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A Message From Our Rosh Yeshiva - Rabbi Taubes
 We are all familiar with the directive found in the first paragraph of Kerias Shema to talk about Torah (vedibarta bam) at all times and in all places, beshivtecha beveisecha, uvlechtecha vaderech, uvshachbecha uvkumecha. But is this really practical? As significant as Torah is, can it reasonably be expected that people - even people committed to Torah and a Torah way of life - will occupy their time only with Torah, 24/7, as it were? Are there not other legitimate pursuits which are important and which properly demand people's attention as well? Isn't there also at least some benefit to mental relaxation, leisure, or "down time?" The answer may be that the requirement presented here is not to talk about Torah in the sense of studying Torah, of "talking in learning," or of expounding upon Torah ideas in a formal educational manner. Rather, we are told that we should talk - and indeed conduct ourselves - in a way which reflects the fact that we have been influenced by Torah, that we have absorbed and internalized the words of Torah, that the Torah which we have learned has become part of our very character. And this can indeed be done anytime and anyplace. Whatever else we may be involved in, whether working on earning a living, toiling on behalf of the community, interacting with friends and family members, or even just "kicking back" and taking it easy in order to re-energize and rejuvenate, we must always talk - and act - like Bnai Torah, like people whose essential nature is shaped and even defined by the Torah knowledge that we have accumulated and the Torah values that we have been taught. As we approach our extended summer break, it is my hope that all of our students will thoroughly enjoy whatever it is that they have planned, but will do so while always cognizant of their responsibilities as Bnai Torah, as students in our yeshiva high school, and as young men who have been positively impacted by everything that they have learned during the course of the year. I wish everyone a happy, healthy, productive, and relaxing summer vacation! |
Congratulations to the Class of 2015!
by Michael Kolber ('16)
Last Thursday, MTA celebrated the commencement of its 96th graduating class, the Class of 2015. The evening began with the processional, as the MTA faculty and administration marched through Lamport Auditorium, which was filled with friends and relatives of the graduates, to take their seats on the stage, followed by the graduating students themselves. After the National Anthem was performed by the MTA Chorus, Rabbi Taubes gave an impressive D'var Torah, concluding with encouraging words to the departing seniors. This was followed by a short but inspiring speech from Rafi Anapolle, after which YU's President Richard Joel, who himself graduated MTA in 1968, offered greetings and expressed his gratitude towards the MTA crowd. Salutatorian Zvi Goldstein and Valedictorian Yehuda Tager then each presented a celebratory address, and the school band and chorus performed a musical interlude consisting of the songs Hafachta and L'cha Dodi. Rabbi Shulman and Mr. Dobrick were then called up to present the various awards that members of the senior class had earned,after which Menachem Gans made a siyum on Maseches Kesubos. Joseph Wolf offered the concluding benediction, and Dr. Taylor, Mr. Dobrick, and Rabbi Taubes then presented each graduate with his diploma. After a custom rendition of Hatikvah by the chorus, everyone proceeded to Belfer Hall for refreshments and a celebration of the class' achievements and successes.
Mazel Tov and Congratulations to MTA's Graduating Class of 2015!
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Ulpan Class Goes to Golan
by Yitzchak Fishbach ('15)
As the school year comes to a close, different people have celebrated in different ways. Some shiurim and classes got together to play baseball, some had in-class parties, and some just sat back and let the year wind down.
Morah Haibi's senior Ulpan classes, however, celebrated in the only way we know how: we ate! With the help of Golan Heights eatery, who graciously agreed to let us rearrange their tables to suit our needs, we organized a feast, or at least close to it.
Our Ulpan class is a total immersion experience in conversational Hebrew. We finished our book, Darkon L'Yisrael, and are now well prepared for a trip to Israel and our gap year. To show off our acquired linguistic skills, we had our culminating project, lunch in this Israeli/Washington Heights restaurant.
We were joined by Rabbi Taubes and Mr. Leshaw and we all sat around the table, ate our shwarma and falafel, and talked about everything from the weather to our post high-school destinations. We all got to put our Hebrew skills to good use by ordering all of our food in Hebrew, as well as attempting to sustain a conversation with Rabbi Taubes in Hebrew as well.
The end is bittersweet...but at least we finished off our course and the year by eating shwarma and speaking Hebrew!
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NY Blood Center Invites MTA to Mets and Yankees Games
Because MTA was so successful in the multiple blood drives that were organized by the Arista Honors Society, the New York Blood Center invited students to both the Mets game on Monday, June 15th and the Yankees game on Wednesday, June 17th. Additionally, some student representatives were invited onto the field prior to the start of the game. Menachem Gans ('15) who spearheaded the blood drives, was invited to lead the MTA contingency. In total, MTA enjoyed ten tickets to see the Mets come from behind in the 11th to beat the Blue Jays 4-3, and thirty tickets to see the Yankees edge the Marlins 2-1.
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| | After having finished 17 Perakim of Shmuel Aleph, Rabbi Axelrod's Tanakh shiur went to Chop-Chop to celebrate. |
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Please share with us your significant family milestones so we may appropriately acknowledge events and losses and properly communicate information. Please contact Mr. Nachum Cooper at ncooper@yuhsb.org
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A Lion's Life Executive Staff
Editors-in-Chief: Aryeh Burg ('15), Rafael Anapolle ('15)
Sports Editors: Jeremy Borgen ('15), Zev Markowitz ('15)
Associate Editor: Shimmy Mandelbaum ('16)
Photography Editor: Shimmy Socol ('16)
Faculty Advisor: Mr. Nachum Cooper ('09)
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