Yavneh Academy of Dallas
December 2009 * Kislev/Tevet 5770 | |
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| A message from Don O'Quinn ~ Head of School |
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Closing with
Resonance:
We are drawing to
the close of one of our most productive semesters.
You'll read this
month about many of the exciting programs and recognitions happening to, for,
with, and at the instigation of Yavneh students. We have two national merit scholars and one national merit
commendee. The PSAT reports for
this year have arrived and will be mailed on December 18 and the scores are
very strong.
We had our first
alumnus to make finalist in the Rhodes Scholar competition.
The Bulldog Print,
competing against 6300 contestants from around the United States, won a Pacesetter
and a Best of Show award.
In another effort
to establish a greater presence in Plano, Frisco, and Allen, hoping to increase
our enrollment with students from the "North," we shared our first shared
Shabbaton with Rabbi and Rivkie Block at Chabad of Plano. To further the possibilities from the
area, we are studying the possibility of
"drop-off- and ride" to help students to transport from Plano to the
DART rail station at Forest Lane.
We have completed
cataloguing all of the books in the library. We have expanded student research capability ten-fold by
subscribing to databases which can be accessed at school or at home.
We started both
boys and girls soccer and have completed our first season.
Our Freshmen and
Sophomore classes are proving to be among the strongest that we have ever
enrolled and 31 of our 37 seniors have completed their college
applications.
Howard and Leslie
Schultz increased Yavneh's endowments by $2,000,000 dollars. Never the less over the short term, we
are broke! Please send any spare funds
that you have to Yavneh's Annual Fund Drive. We have increased tuition assistance to a total in excess
of $600,000 this year and as with
all preceding years, our Annual Fund contributions are used to offset Tuition Assistance. We need every dollar possible.
Not only locally,
but nationally, communities are coming together in support of Jewish
education. For the first time we
will be attending a conference on Jewish education which is being produced as a
cooperative effort of all of the affiliations.
Added to all of
the many positive achievements this fall is the sweet spirit that pervades the
student body. Students are working
well with each other and they are supportive of each other. These are bright and creative scholars
and artists.
The sense of
resonance is beginning to pervade Yavneh Academy.
Thanks to each of
you for entrusting the education of your wonderful children to Yavneh. All of us strive daily to be worthy of
your trust.
Best wishes to all
for a happy and blessed holiday season.
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Faculty Feature ~
LuAnn Pitlik - Office Manager |
 "Always with
a can-do attitude," is how Mr. O'Quinn describes his right-hand, and this year's
yearbook honoree, as voted by the senior class, LuAnn Pitlik. "She is most
professional and her longtime association with private schools has made her an
invaluable addition to our staff."
LuAnn, who
joined Yavneh's staff in 2005, doesn't know the meaning of the word "can't" and
for certain anyone who has had the pleasure of working with her, or stopping by
for a sweet treat, has learned that firsthand. Whether it's getting out
invitations, taking in R.S.V.P's for events, or finding students and teachers
during the school day, LuAnn is the master.
A former
elementary school and Montessori teacher, and assistant to the Head of School
at the Solomon Schechter School in Memphis, TN, her experience gives her
breadth and understanding from all sides and she has become seamlessly enmeshed
in the school and in the lives of its students. "I am thoroughly enjoying my
first year with the Yavneh Family!," she said. "Having spent my previous years
in an elementary school, I am learning to appreciate the very competent and
independent high school students that we have here at Yavneh."
"High school
years for teenagers are critical times for establishing their self-confidence
to go out into the world - leaving home with a positive image of who they are
and what they believe in," said LuAnn. "I feel that Yavneh provides students
with self-confidence both through the classroom instruction and discussion, and
through the role models they see on campus."
As one that
everyone in the school looks to for help and information, LuAnn has come to
know the faculty very well in a short time. "The teachers at Yavneh go beyond
the expectations of a general classroom teacher - they truly care for each
student and try to help each of them reach their full potential," said LuAnn.
"The students are aware of how important a good high school education is in
preparing them for college, and are willing to devote the time and effort it
takes to prepare them to reach their long term goals."
LuAnn has
been Mrs. Martin Pitlik for 41 wonderful years and is the mother of Laura,
Director of Brand Marketing at Hostess Brands, Inc and Steve, Manager of Supply
Chain Planning at Dr. Pepper Snapple. Born in Nebraska, she's lived in Iowa,
Texas, and Tennessee. On her own time, LuAnn loves to read, shop and exercise
with her Golden Retriever, Winston.
In addition, she and her husband love to travel, most recently with time
spent last summer in the Florida Keys.
"LuAnn is the fuel that drives this machine and
the lubricant that keeps it from burning out," said Mr. O'Quinn. "From the newest Freshman to the most
tenured faculty person, LuAnn meets everyone's needs, completes all of the
tasks, and she is highly responsible for creating the nurturing, loving
environment that is Yavneh."
*** for information on placing a dedication ad in honor of LuAnn Pitlik, email info@yavnehdallas.org
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Yavneh, Class of 2010 ~
Daley Epstein
|  "There are so many things about Yavneh that I love, it is impossible to choose just one. The familial environment, the teachers who truly care, the perfect balance of Judaic and secular studies and the amazing friends are just a few," said Daley.
"Yavneh is truly a unique place, and I cannot imagine having spent my high school years anywhere else. The toughest part about attending Yavneh is that there are too many good things to do. Students want to be involved in everything, yet there is just never enough time."
"A Jewish education is invaluable and Yavneh affords students that privilege without compromising the General Studies education," explains Daley when asked why Yavneh was the school for her. "Attending Yavneh allows me to participate in a plethora of extracurricular activities without missing out because they are on Shabbat. I enjoy Yavneh because of the family environment and our students and faculty truly care about one another and are always willing to do things for someone else."
"The fact that our day is longer does not mean anything is compromised, it simply means we learn more. Yavneh's Judaic studies compliment the secular education, said Daley. "Analytical skills gleaned in Talmudic studies carry over to English class when reading classic literature and this additional education prepares us for the real world, as we learn how to balance everything from the beginning of our freshman year."
"Daley makes excellence look effortless. Her pleasant demeanor and keen leadership skills contribute to stress-free deadlines," said Sandy Hall-Chiles, advisor to the Bulldog Print and Daley's journalism mentor. "She's a perceptive observer and resourceful researcher: talents which empower her journalism. One of her many skills, and the one I admire the most, is her ability to bring calm to chaos. When disaster happens, as it invariably does on a publication deadline, instead of joining the hand wringing, Daley wrests the elements of the problem from the panic and methodically eliminates them."
"Daley's 'can do' attitude and 'will do' delivery make her a delight to teach," said Ms. Hall-Chiles. "The fact that Daley is pursuing journalism as a career, despite all the downturns in the business at this time, speaks poignantly of her willingness to tackle the most complicated challenges."
A Dallas native, the daughter of Barry and Dia and sister of Jori '12, Jason, and Zach, Daley belongs to Congregation Shaare Tefilla and Congregation Shearith Israel. She's a Dallas Morning News Community Voice columnist, she has for many years directed food drives to benefit the Jewish Family Service Food Pantry and, as a member of BBYO's Kravitz chapter, she was Social Action Chair.
Daley, 2009-10 Editor-in-Chief of the Bulldog Print, has been involved with the paper since her sophomore year, working her way through the guard as reporter and copy editor. She is a captain of this year's Mock Trial team, having competed for four years, she's a member of the Lady Bulldogs basketball, tennis, and volleyball teams, an editor for the yearbook, a member of Hashinui, Yavneh's environmental organization, and she is a Yavneh Student Ambassador.
Last summer, in addition to travels with family and friends, Daley served as an intern for SmartBrief, creating daily online business and consumer news in Washington D.C.
Still waiting on a number of notifications, and recently accepted to University of Texas' Business School and also the Plan II Honors Program, Daley is still unsure of where she'll make her college home. With hopes to study journalism or law, Daley knows wherever she goes, the school will have strong Jewish ties. "A Jewish community is important to me, wherever I'll be in life, and after a lifetime of Jewish education, a strong connection is among the top criteria I'm considering when applying to schools," said Daley. "I'm passionate about my Jewish identity and I want to be at a school where that can be instilled in me further, and where I can be sure to have Jewish friends, programming, classes, and a community."
Daley will make community wherever she goes, and that community will be the stronger for her support. | |
Yavneh, Class of 2010 ~
Sophie Geller
|  "It is important to me to learn in a Jewish environment, so there was never a question about attending Yavneh," said Sophie who attended Akiba Academy from preschool through eighth grade. "I love that my day starts with shacharit and ends with mincha. I am used to the split day and can't imagine anything else. I really believe that Yavneh students are successful because we have to learn to prioritize, and make the best use of our time."
"Sophie is a student who is ready to get involved in Yavneh to bring the school to the next level," said Judaics and Math instructor, Rabbi Maury Grebenau. "She is a student who is true to her ideals and a great ambassador of Torah values. I expect Sophie to be a real pillar of her community in the future."
"I love that Yavneh empowers us to make decisions about our day and gives us the opportunity to pursue interests that results in new clubs being formed," said Sophie who is Student Council Secretary and a devoted supporter or and volunteer for Students Against Terrorism's Points for Peace Basketball Tournament and the YACHAD program which addresses the needs of individuals with disabilities, including them in the Jewish community.
Sophie participated in Summer@YU (Yeshiva University) where she took an Introduction to Psychology class. "I loved the 'pre-college' experience and I'm looking forward to getting to be there full-time," said Sophie who has made her love for kids come through during her summers as well, as a counselor at Akiba's Camp Kulanu.
The daughter of Miriam and Paul Geller and sister of Molly and Ari, Sophie enjoys being a part of the community of Congregation Shaare Tefilla. Sophie, who plans to spend next year in Israel learning and traveling, hopes to go on to Stern College when she returns. Exploring careers in psychology and early childhood education, she expects that young children, with whom she's always had a wonderful connection, will be a part of her future.
"Sophie is one of the most gentle people I have had the pleasure of teaching," said Judaic
Programming Director Naomi Schrager. "She has such a sweet demeanor, and she is so eager to help others. I have had the pleasure of watching Sophie working with children, an obvious passion of hers, and I can truly see her sensitivity and creativity coming out."
"Sophie is dedicated to Judaism, to her friends, and to her studies," said Mrs. Schrager. "She works diligently in class and focuses on detail, she asks meaningful questions, and in examining ideas which come up in class, Sophie finds meaning in her Judaic subjects and tries with much effort to apply those lessons to her own life."
"My teachers have always been so approachable, which makes for such a warm and welcoming atmosphere," said Sophie. "I also think that Yavneh is unique in that we all have friends in different grades and many of us have been together since preschool. Yavneh is its teachers, the students, and its beautiful campus. I know that it is cliché to say: but Yavneh really feels like a home away from home."
Sophie, who we know will always come "home," will always inspire and touch those she encounters, with her passionate and gentle way.
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| Yavneh, Class of 2010 ~
David Goldenberg
|  "The best parts about attending Yavneh is that the teachers are willing to help students if they are struggling and the students really welcome everyone into their 'family,'" said David who moved to Dallas in the middle of his junior year. "I did not know anybody at Yavneh before we moved here and everybody has been friendly and helpful so I settled in very quickly."
"I have enjoyed getting to know David and hearing his stories of coming to America," said English teacher Phyllis Beilue. "David is always pleasant, engaging, and willing to offer his assistance to others, particularly in the area of technology. He is adept at assessing his own strengths and weaknesses and will spend extra time to improve his skills."
"David is conscientious and dependable," said Mrs. Beilue. "His kind spirit and good nature, coupled with a willingness to work for the benefit of others and himself, should enable him to be successful in the future he chooses."
Having visited Israel twice, for his own bar mitzvah and that of his cousin, David looks forward to returning with the seniors on the March of the Living Tour this spring. "I know that this trip will be a meaningful one, with the history of the Holocaust as a backdrop for the first part of the tour," he said. "Israel was wonderful and I'm excited about going back."
David, who was born in London, England and moved to New Jersey when he was 8 years old, belongs to Congregation Ohev Shalom with his parents Brian and Julie and siblings Sara '11, Emily, and Joseph. He is a member of Yavneh's Chesed Club and looks forward to refereeing for that group's upcoming soccer tournament to raise funds to build a school in Ethiopia. "I love that Yavneh kids can put programs together and that the school will support us," said David. "There are clubs and programs for every interest and Mr. O and the rest of the staff stands behind us."
It didn't take David or his sister Sara '12 long to get involved at Yavneh as the two organized a petition to have Yavneh's administration establish a soccer team. "Mr. O'Quinn was very supportive and as long as we had at least 20 signatures of students willing to take part, he said that he would help make it happen," said David who has been playing soccer since he could kick a ball. "He did just that. I'm very proud to be the first captain and founder of the Bulldog soccer team. We worked hard and I'm confident the team will grow stronger each season."
A longtime Boy Scout with Troop 55 in New Jersey, David has stayed in touch with the group, as a "Troop Planner," since his move to Dallas. "Scouting has helped me develop as a person and I enjoy the outdoor life and helping others," said David who hopes to still complete his Eagle Scout requirements. "My troop in Highland Park, New Jersey is a shomer Shabbat troop and so I didn't have to make special arrangements for religious observance."
Hoping to attend a Texas university next year, David would like to become an orthopedist or work in the field of sports medicine. Having injured his knee playing ice hockey, his experiences with corrective surgery and physical therapy made a more than lasting impression. "I was very interested in the whole process of diagnosing and treating my injury," said David who spent part of last summer interning with his Aunt Barbara, a pediatric orthopedist, and his Uncle Jerry, a pathologist. In addition to his internships, David returned to his childhood school, the Rabbi Pesach Raymon Yeshiva in Edison, New Jersey, this summer to work as a camp counselor.
This English NorthEasternerTexan is bound to take his travels, his heart, and his ever-present smile and gumption to wherever he makes a life for himself. | |
Yavneh, Class of 2010 ~
Leezi Greenberg
|  "Retaining my Jewish identity is my number one priority and the next step after Akiba to ensure that was to attend Yavneh," said Aliza "Leezi" Greenberg. "Going to a Jewish high school means maintaining who you are, and preparing you further to go into the 'real' world with a stronger than basic foundation for living a Jewish life, and living as a Jew in life."
Leezi, who spent Summer '09 studying government through Texas Tech and then on a family cruise, appreciates Yavneh's dual-curriculum. "It's tough but you strike a balancing act," she said. "As adults, we'll have to contribute to both the Jewish and secular worlds and while we are young, it is our job to prepare for that role in life."
Leezi is the treasurer of Students Against Terrorism and an ardent volunteer for that organization's Points for Peace Basketball Tournament. "I am very passionate about sending money to victims of terrorism in Israel and I'm proud of what SAT has accomplished," said Leezi. "Over $300,000 in less than a decade, all organized and led by students, is pretty incredible.
"The clock doesn't stop for the teachers at Yavneh," said Leezi. "They are always there for us to help with an assignment, or to just listen. The faculty at Yavneh is the best!"
"At 4:30 p.m. on the afternoon of the AP English Language and Composition Examination, students who had taken the rigorous exam and were exempt from afternoon classes were probably sleeping or watching television, but not Aliza," said English teacher, Phyllis Beilue. "When I arrived home from school, I noticed that at that time, she was sitting at her computer where she was composing a note of thanks to me for helping her and her classmates prepare for the exam. This is so in character for Aliza. She is grace personified."
"Aliza enters the classroom with a smile and leaves with one. She is an excellent role model for other students," said Mrs. Beilue. "Aliza is an exemplary student and fine writer. She is willing to challenge herself and thinks of others before self. She is already successful in life and will do well in college and beyond."
"Aliza is very dear to me. One rarely witnesses such sensitivity and strength of character combined in one so young," said English teacher Dr. Paula Harvey. "In sophomore English, Aliza put everything into her writing. Not only were her papers gracefully written, but I always gained new insights. Aliza is a student I will always recall with great fondness."
A former AkibaKid, Leezi belongs to Congregation Shaare Tefilla and is the daughter of Reena and Jeff, and the "baby of the bunch" that includes Judah '00 and Zach '03. Anxiously awaiting her college acceptances, Leezi hopes to remain in Dallas to major in English and Creative Writing at SMU. "I love writing, having the chance to express my emotions, and the chance to be near family is important to me," said Leezi. "My brother Zach is starting a new business here and I want to be a part of watching it grow. I love Dallas and there's nothing more important to me than family. They mean everything to me."
Small but mighty, Leezi is bound make her Jewish life one to count on, rely on, and relish.
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| Yavneh News & Review |
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 National Merit Scholar Report ~~
Kol Hakavod to Mark Cheirif '10,
Daley Epstein '10, and Micah
Steinbrecher '10 for their recognition of their 2008 PSAT scores by the
National Merit Scholarship Corporation.
Mark was named a National Hispanic Scholar, Daley, who scored within the
top ½ percent of test takers was named a National Merit Semifinalist, and Micah
received National Merit Commended status.
 Special Guest
Steve Rosenberg ~~
Yavneh Past President and Board Member Steven
Rosenberg visited with a number of students this month, providing an insight to
the startup of the school, its planning, growth, the building of the Schultz
Rosenberg Campus, for which he served as Building Chair, and his strong belief
in being connected to ones community.
"Our Jewish heritage is our legacy and that was instilled in me from a
young age," said Mr. Rosenberg, the son of Ann and Marcus (obm), longtime
Yavneh benefactors.
"It's not always easy, and often expensive,
but I hope this gift you have received from your parents, the opportunity to
learn at Yavneh, is an education you are able to afford for your children. When you get to college, you will be
different from most students as you will arrive with a sense of self, you will
be mature in a unique way, and your Yavneh experience will take you on a path
of healthy decisions that you will be proud of, directing you to a life filled
with accomplishments. You will
know who you are, and you will never lose that."
"People need to understand the
contributions that Steve Rosenberg has made to Yavneh through the years. He has given much of his life to our
school and its success and there are many who are appreciative," said Don
O'Quinn, Yavneh's Head of School.
"It's important for our students to understand the origin and history of
Yavneh and the essential role that community members have played our founding,
the evolution, and accomplishments."
Mr. Rosenberg shared with the students his
experience in the business world, he himself a graduate of a yeshiva high
school in Denver who then attended SMU and NYU, getting a degree in
finance. He spoke of the hiring of
Mr. O'Quinn who he said "had a vision and an interest like no one we'd heard
from," siting the success Mr. O'Quinn has led at Yavneh in his 11 years at the
school.
 Mr. Rosenberg discussed the various campuses that Yavneh was housed in prior to
the building of the Schultz Rosenberg Campus location, recalling the Lodge at
the JCC, years at Congregation Shearith Israel, Congregation Tiferet Israel,
portable buildings on our current site, and a space on Park Central. "Lots of people made Yavneh happen
through the years; my parents, the Schultz family, and many, many others who
have never stopped," he said. "The
fruit of the success of our students, and the confidence that the next
generation of Jewish leadership is being fostered here, is the reward."
"The world was very
different a few thousand years ago and our receiving of the Torah changed all
that. We have the ability to make the
world a better planet, our 613 mitzvot give us the ability to repair the
world," said Mr. Rosenberg. "The
changes you make in the world are as big as you want them to be. Yavneh is an
empowering school and as long as you take the passion for what you have in the
world with you, you'll live meaningful lives.
 Kol Hakavod to the Bulldog Print! ~~
photo by Andy Chiles
Yavneh's Bulldog Print received a 2008-2009
Pacemaker and Third Place Best of Show (for the first issue of the 2009 year)
awards at the November 2009 Journalism
Education Association, Inc/National High School Press Association (JEA/NSPA)
convention in Washington, D.C. The awards are co-sponsored by the Newspaper
Association of America Foundation.
The awards were won by the 2008-2009
Bulldog Print Staff, with Brittney Herson '09 (UT Austin) and Daley Epstein '10
as editors-in-chief, and Sandy Hall-Chiles as advisor, for a paper of 16 or
fewer pages. Students attending
the awards were Michael Bierman '10, Mitchell Blumka '10, Daley Epstein, Joshua
Karnett '10, Joseph Lerer '10, Sarah Rohan '10, Emily Rosenfeld '12, Rebecca
Schisler '10.
 "To be ranked among the top in the country
in just four years is an amazing accomplishment and we are very proud," said
Daley, noting that Yavneh's Pacemaker, chosen from 339 entries, is one of only
five given to a Texas high school publication. "We compete against schools with
long histories of journalism programming and thousands of students. With a lot
of work and a lot of dedication, our team of just 21 comes through."
The awards, which were first given in 1927,
are based on coverage and content, quality of writing and reporting, leadership
on the opinion page, evidence of in-depth reporting, design, photography, art
and graphics. Pacemaker winners are selected by the staff of a commercial
newspaper member of the Newspaper Association of America. Entries were judged based on coverage and content, quality of
writing and reporting,leadership
on the opinion page, evidence of in-depth reporting, layout and design, and
photography, art and graphics.
While
in Washington, students participated in convention workshops and toured the
city including visits to the Newseum, ABC studios where they enjoyed a taping
of the network's political webcast, "Top Line," and they celebrated Shabbat at
Chabad.
 "I don't know of any other school that has
garnered such awards in such a short time and I'm so proud of the kids," said
Hall-Chiles, noting that this is the paper's fourth year in production. "We started with a couple of devoted
kids and we've attracted a great group each year. This year we'll graduate 12 members of our staff but we will
continue to build."
"We have great support from Mr. O'Quinn and
our parents and staff," said Ms. Hall-Chiles. "That, coupled with our students who devote so many hours,
hours that don't exist on the clock, have helped the kids win these and many
other national, state, and local awards."
"I didn't know anything about journalism when I came to Yavneh
and I really believe that Hallch (Sandy Hall-Chiles) knows all there is to know
and she passes that on to us with a lot of respect and a lot of love," said
Daley. "We learn something new
every time we come in."
 Freedom from Chemical Dependency Workshops ~~
Yavneh welcomed
Charlotte Kavanagh, a prevention specialist with FCD, Freedom from Chemical
Dependency" for a four-day series of workshops with our students, faculty, and
parents. Founded in 1976 by Donald F. Cutler, FCD is the world's leading
nonprofit provider of kindergarten through college on-site substance abuse
prevention services, having served over a million people in the last twenty
years. The program's
mission is to provide young people and the adults who work with them with the
knowledge, skills and vision they need to make intelligent, healthy choices by
offering information on the physiological and psychological effects of alcohol
and other drugs; promoting awareness of alcoholism and other chemical
dependencies as a primary, progressive, chronic and often fatal disease;
teaching children and adults how to recognize the early warning signs of
substance abuse and to intervene appropriately; and encouraging and supporting
the non-use of alcohol and other illegal or illicit drugs during the growing
years. "We want to share tools to help students make the same wise
decisions off campus as they make on campus," said Ms. Kavanagh who grew up in
Plano. "I was there and I teach from the heart. I was a teenager who made
the wrong choices and I understand the pressures. This is definitely not
job to me, but a calling and I'm thrilled to be here."
"We are very pleased with the amount of time our students spent
with Ms. Kavanagh and the reports from her as to the seriousness with which our
students asked questions, and listened to the answers she had to share," said
Yavneh Assistant Principal, Dr. Tim Cloward. "Drugs and alcohol are a
pertinent issue to kids everywhere, Yavneh students included, and it's
important to us to send a strong message to our students."
"We realize they make their own decisions and so it is our role to
educate, inform, and be there for them," said Dr. Cloward. "We're happy
to have FCD come back each year and believe that each of its representatives
really connect to our students."
"Plano schools didn't provide this kind of education for me and so
I slipped through the cracks," said Ms. Kavanagh who drank her first beer at 11
and is now more than 10 years in recovery. "There are so many resources
here now to help our students make better choices."
Ms. Kavanagh spoke of the FACTS for risk of addiction. Family history, Age of first use, Craving, Tolerance, and Surroundings. "It takes a teen a year-and-a-half to become
dependant and those who start at age 15 are four times more likely," said Ms.
Kavanagh. "Children's brains are still forming and when alcohol,
nicotine, or drugs are added, it sets the brain for further addition."
"Have a dream, have a vision, because what you believe is usually
somewhere you can go," said Ms. Kavanagh. "Stop and think about if drugs
or drinking will help you get there, they won't. How can you get where
you want to be naturally?"
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Shabbat Shalom ~
Yavneh guests share davening and d'vrei Torah
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November 13 ~~
RABBI IRA KOSOWSKY ~
Director - Machon Maayan Seminary
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Bulldog Notes ~ Yavneh Sports Update
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BASKETBALL
LADIES BASKETBALL
DECEMBER -
15 ~~ vs. Woodrow Wilson High School @ HOME, 6pm
29 ~~ vs. R.L. Turner High School @ AWAY, 6pm
JANUARY -
5 ~~ vs. McKinney Christian @ AWAY, 6pm
14 ~~ vs. HSAA @ HOME, 6:30pm
21 ~~ vs. THESA @ HOME, 6:30pm
28 - 31 ~~ Beren Academy Tournament @ HOUSTON
MENS' BASKETBALL
DECEMBER -
15 ~~ vs. Molina High School @ HOME, 7:30pm
29 ~~ vs. R.L. Turner @ AWAY, 7:30pm
JANUARY -
2 ~~ vs. St. Mark's School of Texas @ HOME, 8pm
5 ~~ vs. McKinney Christian @ HOME, 7:30pm
12 ~~ vs. Nevada Community High School @ HOME, 7:30pm
14 ~~ vs. HSAA @ HOME, 8pm
19 ~~ vs. Lutheran High School @ HOME, 7pm
21 ~~ vs. THESA @ HOME, 8pm
26 ~~ vs. Fort Worth Zion @ AWAY, 7:30pm
28 - 31 ~~ Beren Academy Tournament @ HOUSTON
JV SCHEDULE -
JANUARY -
6 ~~ vs. Winston @ HOME, 6pm
11 ~~ vs. Denton Selwyn @ HOME, 6pm
12 ~~ Nevada Community High School @ HOME, 6pm
18 ~~ vs. Great Lakes Academy @ HOME, 6pm
25 ~~ vs. Great Lakes Academy @ HOME. 6pm
SOCCER
Kol Hakavod to Yavneh's debut Soccer Teams!!!
Both the Men's and Women's teams showed their flair, friendship, and fashion on the fields.
See you next year!
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Yom Huledet Sameach, Well Wishes, and Mazal Tov!
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DECEMBER
2 Yaakov Pressburger and Yaakov Stolovitsky 5 Daley Epstein10 Matt Kirby 11 Kim Corbet 14 Devora Cohen 15 Shelbi Karlebach 17 Gloria Boyd 22 LuAnn Pitlik 24 Bradley Riche
25 Hannah Schepps and 30 Arielle Burstein
OUR HEARTS GO OUT TO:
~~ Sandy Hall-Chiles on the passing of her Aunt, Betty Gunter.
~~ Evan '10, Leora, '11, and Jonah '13 Mitzner and their Mother
Judy on the passing of their Grandmother and Mother, Marjorie Joan Stangen.
~~ Leon Jacobson '07, and his family on the passing of his Grandfather, Sydney Soskalne.
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Mark it with a red pen ~ Calendar notes
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YAVNEH'S CALENDAR
DECEMBER
Monday - 12/14
Jewish Thought & Law, English
Tuesday - 12/15
Chumash - Math
Wednesday - 12/16
Hebrew - Social Studies
Thursday - 12/17
Talmud, Ethics, Mishnah, Oral Law, Science
5pm - Yavneh Chanukah Celebration!!!
All Yavneh students, families, and faculty are invited to our Chag Chagigah with candle lighting, singing and dancing, latkes, donut making, dreidel playing and more!!!
Friday - 12/18
Make-up Exams
JANUARY
4 ~~ Classes resume @ 8am
5 ~~ Lt. Colonel Colby Vokey (USMC, Ret.) ~ 3:15-4:15pm in the Beit Midrash
The entire Yavneh community is invited to join Yavneh's AP Government class to hear Lt. Vokey. A highly-decorated combat veteran of the Marine Corps, Col. Vokey was involved in some of the most publicized criminal trials in American history, including serving as defense counsel at Guantanamo Bay, and defending the Marine squad leader accused of murdering 18 people in Haditha, Iraq. In 2007, the American Bar Association named Col. Vokey the nation's Criminal Defense Lawyer of the Year.
25 ~~ United Students of Dallas Dinner in Pollman Hall @ 7:30pm - Save the Date!
Yavneh's Uniting Students of Dallas announces its 2010 dinner to benefit the Texas Access to Justice Foundation, featuring keynote speaker Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson of the Texas Supreme Court, along with presentations by State Bar of Texas President Roland Johnson and Texas Young Lawyers Association President Cori Harbour. Please plan to join us, and help our students raise money to provide legal representation to indigent Texans!
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
COMMUNITY KOLLEL OF DALLAS
For information or to RSVP for all Kollel programming, call 214.295.3525 or email kollelofdallas@sbcglobal.net
DECEMBER
December 14 - Sadia Shepard
"The Girl from Foreign: A Memoir" ONE COMMUNITY, ONE BOOK!
For more information, or to rsvp to any/all events, call 214.239.7128
or email rweisscrane@jccdallas.org
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College Cues ~ Acceptances, Visits, Scholarship Information, and more
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CLASS OF 2010 COLLEGE ACCEPTANCES
Kol Hakavod to the following students who have received college acceptances. Updated acceptances are in bold. Seniors, be sure to send notice of your acceptances to info@yavnehdallas.org so that we can share your news!
Michael Bierman ~ Tulane University, University of Indiana
Mitchell Blumka ~ Millsaps College, St. Edward's University,
University of Tampa
Mark Cheirif ~ University of Arizona
Daley Epstein ~ University of Texas Business School,
University of Texas Plan II Honors
David Goldenberg ~ Texas A&M/Commerce
Joshua Karnett ~ Indiana University, University of Kansas
Paige Koeppel ~ St. Edward's University, University of Indiana, University of Tampa
Joseph Lerer ~ Stanford University
Libby Panipinto ~ University of Indiana, Tulane University, University of Kansas
Jackie Peiser ~ Tulane University
Ethan Prescott ~ University of Indiana
Miles Pulitzer ~ University of Indiana
Adam Sallmander ~ University Kansas
Yavneh College Guidance ~~ For more information regarding scholarships, application deadline, and any other college related issues, read the Senior Times (emailed last week to all seniors and their parents) or check in with Allyn Schmucker, Yavneh's College Guidance Counselor at 214.295.3500 or email aschmucker@yavnehdallas.org
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Yavneh's Magic & Mitzvah Makers ~
Students, Faculty, and Alumni Making a Difference for themselves and their community
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Congratulations to A.J. Burk '11, a member
of Envy Cheer's Senior Level 4 Team which placed first in the Jam Fest: The Star Jam. The
team received a bid to go to the U.S. Finals.
(Fun to see the support of Yavneh family, alum, and faculty members!!! Go Team A.J.!)
Kol Hakavod to Rachel Rudberg '13, who
returned for a second year to dance in the Texas Ballet Theater's production
of The Nutcracker, this year's performance at the Winspear Opera House at the Dallas Center for
Performing Arts.
Mazal Tov to Justin Katz '13 who placed
third in the World Cubing Association's Rubik's Magic Competition.
Arielle Burstein '10,
a representative of The Audiemur Project, is asking Yavneh families and
friends to help support the program's Dime a Day effort to raise funds to help
finance a computer lab in Cameroon.
Please consider saving just a Dime a Day between now and our return from
Winter Break, or donating the collections in your tzedakah boxes.
Saginaw's Ride for Sense Corp Texas 4000 for Cancer ~ Charlie Saginaw '07, is one of 56 students who will ride from UT Austin, to Anchorage, Alaska in the Texas 4000 for Cancer. Please help Charlie raise the $4,500 he has pledged to this ride, monies to be donated to the MD Anderson Cancer Research Center. Email info@yavnehdallas.org to connect to Charlie with your pledge for support.
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March of the Living ~
Support our students MOL Tour '10
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 Birthday gifts? Anniversaries? Chanukah shopping? Make a mitzvah out of your giftgiving by having your gifts support the 2010 Yavneh March of the Living Tour. Shop at marchofthelivingdallas.org to connect to Amazon.com and a percentage of your purchase will help our kids!
Stay warm this winter!!! Snuggies have arrived and they are on sale for $25/each. Available in burgandy, navy, and leopard print!!! Call Debbie Koeppel at 214.796.9950 to place your order.
Be comfy at Bulldog sporting events by sitting on a Yavneh seat cusion. $60/each, with or without the Yavneh Bulldog logo. Email Mollie Mirsky at xomollieannexo@aol.com to place your order.
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Bulldog Print News ~
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Extra, Extra, Read All About It!
 Help support Yavneh's student-run, nationally award-winning newspaper The Bulldog Print by buying ads and subscriptions or making a donation.
If you are interested in purchasing an ad for your business or service, contact Rebecca Lipinsky at 214.577.5820 or email rebeccalipinsky@yahoo.com
If you are interested in subscribing to The Bulldog Print for only $20 a year, contact thebulldogprint@gmail.com
Get all 5 issues!
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Yavneh Yearbook '09-'10 ~ Order yours NOW!
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Ad deadline December 14!
Order your 2009-2010 Yearbook today!!!
Yearbooks are $60 until January 15 and
$70 from January 18 to March 12
Yearbooks will be delivered before school is out and include
the year's activities, sports, photo collages, class photos & senior specials,
"Best Of... Awards," clubs & teams, drama presentations, the Literary Cafe,
March of the Living, Graduation and so much more.
Ads on sale now!!!
Dedicate a memory to your students and/or say "thanks" to our honoree, LuAnn Pitlik!
Ads will be printed in black & white (b/w) and color (c).
* Business Card $ 36 (b/w) $ 46 (c)
* ¼ of a page $ 54 (b/w) $ 64 (c)
* ½ of a page $ 90 (b/w) $ 100 (c)
* Full Page $ 180 (b/w) $ 190 (c)
Design and send in your own ad, or submit copy and photos, to Yavneh Academy's Main Office or send via email to info@yavnehdallas.org
Please make payments to "Yavneh Academy," note Yearbook "ad" or "purchase"
in the memo, and Deb Silverthorn on the outside of your envelope.
For more information, please call 972.839.6916 or email info@yavnehdallas.org
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Inklings from Israel
Yardana Schick '08 |  After studying last year at Machon Maayan seminary
in Jerusalem, I decided to stay and start to build a life for myself here.
Making aliyah has been the best and, surprisingly, easiest decision I
have ever made. I now study at Bar-Ilan University in Ramat Gan, majoring
in political science and minoring in sociology and anthropology.
Taking classes in Hebrew has been very challenging
but I am finding that integrating into Israeli society has been very easy.
Everywhere I go here I feel right at home and everyone I meet becomes my
family.
At times I really miss life in Dallas; my friends,
family, and Yavneh, but living in Israel has only helped me appreciate everyone
even more. Needless to say, all the material things that I once took for
granted now seem trivial and somewhat irrelevant. Instead of talking
about the awesome buy I made at Target, I can now proudly say that I have
helped fulfill our 2,000-year-old dream of returning to Israel, living here and
growing here in the Holy land - Eretz Hakodesh. My life has taken on a whole new meaning and
purpose and I can only hope that I have helped pave the way for other
Yavneh students, alumni, and teachers.
I also hope l see some familiar faces here in the near future. Sending love from Israel!
Yardana Schick
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| Please send all news and updates for the Yavneh Academy of Dallas e-zine to: info@yavnehdallas.org
Deb Silverthorn
Director of Communications
Yavneh Academy of Dallas
12324 Merit Drive
Dallas, TX 75251
214.295.3500
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