The Goldie Globe 10/7/22

GOLDIE the

GL BE

A Publication of the Goldie Margolin School for Girls

Women in the Sukkah: Optional Yet Valuable

By Dahlia Siegel ('25)

ukkot is a very joyous holiday. Many people have fond memories of time in their family’s sukkah, enjoying time outside, eating with family and friends, and relaxing. People often have the

pleasure of hosting other people in their sukkah, which is always exciting.

However, from a halachic perspective, women are not obligated to perform mitzvot aseh she’ha’zeman grama, positve time-bound mitzvot. Time-bound mitzvot are those that the Torah says must be done only at a specific time. If the mitzvot are not done at that time, you are not yotzei , meaning that you have not ful fi lled the mitzvah. Certain mitzvot have to be done at very specific times, and since the Torah recognizes that women may be busy with their nurturing and childbearing roles at the time that the mitzvah must be performed, they are not obligated in these mitzvot.

Eating in a sukkah, which is only obligatory during Sukkot, is an example of a positive time-bound mitzvah. The Mishnah in Masechet Sukkah, chapter 2:8 states,

This means that women, servants, and children are exempt from the mitzvah of sukkah. This is unlike men who are the ones who are actually obligated to perform the mitzvah of sukkah.

So what does this mean practically for women? Should they eat in the sukkah? Despite the fact that women are exempt from this mitzvah, many halachic opinions state that they should still try their best to accomplish it. Many Ashkenzi opinions even state that women should say the bracha of Leshev Ba’sukkah, to dwell in the sukkah. On the other hand, according to Sephardic opinion, women should not say the blessing if they choose to perform this mitzvah.

Dwelling in the sukkah is not the only positive timebound mitzvah that is related to the holiday of Sukkot. The mitzvah of lulav and etrog is also time-bound. This is because this mitzvah is only to be performed during the day. However, women are still able to perform this mitzvah and many take it upon themselves to do so. Women are also not obligated to go to Sukkot services at the synagogue since women are not obligated to daven with a minyan, which is also time-bound. Even though that is the case, it’s still highly recommended for women to attend Sukkot services if they are able to.

Imagine this: your favorite band will be playing at the FedEx Forum. All of your friends are going to listen to them. For the next several weeks, the excitement builds as everyone is talking about the concert. Concerts are a truly immersive experience. The lights are flashing, and the sound is so powerful that you can feel the music in your bones, but you don’t go into the arena. Instead, you stand

in the plaza outside the FedEx Forum and only hear the excitement coming from inside. Your friends, however, are sitting in the front row, watching the performance a few feet away from them, while dancing and singing along with the music. Their first hand experience of this concert will be much more impactful than yours.

This scenario can be related to women participating in the mitzvah of sukkah. Women should make an effort to experience the mitzvah of sukkah first hand, just like how the friends experienced the exciting concert first hand. Rabbi Yaakov

Chaim Sofer, who lived in Iraq and Israel in the early 20th century, explains that both men and women

feel Hashem's presence in the sukkah, and we will start to love and fear Hashem more by spending time in the sukkah. In addition, participating in the mitzvah of sukkah adds joy to the celebration of Sukkot, another mitzvah of the holiday.

Rav Yitzchak Halevi, one of Rashi’s teachers in 11th century Germany, describes a woman doing a voluntary mitzvah as “bringing herself into the yoke of the mitzvah,” meaning that she is, in fact, performing a mitzvah. The Ramban, who lived in 13th century Spain and Israel, uses the phrase “reshut de-mitzvah,” a voluntary mitzvah, to describe a woman doing a mitzvah that is optional for her. Rabbi Akiva Eiger, who lived in 19th century Poland, said that “most of our women are eager to fulfill positive time-bound commandments, such as shofar, sukkah, lulav, and kiddush on Yom Tov, and it is as if they have accepted it upon themselves.” Therefore, there is a strong halachic view that it’s valuable for women to perform these optional mitzvot.

It is important for women to fulfill mitzvot aseh she’ha’zeman grama to the best of their ability. In the case of sukkah, doing this mitzvah will make the holiday of Sukkot more meaningful. This is by feeling the presence of Hashem in our lives and reliving B’nei Yisrael traveling through the desert on their way to Israel. Keep this in mind in order to have a wonderful Sukkot that is full of joy and meaning.

"Therefore, there is a strong halachic view that it’s valuable for women to perform these optional mitzvot."

Atara Segal’s baby cousin demonstrates the shaking of a lulav and etrog, even though babies allow women to be exempt from this mitzvah.

Queen Elizabeth II: A Role Model For Us All

By Brooke Sanderson ('25)

eigning for the longest time in the history of the British Monarchy, Queen Elizabeth II has died, leaving the kingdom in her son King Charles III’s hands. After being queen for approximately 70 years, she died on September 8, 2022, leaving the kingdom in a frenzy. Her reign was more modern and related to the public, while still keeping the same traditions alive as in previous years. Just this year, she made history by receiving the Platinum Jubilee, marking 70 years on the throne. Queen Elizabeth II was all about kindness and giving back to her community and to those around her.

Queen Elizabeth II was born to Prince Albert Duke of York, who later became known as King George VI, and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon on April 21, 1926. Growing up, she would always volunteer at various charities and workplaces. Queen Elizabeth II was born third in line of succession, but she became queen at just 25 years old after a series of unfortunate events. After her father’s passing, Elizabeth became the new Queen of England in February of 1953 and was later crowned in June.

Queen Elizabeth II changed the lives of all of those who lived in England over her 70 years on the throne. She never revealed her personal political views and didn’t vote on political matters. After World War II, times were rough for everyone, so the Queen took it upon herself to go and visit many of the other countries affected by the war. During this time, she made a groundbreaking visit to Germany that was to be spoken about for years after. She would travel around the world, which enabled her to partake in many other countries’ accomplishments and anniversaries. She came to the United States to celebrate the 200th anniversary of their independence from the British in 1976. She cut back on the funding of Great Britain’s fundraising, staff’s clothes, and everything in between in order to donate a great share to charities, including Cancer Research and British Red Cross. She continued to give back to the people of her country for all 70 years of her reign. She also represented the Royal College of Nursing and the Disaster Emergency Committee. She worked to protect the image of her country and fought for its future. There were multiple threats thrown at her and the royal family over the years, but she was still able to overcome all of them. In the end, she became stronger. She dealt with many deaths in the family and had different responses to each one. She was able to handle them each in their respective way.

Queen Elizabeth II

Source: Chris Jackson—AFP/Getty

Queen Elizabeth II was an impactful ruler who strived to make her country the best it could be, while keeping the same traditions as the previous rulers. She was very selfless and was always looking for ways to help her country and keep the peace. She will be remembered as the longest reigning monarch and a woman who loved and cherished her country so dearly, she would do anything for it.

There are many lessons that we can learn from Queen Elizabeth II which we can apply to our lives. Even though she wasn’t Jewish, she still had many characteristics that we, as Jews, deem important. The most important life lesson we can learn from her is the principle of "ָו֑מָכ ֲָ֖עֽרְל ָ֥תְבַהָֽאְו” which means “love your neighbor as yourself.” The Queen was always giving back to her community and doing chessed. Even at a young age, she started giving back to her community and was always looking out for the well-being of others. She traveled all around the world when other countries were celebrating big milestones or were in danger. We can learn from her to always help others in need and put their needs before ours. She was the Queen of England and yet, she hardly ever thought about herself. She only wanted what was best for her kingdom. We should strive to be like the Queen, be generous, and put others before ourselves.

School + New Year = New Teachers

By Shayna Klein (’25)

nother year at the GMSG means another round of new faces, and this time, it doesn’t just mean new students. This year we have Dr. Maxwell Shapiro and Mr. John Brandon joining our math staff. As a resident of the Jewish community, you may have seen Dr. Shapiro around at shul or at programs. He has a PhD in Applied Mathematics from Stony Brook University where he also studied Differential Algebra, Algebraic Geometry, and Computational Biology. Before working at the GMSG, Dr. Shapiro was working as a postdoctoral researcher in the lab of Dr. Scott Blanchard at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, studying the role of ribosomes in cancer metastasis. What sets him apart from other teachers in the MHA-FYOS is that he has been active in research for several years and is one of the few teachers with a doctorate. He believes that no one else in Memphis has the same passion for mathematics as he does. Dr. Shapiro joined the GMSG because he felt that the current education, and more specifically, the teaching of math, was deficient in secondary schools. He wants to be able to help his community learn mathematics correctly and rigorously. Dr. Shapiro hopes to assist in making a coding program for the FYOS with focus on Bioinformatics. Dr. Shapiro said, “I look forward to challenging my students to become better thinkers and understand mathematics at a high level. I believe that the students at the GMSG have outstanding potential, and I look forward to challenging the students to bring out this vast potential.” “I love Dr. Shapiro’s class. He always makes sure we understand what is happening and if we don't, he offers his help right away to keep us up to speed. I can tell that he really cares for his students,” said Becky Schubert (‘24), a student in Dr. Shapiro’s Honors Pre-Calculus class.

Mr. John Brandon also joined the mathematics staff of the GMSG for the 2022-23 school year. You probably recognize him by his red hair and joyful attitude. Mr. Brandon has a degree in Marine Biology and believes that because of his background in science, he can look at problems from a different angle and solve them easily. Before working at the GMSG, Mr. Brandon worked on a treasure hunting boat in past summers. He found it fascinating to see what comes up from the bottom of the ocean. He found iron spikes and other artifacts, as well as some treasures, like old coins, which are known as pieces of eight. He has also worked as a math tutor. Mr. Brandon decided to start teaching because he enjoys working with students and helping them solve problems. He also enjoys motivating students to work towards a bright future for

themselves. Mr. Brandon said, “I'm looking forward to getting to encourage students to further their education, to set and achieve goals, and to become better human beings in general." “Mr. Brandon is such a helpful teacher, making sure every student is present and understanding what we are learning. He’s very passionate about math, which always makes it a better environment! I’m so happy Mr. Brandon joined the school to make my math experience easier,” said Pesi Katz (‘23), a student in Mr. Brandon's Math APPS class.

With the addition of Dr. Shapiro and Mr. Brandon at the GMSG, our math curriculum is greatly enhanced. We have more opportunities for teachers and classes, and we

Top: Dr. Shapiro helps Adina Steiner ('24) with her PreCalculus work.

Photo Credit: Becky Schubert ('24)

Right: Mr. Brandon discusses math with Hannah Rovner ('23).

Photo Credit: Yael Roschina ('24)

Parshat HaAzinu: "In The Middle Of the Day"

By Neima Rovner

n Parshat Haazinu, Hashem informed Bnei Yisrael what would happen if they didn’t obey His laws, calling upon the earth and sky as witnesses. This parsha is written in song form, and after Hashem told all of this to Bnei Yisrael, He called on Moshe alone. He instructed Moshe to climb Har Navo to take one look at the land of Israel before his death. The Torah describes Hashem’s conversation with Moshe as happening “םֶצֶ֛עְב הֶ֖זַה םו֥יַה,” meaning in the middle of that day. There are very few instances in the Torah where this phrase is used, so why is it being used here? What is the significance of this instance in relation to the other times this phrase was used in the Torah?

According to Rashi, there are only four instances in the Torah where an occasion is described as taking place “הֶ֖זַה םו֥יַה םֶצֶ֛עְב.” This phrase is used when Noach was loading the Ark, when Avraham circumcised himself, when Bnei Yisrael left Egypt, and here, at Moshe’s death. What do all of these instances have in common? Why is the phrase “הֶ֖זַה םו֥יַה םֶצֶ֛עְב” only used in these specific places?

In each of these places, there was a group of people who would have wanted to stop the event from happening. When Noach was loading the Ark, the non-believers of his generation wanted to stop him. When Avraham circumcised himself, it was the same thing. In Yetziat Mitzrayim, the Egyptians wanted to keep Bnei Yisrael as slaves. And here, when Moshe’s about to die, Bnei Yisrael wanted to stop Moshe, who had led them through so much, from ascending the mountain and dying.

Rashi explains in each case, had it been night, the people could have said “had we seen them, we would have, of course, stopped them.” Hashem made each of these occasions “הֶ֖זַה םו֥יַה םֶצֶ֛עְב

the middle of the day, so

that no one would have the excuse that they didn’t see it. Hashem said, “I will do this in the middle of the day and anyone who has the power to stop it, come and stop it.”

From Parshat Haazinu we gain the understanding that we too should always serve Hashem proudly and publicly. It is not enough for us only to be Jewish in private; we have to follow Hashem’s commandments in public and in private. We should always strive to act as if we were also fulfilling commandments

Schubert

GMSG Updates In-Brief

By Sarah Kahane (‘25)

Late End Times

This year, the school day has been extended from 3:45 to 4:20. At idea of staying in school for the extra time seemed impossible but after a few weeks in school, many advantages presented themselves. The extended time period at the end of the day allows extra time in every Judaics class and longer breaks in between each period. Lunch break has been extended, which also allows meetings for the student council and Goldie Globe. Not only that, but now the GMSG can return to having a weekly P.E. class with Coach Nokes.

New Administration

The GMSG has a new administrator, Mrs. Chana Goldstone, who is in charge of running programming. Although school has only been in session for a little over a month, the GMSG nature trip has already taken place. We went boating on Pickwick lake together as a school, stayed in wooden cabins, and had an awesome time at Memphis Rox Climbing and Community Center. The GMSG Friday night dinner was also an incredible night lled with Divrei Torah, fun icebreakers, and lots of bonding!

GMSG Nature Trip

The annual GMSG nature trip was a blast! The GMSG drove up to Pickwick together Sunday morning and got to spend the afternoon boating on Pickwick lake. Upperclassmen and underclassmen each had their own boats, which allowed them to get to know the new girls in their classes better. The girls swam, tubed, sang, and had an awesome time out on the lake. After boating, they spent the night at a campsite where they had a Kumzitz around the fire with s’mores, and girls from the school shared Divrei Torah. The next morning, everyone loaded the bus and made their way to Memphis Rox Climbing and Community Center. It was super fun rock climbing and hanging out as a school. The trip was an amazing experience and we can’t wait for the next!

GMSG Friday Night Dinner

The GMSG dinner took place on September 9th. Every girl signed up for a cooking slot where they prepared the delicious dinner that would be served at the meal. On Friday night, all of the girls gathered in the gym for their own Kabbalat Shabbat where they welcomed Shabbat and davened together. As we sat down for dinner, we saw the amazing food that had been prepared: chicken, egg rolls, potatoes, kugels, and more! Entertaining icebreakers prepared by the student council were played, and we heard inspiring Divrei Torah from Neima Rovner, Sara Karfunkel, and Rabbi Gersten. For dessert, we had brownies and cookies, and we played GMSG charades. It was such an exciting and memorable night, and we’re excited to see what school events are being planned next!

We're On Instagram!

By Atara Segal ('25)

This school year you might notice that Goldie Globe has some very exciting new changes. One of the main changes being that Goldie Globe has decided to create a social media account for our wonderful newspaper! You can find our account on Instagram @goldie_globe. We hope that everyone in the school, including students, teachers, parents, and all other community members follow. We decided to do this to keep our amazing readers excited for upcoming issues and to introduce them to our creative and unique staff. Sharing updates on when the latest issue will come out, sneak peeks as to what content is going to be in the coming issues, and fun and interesting spotlights on each individual staff member will connect readers to our paper on a whole new level. We hope that everyone who follows this account will enjoy the content that is being posted, and respond with nothing but kindness. By adding another level of promotion to Goldie Globe, we will be able to share our hard work to even more people in our community, and even reach other communities around the globe. So make sure to follow, like and comment!

Goldie’s Guidance

Dear Goldie,

I can't believe that they have changed the dismissal time for school from 3:45 to 4:20, it's not ok. How does the administration expect me, a sophomore, to be able to finish all of my work and still be able to have a social life? I am never going to be able to hang out with my friends on a school night again! My life is going to be so sad. By the time I get home from school and do my homework, it will already be time for bed. This is not fair. I will not stand for this! When it's winter, we won't be out of school until it's already dark outside! PLEASEEE Goldie, you are the only person who could help us.

Sincerely, longgggdayyzzzz4life

Dear longgggdayyzzzz4life,

Let the record show that when I was a wee child, we didn’t get out until midnight. If we got out before then, it was a cause for celebration. With that being said, I understand how frustrating it is when adults change things that make it worse for you. You could always do homework with your friends, but I understand how dreary that can be. May I suggest a strike? If that doesn’t work, you could always try kidnapping the dean and holding him for ransom until they change the dismissal time. Although, kidnapping the dean’s daughter might work better. Back in my day, that would sometimes do the trick. Keep me updated longgggdayyzzzz4life, I am very invested in how this ordeal turns out.

Sukkah Decorations

By Adina Steiner ('24)

Paper chains are both easy and enjoyable to make. If you want to get a child involved with the sukkah, chances are you’ll give some nice colored paper to them and put them to work. Both simple and beautiful, it’s a great decoration for the sukkah.

The most important mitzvah on Sukkot, eating and sleeping in the sukkah, can be quite chaotic when trying to bring hot soup out to a dark hut. Don’t you worry! Whether you’re recycling those lights from Chanukah, or you get some lights special for the sukkah, these lights can make your sukkah a brighter place- literally!

Yet another common decoration for the sukkah are the hanging fruits. Maybe it’s to get you hungry for the meal, or to distract the oncoming swarm of bugs, but these fruits are beautiful nonetheless. Among these, apples and esrogim are great choices, as they represent the holiday.

What’s a sukkah without a friendly welcome to friends and family? As a second home over the holiday, a welcome sign is practically an essential addition to the sukkah.

The 7 guests who visit us over the course of the holiday consist of 7 leaders of Bnei Yisrael: Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov, Moshe, Ahron, Yosef, and David. It’s not uncommon to decorate a sukkah with a picture dedicated to them, both to honor them and to teach children.

Because the sukkah isn’t outdoorsy enough to some people, decorations such as flowers, plants, and other things found in nature can sometimes be used to spice up a sukkah. Decorations like fake vines are definitely popular among people celebrating sukkot.

GMSG SNAPS

for the GMSG Friday Night Dinner.

GMSG stops at Pickwick Lake for boating.

Top: GMSG stops at Memphis Rox. Bottom: The Upperclassmen enjoy boating at Pickwick Lake.

Atara Segal ('25) makes food for the Friday Night Dinner.

Top: Pesi Katz ('23) and Sarah Karfunkel ('24) enjoy roasted marshmallows. Bottom: Hannah Rovner ('23), Chani Vayavodkina ('24), and Yael Roschina ('24) plant seeds during Environmental Science.

Shuli Ibragimova ('26) rock climbs at Memphis Rox.

Letter From the Editor

the year. Our amazing staff

just around the corner, so a

related to Sukkot in honor of the holiday. One of which is part of a new section of the Goldie Globe where we dive into a Jewish topic that touches on either a specific halacha,

of

something in general that applies to Jewish women in hopes of inspiring people in their religious growth. This new addition to the Goldie Globe is one to look forward to in all of the issues throughout the year. With that, I wish you all an amazing Sukkot

Staff