CYHSB Weekly 11/24/23

Volume 18, Issue 7

November 24, 2023

CYHSB WEEKLY Cooper Yeshiva High School for Boys

Volume 18, Issue 7 Sophomoritis: The Second Year Plague Page 3 Parshat Vayeitzei: The Signi cance of Yaakov’s Dream Page 4 Cooper Clicks Page 5 Schedule Changes for all Ranges: Last Period Shakeup Page 6 Avi’s Awesome Authorities Page 7 Cooper Contretemps Page 8 🚀 Trend Takeoff🚀 Page 10 Word Wheel Page 11

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The masses gather in ont of the Capitol Building in support of Israel. Photo By: Elisha Po ack

Washington Trip: CYHSB Stands With Israel Ilan Lennon (27’) On November 14 the CYHSB attended the March for Israel rally held at the National Mall in Washington DC, an event with an expected attendance of up to 250,000 people coming together to show support for Israel during the ongoing crisis that was precipitated by the Hamas attack on Israeli civilians.

This resulted in the murder of 1400 people and over 240 hostages that were taken by Hamas.

On Monday, November 13, the CYHSB dismissed early and later

embarked on the 15-hour journey to DC. Although the trip was long, it was comfortable with the two coach buses funded by the Jewish Federation and coordinated by the school. All students were encouraged to participate as Judaic Studies Principal Rabbi Gersten said, “It is something greater than themselves even if it meant sacrificing their time and energy to attend the rally.” Upon arrival, we were immediately brought to the RFK stadium and from there took the metro to the National Mall.

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Cont. from last page: through the signs they were holding. flight for adults across the Nearly 300,000 people from Individuals and groups from various community to attend the rally. around the world came together to backgrounds, religions, and Amazingly, 180 people took demand the freeing of the hostages nationalities partook, making the advantage of this opportunity even if held in Gaza. There were many event remarkable in the sense of the it meant missing a day at work and powerful speakers, including Natan surrounding diversity. Not only was taking time away from their Sharansky; a Soviet Dissident, and it meaningful to those participating families.

Refusenik who was imprisoned for from Memphis but also to those who Our school has always been very nine years in Soviet Russia, and saw how far people were willing to supportive of Israel, especially became a human rights during this troubling time. activist. Families of some The MHA has been of the hostages spoke as participating in every well as several key opportunity to strengthen politicians: Senate our nation and support our Democratic leader Chuck brothers and sisters in Schumer, House Israel. From engaging in Democratic leader Hakeem local rallies and learning Jefferies, Speaker of the groups in support of Israel House, Republican Mike to going on a 30-hour bus Johnson, and Senator trip to partake in an event Republican Joni Ernst. This in which nearly 300,000 event brought people from people from around the different sides together like world who stand with Israel never before, as they joined came together to peacefully hands on stage and stated, demand the freeing of our “We stand with Israel.” family in Gaza. Taking part CYHSB’ers at the ra y, showing their support for Israel.

Throughout the event in this significant event musicians such as Israelis, despite the distance really Ishay Ribo, and Omer shows how dedicated the Adam, along with the Maccabeats come and show their support. As school and community are in made appearances and showed their freshman Jonah Siegel put it, “It was supporting Israel. Moreover, we love for Israel through music. really nice to see a variety of people thank our faculty and Rabbi Weiner The rally was meaningful and of all ages, religions, and from all Rabbi Rossman, Rabbi Lederman, will hopefully play an impactful in around the world come together.”

Rabbi Males, Rabbanit Grunwald, freeing the hostages from Gaza and Despite what different people's Rabbi Safier, Mrs. Sauer, Torah showing support for Israel. It was beliefs are, the people were able to MiTzion, and Bat Ami, as well as incredible to see the hundreds of unify in support of Israel, everyone, each member of the community who thousands of people with the same no matter their political or religious helped, taking the time and energy thing on their minds: freeing the stance. to make this trip an enjoyable and hostages and supporting Israel.

In addition to the Memphis meaningful experience for everyone There were people from around the Jewish Federation funding the who participated. globe and our nation, made visible CYHSB trip, they also chartered a

Message From The CYHSB Going to the rally in Washington, DC was a very moving experience for many CYHSB’ers so we have decided to ask everyone to daven extra hard for Israel especially in these coming weeks as our soldiers head into Gaza to liberate the hostages. ‫עַם יִׂשְָראֵל חַי‬

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Volume 18, Issue 7

November 24, 2023

Sophomoritis: The Second Year Plague Amit Zalman (26’) Have you ever heard of Sophomoritis? You might be familiar with its older sibling, “senioritis.” But let me introduce you to the unique phenomenon that’s just been spreading smiles throughout our grade – Sophomoritis!

At the CYHSB, 10th graders are allowed to take one AP class, which is an opportunity many 10th graders have chosen to participate in. This alone has significantly increased their workload but combined with a flurry of essays and projects, it’s no wonder why they’ve coined this experience “Sophomoritis.”

As the whole Margolin Hebrew Academy approaches the end of the quarter, a familiar feeling descends upon all students in the CYHSB - a deluge of essays on Ancient Civilizations, analyzing the figurative language of Jonathan Edwards in English class as well as another set of assignments that seem to stretch into eternity. These assignments have the gift of keeping us in the midnight oil, blurring the lines between night and morning, and making us feel as if each day is an endless grind. Just when it appeared that the Sophomores had almost reached the finish line in our battle against Sophomoritis, some Last Week’s of our classes,Solution decided to bestow upon us another delightful gift – you guessed it; A surprise test! It was as if her agenda ensured that we always

Sophomore Benny Frieden is stressed over a of his work.: Photo: Ezra D remained on our toes and never had a moment for recess.

Now let’s shine a spotlight on Jack Kampf; a sophomore navigating the sea of assignments with the finesse of a tightrope walker over a pit of sharks. He thinks, “It’s almost as if we’re expected to juggle flaming swords while riding a unicycle over shark-infested waters. No, really; it’s that intense!”

But thankfully, there was a glimmer of hope on the horizon.

Sophomoritis was showing signs of slowing down like a storm finally

losing its thunderous grip. The reason for our newfound optimism? The Cooper Invitational tournament, and it’s the light at the end of our academic tunnel. This tournament wasn’t just an event; it was a beacon of excitement that kept us motivated to soldier on without giving up. As athletes geared up for the Cooper Invitational, there floated a renewed sense of purpose in the air. It was more than just a competition; it was a chance to showcase our talents and put a pause on our Sophomoritis.

Radical Riddles You are in a dark room with a box of matches. Nearby are three things: a candle, an oil lamp, and a log of firewood. Which do you light first?

Whoever sends the first correct answer will receive a special reward! Send your answer to amit.zalman@mhafyos.org! Last issue’s winner: Dahlia Siegel

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Parshat Vayeitzei: The Signi cance of Yaakov’s Dream Avi Becker (24’) Vayetze sees Yaakov fleeing his brother Esav. He leaves Beer Sheva and goes to Charan; the dwelling place of his mother Rivkas’s family.

On his journey, he sleeps and dreams of a ladder.

There is no end to the list that denotes all the metaphors the ladder entails. Today, however, we will focus on one in particular; one that I will not note now, for fear of summarizing the article too early, but one I hope the reader will be able to discover while reading. And I’d like to start off with exactly that point: The burden of responsibility within Judaism. Often within Judaism, the burden of responsibility is imposed on the recipient rather than the imposer. The Ibn Ezra notes even, in his introduction to Ecclesiastes: “The root of evil lies in the deficiency of the recipient. For as far as G-d is concerned, we have no other way of comparing His deeds in the world except by His own handiwork, for indeed everything is His handiwork.

Thus, for instance, when we behold that the sun, which is one of G-d’s handiworks, will let white garments exposed to its rays remain white while at the same time cause the face Last Week’s to Solution of the laundered turn tan, we must assume that affects vary with the differences in the nature of the recipient. For, in truth, only one form of activity can emanate from one source. Hence changes are due to the specific nature of the objects.”

Working under this assumption the clear goal is to change oneself to be more readily receiving doctrines imposed by the Torah–emphasizing progressive development leading one to be a perfect recipient of perfect knowledge (the Torah). By placing the burden of receiving on the recipient, Judaism too places a burden of growing on the recipient. You work

on growing from a state of actualization to conceptualization.

That is – the actualization of oneself and the conceptualization of G-d.

Once man is grounded in actualizing himself (as discussed in a previous dvar (if you’re following Dvar canon)) he can come to a state of conceptualization of G-d.

However, that actualization is the bottom rung of the ladder, merely a step to conceptualization and connection. The top rungs, namely

Source: BibicalIsraelTours.com conceptualization, are far beyond our understanding to even begin to attempt to explain, so I will attempt to focus on the middle rungs. What can bring us from actualization to this conceptualization?

We begin with a form of ecstatic/ symbolical transcendence. This is expressed through man's imagination and actualization of such. For example, a painter creates an image, bringing it from its potential to its true existence. Likewise, an author might describe the clouds in the sky, although dissimilar to the skydiver who flies through them and as such truly experiences them. Secondly,

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there is a psychological transcendence. The bringing of the “need” to the “want”. A dog might find itself chasing after food as a biological mechanism, bound by the gravity of the stimulus in conjunction with the organism's need. If the response is automatic, then the motivation is not transcending, as it is a necessity of bio-physical gratification. If the response is due to transcending factors, namely: motivation, then the organism loses its stimulus-oriented mind and becomes a thinking body designed to affirm itself–whatever it believes “itself” is.

Lastly, there is a conceptual transcendence. This is the difference we see in havdalah by “Ohr” and “Choshech”, by “Chol” and “Kodesh,” and by “Yisrael” and the “Amim.” Here, the physical transcends to the conceptual. Similar to the concept of a circle not being the literal shape as envisioned, but rather the concept of a shape that has an entire circumference equidistant from the center.

Once we actualize ourselves by overcoming all these levels can we conceptualize the Torah, not as a physical item, nor as the governing body of laws, but rather as an ineffable concept. However, once we change ourselves to become better recipients of the Torah, we can begin to conceptualize it more accurately.

This is the ladder. The ladder from a stimulus-oriented experience with the Torah, to the way it was meant to be: an experiential one. When Yaakov saw the ladder, connecting from the ground to the heavens, he was experiencing a connection between the physical implementation of the Torah (The physical Mitzvot to be performed) and the experiential involvement with it (The underlying values behind the mitzvot).

November 24, 2023

Cooper Clicks Top Right: During our davening stop on the way to Washington we met this wonderful “homeless man” who joined our minyan. Bottom Right: Three CYSHB’ers look for clothes but just can’t seem to nd them. Bottom Middle: Thanks to the local Chabad Shaliach, Baruch nds the late minyan at the ra y.

Bottom Le : Ethan VanderWalde menta y prepares himself for the journey to Washington Photos By: Ezra Davidovics, Jack Kampf, Avigdor Zweihorn, Ra Goldkin

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Volume 18, Issue 7

Volume 18, Issue 7

November 24, 2023

Schedule Changes for all Ranges: Last Period Shakeup Rafi Goldkin (25’) Along with the start of school – even though it's been three months – comes changes to the schedule. Like every other year, the school adjusts the schedule altering end times and moving classes around. This year the most significant change we saw was the last period of the day, an elective. The administration decided to let us choose our last class to end off the day.

All grades were offered the Rav Nota Greenblatt matmidim program, with the additional choice for upperclassmen: Torah Topics with Rabbi Safier, or for the lowerclassmen: Kashrus with Rabbi Rossman. After only a week of school, a slight issue arose about the schedule.

There was some parent demand for a Hebrew class for the boys in 11thWeek’s and 12th grade.

The admin Last Solution quickly responded, adding an Ivrit elective to the last period of the day.

A lot of students immediately enrolled hoping to learn Hebrew in greater depth than last year. This class was to be taught by Mrs Tsuna who already teaches Hebrew to the underclassmen earlier in the day.

Torah Topics was advertised as a class that would cover expanses of different topics dealing with Torah, halacha, and hashkafa.

The shiur started off learning the halachos of Yichud which is the issur of being secluded with the opposite gender.

They recently switched to learning about the background and stories surrounding Rambam's “Epistle to

Learning in Masmidim can be highly rewarding Photo By: Jack Kampf Yemen”. Junior Nadav Lowell said, “Torah Topics is a great opportunity to explore varying subjects in Judaism that are relevant and interesting to every one of us in the class.”

The 9th and 10th graders had the opportunity to partake in a class with a different type of goal.

Kashrus is taught by Rabbi Dov Rossman and discusses at length the halachos of Kashrus. Ilan Lennon, a Freshman, says “Kashrus is a particularly useful class because I get to learn the halachos and can apply them in my everyday life.”

The last elective option Matmidim is unique because, unlike the rest of the final-period electives, it ends at 5:05 instead of 4:45. Matmidim is taught

by Rabbi Grunwald, the head of KTM (Kollel Torah Mitzion) and

“ The nal elective period… has been one of the best changes to our school schedule.”

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covers the 8th perek of Meseches Bava Kama: Hachovel. Rabbi Grunwald brought the 3 bachurim in KTM, Yedidya Ariel, Ori Yemini, and Tsefanya Sperling to learn bechavrusa (a learning pear of two students) or bechabura (a small group of three or more students) with the class. The boys split up into groups and learned a section of the Gemara. Occasionally at the end of class, one of the KTM Bachurim gives a 10-minute shiur on what we learned. Although Matmidim is just an extra 20 minutes, it's a huge addition to the boy's day. The learning isn’t just informational but it is also fun. Junior Raanan Vanderwalde says, “Matmidim is a great opportunity for me to add a little extra learning to my day, even though the school day extends a little bit longer, it is definitely worth it.” The final elective period of the day has brought a wide variety of topics for the boys to choose from and has been one of the best changes to our school schedule in recent years.

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Avi’s Awesome Authorities This week we will focus on the “awesome” Rabbi Yishmael Ben Elisha.

One of the Tannaim (a sage of the Mishnah) who lived around 50 years after the destruction of the second Beit Hamikdash. A contemporary of Rabbi Akiva, he was one of the ten Martys who was brutally murdered by the roman government. He was born to a family of Kohanim, and he too was given the title of “Kohen gadol.” He was exceedingly handsome and wise and for this reason he was captured as a child and taken to Rome as a captive. At one point Rabbi Yehoshua Ben Chanina came to Rome in search for mercy on the Jewish people. Upon nding out that there was a captive boy there he called out a pasuk: “Who delivered Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers?” Quoting a pasuk for Isaiah (42:24). Soon the boy replied “Did not G-d, He against Whom we have sinned” quoting the next portion of the Pasuk. Rabbi Yehoshua spared no cost to save the boy, knowing he would grow to become a great sage. He was known as one of “the fathers of the world.” He has countless commentaries and discussions on the Torah. His commentaries are beyond interesting and too numerous to list here. Truly, one of the greatest Rebbeim of all

time.

- CALVIN AND HOBBES © Watterson. Reprinted with permission of ANDREWS MCMEEL

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TikTok: Chinese Spyware or for the Greater Good?

Omer Zalman (27’)

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Cooper Contretemps

ikTok is an app on your

smartphone where someone can scroll through short videos, anywhere from three seconds to 10 minutes. TikTok is open to viewers 13 and up, and has many videos, ranging from science, dancing, DIY, trends, and much more. I believe that TikTok, and even other shortform video platforms, aren’t good platforms since they cause many mental defects and developmental issues, although many people use these apps.

First and foremost, TikTok has been used by many people worldwide for a long time, which I believe practically turns them into zombies. Also, many of society's youth use TikTok, which often distracts them from what’s important. When I go to public places, such as the airport or Kroger, I watch kids waste their time watching TikTok for hours.

Well, you might be saying “Oh, that’s subjective,” but in my opinion, it isn’t. According to the Guardian, more than 16% of kids ages 3-4 use TikTok regularly, which rises to 34% of all 5-7-year-olds. I believe this is absurd. I’m sure we all can agree that children ages three to seven years old shouldn’t watch videos all day.

During juvenility, it’s essential that kids explore the world and interact with their surroundings, not spend countless hours staring at their phones like zombies like what is so common in our youth today.

You may think this is bad, but it gets even worse in the 7-14-yearold crowd, where TikTok has been shown to cause brain damage. In August of 2021, a study to see if TikTok causes depression, anxiety, stress, and memory loss was conducted by Peng CYHSB Weekly

For this inaugural edition of Cooper Contretemps we asked two of our best and brightest CYHSB’ers their opinions on one of the most pressing issues in our high-school: TikTok Sha and Xiaoyu Dong. The study was conducted with 3036 high schoolers from 11-12 grade, and it proved that there is a correlation between TikTok addiction and depression, anxiety, stress, and memory loss.

TikTok also could be a security concern since once you join, you are a public account by default, meaning people

can see your content. If your family, friends, or you join TikTok, people can view your content, and strangers can message you (although you can change this setting). Additionally, politicians have also accused TikTok of allegedly sharing information about American citizens with China, a communist government.

TikTok also causes kids to lose their attention spans. Researchers from the Technical University of Denmark found that the average hashtag (what is trending each day) length went down from 19 hours to 11 hours, a 42% decrease, implying the average attention span went down from 2013 to 2019.

Another reason I consider TikTok to be bad is because it causes a dopamine addiction.

Dopamine is a chemical that makes you happy and is a reward, created when you eat, socialize, and have fun. TikTok uses short-form content, meaning that if you become bored with a specific topic TikTok, will minimize the probability of the topic being shown to you again. The instant gratification formed from this process releases a dopamine spike. Repeated use could lead to an

addiction-like scenario creating a dependence on the dopamine release from these videos.

In essence, I maintain that to prevent further mental issues with the rising generation and learning curves in developing youth, we should make the minimum age for TikTok 14 years old; the point at which the brain reaches its maximum size, stopping further harm in the mental health of children.

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Akiva Levine (26’)

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n an ever-changing world, new

technologies and various social media platforms are constantly emerging. In our digital age, social media platforms are used by individuals of all ages, including children. Specifically, the app TikTok (which includes short videos uploaded by users) has risen in prominence in the past few years, and we wonder whether TikTok is suitable for children. I believe that despite concerns surrounding online safety, screen time, and productivity, there are many notable reasons why children should engage with TikTok. Tiktok, if used responsibly and possibly with parental guidance, can be used as a tool for creativity, an educational resource, and a healthy respite from a busy routine.

TikTok as a platform can provide a unique opportunity to fulfill children’s ability to be creative.

Many children have imagination and creativity; and want to carry out their creative talents. By using TikTok in moderation, children can expose themselves to other people’s ideas and even learn how to distill their ideas into concise and engaging clips to later post on TikTok. Though one may argue that this is not the most productive thing a child can do, it is healthy for children to fulfill their yearning for creativity and imagination. Children should not be constrained by conventional norms that will limit their creative exploration.

Rather, by allowing a child to be creative and fulfilling their passions by using TikTok and other platforms, you are contributing to their holistic development as a child.

In addition to TikTok serving as an opportunity for creativity, TikTok CYHSB Weekly

November 24, 2023

can be used as an educational tool for children; allowing them to learn even out of the classroom. As such, I believe that there should be clear boundaries regarding which videos to watch on TikTok and constant monitoring of their content. There can be some positive videos to watch on TikTok for all ages. I personally enjoy watching 15second clips on TikTok of how to invest in the stock market. Watching educational clips, like about investing, can expand the child’s knowledge of topics of interest to him, extending their learning beyond the confines of the classroom. With the right instruction, children can access ageappropriate and educational content on TikTok that aligns with their interests. Though there are many more insubstantial videos on TikTok, these educational videos are full of educators, scientists, and experts willing to share insight and knowledge

across various subjects. I believe children should utilize TikTok as an educational and learning tool, which is undoubtedly part of their educational journey.

Furthermore, children can use TikTok as a healthy respite from a busy routine. Children need relaxation and breaks for a healthy lifestyle. Tiktok can serve as a constructive break from the demands of schoolwork and extracurricular activities. Of course, each child needs different amounts of breaks due to their workload, so an authority figure should work with the child to decide how much screen time is allotted for their break. Regardless, TikTok serves as a pause in their daily routine in which children can unwind and recharge their minds. I believe using TikTok would not only promote their mental well-being but also contribute to a children’s balanced lifestyle. With proper usage, TikTok can be a valuable tool for children to take a break, and then return to their responsibilities with renewed energy and focus.

While acknowledging concerns about screen time, productivity, and safety, TikTok can be a valuable asset to children when used responsibly. TikTok can allow children to express themselves in a creative and positive environment, allow them to learn beyond the classroom and explore a range of their interests, and provide a break for the child. TikTok can be used as a creative platform, an educational resource, and a healthy respite, all of which can contribute to a healthier lifestyle for a child. With these aspects that children are gaining from TikTok, I argue that TikTok should be used by children in our modern times. Knowing positive ways to utilize societies’ emerging technologies lets us thrive in our digital age, our modern world, and the future.

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🚀 Trend Takeo 🚀 One trend that has really taken off recently in the CYHSB is Fortnite.

Fortnite just launched a new season called Fortnite OG which is essentially the old Fortnite map which they have brought back. Students in the CYHSB have been obsessing over the game due to the nostalgia they feel from when the game was like this five years ago. CYHSB’ers have been bringing their controllers to school so that they can play during their breaks.

Sophomore Jack Kampf said “Fortnite OG is the greatest thing to ever happen to the CYHSB.”

Another trend that has taken off recently is Duolingo. Duolingo is a fun interactive learning game where you can learn new languages in an addictive way.

CYHSB’ers have been using Duolingo to learn new languages like Latin or French while some improve their Hebrew skills.

CYHSB’ers are competing to prove which of them have the determination to master a new language.

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Word Wheel

First person to send in a completed puzzle to amit.zalman@mhafyos.org gets a prize!

- CALVIN AND HOBBES © Watterson. Reprinted with permission of ANDREWS MCMEEL

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A Sponsorship is a great way to get a message out to the community, celebrate an event, or simply just help out the school.

Contact Nadav Lowell at nadav.lowell@mhafyos.org if you would like to sponsor an issue for $20.

CYHSB Weekly Staff Editor-in-Chief Ezra Davidovics | ezra.davidovics@mhafyos.org Associate Editor-in-Chief Nadav Lowell | nadav.lowell@mhafyos.org Managing Editor Raanan Vanderwalde | raanan.vanderwalde@mhafyos.org Head of Torah Affairs Avi Becker | avi.becker@mhafyos.org Layout Editors Ra Davidovics | rafael.davidovics@mhafyos.org Amit Zalman | amit.zalman@mhafyos.org News Editors Akiva Levine | akiva.levine@mhafyos.org Yitzy Ryp | yitzy.ryp@mhafyos.org Photographers and Complaint Managers J.J. Stein | jacob.stein@mhafyos.org Jack Kampf | jack.kampf@mhafyos.org CYHSB Weekly Staff Jojo Ardestani | jonathan.ardestani@mhafyos.org Ra Goldkin | rafael.goldkin@mhafyos.org Benny Freiden | benjamin.freiden@mhafyos.org Ilan Lennon | ilan.lennon@mhafyos.org Jonah Siegel | jonah.siegel@mhafyos.org Omer Zalman | omer.zalman@mhafyos.org Davi Baum | david.baum@mhafyos.org Administrative Advisors Mrs. Ashley Brown Rabbi Dov Rossman

From the Editor: One week ago our school, as well the greater Jewish and pro-Israel community, had the awesome opportunity to attend the Rally for Israel in Washington D.C. This rally was an amazing, once-ina-lifetime experience and showed us the importance of democracy and the importance of selfactualization and civil argument. Lets continue to use these skills throughout our daily lives.

- Ezra Davidovics

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