Yeshivah of Flatbush Summer Bulletin 2021 by Yeshivah of Flatbush

BULLETIN Y E S H I V A H

O F

F L A T B U S H

Av 5781 • Summer 2021

"Torah is not education, it's transformation." —Rebbetzin Dena Weinberg

ALUMNI NAME AND YEAR

SUMMER 2021 |

THE MISSION OF THE YESHIVAH OF FLATBUSH IS TO

Empower

our students to develop exceptional character and intellect.

EDUCATE

through a rigorous Torah b’Ivrit and General Studies program with a robust set of co-curricular opportunities in a supportive and nurturing environment.

INSPIRE

a love for and commitment to Torah u’Mitzvot, Medinat Yisrael, and Klal Yisrael with responsibility to advance the welfare of all humanity.

Y E S H I VA H O F F L AT B US H

ALUMNI NAME AND YEAR

Letter from the

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Dear Flatbush Family, We were blessed as a yeshivah and as a community that we could finally show off our smiles in June. This Bulletin shows off not just our smiles, but what makes us smile— creative and meaningful programming, devoted teachers, and students who are continuously encouraged to live a life filled with Torah and chesed.  On these pages, you will see our dedication towards passing down the stories of Holocaust survivors in the Witness Theater and Names, Not Numbers© programs as well as in an incredible anti-hate mural created by our high school students and staff.  Our tech savvy high school students will impress you with their problem-solving STEM projects and our diligent Middle School students will surprise you with their architecturally sound earthquake structures printed using a 3-D printing software program.  Our teachers also continued learning, from both their students and from each other, as you will read in the “Masters & Mentors” story.  Our beloved JBHS Head of School, Rabbi Dr. Raymond Harari, will continue to teach our students the values of Judaism, albeit in a different role since he has retired from his current position. We are grateful he will still hold a steady presence in our hallways. Since we can now reopen our school to visitors and plan in-person alumni events, we are pleased to offer reunions once again, with several being planned for this fall. Also to be noted, our alumni donated their time and experience to another Career Day, in which the high school Pathfinders Program ran sessions to help students find their future passions. We wish longtime Pathfinders Director Ms. Shifra Hanon a relaxing retirement after nearly four decades of service to our yeshivah. The Flatbush Family celebrated Yom Ha’atzmaut in grand style and welcomed world-class performer Mordechai Shapiro to celebrate with us, complete with children dancing and Israeli flags waving.  But, as we know well, a family like ours celebrates together and also grieves together. We mourn the loss of our Class of 2021 graduate Jack Charles Levy A”H, and pray for his neshama to have an aliyah.  We look forward to September and the New Year as another great restart, one replete with only smiles, inspirational learning and better things to come.

Rabbi Dr. Jeffrey Rothman Executive Director Yeshivah of Flatbush RABBI DR. RAYMOND HARARI (HS ‘72)

SUMMER 2021 |

Yeshivah of Flatbush Joel Braverman High School Head of School Rabbi Joseph Beyda Associate Principal Ms. Esther Hidary (HS ‘94) Associate Principal Rabbi Yigal Sklarin Assistant Principal Rabbi David Galpert (ES ‘05, HS ‘09) Dean of Students Rabbi Naftali Besser Rosh Bet Midrash Rabbi Avi Harari (ES ‘99, HS ‘03) Director of Guidance Dr. Etty Mizrahi (ES ‘97, HS ‘01) Director of College Guidance Ms. Amber M. Long President Mr. Abie J. Hidary (ES ‘91, HS ‘95)

Yeshivah of Flatbush Elementary School Head of School Rabbi Yahel Tsaidi Principal, Middle School Rabbi Dr. David Hertzberg Co-Principal, Middle School Rabbi Ronn Yaish (HS ‘92) Principal, Lower School Mr. Robert Berkman Associate Principal, Judaic Studies, Lower School Mrs. Chani Gratzman Associate Principal, General Studies, Lower School Director of Teaching and Learning Rabbi Dr. David Saltzman Director, Early Childhood Mrs. Debbie Levine Greenbaum Director of Student Services Dr. Nicole Yossef

Y E S H I VA H O F F L AT B US H

Principal Emeritus Rabbi Dr. David Eliach

YOF Bulletin Staff Editor-in-Chief Ms. Michelle Olveira

Yeshivah of Flatbush Executive Office

Editorial Assistants Ms. Faith Edeson (ES ‘04, HS ‘08) Mrs. Michelle Kopylov (ES ‘97, HS ‘01)

Executive Director Rabbi Dr. Jeffrey Rothman

Design Bottom Line Marketing Group

Director of Annual Giving Mrs. Vicky Amzalag Director of Informational and Instructional Technology Dr. Christine L. Coleman, DPS

Yeshivah of Flatbush Elementary School 919 East 10th Street Brooklyn NY 11230 718-377-4466

Director of Finance Mrs. Faigie Gelbstein Director of Operations Ms. Esther Kizelnik Director of Marketing and Communications Ms. Ilana Lax Director of Admissions, Elementary School Mrs. Norma Shamah Director of Development Mrs. Hila Stern

Yeshivah of Flatbush Joel Braverman High School Al and Sonny Gindi Campus 1609 Avenue J Brooklyn, NY 11230 718-377-1100 @yofhs @yoflatbush @yofladiesauxiliary Facebook.com/YeshivahOfFlatbush Facebook.com/YOFHS Facebook.com/YOFALUMNI

A Market for the Alphabet

"Reading in Pajamas" event in Early Childhood brings a book to life right in our hallways.

Writing on the Wall JBHS students create an anti-hate mural.

Early Childhood culminates a year of learning with in-person celebrations.

Names, Not Numbers© "A Movie in the Making" 2021 Premiere.

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Filling the Space

YOF students win high honors in the Chidon Hatanach and Better2Write Essay Contest.

Pathfinders Program

The JBHS Evening of the Arts served up a virtual showcase of YOF talent.

Juniors and seniors discover and expand their academic pursuits and get new ideas for their future.

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In Memory of Jack Charles Levy A"H

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Calling All STEM Imagineers!

Care Packages

The Naomi Houllou A"H Ladies Auxiliary spearheads a new campaign to help families, and the Kosher Food Box program remains popular.

Sixth grade students create earthquake-proof structures using advanced 3-D software

Annual Scholarship Dinner and Donor Listing

Aiming High Falcon hoopsters have fun in the California sun.

JBHS Engineering Fair highlights students' creations.

Finding Stability

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YOF mourns the loss of its Class of 2021 graduate, and looks to create a fitness space in his honor.

The Elementary School's Jewish New Teacher Project and Responsive Classroom® Master Teachers Cohort help teachers better reach each student.

Elementary and high school guidance programs inspire kindness and raise awareness.

YOF Celebrates Yom Haatzmaut

JBHS Head of School Rabbi Harari retires from his role but his legacy stays.

Masters & Mentors

Guiding Light

Lower School students write letters to soldiers and Middle School girls participate in a week of mitzvot.

Rabbi Dr. Raymond Harari: Past & Present

One Enchanted Evening

YOF Chesed

Winners All Around

The JBHS Witness Theater program's participants transcend the space between them.

Saving the Best for Last

Simply Undefeated

27 College Admissions 2021 The College Guidance team describes how they worked with new and evolving challenges throughout the year.

Boys and Girls Tennis teams serve up big wins.

Around Town A sampling of some news you may have missed from both the elementary and high schools.

Save These Dates for our Fall Reunions!

TABLE of CONTENTS

3 6 8

Letter from the Executive Director

Menu of Opportunities

Notes to our Dear Rabbi Dr. David Eliach

To celebrate his 98th birthday, alumni, faculty and family sent messages of appreciation.

Mazel Tov and Mabrouk to the Class of 2021!

36 SUMMER 2021 |

WALL OF HOPE The Yeshivah of Flatbush Joel Braverman High School proudly unveiled its new student-designed mural, “The Writing on the Wall” on Monday, May 24, 2021. The mural is currently standing outside of the school building and is expected to travel to various area locations. Jewish History teacher Mrs. Michal Schulman worked with her "Holocaust and Human Behavior class" to decide what images to include on what would become this anti-hate mural. Art department faculty members Ms. Carolina Cohen and Mr. Jason Novetsky then used those images to create the multi-faceted mural, using wood, metal and vinyl. From one angle, the mural has photos of various victims of atrocities throughout history; from the other angle, the mural exhibits 17th-century Irish parliamentarian Edmond Burke’s famous message, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.”

Yeshivah of Flatbush’s “The Writing on the Wall” mural event sheds light on the power of the individual

The evening’s speakers included Brooklyn Borough President and New York City mayoral candidate Mr. Eric Adams who discussed his commitment to unity and collaboration in our neighborhoods. Sister and brother Ms. Dorothy Tenenbaum and Mr. Yaakov Peterseil, whose mother, Esther, is an Auschwitz survivor, shared the importance of educating our youth to become upstanders and advocates for peace. Students reflected on how this project impacted their understanding of the integration and acceptance of all people. During Mr. Adams’ speech, he expressed the symbolic importance of the mural and said he hoped it would inspire others to “face the lion” of bigotry and hatred that has been particularly visible lately in the Jewish and Asian communities. Ms. Tenenbaum, a board member of the Facing History & Ourselves organization, expressed that she felt the mural would “force passersby to face themselves” and reflect on its photographs and message. Although her mother survived Auschwitz, many other family members did not. “There is a family photo album that I never got to see,” she shared sadly.

Mr. Eric Adams, far right, stands at the mural with Mrs. Michal Schulman and her class.

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Mrs. Michal Schulman, Ms. Dorothy Tenenbaum and Mr. Yaakov Peterseil pose with the Holocaust and Human Behavior class.

High School Principal Rabbi Joseph Beyda said Mrs. Schulman’s vital Holocaust class projects “always bring out the best in our students, because that is the kind of teacher she is.” Head of School Rabbi Dr. Raymond Harari said the message of the mural can be found in the Torah, roughly translated as, “Do not stand idly by when the blood of your neighbor is being shed,” (Leviticus 19:16). Student Jack Kassab shared that he found it very disturbing that the victimized Jews of World War II had to rely on their children to smuggle in food. Student Lenore Mizrachi discussed the significance of British upstander Sir Nicolas Winton who helped children survive through the Kindertransport. Throughout the year-long class, students were exposed to the stories of survivors, witnesses and rescuers that built the foundation of their studies on human behavior. The class explored the events that led to the systematic murder of six million Jews and millions of other victims in the Holocaust as part of the Yeshivah of Flatbush’s Living Resistance program. The mural reflects the students’ recognition of the power of the individual and the impact that social norms exert on the justice of societies globally. Understanding how human behavior gave rise to the Holocaust compels us to acknowledge our global

From left, Mr. Jason Novetsky, Rabbi Dr. Raymond Harari, Rabbi Joseph Beyda, Ms. Carolina Cohen and Mrs. Michal Schulman.

responsibility to seek justice for all victims of injustice and human rights crimes. The students’ goal for “The Writing on the Wall” mural is for its images to impel people to stop and think. The mural depicts the choices of individuals, groups, and nations and the varied responses to the violence and terror of the Nazi dictatorship. Perhaps, most importantly, the mural encourages our students to see themselves as civic actors, thinkers, and problem-solvers. The Yeshivah of Flatbush hopes both the students and the viewers will draw connections between the Holocaust and universal racism, including antisemitism, in today’s world. “I am proud that my class and I were able to address current issues facing the Jewish people and the world at large by creating this important mural,” said Mrs. Schulman. Following the unveiling, Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis and Councilman Kalman Yeger visited the school to discuss the significance of stopping hate crimes and calling out antisemitism. This project is funded by the Facing History & Ourselves organization. The course is based on pedagogy-in-practice principles from the Echoes & Reflections program of the Yad Vashem International School for Holocaust Studies.

RABBI DR. RAYMOND HARARI (HS ‘72)

SUMMER 2021 |

NAMES, NOT © NUMBERS "A Movie in the Making" 2021 Premiere For the culmination of this year’s Names, Not Numbers© (NNN) project, 45 eighth graders celebrated the premiere of their film “A Movie in the Making” in June. While Covid-19 may have created many challenges this year – with survivor interviews on Zoom instead of in-person and students participating on screen while in quarantine – these resilient participants managed to get the job done.

The importance of the NNN project was apparent at the film premiere, as Mrs. Zelenetz welcomed a packed auditorium of parents, faculty, and guests and introduced survivor Mrs. Rina Nudel. Middle School Principal Rabbi Dr. David Hertzberg addressed the audience sharing the lesson that, just as Moses bequeathed responsibility to Joshua, the survivors have bequeathed their stories to the students and audience as witnesses. Students Teddy Beyda and Sylvia Saad shared their sentiments, and both explained how their experience listening to the survivors and watching the film made them realize how it is their generation’s responsibility to change the world and stop anti-Semitism.

It is evident that, with each passing year, it is becoming even more important to preserve the testimony of Holocaust survivors. To fulfill this sacred responsibility, the Middle School is proud to participate in Names, Not Numbers©: A Lasting Way to Teach the Lessons of the Holocaust,  an invaluable project created by educator Tova FishRosenberg.

Elementary Head of School Rabbi Yahel Tsaidi concluded the evening by reminding students that they are witnesses not only to the stories of these half dozen survivors, but to the values of faith and courage that these survivors have taught us all.

Led by NNN Coordinator and Liberal Arts Chair Barbara Zelenetz, students interviewed six Holocaust survivors and worked with several professionals throughout the school year, including a representative from the Museum of Jewish Heritage, a newspaper journalist, and a filmmaker, in order to create “A Movie in the Making.” The documentary film tells the story of the six survivors and touches on their lives and experiences before and after the war. As the students interviewed the survivors, they learned about courage and emunah firsthand.

Y E S H I VA H O F F L AT B US H

“Thanks to the Names, Not Numbers© program, our students will not stay silent; they will not stay indifferent, and they will ‘never forget,’” said Mrs. Zelenetz. This program is dedicated by the Dr. Lawrence A"H (ES '47) and Suzanne Fishman Holocaust Education Fund. Names, Not Numbers©: “A Movie in the Making” can be viewed at tinyurl.com/yofnnn21.

FILLING SPACE THE

This year’s virtual Witness Theater program proves space doesn’t have to be an insurmountable challenge.

Viewers from all over the world tuned in to the Yom Hashoah premiere of the JBHS Witness Theater documentary, “The Space Between Us,” directed by Arts Department Chair Ms. Sally Grazi-Shatzkes. Despite never having met in person, 16 high school seniors and five Holocaust survivors spent twice a week together on Zoom where they learned about each other’s lives and built relationships. During these meetings, the survivors - Ms. Anita Brown, Ms. Sally Muschel, Mr. Julius Rauch, Mr. Jack Tavin and Ms. Cipora Weiss - shared their stories of survival and rebuilding while the students listened closely and compassionately. The students reflected in their weekly online journaling, where they shared their thoughts, poems, inspiration and revelations after each session. Students also created beautiful art, poetry and music based on their experience in Witness Theater.  “The Space Between Us” explored the different kinds of space that we encounter in our lifetime and how the students and survivors could connect with each other, with their past, and with their history across those spaces. Although the two generations were far apart in location, age, and experience, they were united in the goal of listening and learning from each other. Thankfully, in the spring, after the film’s premiere, students and survivors got to meet in person for the first time with Covid-19 safety methods in place.

Survivors shared how they transcended space and time by going back to their pre-war memories. Many shared remembrances of that peaceful time, including the aroma of a mother’s cakes and challah from the oven, the sight of beautiful cherry and apple trees that grew in a backyard, the fun of playing soccer in the street, and the feeling of the last of mom’s kisses before being sent away as a child with another family for safety. “Witness Theater exceeded all expectations this year. Our students and survivors proved that the space between them was so much more than just the physical distance that kept them apart. That space could be traversed with a simple willingness to connect with each other and build relationships. Our final film  was the ultimate example of this magical process of connection,” shared Ms. Shatzkes. The film is available on YouTube at tinyurl.com/yofhswitness. The Witness Theater Program is in collaboration with Selfhelp Community Services, Inc., and the UJA-Federation of New York.

SALLY GRAZI-SHATZKES (ES ‘95, HS ‘99)

SUMMER 2021 |

The JBHS Evening of the Arts served up a virtual showcase of YOF talent.

ONE ENCHANTED EVENING

The Evening of the Arts is the much-anticipated annual culmination of all of the high school’s arts courses and programs.

Showcasing art and performances from students and faculty alike, the evening exhibits impressive works in many artistic domains—visual art, graphic design, architecture, photography, choral performance, instrumental performance, poetry and theater. Evening of the Arts is an opportunity to feature the extraordinary talents of the students and their arts teacher-mentors. The event is an immersive experience with the feel of an art gallery, museum, concert and theater production all in one evening. Special thanks to Ms. Rachel Winkler who coordinated the event, Ms. Sally Shatzkes, Director and Chair of the Arts Department, and faculty members Ms. Carolina Cohen, Ms. Mia Erdos, Ms. Shelley Kaplowitz, Ms. Lili Mauskop, Mr. Jason Novetsky and Mr. Mordy Weinstein.

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MIA ERDOS (ES ‘10, HS ‘14) MORDY WEINSTEIN (ES ‘03, HS ‘07)

PATHFINDERS PROGRAM

The Pathfinders Program allows juniors and seniors to discover and expand their academic pursuits, talents and career ideas.

SHIFRA HANON

Flatbush interns gain hands-on exposure in the field of their interest and work on building their college portfolios, begin to build their resumé, and learn how to network with industry professionals. Pathfinders was led this year by Mrs. Shifra Hanon and included team members Ms. Doris Anteby, Ms. Caroll Dweck, Ms. Juliette Shubaev and Ms. Paulina Azrak.

CAREER DAY CHARTS OUT FUTURE STEPS FOR STUDENTS

YOF is indebted to Mrs. Shifra Hanon, who retired this past June. Mrs. Hanon joined the JBHS faculty 34 years ago as an English teacher then later became the director of the Pathfinders Program. She has impacted generations of alumni, parents, and staff members with her ideas, kindness and chesed. She leaves an indelible mark on our Yeshivah and we are so thankful for all of her years of dedication.

This past April, the Pathfinders Department held its annual Career Day for junior and senior students, bringing them together with 16 professionals from different industries, all of whom were YOF alumni. The professionals included the head of a hedge fund, an interior designer, an educator, an HR office manager, a gastroenterologist, and a real estate agent, among others.

PATHFINDERS SPOTLIGHT: RAYMOND GREENBERG “Throughout the past year, I have been interning at an accounting firm called Husney CPA where my role has been to complete tasks such as data entry, data analysis, client and task management and social media management. On the job, I have learned how to feel comfortable with Microsoft Excel and other computer programs. I have also enhanced my ability in many key skills such as self-reliance, responsibility, and multi-tasking. I will be continuing my pursuit in business and finance this summer in my internship at The Hedaya Capital Group.”

To prepare for the day, juniors and seniors took a career assessment test based on their strongest interests. The assessment provided students with a code as well as a list of suggested professions that match their interests and personalities. The students chose two sessions to attend and were encouraged to attend the sessions of the professionals who had similar codes in order to broaden their own knowledge of potential careers. Within each session, the professionals explained what guided them towards their current career path and discussed both good and bad choices they made to get where they are today. A Q &A session followed each lecture. After the session, students engaged in a discussion with their teachers, College Guidance counselors, Guidance counselors, and Pathfinders counselors about how best to tap into their passions and received advice on how to choose a college major. Many of the students commented that they learned a lot about themselves and now have a broader sense of what their future career choices can be.

CAROLL DWECK (ES ‘08, HS ‘12), DORIS (SILVERA) ANTEBY (ES ‘97, HS ‘01), PAULINA (MANN) AZRAK (ES ‘08, HS ‘12)

SUMMER 2021 |

JNTP provided me the opportunity to connect with educators across the East Coast and discuss best practices. I learned how to support a new teacher in thinking about his/ her teaching, while simultaneously thinking about my own teaching. JNTP provided me with clear steps to evaluate what works in a classroom in order to best reach every student.

MASTERS & MENTORS Two programs help teachers better reach every student

Two exciting programs that speak to the vision of the elementary school are the Jewish New Teacher Project (JNTP) and the Responsive Classroom® Master Teachers cohort. JNTP helps transform Jewish Day School communities by providing ongoing, job–embedded, instructionally-focused and relationship-based mentoring and coaching to three main constituencies: beginning teachers, veteran teacher mentors, and early career administrators. This is YOF's second year training mentors who work with mentees who are first or second year practitioners.

—Ms. Adele Tabush, Faculty Member

these pairings create collaborative and collegial relationships between veteran and new teachers.

The Responsive Classroom® Master Teachers cohort is composed of Lower School faculty who are dedicated to practicing and promoting Responsive Classroom® techniques and philosophies. They are committed to supporting staff in implementing best practices of Responsive Classroom® including engaging academics, positive teacher language, student motivation, and classroom management. YOF has arranged multiple pairings of mentors and They have spent this past year leading professional mentees throughout the Lower and Middle schools. development workshops with teachers and assistant These partnerships have resulted in increased teachers, coaching individual faculty members with professional development, effectiveness and greater high quality support, and elevating the conversation student achievement. and discourse around building a Besides for both positive culture in the entire Lower "Participating in the JNTP has mentees and mentors School for the benefit of our taught me valuable skills to serve honing their craft, students. as a mentor to new teachers and to enhance my own teaching practice. It has also given me the opportunity to interact with teachers from a variety of Jewish day schools and learn from their experiences and expertise." —Ms. Rita Franco, Faculty Member

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RITA (WAHBA) FRANCO (ES ‘05, HS ‘09)

L VE IS ALL YOU NEED Project S.A.F.E. classes, taught by the elementary school guidance team, teach social emotional life skills including but not limited to managing stress, resisting peer pressure, creating and maintaining a positive body image, making healthy decisions, and developing healthy relationships. S.A.F.E. held classes for Middle School students focused on diversity and equity in today’s society and the importance of kindness, acceptance and tikkun olam.

Students discussed internal and external differences, hate crimes, and how the seeds of hate can quickly grow from biased ideas to violence. S.A.F.E. provided a space to discuss these challenging topics and build empathy and self-reflection through an art project that asked students to take a stand.  Students also participated in a “Spread the Love'' campaign, focused on kindness and using words of empowerment and encouragement to build up feelings of value and self-worth in each other. They wrote positive statements to describe how they felt about a classmate. The highlighted student then read the statements surrounded by supportive classmates to build students’ self-esteem and foster positive peer relationships and gratitude. One of the hopes of the project is that while students search for the beauty in others, the students will find beauty in themselves.

GUIDING LIGHT

IMPROVING RELATIONS

Elementary and high school guidance programs inspire kindness and raise awareness.

The JBHS Guidance Department partnered with the Shalom Task Force, an organization whose mission is to combat and prevent domestic violence and foster healthy family relationships, to introduce the Purple Fellowship to our students. The fellowship deepens students’ understanding of domestic abuse in the Jewish community but also teaches our young Jewish student leaders how to educate their peers about having functional family relationships, friendships and romantic lives. Juniors Rebecca Dweck, Noyah Shebshaievitz, and Mark Antar opted into this fellowship to raise awareness of these issues to the Sephardic community.

SUMMER 2021 |

FINDING STABILITY Sixth grade students create earthquake-proof structures using advanced 3-D software

Mrs. Fortune Terzi's 6th grade students culminated their unit on “Forces that Shape Earth” by designing earthquakeproof structures using a Makerbot 3-D printer. The students learned different engineering techniques and special materials used to reduce the damage done by earthquakes. 14 |

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Students were required to include various design elements to make their buildings structurally sound, proportional, functional and aesthetically pleasing. Other things they had to consider before confirming their specific designs included evacuation protocols, economical and geographical impact, which materials would work best in the environment and also uphold the integrity of the structure, and what supports would need to be in place (i.e. X bracing, base isolators and shock absorbers). After mapping out their original designs, Technology Integration Specialist Ms. Danielle Orville taught the students how to use Tinkercad software, and then helped the students improve their designs. At the end of the process, they were able to see their 3-D prototypes proudly displayed for all to see on the 4th floor. “It was so fascinating to watch the students excel in this arena. I love giving students new opportunities to showcase their talents and build confidence in a new medium,” shared Ms. Orville.

CALLING ALL STEM IMAGINEERS! The 1st Annual JBHS Engineering Fair Highlights Students’ Creations Sophomores in Computer Science elective classes taught by Mr. Mark Robertson, Dr. Sal Parrino, and Ms. Tziri Lamm ended their year showing off their STEM know-how in the 1st Annual JBHS Engineering Fair. Following the CIJE (Center for Initiatives in Jewish Education) curriculum, students were tasked with finding a problem that could be solved by a new invention. They worked together in teams to come up with ideas and then map out their designs. They built the circuits, coded their projects using Arduino, and found creative ways to package their designs. Most notably, they persisted through all the challenges and setbacks that this process entails. First place winners Gabby Chalouh, Lillian Salame and Julia Zeitouny created “Ardui-

Know Where the Waiter Is?”, a notification system that allows restaurant patrons to press a button on a remote control to notify their waiter of their specific request. The second place prize was given to Ariel Arie, Joseph Fouerti and Judah Segal for their “Auto-Locking Door”, a device that locks doors automatically. One of several honorable mentions went to Joyce Benjamin and Joan Kraiem who created a programmable hot beverage mug. The panel of judges included faculty members as well as 11th grade students. JBHS STEM Coordinator and Ed Tech Specialist Ms. Tziri Lamm coordinated the event. YOF offers these Computer Science classes in partnership with CIJE, an organization that grants funding for STEM programs in Jewish schools.

SUMMER 2021 |

A MARKET FOR THE

Early Childhood "Reading In Pajamas" event brings On Market Street to life

The springtime Early Childhood PKRE (Parents and Kids Read for Enjoyment) “Reading In Pajamas” theme, “ABC Market Street,” was inspired by the book “On Market Street” by Arnold Lobel. The book tells the story of a boy finding everything he needs from A to Z while walking through the Paris market. To prepare for the event, teachers read the book to their classes, then used it as a springboard for creating an artistic alphabet letter that signified a specific word. Each class had a letter they worked on together along with personalized creations that were displayed outside their classroom on tables.

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Over a two-day span, each grade displayed their projects and participated in a parade, dressed in their pajamas.The parade allowed them to visit all of the other classes’ display tables. Parents joined their children’s classrooms virtually to hear their child’s teacher read the book aloud to the class. As a special treat, each class received cookies that represented their letters.  The PKRE committee brought “On Market Street” to life with a lobby installation that included a toy shop on Market Street replete with vintage toys. Each child took home a themed blanket, a teacher-selected and age-appropriate book and a bookmark with reading tips. On the last day of school, all Early Childhood classes were gifted a beautiful photo book of the “Reading In Pajamas” event festivities. The PKRE committee includes Ms. Maggie Betesh, Ms. Bertha Sabbagh, Ms. Lisa Simovitch and Ms. Rachel Tabush. PKRE “Reading In Pajamas” is dedicated by Terry and Ike Silvera in honor of their daughter Victoria.

MAGGIE (DOUEK) BETESH (ES ‘90, HS ‘94), BERTHA (ZEITOUNY) SABBAGH (HS ‘89), LISA (AKERMAN) SIMOVITCH (ES ‘93, HS ‘97), TERRY (DJOUEJATI) SILVERA (ES ‘87, HS ‘91)

SAVING THE BEST FOR LAST End-of-Year celebrations in Early Childhood

In mid-June, Early Childhood students were thrilled to share an in-person celebration of the culmination of their school year with their parents. Each grade had a different theme, but all grades shared in their excitement. Themes included  “Come Pop By and Celebrate the Year,” “We’ve Had Buckets of Fun Together!”, “The Year Was Chalk Full of Fun!” and  “Friendship”. Each class performed songs and enjoyed a party with their parents and teachers. Each student went home with a special gift from YOF!

SUMMER 2021 |

SMILES ACROSS MILES

IDF soldiers get letters and a treat

Lower School students wrote letters to IDF soldiers to express their gratitude and show their support. YOF Trustee Mr. Alan Shamah hand-delivered the letters and partnered with Pizza IDF, an organization that delivers pizzas to soldiers, so that the letters were accompanied by a pizza party. The soldiers were seen smiling and enjoying pizza while being genuinely moved by the beautiful letters from our students.

“We had a wonderful day with an elite division of the IDF forces. The soldiers were very appreciative and touched by the outpouring of appreciation and support that were communicated in the letters,” shared Mr. Shamah.

THE POWER OF TEFILLAH Middle School girls participated in Mitzvah Week: Tefillah Edition right before Shavuot. The girls received their own personalized interlinear siddur to use to explore the laws and rituals of tefillah. Each siddur is intended to be a tool that opens their hearts and minds to their personal connection with Hashem.  Seventh and eighth grade girls enjoyed a special program conducted by Mrs. Margaret Benhamu in exploration of the power that tefillah has to create a sense of purpose and passion in our daily lives. The program left each student eager to examine the deeper meaning and the impact of the words of tefillah. Sixth grade girls explored the 15 Birkot HaShachar with their teachers. They planned, designed and executed an abstract freeze-frame moment depicting the meaning behind each of the brachot. The girls brought creativity to each of their abstract presentations. The full collage was posted on the 4th floor screens so all students could view it.  Eighth grade girls also participated in a Tefillah Hack-A-Thon. They utilized synectics, a method

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of problem-stating and problem-solving based on creative thinking, to identify the challenges they face with tefillah and created innovative approaches to support student growth and connection.  Seventh graders, led by Mrs. Zahava Tirnauer, took part in an in-depth exploration of the middah of hakarat hatov, gratitude, to Hashem. Each student received a tefillah card called "Tefillat Todah" with a special prayer to keep the attitude of gratitude constantly on their minds.  Students were also able to take time to pen personal tefillot for the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel on the student-created Kotel hallway wall. The program concluded with Mrs. Emunah Tsaidi and Mrs. Lynn Dashiff who spoke to sixth grade girls about their intimate relationship with tefillah, while seventh and eighth grade girls were addressed by Mrs. Jackie Bitton about forming a relationship with Hashem and how this relationship enhances personal tefillot. Each group ended the day with a powerful communal mincha to spiritually uplift them all for Shavuot.

WINNERS AROUND ALL

Chidon 1 Hatanach 2 3 YOF was the ultimate winner at the Chidon Hatanach National Competition, with three medalists:

E li s

h a K ahan

S ol

o m o n D ay

A ri e

l Eize n b e

Congratulations to the Class of 2021’s Vivian Cohen for winning the national 2021 Better2Write Essay Contest as part of the “Better Together in a Box” Program. Entries for the writing contest focused on the students' experiences in the Witness Theater program, of which Vivian was a participant. Vivian's essay won first place in the inter-school competition. She received scholarships for herself and for our school! The Yeshivah of Flatbush Joel Braverman High School, in partnership with SelfHelp Community Services, gratefully acknowledges the “Better Together in a Box” Program for its continued support of our beloved Witness Theater program.

JBHS freshman Elisha Kahan came in first place and will represent the U.S. on the international stage next Yom Ha'Atzmaut in Israel. In the 7th grade division, Solomon Dayan came in 2nd place in the U.S. In the 8th grade division, Ariel Eizenberg came in 3rd place in the U.S. To hear his recent Middle School podcast where he challenges YOF Tanach teachers to a chidon and tests their knowledge of Torah, Neviim, and Ketuvim, visit tinyurl.com/chidonpodcast. Our brilliant students competed against 500 of the strongest students across the country from 55 schools!

National Better2Write Essay Contest SUMMER 2021 |

YOM HA’ATZMAUT

GRAND FINALE The Flatbush Family Celebrates Israel Together The Yeshivah of Flatbush marked Yom Hazikaron and Yom Ha'atzmaut with an outdoor Flatbush family drive-in event that respected and celebrated the State of Israel. The love and appreciation of Medinat Yisrael is a deep-rooted value and at the core of YOF’s mission. The evening was a night of inspiration, remembrance and pride, filled with hundreds of flags carried by students, parents, grandparents, alumni, and members of the Flatbush community.

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The ruach was felt in both a physical and spiritual sense as the crowd felt the ocean breeze off the Coney Island Boardwalk, ready to be a part of YOF’s uplifting program, which started with Rabbi Dr. Raymond Harari, Head of High School, who opened the night with a Dvar Torah addressing the importance of Yom Hazikaron to Israel and to the diaspora. There was a mellifluous performance by the Elementary School Choir followed by a special prayer for Israel. The program continued with a siren and a profound moment of silence. As is the custom in Israel, the crowd stood in place and paid their respects to fallen IDF soldiers and victims of terror.

The program then transitioned to a Yom Ha’atzmaut celebration expressing the community’s deep connection to Israel, led by Rabbi Yahel Tsaidi, Head of Elementary School. Arvit Chaggigit, a celebratory Tefillah Program, dedicated in memory of Ralph J. Harary, was led by Morris Varon and Chazanim Mustachi, Eric Stern, Faraj Samra, JBHS Ed Tech Coordinator Rabbi Benjamin Kramer, and students from Early Childhood through Middle School.

The energy levels then ramped up as famous singer Mordechai Shapiro appeared on stage while fireworks blasted above. He brought everyone to their feet jumping, dancing, singing, and waving Israeli flags. The performer invited three Flatbush students up to the stage for the song “Acheinu” in a beautiful moment of achdut. The singer dedicated several songs to the concert’s sponsors, including the Mamiye family who dedicated the Yom Ha’atzmaut celebration.

SUMMER 2021 |

RABBI DR. RAYMOND HARARI: PAST & PRESENT Rabbi Harari retires from his role as JBHS Head of School, but his legacy stays

This past June, JBHS Head of School Rabbi Dr. Raymond Harari retired from his full-time position at Yeshivah of Flatbush after serving the Yeshivah community for more than four decades. His legacy will remain strong. “The most important thing I do in my day is connect with kids head-on in an academic Jewish environment,” Rabbi Harari shared. “We have so many students here who authentically want to learn. It is a privilege to teach and learn with some of the best, brightest and most committed students.” After graduating from the high school in 1972, Rabbi Harari graduated from Yeshiva University with a BS in Philosophy and a Master’s degree in Jewish Studies, then spent a year in Israel. Before returning to New York, he already knew he had a teaching position awaiting him at YOF, a goal of his from late college years. Since September 1980, “I have been blessed to be associated with the Yeshivah of Flatbush, first as a student, then as a teacher of Judaic Studies and chairman of the Halakhah Department and later as an administrator.”

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“I didn’t ever think about whether or not Flatbush would become a lifetime commitment, because I knew I was committing myself to be here. I never looked at the position as a waystation to something else,” Rabbi Harari explained. He also shared that it was not his initial plan to become Head of School, but “there was a need for someone to step in when I did. The school has since made a lot of strides in transforming itself as well as the students’ love of the school.” YOF President Abie J. Hidary seconded those ideas. “Under Rabbi Harari’s tenure, our high school enrollment and student satisfaction have grown tremendously. His student-centered approach, introduction of extensive Torah classes, chesed opportunities, electives and co-curricular programs, has reinforced YOF’s position as a leader in Jewish education worldwide. As a role model of Torah U’madah, well-versed in both Torah and secular matters, Rabbi Harari is an engaging and passionate teacher who empowers our students.” Aside from his many years tied to the school, it is important to note that all of Rabbi Harari’s children graduated from the high school and his grandchildren are currently enrolled in the elementary school. He realizes that the Yeshivah has shaped much of who

he is today, and he hopes the same will be true for his family. “My identity, my ideology, my understanding of Torah, my interest in intellectual pursuits, my thinking about the State of Israel and modernity, and even my social circles have been profoundly impacted by the Yeshivah of Flatbush.”

“I feel I am in a good spot. This would not be easy for me if we didn’t have such an exceptional leader stepping in,” he said, referring to Rabbi Joseph Beyda, the new JBHS Head of School.

“Under Rabbi Harari’s tenure, our high school enrollment and student satisfaction have grown tremendously."

Perhaps YOF Trustee, Officer and Honorary President Mark Goldstein summed up Rabbi Harari the best in his sentiments. “When you think of Rabbi Harari will continue Yeshivah of Flatbush, you think — Abie J. Hidary, YOF President to impact the Yeshivah ‘Rabbi Harari.’ For someone as a teacher mentor and who spent their life as a pillar of as a Talmud teacher. the community, I hope he slows However, now that he will down a little now…and enjoys have fewer overall responsibilities at YOF, he looks some of the nachat that he so richly deserves.” forward to visiting with his two daughters and eight grandchildren in Israel for longer periods of time.

SUMMER 2021 |

In Memory of

JACK CHARLES LEVY A"H Jack Charles Levy A”H was a treasured member of the Joel Braverman High School Class of 2021 and the Yeshivah of Flatbush community. Jack excelled as a student at YOF but is most affectionately remembered by our school community as a genuinely good person and fiercely devoted friend. With his exceptional smile and upbeat disposition, Jack embraced those around him with an extraordinary kindness and friendship. His energy and his positivity were amazing. Jack encouraged others to live in the moment and enjoy life for each precious minute that we are in it. As a captain of the boys’ soccer team and a valued member of the boys’ wrestling team, Jack inspired others to find their inner confidence, strength and abilities. He mentored Middle School students in coding and was an advisor for younger students on shabbatons and seminars. Jack found true joy in helping others find their happiness. As a tribute to Jack, the YOF community (including students and teachers throughout Jack’s years at YOF) showed an incredible outpouring of support. They performed acts of chesed and created tangible reminders to let the Levy family know just how cherished Jack was to all those who knew him. Even as the Levy family sat shiva, Jewish learning classes dedicated to Jack were given by YOF faculty and attended by YOF students to raise Jack’s neshama.

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Students gathered many photos from Jack’s years in the YOF elementary and high schools and presented a meaningful photo album to the Levy family. Teachers dug deep into their archives so that photos of Jack as a young child could also be included. Friends shared many personal anecdotes about Jack that brought comfort and nechama to Jack’s family. Students had rings and bracelets created with some of Jack’s favorite sayings. The rings have the inscription “LITM,” to remind everyone about Jack’s advice to always “Live In The Moment.” The bracelets have “Smile and the World Smiles with You” and “Live Life to the Fullest” printed on them. The bracelets are being given out to fellow classmates and the rings are being sold with the contributions going towards chesed and tzedakah in Jack’s memory. The Naomi Houllou A”H Ladies Auxiliary led the “A Snack for Jack” campaign in the elementary school. Each child was given a mandarin orange and made the beracha L’ilui Nishmat Jack, Yeshayahu ben Chava A”H. Students, faculty, staff, parents and alumni continue to find ways to honor Jack’s memory and be inspired by the way that Jack lived his life. The Flatbush Family promises to always keep Jack’s memory and legacy alive.

The Yeshivah of Flatbush Family is mourning the tragic loss of our senior student, Jack Charles Levy (ES 2017, HS 2021) A"H. Jack was a special part of our 2021 high school graduating class and will always be a part of us and our memories. We continue to learn about how he so profoundly and positively impacted each person he knew as our graduates have been finding ways to honor Jack’s memory.

JACK CHARLES LEVY A”H FITNESS CENTER

As Jack had so many passions, one that stood out was his love of fitness. In his memory, the Class of 2021 is raising funds to build a fitness room at the Joel Braverman High School. The Jack Charles Levy A”H Fitness Center will be a new addition to the Athletics Department at Yeshivah of Flatbush. All Falcons student-athletes will have the opportunity to maximize their capabilities in being in the best possible physical condition, which often provides the difference in athletics competition. Jack himself was always dedicated to fitness and this Center will serve as a visual reminder of our love, pride and respect for his memory. Please visit flatbush.org/donate or email Mrs. Hila Stern, Director of Development, at hstern@flatbush.org ALUMNI NAME AND YEAR SUMMER 2021 to make a donation.

CARE PACKAGES

The Naomi Houllou A"H Ladies Auxiliary spearheads a new campaign to help families, and the Kosher Food Box program remains popular.

GOODWILL GOODIES Naomi Houllou A”H Ladies Auxiliary co-presidents Mrs. Lillie Sasson and Mrs. Sheila Shamah spearheaded the “Thinking of You” committee this year to drop off cheerful packages for families going through a rough patch. The idea originated from so many families having to be quarantined during the past year, but the committee hopes to take that further in the coming year and drop off packages of kindness for families going through any hard time. “We are going to see where it takes us!” said Mrs. Shamah. “We just want to let them know we care.” Recent packages included cupcake decorating kits!

NOSH & NOURISHMENT Since late spring, YOF has been taking part in a weekly kosher food box distribution. Currently, more than 1,000 boxes of food a week are given out to help feed close to 4,000 children in the Flatbush Family and community. Working closely with food suppliers, YOF staff have become expert navigators in the best ways to get these essential food boxes to those who need them.

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LILLIE (TAWIL) SASSON (HS ‘04), SHEILA (ARMOUT-LEVY) SHAMAH (HS ‘99)

Kosher Food Box

COLLEGE ADMISSIONS 2021 The Year in Review

Members of the Class of 2021 will attend 31 different colleges and universities this fall or in fall 2022 after a gap year in Israel. The college application cycle for the Class of 2022 continued with another successful Virtual College Night and Case Studies program.

at nearly every college, which, in turn, ratcheted up the competition for each spot in an incoming class. Moreover, and to students’ benefit, recruitment and campus tours also became virtual, making learning about colleges more accessible as the online space removed geographic and financial challenges associated with in-person campus visits. This also increased interest in more schools and generated more applications!

Colleges made significant changes to their admissions requirements due to the COVID-19 pandemic, given that many students no longer had safe access to standardized testing (i.e. SAT and ACT exams). Applicants and admission officers had to adapt to the disappearance of metrics and activities that typically play integral roles.

What are the take-home messages for our students? The central role standardized testing has historically played in college admissions has been greatly diminished. This means each student’s transcript is going to play a heightened role in the process; colleges will be looking much more carefully at each applicant’s academic growth and program rigor (i.e. course choices). As has always been the rubric in college admissions, the individual is applying for a job as a member of a learning community. As such, they must demonstrate the ability to be successful in the class while also contributing positively to life on campus. A strong application (i.e. transcript, essays, recommendations, serious involvements and interests outside of class) will do just that!

On an unprecedented scale, colleges and universities adopted a test-optional policy and CUNY, one of our students' most frequent choices, moved to a test-blind process, meaning that they were not accepting and evaluating standardized testing (i.e. ACT/SAT scores), as part of the admissions process at all (a policy that will remain in place for the Class of 2022). The result: a heavy uptick in the volume of college applications

SUMMER 2021 |

AIMING

H G I H have s r e t s p o o H Falcon ia sun n r o if l a C e h fun in t

Flatbush’s Boys and Girls Varsity Basketball teams traveled to Los Angeles this past May, bringing East Coast flavor to West Coast basketball as they closed out a week of competitive play — the first of the 2020-21 school year — at the Spring 2021 Glouberman Basketball Tournament hosted by Shalhevet High School. Flatbush proved a key partner in the California school’s revised format for its annual event. Even as the event changed its locations and rules, the goal for both the Shalhevet and Flatbush organizers never wavered to provide our student-athletes with a topnotch competitive experience in a pandemic season where competition in sport for most yeshivot across the country was virtually nonexistent. Over the course of the week, the boys and girls Falcons trained and competed on the court, enjoyed bonding at various SoCal locales, including West Pico Boulevard dining spots, Manhattan and Venice Beaches as well as the Hollywood Hills. During the event, the Falcons also connected with fellow students from Los Angeles, Chicago, Long Island, New Jersey, Maryland and Miami Beach. For the preliminary games,the boys played high school teams as well as alumni squads and the girls played the local teams from Shalhevet and YULA

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as well as a club of players from different schools. Flatbush’s teams played two games a day Monday and Tuesday, with the results setting the stage for the playoff rounds on Wednesday and Thursday. It was clear the Falcon girls played a highly physical game, filled with bumps and bruises as well as a few baskets. At the same time, the boys’ Head Coach Michael Gurock used the alumni games to expose his young players to opponents that would far exceed the physicality of the high school foes they would face in the playoffs. It paid off, as the Falcons turned in their best performance of the short spring season in a match-up of the tournament’s top two seeds on Wednesday afternoon. Flatbush earned the second seed with its wins over Shalhevet and YULA, but due to a scheduling quirk, they were matched up with the top overall seed in the semifinals. Coach Gurock’s defenders played an impressive game, as senior Sammy Levy and junior Aaron Vilinsky stuck to TABC’s star player like they were glued to his hip. However, the other team’s second tier players made some big shots and defeated Flatbush for the coveted spot in the finals. A number of individual Falcons stood out over the week. Junior Alexa Greenstein showed off her shooting skills in winning the girls 3-point shooting contest. Additionally, Senior Morris Dweck and Sophomore Simone Amkraut were named to the Boys and Girls Glouberman All-Tournament teams respectively, recognizing both Flatbush guards for their outstanding play and team leadership. The Yeshivah of Flatbush Boys and Girls Varsity Basketball Teams are presented by The Oved Family.

Y L P M I S DEFEATED UN

s Tennis l ir G d n a s y Bo wins ig b p u e v r e teams s The Flatbush Varsity Boys and Girls Tennis teams closed out the 2021 season in style this past spring when they each defeated their counterparts from Hillel Yeshiva by scores of 5-0 and 4-2 respectively. In so doing, both teams put convincing caps on dual undefeated seasons for the Varsity Falcons. The boys made quick work of their Hillel opponents. Top player Moe Sutton won by a score of 8-1, while Richard Cohen took the 2nd Singles set by a score of

8-6 and Eitan Yehoshua won at 3rd Singles, 8-5. Meanwhile, the 1st Doubles team of Eric Azrak and Bobby Falack and the 2nd Doubles team of David Dweck and Sam Sutton were perfect, each recording straight game victories of 6-0. The girls would play six sets with Hillel, requiring wins in at least four of them to notch a victory. With regular 1st Singles player Esther E. Benjamin unavailable, everyone else was forced to step up. Stephanie Tarrab drew the teak of filling in for Benjamin, and while she battled hard, she fell by a score of 8-1. However, Robyn Beyda and Beverly Dweck stepped up to lock down two points as they won by scores of 6-1 and 8-0 at 2nd and 3rd Singles respectively. Since the Falcons had a 2-1 lead, the pressure shifted to the three doubles sets. Second Doubles (played by Beyda and Dweck) won easily, 6-0, while 3rd Doubles fell 2-3, leaving everything on the 1st Doubles team of Jaclyn Tobias and Shelly Safdie, who eked out a 6-5 win, securing the crucial final point. Congratulations to Coaches Mike Gelber, Robyn Dweck and Sammy Sutton and to every one of the Flatbush Falcons who stepped up in 2021 to record a most unique pair of undefeated seasons!

ROBYN DWECK (HS ‘15)

SUMMER 2021 |

AROUND TOWN Highlights Around Flatbush

Plastic and Penguins Several Lower School science classes worked on an endangered species research project for Earth Day. Students collected and recycled more than 2,400 water bottles to help raise money for the World Wildlife Fund. Together, they were able to virtually adopt an endangered penguin to help the species from becoming extinct.

Sweet Ending Next stop, Chocolatetown, PA! From the Wildcat to the Cocoa Cruiser, eighth graders soaked up all of the Hershey goodness on their senior trip, ending their year on a sweet note.

Statuesque Students As a culminating activity to their nonfiction unit, Mrs. Orli Listman’s third grade students prepared their own wax museum. Students read biographies of famous people and created posters with instructions to help make their presentations come alive.

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Flatbush and the Beanstalk Elementary school students and faculty have been following the artistic process of creating a symbolic mural in their Grow Torah garden featuring the character development tenets of the “Flatbush Five,” a program designed to cultivate the middot of respect, responsibility, humility, honesty, and kindness. The mural depicts Flatbush students climbing up a beanstalk towards the Flatbush Five.

Middle School & World Report Middle School students have been getting their news from a new source—a biweekly newsletter. called “Flatbush in the Middle.” The report, created by their fellow students as well as faculty advisor Mrs. Rachel Harari, covers information about Middle School events, world events, fashion, the arts and D'var Torah, among other topics.

Student Spotlight YOF’s new weekly Student Spotlight program highlights Lower and Middle School students who demonstrate one of the tenets of the Flatbush Five. Students were nominated by their teachers and pleasantly surprised to find their picture on Instagram midweek!

State Support YOF, in partnership with Teach NYS, hosted New York Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul this past spring. YOF Executive Director Rabbi Dr. Jeffrey Rothman and JBHS Principal Rabbi Joseph Beyda gave her a tour of the high school building and introduced her to many of our board members and community members. Lieutenant Governor Hochul spoke about the need for the government to support non-public schools. RACHEL (SALAME) HARARI (ES ‘00, HS ‘04)

SUMMER 2021 |

“It is largely through your brilliance and mesirut nefesh and that of the brilliant staff you assembled that young students like me were empowered with an amazing education but more importantly with a love for Hashem, the Jewish People and Medinat Yisrael. I still feel your guiding hand in many situations in my work on behalf of Klal Yisrael.” —Abe Cooper (ES '64, HS '68) Associate Dean, Director, Global Social Action, Simon Wiesenthal Center

“Your wisdom, values and insightfulness have become my guideposts to follow. Just as you have transformed and mentored Jewish education with an indelible imprimatur, you will always remain part of my life.” —Joel Littman

TO OUR DEAR RABBI DR. DAVID ELIACH You have touched so many people’s lives throughout your 98 years. Here are just a few of the hundreds of messages sent to you for your birthday. Mrs. Hila Stern, YOF Director of Development, and her team assembled these beautiful notes, received from your decades of fans, into a book that you and your family can keep forever as a reminder of your unparalleled legacy at the Yeshivah of Flatbush.

“Not only did I admire you as our principal, but I always think of you on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur as I remember all your tunes for davening. I always enjoyed your chazanut at the Yeshivah of Flatbush minyan and I will forever have your nigunim in my mind as I daven. You have made an indelible impression on me. “ —Lisa Horowitz Freedman (HS '87)

“You were, are and always will be a shining beacon to all who had the privilege of being a student at YOF.” —Debra (Reichman) Auerbacher (ES ‘75, HS ‘79

“I thank you for your many years of service to YOF, but particularly for the years 1959-1963 when I attended the high school. I especially remember the deep emotions I felt when, as a freshman, I heard you lead the first assembly of the year in reciting “‫”אם אשכחך ירושלים תשכח ימיני‬

“Your love for Torah, Zionism, scholarship, and community service continue to be important touchstones

—David Romanoff  (HS ‘63)

in your life, and you and Imma—Dr. Yaffa Eliach z”l— transmitted this to both of us and our growing families and to the Yeshivah of Flatbush family.”, —Your children,

For the Samras, Faraj came from Syria knowing barely any English. You took him into the high school, believed in him and

Rabbi Yotav Eliach , (Principal, Rambam Mesivta, Lawrence,

helped him become the chazzan and doctor he is today. We

NewYork), Hildy Eliach, Professor Smadar (Eliach) Rosensweig

wish for our own boys the same academic success and Zionism

(Professor of Bible, Stern College for Women, Yeshiva University),

that you have instilled in us as mottos.”

Rabbi Michael Rosensweig and the entire Eliach and Rosensweig families.

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“For the Hanons, you have always been a source of inspiration.

Y E S H I VA H O F F L AT B US H

—Minna Hanon Samra (ES ‘95, HS ‘99) and Faraj Samra (HS ‘00) in honor of Ami Hanon Sasson (ES ‘88, HS ‘92) and Ralph Sasson (HS ‘82).

YOF ALUMNI PLEASE JOIN US! We are delighted to have in-person reunions once again beginning this fall! Alumni bonds run deep at Yeshivah of Flatbush. Reunions are a great way to reconnect with some of your favorite teachers, rekindle old friendships and reminisce about times spent together in high school.

We Can't Wait To See You! Class of 2011 10th Reunion

Saturday Evening, November 20, 2021

Class of 2010 10th Reunion

Sunday, October 17, 2021

Class of 1995 25th Reunion

Sunday, November 14, 2021

Class of 1981 40th Reunion

Sunday, October 31, 2021

Class of 1970 50th Reunion

Sunday, October 3, 2021

SUMMER 2021 |

ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIP EVENT On July 8th, the Yeshivah of Flatbush hosted its Annual Scholarship Event that recognized the generous contributions made by our donors to the Annual Scholarship Fund. Graciously hosted and catered by Lillian and Joey M. Allaham, guests heard from Joey himself who spoke about his own experience and personal connection to our Yeshivah, and also listened to Alumnus

We would like to recognize and express our deepest gratitude to our generous Annual Donors below. A donation to the Annual Campaign directly supports our Scholarship Fund which provides over $12,000,000 each year in tuition assistance to 835 students, representing 441 families. Your continued commitment affords us the opportunity to provide a meaningful YOF experience for every student in our Yeshivah. To make a donation to the YOF Scholarship Fund, please contact Mrs. Victoria Amzalag at vamzalag@flatbush.org or visit www.flatbush.org/donate.

Michael Franco discuss how Yeshivah of Flatbush shaped his life, the importance of giving back and the impact it provides to our community as a whole. JBHS Rosh Bet Midrash Rabbi Avi Harari also gave a moving Dvar Torah about Tzedakah and Hakarat Hatov. Later in the evening, guests were entertained by popular mentalist and magician, Asi Wind.

ANNUAL DONORS PILLARS ($72,000+)

SARAH AND SALOMON HARARI CLAUDIA AND AVI HOULLOU

CHAMPIONS ($50,000+)

ANONYMOUS THE BAILEY, JEROME AND HOROVITS FAMILIES THE FOUERTI FAMILY RALPH S. GINDI FOUNDATION HADDAD BRANDS FAMILY FOUNDATION HARARY, BEYDA, AND SASSOON FAMILY JULIE AND STEVEN MONTAGUE DEBBIE AND JACK SAADIA

SCHOLARS (36,000+)

JOE AND TRINA CAYRE FOUNDATION I. CHERA & SONS FOUNDATION HIDROCK PROPERTIES THE JUDAICA MALL LLC THE OVED FAMILY HELENE AND ALAN SHAMAH & SALLY AND JOEY SHAMAH TERRY AND IKE SILVERA BEATRICE AND JEFFREY SUTTON RACHEL AND JEFF SUTTON TRIANGLE CAPITAL GROUP

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AMBASSADORS ($26,000+)

BELLA AND ALBERT BUKAI LISA AND LEE COHEN ALICE AND STEVEN GOLDMAN MORRIS HANAN AND SONS HIS INTERNATIONAL THE MAMIYE FOUNDATION / MARLENE AND HYMIE MAMIYE TAMMI AND SOLOMON MOSSERI NAKASH FAMILY FOUNDATION NICOLE AND DARREN OVED ROBYN AND SEYMOUR SAMMELL MARLENE & STEVEN R. SHAMAH AND FAMILY ADELE AND LOUIS SHAMIE BETTY AND JOSEPH SITT MORGAN AND ABRAHAM SULTAN LAURA AND JOE R. TAWIL

LEADERS ($18,000+)

RENEÉ AND STEVEN ADELSBERG YAFIT AND YOUSEF ALTHKEFATI CHEHEBAR FAMILY FOUNDATION FRANCO FOUNDATION FRIEDA AND JOSEPH FRANCO LILLIAN AND ELI HADDAD SALLY AND ZOUKI JARADEH

AMY AND STEVEN SASSON SDI TECHNOLOGIES / IHOME JAMIE AND MICKEY SHAMAH AND SONS RACHEL AND MORRIS TABUSH NATHALIE AND MITCHELL VILINSKY

PATRONS ($10,000+)

LILLIAN AND JOEY M. ALLAHAM VICKY AND ABE M. ANTEBY AMY AND JOSEPH BETESH ELLIOT & RAYMOND BETESH & FAMILY SOL BETESH AND SONS FOUNDATION CHALMÉ FAMILY - ELLIOT R. CHALMÉ FOUNDATION GAIL AND JOJO CHEHEBAR MAZIE & EDDIE CHEHEBAR NINETTE AND JARET FELDMAN SARAH AND JACK FRANCO ADELE AND DAVID KHASKI ISAAC MADEB AMI AND RALPH J. SASSON ELAINE AND NATHAN SHALOM GAIL AND SAUL TAWIL JEANNE AND RALPH ZIRDOK

MENU OF OPPORTUNITIES We are pleased to announce a new donor recognition program that acknowledges the important role of our major donors in advancing the YOF mission. The Menu of Opportunities for ANNUAL DONORS of $26,000 and above is filled with many exciting and robust offerings. The donors below have made annual gifts and dedicated the following programs:

PILLARS ($72,000+) THE NAOMI HOULLOU A”H LADIES AUXILIARY Dedicated by Avi Houllou

CHAMPIONS ($50,000+) DR. ALBERT MONTAGUE A”H STEM INSTITUTE Dedicated by Julie and Steven Montague ELEMENTARY SCHOOL MATH DEPARTMENT Dedicated by Sarah and Salomon Harari ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEFILLAH PROGRAM Dedicated In Memory of Ralph J. Harary A”H ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BOYS & GIRLS JUNIOR VARSITY BASKETBALL TEAM Dedicated by Sarah and Salomon Harari JBHS BOYS & GIRLS VARSITY BASKETBALL TEAMS Dedicated by the Oved Family JBHS HISTORY DEPARTMENT Dedicated by the Bailey, Jerome and Horovits Families

SCHOLARS (36,000+) KINDERGARTEN FRIENDSHIP CELEBRATION Dedicated in gratitude to the Early Childhood teachers by the Shamie family FLATBUSH FAMILY SHABBATON Dedicated by Haddad Brands Family Foundation JBHS EVENING OF THE ARTS Dedicated by Trina and Joe Cayre and Family NEW ORLEANS CHESED MISSION Dedicated by Steven Montague In Honor of His Wife Julie

PATHFINDERS CURATED SPEAKER SERIES Dedicated by Triangle Capital Group PARENT SCHOOL PARTNERSHIP Dedicated in honor of Esther & Jack A. Hidary POLAND HERITAGE TRIP Dedicated by Rachel and Jeff Sutton

AMBASSADORS ($26,000+) 8TH GRADE GRADUATION Dedicated by Nicole and Darren Oved 12TH GRADE GRADUATION Dedicated In Honor of Marlene and Steven R. Shamah ARCHON SERVICE SOCIETY ASSEMBLY NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY INDUCTION CEREMONY Dedicated by the Hanan Family EARLY CHILDHOOD PKRE READING IN PAJAMAS Dedicated by Terry and Isaac Silvera in honor of their daughter Victoria NAMES, NOT NUMBERS© Dedicated by Dr. Lawrence A”H (ES ‘47) and Suzanne Fishman Holocaust Education Fund PEGASUS LITERATURE & ART MAGAZINE Dedicated by Laura & Joe R. Tawil WELCOME BACK TO SCHOOL CARNIVAL Dedicated in Memory of Albert Montague A”H YOM HA’ATZMAUT CELEBRATION Dedicated by the Mamiye Family

SUMMER 2021 |

PRESORTED FIRST-CLASS MAIL U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

BROOKLYN, NY PERMIT NO. 1110

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

Mazel Tov & Mabrouk!

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to the Class of 2021 Yeshivah of Flatbush Elementary and Joel Braverman High School Graduates!

ALUMNI NAME AND YEAR

Yeshivah of Flatbush | www.flatbush.org