Graphic by Technical Staff | | |
Upcoming Events:
Shavuot
June 1-3
Finals
June 9-13
Senior Trip to Guatemala
May 25-29
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Good & Welfare:
Births:
Sarina (Solomon ‘16) and Elie Wiesel on the birth of a baby girl, Nili Yehudit
Ariel (‘17) and Adina Schneider on the birth of a baby girl, Esther Ayelet
Engagements:
Sara Nagler (‘22) to Yaakov Hartstein from Ramat Beit Shemesh
Sarit Scher (‘20) to Shua Blajchman from Boca Raton
Marriages:
Ari Cohen (‘18) to Chana Raizel Rabhan from Savannah, GA
Jasmine (Rubin ‘19) to Eli Banayan from Brooklyn, NY
Condolences:
Nochman and Mindy ('28) Neuman on the loss of their beloved wife and mother, Idy Neuman
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The first of this week’s parshiot is Behar, which just so happens to be my bar mitzvah parsha. The theme of the parsha is shmita and yovel. Much is discussed about the shmita year and how essential it is to the greater society in letting the land rest, giving the poor people access to the fields and produce of the land, and in the level setting of forgiving debts, and each yovel, releasing slaves. While all of that is good for the people that need the most help, what benefit does it give to the land owners, the debt holders, and the wealthier people? The Torah already commands us to give tzedakah and to take care of the needy, why add an additional commandment on top of that?
I think an answer can be taken from the world of team sports. I’m a coach, sorry, but it’s a requirement. During the grind of the season, there are the superstars, the starters, the bench players, and then the players that never see the field or court. All of these people make up the team, but as the season progresses, it is always difficult for the end of the bench players to keep up with the ones getting playing time. Improvement comes through reps and action, and the more you play, the better you are going to get. The more you sit, the harder it is going to be to keep up with those playing. And the discrepancy will continue to grow.
Then comes the off season. No one is starting. No one is sitting on the bench. Playing time is made level, at zero. (Much like land ownership and debt during shmita.) All there is to do is work, practice, and get ready for the next season. The starters have no more advantage over anyone else, so if the effort is put forward, anyone can get better. This is how teams get better. When the bottom is lifted, the entire whole is lifted. The starters learn to work harder, the playing rotation gets deeper, and the team improves overall.
This is the benefit of shmita and yovel for the landowners and the wealthy. Allowing the land to rest for the year does not only allow the poorer people an opportunity to eat for free, and to have their debts forgiven, but it allows the whole of society a chance to take a step back and spend the year improving. They work on things that can’t be worked on in the hustle and bustle of everyday life, and the whole of society is improved. This is true even for those who seemed to have it all before the shmita year took it away, at least temporarily.
I hope we all can take this lesson, use the summer to step back and improve ourselves in whatever way we feel we need to, and hopefully we can all come back better next year, and the whole school and sports program can benefit as a result.
Shabbat Shalom,
Eli Baratz ('08)
Varsity Boys Basketball Coach
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Bonfired Up!
KYHS Lag Ba'Omer Bonfire
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Graphic by Netanel Asher ('28)
All throughout Israel, bonfires burn through the night on Lag B’Omer. Even though we’re in South Florida, that doesn’t mean we can’t partake in this fun Lag B’Omer tradition!
As per usual KYHS style, our holiday celebrations were kicked up a notch with a fully immersive bonfire experience. Right outside the cafeteria, a roaring bonfire was built for all students to enjoy on Friday during lunch. The activities that surrounded the red-burning wood and crackling fire made this year’s celebration warm and welcoming. There was even a cameraman walking around the festive gathering, snapping photos of the students blissfully enjoying roasted marshmallows and laughing with friends. Later, these photos were printed out and then handed back to students. To ensure that everyone would get to take home a special keepsake, the number of people in each photo directly correlated to the number of magnets printed out. This way, everyone would get to take home a fun snapshot of what Lag B’Omer at KYHS encompassed. Conveniently, the photos came on a magnet so that the memories could be cherished every time your home fridge is opened. “The magnets were a fun way to remember the memories I made with my friends,” remarks Orlee Shemesh (‘28).
Additionally, customized KYHS firefighter hats were handed out as an amusing accessory to go along with the Lag B’Omer theme and for students to wear while taking pictures, and throughout the remainder of the school day. Even after lunch ended, students enthusiastically wore the red hats around the building, serving as a symbol of their excitement surrounding the holiday. Of course, we can’t forget the copious number of marshmallows that were provided so students could comfortably roast two or three sweet treats over the blazing fire, a delicious and sweet end to a memorable day. The cheerful atmosphere ushered in the holiday, and it was the perfect way to celebrate together at KYHS.
Thank you to KOSL for planning a wonderful Lag B’Omer celebration!
Article by Sari Kirschner ('28)
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Bubble It!
Masmidot Program Has Banquet to Finish Off 4th Year
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Graphic by Mikaela Gottheil ('26)
The Masmidot Banquet was a meaningful and fun way to conclude a year filled with spiritual growth through Torah learning. It offered a moment of reflection on how far we've come and how much the program has helped shape us Masmidot girls throughout the year.
The evening began with a beautifully arranged table setup designed by Mrs. Zisquit and a delicious dinner featuring fresh oven-baked pizza and, of course, salads and fries. After eating, we were privileged to hear an inspiring shiur from Mrs. Horowitz, who encapsulated the essence of what the Masmidot journey has meant for us this year. Her words resonated with both the seniors preparing for seminary and the juniors stepping into leadership roles.
Continuing in the family name, Meirav Horowitz (‘25) shared a Dvar Torah that reflected the importance of consistency and personal connection to learning. Her dedication was later recognized when she was awarded for being the most consistent chaburah leader during night seder, and I think this award was obvious to all of us considering her last name.
Next, we heard from Julia Baitner (‘25), who spoke honestly about her religious journey and how the Masmidot program has been a transformative part of her growth. Her words perfectly captured the personal impact that the program has on every single girl and reminded us how much we all have to gain from making Torah a part of our daily lives.
After shedding a few tears during Julia’s speech, Adel Nyer (‘25) followed with a powerful reflection about how learning Chassidus shifted her mindset and allowed her to focus on the positive in every situation. Her heartfelt message emphasized the deep spiritual changes that come with sustained learning and personal reflection.
After the speeches, we were lucky to be served freshly fried doughnuts and build-your-own ice cream with a fun variety of toppings. Before the evening wrapped up, we took a moment to express our appreciation to Mrs. Kimche and Mrs. Horowitz for their dedication to teaching the Masmidot Chumash class. Then, some of us were deserving of special gifts because of our outstanding Night Seder attendance. Even though not all of us were able to attend every Night Seder this year, each student received a personalized magnetic bookmark with her initials—a small but thoughtful keepsake to carry into future learning.
Then, came the grand finale: we all raced to the bathrooms to change out of our dresses and into our old Stormania shirts for the much-anticipated bubble chagigah! Between dancing and clouds of foam—which most girls got buried under—the celebration was both fun and meaningful. Also, don’t worry about our fresh blowouts because many of us came prepared with shower caps and goggles. Either way, this chagigah was the perfect way to end the night, especially because we danced to “bubble it” in a pit of bubbles.
Thank you to Dub (formally known as Mrs. Dobkowski) on behalf of all of us Masmidot girls for organizing such a well-planned, incredibly fun, and immensely spiritual banquet. It was a night we will never forget—a celebration of our growth and our commitment to continue learning Torah.
Article by Raquel Cohen ('26)
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Super Sports Stars
KYHS Hosts Sports Banquet for All Student Athletes
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Graphic by Lexi Newman ('28)
Wednesday’s annual sports banquet was a celebration of the hard work and accomplishments of the dedicated student-athletes at KYHS. Families, coaches, and teammates gathered to honor standout performances and unforgettable moments from each team and its players.
The evening began with opening remarks from our beloved Coach Ruffo, who thanked all of the players and coaches for showing up not just to the banquet, but to every practice and game with tremendous energy and effort. Next, she thanked our world-renowned photographer, Aaron Rosenhouse (Lazar Point Focus), for his outstanding work in promoting our school through pictures, videos, and much more. After he received a gift bag as a token of appreciation, everyone turned to the screen and watched the energizing annual sports banquet video. The video was filled with amazing shots and clips from the many sports seasons. It brought much ruach to the audience and hyped everyone up. After the video, Coach Ruffo called up the members of each team, while the coaches presented three awards: coaches award, most improved player, and most valuable player.
The coaches award goes to the athlete on each team that brought a special energy and fire to every game and practice. These individuals were supportive teammates and elevated their team’s spirit in-game, as leaders, and out-of-game, as role models.
The most improved player is someone who demonstrated particularly impressive growth throughout the season. This honor shows the hard work and dedication that an athlete exerts throughout the season to improve each aspect of their game.
The MVP is simply the best player on the team. This athlete produces in-game results and leads the team to victory. Beyond their athleticism, the MVP uses their intelligence to win games and mentor their team. Football and basketball 2025 MVP, Haim Elmakias ('25), said, “it’s such an honor to be able to receive these awards. All the hard work and effort I put in throughout high school finally paid off.”
The night ended with all of the seniors being thanked for an amazing athletic year and the presentation of one final award. This award was given to the all-around most outstanding student-athlete. The best of the best. The crème of the crop. The knight in shining armor. From the girls, Tali Leubitz ('25) was honored, and from the boys it was Ari Mergui ('25). These deserving students worked for countless hours throughout the school year on a balance of sports and impressive academic achievements.
Thank you Aaron Rosenhouse ('25) for filming and producing this incredible short film celebrating our KYHS athletes.
Click here to see!
Article by Ami Kieffer ('26)
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Columbus Baseball Invitational | |
Graphic by Serena Fialkoff ('27)
This past Sunday, our boy's baseball team competed in the Columbus Baseball Invitational tournament. The event, hosted by Columbus Torah Academy, invited 20 Jewish teams from around the country to play in an exhilarating 3-day tournament. Our Storm was the 15 seed in the bracket and played the first game on Sunday afternoon. Star senior Gavi Gross ('25) pitched an incredible first game. He threw 10 strikeouts, sending the Storm to the championship bracket. However, the team lost their tier I first-round game and then dropped to tier IV the next day. Unfortunately, the team wasn’t prepared for the extreme 40-degree, rainy weather that it had to play in and ultimately lost the remaining games. The Storm dropped to tier IV as a result and finished the tournament the same way they started–the 15 seed.
Although the boys went to the tournament to play competitive baseball, they also went to bond with other teams and create memories. Star pitcher Ronen Ben-Aharon ('26) said, ”CBI is an incredible opportunity to reconnect with like-minded friends and make new ones who have the same interests as you.” Sadly, our Storm couldn't add a trophy to the new trophy case, but they created incredible memories that will last a lifetime.
On behalf of the KYHS family, the baseball team expresses tremendous gratitude to Coach Brian Domineco, Coach Carmi Gross, and Rabbi Horowitz for accompanying them on this trip, as well as to Shimmie and Coach Ruffo for organizing the trip.
Article by Zach Loberfeld ('26)
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