Alumni Ma Hadash - Winter 2023-24

THE LATEST AkibA/bARRACk ALumni nEwS • winter 2023-24 • ISSUE I Dear Akiba/Barrack Alumni Community, we are excited to share the first edition of Alumni ma Hadash! in this periodic publication, we will share alumni happenings on and off campus, exciting updates, event recaps, and more. we are so grateful to have such a strong and active alumni community who are making a difference in our community and our world, and we are proud to feature some of the exciting things our alumni have been up to in this publication.

we look forward to sharing more experiences, moments, and memories with you in the months and years to come. n best regards,

Corinn Rocker Akiba/barrack Director of Alumni Engagement

AKIBA/BARRACK ALUMNI AND THE WAR IN ISRAEL Alumni Response to the War

in november, many Akiba/barrack alumni joined current students, faculty, and families to stand proudly

with the Jewish people at the march for israel in washington, D.C. to demand the freeing of hostages and an end to antisemitism at home and abroad. we are so proud of how our alumni are actively supporting israel and each other. Your work on college campuses, in israel, and throughout the united States is reflected on our barrack Stands with israel at jbha.org. if you are aware of additional ways our alumni are meeting the moment, please reach out to Corinn Rocker. n

October 7 attacks, and his inspiration to join the israeli army following a visit to Poland in which he vowed to do whatever he could to support and defend the existence of a Jewish homeland. marc fielded thoughtful questions from our upper schoolers and emphasized that the most important thing they could do to support israel was to be a proud, committed, engaged Jew wherever they went. marc is pictured here with some of his former teachers, as well as

current 9th graders who visited with him over Purim during their 8th grade trip to israel last year. we are so grateful to marc for spending some time with us at barrack during his one week at home between deployments. n

after graduation and was drafted on October 7 to reserve duty as a commander in the iDF. He spoke with our students about his experience of making aliyah, the sudden, sharp shift from normalcy to a state of war in israel, serving in Gaza,

and the ethical dilemma he faced in choosing to leave his unit to return to the States to donate a large portion of his liver to his ailing father. we are grateful to Avi and his family for spending some time with us at barrack and sharing his moving experiences with our upper schoolers. n

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ince the devastating attacks of October 7, we have had the opportunity to engage in meaningful discussions and outreach efforts with our alumni. The Akiba/ barrack community includes many alumni living in israel and some who are currently serving in the iDF. we extend our wholehearted support and solidarity to all those serving and we are here to offer any assistance we can through the strong bonds that unite our kehillah.

Marc Rubin '21 Visits Barrack

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e were fortunate to have Staff Sergeant Marc Rubin '21 visit campus and speak with our upper school students in January. marc is an active duty lone soldier in the iDF who serves as a tank driver and armored fighter in the iDF. He shared his story as a barrack alum who has served in the iDF for the past two years, his experience in combat since the

Avi Lurie '14 Speaks to Students

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n late February, all of our upper school students had the opportunity to hear from Avi Lurie '14, an Akiba/barrack alum who made aliyah

n January, we were proud to host an important and timely panel on Anti-Zionism, Antisemitism, and the College Campus at barrack. Our panelists included two alumni, Ira Blum '06, director of muhlenberg College Hillel and the Leffell Center for Jewish

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Student Life, and Nina Berkowitz '22, Lehigh university '26, as well as Asaf Romirowksy, PhD, executive director of Scholars for Peace in the middle East (SPmE) and the Association for the Study of the middle East and Africa (ASmEA). moderated by Head of School

Rabbi Marshall Lesack '97, our panelists engaged in meaningful dialogue around recent events at home and abroad and provided key context for our current families and students around how to prepare for college campus culture. A salient takeaway was how strong our school resources and community are and how critical it is to prepare our young people with the support, education, and networks to navigate in a world beyond barrack.

Alumni contributions like these help foster a school culture that supports and cultivates an environment of continued learning and engagement for the benefit of all our families. n

Alumni on College Campuses

counselor offered her support and services to any young alumni who wished to connect with her. we also offered two Zoom programming sessions for our young alumni. The first, with Rabbi Eric Yanoff of Congregation Adath israel on the main Line, addressed ways to combat antisemitism on college campuses and in other settings. The second session featured Danny Stein '02, muss educator and Akiba/barrack alum, and focused on the current and historical experience in israel as well as the strength and resilience of the israeli people. These conversations provided a platform for emotional and spiritual support, as well

as opportunities for young alumni to connect with former classmates and teachers in solidarity and hope.

Our young alumni are doing remarkable things to support israel across college campuses: Talia Willner '23 and her family organized over 700 Shabbat bags with homemade challot for students, faculty, and the community at the university of Pennsylvania; Akiba/barrack alumni at Pitt Chabad like Sophia Shapiro '20 and others painted a peace mural together, where Ilan Gordon '21 hung posters of the israeli hostages, to name a mere few. we are so proud of our young alumni for being thoughtful, engaged, and identified Jewish leaders on their campuses. n

Panel Addressing Anti-Zionism, Antisemitism, and the College Campus Features Two Alumni

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e are mindful of the current challenges and climate on college campuses and have been in touch with our young alumni to offer resources, guidance, learning sessions, and opportunities to connect both virtually and in person. Following the October 7 attacks, our faculty and staff connected with alumni currently living in israel and those serving in the iDF. Current barrack faculty made themselves available for virtual “office hours” during which young alumni could drop in for supportive conversation and guidance around antisemitism on campus and current events, while our upper school

alumni.

Alumni Connections Akiba/barrack During our juniors' last to Alexander Muss days in israel, they spent doing acts of hesed High School in Israel time (kindness), giving of themselves by preparing Experience

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espite the unfortunate abrupt end to the muss study abroad experience for our 11th graders this fall, we had the unique opportunity to have Dory Kalimi '10 as one of our juniors' chaperones in israel. Days before the horrific attacks, our juniors celebrated Sukkot with a number of our alumni living in israel with a Sushi in the Sukkah experience on muss’s campus.

Alumni present shared stories about their time as students on the muss program and living in israel as

care packages and organizing a fundraiser that raised over $100,000 in a few short days to provide needed support to iDF soldiers and israeli citizens affected by the attacks.

They also donated half of the clothing and supplies they brought with them in an admirable and selfless act of service.

"As the iron Dome intercepted rockets, we packed bags filled with toiletries, snacks, and notes of support to help those israelis, soldiers, and civilians affected by the brutal attacks," Emily Hare '25 reflected. "i knew that this

mitzvah was needed to increase the light in the world and create a spiritual force for all of israel."

Our Akiba/barrack alumni have been organizing and contributing to various funds to support our Jewish community at home and abroad. we will regularly update our website to feature as many of these initiatives as possible. if you are aware of a fundraiser we should know about, please don't hesitate to contact Corinn. we remain deeply committed to supporting our alumni and fostering connection during this time. Together, we stand strong in our commitment to israel, to the Jewish people, and to you. n

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e have created muchneeded, valuable opportunities for our alumni to gather both virtually and in person this year.

Our in-person pre-Thanksgiving reunion at South bowl in Philadelphia included alumni from the classes of 1975 through 2023! This will be an annual event and we look forward to gathering together each year and reveling in the gratitude we feel for

ALUMNI REUNIoNS our Akiba/barrack community. we also welcomed the class of '73 and the class of '93 back to campus this year to celebrate their respective 50th and 30th graduation anniversaries. Some classmates flew in from israel to share in this special anniversary and some even joined via FaceTime with their classmates. modern technology was in full force!

NEW CoNNECTIoNS Alumni Wall

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ith the start of a new school year, we installed a beautiful new alumni wall and lobby area on campus for our students, faculty, alumni, prospective families, and visitors to enjoy throughout the year.

This experience was also part of a special gift from the class of '73, which just celebrated the 50th anniversary of their graduation. we will rotate this installation throughout the year to celebrate the amazing things our vibrant alumni community is doing all over the world. n

The room was filled with incredible warmth and joy as classmates reconnected and shared memories of their time at Akiba. in December, we hosted a festive Akiba/barrack alumni gathering in new York City with alumni from the classes of 1969 through 2017. we look forward to organizing more in-person and virtual reunions in the months to come! n

Alumni-Authored Literature Celebrated

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s part of our Hanukkah celebrations at barrack this past December, our faculty gathered for a holiday party in the dining commons on campus. in addition to festive food, drink, and socializing, the faculty and staff engaged in the annual basket raffle tradition. This year, to supplement the enticing baskets

prepared by each department, Head of School Rabbi Marshall Lesack '97 raffled off books written by Akiba/ barrack alumni to five lucky winners!

Current faculty and staff were thrilled to receive titles by the following talented alumni—why Faith matters

by Rabbi David J. Wolpe '76, The Little Liar by Mitch Albom '76, The Hellfire Club by Jake Tapper '87, A Short Guide to a Long Life by Dr. David B Agus '83, and Joy of kosher by Jamie Geller '96. n

Launch of online Alumni Directory

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early 400 Akiba/barrack alumni have already signed up for our new online directory, which we built in an effort to help strengthen relationships across our alumni community, expand your networks, encourage opportunities to connect with others who share your interests, exchange career advice, and reconnect with your classmates. You can opt in to this valuable resource at jbha.org. n

GooD AND WELFARE ENGAGEMENTS

WEDDINGS

BIRTHS

Ruthie Meles '20 got engaged to mendel Yoffe in December 2023.

Talia Stein '06 is engaged to Adam winograd, with a wedding scheduled for June 2024.

Jonathan Foster '10 married melanie Franklin.

Sarah Weinblatt '12 married Zach Goldberg in October.

Renee Zwillenberg '12 married Liam Shamir in January.

Maytal Rothschild '12 gave birth to a baby girl in the fall.

Sivan Ben Maimon '12 and Josh Stein '11 gave birth to twins in the fall.

Aviva Joffe '04 gave birth to a baby boy, isaiah, in late november.

if you would like to share your good news with the Akiba/barrack SHARE YoUR alumni community, please submit it via the contact page for GooD NEWS! class notes at jbha.org.

LooKING FoRWARD we are excited to spotlight and connect with our alumni through reunions, speaker series, and mentoring opportunities in 2024! if you would like more information on how to get involved, please contact Corinn Rocker, Akiba/barrack Director of Alumni Engagement, at crocker@jbha.org.

THE LATEST AT bARRACk • winter/Spring 2023-24 • ISSUE II Dear Barrack Families, when i look back over the past trimester, i am struck by the many ways our students and staff continue to come together to make a positive impact—on our campus, in our communities, and in the wider world.

Through classroom learning and communal life, barrack offers our students a framework for understanding the world around them and a passion for working towards positive change. whether through everyday interactions, participation in clubs and co-curriculars, or academic pursuits that deepen their understanding of both current events and critical context, our students have the knowledge, skills, and support to build a better tomorrow.

Jewish life initiatives like our Shabbatons, 7th grade Shishi program, and JLi retreat provide our students with a profound appreciation for the role of ritual and the power of communal observance in fostering connection and commitment within the rhythms of daily life. whether it be through their exceptional athletic

performance, spreading kindness throughout the hallways, organizing thoughtful holiday programming, raising funds to conquer cancer, or writing notes of prayer and peace for the israeli hostages, our students are engaged daily in collaborating and contributing to the greater good. i hope you will join me in revisiting some of the salient moments from the second trimester as we appreciate the community we create each and every day at barrack and the many ways our

students, staff, families, and alumni make a positive mark on the world.

As we shift into Adar ii and daylight saving time, it is a season of increased joy and light. Together, let us celebrate the way our barrack family brings both into the world—in every season. n L’shalom,

Rabbi marshall Lesack ’97

ACADEMIC LIFE Art Institute Makes its Mark through Mural Arts

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n barrack’s Art institute, upper school students learn to appreciate a diverse range of art expressions and movements, develop formal art techniques, and cultivate their distinct artistic voice and perspective while using art as a powerful medium to

connect to our wider communities. Our 9th grade Art institute students participated in a collaborative project with Global Citizen and mural Arts Philadelphia this trimester in which they created a mural inspired by martin Luther king, Jr. that was officially unveiled in a ceremony and press conference at Girard College in January, along with murals from three other participating schools. barrack’s mural highlights the shared efforts of Jewish and African American activists working together in the summer of 1964 to create Freedom Schools as a way to break down barriers for black voters, events that led to the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Students were able to view their mural exhibited in its final form and had the opportunity to experience inspiring speeches from

local civic and educational leaders, including Philadelphia’s new mayor, Cherelle Parker. kol ha’kavod to all of our 9th grade Art institute students, visual arts teacher, Adam Lovitz, and Dyymond whipper-Young, our partner at mural Arts Philadelphia, for making this collaborative creation possible and enabling our students to make a meaningful mark on Philadelphia’s landscape. n

old City, New World Interdisciplinary Program Debuts

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ur youngest students are making their mark on the future of society through an innovative new curriculum that encourages them to imagine a better world. utilizing Philadelphia as a living classroom, the Old City, new world program applies an interdisciplinary approach that blends archeological, anthropological, and Jewish study to encourage our 6th graders to explore their place in history and envision a hopeful, dynamic future.

TRIP To THE PENN MUSEUM in December, our 6th grade students embarked on their first excursion as part of this new curriculum that prioritizes out-of-the-classroom and experiential learning as a means to explore the past and imagine the future.

On their inaugural trip to the Penn museum, students examined artifacts from the ancient mesopotamian city of ur and participated in a hands-on workshop where they had the opportunity to write in the ancient language of cuneiform using a stylus and clay tablet. Our 6th graders are headed to the Philadelphia museum of Art for their next Old City, new world adventure!

ARTIFACT ALLEY As part of the curriculum focus on ancient civilizations, students participated in our annual “Artifact Alley” at the end of the year. Our 6th graders displayed unusual or obscure “artifacts” they brought from home as faculty and fellow students tried to guess the identity and function of each item. This clever, fun, and educational tradition transforms our dining commons into a lunchtime museum where teachers and students from all grades mingle, mull, and ponder the mysteries presented by our young historians!

CREATE A CIVILIZATIoN PRoJECT in conjunction with the Old City, new world interdisciplinary experience, our 6th grade students worked in groups of four to create their own civilizations,

complete with a government, economy, social structure, family, language, and more. Each group designed a mural and artifacts, which they then buried for their classmates to “excavate” to try to interpret and understand the different elements of their classmates’ imagined civilizations. The collaborative spirit and investigative energy in the room was palpable as our student archeologists presented their civilizations to each other and shared and compared their findings. we can't wait to witness our 6th grade students' future exploratory adventures and inspiring impact as this interdisciplinary experience continues to unfold! n

Students Attend Sustainability Workshop at Villanova University

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ur math and STEAm departments joined together this trimester to bring several of our 10th graders to a sustainability workshop hosted by the Villanova university Office of Sustainability. Our students had a chance to meet peers from three other area high schools and share ideas. The workshop defined sustainability and addressed the need for developing a culture of sustainability where there is enough, for all, forever. The day concluded with

students designing an individual or school sustainability project to develop and implement. it was a wonderful, engaging way for our students to

innovate and imagine their future impact on the health and continuity of our world. n

TEAMS Competition Challenges Students to Build Beyond our World

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n late February, three teams of upper school students completed the TEAmS (Tests of Engineering Aptitude, mathematics, and Science) Competition! This year’s theme was “Engineering Another world,” in which the challenges focused on space travel and settling on a new planet or satellite. in addition to an essay and math/science exam, our students completed the build challenge where, with limited materials and time, they had to work together to build a “transportation storage facility”—a

The Great History Challenge Comes to Barrack!

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n early march, barrack hosted the regional round of The Great History Challenge, a nationwide academic competition for middle school students. Students answer questions in a unique, fun, and

Senior Manny Shklar '24 Writes for Kol Barrack

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ol barrack (The Voice of barrack) is a periodic publication that features thought pieces

structure with a functional pulleyoperated doorway. This group project in which students collaborated to imagine other worlds can shed light on how they can make a positive

engaging way that allows them to demonstrate their knowledge and love of history. Over a hundred students participated, 13 of which were barrack middle schoolers. we are thrilled that nine of our students typically penned by members of our Jewish studies faculty that are thematically linked to the new month in the Jewish calendar. For the month of Adar ii, we were thrilled to feature student

impact on our current one. we will find out the competition results in April; kol ha’kavod to our exceptional STEAm students for their innovation, ingenuity, and collaborative spirit! n

advanced to the national competition, and three of our students were high scorers! kol ha’kavod to all of our participating middle school historians; a deep knowledge of what has come before allows us to make our mark on what follows next! n writing by Manny Shklar '24, who beautifully explored the connection between the joy and rarity of Adar ii and his experience as part of the exceptional Jewish community at barrack. You can read manny's kol barrack Adar ii blog post, titled "On Finding Joy through Our Jewish Community," online at jbha.org. n

Co-CURRICULAR LIFE Our upper school students are engaged in 50 different co-curriculars and clubs that give them the opportunity for real-world applications of their idealistic, collaborative, and visionary approaches to the world they are building together.

Model UN Team Attends International Conference

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ur exceptional model un team participated in the ivy League model united nations Conference in Philadelphia this trimester, joining over 2,000 students from across the world in debating, negotiating, and solving some of the many problems facing our world today.

Mock Trial Advances to Quarter-Finals

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ur skilled student litigators will no doubt make their mark by working toward a more just world. This trimester, both our defense and prosecution teams competed against other schools at the montgomery County Courthouse in norristown, PA, persuasively arguing a criminal law case. For the first time in barrack history, our mock Trial team advanced to the quarter-finals— earning a selective spot as one of eight out of the original 28 teams.

One of our newest mock Trial members, 9th grader Flynn Goldstein '27 reflects: "mock Trial is an enriching program, placing students in the role of advocate and witness before a judge,

DECA States

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hrough their DECA experience, our students benefit from a familiarity with the foundational principles of business and an understanding of the fields of marketing, finance, hospitality, and management that will equip them for making their mark in the business sector and paving their unique entrepreneurial path. in February, 27 barrack upper

Our students sponsored passing resolutions on child migration, conservation of the seas, reining in international criminal activity, and even dealt with a midnight global crisis. They

were professional, collaborative, and effective in achieving important progress towards a promising global future. n

simulating a legal trial. it is more than merely acting—students simulate courtroom procedure and develop their rhetoric, gaining an appreciation for America's judiciary, while developing a spark that may, perhaps, lead them into law."

Senior Naor Weitzman '24 notes: "being in mock Trial has taught me a lot about our country's justice system and has given me the opportunity to improve on my public speaking and critical thinking skills." kol ha'kavod to our young litigators on their impressive advocacy skills and their commitment to building a more just world. n

schoolers participated in the DECA state-wide competition in Hershey, PA. Of the 3,000 students competing, barrack was the only Jewish day school represented. Students had an enjoyable time while learning a lot through competing and participating in the various workshops offered. we are so proud of all of our exceptional DECA students, and wish a mazal tov to Ben Martin '25 (accounting) and Noa Singer '26 (apparel & accessories

marketing) for their impressive second place wins that entitle them to advance to nationals, and to our DECA copresident team of Chloe Hockfield '24 and Andy Jacoby '24 for achieving finalist status in imCP (integrated marketing Campaign)! n

Political Action Club Mock Debate and Election

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ach election year, it is a barrack tradition to hold a mock presidential debate and then election to simulate this essential part of the democratic process for our student body. Our Political Action Club (PAC) organized an excellent mock debate among Republican primary candidates. upper school students prepared extensively and delivered impressive impersonations of the candidates, while fielding insightful,

ADL Youth Leadership Conference

relevant questions prepared by our students in their Core and history classes.

The following week, all of our students were able to cast their votes in a mock primary election. Leaders in our Political Action Club and faculty members served as "poll workers," and students in upper and middle school "voted" in two shifts, casting their electronic ballots. Students even received "i voted" stickers that they proudly wore throughout the rest of the school day.

As PAC Co-President Jordana Harwitz '24 remarked, "Engaging barrack students in civic responsibility

"i thought that the ADL conference was a great way to see other students'

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group of our upper schoolers attended the ADL Youth Leadership Conference in Philadelphia, where the keynote speaker was Holocaust survivor Ruth kapp Hartz, who spoke about her memoir, Your name is Renee. Our students engaged with peers from other schools to discuss ways to combat hatred and exclusion in their community.

Middle School Talent Show

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ur middle School Council organized an incredible talent show to cap off our second trimester! middle schoolers took the stage to show off a truly admirable and impressive array of talents—from improv singing to speed-Rubik's-cubesolving to choreographed dance numbers to performances of original music and even a beautiful violin rendition of Yerushalayim Shel Zahav

and Hatikvah, during which the entire auditorium of students and staff stood with reverence and attention. what is most heartwarming is the genuine support and hesed (kindness) our barrack middle schoolers display to their fellow students, always cheering others on and appreciating the talents each offers to the kehillah (community). it takes great ometz lev (courage) to get up in front of your peers and perform,

was an exciting privilege; the opportunity to excite both middle and upper schoolers alike about political participation, voter registration, and being educated community members is extremely gratifying."

Thanks to PAC presidents, Stacey Lipson '24 and Jordana Harwitz '24, faculty advisor, Dr. Minna Ziskind, all of our PAC members and faculty volunteers, and to all of our students for participating in this educational experience about civic engagement, political debate, and the importance of voting within a democracy. n views on tough topics like bullying and social media," Aviva Markowitz '26 reflects. "it really gave me a new perspective and helped me learn more about the opinions of my generation." kol ha’kavod to Aria Levy '26, Aviva Markowitz '26, ori Sarfaty '26, Celeste Vahey '26, and Maya Yagur '26, who have assumed the leadership of our human rights club and look forward to continuing to engage in meaningful conversations designed to make the world a better place. n

and our middle school audience showed enormous kavod (honor/respect) as they enthusiastically applauded each student act. Thank you to our mSC members for organizing such a festive, spirited way for us to mark the end of the trimester together. n

DRAMA DEPARTMENT Student-Directed Show, Alice in Wonderland

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ur upper school students truly made their mark in the world of drama through their three performances of Alice in wonderland this past trimester. Our student-directed

show is always such an impressive display of directorial talent and brilliant acting prowess and this year was no exception! "with such great student directors and cast members, i felt very supported in my first play production," Don Miller '24 shared. "it was a good learning experience while also being lots of fun."

kol ha'kavod to talented student directors, Ella Abramovitz '24 and Liana Matez '24, as well as the entire exceptional cast and crew! n

CoUGAR CoRNER barrack student-athletes certainly made their mark this winter sports season!

Basketball VARSITY BASKETBALL

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hilly Sports Digest profiled barrack girls basketball's firstever FSL win against Abington Friends. Mikayla Trajtenberg '26 scored a game-high of 19 points. Two other sophomores, Sami Neff '26 and Noa Singer '26, added 13 and 8 points, respectively. Jordie Yoshor '25 also contributed 8 points. “we knew coming into the Friends League would be a challenge, so this first win was very special to our group,” barrack coach Sasha birosik said. barrack boys basketball closed out the season with a 30-point victory against martin Luther School.

Benny Scheinmann '24, Edo Aharoni '24, Tal Kahn '26, Jonah Pappas '26, and Carter Borsky '27 led the Cougars.

MIDDLE SCHooL BASKETBALL

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ur middle school basketball teams showed boundless amounts of Ometz Lev (moral courage) this season. barrack's boys "C" team, comprised of all 6th graders, did not let opponents' age and height advantages get in the way of their hustle and tenacity. Our girls and boys "b" teams developed throughout the season and posted impressive results, especially against fellow league opponents. Last but not least, our girls and boys "A" teams had successful seasons, and many of these students are excited for the opportunity to make the leap to barrack's upper school basketball teams next year. kol ha'kavod to all of our middle school basketball players for a fantastic season! Go Cougars!

Swimming

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his winter saw the return of a barrack swim team! barrack took on Friends Select and Shipley School in a tri-meet at bryn mawr College on January 29.

Gavi Izhakov '25 beat all the opposition in the 100-Yard Freestyle, and the 200-Yard medley Relay team of Ethan Rosenberg '27, Eitan Hassidim '27, Gavi Izhakov '25, and David Greenhouse '25 took first place as well. barrack's win against Friends Select marked barrack's first-ever boys FSL victory.

At the Friends Schools League Championship meet the following week, boys top 10 performances were turned in from Ethan Rosenberg '27, Mordy Singer '24, Gavi Izhakov '25, BB Friedman '26, Max Strick '27, and David Greenhouse '25. On the girls side, the 200-Yard medley Relay team of Jordie Ufberg '24, Gabby Thomas '24, Tali Isaacs '24, and Sophia Mittman '24 finished in sixth place. n

CoMMUNITY IMPACT This past trimester afforded our students many meaningful ways to participate in community service initiatives to raise awareness and support for causes that matter to them. Our students dedicate themselves not only to making a mark on our current community and campus but towards actualizing a better world.

Random Acts of Kindness Week

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n February, our mental Health matters Club brought Random Acts of kindness week to barrack—giving out laptop stickers with kind sayings, handing out delicious hot chocolate in cups with kind phrases on them, inspiring discussions on kindness during advisory, and organizing our participation in Sharsheret's Pink Day to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer

Amy Feldman, Esq. Teaches Digital Agency and Safety

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nother way we foster and create a kind community is through considering kavod (honor/respect) in our online spaces. To help our barrack community understand and appreciate

Red Cross Blood Drive

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ne way our barrack community makes an impact on the world is through our annual initiative to collect as many blood donations as possible towards saving the lives of others. This year, our Red Cross blood Drive collected 32 units of blood, which can help save 96 lives! Thank you to all those who helped set up, signed up to donate, volunteered and acted as a support for those donating, and especially to our upper school counselor, Amy Grolnick, for all her hard work in organizing this important effort. next year, our blood drive will be on Thursday, February 20, 2025, so save the date and plan to donate! n

research. At barrack, the value of Hesed, or kindness, is central to our Derech Eretz code, and it was wonderful to focus our efforts and energies on fostering the kindness that makes our community so special.

Our 7th and 8th grade students had another meaningful opportunity to invest in strengthening and spreading kindness within our community this trimester.

Shortly after the new year, these two grades came together for a special daylong program focused on fostering

empathy, kindness, selfconfidence, and understanding.

Spending the day engaged in a mix of meaningful smallgroup discussions and energetic group-wide activities, our middle school students bonded both with their peers and faculty members and built a strong sense of connection, confidence, and community that they will carry with them long after the day ended. n

the complexities of navigating the world of social media and the internet, our school counselors brought in expert lawyer and educator, Amy Feldman, Esq., to present both to our parent community as well as to our students over the course of two days in late February. with our students, Amy focused on strategies for being safe and smart online, how to navigate the

pressure to stay connected, how to build digital agency, and the importance of setting healthy limits around time spent online. After a discussion of hypothetical scenarios about what’s appropriate to share with others and on social media, she and our students brainstormed useful strategies for establishing a healthy relationship with our screens and how to appropriately engage with the individuals, community, and world around us. n

Batei Barrack

MSC oscar the Grouch oscars

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ur Student Association leaders planned and executed a schoolwide game of ultimate hide-and-seek as part of batei barrack. introduced last year, batei barrack, or Houses of barrack, fosters inter-grade bonding and camaraderie through friendly competitions and events throughout the year while reinforcing our Derech Eretz values of Honor (‫)כבוד‬, Courage (‫)אומץ לב‬, kindness (‫)חסד‬, and Community (‫)קהילה‬. in this trimester’s activity, each house gathered at a home base and then formed pairs of two that worked together to find students from other houses throughout the school. it was heartwarming to see pairs of students traversing the hallways, collaborating, connecting, and having a great time with each other in a schoolwide spirit of teamwork. n

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ur mSC (middle School Council) blended kavod, cleaning, and creativity in a clever competition in which small groups of students were challenged to create short videos about barrack’s school cleanliness guidelines.

Students prepared humorous song parodies, dramatic skits, and everything in between to raise awareness of the importance of showing Kavod (honor/respect) and caring for our community through keeping our shared learning spaces clean. mSC even held a Grouch Oscars Awards ceremony during the week after the real Oscars to award winners in six different categories, such as "most informative," "most school spirit," and "most entertaining dialogue." it was touching to see teams of our 6th and 8th grade buddies snag some wins! kol ha'kavod to our mSC and middle school students for making their mark by caring for our shared communal spaces. n

JEWISH LIFE Through opportunities for communal observance, our students experience the value and power of shared rituals and kehillah, as well as the way our rich culture and traditions can contribute to the meaningful mark we leave on our world.

7th Grade "Shishi"

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ur 7th graders enjoyed a full day of special programming as part of their “Shishi,” an annual gradewide hachanah l’Shabbat (preparation for Shabbat) experience. The day began with breakfast together and a hesed project making blankets to donate to the homeless to offer protection from the

winter cold. Students then joined the rest of the school for a special Shabbat Schmooze before breaking into small group stations where they made challah covers, wrote Shabbat-o-Grams, baked babka, and played collaborative games like "bucketball" and puzzle-making.

The Shishi concluded with an escape

8th Grade Shabbaton

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ur 8th grade Shabbaton in January was a wonderful success! From the dancing at Friday evening's kabbalat Shabbat services to the lively game of dodgeball; the highly engaging t’fillot (prayer services); the casual free time leading up to the close of Shabbat; and the havdalah service with the braided candle and beautiful singing and spices, it was a truly special Shabbat with the class of 2028.

Led by our Jewish Leadership initiative (JLi) fellows and faculty members, our 8th graders also participated in a service project to make

room in which students competed by Core group followed by a delicious ice cream treat! Throughout this special day, our students worked, played, learned, and created together, making beautiful Shabbat mementos alongside lasting memories. n

blankets for those in need, baked babka and made crafts like challah covers and centerpieces with which to celebrate Shabbat together, and enjoyed a Shukthemed activity planned by the JLi. Through communal song, prayer, meals, and time together, they experienced a meaningful and memorable weekend of ritual observance and grade bonding! n

Tu B'Shevat at Barrack

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his trimester brought the happy and hopeful holiday of Tu b’Shevat.

During a special assembly, our JLiers led students in both middle and upper school in a Seder Tu b’Shevat to celebrate this new year for the trees, which has evolved into a holiday of ecological and environmental awareness throughout israel. in our Tu b’Shevat assembly, our JLi fellows led the students in learning and singing three thematic songs—"Tu b’Shevat Higiya," "Let it Grow" from The Lorax, and "Eretz Hita," following which they studied and sampled the seven species from israel (wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, dates) and celebrated together in small groups of students from several grades. As with all barrack holidays, one of the most

JLI Retreat

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n early February, our Jewish Leadership initiative (JLi) fellows enjoyed their annual retreat, traveling to new York City to visit the Chabad headquarters, Central Synagogue, and the Jewish Theological Seminary. Our students met with a variety of rabbis and Jewish community leaders to discuss different viewpoints about modern

special aspects of the celebration was witnessing our upper schoolers mixing with and assisting our younger students in sampling the seven species and celebrating the meaning of the day.

For the second year, barrack's front lobby was graced with a live tree in honor and celebration of this holiday. This year, our Hebrew teachers printed photos and details about the israeli hostages on little "leaves"— yellow for those still held hostage, green for those released. in the words of our shaliach, Benaya Yehuda, "Tu b'Shevat is a holiday of optimism; this year an even more cautious optimism.

Just like we start with white wine and end with red [during the Tu b'Shevat seder], we pray to move quickly from yellow to green. The trees here are lacking leaves; it's gray outside. it is good to know that in the end, they will bloom again

and so will we." Throughout the week of Tu b'Shevat, our students wrote notes of peace or messages of hope for the israeli hostages to hang from the branches.

The tree will be planted on barrack’s campus this spring, making a literal mark on our landscape as a symbol of hope and promise for seasons to come. n

Jewish leadership. They also had the opportunity to visit with former JLier, barrack alum, and current Columbia/List College student, Mitchell Rosenthal '23!

"The JLi retreat was very meaningful for me as i had the opportunity to connect with

individuals who hold different beliefs within Judaism," Chloe Hockfield '24 said. "Exploring different movements allowed me to ask new questions and engage in enlightening discussions alongside the other JLiers."

The retreat is an important part of the JLi experience, through which a select group of our 11th and 12th grade students explore their own leadership capacity while shaping Jewish life programming at barrack. n

GUEST SPEAKERS Barrack Hosts Panel on Anti-Zionism, Antisemitism, and the College Campus

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n late January, we were proud to host an important and timely panel on Anti-Zionism, Antisemitism, and the College Campus at barrack. Our panelists, Asaf Romirowksy, PhD, Ira Blum '06, and Nina Berkowitz '22, engaged in meaningful dialogue around recent events in israel and the States and provided key context for our current

Speakers on Israel Charlotte Korchak, StandWithUs

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harlotte Korchak, a senior educator from Standwithus, delivered a compelling, interactive presentation to our students, contextualizing recent events in israel,

Marc Rubin '21

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ll of our upper school students had the opportunity to hear from Staff Sergeant Marc Rubin '21, a barrack alum and active duty lone soldier in the iDF who serves as a tank driver and armored fighter. During his week at home between deployments, marc spent some time reconnecting with former

Jessica Steinberg, Times of Israel

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ll of our students heard from Jessica Steinberg, the longtime culture and lifestyles editor at the Times of israel, this trimester. in the months following October 7, Jessica has pivoted from covering israeli

Millet Ben Haim, Survived to Tell

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ur 11th and 12th grade students heard from Millet Ben Haim, a survivor of the nOVA music festival on October 7. millet is speaking around the country with the Survived to Tell Project, which is committed to sharing survivors’

families and students around how to prepare for college campus culture. A salient takeaway was how strong our internal resources and community are and how critical it is to prepare our young people with the support, education, and networks to navigate in a world beyond barrack. The barrack community is committed to supporting and cultivating an environment of continued learning and engagement for the benefit of all our families.

Throughout the trimester, our students have benefitted from dynamic and engaging guest speakers who have complemented their classroom experience with diverse perspectives and experiences. within our supportive, intentional community, students have been able to engage current events with nuance and complexity amid warm, familiar faculty and informed, passionate peers to develop a strength of character and perspective they will carry with them beyond barrack and into the world. n

how to engage with others around the complexities and nuances of israeli history and the current climate, as well as how to combat antisemitism on college campuses and in our communities. Charlotte empowered our students to be knowledgeable and informed Jewish

leaders who could be proud of their identity, confident in their beliefs, and effective in their exchanges with others.

Thank you to Tal Tzabbar '24 and the israel Club for bringing Charlotte to campus to engage so meaningfully with our students. n

barrack teachers and sharing his story with our 9th-12th grade students, who listened with awe and attention and asked sharp, insightful questions. marc shared about his past two years serving in the iDF, his combat experience since the October 7 attacks, and his inspiration to join the

israeli army following a visit to Poland in which he vowed to do whatever he could to support and defend the existence of a Jewish homeland. His salient message to our students was that the most important thing they could do to support israel was to be proud, committed, engaged Jews wherever they went. n

culture to documenting the human element of the war in israel through writing the stories of the hostages, their families and loved ones, and putting a more personal face to the tragedy. with our middle and upper schoolers, Jessica shared details of

her background as a new Yorker who made aliyah 29 years ago and is raising her family in Jerusalem, described her career in journalism, and offered poignant accounts of individuals and families who have been affected by the war as she underscored for our students that “every person is a whole world.” n

stories in order to fight antisemitism and spread the truth about what happened during the tragic attacks on israel. in her moving presentation, “Raising the Light,” millet shared with our students about her personal experience of escape and her process of

recovery. Through her individual account of survival, she is committed to combating antisemitism, raising empathy for the Jewish people, sharing stories of israeli resilience, and maintaining hope in the power of good and light and the value of every human life. n

Avi Lurie '14

israel, serving in Gaza, and the ethical dilemma he faced in choosing to leave his unit to return to the States to donate a large portion of his liver to his ailing father. we are grateful to Avi and his family for spending some time with us at barrack and sharing his moving experiences with our upper schoolers. n

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n late February, all of our upper school students had the opportunity to hear from Avi Lurie '14, an Akiba/barrack alum who made aliyah after graduation and was drafted on October 7 to reserve duty as a commander in the iDF. He spoke with our students about his experience of making aliyah, the sudden, sharp shift from normalcy to a state of war in

Ambassador Michael oren

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n mid-march, our 11th and 12th grade students had the opportunity to hear from former israeli ambassador to the united States and founder of the israel Advocacy Group, Michael oren. He spoke with our students about realizing his personal dream to become an ambassador—an aspiration he held since meeting Yitzhak Rabin at age 15. with informed perspective and sharp clarity, Ambassador Oren contextualized the

current moment within history, offered a diplomatic analysis of the war—both the similarities and singularities of this conflict, explored the prospects and pitfalls of peace, and underscored the critical importance of education and knowledge as the primary tools to combat antisemitism and find a way forward for israel and the Jewish people. Rapt

Speakers on Science Dr. Marc Kornbleuth '09

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ur Topics in Science Club hosted Dr. Marc Kornbleuth '09, an astrophysicist who works at the nASA DRiVE center, SHiELD, in boston.

He spoke with our students about the protective nature of the heliosphere, which prevents damaging radiation from entering our planet. n

Speakers on Business Steve Katz

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teve Katz, P '99, '02, '08, '08, G '30, came to campus in early march to speak with and inspire students in our DECA and business institute programs about all aspects of entrepreneurship and a career in business. Steve spoke with our students about his own business ventures, as

and riveted, our students engaged in insightful dialogue with Ambassador Oren following his address and even applauded when our faculty extended the Q&A period by 15 minutes. we are especially grateful to barrack parents, neil and Jaclyn Ackerman, who are family friends of the ambassador and facilitated this visit for us. Ethan Ackerman '25 introduced mr. Oren before he spoke to the group. n

Rebecca Stern '99

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n Akiba/barrack alum, Rebecca Stern '99 now works as a sustainability consultant, advising companies in the private sector about how to minimize their impact on the environment. in February, Rebecca spoke with students about her passion and purpose for addressing climate change, the transformation of our society into a low carbon economy, and how her high school environmental science course at Akiba was foundational in inspiring her career path. Rebecca fielded thoughtful questions from our students and underscored the importance of how we show kavod (honor/respect) for our environment and the natural world through confronting climate change and working towards a more ecologically sound and sustainable world. n

well as general principles to follow in business—and in life: time is more valuable than money, taking measured risks is a good thing, and maintaining a good workplace culture is important. we are grateful to Steve for offering his business acumen complemented by an ethical, human perspective on entrepreneurial success. n

BEYoND BRYN MAWR 10th Grade Trip to Washington, D.C.

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ur 10th grade students spent three full days in washington D.C. exploring our nation's capital in connection with their history and Jewish studies classes. in addition to visiting national monuments and war memorials, and engaging in small group discussions about the values of equality, justice, and liberty, our students heard from expert speakers on pressing issues, such as gun violence and climate change, that they then grappled with through both a political and Jewish lens. An especially memorable experience was their visit to the united States Holocaust memorial museum, where

students explored the multi-faceted exhibits and reflected upon their significance against the current climate of rising antisemitism. The trip culminated with a visit to Capitol Hill,

where students met in small groups with staffers at the offices of their representatives and senators to lobby on policy issues that matter to them.

Thank you to our families for their partnership in making this trip possible, to the class of 2026 for engaging in such an educational and enjoyable visit to D.C., and to all of our tireless and dedicated faculty chaperones! n

DEVELoPMENT NEWS Barrack Affinity Groups Hold Kickoff Events LEGAL CoUNSEL HoSTS "MoCKTAILS" EVENT

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t the end of last year, our barrack Legal Counsel Affinity Group hosted their kickoff “mocktails” event with a special evening featuring our student-led mock Trial Club. Our

MEDICAL/HEALTHCARE AFFINITY GRoUP KICKoFF EVENT

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ur medical/Healthcare Affinity Group held their own wonderful kickoff event this winter with many new faces in the crowd. Students and healthcare professionals in our community gathered on the last night of Hanukkah to light the 8th candle together and hear from Katie Galbraith, president

impressive mock Trial students advocated and argued beautifully and were very appreciative of the guidance, investment, and feedback from the lawyers in our community. mentoring the next generation of Jewish legal professionals is an essential part of our Legal Counsel Affinity Group mission and we are thankful to our attendees, alumni, and student guests for joining us and participating together in this valuable experience. n

of Lankenau Hospital, who shared her perspective on the healthcare industry in a post-pandemic world. Students from 8th-12th grades also enjoyed a prereception and the opportunity to connect and network with professionals in the medical and healthcare industries. Thank you to all those who attended and made the evening a success! n