Friday, August 30, 2013
24 Elul 5773
Parshat Nitzavim-Vayeilech
Candle Lighting at 7:25 PM



Click on the above images to jump to the various sections of this Highlites.

  
The Sound of WYHS

 

In this week's Torah reading we are introduced to the final of the 613 mitzvot- the mitzvah of writing a Sefer Torah. The language that the Torah employs to describe this mitzvah is unusual. "כתבו לכם את השירה הזאת" - "Write this song for yourselves." The Torah is referred to not as a book but as a "shira"- a song. Rav Yechiel Michel Epstein, in his introduction to the Choshen Mishpat section of his Aruch HaShulchan, suggests a beautiful explanation for the Torah being referred to as a song.  The beauty of a song is enhanced when different voices and instruments come together in one performance. The beauty of the Torah lies in the multiple voices of interpretation, the different instruments of machloket or dispute that contribute to our greater understanding of God's will. Torah is a shira; it is a song.

The first week back at WYHS has been filled with song. With so many fresh faces filling the halls, and the enthusiasm of teachers' voices carrying throughout the classrooms, we are continuing the process of writing the song that is the Torah. As a new face in the building, I appreciate the warmth of the institution and all of its members in creating this environment of song. It's exciting and comforting to join a school that has an up-tempo soundtrack. It is an honor and a privilege for me to add my voice to the chorus creating song at WYHS. I want to thank all of the staff, students, and parents who make up this WYHS orchestra for the warmth that they've shown to me personally since my family and I have transitioned down to South Florida.  I am excited to be here and be a part of the music. Thank you to the entire Highlites staff for putting together this edition of the Highlites so quickly at the start of the year. Shana Tova.

 

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Jonathan Kroll  

Head of School

 
Heads Up! 

Mon. Sep. 2 - Fri. Sep. 6
No School

 

NAVIANCE is coming! 

 

ONENew Faces
WYHS Welcomes a Myriad of new Faculty

  
Graphic by Avi Schneider ('14)  
 
TWOHappy (QR) Hunting
Freshmen Get Acquainted with Each Other and the Campus
Through a QR Photo Scavenger Hunt

 

Graphic by Simcha Stadlan ('16)

 
THREEClear and Present Danger
Rabbi Weil Stresses the Importance and Responsibility of Prayer
Graphic by Jonah Rose ('17)
Article by Mollie Markowitz ('14)   
             
This week we were fortunate to have Rabbi Weil come speak to the entire student body. He gave an intellectually stimulating speech about the importance of Rosh Hashanah and our responsibility as Jews to commit ourselves to a Godly lifestyle. Rabbi Weil offered the concept that we must not fear judgment day, but rather see ourselves in three ways on Rosh Hashanah. One, we are the legacy of an amazing tradition that has given the world meaning and purpose. Two, we are the builders of our generation. Three, our prayers count, our words are not said in vain. Rabbi Weil tied in the theme of sacrifice, repeated throughout the Torah, letting us know that our sacrifices are our talents and abilities. Finally, Rabbi Weil ended where he started. He shared how we, the Jewish people, are in a precarious time, probably the most challenging Rosh Hashanah we have ever faced. Such a precarious time, he said, can be recognized through the hundreds of Syrians killed by chemical weapons only a few days ago. Rabbi Weil then added that on Rosh Hashanah we might not like to be judged, but we must reflect on our present situation and recognize our responsibility to grow and build a better tomorrow. Rabbi Weil suggested that we all go to Human Rights Watch to further understand how this is not a healthy world and how we must take action today.

FOUR
  Graphic by  Noah Brown ('16)

FIVEGood and Welfare

Births

Nicole and David ('02) Berman on the birth of a boy! 

Emily (Waxman, '09) and Binyamin Davrayev on the birth of a boy!

Rachey (Berkowitz, '07) and Ari Mirzoeff on the birth of a girl!

 

Marriage

Amiel Abir ('10) to Talia Kesselman

Raquel Amram ('07) to Zaki Betesh

Shulamit Atkin ('04) to Willie Roth

Chana Brauser ('10) to Ely Shestak

Miriam Clements ('07) to Elly Kalson

Alyssa Cohen ('09) to Nachum Caplan

Leora Cohen ('08) to Ariel Gross

Ilana & Shmuel Flemming ('03)

Moshe Genet ('06) to Rivka Weyl

Lior Goldstein ('10) & Aliza Friedman ('10)

Sarah Kaminetsky ('04) to Isaac Jonas

Tarynn Katz ('10) to  Abe Dier

Amanda Markovitch ('10) to Isaac Benishai

Keren Marks ('10) to Menachem Rosen

Meira Pearl ('07) to Jeffrey Goldgrab

Ronnie Rosenbaum ('08) to Shelly Romer

Andrea Surasky ('09) to Jason Ast


Engagments

Elan Aiken ('09) to Eva Bein

Sharon Cohen ('10) to Benny Jacob

Rachel Dolgow ('04) to Joseph Belleli

Matt Firestone ('08) to Raquel Plaut  

David Spektor ('10) to Malky Weil

Reuven Tokayer ('10) to Maya Rosenblum

 

Faculty Mazel Tovs

Mrs. Ellen Chait on the engagement of her daughter Melissa Bohler to Crispin Fife
and on the engagement of her daughter Jessica Chait to Paul Wolpe

Claudia Cohen on the marriage of her son Aaron to Sarah Cohen

Ms. Dana Sardano on her engagement to Rob Sgambellone

 

Condolences

Tyler Bierly on the loss his brother, Paul Bierly

Anna Weber on the loss of her mother, Anne Clark

Stace Katzman on the loss of her father, Clark Ivan Greenberg

Lisa Feintuch on the loss of her father, Joseph Katzenstein

Susu Danis on the loss of her mother, Elsa Silberberg


Click on the image above to read this week's edition of Ashreinu.
Graphic by Josh Stadlan ('11)