February 6, 2015
17th of Shevat 5775

  

 Parshat Yitro
Candle Lighting at 5:48 PM
 
Aspiring to Let God In

 

"Where is God?" asked the Kotzker Rebbe. "Wherever you let Him in," he answered. The profound idea behind the story is that each of us has a responsibility to actively allow God into our lives. We shouldn't sit back waiting for inspiration but we must lean forward and show some aspiration.  

 

I was so proud of our students at the Shabbaton last weekend. We challenged ourselves to try to let God in, and our students accepted that challenge with enthusiasm. They were really terrific. I can't emphasize enough how grateful I am for having such wonderful students who engaged each other in deep conversation and introspection along with tremendous ruach and excitement.

 

Our WYHS students created an environment over Shabbat that the Kotzker Rebbe would have definitely recognized as a "place where God is."   

 

Thank you to the Highlites staff for putting together this terrific edition which will give you a good taste of just how fun and meaningful the Shabbaton was. Thank you to Shira Englander and Rabbi Danny Kroll for putting the Shabbaton together and to all of the staff who made the event run so smoothly.    

 

Shabbat Shalom,


Rabbi Jonathan Kroll
Head of School 
Good and Welfare

Births

Rabbi Yoni ('04) and Alise Gold on the birth of a baby boy!

 

Josh ('04) and Tali Levy on the birth of a baby girl!

 

Suri (Hoenig '02) and Eric Kinzbrunner on the birth of a baby boy!

 

Shayna (Hoenig '04) and Jeremy Bekritsky on the birth of a baby boy!   

 

Anosh ('08) and Emily Zaghi on the birth of a baby girl!

 

Aryeh ('01) and Atara Rotenberg on the birth of twin boys!

 

Engagements

Jen Fisher ('07) to Yoel Hubert  

 

Nicole Bokor ('11) to Raphael Kintzer 

 

BJ Litwin ('09) to Ayelet Lerman

  

Marriages

Shana (Itzkowitz '10) and Jeffrey Meckler

 

Condolences

Mrs. Cheryl Hamburg, mother of Devora Gutman ('10), on the loss of her father

 

Rebbetzin Meira Davis, mother of Shira (Davis '01) Mandel, Batsheva (Davis '03) Adamit, and Ariella Davis ('09) on the loss of her father


Nervous About a Shabbaton in Orlando?
How to Survive an Intergrade Orlando Shabbaton 

 
Graphic by Gabbi Frohlich ('17) and Lana Rosenthal ('17)
Article by Yitzchak Kaminetsky ('15)

This past week, the entire school had the privilege of spending the weekend in Orlando for an unbelievable Shabbaton. The Shabbaton was a huge success activity after activity. Whether it was a dynamic breakout session led by teachers, an inspiring Dvar Torah given by a student, or an awesome amusement park, students enjoyed every aspect.

Traveling hours to spend Shabbat with friends created a unique sense of camaraderie among all the students, which definitely made all of those hours of driving worth it. Simply walking around Friday night during dinner or while everyone was hanging out and seeing my classmates smiling and having a great time with each other made me realize how special this Shabbaton really was. I realized that although I have many opportunities to spend time with my friends in and out of school, when we go away and dedicate a few days to learning about God together, socializing together, and having fun together, we create a sense of togetherness that cannot be replicated in our everyday lives.

This Shabbaton helped me create new friendships while strengthening the old ones I have made throughout high school, all of which will last long after I graduate. 

Graphic by Ariella Mamann ('17)
Super Senior Sunday
Chesed and Superbowl Party Highlight Seniors' Extended Stay  

Graphic by Jonah Rose ('17)
Article by Shoshy Ciment ('15)

This past Sunday, the seniors had the privilege of staying an extra day at the Hilton Altamonte Springs in Orlando following the conclusion of the schoolwide Shabbaton. After everyone else boarded the buses home on Sunday morning, the seniors participated in a chesed program. We traveled to the Community Food and Outreach Center in Orlando, a grocery store and community center for poverty-stricken families, where we helped stock shelves, clean windows, and sweep floors. In the afternoon we went to Downtown Disney for a few hours of shopping, ice cream, and class bonding. The seniors returned to the hotel that night and were treated to a catered dinner of wings, hot dogs and falafel while we watched the thrilling Superbowl together as a class on a big screen. The extra day added more memories to what was already an unforgettable Shabbaton.

Article by Mrs. Ciment, Head of English Department

Over 200 WYHS students participated in the 2015 Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, a national competition that recognizes outstanding teen writers, artists, and creative thinkers. This year's competition was particularly tough, with the regional office receiving over 50% more entries than last year from high schools across the southeast. Still, WYHS students came away with top prizes in varied categories such as art, poetry, short stories, and personal memoirs. All Gold Key winning entries will go on to national adjudication in New York against the top winners from every state. Congratulations to all the winners and good luck to the Gold Key winners in the next level of the competition!
This Week in Pictures

Graphic by Alex Factor ('16)