CYHSB Weekly 3/31/2023

CYHSB WEEKLY

Cooper Yeshiva High School for Boys

Volume 19, Issue 13

Weekly Puzzle: Word

Wheel

Page 3

Wordscapes: Rise and Fall From Grace

Page 4

Chad Gadya: A Lesson in Jewish History

Page 6

To (Shel)by or Not to (Shel)by Page 7

This Week’s Weekly is sponsored by Ezra Wiener in honor of all of the Weekly Staff’s hard work.

Source:

Red Sarachek Tournament: Cooper Macs Basketball Season in Review

Nathan Greenbaum (’25)

This past week, our Cooper Macs had the privilege of traveling to New York to play in the 30th annual Red Sarachek Tournament. Sarachek, which is run by the Yeshiva University Undergraduate Admissions Office, brings in 24 high school teams from the United States and Canada to participate in a fiveday basketball exhibition.

Preparations for the tournament at Cooper started in late November, at the beginning of their basketball season. Head coach Ian Thomas created plays and sets for the team to

run, and at the beginning of the season, the Macs were coming out victorious, with senior captain DR Wogan leading the team, along with juniors Zechariah Lichter and Yosef Vanderwalde who were putting up great numbers each game. As we got closer to the divisional games, things started to go downhill. But regardless of the outcome, we looked at these games as lessons we needed to learn and fix before the tournament.

In early March, as the end of the season approached, Macs Live, the broadcasting team for the

Continued on the next page.

Senior DR Wogan was named an All Star of the Red Sarachek Tournament at Yeshiva University this past week.

macslive.com

tournament released their seeding show, which also announced the schedule of the games. Our team was confident that we would be placed at a reasonable seed, considering we had a respectable season. However, when we found out that we would be the last seed in the tournament, we wanted to prove them wrong. We spent the next few weeks practicing our plays and watching film on some of the teams we were projected to play. We were ready for the tournament.

On Wednesday, March 22 the team flew from Memphis to Newark International Airport. After a long day of traveling, the Wogan family treated us to dinner at Dougies BBQ. We then headed back to the hotel in Woodcliff, New Jersey where we would meet all of the out of town teams. Some of the teams we saw when we first arrived included Farber from Detroit, and Fuchs Mizrachi from Cleveland.

The next day, the team woke up at about 9 AM, and after davening and a quick breakfast stop at Lazy Bean Cafe in Teaneck, we headed our way over to Yeshiva University in New York City. Our Cooper Macs didn’t have any games that day, as only the top 16 seeds would play, but we wanted to see what the atmosphere was like. We arrived and found ourselves in the Mac Stern Athletic Center. The gym was crowded, fans were cheering, and there were cameras everywhere capturing every angle of the game. There were tier I qualifying games playing throughout the whole day, but we came only for one game, Magen David (8) vs DRS (9). The Cooper Macs, the 24th seed, would play the loser of that game, the 8th seed vs the 9th seed. Magen David

ended up winning, so our next game would be played at TABC for the tier II qualifying game. Rabbi Gersten also arranged a tour of YU for us, so we got to experience college life on campus. They showed us multiple classrooms, libraries, Batei Midrashim, and the dorms. We ended our tour in front of a

and Avi Becker (’24) led a beautiful Kabbalat Shabbat

strip of kosher restaurants, including Golan Heights and Gramma’s Pizza. We ended our day with a grand dinner at Noah’s Ark Restaurant in Teaneck.

On Friday morning, we woke up around 8:00 AM, and headed back over to Teaneck for our first game at TABC. Crowds of people were already pouring in, and our Cooper Macs were ready for their first game against DRS from Woodmere, New York. Although our coach couldn’t make it to the tournament, Mr. Jon Wogan made it his responsibility that we had some guidance out on the court. It was a close game at the beginning, but DRS started to pull away at the end and the Macs lost by 15. It was a devastating loss, but the remainder of the day was fun after getting lunch at Sammy’s and frolicking through the streets of Teaneck. We then headed back to the hotel to prepare for Shabbos. They split everyone up into 2 different minyanim,

Shabbos was just like any other shabbaton. There was learning, different speeches from Jewish basketball players, including Zevi Samet of the Yeshiva University Maccabees, and Daniel Tamir, the director of NCSY Jumpshot. We ended Shabbos with an inspirational speech from Elliott Steinmetz, the head coach of the Yeshiva University Macs, and afterwards, we prepared for our next game vs MTA from New York. It was another hard fought battle and the game was close the entire game, but MTA prevailed with some clutch free throws at the end to secure the win. This loss didn’t stop us from having some fun afterwards. With everything Teaneck had to offer, our Cooper Macs made sure that they took advantage of this special opportunity and went restaurant hopping once again.

Sunday, was the big day where the Cooper Mac’s game would be streamed on Macs Live, the Sarachek broadcasting system that is viewed by thousands of people. Our next game was against Or Chaim of Toronto, and with everyone on the team scoring, it was a great game. The next morning we had our last game of the tournament. Due to scheduling issues, we ended up vs Maimonedes from Boston, and this was another very close game, but Maimo won by 5. It might have been a disappointing tournament for the Cooper Macs, but it was definitely a breathtaking experience. We said one last goodbye to Lazy Bean Cafe and Sammy’s Pizza in Teaneck, and we were back on our way to Memphis.

The Cooper Macs pose for a photo before their first game in the TABC gym. Photo: Jessica Baum

Sarachek Cont.

Weekly Puzzle: Word Wheel

They were be a different puzzle each week, so stay tuned! Send in your answers to ezra.wiener@mhafyos.org

Wordscapes: Rise and Fall From Grace

Ezra Wiener (’23)

When given what looks like a random assortment of letters, such as “‘V’ ‘T’ ‘I’ ‘R’ ‘S’ ‘E’” the average person might brush it off as a bunch of nonsense, but to a CYHSBer it is an entire world of opportunities to spell a multitude of words. The CYHSB wasn’t always like this though. A few weeks ago, your average CYHSBer would have been just like everyone else, having no idea what to do with those letters. So what changed, what transformed the CYHSB into a school of word whizzes, and is it here to stay?

popular, why are so many kids spending their precious 45 minutes

gifting them with in game hints. The clan also has a chat feature that allows you to have healthy and productive conversations with your clan mates. Another fun thing about clans is tournaments, which happen within the game every so often and allows individuals within the clan, and the entire clan itself, to compete against other players to see who can find the most words. The high school clan is currently called “Badboysinshiur” and is welcome to all high schoolers who want to join.

Last Week’s Solution

The answer to that first question can be found in the app store, completely for free, and that answer is Wordscapes. Wordscapes is a game that was released in 2017, but just recently became popular in the high school. The game is pretty simple, you are given a circle of randomly assorted letters that spell one big word, and all you have to do is swipe across the various letters to create words that then fit into a crossword format.

The game has experienced a huge surge in popularity in the CYHSB, with many kids playing it at every opportunity. Come to the CYHSB during lunch and you are likely to see a bunch of kids on their phones on what has been referred to by many as the “Wordscapes Grind,” which basically means playing the game a lot. So what makes this game so

The one thing that all successful mobile games have in common is simplicity, and this game is chalk full of it. All you have to do to play this game is spell words in a circle, and while these word puzzles are frequently very difficult, the actual gameplay is fairly simple and basic. The game’s difficulty is another factor in its success. The difficult world puzzles offer students opportunities to expand their vocabulary and challenge themselves, with the completion of a word puzzle being extremely satisfying, and the highlight of many student’s day.

The last major factor in the game’s success is a fairly new edition to the game, clans. Now any players who have the app can join together in a clan, and aid each other in their puzzles, primarily by

Now, this all sounds like a fire time, but will this Wordscapes flame burn for eternity, or will it become extinguished, and if it does, how soon? Well, the unfortunate answer to that question is that the latter option is likely correct, and the end of this Wordscapes fad may be closer than many had hoped. Many fads come and go, but Wordscapes has a few key features that may make its fall from grace arrive sooner than other fads similar to it.

One major problem with the game is the ads, which occur frequently and can be very inconvenient and annoying for players. One of the most frustrating feelings in the world is completing a puzzle and being on a roll, only to have that be interrupted by an ad that totally throws you off your game. Another problem with the game is the fact that it drains your phone battery with frightening speed, which is both extremely inconvenient and damaging for

Wordscapes rose to fame in the high school with fightening speed, and can be found on the phones of many students. Source: twitter.com

your battery.

The last major problem with the game can actually be found within the clan. The points in this game are referred to as “brilliance” and the more puzzles you complete, the more brilliance you get. Members of the clan are ranked by their brilliance, and this ranking system creates a lot of tension between members, creating a social hierarchy dependent on the amount

of brilliance you have. Members with higher brilliance tend to express feelings of superiority over those with less brilliance, sometimes referring to them as “Brillialosers” or “Low Brilliance Betty’s.” Some clan members with higher brilliance even advocated to set a brilliance requirement to join the clan, not wanting the clan’s reputation to be tainted by those lacking in brilliance points.

Cooper Clicks

Overall, the game is very fun and allows students to expand their vocabularies and challenge themselves in new and exciting ways. While this game might be popular, it is already showing early signs of dwindling popularity, it is certainly making a big impression while it is here, with its legacy likely lasting a long time.

The Cooper Macs fuel up before their big game. Photo: Jessica Baum

Jojo Ardestani helps Aaron Weiss climb up the ranks in wordscapes.

Photo: Rafi Davidovics

CYHSBrs get in some Super Smash Bros before class. Photo: Ezra Wiener

Chad Gadya: A Lesson in Jewish History

Nadav Lowell (’25) Very soon Pesach will be here, and we will enjoy a week of eating cardboard as we celebrate the story of the Exodus, when God took the Jewish people out of the land of Egypt and began their journey to the promised land of Israel.

states that each verse of the song can relate to important events in Jewish history.

Last Week’s Solution

One of the fundamental parts of the Pesach holiday is the seder. This allnight-long feast, in which many Jews read the Haggadah, commemorates the entire Exodus story. Toward the end of the feast, we say the final section of the Haggadah called Nirtzah, in which we sing a multitude of meaningful songs, one which is Chad Gadya, a favorite to many. The song portrays an amusing series of events in which the narrator relates the story of his father's goat. The goat gets eaten by a cat, who then gets bit by a dog, which is then beaten by a stick, which is burned by fire. The fire is then put out by water that is drunk by an ox. The ox then gets slaughtered by a butcher, who then gets killed by the angel of death, who is then banished by God.

Although the story seems silly it has long been part of Jewish tradition and has been part of the printed Haggadah as far back as the 1500s. Many rabbis and analysts have interpretations of the song's odd verses and their possible meanings.

There is one opinion shared by Rabbi Dr. Raphael Zarum, who

The song starts with the line, “One little goat, one little goat that my father bought for two zuzim.” This alludes to the ten brothers him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. The ten brothers split these 20 silver coins and each received two silver shekels.” Just as the father bought the kid for two silver coins (zuzim) so too the brother also received the same payment each for the sale of Joseph.

Move on two lines and we see “A dog came and bit the cat that ate the goat that my father bought for two zuzim.” The cat relates to Egypt as one of their main gods, Bast, who took the form of a cat. The dog who bit the cat represents the Assyrian and Babylonian empires that conquered Egypt.

Following this is the line “A fire came and burned the stick that bit the dog that bit the cat that ate the goat that my father bought for two zuzim.” This line shows the Persian empire destroying the Babylonians, as referenced by the stick which alludes to the Persian golden scepter featured in the Purim story. But they too are conquered, this time by the Greeks which are portrayed by fire. The same fire that the Greeks used against Israel as they waged war against the Jews. After this, the next lines show an ox coming and drinking the water that put out the fire that burned the stick. This line shows the transition for the Jewish people from the Romans, the water as referenced by their extensive aqueduct and bath systems, destroying the Greeks and then the Jews building the Beit Hamikdash. The Ox is showing spiritual ascension through the Karbonat that they could bring once more under the completed construction of the Temple.

The final three lines show the butcher slaughtering the ox and then getting killed by the angel of death. The angel is then banished by God. These three lines are connected as it shows a familiar pattern that can be seen through both the Chumash and Navi. The Jewish people first follow all the commandments and mitzvot, as shown by the ox. Then, they begin to see a challenge such as the plishtim or a plague rising,

Singing Chad Gadya is a Seder highlight for Jews across the world. Source: rishonartgalery.com

expressed through the angel of death. Finally, they are saved by God after they do teshuva and they continue in their service to Hashem.

The song shows that throughout Jewish history there will be many challenges and struggles. There will be many who wish to conquer and destroy the Jewish people, but

as long as we wait it out and stay true to Hashem and follow his commandments he will preserve us.

Of course, many of these interpretations are just speculation and many different rabbis have formed opinions about them through the years. For instance, the fire that burned the stick could

To (Shel)by or Not to (Shel)by

Avi Becker (’24)

As spring rapidly approaches and the weather grows warmer here in Memphis, we need to find something to do outside. This being the first totally Covid free spring in a while brings exciting new and old opportunities for us to explore. One of these is Shelby Farms. Located right here in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States, Shelby Farms is a public park just east of the city of Memphis. It is also one of the largest urban parks in the US and the world, at a size of 4,500 acres; it covers more than five times the area of Central Park in New York City which has a measly 843 acres. This brings a myriad of activities available there.

They have rentable scooters and gorgeous paths for people to walk or scooter down. It is a chance to embrace the wildlife that G-d has bestowed upon us. Beyond that, there is also a gorgeous lake with a path that extends the circumference. This is a beautiful place to go for a run or just to sit on a bench and think. You can choose to walk through their cleared paths or do a little exploring of your own. Gathering sticks and building a small teepee could be a fun activity for the kids, as well as just running around

Cooper Clicks

through nature. Just make sure you don’t trip on all the hidden branches and roots.

However, Shelby Farms comes with its downsides. It is very

allude to the burning bush, or the cat and dog could try and show a comparison between the Jews and Gentiles through history. I would encourage everyone to read through the verses and perhaps talk over what they could mean at your own seder table

dependent on the weather and in order to find the ideal day you might have to wait some time. This makes it hard to plan ahead for such an activity. Unexpected bad weather can quickly kill a fun planned day at the park.

Shelby Farms also comes with some attractions. There is no fee to get into and explore around the park; however, you can rent a bike or a canoe which will be about $20. If you want to hang out with a large group there, they have a myriad of outdoor pavilions that you could host events at.

For those who are looking to work there, they offer a considerable amount of full time and part time jobs. A crew member,

for example, will be paid $10-14 an hour. You would need to have:

• Consistent availability for shifts on weekends and holidays (including school breaks).

• Physical ability to perform required tasks outdoors in various conditions (extreme heat, cold, and/or inclement weather).

• Must be able to lift 50 lbs.

• Compensation and Schedule.

Season: weekends in April & May; daily Memorial DayLabor Day; weekends in September; optional weekends throughout the year.

• Opening shifts may begin at 7:00 am. Closing shifts may end at 7:00 pm or later if special events are happening in the Park.

• With a Minimum of 15 hrs per week; up to 40 hrs.

They are responsible for all things you would expect a crew member to need to do. This is just one of the jobs.

If you’re looking to get active you could take a stroll or bike on their 40+ miles of trails. Within the park there is The First Horizon Foundation Visitor Center in Heart of the Park. It is the one-stop shop for park essentials + gifts + snacks. And all proceeds benefit Shelby Farms Park and Shelby Farms Greenline.

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CYHSB Weekly Staff

Editor-in-Chief

Ezra Wiener | ezra.wiener@mhafyos.org

Layout Editor

Ezra Davidovics | ezra.davidovics@mhafyos.org

Editors

Ethan VanderWalde | ethan.vanderwalde@mhafyos.org

Nathan Greenbaum | nathan.greenbaum@mhafyos.org

Raanan Vanderwalde | raanan.vanderwalde@mhafyos.org

Complaint Manager

J.J. Stein | jacob.stein@mhafyos.org

CYHSB Weekly Staff

Akiva Levine | akiva.levine@mhafyos.org

Amit Zalman | amit.zalman@mhafyos.org

Avi Becker | avi.becker@mhafyos.org

Baruch Finkleman | baruch.finkleman@mhafyos.org

Rafi Davidovics | rafael.davidovics@mhafyos.org

Joshua Parcover | joshua.parcover@mhafyos.org

Yaron Weiss | yaron.weiss@mhafyos.org

Benny Freiden | benny.freiden@mhafyos.org

Rafi Goldkin | rafael.goldkin@mhafyos.org

Yosef VanderWalde | yosef.vanderwalde@mhafyos.org

Nadav Lowell | nadav.lowell@mhafyos.org

Jojo Ardestani | jonathan.ardestani@mhafyos.org

Yonah Lynn | yonah.lynn@mhafyos.org

Administrative Advisors

Mrs. Ashley Brown

Rabbi Dov Rossman

From the Editor

One of the best ways to kill time and relax is to play a game. Whether it be a video game, a board game, or sport, games allow us to relax and just have a good time. Games are an integral aspect of the CYHSB, and allow students to interact with each other, challenge themselves, and just have fun. While work is important, you can’t do it all the time, and recreational activities like games are essential for any individual.