CYHSB Weekly 2/4/2023

CYHSB WEEKLY

Cooper Yeshiva High School for Boys

Volume 17, Issue 11

Cooper Clicks

Page 3

The Triumphant Return of Chess to the CYHSB

Page 4

CYHSB Steak Dinner: An Unforgettable Experience

Page 5

Weekly Riddle: Word Wheel

Page 6

Parshas Beshalach: The Importance of Gratitude

Page 7

This week’s Weekly is sponsored by Avi Becker in honour of his father’s Birthday this Shabbos.

Nadav Lowell (’25)

It's that time of year again, the temperature has dropped below 40 degrees, and to many southerners it’s starting to feel like we’re living in the Antarctic. That’s right: the city was hit with another ice storm warning this past Tuesday. To many, this warning brought back memories of last year’s storm, which resulted in many community members losing power. The

“Now,” those from more northern areas might ask, “how can an ice storm warning cause

the city to shut down and supplies to disappear as if we were in a hurricane?” In order to answer this question, we must stop and take a moment to appreciate the fascinating world of ice and snow removal in Memphis, Tennessee.

Did you know that there are 800 functioning snowplows in the state of Tennessee? However, and unsurprisingly, just eight of those are in the entire city of Memphis. We used to have more, but due to our local administration's brilliant decision-making, they've been left to disrepair. Also, let's not forget about our outdated plows that don't even fit the new fleet of service trucks. Don’t worry though, there’s still some good news: have you heard about the state's new secret weapon against ice on the roads? They are now mixing the normal salt mixture with beet juice. This is a revolutionary new idea which will allow the salt to stick to the roads much more easily and is less harmful to the environment than the previous chemicals that were used.

Now, while this sounds like an amazing and useful innovation, Memphis’s salt trucks only target the “primary” roads. So if you live on a secondary road, or if you are a student who for some inexplicable reason was forced to attend the CYHSB on Tuesday morning when the rest of the building and city was shut down, you're on your own. Let's look on the bright side,

companies as well as other businesses are donating essential machinery such as snow plows and other utility vehicles in an attempt to clear away the ice.

Even with the city-wide shutdown, many CYHSB students have taken advantage of the weather and are spending their time in multiple creative ways. Canadian and sophomore Nathan Greenbaum said, “Coming from the north, I

wasn't expecting snow, and I definitely wasn't expecting a snow day. It's great having a break from work during the school week.

Members of the AP art history class all breathed a cool sigh of relief when we heard the news that school was canceled as it gave us all a few more days to prepare for our unit exam.” While those more studious types took the snow day as an excuse to get more work done, many students found new ways to enjoy the ice. Many CYHSBers had fun slipping and sliding around the school junglegym and swing set, hunting for icicles, and sledding down icy slopes.

This icy week has given students a much-deserved and needed break, but at the same time it has shown us the true values of our school and our city. Even though it was hard for many, there were still a lot of students who made the attempt to come to the school for a few hours to learn Torah and daven, making the best of a difficult situation. Even though the city of Memphis is ill-prepared for these types of circumstances, which seem to be appearing more frequently, people and businesses have done their best to try and help others by donating equipment or by just offering a helping hand. May we all take this opportunity to learn that even if a seemingly bad situation comes our way, we can always turn it around for the better.

Ezra Wiener shows o ff a cool icicle he found. Photo: Yitzchak Rubin

Cooper Clicks

The Steak Dinner waiting sta ff lazily takes a picture instead of doing their job.

Yosef Vanderwalde and Nathan Greenbaum are caught red-handed attempting to smuggle two trays of franks in blanks out of the building.

Yitzchak Rubin expertly delivers an impromptu, unscripted speech on which part of the cow he thinks is yummiest. Photo: Jessica Baum.

As punishment for making him honoree, Rabbi Safier forces students to circle dance with him until they can’t walk.

Photo: Jessica Baum

Photo: Jessica Baum

Photo: Jessica Baum

The Triumphant Return of Chess to the CYHSB

Ezra Wiener (’23)

The King cowers in the corner, trembling with fear. His primary protector, the queen, has fallen, along with all of his knights. His castles have been destroyed, and all but one of his bishops has been vanquished. One of the king’s remaining soldiers meekly takes a step forward before being swiftly killed by the opposing queen. In a last ditch attempt to save his king, the final bishop stands in front of him in a valiant act of defiance to the enemy queen. This doesn’t last long as the queen leaps forward and eliminates the bishop in a single strike. The King now trapped with no hope of escape accepts his fate as the giant finger in the sky knocks him to the ground. Check Mate.

What I have just described is not the final scene of an awesome historical drama film, but is actually the end of a game of chess. Chess, a masterful game of skill and strategy has been around for thousands of years. And while its

playing, whether it be with each other or random people online.

This isn’t the first time Chess has shown its face in the CYHSB, first rising in popularity at the beginning of the COVID years. During that time it became vastly popular, even spawning a club dedicated to perfecting the craft, but this time it feels different. Many kids are taking it more seriously and seem to be more dedicated to growing in the craft. As Raanan Vanderwalde said, “Chess is something I’ve always been into, and I look forward to growing in it.”

is a great resource for kids who want to grow in their skils. Source: Chess.com

popularity peaks, and that is the CYHSB. It is almost guaranteed that if you walk into the boys lounge you will see students

The rise in Chess’s popularity is largely due to Chess.com, an awesome website which allows you to play against other players online, your friends, or even bots of different skill levels. Players can also partake in Chess puzzles which help them improve their skills. The website ranks you based

on your skills and shows you where you can improve, making it a great resource for kids wanting to grow in their skills.

Another reason for Chess’s newfound popularity is the phone ban. With phones taken away a few weeks ago, Chess’s popularity skyrocketed with many kids playing during their breaks, or even, rather rebelliously, during class. As Rafi Davidovics put it, “With the phones gone we had to find new ways to entertain ourselves, and there is nothing more entertaining than a brain stimulating game of chess that I can play amongst my peers.”

Chess is a great game that allows you to think and develop strategic skills, it is also a fun way of challenging yourself. Hopefully, its popularity in the school will only continue grow.

Yaron Weiss and Naftali Shochet play an intense game of chess.

Photo: Ezra Wiener

CYHSB Steak Dinner: An Unforgettable Experience

Avi Becker (’24)

To many, the Steak Dinner started at 7:30 on Saturday night January 19th. To the CYHSB, it started way earlier. I’m not talking about earlier as in a couple of days. Sure, that’s when preparation started, but the suspense around it began even before that. From the first moment I stepped inside the CYHSB in August of 2022, I heard about the Steak Dinner. Whether it be about the food, video, or musical performances, everybody had something to say about it, leaving me more than excited for the event.

Finally, after hours upon hours of work, at around 6:30 the first guests began to show up. Waiters were out and about serving hors

Video made by Ezra Wiener, Ezra Davidiovics, Reuven Marvin, and Jojo Ardestani began. After thirty minutes of non-stop laughter the honoree was announced and none other than Rabbi Safier was welcomed up to the stage to receive the award. This was a big moment for the school as Rabbi Safier has been a close rebbe to many students, and even though he couldn't have wanted to be honored less, to see him receive the honor was a special moment for many.

Last Week’s Solution

Less than a week before the event, we began to roll out the carpets and set up the tables. It took a lot of hard work, but with many students putting in the effort, the tables were ready to go in no time. However, the real work began on the Saturday night prior to the event. Starting at 7:00 PM the steaks were grilled and most of the food was made. The work was not finished until late into that night and wouldn’t start up again until the next morning.

The next morning, after a beautiful davening at the shul the preparations began again and the final touches were added, such as the brochures and place cards. Work was done in shifts with some people on an all day shift and others working for around an hour and a half at a time. At 3:00 the entire CYHSB was there and making final preparations in anticipation of the 300 people who were about to show up.

d'oeuvres to the influx of guests, while kitchen staff was preparing the rest of the food. I’ll avoid talking too much about what took place inside the room as many of you reading this article were there, rather I will focus on the behind the scenes work.

As soon as Ethan VanderWalde began on his beautiful rendition of Clair De Lune by Claude Debussy right after an incredible speech by Yitzchak Rubin, the kitchen staff began plating food. A baked potato, a load of green beans, and either a gorgeous steak, a humongous amount of chicken, a veggie steak, or salmon, was placed on each plate each for a waiter to take out to their table. After hard work by both the kitchen staff and the waiters to get all the food to their respective places, the incredible Steak Dinner

After the honoree, the plates were taken up, and the delicious sorbet from Ben and Jerry’s was given out. This was a nice time that allowed the students to have a short break and talk with their friends and family, while enjoying the sorbet. After the guests started to leave, cleanup began and lasted well into the night. After all the tables and chairs were put away, and the floor cleaned up, the students got to enjoy steaks of their own, and enjoyed spending time in each other's company.

Overall I would say this event more than lived up to the hype. As Yosef Vanderalde said, “The steak dinner is always a highlight of the year. It is also an amazing opportunity for students to rise up and be leaders.” It was a great opportunity for me to get to know my peers better and allowed me to do something special for a community. I seriously can’t wait for it next year.

The Steak Dinner is a great opportunity for the CYHSB to to show what its capable of.

Photo: Jessica Baum

Weekly Puzzle: Word Wheel

Find as many words in the wheel as you can. Any word you find must include the central letter. Most words wins!

There will be a different puzzle each week, so stay tuned!

First person to send in a completed puzzle to ezra.wiener@mhafyos.org gets a prize!

Parshas Beshalach: The Importance of Gratitude

Last Week’s Solution

Akiva Levine (’26) In this week's parsha, parshat Beshalach, Pharaoh finally agrees to let the Bnei Yisroel leave Egypt. During the first Aliyah in pasuk זי , the word "vayehi" or "and it was" is used. Typically it is noted that this word is often used in a distressing and sorrowful manner. The Gemara in Masechet Megillah 10b, describes the word as one to convey a sad situation. For instance, in the beginning of Megillah, it states שורושחא ימיב יהיו. In this case, the word is used appropriately to convey the tragic events that are to come later in the Purim story. However, In Parshat Beshalach, the use of "vayehi" in reference to the Jews leaving Egypt is particularly intriguing, as this event was eagerly anticipated by the Jewish people after years of enslavement. The Jews leaving Egypt is a time of joy and excitement- not a time of distress. Why did the Torah use this word in this context?

As the הרותה ינינפ explains, Moshe beseeched Pharaoh to

release the Jewish people from slavery. Pharaoh of course, stubbornly refused until Hashem eventually performed many

the situation, and highlight the difficulty the Jewish people faced in their journey towards freedom.

The word "vayehi" also teaches a powerful lesson. When someone provides you with something, you must always know who to thank and how to show gratitude. In our lives, almost everything we own and benefit from, is all from Hashem. We must show appreciation to Hashem, and anyone who works to make our lives more enjoyable.

miracles. Finally, when Pharaoh let the Jews go, some of the Jews were shockingly grateful to Pharaoh for "permitting" them to leave instead of giving credit to Hashem The king of Egypt. The very man who had the jews enslaved for hundreds of years- was the man that received some credit for "allowing" the jews to leave. This expression "vayehi" is used to show the sad situation and distress that even after all the suffering at the hands of Pharaoh, some Jews still saw Pharaoh as their liberator. The use of "vayehi" could have been used to emphasize the irony of

Appreciation and gratitude is key to living a fulfilling life. Before showing העדוה and thanks, we must first recognize our provider. In םירצמ תאיצי, our "provider" was Hashem.

The Torah is a powerful tool for conveying the emotions and struggles of the Jewish people. Whether it is used to describe a time of distress or to highlight the ironies of a particular situation, this word serves to give insight into the experiences of the Jewish people and to bring their stories to life.

Parshas Beshalach teaches us the importance of gratitude. Source: ha-mtl.org

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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

With the Steak Dinner over, many students dreaded the idea of having to return to their regular scheduling, luckily Hashem had other plans and gave us a week of cold fun. As we begin to ease back into learning we will have other opportunities to take breaks and enjoy ourselves with games such as Chess, or just talking to friends. Have a great Shabbos, and stay safe.