Jews from across Palm Beach County for a night and experience they are sure to remember forever. 


This Week in Pictures  


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The Yeshiva Highlites Staff