Yeshivah of Flatbush Bulletin Winter 2018

YESHIVAH OF FLATBUSH

WINTER 2018 • NISSAN 5778

Tradition

DRIVES US FORWARD

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TABLE OF

CONTENTS 2 4

LETTER FROM ThE EXEcUTIVE DIREcTOR

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hIGh SchOOL 4 Professionals and Students Mingle on career Day 5 congratulations to our JBhS class of 2018 on their Early Decision and Early Action Acceptances!

6 Joseph’s Majesty Graces the JBhS Stage in Memory of Jason Botnick, A”h 7 On the Town with the Masterpiece Theater Program 8 Tuesday Night classes Expand Students’ Learning Opportunities 9 Parashat haShavua Videos Keep Students connected A Little help Goes a Long Way 10 Pathfinders and college Guidance: Working Together

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Cover photo: Chaim Schvarcz

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ELEMENTARY SchOOL 12 children’s Book Week Fuels Young Imaginations 13 6th Graders Prepare for Takeoff at the Buehler challenger center 14 Young Sharks Take A Bite 15 Little Explorers climbed Through the Jungle and Sailed Into the Arctic at the Kindergarten Science Fair Stocking Up for the Future 16 Dads’ Tefillah Program Offers Meaningful Morning of Prayers 17 Teachers and Students Find New Ways to Make Math Add Up 18 hebrew Week Focuses on the Flatbush Five

YOF FAMILY ShABBATON SPORTS 22 8th Grade Boys Find Success as they “Swish” for Sderot 23 Girls cross country Repeats As champions

ALUMNI 24 ALUMNI hIGhLIGhT: Lenore Mizrachi cohen 25 ALUMNI hIGhLIGhT: Margo and Daniel Rusinowitz 26 Old Friends Make New Memories at Their 10th Reunion 27 You + Flatbush = A Plan for the Future: The Day School challenge Fund

Yeshivah of Flatbush Elementary School

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919 East 10th Street Brooklyn, NY 11230 718-377-4040

Yeshivah of FlatbushJoel Braverman High School

Al and Sonny Gindi Campus 1609 Avenue J Brooklyn, NY 11230 718-377-1100 Rabbi Dr. Jeffrey Rothman Executive Director Robert Frastai President EXECUTIVE OFFICE

Dr. Christine L. Coleman Director of Informational Technology and Instructional Technology Esther Kizelnik Director of Operations

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ISRAEL

Ilana Lax Director of Marketing and Communications Hila Stern Director of Development Michelle Olveira Editor, YOF Bulletin Faith Edeson Editorial Assistant, YOF Bulletin JOEL BRAVERMAN HIgH SCHOOL

28 Alumni and Teachers Reunite in Israel 29 JBhS Debuts Israel Newsletter JBhS Student Recognized for Summer of chesed

Rabbi Dr. Raymond Harari High School Head of School

YOF AUcTION

Sari Bacon Associate Principal

“circle of Life”

chESED 32 cooking for a cause Dedicated to the Azan Family helping the Needy, One can at a Time 33 Sporting for a Great cause Bringing cheer to Tears 34 chesed Mission 2018: Making a Difference

Rabbi Joseph Beyda Principal

Esther Hidary Assistant Principal Rabbi Craig Lubner Assistant Principal Rabbi Dr. David Eliach Principal Emeritus YOF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

TEchNOLOGY

Rabbi Lawrence Schwed Head of Elementary School

YOF Educational Technology Specialists hone Faculty’s computer Knowledge

Rabbi Dr. David Hertzberg Principal, Middle Division

IN MEMORIAM:

Robert Berkman Principal of General Studies

Naomi houllou, A”h

cAPITAL cAMPAIGN for Joel Braverman high School

Debra Miller Assistant Principal, General Studies Rivka Zaklikowski Associate Principal, Torah Studies Debbie Levine Greenbaum Director, Early Childhood DESIgN

Peapod DesignWinter 2018 70 New Canaan Ave, Norwalk CT

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[ Welcome [ LETTER FROM

The Executive Director I t is with much excitement that I share with you this edition of the Bulletin. So much has transpired at the Yeshivah during the first half of the school year, and we hope you enjoy catching up on all the news.

Under the leadership of our Head of Elementary School Rabbi Lawrence Schwed, the Elementary School has implemented numerous new academic and co-curricular initiatives. At the same time, High School Head of School Rabbi Dr. Raymond Harari has seen to it that our High School’s academic program has become even stronger than ever. Our enrollment for the 2018-2019 school year looks to be surpassing the 17-18 numbers and we look forward to moving into our new High School Bet Midrash and Library Media Center later in the spring.

As you explore this Bulletin, you will see YOF come to life. You will see our alumni return for reunions and sporting events; you will see our parent body interacting with our teachers and students at the ever-popular Dads’ Tefillah Program; you will see our outstanding Pathfinders Program assemble a Career Day for our Joel Braverman High School students; you will see impressive College Guidance results with early decisions to top-tier colleges; you will see our

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Middle Division students involved in leadership opportunities; you will see how Lower Division students stepped up to perfect the Flatbush Five character traits; and you will see Early Childhood students enthusiastic about creative science lessons.

You will also see our dedication to Torah learning and Tefillah with our winter vacation divrei Torah that were emailed to our high school students each day of vacation. Even first and second graders were encouraged to “daven with their class” while on vacation, along with a video that showed the words of the tefillot to the sound of their classmates’ voices.

You will read about the UJA Day School Challenge and the opportunity for our Yeshivah to build its endowment. With the rising cost of tuition and our desire to keep providing the best educational experience possible to each student, endowment is a great way to help secure our Yeshivah’s future. This matching opportunity expires in September and we are looking to you to help partner

with us or help us identify donors who can help us with this most important venture.

There is much to be proud of at the Yeshivah of Flatbush. We hope you consider supporting our outstanding programs. Please reach out to me at jrothman@flatbush.org to learn how your personal gift can impact the lives of our students.

We can work together to share our passion for and dedication to this wonderful school.

Warmest regards,

Rabbi Dr. Jeffrey Rothman

Photo: Chaim Schvarcz

Winter 2018

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[ High School [ Professionals and Students Mingle on Career Day

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areer Day and the Summer Opportunities Fair, organized and hosted by the Yeshivah of Flatbush Joel Braverman High School Pathfinders Program and the College Guidance Department, was a highlight of the first semester. Thirty professionals, many of whom were YOF graduates themselves, represented a wide array of fields including law, medicine, business, finance, fashion, the arts, mental health and technology. They all were pleased to make time for this important December event where they shared their experience to give students their perspectives on what it takes to succeed.

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Congratulations Prior to the fair, juniors and seniors took a career assessment based on the Holland Occupational Themes (RIASEC). This assessment groups careers according to personality types and similarities. Psychologist John.

L. Holland came up with six types: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional.

Students used their Holland Code results to select sessions. In each room, students were grouped based on the Holland Code category of their professions. Some students chose to use their results while others chose to explore all options.

The morning was divided into two sessions with professionals, followed by a post-session debrief.

Each professional gave the students a glimpse into a different career and the individual journey each took to achieve it. The students were enthralled with the presentations and offered thoughtful questions for the professionals to address. Every career representative stressed the importance of trying different jobs and internships in order to find your passion; they all reinforced the idea that it is never too late to explore another option if you do not succeed in your first choice.

At the post-session debrief, students were able to discuss what they learned in their sessions and had time to process the information the professionals gave them. They wrote letters to themselves about what they liked and noted the next steps needed to accomplish their goals.

The second part of the day’s programming was the Summer Opportunities Fair. More than 20 different organizations and institutions including Brooklyn Music School, FIT, NYU Summer, Maimonides Hospital and Model U.N. News were in attendance. The fair took place during lunch, which afforded

to our JBHS Class of 2018 on their Early Decision and Early Action Acceptances!

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fter three and a half years of industrious work, our seniors are poised for the rigors of college. Many students have been accepted for admission into the Early Decision or Early Action programs of their choice. We are proud of our students and their parents for their commitment to higher education, and we salute our dedicated, highly professional faculty and college counselors for preparing and inspiring them for their next phase in life. To date, our graduates have been accepted to the following colleges:

• Barnard college • Binghamton University –Decker School of Nursing –harpur college of Arts & Sciences • Boston University • The cooper Union for the Advancement of Science & Art –Albert Nerken School of Engineering • Drexel University • University of hartford –college of Engineering • Indiana University at Bloomington –Kelley School of Business • Long Island University, Brooklyn • Marymount Manhattan college • University of Massachusetts, Amherst –Isenberg School of Management • New York University –college of Arts and Science –Liberal Studies Program

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–Steinhardt School of culture, Education, and human Development –Stern School of Business Pace University, New York city –Dyson college of Arts and Sciences –Lubin School of Business Pennsylvania State University University of Pennsylvania Princeton University Rutgers University The New School

all students the opportunity to speak with representatives and sign up to receive more information. The day was a helpful and inspiring way for students to hear first-hand how to accomplish their goals. Refreshments for the event were donated by Rabbi Ezra and Mrs. Shifra Hanon and family, in loving memory of Naomi Houllou, A”H. Special thanks to Pathfinders Coordinator Ms. Shifra Hanon, and the Pathfinders team, Ms Doris Anteby, and Ms. Caroll Dweck, for making the day such an enriching experience.

Winter 2018

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[ High School [ Joseph’s Majesty

Graces the JBHS Stage in Memory of Jason Botnick, A”H

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uring Chanukah, the Yeshivah of Flatbush family was given the gift of seeing the story of Joseph and his brothers in the JBHS Khezrie Auditorium at the production of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat–the Jason Botnick, A”H Memorial Hebrew Play.”

The cast and crew of more than 50 students worked to bring Joseph on his journey from slavery to becoming the second most powerful man in Egypt.

On the night of the production, JBHS faculty member Mrs. Rachel Winkler spoke about the play’s namesake student, Jason Botnick, A”H. During his time at JBHS, Jason was a magnetic performer and brought each production in

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which he took part to life, instinctively knowing how to command the crowd and make people laugh. The audience watched a short clip of Jason’s previous performance in the JBHS Hebrew Play production of “Cinderella.”

Under the direction of Sally Shatzkes (ES 1995, HS 1999) and in collaboration with Musical Director Danny Shatzkes (ES 1994, HS 1998),

Set Designer Rebecca Grazi-Siev (ES 2002, HS 2006) and Costume/Makeup Designer Rachel Hasson (HS 1993), our students brought the story of Joseph and his brothers to life, entirely in Hebrew! The artistry of Joseph’s majestic technicolor dreamcoat, along with the rest of the production’s costumes and scenery, were Broadway-ready.

This year was the first time that the Middle Division choir graced the stage as part of the ensemble, and even performed several songs on their own before the start of the show under the direction of Middle Division Choir Director Brian Gelfand. Our JBHS orchestra performed the show’s overture under the direction of Orchestra Director Lilia Mauskop.

NEWS

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A DEEPER CONNECTION

Eleventh grade students and JBHS faculty member Ms. Talia Harcsztark participated in a Yom Iyun on tefillah at the OU with several other schools from the tri-state area.

Masterpiece Theater Program

On the Town with the

BY JBHS STUDENT ROBERT ADLER

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he JBHS Masterpiece Theater program provides students with the opportunity to explore many of New York City’s finest cultural venues to see concerts, plays, and exhibitions. This year, there are five events planned, including two Broadway shows, two concerts and an opera. Each event is preceded by a pre-session where students are actively engaged in learning about the performance they will see. The theater program, led by music faculty member Lilia Mauskop, is open to everyone and is available to students for a small fee.

Former JBHS English teacher Mrs. Suzanne Blaine, A”H, first created the program, which is a great tribute to her legacy. The first concert was a special performance of “Ax, Mozart and Brahms” at Lincoln Center’s Geffen Hall. As the lights dimmed, students waited eagerly to hear the world premiere of a new composition. The crescendos and sudden bursts of sound kept concertgoers at the edges of their seats throughout the duration of the show. Students left humming the music.

In late December, Masterpiece Theater participants braved almost subzero temperatures to see “The Merry Widow” at the Metropolitan Opera.

The operetta exceeded all expectations and the creative choreography left students dazzled. The performance gave the group a great way to enjoy a night out, as well as a fun way to end the semester and get everyone in a “merry” mood for their upcoming finals.

Winter 2018

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[ High School [ Tuesday Night Classes Expand Students’ Learning Opportunities

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recent array of extracurricular weeknight classes, known as the Tuesday Night Learning Program, has been attracting many students. Ms. Talia Harcsztark, Rabbi Avi Harari and Rabbi Joseph Mizrachi have been hosting after school Judaic classes once a week since the start of the school year.

essence of “Torah lishma,” or learning for the sake of learning, as opposed to graded classes during school hours.

“The clear difference between these outside classes compared to a regular Tanakh class is that there isn’t any pressure here. No one is forced to come; we all attend because we want to learn,” remarked JBHS senior Rachel Kamkhehji.

“As Jews, we are always asking, ‘How can Jewish values, Halakhic values and Torah values shed light on the topics that occupy our minds?’

This program is an opportunity to answer that question in a different way every week,” Ms. Harcsztark remarked.

One class in particular, taught together

by Ms. Harcsztark and Rabbi A. Harari at Bnei Yitzhak, delves into a wide range of topics. “We try to take contemporary issues relevant to students’ lives and explore what Halakhah and Jewish tradition have to say about them. Sometimes we will focus on bigger, broader issues, and other times we will focus on narrower practical Halakhic matters,” Ms. Harcsztark explained. Other topics discussed included, Is Thanksgiving “Kosher”?, Women and Talmud Torah/ Can Women Learn Gemara?, When should we begin saying Barekh Alenu? and Lighting the Menorah at the White House - with a Beracha?

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Rabbi A. Harari started this learning program several years ago, which was initially open only to male students.

However, this year the program was expanded so that female students would have an equal opportunity to share their insights.

The program is designed to create an engaging and stimulating conversational learning environment about how the world of Torah is linked to everyday life. “Although the conversations are built around a set of sources, the conversations often develop to encompass broader issues that the students are confronting,” explained Rabbi A. Harari. The classes grasp the

According to Rabbi A. Harari, “It’s essential for extra learning classes to become part of the high school culture.”

To further the importance of these free after school classes, the discussion topics frequently are featured on YOF’s Instagram and Facebook accounts.

Students who attend say they are drawn in because of the spirit of the class. “I like to enrich myself with the Torah and have a deeper understanding of it, and this is a great way to learn while having fun in the process,” explained JBHS senior Joelle Cohen.

The class discussions encourage spiritual growth that broadly appeals to many of the students across the four grades. “I’m glad I could make time in my schedule to fit the classes in because they’re something good to have,” explained Kamkheji.

NEWS

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JV COLLEGE BOWL TRIUMPHS

The JV College Bowl team, led by JBHS Librarian Rachail Kurtz, displayed its intellectual acumen and quick wits in February as they repeatedly fielded challenging questions ranging from current events and politics to the intricacies of science, literature, history and math. The team went on to triumphantly win three out of four games, maintaining its position as number one in the division.

Parashat HaShavua Videos Keep Students connected

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eshivah of Flatbush Joel Braverman High School students worked hard throughout the school semester and earned a much-needed vacation this past January. However, just because they were off from formal classes, studying, and homework did not mean that they were taking a break from their Jewish learning.

To help keep students stay connected to Torah values during winter

break, the Yeshivah repeated last year’s initiative of “Today’s Torah Takeaway.” Each day of the vacation, a Torah video message from a different member of our JBHS faculty was emailed to students and parents as well as posted on social media.

These short divrei Torah were tailored toward the needs of students on vacation. Many students and parents appreciated these meaningful “visits” from their teachers and administrators.

For more Torah inspiration, thanks to the creative thinking of JBHS senior Shelley Khabieh, a different faculty member now presents a ten-minute insight on the weekly parsha. Shelley recognized the opportunity since, with the new schedule, all students have the same lunch period on Friday, the perfect time for a new Parashat haShavua initiative. Students are able to bring their lunch and participate in the 5th period session; the video is posted online at www.myflatbushlife.org for parents, alumni, and students.

A Little Help Goes a Long Way

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tudents who need additional practice in their math, chemistry, Hebrew and Spanish classes are now offered help in a new tutoring program after school several days a week. Faculty members Hindy Friedman, Hadassah Apfeldorf, and Señora Elana Birman, as well as two recent alumna, Frida Eskenazi (HS 2017) and Marcelle Cohen (HS 2017), have made themselves available to help students achieve their personal best.

Associate Principal Sari Bacon, who spearheaded the program.

Since the new school year brought with it a new schedule, the time usually set aside for remediation was no longer available. Now, in addition to student peer tutoring, “students who really want tutoring and need it can make sure they get it,” explained

Math faculty member Ms. Hindy Friedman, who assists students with their algebra and geometry homework, understands that the difficult math curriculum “does not come naturally for everyone. When kids come here for help, they feel like they are not alone,

Students can attend the open class whenever they choose, but many are sure to come for additional help the night before a big test, as a way to perfect their studies. One of the goals of the program, says Ms. Bacon, is to “create a quiet and organized place where students can really focus on their work.”

and their parents feel better that there is a person here after school who can answer their questions.”

But are the students’ grades improving after they regularly attend homework sessions? “Students stop me in the hall and send me emails about how excited they are that they received a good grade on their math tests,” explained Ms. Friedman. There are usually about 10-15 students who regularly come in for math help. “We are happy to bring this service to our students and families using our own teachers and alumni and look forward to more students attending this semester,” concluded Mrs. Bacon.

Winter 2018

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[ High SchOOL [

PATHFINDERS AND COLLEGE GUIDANCE:

WORKING TOGEThER

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he YOF Joel Braverman High School encourages its students through the Pathfinders program to discover and expand their unique academic pursuits, talents, and career ideas. This innovative program, a natural complement to college guidance, is an exciting way for students to strengthen their college portfolios, build resumes, and network with industry professionals.

At the beginning of every school year, Pathfinders director Shifra Hanon, along with coordinators Doris Anteby and Caroll Dweck, gives each student a survey in which he or she lists interests, hobbies, and career goals. The students are then matched with opportunities throughout the year where they can volunteer, intern, and attend trips.

This year, the College Guidance department, headed by Michelle BillerLevy, has partnered with Ms. Dweck on a new initiative to select a student ambassador to work closely with an assigned speaker. The student, a junior or senior, “helps the speaker flesh out their story and discuss some of the topics and questions that high school students have about a specific career,” explained Ms. Dweck. Personally assisting speakers, who are often alumni, is a great networking opportunity and students sometimes request an internship afterwards.

with speech therapist Rachel Bemak who spoke with Pathfinders students this past December. “I always knew I wanted to work with kids but a speech therapist never came to mind.

After talking with Ms. Bemak, I kept thinking about it and I’m considering asking to shadow her one day. Who knows, maybe I’ll wind up going into the field,” said Adina. Helping a child “live life with less insecurity would give me an indescribable joy,” added Adina.

Aside from gaining personal experience at a profession, whether it be a DNA lab worker, a lawyer, a museum volunteer, or a real estate agent, the students are coached by the Pathfinders staff on communication, leadership, and team-building skills. YOF’s main goal is to have students get a taste of an

industry in which they are interested and become familiar with a realistic working environment. Flatbush student interns gain hands-on exposure in the field of their interest, while building their resume and creating professional relationships for their future.

“I always knew I wanted to pursue a career in medicine, but I never considered a career in orthopedics.

My first day interning, I met different doctors, physician’s assistants, medical assistants and x-ray technicians.

Over the course of this program, I was able to experience shadowing a physician and understanding all of the physician’s daily responsibilities.

Working with Dr. Munyak at Maimonides Medical Center, I learned about different diagnoses and treatments. The experience provided me with the confidence I need to further pursue my dream of becoming a surgeon,” said senior Maksyem Calka.

The photos on these pages represent just some of the meaningful experiences our students have had over the course of the fall semester.

“Students have told me they are excited to learn more about their ‘dream job,’ and that the speakers have inspired them,” said Ms. Dweck. JBHS senior Adina Kameo was matched

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Working with DNA at the Sackler Lab at the Musem of Natural history.

Students learned about the social, political and cultural of fashion throughout history at the “Items” exhibit at MOMA.

Students enjoying the game at NY Jets Business Day.

Alumna Julienne Dweck spoke to the students about her path to become a singer, songwriter, and musical educator.

The LEGO Robotics competition called on everyone’s creativity.

YOF alumnus and Trustee Abie Hidary invited students to see his real estate office, Hidrock Properties.

Alumna Rochelle Dweck gave a cooking demonstration to an enthusiastic group.

Alumnus Aaron Senior came to speak to the students about his career as a consultant at McKinsey & Co.

Winter 2018

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[ Elementary School [ Children’s Book Week Fuels Young Imaginations

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his week, Lower Division students enjoyed Children’s Book Week and participated in different activities to “Fuel Their Imagination.” This year’s Book Week theme was created by Book Week Coordinator Chani Schreiber.

To kick off Book Week, students heard favorite stories come to life at an assembly with storyteller Luann Adams. Students got to assist Ms. Adams from the audience by singing along to songs and answering questions.

To celebrate reading, students dressed up each day according to a different theme. For “Fuel Your Mind,” students wore creative hats while they enjoyed

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a nutritious snack to “jump start” their imaginations before reading. For “Speedy Sports,” students wore sports memorabilia. For “Fuel Your Body,” students wore exercise accessories and read in the auditorium before participating in an exercise class led

by Lower Division faculty member Eve Franco. On Thursday’s “Race ‘n Read,” students participated in a game of musical chairs involving both music and poetry.

Throughout the week students participated in a nightly read-a-thon in which students brought in forms signed by parents indicating how many pages they had read the night before.

These activities enhanced the message that reading is an enjoyable and fulfilling activity.

NEWS

WORLD WIDE WEB OF KINDNESS

The warmth of “Kindness Week,” was celebrated in chilly February at the Elementary School. Students were given prepared booklets asking them to work with their parents to complete acts of kindness (giving hugs, donation, writing letters, helping with groceries, cooking and volunteering). In the classroom, teachers and students shared their experiences and how it made them feel to be kind to others. Acts of kindness were highlighted from each grade on bulletin boards.

Class 4-335 celebrated by creating “kindness webs” to show how we are all connected through kindness by integrating quotes, pictures, and drawings.

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6th graders

Prepare for

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Buehler Challenger Center

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he 6th grade students in Mrs. Fortune Terzi’s Science Research Course spent a day at the Buehler Challenger Center in Paramus, New Jersey, where they learned about space missions. Over the past few months, the class has been learning about the goals of the 1986 Challenger mission, which became one of the worst space disasters in history. At the Center, the students participated in a simulation that flew a “mission” to rendezvous with Halley’s Comet.

The students built a probe, navigated coordinates, provided measurements and gauged readings. They also worked in mission control as well as on the spacecraft. The students were engaged in and serious about the success of their missions and felt like they were closer to experiencing what it must be like to be an astronaut.

Winter 2018

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[ Elementary SchOOL [ Young Sharks Take A Bite

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ur 8th grade Leadership students, led by Associate Dean of Students Avi Smus, participated in “The Flatbush Shark Tank,” a YOF spinoff of the popular TV show, which focused on teaching students critical thinking and problem solving skills. The leaders were challenged to work as a team

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and develop a strategy to pitch their product. They had ten minutes to present their pitch to potential investors.

Students had to create catchy slogans for their products, which included an artificial sweetener, highlighters, and paperclips. Teams came up with charts, songs, raps and artwork to sell their pitch and win the sharks’ support. The student leaders displayed creative business ideas and practiced the important element of collaboration.

The student leaders displayed creative business ideas and practiced the important element of collaboration.

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NEWS

BITE

THE WRITE STUFF

Class 4-332 had a publishing party to showcase the students’ personal narratives. Each story took place in New York and contained a moral. Students enjoyed watching their parents and classmates read their work and write their comments.

Little Explorers

climbed Through the Jungle and Sailed Into the Arctic at the Kindergarten Science Fair

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indergarten parents joined their children to explore various animal habitats right here at YOF at the Kindergarten Science Fair. Classrooms were transformed into a tropical rain forest, a desert, an ocean and the Arctic Circle. Each class explored the characteristics of its habitat and learned about specific animals that live in those climates. What’s more, the kindergarteners traveled from classroom to classroom with their exploration hats and binoculars collecting data. Stations included tasting foods typically found in a tropical rain forest, predicting whether an object would sink or float, playing with prediction booth, colorful sand art, discovering different types of fish and participating in a science experiment to feel the effects of blubber. The children had a hands-on experience that they will surely remember.

Stocking Up for the Future

The Stock Market Game is now on offer for Middle Division students. The game is monitored and guided by YOF alumnus David Idy (ES 2011, hS 2015). The group meets every Sunday at the Yeshivah to learn about different stocks and how the stock market works. Students will compete with each other throughout the semester to see who chose the best stocks.

Winter 2018

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[ Elementary School [ Dads’ Tefillah Program Offers Meaningful Morning of Prayers

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he YOF Elementary School welcomed its annual gathering of fathers, grandfathers, uncles and big brothers on one of the most anticipated days of the year, to join our students for the “Dads’ Tefillah Program.” The dads walked into school to enjoy a heartfelt morning davening with their children, followed by a slideshow and gourmet breakfast prepared by Ladies Auxiliary Board Members.

Mr. Morris Varon, who leads the tefillah initiative along with his

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daughter, Ms. Sally Varon, offers this unique opportunity for fathers to experience a glimpse into an integral part of their child’s day and see how they are becoming bnei/bnot Torah. It is also a chance for our students and teachers to exhibit their hard work and the kavanah they devote to tefillah.

The breakfast was sponsored by YOF parents Joyce and Sam Flaster and arranged by our devoted Ladies Auxiliary President Limor Madeb and the volunteers who helped make this event a phenomenal success.

NEWS

IN PURSUIT OF ZIONIST TRIVIA

Congratulations to Maya Bareket, Mayer Chemtob, Marc Lessler and Moe Sutton for representing YOF Middle Division in the Chidon Hatzionut (Zionist Trivia) game. The competition was held by the World Zionist Organization and the Consulate General of Israel in NYC. Students, led by Student Activities Coordinator and High School Guidance Dovrat Levi, competed via livestream by tweeting their answers. The team did well and demonstrated its strong knowledge of Israeli culture and history. Special thanks to Network Administrator Daniel Jean-Toussaint who assisted with the process.

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Teachers and Students Find New Ways to Make Math Add Up

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ower Division students are having fun while learning different mathematical concepts with the use of manipulative materials.

Fraction circles, linking cubes, protractors, and place value blocks are just a few of the many materials used in the classroom.

Aside from student learning, professional development is underway with multiple workshops. Faculty members attended a K-8 conference presented by the Nassau County Math Teachers Association. “The How to Make Math Count K-8 Conference� is designed to address any curriculum and assessment concerns from teachers.

Faculty members are also attending a two-day workshop given by a representative from Math in Focus.

Other good news is that now all classes are streaming in math in grades three through five. One teacher from each grade listed the order of the math concepts for the year to ensure the transition from one grade to another would run smoothly and that all common core standards are being taught in a comprehensive manner.

Coming up this spring: the annual math trip and math bee!

Winter 2018

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[ Elementary School [ Hebrew Week

Focuses on the Flatbush Five

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ower Division’s Hebrew Week celebrated the Flatbush Five character traits of Respect, Honesty, Kindness, Responsibility, and Humility. To launch Hebrew Week, each class received a bag with different items pertaining to this year’s theme.

In each bag was an empty jar; when a student demonstrated one of the Flatbush Five midot, the teacher placed a jelly bean in the jar. The bag also included a game, in which students had to match a specific situation to a Flatbush Five trait. Students also sang the Flatbush Five song.

The Multi-Purpose room was transformed into a Hebrew game arena, thanks to Lower Division Associate Principal, Rivka Zaklikowski, Lower Division Torah Studies Coordinator Chani Gratzman and our Bnot Sherut Leumi, Ifah Maimon and Batel Elbaz.

When classes entered, the students were split into groups and participated in activities devoted to the Flatbush Five. For “Respect,” kids played Bingo using different pictures on manners and respect for elders. For “Honesty,” children rolled dice and chose cards, then had to decide whether a certain story was about an honest or dishonest choice in order to move forward or back. For “Responsibility,” students watched a puppet show starring Ruthie who had to learn how to be responsible after making several mistakes. For “Humility,” kids sat in a circle and gave compliments to other children.

Last but not least, for “Kindness,” each grade did their own project in

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NEWS

BITE

MORNING SNACK

At the PKRE “Books at Breakfast” event for the Atideinu 2s, students (wearing their pjs) and their parents were greeted with a colorful display depicting the morning’s theme, “Cupcakes and Books.” Everyone had breakfast together, then parents cozied up with their children for storytime. Each child and parent worked together to make a cupcake necklace with the child’s photo on it!

which students either decorated bags, boxes or cards for Shabbat or created flower arrangements. The decorations and flower vases were delivered to Aishel Shabbat and nursing homes by two children from each participating class.

Possibly the most impressive aspect of Hebrew Week were the handmade Hebrew books by 3rd, 4th and 5th graders about the Flatbush Five character traits. Parents also visited classrooms for several weeks to share Hebrew stories with their children’s classes.

Hebrew Week culminated with each student designing his or her own Hebrew T-shirt.

Winter 2018

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[ Elementary SchOOL [

YOF FAMILY

ShABBATON A Weekend to Remember

BY YOF PARENT AND ALUMNA LILLIE SASSON

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Yeshivah of Flatbush

O

n November 18, 2017, the Yeshivah of Flatbush held its annual Flatbush Family Shabbaton and Melave Malka, led by JBHS Dean of Students Rabbi Naftali Besser.

As a high school alumna with fond memories of the annual Flatbush seminars, I knew that I wanted my three children to experience a taste of Flatbush seminar at an early age. The attendees, who ranged from toddlers to grandparents, received a one-of-a-kind Flatbush Shabbaton experience.

Elementary School Tefillah Coordinator Morris Varon’s students expertly led prayers and kriyat Torah during Shacharit at Congregation Beth Torah with Rabbi David Shelby. The children in the room were giddy with excitement to daven and dine with their friends, classmates and teachers over Shabbat.

The ruach of Shabbat, togetherness, and the feeling of a firm connection to the yeshivah and the community permeated throughout the rikkudim and kumzits during the Melave Malka.

Participants were invited to the Elementary School for a kiddush led by High School faculty member Rabbi Joey Mizrahi. Everyone enjoyed a delicious mazza and lunch from Zami Caterers.

Families said Havdalah on their own, and then made their way back to the Elementary School for the Melava Malka, where they were split into five teams based on the “Flatbush Five” character traits of Respect, Honesty, Kindness, Responsibility and Humility to partake in “Family Wars.”

Laughter and competition filled the air as adults and kids went head-tohead in musical chairs, Jeopardy and “tushie” volleyball (I have never seen my daughter laugh so hard - Team Responsibility!)

JBHS Head of School Rabbi Dr. Raymond Harari delivered a heartfelt speech to the group. It meant so much to me to see Elias, my 5-year-old, and Barbara, my 7-year-old, partake in the spiritual and uplifting experience of their first kumzits. Elias smiled when his favorite song, “Mephiel,” began. We also heard a beautiful dvar Torah by Arlette Anteby, Robin Beyda and Moe Sutton.

The festivities continued upstairs and the group enjoyed an elegant and delicious buffet dinner prepared

by Nicole’s Kitchen. During rikkudim, the energy in the room was palpable.

It was hard not to relive and reminisce about my own seminar memories, and experiencing that again with my children by my side was extremely meaningful.

My children were still struck with excitement all day Sunday as they shared anecdotes from the videos they saw and chatted excitedly about their Shabbaton with the “High School Rabbi Besser.”

I was so touched that they were actually able to internalize and digest the theme of the weekend and that they took in much more than just the games and the fun.

“

The Flatbush Family Shabbaton was truly an experience that I know all participants will cherish forever. Thank you to the Flatbush Family Shabbaton Committee (Yvette Beyda, Yvette Hidary, Amy Sasson, Johanna Shamah, Nina Shamah, Jeanne Zirdok) for making this weekend possible. Can’t wait for next year!

The room felt like a truly united family.”

The next part of the evening took on a more serious note, as Rabbi Besser played a few short videos illustrating the importance of a United Am Yisrael and the deeper connection that binds us all.

With the lights closed, the group locked arms and sang spiritual songs. The room felt like a truly united family.

Winter 2018

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[ Sports [

8th grade B ys Find Success as they

“Swish” T

for

he Flatbush 8th Grade Boys basketball team got a head start on the 2017-18 campaign as they opened their season taking part in the pre-season, under the direction of YOF Athletic Director Eric Amkraut.

Swish for Sderot is the brainchild of Flatbush 7th Grade Boys Basketball Coach Judah Rhine. The goal of the tournament is to raise both awareness and funds for the beleaguered community of Sderot, located in the southern part of Israel near the Gaza border, which is terrorized on a daily basis.

These young Falcons got their season off on the right foot with a win over the YCQ Wildcats on 11/9 on their home court in the YOF Elementary School. Irwin Azar and Steven Chetrit

22

SDEROT

Yeshivah of Flatbush

set the defensive tone from the outset with phenomenal backcourt pressure that flustered the visiting Wildcats right from the start. Chetrit also hit the boards, and along with center Jacob Cohen, YCQ had difficulty getting its hands on any rebounds.

However, the best part of the Falcons’ game early on was its interior passing, which yielded easy chances for Chetrit, Cohen and Abie Saada while allowing Azar to draw multiple fouls on the Wildcat defenders and earn easy points from the charity stripe. By the end of

the first quarter, Flatbush held a 14-5 advantage.

Late in the game, an Elie Ojalvo jumper gave Flatbush a 24-point lead. When the final buzzer sounded, the Falcons posted a 53-32 win win.

A week later, they won their final opening round game, defeating Yeshiva Har Torah of Queens, NY as they cruised to their second big win in the Pre-Season Tournament.

NEWS

BITE

IT’S ALL UPHILL FOR THE CLASS OF 2018

More than 100 JBHS seniors took to the slopes at Camelback Mountain in February for a daylong ski trip.

The air may have been cold, but feelings were warm as these friends count the days before graduation.

With leading scorer Abie Saada out with an injury, Head Coach Michael Gelber turned to Steven Chetrit, who helped the Falcons build a 16-3 lead by the end of the 1st Quarter. The Flatbush defense was led by Guards Lawrence Dweck and Irwin Azar, and anchored in the frontcourt by center Jacob Cohen. Dweck was given the task of checking the opponent’s top scorer, and responded by virtually shutting him down. Adding to the Falcons’ backcourt pressure, Cohen made it almost impossible for the hosts to score inside, recording 6 blocks on the night, and altering countless additional shots. The Falcons ended with a 52-18 win, which ensured them a spot in the upcoming Tier 1 Playoffs.

On December 10, the Falcons headed out to TABC as the 4th seed in the Tier I Grand Finale. They faced off with 5th seeded North Shore in the quarterfinals, promptly fell behind, and were trailing at the half. Coach Gelber knew his boys were capable of more, and he took advantage of the intermission to get his Falcons refocused. They came out in the second half with renewed intensity on defense, and Abie Saada found his scoring touch on offense. Flatbush caught the Stars early in the second half and won going away. The win earned them a match up with top-seeded Moriah in the semi-finals. Moriah came in off a bye, and were fresh. Meanwhile, the comeback against North Shore left the Falcons drained. They fell in the semi-finals, with Moriah advancing to the championship game.

All in all, it was a great experience, allowing the boys to come together as a team while at the same time helping bring hope and support to the Israeli community of Sderot.

girls cross country

Repeats As champions

T

he Flatbush Boys and Girls Cross Country teams traveled to the Bronx in early November to compete in the second ever MYHSAL Cross Country Championships. The boys battled through an injury-depleted roster and finished in 4th place, while the girls turned in the top performance of the meet. The Girls brought home the League Championship, for the second consecutive season, on the running course at Van Cortlandt Park.

The girls came in as heavy favorites, and they did not disappoint, but they did surprise themselves. At the 2016 Championships, Flatbush finished 1-2. That time, Julie Saadia finished first and Sarit Alkadaa placed second.

This year, they flipped places. Alkadaa turned a personal best time of 26:53, the only runner to run sub-27 minutes, in finishing first. Saadia came in second, 17 seconds behind her teammate.

Frisch took third place with a time of 27:25 and SAR’s top runner crossed the finish line in 4th place with a time of 27:49. Completing the effort for the Falcons were fantastic finishes from Madeline Tawil and Bella Feldman.

Tawil’s time of 33:38 was good enough for 9th place overall, and Feldman’s 11th place finish in 34:10 secured the top team spot for the second consecutive year. The total team effort across the top four finishers cannot be underestimated. The Frisch Cougars Girls placed third, fifth and sixth, but their final scoring runner finished in 19th place—eight

behind Flatbush’s final scorer—and that made all the difference!

For the boys, they felt the absence of their top performer of the season, Joey Alhadeff, who was unable to run after sustaining a knee injury earlier in the week. Without his usual high finish to pace the Falcons, the boys ran well but could do no better than 4th place.

They were led by the phenomenal effort of Ezra Faks, who finished in 4th place overall, in a time of 23:49. Josh Gorbatov’s time of 26:08 was good enough for 13th place and Izzy Salama took 19th place overall with a time of 28:53.

Head Coach Lorelei Black was exceedingly pleased with the performances of both teams of runners.

“I am so proud of all our runners.

They were fantastic! Ezra was amazing on the course. As for our girls, they nearly all ran their personal best, and I cannot say enough great things about Bella Feldman. She improved so much this season, and it was her finish that sealed the team victory.” She was even more emphatic in noting that the team will be immortalized forever on the Flatbush gym walls. “We get to add to our banner in the gym!”

Winter 2018

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[ Alumni [ ALUMNI HIGHLIGHT:

Lenore Mizrachi Cohen

L

enore Cohen (Mizrachi; HS 2007) is an artist currently based in Brooklyn. She recently worked in Israel on the Jerusalem Biennale, a festival of group shows of international artists.

Lenore created the concept for Homelands, her show for the Biennale by focusing on the stories of Jews from Islamic countries. She produced the show, which took two years to plan, contributed her own work to it, and organized the inclusion of 13 other artists covering the same theme.

Her fascination with the artistic quality of the Arabic alphabet and Arabic sayings is present in much of her work. As Lenore writes on her website, www.lenorecohen.com, she seeks to “pair a phrase with a contemporary location or issue, giving the old words new and layered meanings while exploring the cultural overlap that Arab Jews represent.”

Lenore cites her high school arts education as the basis for her career.

“Flatbush was certainly the beginning of my art journey. JBHS art and music teachers, Mr. Novetsky and Mrs. Mauskop, gave me my first inspiration and appreciation of the multifaceted and fascinating world of creativity. It was at YOF that I first learned to enjoy and value creating, and was exposed to different mediums and ways of thinking about art,” shared Lenore. Although more hard work followed between being a student at Flatbush and developing a career as an artist, Lenore noted that, “certainly the spark which set it off was during advanced art courses in high school and inspiring classroom instruction in fine art.”

For now, Lenore is focusing on her second full time job as a mother of

24

Yeshivah of Flatbush

“

It was at YOF that I first learned to enjoy and value creating.

two young children. Several projects are on the back burner, waiting for an opportune moment. Lenore says she is “always conscientious about writing down my ideas. I also keep a sketchbook so I’m ready to get back into focused, dedicated work when the time comes.”

NEWS

BITE

SIMULTANEOUS 2007 REUNION IN ISRAEL

A group of 2007 JBHS graduates who made aliyah organized a reunion of their own, in Israel, since they couldn’t make it to New York for the one at YOF. Special thanks to Ayelet Menche and her team for taking the initiative!

ALUMNI hIGhLIGhT:

Margo and Daniel Rusinowitz

M

argo (Ash) and Daniel Rusinowitz, both 2008 Joel Braverman High School graduates as well as high school sweethearts, jointly run a physical therapy/occupational therapy clinic in Sheepshead Bay. Neither would have guessed, after becoming friends as teenagers during a summer in Deal, that they would wind up together in their personal and professional lives as well.

“It works for us because our background of being together at YOF, and then staying together through college and grad school, made us used to always having each other around,” said Margo.

At work, they try to “keep emotion out of it so we can make sound business decisions,” she added.

One of Margo’s favorite memories from high school is being involved in the SGO and planning Color War. Faculty member Lonny Benamy, A”H, her 9th grade biology teacher, “turned me on to the sciences. I might not have gone into science and the medical field if not for that class. It really sparked the initial interest in me,” Margo remembers. Margo, an occupational therapist, works with both older and younger patients, while Daniel, a physical therapist, specializes more in sports injuries, balance problems, and pain management.

Daniel’s favorite recollections of YOF include the numerous rikkudim on Rosh Chodesh, and having a great time with friends on the senior ski trip. His sister, Sara (Cabasso, HS 94) Ruvinsky, also a physical therapist, had a big influence on him; even in high school, Dan knew he “always wanted to be part of the healthcare industry.” He is happy to report that several members of the Flatbush community have been clients at their clinic, New York Therapy and Wellness.

you to do both learning tracts well.

We are observant Jews. You can work with the non-Jewish world and still succeed,” explained Margo.

The couple believes that Flatbush truly values Jewish traditions, but not to the point where you aren’t able to fit in with the secular world. “YOF always encouraged the balance and pushed

Dan added that the two of them are “grateful every day for Shabbat. We are forced to disconnect with the rest of the world and it is a healthy thing to do. It’s what keeps us sane.”

“

Flatbush truly values Jewish traditions, but not to the point where you aren’t able to fit in with the secular world.”

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[ Alumni [ Old Friends Make New Memories at Their 10th Reunion

T

he evening of February 3rd brought together more than 180 alumni, their spouses and many devoted JBHS faculty members to celebrate the 10th reunion for the Class of 2007. The event, held at the Joel Braverman High School’s Laniado Gymnasium, was coordinated by a dedicated committee that included alumni Michelle Shamie, Avi Adelsberg, Marielle Dror, Eli Cohen, Simone Hidary, Estee Gindi, Kimberly Shalom and Simon Elkharrat. JBHS Head of School Rabbi Dr. Raymond Harari welcomed the graduates, and YOF Executive Director Rabbi Dr. Jeffrey Rothman encouraged everyone to stay connected with the Yeshivah.

The evening included an inspirational speech by Cheri Srour and a thoughtful dvar Torah by Rabbi Albert Mizrahi, both class graduates. Alumni were treated to a memorable slideshow and delicious food (from Olga Catering), as well as a Family Feud game by Lynda Levy Entertainment.

The Yeshivah would like to thank Development Director Hila Stern, Development Assistant Emily Benitez, and the many sponsors of the event for helping to make such a beautiful evening.

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Yeshivah of Flatbush

You + Flatbush = A Plan for the Future: The Day School challenge Fund

A

t the Yeshivah of Flatbush, we encourage all of our alumni, students, and their parents to be engaged members of their Jewish community. Our school inspires the next generation of Jewish leaders and equips them with the knowledge and skills they need to lead their community with confidence. We are building the Yeshivah of Flatbush endowment fund so that our investments in our students and families will be sustained for many years to come.

The Yeshivah of Flatbush is reviving its Endowment Campaign and has partnered with the UJA-Federation of New York on the Day School Challenge Fund.

Since YOF’s founding in 1927, we have been committed to our role as educators of the next generation.

We are proud to be an established institution that has grown to serve 2,050 students from nursery through 12th grade. Your gift will ensure the Yeshivah of Flatbush can continue educating many generations to come.

the UJA-Federation will match half the amount distributed. The Day School Challenge Fund is an ideal way for donors to increase the impact of their gift to the yeshivah and we hope you will take advantage of this incredible opportunity. The Fund aims to help day schools reach and maintain affordability, financial stability, and educational excellence. We need to think beyond this year’s budget and invest in our school’s future to ensure a flourishing and involved Jewish community.

We are excited to announce that Joey Braha, Albert Hasson, Jack Mosseri, Ralph Shamah, and Ronnie Tawil have joined the Endowment

Committee. As members of the committee, they are working to secure funds for this crucial campaign that will benefit YOF for many years to come.

THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE YOUR ENDOWMENT GIFT MATCHED BY THE DAY SCHOOL CHALLENGE FUND WILL END ON SEPTEMBER 1, 2018 (however, payments to fulfill pledged gifts can be made until 2022).

If you would like to learn more about the Day School Challenge Fund and this matching opportunity, please contact Hila Stern, Director of Development, at hstern@flatbush.org or 718.377.4040 x110.

To date, UJA has secured $51 million in funding for the Day School Challenge Fund to provide a new annual source of revenue to participating schools. This fund was created by visionary philanthropists, foundations, and the UJA-Federation of New York to inspire day schools and yeshivot to grow their endowments.

An endowment fund is a reliable source of revenue for our school.

As a result of your gift, YOF will receive an annual distribution and

Photo: Chaim Schvarcz

Winter 2018

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[ Israel [ Alumni and Teachers Reunite in Israel

“

I magine sitting on a rooftop in the Old City of Jerusalem, soaking up the breathtaking view of our Holy City, talking to our alumni about their experiences and sharing divrei Torah – both aspects define a uniquely special moment, a wow-moment for any teacher,” described JBHS Assistant Principal Rabbi Craig Lubner.

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Rabbi Lubner, along with the other two members of the Israel Guidance team, Mr. Howard Rothbort and Ms. Miriam Wielgus, went to Israel last month and spent time visiting more than 30 alumni studying in learning programs there.

They enjoyed catching up with the students and sharing in their learning in the different yeshivot, seminaries and campuses. Flatbush is particularly proud and gratified to see the students thriving and growing as they explore Torat Yisrael in Eretz Yisrael.

Yeshivah of Flatbush

This year, there are two post-college alumni, Norman Greenberg (HS 13) and Michael Franco (HS 13), who have taken a gap year between their college and graduate studies. Both are pursuing high-level learning in Hesder yeshiva programs.

Our Israel Guidance team spent time reflecting with the students about their experiences, touring the campuses, visiting shiurim and lectures as well as investigating new programs that

will open their doors in the coming year. The Israel advisors learned from the alumni about the highlights of their year, the progress they are making in their learning and the impact the experience is having on their future trajectory. Alumni spoke passionately about Torah, their unique Israel adventures and the life-long relationships that are being forged through their journey.

“Four years for the rest of your life…,” one of the mottos of JBHS, is proven true in the connections made—and kept—between students who have graduated and their ties to the High School. It is important to YOF staff that students are supported even after they have left their Flatbush family— and there’s no greater feeling to an educator than seeing their past students achieve on their own.

JBHS Debuts Israel Newsletter

T

he Israel Institute Newsletter, a new publication of the Joel Braverman High School, made its debut this year with two issues in the first semester, one in September and one in December. The goal of the Newsletter, created by Mr. Howard Rothbort, History Department Chair and Israel Institute Coordinator, is to educate the Yeshivah’s community about Israel’s history, geography, culture and people. The newsletter is available online at www.issuu.com and at area synagogues and community locations.

Published quarterly, the Newsletter features a “Moments in History” section, a book recommendation write-up and a political cartoon. The first issues covered topics such as the 100th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration and the UN vote in 1947 to partition Palestine. In the most recent issue, Daniel Gordis’ book “Israel: A Concise History of a Nation Reborn” was the recommended reading in conjunction with the free copy provided to every JBHS senior by The Avi Chai Foundation to prepare for substantive

conversations about Israel on college campuses. “Cartoon Corner” offers a political drawing that asks readers to interpret the cartoon’s main idea to spark further discussion on a given topic relating to Israel.

A map of Israel highlighting locations in Israel and neighboring countries with significant news interest is featured on the second page of the Newsletter. Recent stories included an Israeli start-up company that created a website for ski travelers, collaboration

between the Water Council of Wisconsin and the Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and Israeli military strikes in Syria.

The Newsletter’s mission is to better inform the Yeshivah and its broader Jewish community about Israel’s achievements, innovations, current events and challenges. Mr. Rothbort anticipates that students will be instrumental in compiling future issues under his supervision. The Newsletter is designed by Ms. Carolina Cohen, JBHS Graphic Arts faculty.

Mrs. Jill Sanders serves as editor.

JBHS Student Recognized for Summer of Chesed

W

hen the Chesed Mission visited Neve Michael Children’s Home, the organization recognized the summer volunteer work of current JBHS senior Joseph Kattan. He explained to his peers why the experience was so meaningful. “I really enjoyed volunteering there. One of our main goals was simply to make the children happy. We wanted them to have the best summer of their lives. We also wanted them to know that despite their harsh past, there are people who care about them and believe in them.”

Joseph was awarded a t-shirt, but the pride he brought back was worth so much more.

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[ Annual AUcTION [

YOF AUCTION “Circle of Life” Parents, students, friends, faculty and staff demonstrated the strength of the YOF community at the annual YOF Auction on Saturday, January 13 at Congregation Shaare Zion.

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Yeshivah of Flatbush

YOF’s “Circle of Life” auction celebrated the Flatbush family joining together to instill in our children the basis of a fine education entwined with the Jewish traditions and values that we hold dear.

The evening was dedicated in memory of Naomi Houllou, A”H, Naomi bat Malka, who, for many years, was the driving force behind the YOF Auction.

A ceiling covered in circular white lanterns enchanted every guest upon entering the auction space. The night began with a JBHS chamber choir

performance that included the famous “Circle of Life” song by Elton John. The hottest auction items this year were a $5,000 American Express Gift Card, a Peloton bike, the Dining Out package (gift certificates to various restaurants), sports tickets, a selection of watches, an Hermès bag and a Gucci bag.

Children were entertained with their own show, “Spin, Pop, Boom!” hosted

by Mad Science, who taught kids the art of making slime and made super balls. The students earned fun prizes, and indulged in their own kids’ buffet.

“Circle of Life” would not have come full circle without YOF’s generous sponsors. The Auction was chaired

by Sarah Chalouh and Hana Hasson; Ladies Auxiliary secretary Sherry Chemtob co-chaired the gifts committee with Esther Chehova and Judy Madeb; Decorating and Display Chairs Andrea Falack and Carla Zeitouny and Book Designer Bertha Sabbagh set the chic tone for the evening. YOF appreciates its devoted crew of volunteers who added to the Auction’s success. Thank you to Director of Operations Esther Kizelnik for her hard work and dedication to this event.

Winter 2018

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[ Chesed [ cooking for a cause Dedicated to the

Azan Family

A

fter learning of the devastating fire in our community during Chanukah that took the lives of so many members of the Azan family, JBHS students participated in a Cooking for a Cause event dedicated in memory of Aliza Bat Henreiat A”H, Moshe Ben Aliza A”H, Yitzchak Hillel Ben Aliza A”H, and Henreiat Leah Bat Aliza A”H. Thank you to chefs Marlene Dweck, mother of Joanie; and Becky Keda, mother of Raquel. We all pray for a special refuah shleima for the surviving members: Yossi ben Ahuva, Shilat bat Aliza, Daniel ben Aliza. May we only share smachot.

Helping the Needy, One can at a Time

F

irst and fifth graders bonded over their chesed mission to collect tuna fish cans for a week to donate to Masbia Food Bank. The students worked together and modeled the Flatbush Five middot of Responsibility and Respect as they delivered their

32

Yeshivah of Flatbush

collection to Masbia. They learned how Masbia provides needy people from all backgrounds with a protein, a starch, a vegetable and dessert. The students were proud to learn that they were able to provide a source of protein to those in need.

NEWS

BITE

THANK YOU LETTERS DELIVERED TO NEW YORK’S FINEST

NYPD officers of the 70th precinct were hand-delivered hundreds of thank you notes from YOF students for Thanksgiving by JBHS Community Culture commissioners Madalyn Zalta and Olga Abadi.

Sporting for a Great cause

Y

OF student athletes and alumni played a fierce volleyball tournament together in early December for an important chesed project that hit close to home. JBHS Executive Assistant Shoshana Rosenblum and her husband, Rabbi Daniel Rosenblum, are focused on helping their daughter Jennie and son-in-law Gary Landsman raise money to combat Canavan disease, a rare neurological, degenerative disease that afflicts both of her precious infant grandchildren, Benny and Josh. The money will go toward Canavan research and gene therapy research. “We are optimistic that the results of these treatments will have benefits for other children

The tournament filled both of the JBHS gymnasiums with devoted players and their personal cheerleaders. The fundraiser, arranged by JBHS Spanish faculty members Ms. Sara Ovadia and Ms. Evelyn Shterenzer, raised more than $3,500. The Landsman family needs $1.5 million so the children can get the treatment sooner rather than later, when more degeneration will set in. diagnosed with Canavan disease, ALS, Parkinson’s and Multiple Sclerosis.

We want to fast-track these treatments and get them out of the lab and into the hands of patients like Benny and Josh who need them right now,” explained Mrs. Rosenblum.

Bringing Cheer

“It was so inspiring for my family to be at the volleyball tournament. It meant the world to us,” expressed Mrs. Rosenblum.

If you would like to donate to their cause, log on to www.gofundme.com/ savebennyandjosh.

to Tears

J

BHS Seniors volunteered their time to visit sick children at Coney Island Hospital during the holiday season. Senior volunteer Adina Kameo explained why this chesed activity was so fulfilling. “As the patients came in to choose a toy, their faces would light up. Each child was so happy and had the biggest smile.

After we saw them smile, we couldn’t help but smile with them. The feeling of helping these kids and making them feel special with a simple toy was sensational–a feeling of pure joy and love.”

Winter 2018

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[ Chesed [

chesed Mission 2018:

Making a Difference.

Y

OF is proud to share some of the highlights from the JBHS Chesed Mission to Israel. This past January, 54 students, accompanied by Dean of Students Rabbi Naftali Besser, community chesed activist Ms. Susan Franco as well as several faculty members, embarked on a lifechanging journey into the homes and hearts of those in Israel who need it most. Their trip itinerary included visits to IDF soldiers, children plagued by chronic illness, troubled teens, the elderly, and the physically and mentally challenged. An additional stop for this mission was to Oz VeGaon, a forested area the Israeli government set aside to honor the memory of Gilad Shaer A”H, Eyal Yifrah A”H and Naftali Fraenkel A”H, the three young students who were killed in a terror attack a few years ago.

Day 1

Day 3 34

Yeshivah of Flatbush

Day 2

Day 4

1 2 3 4 5 6

Right after the chesed Mission participants touched ground, they headed to the Kotel, some touching it for the first time.

Trip participants visited the Ilanot School for Special Education which focuses on helping students with cerebral Palsy and other disabilities. They heard the school’s choir perform, led by Ms. cheryl Leiberman (hS 2004).

Students spent time with young children at the Michael and Lola Goldstein Emunah Day care center. Emunah is an organization that allows children to be cared for while their parents are at work, and provides therapy for families in need.

The participants spent quality time with the IDF at Thank Israeli Soldiers.

The group enjoyed a Tu B’Shvat snack with the kids at Talpiot child and Family center. The center offers treatment, prevention, and counseling services to families in need.

Day 5

At the Meshi children’s Rehabilitation center students were impressed by the capabilities the children developed with the help of adaptive technologies. Our team decorated flowerpots with the kids for the plants they brought as gifts for Tu B’Shvat. On the same day, the students also planted trees at Oz VeGaon, a newly-dedicated protected forest set aside in memory of the three students killed in a recent terror attack.

7 8

Day 6

Day 7

Day 8

At Save a child’s heart, trip participants interacted with children from around the world who were brought there for various heart operations. Trip coordinator Ms. Susan Franco at right.

At Keren Or, participants sang and danced with physically and mentally challenged children, many of whom are visually impaired.

Winter 2018

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[ technology [ YOF Educational Technology Specialists

Hone Faculty’s Computer Knowledge

E

ducation technology professional development is becoming more common here at YOF as our Director of Informational and Instructional Technology, Dr. Christine L. Coleman, spearheads helpful learning programs and provides ongoing professional development with her Educational Technology (Ed Tech) Teams that focus on both our elementary school and high school faculty.

Rabbi Yonah Krainess, Ed Tech Director of the Elementary School, and Rabbi Benjy Kramer, Ed Tech Director of the High School, with Danielle Orville and Tziri Lamm, Ed Tech Specialists and Chani Laufer, Ed Tech Trainer, provide ongoing professional development sessions during the school day. They work oneon-one, in small or large groups and visit classrooms to coach and model educational technology strategies for teachers. Professional Development is also provided during the summer with educational technology workshops, hands-on sessions and classes.

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Yeshivah of Flatbush

Below are just a few success stories from the fall semester of how upgrading a faculty member’s instructional familiarity and skills with educational technology facilitated an enhanced learning environment that impacts teaching, learning and student achievement at YOF. Faculty Members: Chana Mantel, Renee Tawil and Adina Izkovitz, Lower Division

Ms. Orville worked with Ms. Mantel, Ms. Tawil and Ms. Izkovitz on upgrading their technological understanding in several programs.

Ms. Mantel expanded her expertise using Google Apps, and was able to write out step-by-step instructions in Hebrew, which was an enormous help to other faculty members. Her Middle Division 6th grade Chumash students re-stickered the keys on a batch of Chromebooks so that there are Hebrew letters, making it easier to type in Hebrew.

Ms. Tawil and Ms. Izkovitz became experts using the TPACK Model (Technology, Pedagogy, Assessment and Content Knowledge) for technologyintegrated lesson development. Their students are currently working on multiple assignments using their Chromebooks. Ms. Izkovitz designed a class website which allows her to see their work online and share specific information with specific classes.

Faculty Member: Lauren Weiss, Lower Division

Ms. Orville has been working with Ms. Weiss to integrate a BrainPop online

NEWS

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STUDENTS ENJOY EPIC TALES

Ms. Adele Tabush’s second grade class has been integrating Chromebooks into their classroom. They have been using Epic Kids, an online source which contains thousands of high quality, curated children’s books. The students can build their own collections, rate the books they’ve read, and take online quizes. Ms. Tabush is able to keep track of their progress through her teacher account. Ms. Tabush says, “The students love reading on Epic!

At the start of each day they ask me if we’ll be using the Chromebooks today.”

the web-based software Achieve 3000 to enhance their 7th grade Language Arts classes. Achieve 3000 provides a cloud-based solution that delivers daily differentiated instruction for non-fiction reading and writing that is tailored to each student’s Lexile reading level. The students use Achieve 3000 twice a week in school using Chromebooks or iPads, and once a week at home. Ms. Laufer worked with these teachers to hone their skills in this program.

Faculty Member: Rabbi Max Dushey, High School Attendance

program into her science curriculum.

Ms. Weiss even attended a session at the BrainPop headquarters in New York City.

Faculty Member: Rita Franco, Middle Division

Ms. Franco used Chromebooks with her 6th grade class, which allowed them to complete a Google Form on their learning experience about ancient Egypt. Based on their responses, Ms. Franco decided on groups of students to work together and research specific questions, including links to their sources. When finished, the students published the information on Padlet, where their research was shared with other students in the class.

Faculty Members: Science Department Chair Paul Schwartz, Rabbi Shmuel Rada, and Fortune Terzi, Middle Division

After Mr. Schwartz received training in ST2EM (Science, Technology, Torah, Engineering and Math), he trained Ms. Terzi and Rabbi Rada to develop lessons for their 6th and

7th grade science classes, respectively.

They, along with Mr. Schwartz, who is working with 8th graders, are continuing to receive professional development training with Dr. Coleman and Rabbi Krainess which began last summer. As lesson practice, the teacher acts as student to learn how to best pace lessons. Dr. Coleman or Rabbi Krainess then models, coaches, observes and gives feedback during the actual class lesson, which leads to eventual revisions.

Rabbi Kramer worked with Rabbi Dushey with problematic attendance issues he was having with the Rediker system. Rabbi Dushey now runs reports and communicates with staff and students on all aspects of attendance and discipline. He feels comfortable using the new technology.

Faculty Member: Serah Josilowsky, Middle Division

Ms. Josilowsky learned how to transform her documents from Microsoft Word into Google Docs.

From there, she created online exams using Google Forms, and can now better collect, grade and analyze her students’ grades.

Faculty Members: Assistant Principal, General Studies, Debra Miller and Davida Foxman, Middle Division

Ms. Miller and Ms. Foxman are using

Faculty Member: Rabbi Jonathan Skolnick, High School

Rabbi Skolnick, after training with Ms. Lamm, created a survey of all freshmen to determine their Hebrew proficiency level. He created a quiz on Google Forms, sent out a link to students, and analyzed the data collected.

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in

MEMORIAM

In Memory of

NAOMI hOULLOU, A”h The Yeshivah of Flatbush lost one of its most beloved family members in early November, our Ladies Auxiliary President, Naomi Houllou, A’H, . Naomi was a woman of chesed and maasim tovim as well as a dedicated mother, wife and daughter. She was a true Eshet Chayil.

In her memory, YOF announced a “Week of Learning” to honor Naomi and her dedication to Jewish education.

In December, we held a memorial service for Naomi at the Elementary School, where several of her closest friends and family members said prayers and spoke of her many virtues. We hope that this effort brought comfort to Naomi’s husband Avi, as well as their six beautiful children,

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Yeshivah of Flatbush

Rachel, Sarah, Allegra, Rose, Nissim and Grace, and to her mother, Ruth Assouline, and Naomi’s siblings, Elisheva Berenstein, Michael Assouline, Simcha Markovic and Rena Assouline. Below are some touching excerpts from the memorial service that paint a warm and accurate picture of the great loss that we at the yeshivah are all feeling and facing since her untimely passing. May we only share smachot.

Standing here feels empty without Naomi beside me. Naomi left this world too early. Some people come into our lives and leave footprints on our hearts and we are never the same. Naomi was that special person to me. I was blessed in having Naomi in my life as a co-president, friend and as I always referred to her, my fourth sister…..One of the wonderful things I remember about Naomi is that she insisted on staying after school dismissal herself to have snacks dispensed from the Yeshivah, rather than having the children leave school and cross coney Island Avenue to go to the gas station. To her, this would ensure the children would not risk their safety. She was a rising star.

Nicole Oved The pasuk in Yirmiyahu (9:20), in describing tragedy says, “For death has come up into our windows. It has entered our palaces...” Why through the windows and not through the door? The mal’ach hamavet doesn’t know how to walk through the front door, that instead he had to climb through the window?

Our Rabbis (Shemot Rabbi 32:6) teach that every mitzvah a person performs creates an Angel. These angels escort the person, surround them and protect them. Naomi performed so much chesed, so many mitzvot, that she was surrounded by angels. The angels blockaded her door so the mal’ach hamavet could not get through. Not only that, the Spirit of Avraham Avinu surrounded her door. Anyone who came to her door was greeted with warmth and love, charity, kindness, and hospitality. So the Angel of Death couldn’t come through the front door. Instead he had to climb through the window like a thief, to snatch away our beloved Naomi. he had to use trickery–the kidnapping was so sudden he didn’t give us time to pray, to stop him.

We all knew Naomi’s greatness–her tenacity, her work ethic, her smile. how she took care of each student’s individual needs, never leaving even one child unnoticed or unloved. All of these thousands of mitzvot prevented the mal’ach hamavet from coming in through the front door.

Ami Sasson We can transfer a dark situation to brightness. It’s up to us—it all depends on our emunah, our faith, our prayers, our mitzvot, our kindness to each other. These are the chanukah gifts from hashem to bring us light.

May each light illuminate goodness to you and your families just as Naomi spread her goodness and illuminated everything and everyone she touched.

Take the time each night to sit with the candles burning and reflect and feel the miracle and feel Naomi’s warm smile. Perhaps if we do, we will be able to all join together at the lighting of the menorah in the Beit hamikdash.

Peggy Chernikoff

When someone you love becomes a memory, that memory becomes a treasure. I was lucky enough to be given the treasure of Naomi, A”h.

Naomi possessed special qualities and skills to lead and inspire people to give their all and enjoy doing it… She always gave new members of the Board confidence to try and the courage to speak up. She would find the good in new ideas, even if they didn’t work out, just to make that person feel special.

Naomi was one of those moms who got excited for snow days because it either meant a day to spend with the family or an extra day to pack Purim baskets…one year, she got a few of us to shovel the school out after a snowfall so we could catch up on packaging.

Iris Bukobza The understanding that the nucleus of this community revolved around not only our home lives but that of the yeshivah, which nurtures and educates our future generations, was the driving force behind all that Naomi did here.

She walked into the office every day and moved boxes, organized selves, and always but always had a big smile on her face so that any parent or child would find our office a safe and inviting environment that they could find comfort in at any time. On more than one occasion, you found her reassuring a child—or even a parent—with a warm hug, advice, and a smile to make their day brighter. …She just simply cared; cared that every child ate, that every child prospered, that every child be content. her role here gave her an aura of a superhero. her willingness to help never ended, her passions never ceased, and her strength never waivered. That, ladies and gentlemen, is my definition of a superhero.

Annie Sidaoui

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[ Capital campaign [ Building for Our Future: Blueprint for Excellence The Capital Campaign for the Joel Braverman High School We are grateful to the following donors who partnered with us: Renée and Steven Adelsberg Carla and Alan Ades Lilian and Joseph M. Allaham Reina and Hymie Anteby Ashkenazi and Franco Families Solly Assa The Azrak Family The Bailey, Jerome and Horovits Families Freddi and Edward Baranoff Eva and Salomon Bendayan Zvi and Jody Ben-Haim Benun and Dweck Families Valerie and Elliot Betesh Joyce and Raymond Betesh Sol Betesh & Sons Foundation Sheila and Joseph Cattan Frieda and Sammy Catton Trina and Joe Cayre and Family Chalmé Family - Elliot T. Chalmé Foundation I. Chera & Sons Foundation The Chera Family David A. Cohen, M.G.I Insurance Advisors Glori and Meir Cohen The Dabah and Silverman Families Florence and Murray Dweck Rochelle and Eli Dweck Gloria and Richard Dweck Penny and Morris Dweck Erica and Nathan Dweck Cookie and David Fishel Lawrence and Suzanne Fishman Rose and Chaim Fraiman (A”H)

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Yeshivah of Flatbush

Claire and Robert Frastai Eva and Louis Galpern The Gindi Family Celia and Solomon Gindi Ralph M. and Grace Gindi Foundation Ralph S. Gindi Foundation Alice and Steven Goldman Rena and Mark Goldstein Leslie and Dr. Richard Grazi Tally and David Grazi Elaine and Bernie Hafif Morris Hanan and Sons Rachel and Ralph Harary Terri and Edmond Harary Aida and Nathan Hasson The Hazan Family The Hidary Family Judith and Elliot Horowitz The Houllou Family Susan and Robert Izsak Lisa and Joseph Jemal The Khezrie Family The Knoll Family The Laboz Family Ronit and Hagai Laniado Michele and Allan Levy Lifeworks Technology Group Rebecca and Alan Maleh Marlene and Hymie Mamiye Karen and Leonard Mandel Joan and Jack Mann Stephanie and Jack Mosseri Tammi and Solomon Mosseri The Oved Family Linda and Abe Podolsky

Barbara and Jack Rahmey Stephen Rahmey, Ralph Zirdok and Families Olga and Alex Rovt Charles and Brenda Saka Family Foundation Jacqueline and Raymond Salem Ami and Ralph Sasson The Sasson Family Pia and Steven Scaba Dalia and Jack Scaba Rochelle and Richard Senior Audrey and Steven Shalom Helene and Alan Shamah Jamie and Mickey Shamah and Sons Marlene and Steven R. Shamah and Family The Shamie Family Terry and Isaac Silvera The Stein Family Daniel Sultan and Family Morgan and Abraham Sultan Beatrice and Jeff Sutton Jolene and Jack Sutton Rachel and Jeff Sutton The Sutton Family Alice and Victor Tawil Grace and Joseph A. Tawil Lori and Eliot Tawil Rochelle and Ronald Tawil The Terzi, Shalom and Habert Families Karrie and Isaac Toussie Nathalie and Mitchell Vilinsky Marion and Bill Weiss

Photo: Chaim Schvarcz

The North High School Building will open September 2018. We hope you will join us and support the Capital Campaign by investing in the future of the Yeshivah of Flatbush.

ARTS WING

The following sponsorship opportunities are available:

North High School Building $4,000,000 North High School Building Foundation $1,500,000 North High School Food Court $1,250,000 North High School Building Outdoor Courtyard $1,000,000 North High School Building–3rd Floor New Wing $500,000 North High School Building Cornerstone $500,000 North High School Building Main Stairwell $180,000 Courtyard Bench $180,000 Classroom (4 Available) $125,000 Faculty Lounge $125,000 Meeting Rooms (x2) $75,000 Classroom Mezuzah (x10) $10,000 Water Fountain (x8) $10,000

BET MIDRASH

Bet Midrash Side Entrance (“Portal”) Bet Midrash Lattice Design Ceiling Bet Midrash Bookcase(s) (x4) Bet Midrash Furniture Bet Midrash Mechitza Bet Midrash Talit Closet Bet Midrash Tzedakah Stand Bet Midrash Window Panels (x40)

$500,000 $360,000 $260,000 $180,000 $52,000 $36,000 $18,000 $18,000

ATHLETICS

Main Gymnasium Main Gym Floor Auxiliary Gym Floor Auxiliary Gym Spectator Gallery Main Gymnasium Bleachers Auxiliary Gym Team Bench (2) Locker Rooms (2) Auxiliary Gym Video Display

$2,600,000 $500,000 $360,000 $360,000 $180,000 $100,000 $75,000 $52,000

SCIENCE LABS

Science Lab

$180,000

LIBRARY & MEDIA CENTER

Library and Media Center Library Studio - first floor (1) Library Study Room - Large (1) Library Staircase Library Study Room - Small (3) Librarian’s Office Library Circulation Desk Library Mezuzah

$3,000,000 $250,000 $200,000 $180,000 $150,000 $150,000 $100,000 $52,000

AUDITORIUM

Auditorium Control Booth Auditorium Mechitza Auditorium Exit Doors Auditorium Video Monitor Screen

$36,000 $36,000 $50,000 $10,000

Arts Wing - Main Arts Wing - Design Studio Arts Wing - Computer and Digital Lab Arts Wing - Maker Space

$1,000,000 $750,000 $500,000 $500,000

NORTH HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING

SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING

South High School Building South High School Building Foundation South High School Building Curtain Wall South High School Building Entrance Pillar South High School Building Academic Guidance and Support Center South High School Building Fourth Floor Classroom Wing South High School Building Second Floor Classroom Wing South High School Building Vestibule Doors South High School Building Head of School Office South High School Building Administrative Wing Offices (x7) South High School Building College Guidance Counselor Office (4) South High School Building College Guidance Reception Area

$5,000,000 $2,000,000 $1,500,000 $1,250,000 $750,000 $500,000 $500,000 $250,000 $100,000 $75,000 $75,000 $75,000

To discuss any of these opportunities please reach out to: Abie Hidary: Ahidary@hidrock.com Jack Mann: Jackm@mannbro.com David Oved: Doved@ovedapparel.com Alan Shamah: Ajshamah@gmail.com Winter 2018 Hila Stern, Director of Development: Hstern@flatbush.org

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FIRST CLASS INDICIA

Yeshivah of Flatbush 919 E 10TH Street Brooklyn, NY 11230

YOF Welcomes NEW hEAD OF ELEMENTARY SchOOL

On behalf of the Board of Trustees of the Yeshivah of Flatbush, we are privileged to announce the appointment of Rabbi Yahel Tsaidi as our new head of Elementary School commencing with the 2018-2019 school year.

Rabbi Tsaidi embodies a compelling combination of scholarship and experience with a visionary and spiritual point of view that makes him an ideal fit for our school. Most recently, he served as the Judaic Studies Principal at Harkham Hillel Academy, an Early Childhood through 8th Grade orthodox yeshiva in Los Angeles serving 600 students. During his 12 year tenure there, Rabbi Tsaidi began as a middle school Judaic Studies teacher and held roles of increasing responsibility leading up to his Principal appointment. Over the course of his career at Harkham Hillel, Rabbi Tsaidi was responsible for admissions, student life, curriculum development and supervision, and teacher recruitment and mentorship. Throughout, he consistently demonstrated exceptional educational vision, superb leadership capabilities and a remarkable rapport with students. Rabbi Tsaidi’s formal education includes study at Yeshivat Har Etzion, Yeshivat Hakotel, Yeshiva University and American Jewish University’s Graduate Center for Education, where he received his MA in Teaching. He is currently pursuing his Doctorate in Education at the Azrieli School of Education.

Over the course of the search process, Rabbi Tsaidi and his wife Emunah, also a Torah educator, met with dozens of parents, teachers, principals, officers and trustees of our Yeshivah so that we could spend numerous days getting to know each other in school, social and communal settings. Rabbi Tsaidi impressed us as an intelligent, warm and charismatic leader who exemplifies the Yeshivah of Flatbush ideals of Torah U’Madah, love of the State of Israel, commitment to excellence and, above all, a passion for educating the next generation of orthodox Jewish leaders, thinkers and citizens.

Rabbi Tsaidi and his wife Emunah are the proud parents of five beautiful children: Ateret (12), Tzvi (11), Elisha (9), Dael (3) and Elyane Tamar (19 months). By living lives imbued with Torah and midot, the Tsaidi family has endeared itself immensely to members of their current school community and we are honored to have them join our Flatbush family. “Over the past several months and weeks, we have been truly overwhelmed by the incredible sense of commitment and pride that each and every person we met with has shared about the school and the community. We feel a deep sense of honor and zechut to be joining the rich history of the Yeshivah of Flatbush,” says Rabbi Tsaidi. “Just as all Jews around the globe together began a new Sefer of Chumash last week, Sefer Vayikra, we appropriately celebrate new beginnings.”