Graphic by Ariella Mayer ('23)

Any company or organization which takes itself seriously will have a mission statement. Who are we? What do we stand for? What are we aiming towards? This we learn in Business Class 101. Personal development gurus even recommend crafting a personal mission statement. Sounds like good practice…and common sense. What is the Mission Statement of the Jewish People? Tucked away, right before the momentous Ma’amad Har Sinai, we find the answer. 

 וְעַתָּה אִם שָׁמוֹעַ תִּשְׁמְעוּ בְּקֹלִי וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת בְּרִיתִי וִהְיִיתֶם לִי סְגֻלָּה מִכָּל הָעַמִּים…וְאַתֶּם תִּהְיוּ לִי מַמְלֶכֶת כֹּהֲנִים וְגוֹי קָדוֹשׁ

“And now, if you listen to My Voice and guard My covenant, then you will be a special nation to Me from all the nations…and you should be for Me a Kingdom of Kohanim and a Holy Nation” (Shmot 19:5-6).

With these few phrases, Hashem sums up pretty much the entire purpose of Ma’amad Har Sinai and the Torah. The purpose of all of this is to become a Kingdom of Kohanim. The Sforno elaborates, explaining that we are given the Torah so that we will live to a higher standard and through that demonstrate to the world what human beings can become. Rav Hirsch, in his 19 Letters, makes a big deal of this. This is the raison d'etre, the reason for the existence, of a Jewish People. It’s an interesting question: why does Hashem want a Chosen People? What's the purpose? The answer is simple yet profound. We are called to be a Chosen Nation, to live by higher standards, so that we become role models for those around us. 

What a convenient d’var Torah for this past week in school! The boys just enjoyed an uplifting Shabbaton focused on the theme of “role models.” The annual YUNMUN convention took place this week, and thoughts of Israel as a Light Unto the Nations come to mind. But even without these cute and convenient connections, the idea and charge remains powerful. The Jewish People are charged to become role models for the world.  

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Kimche

Shabbos is for the Boyz

School-Wide Boys' Shabbaton was a Huge Success This Year!

Graphic by Ezra Dimont ('25)



This weekend was the annual KYHS Boys Shabbaton in Orlando, an epic event which everyone looks forward to! The Shabbaton included boys from every grade in the school and provided many opportunities for bonding and achdut. During the weekend the boys went bowling, davened, learned b’chavrusa, enjoyed delicious Shabbos food and fun, and, of course, went to Universal to enjoy the park with friends.

The annual Shabbaton is an excellent way for people to get to know each other better if they haven’t already done so this year, which is especially important for freshmen like Ronen Ben-Aharon (‘26), who said that spending time with his friends during Shabbat was the highlight of his Shabbaton. Senior Ayden Frank (‘23) even said, “I got to know so many people who I have known for so long so much better, even though I’m a senior.”

The Shabbaton is also a great opportunity for getting closer to Hashem through tefillah. Students were so passionate about this that there was even a Sephardic minyan formed by students with the help of Rabbi Sugerman. The davening during the Shabbaton, with the whole school coming together, was truly amazing to see.

And of course, students were able to cap off this amazing weekend with a day trip to Universal on Sunday. The rides and roller coasters, and the overall vibe of walking through Universal with your friends, made it many people’s highlight of the trip. Overall, the Shabbaton was a fun and meaningful experience for everyone involved, and we are all eagerly awaiting next year’s Shabbaton!

Article by Yonah Greenberg ('25)

Nothing But Net!

KYHS Welcomes Other Schools to Compete in a Terrific Tournament for JV Basketball Teams

Graphic by Josh Haik ('24)

Katz Yeshiva High School of Boca Raton was proud to host the Annual Boys JV Basketball Invitational Tournament. The tournament began on Sunday, February 5th, and continued through Tuesday, February 7th. The KYHS JV Boys Basketball team were coming off an incredible undefeated regular season. At the tournament they participated in five games and were victorious in two matches.

Seven other teams from schools all over the country traveled to Boca Raton to compete, including: North Shore, Frisch, Shalhevet, Yavneh, Hafter, Ramaz, and SAR. “The tournament was a very positive experience with a lot of competitive basketball and great sportsmanship,” said Elan Harris (‘25), starting point guard for the KYHS team.

Throughout the school day on Tuesday, students went in and out of the gym to cheer on and root for their classmates and friends who were playing in the basketball games. This was not only encouraging for the team itself, but also for our school as a whole as we supported our players in their efforts. “My friends and I had a great time watching the JV boys basketball games, and being able to support the players with my friends was exciting and fun so I’m very glad we had that opportunity,” said Abby Tache (‘25).

The entire school community expressed that they were extremely excited to get the chance to watch their friends play in these competitive yet friendly games. Many students were able to reunite with camp friends and peers from summer programs who live in other states, making it a truly unique experience as worlds collided. In the end, SAR won the tournament, but the KYHS JV boys gave it their all and played exceptionally well. They closed their season with tremendous pride and are looking forward to competing again next year. Go Storm!

Article by Amira Kahn ('25)

KYHS Takes on the World

Students Travel to Connecticut to Participate in Yeshiva University's Annual Model UN

Graphic by Aaron Newman ('24)

As a participant in YUNMUN XXXIII, it is safe to say that the experience was amazing. This year’s Yeshiva University’s National Model United Nations conference was unlike any other. With weeks of preparation, students had the opportunity to meet delegates from around the country, along with some international students from Brazil, Canada, and Israel!

Having been at the conference, it is incredibly tiring, but I can also tell you how great of an opportunity it was to meet new people with similar interests. Each committee consisted of one member from each school, meaning that students had to cooperate with other students in order to be successful.

In Model UN, students must resolve issues involving their committees and countries. This year, KYHS represented Cuba and Vietnam. Each student was placed on a different committee representing one of the two countries. I, for instance, was a member of UNICEF as a representative of Cuba, and I had to resolve significant international problems like child labor and the struggles of post-pandemic education. By collaborating with other countries, delegates were able to devise plausible solutions to these important topics. 

However, not all of the conference is intense and tedious work. In fact, much of the conference involves just as much shtick as it does work. Committee chairs incorporate crises involving fun activities like color wars, races, and/or a tisch. Students also have the ability to motion, which in Model UN terms means to request, for fun activities. In my committee, the United Kingdom representative brought us all tea and we had a tea party. 

At the very end of the conference, there are awards bestowed upon the best delegates and people worthy of honorable mentions. KYHS Senior Zachy Gross (‘23) received an honorable mention as the delegate for Cuba. After hours of arguing, singing, dancing, and eating cookies, it is fair to say that YUNMUN XXXIII was a fun and unique way to meet many different people and debate worldwide problems. Good job to the entire team for their hard work and success and thank you to the chaperones and teachers who made this possible!

Article by Riley Spitz ('25)

TU B'SHVAT CROSSWORD!

Crossword by Zohara Lam ('23)

Across:

2. "loose-_____-paper"

6. the type of punch that doesn't hurt

7. color and a fruit

8. nurture's arch-enemy

11. famous hoodie brand with a beaver mascot

13. tech company and best kind of pie

14. birds and baseball players love this

15. presidential plant

Down:

1. the famous Mr.Gump

3. what a lei is made of

4. John and Hank

5. different sectors in a company

9. "how much ____ would a woodchuck chuck ..."

10. Dunder Mifflin sold this

12. we celebrated their birthdays this week

Click Here to Complete the Crossword and See the Answers!