bedarchei hatorah #35 spring2014 hi

From 39 melachos to essential middos, torah concepts are Brought to liFe with hands-on learning

SPRING 5774/2014 // NO. 35

Living Torah

dinner For 1500A Crowd that Came to Support Left Uplifted and Inspired

homemade successRav Shmuel Strickman Guides Parents in their Most Lofty Mission

crown JewelsHow the Kollel Benefits its Scholars, the Yeshiva and the Community

divisionsPreschoolElementary SchoolJunior High School and MechinaRabenstein Learning CenterMesivta Chaim Shlomo The Maurice & Edith Lowinger Mesivta High SchoolWeiss Vocational CenterBeis Medrash Heichal DovidKollel Tirtza Devorah

summer programsSimcha Day CampMesivta/Beis Medrash Learning Camp Upstate N.Y.Machaneh Hakayitz

gemilas chesedY.D.T. Rabbis Special FundTomchei Torah Interest-Free Loan Fund

other programsAlumni AssociationWeiss Institute for Continuing EducationPublicationsCommunity Housing Initiative

aFFiliatesAlumni Night Kollel JerusalemAlumni Night Kollel Lakewood, N.J.Yeshiva Ohr Yehuda Lakewood, N.J.

Yeshiva Darchei TorahChinuch and Chesed

Dedicate a Day of Eternity.Through the Parnes HaYom program, the thousands of collective hours of Torah study taking place in the Yeshivas various divisionsfrom Preschool and Elementary School to Beis Medrash and Kollel can serve as a zchus in honor or in memory of a loved one.

Dedication details are displayed prominently throughout the Yeshiva.

For more information or to receive a beautiful CD-ROM presentationdescribing the details of the program, please call Rabbi Zev Bald at718-868-2300 ext. 219

2 Bedarchei Hatorah d Spring 5774/2014

BEDARCHEIHATORAH News from Yeshiva Darchei Torah

YESHIVA DARCHEI TORAHYaakov and Ilana Melohn CampusIn Memory of Reb Yosef Melohn

257 Beach 17th Street Far Rockaway, NY 11691(718) 868-2300

Rabbi Yaakov Bender Rosh haYeshiva

Rabbi Moshe Bender associate Dean

Rabbi Yehuda Harbater executive DiRectoR

Rabbi Zev Bald DiRectoR of Development

Rabbi Baruch Rothman DiRectoR of institutional aDvancement

Rabbi Avraham SchachnercontRolleR

Rabbi Pinkus MayerDiRectoR of special pRojects

Rabbi Moshe Benoliel DiRectoR of alumni affaiRs

PRESCHOOLDr. Wendy Devorah Gerson DiRectoR

Mrs. Yocheved BenderMrs. Rachel BrierMrs. Esti Feuerassistant DiRectoRs

ELEMENTARY/JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLRabbi Dovid FrischmanRabbi Dovid LanRabbi Dovid MorgensternRabbi Rephael Skaist Rabbi Shmuel Strickmanmenahelim

Rabbi Avrohom Bendersgan menahel

Rabbi Yitzchok BrailofskyRabbi Yitzchak GoldbergMrs. Ariella KelmanMrs. Sara Malka KrasnowRabbi Dovid PresserpRincipals

MESIVTA CHAIM SHLOMOMaurice & Edith Lowinger Mesivta High School

Rabbi Zevi Trenk Rabbi Avrohom Nusbaum menahelim

Rabbi Dov Keilson mashgiach Ruchani

Rabbi Menachem Gold Rabbi Shimon Dachs pRincipals

BEIS MEDRASH HEICHAL DOVIDRabbi Shlomo Avigdor Altusky Rosh Yeshiva

KOLLEL TIRTZA DEVORAHRabbi Dovid Bender Rosh Kollel

RABENSTEIN LEARNING CENTERMrs. Jill Kay DiRectoR

WEISS VOCATIONAL CENTER Rabbi Shimon Dachs DiRectoR

SIMCHA DAY CAMPRabbi Shimon Dachs DiRectoR

MACHANEH HAKAYITZRabbi Eliezer AmentRabbi Eliezer Selengut DiRectoRs

Contents4 Highlights

12 Community

23 Preschool

26 Elementary School

39 Junior High School

44 Mesivta Chaim Shlomo

52 Beis Medrash Heichal Dovid

55 Weiss Vocational Center

56 Kollel Tirtza Devorah

60 The Alumni Report

40 42

27

Bedarchei Hatorah d Spring 5774/2014 3

So much of the Pesach Seder is built around our children, having been designed by Chazal to encourage them to ask questions -

such as removing the Kearah from the table as if the meal was over, dipping vegetables twice, and the like.

As the Rambam puts it (Hilchos Chameitz Umatzah 7:3):

He should make changes on this night so that the children will see and will [be motivated to] ask: Why is this night different from all other nights? until he replies to them: This and this occurred; this and this took place.

At this most sublime moment, when we remember and relive our birth as a nation, we place such a heavy emphasis on keeping the children awake, interested and involved. This is clearly because

our children are the future of Klal Yisrael. If they dont absorb the Mesorah, the primarily oral legacy that has been handed down since Sinai, how can they possibly perpetuate it?

The same holds true when teaching Torah throughout the year: we must hold our chil-drens interest and do whatever it takes to help them absorb its timeless lessons and values.

Some have questioned the introduction of new technologies and methodologies into the classroom, worried that they are dilutions of the Mesorah. Yet it is clear from Chazals approach to the Seder that we have a mandate to present Torah to our children in the most stimulating manner possible. Our Torah is eternal and unchanging, yet it is called Toras Chaim, a Living Torah, and the methods we employ to teach it must adapt to the needs of each generation.

Maran Rav Aaron Leib Shteinman, shlita, the manhig of our generation, has said that chinuch is a mitzvah that has no mesorah. What he is saying is that although the Torah itself has a mesorah, chinuch is different. The correct techniques of education, of imparting the mesorah, are not set in stone. They can and must be tailored for each generation. (For example, not too long ago, corporal punishment was rampant in the classroom. Today it is a non-issue.)

It goes without saying that technology has its limits. The primary medium of success-ful chinuch will always be the personal rebbi-talmid connection; that is something that no machine can replicate, and the gedolim of our era must be consulted before new technol-ogy is introduced into our hallowed classrooms.

At Yeshiva Darchei Torah, our rabbeim and morahs constantly develop projects and curricula that successfully fulfill this mandate. They are always seeking new and creative ways to teach each lesson and reach each child. Some are featured in this issue. The proof of their success is the vigor with which their talmidim run into the Yeshiva every morning, eager to learn.

How privileged we are to have educators who carry out this sacred mandate with such talent and devotion.

Rabbi Yaakov Bender

From the rosh haYeshiva

YESHIVA DARCHEI TORAH

Ronald LowingerpResiDent

BOARD OF TRUSTEESLloyd KeilsonMotty Kleinco-chaiRmen

Alex EdelmanShimon PluchenikMorris Smith

BOARD OF DIRECTORSElisha BrecherAron Solomon co-chaiRmen

Dovid BloomEli BobkerDovid BrecherMottie DrillmanShamshy EisenbergerMichael FraginShlomo JacobowitzMenachem LieberBen LowingerMenachem MarxAdam MirzoeffMenash OratzAroni ParnesDovid ScharfYoav TaubEly TendlerAvi WeinstockDov Weinstock

ExECUTIVE BOARDMoshe BloomBerel DaskalUri DreifusYoily EdelsteinEytan FeldmanGadi FuchsAlon GoldbergerCarmi GruenbaumTzvi KeilsonYair KeilsonDuvi KleinUshi KleinJeff LandyYosef LowingerEphraim LowyMatis ManelaMoshe MendlowitzHillel MoermanEphram OstreicherSeth PilevskyChaim SchulhofShlomo Weiss

BEDARCHEI HATORAH

Rabbi Moshe BenolieleDitoR

Rabbi Yehudah Leib GordoncopY eDitoR

Debbie MaimoncontRibuting eDitoR

photogRaphY Menachem Adelman, Tsemach Glenn, Meir Haltovsky, Gary Rabenko

Design David Benoliel

publisheD bY The Yeshiva Darchei Torah Office of Communications & Alumni Affairs257 beach 17 street, far Rockaway, nY 11691718-868-2300 ext. [email protected]


HigHligHts

Every morning when the Elementary School talmidim arrive at the Yeshiva campus, they are greeted by a menahel. As they bound off the buses or out of their carpools, the smil-ing faces of the children tell it all: they are eager and happy to begin another day of Yeshiva. By being present when the talmidim arrive, the menahel can ensure that each talmid is greeted properly as he starts a momentous day of learning.

I have the luckiest job in the world, enthuses Rav Yaakov Bender, Rosh HaYeshiva, referring to his weekly turn at the front gate. What can be better than beholding these lich-tige faces of Jewish children, who are excited to come and learn? Their expressions are a testament to the stellar job being done by their rabbeim and teachers.

Welcoming Committee

Bedarchei Hatorah d Spring 5774/2014 5 Bedarchei Hatorah d Spring 5774/2014 5

At its October meeting, the Yeshiva Darchei Torah Executive Board welcomed six new members: Yoily Edelstein, Eytan Feldman, Carmi Gruenbaum, Dr. Duvi Klein, Seth Pilevsky and Shlomo Weiss. The Executive Board plays a pivotal leadership role for the Yeshiva in numerous areas, such as ensuring the Yeshivas fiscal health and addressing its current and future capital and operational needs.

Five Distinguished Rabbeim Join FacultyTO mEET ThE GROWinG nEEDS OF a GROWinG STuDEnT BODY, ThE YEShiva WELCOmED FivE nEW RaBBEim ThiS YEaR.

Rav DonEal BERnStEin credits Rav Yaakov Bender, Rosh HaYeshiva, with inspiring him 28 years ago to want to enter the field of chinuch. Rav Bernstein was a young boy in Camp Naarim then, but he went on to teach for 17 years in Lakewood before coming to Yeshiva Darchei Torah to teach first grade. A native of

Denver, he is a talmid of that citys Yeshiva Toras Chaim as well as Beth Medrash Govoha - both in Eretz Yisrael and Lakewood, and he is a graduate of the Aish Dos teacher training institute.

Rav avRoHom moSHE HEllER, a new rebbi in the Rabenstein Learning Center, previ-ously taught at the Yeshiva Academy for Language Advancement (YALA), the Yeshiva University High School for Boys PTACH program,

the Zvi Dov Roth Academy, the Torah Academy of Brooklyn and Ohr Chodosh of Valley Stream, NY. He is a talmid of the Rabbinical Seminary of America/Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim and has semi-cha from Mesivtha Tifereth Jerusalem. Rav Heller also holds a Masters Degree in Teaching and Learning with a Specialty in the Exceptional Child from Nova Southeast University.

A new first grade rebbi, Rav GEDalia WEinRiB previously taught in Lakewood, New Jersey. A graduate of the Aish Dos teacher training institute, he stud-ied at the Mirrer Yeshiva in Brooklyn, Yeshiva Tiferes Boruch of Springfield, New Jersey and Beth Medrash Govoha of Lakewood.

Rav SHlomo FREEDman, the newest third grade rebbi, previously taught at yeshivos in Brooklyn. He is an alumnus of Yeshiva Derech Chaim and

the Telshe Yeshiva of Cleveland, Ohio, the city where he was

born and raised.

Rav YitzCHak GooDman, a

new eighth grade rebbi, is a talmid of Yeshiva Beth

Moshe of Scranton, Mir Yerushalayim,

Ohr Elchonon, Yeshivas Brisk and

Beth Medrash Govoha of Lakewood. He taught previously at the Hebrew

Academy of Miami Beach and in Rav Nosson Steins yeshiva

in Lakewood.

Executive Board Welcomes new members

The February 2014 meeting of the Yeshiva Darchei Torah Executive Board


hascholas Chumash is Launched with marchLarge crowds of parents and grandparents gathered on the Promenade for the first grade Chumash march to celebrate the boys commence-ment of the learning of Chumash. after marching to musical accom-paniment with gold-colored crowns and flags held aloft, the boys continued their performance indoors, on the stage of the Diamond Bais medrash. What a great way to mark such a momentous occasion!

Chumash, Brought to Life

lights Go out, learning Goes onIn late November a local blackout in the Yeshiva neighborhood left the campus without electricity. While safety procedures were initi-ated, the learning went on unabated, proving that at Yeshiva Darchei Torah, You should contemplate it day and night always applies - even when the fluorescent day of indoor lighting is unexpectedly replaced by a night of sorts.

Rav Aryeh Krohn of Brooklyn visited the Elementary School and gave a fascinating demonstration about the bigdei chamudos the special clothing that Yaakov Avinu wore when he impersonated his brother Eisav. Boys were allowed to try on garments that Rav Krohn had custom-tailored for this purpose. Pictured are Yaakov Slepoy, left, and Binyomin Bloom. Also seen, at right, is Rav Dovid Morgenstern, menahel of the Upper Elementary School.

HIGHlIGHtS


masechta Challah

R av Zvi Sorokas eighth grade talmidim were treated to a hands-on lesson on the laws of hafrashas Challah under the supervision of the Yeshivas chef, mrs. Chana Florans.

Rosh haYeshiva at agudah Convention The Thursday night session at the most recent national Convention of agudath israel of america, held in Woodcliff Lake, new Jersey, was devoted to the topic: Chanoch Lnaar/Parenting Perplexities, making Sense of it all. Rav Yaakov Bender, Rosh haYeshiva, was one of three speakers at the session. The others were Rav Elya Brudny, Rosh Yeshiva at the mirrer Yeshiva in Brooklyn, and Rav matisyahu Salomon, mash-giach ruchani of Beth medrash Govoha.

Shnayim mikra Program a Resounding Success

t o encourage the Elementary School talmidim to get into the habit of Shnayim mikra vEchad Targum, the halacha that one must re-view each weeks parsha by learning each pasuk twice and Targum Onkelos once, the Yeshiva developed a program with numerous incentives including the Womens Leagues generous sponsorship of a fresh scoop of ice cream for each of the 500 participants! a special Chalav Yisrael-loaded truck arrived at the Yeshiva to the great delight of all the talmidim.

Rav Shmuel Strickman, menahel of the Lower Elementary School (left) and Rav Yehuda Deutsch, Third Grade Rebbi, at the ice cream cone distribution

Halacha ChaburahA large group of Mesivta and Beis Medrash talmidim voluntarily learns Halacha every morning immediately following Shacharis. A chaburah is delivered by one of the bachurim every Friday. Recently a celebratory mesibah was held for the group; it was addressed by Rav Leibish Langer, a maggid shiur in Mesivta Chaim Shlomo.

Seated, upper dais, L-R: Rav Matisyahu Salomon, Rav Avrohom Chaim Levin, Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky, the Novominsker Rebbe, Rav Aaron Feldman and the Vyelipoler Rebbe (obscured). Seated, Lower Dais, L-R: Rav Yisroel Miller, Rav Lipa Geldwerth, Rav Moshe Weinberger, Rav Aliezer Shadrowitzky, Rav Reuven Drucker and Rav Goldberg


menorah Fair illuminates

From jars of jellybeans and live goldfish to pottery shards from the time of the Chashmonaim, the first grade talmidim used unique materials to build their own Menorahs, demonstrating creativity and talent at the annual Menorah Fair.

Groups of Mesivta Chaim Shlomo and Beis Medrash Heichal Dovid talmidim spend each Purim engaged in magnificent acts of chesed as they fan out to Far Rockaway, the Five Towns, Brooklyn and Manhattan on a fundraising drive for Keren Ahavas Chesed, which assists families and individuals who are enduring financial hardship. This years campaign brought in over $200,000, the most ever, ensuring that the joy of Purim will be extended for scores of needy families.

talmidim Raise $200k for needy

in one Day

HIGHlIGHtS


hands-On ChesedRav Zvi Sorokas Eighth Grade took a class trip to the masbia soup kitchen in Brooklyn. masbia works to not only feed the hungry, but to pro-vide them with free, wholesome, and delicious meals in a restaurant-style environment, with volunteer waiters serving each person with respect and dignity. During their visit the talmidim helped unload boxes of food from masbias van, and rolled up their sleeves to prepare a meal in the kitchen.

visiting the Soferthey are a long way from bar mitzvah and donning Tefillin, but Rav Dovid Yankelewitzs first grade talmidim got a sneak peek into the world of Tefillin, mezuzos, Sifrei Torah and other Sifrei Kodesh when they took a delightful and enlightening trip to Tiferes Stam, a Brooklyn Judaica store with a full safrus operation on its premises. Guided by Rav Zvi Chaim Pincus, the stores proprietor and an experienced sofer, the boys saw firsthand how the source of the parchment used in Sifrei Torah, Tefillin and mezuzos is animal hides; a full-fledged batim machine, for produc-ing perfectly cubed Tefillin; an extremely large and beautiful mezuzah case; a large piece of black-dyed hide, to be eventually cut down into retzuos straps; mezuzos being checked to make sure they are still kosher; and even a full-fledged kosher Sefer Torah that was of an unusually miniature size.

an attitude of Gratitude

twice daily in Chazaras HaShatz, while the shliach tzibbur recites Modim, the congregation recites a different tefillah called Modim DeRabbanan. Both are expressions of thanks to Hashem. In the Junior High School, where the sixth and seventh grade talmidim are davening daily with a minyan (for the sixth grade, it is their first year doing so), the boys have been given a useful aid to better internalize a sense of hakoras hatov to their Creator. Rav Mutty Zeiger, a seventh grade rebbi, designed a simple card with six rows, one for each weekday. Rav Dovid Frischman, menahel of the Junior High School, speaks to the classes on a regular basis about developing the trait of hakoras hatov. Each morning the talmidim fill a row with something that they feel gratitude for, and they glance at it during Modim DeRabbanan.

This is fundamental, explains Rav Frischman. We want the talmi-dim to appreciate what they have - as opposed to focusing on what they dont have, and kvetching. A person [becomes] besimcha when he thinks about all the chesed that Hashem is doing for him.


t he levaya of aaron Sholom Tepfer, a 10-year old talmid of Yeshiva Darchei Torah who was sud-denly niftar last august mere days before the start of the school year, was a heartrending event. Speaker after speaker described the remarkable ma-turity and concern for others that aaron Sholom pos-sessed. Grown men cried uninhibitedly as the Yeshiva and community absorbed this difficult blow.

in the days, weeks and months following his pass-

ing, relatives, rabbeim, family friends and even total strangers have transformed their grief into inspiration, undertaking a variety of initiatives in aaron Sholoms memory that will serve as an aliyah for his neshama as well as impetuses for personal improvement. many of these projects have involved the Yeshiva and its talmidim.

as we go to press, the finishing touches are be-

ing put on a memorial book of essays and recollec-tions about aaron Sholom, an effort overseen by Rav moshe Bender, associate dean of the Yeshiva. its pub-lication is expected before Pesach.

The Tepfer family launched a project called aarons

Way to promote opportunities for youth to perform chesed, thus emulating aaron Sholom, who was al-ways looking to do good for others. The initiative was designed for school-age children, and the Yeshiva is proud that many Darchei Torah talmidim are partici-pants. a recent visible example of their involvement was their volunteering to shovel snow on the proper-ties of local homeowners who needed assistance. in addition, talmidim are performing at local nursing homes, bringing joy to the residents. They are also helping stock Bikur Cholim hospitality rooms in lo-cal hospitals on a weekly basis. many boys are also participating in a homework center where the boys study bchavrusa and assist each other, followed by ball playing.

Becoming StudentsOF aaROn

MONtHS AfteR HIS UNtIMely PASSING, AARON SHOlOM tePfeRS leGAcy StIll GROwS

What better way to perpetuate the memory and legacy of his friend, who loved to learn Torah, than with a Sefer Torah?

vg


Beis m e d r a s h

heichal Dovid spends nearly every Shabbos on cam-pus, with spirited davening, multiple learning sedarim and zemiros-infused, delicious seudos. in aaron Sholoms memory, the ba-churim developed a new half-hour learning seder on Friday afternoons before mincha including during the winter, when Shabbos begins early. in addition, a group was formed to share a vort on the par-sha in the brief time slot between the conclusion of maariv on Friday night and the Seudah, utilizing pre-cious moments for that most pre-cious of activities, Torah learning.

Rav Dov Keilson, mashgiach

ruchani of mesivta Chaim Shlomo,

periodical ly authors a special dvar Torah that has relevance to the middos and qualities for which aaron Sholom was known. it is published by the Yeshiva in print and email ver-sions and is called Limudei aish, with the hebrew letters for aish being the first letters of aaron Sholoms names.

Yitzy Berko, a sixth grader, was a classmate of aaron Sholom. One day he came up with an idea: what better way to perpetuate the mem-ory and legacy of his friend, who loved to learn Torah, than with a Sefer Torah? The Torah would be written as a zchus for aaron Sholom and when completed would be housed in the aron Kodesh of the Junior high School, where it would be used by the boys in their minyan for many years to come.

in an emotional appeal to his fellow talmidim, Yitzy Berko ex-plained: Fifty years from now, in this beis medrash, a boy is going to ask his rebbi, When was this Sefer Torah given? The rebbi is going to say, the whole entire Junior high School decided to raise [funds] for a Sefer Torah in aaron Sholoms zchus.

Doing some quick math, Yitzy realized that to reach his goal of raising $54,000, all he needed was 1,000 families to contribute an av-erage of 54 dollars! The campaign, spearheaded by Sgan menahel Rav avrohom Bender, has begun; the Sefer Torah is being written in Eretz Yisrael; and a hachnasas Sefer Torah is planned for this coming September. For more information, or to contribute, please contact Rav avrohom Bender at 347-254-0155 or [email protected].

The foregoing are but a few

examples of inspiring projects in aaron Sholoms memory. may the Torah, chesed and self-improve-ment they promote provide an ali-yah for his holy neshama. f

Yeshiva Darchei Torah talmidim voluntarily shoveling snow as part of Aarons Way, an initiative of the Tepfer family


SSome people attend organizational dinners out of a sense of obligation; it is something they must do but do not necessarily enjoy.Judging from the crowd that attended Yeshiva Darchei Torahs 41st anniversary dinner this winter and the tor-rent of accolades that poured into the Yeshiva in its im-mediate aftermath, it appears that the guests at this dinner thoroughly enjoyed being there and came away inspired.For the second year in a row the Yeshiva hosted the dinner on its campus in Far Rockaway, with the ca-tering directed by its own kitchen and administrative staff. Tasteful decoration transformed an already beau-tiful facility into one appropriate for holding an event of this nature.

The evening began with a beautiful buffet dinner, continued with a program and ended with a dessert re-ception.

at the program, emceed by Elisha Brecher, a co-chairman of the Yeshivas board of directors, address-es were delivered by Rav Shlomo avigdor altusky, Rosh Yeshiva of Beis medrash heichal Dovid; Ronald Lowinger, president of the Yeshiva, and Rav Yaakov Bender, Rosh haYeshiva. State assemblyman Phil Goldfeder, an alumnus, delivered brief remarks.

The first of the awards was presented to the Pioneer Class of mesivta Chaim Shlomo, whose members will this year be marking 15 years since graduation. The Pioneers, who have gone on to build families and ca-reers in Torah education and various professions, laid the foundation for what has become one of the greatest

mesivtos in america.The Excellence in Chinuch award was presented

to Rav and mrs. avrohom nusbaum. Rav nusbaum is a dynamic rebbi and menahel in mesivta Chaim Shlomo and his wife is a veteran educator as well. Rav nusbaum described himself as a shliach tzibur who was representing the entire Yeshiva family in his public expression of gratitude to the Yeshivas leadership.

The harbotzas Torah award was presented to Rav and mrs. Eytan Feiner, the rav and rebbetzin who have revitalized Far Rockaways Congregation Kneseth israel, the White Shul. Rebbetzin Feiner is also the founder of the machon Basya Rochel Seminary in Lawrence, and the Feiners are proud Yeshiva parents as

1500+ Guests Come Away Joyous and Inspired from Yeshiva Dinner

rav Yaakov Bender

cOMMUNIty


L-r: rav shlomo avigdor altusky, Guest of honor menachem marx, rav Yaakov Bender, Lloyd Keilson, rav moshe Bender

ronald Lowinger (at podium). L-r: elisha Brecher, rav shlomo avigdor altusky and rav Yaakov Bender

rav eytan Feiner, harbotzas torah award

rav avrohom Nusbaum, excellence in Chinuch award

state assemblyman Phil Goldfeder

well. in accepting his award, an emotional Rav Feiner was initially at a loss for words but proceeded to offer a heartfelt and deeply moving response.

mr. and mrs. menachem marx were the evenings guests of honor. The marxes, parents of four Yeshiva talmidim and alumni, are known for their steadfast commitment to Torah study and Chesed. mr. marx is an active member of the Yeshivas board and played an early and critical role in ensuring that the recent con-struction project of the Yeshivas complex would suc-ceed. mr. marxs response was at once deeply moving, humorous and inspiring.

in a first, the Yeshiva Darchei Torah Fifth Grade choir pre-recorded two stunning musical performances on video. These videos, as well as riveting presenta-tions about the honorees and the theme of the dinner, Preparing a Child for Life, were screened throughout the program.

in one of the choir videos, the boys sang a beautiful rendition of pesukim that include the following words (translated): [The Torah] is a tree of life to those who grasp it, and its supporters are praiseworthy. Taking in the sweep of the estimated 1500-plus guests who happily graced the dinner and are still raving about it months later, it is apparent that Yeshiva Darchei Torah indeed possesses such praiseworthy supporters be they parents, grandparents, alumni or members of the greater Jewish community who appreciate the illustri-ous bastion of Chinuch and Chesed in its midst.

Selected videos and mementos from the dinner are available from the Yeshiva office: 718.868.2300 ext. 317 or [email protected]. f

the Pioneer Class of mesivta Chaim shlomo

rav shlomo avigdor altusky


rav Yaakov Bender and aron solomon

rav Yaakov Bender and mordechai schwartz

rav Yaakov Bender and Nochum Wolf

rav Yaakov Bender and state senator simcha Felder

rav Yaakov Bender and Yoav taub rav Yaakov Bender and tzvi Perl

rav Yaakov Bender and michael Fragin Yitzy schuss and rav moshe Bender

rav Yaakov Bender and Zev Karasick rav Yehuda harbater and elisha Brecher

cOMMUNIty


L-r: Yosef elefant, mendy elefant and rav Zev Bald

rav Yaakov Bender and robert slepoy

rav Yaakov Bender and Zvi Bloom

rav Yaakov Bender and robert marx rav Yaakov Bender and eytan Feldman L-r: rav eytan Feiner and Dr. Leonard Feiner

L-r: menachem Lieber, rav Yaakov Bender, Dovi Faivish and Uri Dreifus

rav Yaakov Bender and alon Goldberger

L-r: Berel Kleinbart, rav Yaakov Bender and Binyomin Kleinbart

L-r: rav tzvi Feiner and rav eytan Feiner


L-r: rav Baruch rothman, menachem marx and rav Yaakov Bender

L-r: rav Yosef Warman, Ben Lowinger and rav mordechai stern

L-r: aryeh majerowicz, Joel Beritz and Jason Cury of the Gruss Life monument Funds

rav Yaakov Bender and moshe mendlowitz rav Yaakov Bender and Uri Cohen L-r: Dovid Bloom and tsemach Glenn

rav Yaakov Bender and Kal renov

rav Yaakov Bender and shaya ackerman

L-r: Dovid Klein and motty Klein

L-r: menachem Jacobowitz, avromi haas and rav avrohom Bender

L-r: Dr. Yair Keilson and rav Baruch rothman

cOMMUNIty

17 Bedarchei Hatorah d Spring 5774/2014 Bedarchei Hatorah d Spring 5774/2014 17

[email protected]

@

WE BUILD YOUR SONS SKILLS!SPORTS CLINICS MIDDOS WORKSHOPS INSTRUCTIONAL SWIM

Be a part of it!

YOU CAN LEARNYOU CAN LEARN

This is what

718.868.2300 ext.233 www.simchadaycamp.com


Rav Zevi Trenk addressing the Avos Ubanim Program at Minyan Chaim Berlin after the Yeshivas Shabbos for Chinuch in Flatbush

lubhjk ,ca

I N V I T E S O U R A L UMN I , PA R E N T S , G R A N D PA R E N T S & F R I E N D S T O

EFFECTIVELY REACHING

OUR CHILDREN ANDGRANDCHILDREN

CONFRONTING THEUNIQUE CHALLENGES OF

OUR DIFFICULT TIMES

EFFECTIVELY REACHING

OUR CHILDREN ANDGRANDCHILDREN

CONFRONTING THEUNIQUE CHALLENGES OF

OUR DIFFICULT TIMES

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CALL 718-868-2300 EXT. 298 OR EMAIL: [email protected]

Eli AmsterdamBinyomin BomrindSholom BrickmanMich CohenSteven DevorYanky Edelman

Tzali EdelsteinShmaya EichensteinBenji EpsteinPinny FischerYitzchok Fuchs

Michoel GrossSteven HaddadNaftali KatzYitzy LeshinskyYoni Levy

Chaim Moshe LipschutzAaron RosenfeldAvi SchickRivie SchwebelNeil Tepper

Ben Zion WeissTzali WeissYiddy WerzbergerDr. Mordechai ZonenshaynYaakov Zucker

DECEMBER 6 & 7, 2013 adhu ,arp asue ,ca

EVENT COMMITTEE

sxcYeshiva Darchei Torah

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FLATBUSH

Shimon EcksteinRalph HerzkaEli SchronDr. Yechiel Zagelbaum

Horav Yaakov Bender tyhka

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Horav Yaakov Bender tyhka

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WITH OUR ROSH HAYESHIVA

4:20pm FRIDAY NIGHT,ca ,kceu vjbn KHAL TORAH UTEFILA

Rav Shimon Alster3304 Bedford Avenue (off Ave. L)8:45am SHABBOS MORNING

,hrja KHAL ZICHRON MORDECHAI

Rav Shimshon Sherer2645 Nostrand Avenue (off Ave. M)

3:00pm SHABBOS AFTERNOON

WOMENS ONEG with REBBETZIN BRYNA BENDER

at the Home of Mrs. Baila Miller

1171 East 23 Streethb ivfv rzghkt r ic kz hfsrn ktrah r bzk

3:55pm SHABBOS AFTERNOON

,hahka vsugxu vjbn KOL TORAHRav Lipa Geldwerth 2016 Avenue M

MOTZOEI SHABBOS ohbcu ,uct7:15pm KOLLEL BNEI TORAH

Rav Yosef Eisen 1323 East 32nd Street

7:45pm MINYAN CHAIM BERLIN

3007 Ave. L (off Nostrand Ave.)

FRIDAY NIGHT 8PM

AT KHAL TORAS CHAIM

Rav Chaim Yisroel Weinfelds Shul

JOIN US FORAN INSPIRATIONAL

COMMUNITY-WIDE,ca khkdbugKEYNOTE CHINUCH ADDRESS

ZEMIROS REFRESHMENTS

MEN & WOMEN ARE INVITED

MESIVTA SHABBOS HOSTS

9th & 10th Grade Dr. & Mrs. Yechiel Zagelbaum

11th Grade Mr. & Mrs. Eli Amsterdam

12th Grade Mr. & Mrs. Ben Zion Weiss

a Shabbos for Chinuch Darchei Torah Goes to Flatbush

A cceding to the requests of numerous parents and grandparents of talmidim, the Yeshiva organized a Shabbos for Chinuch during the fall in various locations throughout Flatbush. Yeshiva Darchei Torah is a multifaceted institu-tion with 1900 talmidim, explains Rav moshe Bender, associate dean. Our Elementary School is a strictly local mosad but our mesivta and Beis medrash attract bachurim from all over includ-ing Flatbush.

headlining the Shabbos was Rosh haYeshiva Rav Yaakov Bender. he was accompanied by sev-eral rabbeim and menahalim from mesivta Chaim Shlomo.

On Friday night the Rosh haYeshiva spoke between Kabbolas Shabbos and maariv at Khal Torah utefillah, which is under the leadership of Rav Shimon alster. The Rosh haYeshiva spoke about the critical importance of infusing ones home with a spirit of simchas hachaim, joie de vivre. Drawing on examples from various places in the Torah, he demonstrated how simchas ha-chaim is the engine for true accomplishment in ruchniyus.

The Friday night seudah was hosted by mr. and mrs. Ralph herzka.

Despite a heavy downpour, the Oneg Shabbos, held later that evening at Khal Toras Chaim, Rav Chaim Yisroel Weinfelds shul, was attended by a massive crowd. along with beautiful zemiros led by Rav mutty Zeiger, a Darchei Torah rebbi, and

cOMMUNIty


Reb Yossi Kessner, the Rosh haYeshivas Divrei Torah drew on his own experiences growing up, as his widowed mother successfully overcame adversi-ty to turn their simple home into a base of chinuch. he also related a personal story that occurred when a gentile from Kansas described to him the impres-sions of witnessing a Shabbos meal at the home of a Jewish family. The Rosh haYeshiva urged the assembled to appreciate the institution that is the family Shabbos seudah and to ensure that it is a vehicle for enhancing the parent/child relationship.

Towards the conclusion of the Oneg, Rav Leibish Langer, a maggid shiur in mesivta Chaim Shlomo, offered divrei chizuk. The gathering also featured a rousing kumzitz with mesivta rabbeim and many of their talmidim who reside in Flatbush joining together in heartfelt song.

On Shabbos morning, the Rosh haYeshiva dav-ened at Khal Zichron mordechai, the shul of Rav Shimshon Sherer. in his drasha, the Rosh haYeshiva pointed out that we live in a very challenging time for chinuch ha-banim, yet it is precisely the dif-ficult nature of the nisyonos that they are conquering that enables todays youngsters to reach such great heights. he mentioned that Yosef is referred to with the name suffix hatzaddik, an unusual distinction. This is because of the unimaginably great nisyonos that Yosef withstood, and indeed grew from.

The daytime seudah was hosted by mr. and mrs. Eli Schron.

On Shabbos afternoon, a special shiur for women was given by Rebbetzin Bryna Bender at the home of mrs. Baila miller, a former mesivta parent. The shiur was held lizecher nishmas her husband, Reb Sruli miller, ah. Rebbetzin Bender spoke to the overflow crowd about chinuch as it relates to Shabbos that we must internalize and impart to the next generation the beauty, privilege and underlying meaning of Shabbos Kodesh.

mincha and Shalosh Seudos were held at Rav Lipa Geldwerths shul, Kol Torah. The Rosh haYeshiva expounded on a variety of chinuch themes and related an incident that occurred when a great tzaddik recently visited the Yeshiva. after his drasha, a wheelchair-bound bachur was

brought to the tzaddik to receive a bracha. after he was blessed with a bracha for a complete recov-ery, the bachur indicated that he had only one thing on his mind, as he asked the tzaddik for a bracha that he succeed in learning and in yiras Shamayim. Such is the greatness of this generation, the Rosh haYeshiva declared. Even when faced with daunt-ing challenges, our young men and women have a singular aspiration: to serve hashem properly and to keep growing.

after Shabbos, Rav Zevi Trenk, the menahel of mesivta Chaim Shlomo, spoke at the avos ubanim program at minyan Chaim Berlin on avenue L, while Rav moshe Bender, associate dean, spoke at the program at Rav Yosef Eisens Kollel Bnei Torah.

at each venue over Shabbos, hundreds of Jews from all walks of life turned out to seek guidance and inspiration on the crucial matter of chinuch.

Taken together, the Shabbos for Chinuch will hopefully serve as another tool in parents quest to raise their children successfully during these unprecedentedly challenging times.

(also present for one or more Shabbos events were menahe-lim Rav avrohom nusbaum, Rav Dovid morgenstern and Rav avrohom Bender, and maggi-dei shiur Rav Yisroel Feder, Rav Shmuel Feldman, Rav Shimon Dov notis, Rav matis Pincus and Rav Yosef Warman as well as ad-ministration members Rabbis Zev

Bald, Baruch Rothman and avraham Schachner.)Rav moshe Bender pays tribute to the won-

derful families who hosted rabbeim and opened up their homes for scores of Darchei Torah ba-churim who joined the seudos, such as (in ad-dition to those mentioned above) mr. and mrs. Eli amsterdam, mr. and mrs. Shimon Eckstein, mr. and mrs. Ben Zion Weiss and Dr. and mrs. Yechiel Zagelbaum. most of all we are grate-ful to the wonderful, chashuveh rabbonim of Flatbush, who welcomed us so warmly, he en-thuses. Both they as well as the rabbonim whose shuls we were not able to visit that weekend are true manhigim who care passionately about each and every one of their mispalelim. it is our zchus to have been their guests and we hope to main-tain the kesher for a long time to come. f

It is precisely the difficult nature of the nisyonos that they are conquering that enables todays

youngsters to reach such great heights.


Rav Shmuel Strickmans

popular parenting classes are

helping fathers and mothers successfully navigate the

joys and challenges of chinuch in the home

Parentingwith Passion

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% Y as a menahel, your Focus is on the talmidim. why did you decide to start delivering parenting classes?

i see parents search-ing for direction in a way that i have not seen in the past. We live in a panic-stricken society. Over the past 15 years a number of buzzwords have para-lyzed parents, prevent-ing them from being mechanech their children. We are being bombarded with articles, posters and symposia on kids at risk, low self-esteem and bullying. Parents hesitate to discipline their child, fearing, if i disci-pline him i may damage his self-esteem, or he may get turned off and be at risk. They forget that if they dont discipline, he is even more likely to become at risk. Today the buzzword is bullying. This leaves parents anx-ious about their childrens mental and emotional health and creates a need to protect their children from stress. These things leave parents wondering what to do when chil-dren misbehave. i cant reprimand him! What do i do? They are at a loss.

Our lectures address

topics such as sibling rivalry, why children feel entitled, disciplining with patience, time manage-ment, responsibility, defin-ing the roles of a parent al pi Torah and how to instill simcha in a child and in a home.

The biggest piece of parenting is not a particu-lar technique, but rather the growth of the parents themselves. The more parents grow and serve as better role models for their children, secure in their own Yiddishkeit, the easier parenting is because the children see their parents security and happiness. We can always use techniques to impart our values to our chil-dren. But first we have to live with those values.

% Y whose JoB is it to raise children? the school, the parents, or Both?

it is the parents job to raise their children. But we are shutfim. We have them a good part of the day and certain personal-ity traits will only come out in school - but the ikar chinuch is in the home and we are there to help inculcate them with values and knowledge that will complement that

chinuch. Chazal set up a system of yeshivos. But ultimately its the parents responsibility and ul-timately its the parents who can take the credit.

% Y do parents have an innate parenting aBility or do they need training?

my Bubby used to say mit a kind kumt seichel. When you have a child, somehow hakadosh Baruch hu gives you the seichel to deal with that child. in this generation a lot of that seichel seems to have been lost. Perhaps it is because we are in a high-tech society and things are so fast-paced that we dont have time to think. The explosion of communication bom-bards us with informa-

tion and monopolizes our time. We spend much more time on the phone than we ever did before: texting, emailing and talking. We have become addicted to it.

When children are around and we are on the phone, busy communicat-ing with the world, then we are not communicat-ing with them.

% Y does that mean we are not receptive to the signals that they are sending us?

i can be very close to my child, i can truly love him, but and this could be very subtle im not watching or listening to him. When he comes to you with something and youre on an important phone call, that call is taking priority over his

If you are living your life in a fulfilled, productive, ehrliche, Yiddishe, Torahdike way, with shalom in your house, you are a great parent. You are living examples

without speeches, without any mussar.

mECHanECH WitH a viEWRav Shmuel Strickman serves as menahel of Yeshiva Darchei Torahs Lower Elementary School. He is often consulted as an adviser on chinuch by yeshivos and educators throughout America.

An alumnus of Brooklyns Mirrer Yeshiva, Rav Strickman has made an indelible impact on the chinuch landscape in numerous communities in the United States. He started his career as a rebbi in Yeshiva Torah Temimah. When the Mirrer Yeshiva Ketana began, he was one of the founding rabbeim. Subsequently he moved to Detroit where he served as menahel of Yeshiva Beis Yehuda. From there he went to Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim in Baltimore (TA) where he served as principal for five years. When he returned to New York, he came back as menahel of Mirrer Yeshiva Ketana before being appointed as a menahel in Yeshiva Darchei Torah, where he has been for the last 21 years.


need. it may be a little scrape or a scuffle that he had with his sibling, but to that child, at that time, it is ThE most impor-tant thing in the world. Children live in the pres-ent. his whole life just fell apart and you are busy on the phone with some-one else? That hurts the relationship because you didnt care at that crucial moment - you werent there for him.

% Y whats the Biggest mistake parents tend to make?

One thing that we do not do enough of is seeing life through the eyes of a child. When seeking to re-

ward a child or to spend time with him we often pick activities that we enjoy, but are not neces-sarily what they enjoy.

i often tell parents: we have to become students of our children. We have to study them. We have to know their likes, their dislikes, their strengths and their weaknesses. Chanoch lnaar al pi darko. not al pi darki not based on what i consider important, but what they value. We have to teach them the values of life, but they have to grow into those values.

Just bombarding them with what we think is important or fun doesnt always register.

% Y what is a small change that parents can do that will make a Big impact?

Close your phone from 4:30-8:30. Close your phone. We have parents in the Yeshiva who have a greeting on their an-swering machine: it is now homework time and family time; please call back after 9. Thats what needs to be done. Spend real time with your chil-dren. Listen to them and play with them - what they enjoy playing. not

only homework. We talk today about

quality time. But quality time is not a substitute for quantity time. The main goal, starting from a very young age, is build-ing a relationship. The only way you can do that is if the child feels that you understand him. That takes time.

my wife says about her aunt, Tante Faygie Shoenig, zol zi zein gezunt, that when we were 6, she was 6; when we were 16, she was 16; when we were 26 and married, so was she. She

understood who we were and identified with us all the way through. Thats the biggest gift you can give children.

% Y how is technology aFFecting parenting?

The internet is a distraction, as are video games. The computer is a very powerful medium, captivating the attention of children and adults alike. Sit down at the computer and start play-ing a game, even an in-nocent one, and it is hard to pull yourself away. its the same challenge as television and videos: you start living it. it takes up

space in our minds. in 21st century language, our minds are our hard disks and it takes up valuable space. if technology is not directed and controlled, it affects the chinuch of the kids. Today the computer has become a babysitter. Okay, theres a lot of noise. im busy, or im tired. ill put on a video for you, or heres the DS, take it and go play a game. its a way of getting the kids out of the way. Children should be seen and not heard? i dont know how valid that

is. You want to hear them.

% Y o.k., so what are parents doing right?

We have so many wonderful parents today who really care and are giving real time to their children. One example of many: We have parents in the community who take their children every Thursday night to Yad Yeshaya to help pack Tomchei Shabbos pack-ages thats real chinuch.

Good parents are role models for their chil-dren. as i said earlier, if you as a parent are living your life in a fulfilled, productive, ehrliche, Yiddishe, Torahdike way,

with shalom in your house, you are a great parent. You are the parent who is more likely to see nachas from his children because you are living ex-amples, without speeches, without any mussar. This is Reb moshe [Feinstein ztl]s famous principle: if your life screams out es iz gut tzu zein a Yid, were so lucky, and this is what we have and were happy with it, thats the very best thing. f

For audio of Rav Strickmans parenting classes, please email publications@ darchei.org or call 718.868.2300 ext. 312

Close your phone from 4:30-8:30. Close your phone.We have parents in the Yeshiva who have a greeting

on their answering machine: It is now homework time and family time; please call back after 9.

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Remember the classic, make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other is gold? This wise maxim is being given a unique appli-

cation at Yeshiva Darchei Torah as new curriculum standards recently adopted by the new York State Department of Education are be-ing implemented in the Elementary School, and even earlier, in Pre-1a.

Thanks to a dedicated and creative staff of morahs work-ing under Preschool Director Dr. Wendy Devorah Gerson, the new friendsnewly crafted guidelines in teaching math, reading and writingare interlaced with old friends, tried and proven educa-tional approaches in the Preschool

that have a very successful track record.

The new standards empower our Pre-1a classes to achieve some of the academic goals that were once introduced in the first grade, notes Dr. Gerson. under the new guidelines, our children are achiev-ing milestones in the basic subjects earlier in the year than previously. They are reading simple books and learning how to write, actually composing paragraphs. They are also mastering simple math opera-tions in addition and subtraction.

This is all taught within the framework of fun, games and excit-ing activities, because a five-year old is still a five-year old and thats what we want him to be. State-

mandated changes in curriculum do not alter that.

Dr. Gerson gives the credit for the Preschools record accomplish-ments to a staff of amazing teach-ers, led by assistant Director mrs. Rachel Brier, who also teaches one of the Pre-1a classes.

The Pre-1a morahs not only devoted themselves to mastering the new math curriculum, says Dr. Gerson, theyve found brilliant ways to accomplish in a couple of hours a day during morah time what the public schools utilize eight hours a day to do.

it is a challenge that calls for harmonizing teaching strategies that have proven so effective in the past with new math textbooks that present novel ways to break down information and concepts.

The approach and even the terminology may be different but two plus two still equals four, Dr. Gerson quips. Were seeing a lot of creativity in the way our morahs are retooling traditional methods to align with the new textbooks.

With all the revamping of cur-riculum, one aspect of Yeshiva Darchei Torahs Preschool is not likely to change the emphasis on good middos and the belief in pro-viding children with strong incen-tives for good behavior and diligent effort.

Stickers proclaiming i WaS a GiBOR! or i WaS mEvaTER! that endorse a child for making good choices in his interactions with others drive home the message that good middos are as valued as academic achievement.

Stressing the positive and re-warding children for every small gain in emotional growth is a hall-mark of our Preschool, says Dr. Gerson. Educational trends come and go but this value is etched in stone. f

Revamped pReschool cuRRiculum combines TRadiTional and new meThods

Staying Ahead of the Curve

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In honor of Parshas

Noach, which describes the

rescue of all animal species in the Teivah,

the preschool talmidim were visited by a petting

zoo. The children were able to pet, feed and, in some

cases, even hold the animals.

Scenesfrom the Preschool

The kindergarten talmidim were visited by local firefighters. The boys had a hands-on demonstration of the hard work done by New Yorks Bravest, plus they were able to see inside the fire truck. Each class learned about fire safety and how to be careful by the Shabbos candles and oven.

Elisha Katz, all dressed up like the Kohein Gadol!

Mendel the Maggid (center) enlivens each Rosh Chodesh when Assistant Preschool Director Mrs. Esti Feuer utilizes the little puppet to teach the preschool talmidim about the new month. She will generally speak about a yomtov that will oc-cur during that month, or about a particular middah.

Rav Yaakov Sholom Friedman shows Pre-1A talmidim models of the Aron and other keilim from the Mishkan

Bounding up the ramp with

excitement for a new day of fun and learning

PReScHOOl

Bedarchei Hatorah d Spring 5774/2014 25 Bedarchei Hatorah d Spring 5774/2014 25

w hat is the ideal time to start teaching children to be sensitive to others? as early as possible, say experts, who increasingly see the teaching of empa-thy, or emotional intelligence, as a crucial life-skill.

Yeshiva Darchei Torahs Preschool direc-tor, Dr. Wendy Devorah Gerson, couldnt agree more. Social skills and empathy training, which is an important element in the teaching of good middos, is a very high priority, she says. it permeates our Preschool curriculum. We weave it into all the learning and play activities.

in the kindergarten classes, a special em-pathy program has been implemented, with the purpose of teaching children to identify emotions such as sad, happy, scared, sur-prised, frustrated, lonely, worried and shy.

Every two weeks, the social work interns focus on a different emotion, creating role-playing activities, arts and crafts projects and stories that dramatize the emotions in a variety of ways. Parents participate

by sending in notes about how their child was able to identify and verbalize that feeling at home.

The teachers, as well as assistant Directors mrs. Esti Feuer and mrs. Yocheved Bender, reinforce these emotions throughout the day, making the program unified between home and school.

The feedback has been wonderful, says Dr. Gerson. We developed an offshoot of this program called Be a Good Friend. Children learn that if they see someone being shamed or yelled at, they have a re-sponsibility to feel that childs pain, to be a good friend and to stick up for him. Dr. Gerson and mrs. Rachel Brier, an assistant director, have been speaking to the Pre-1a classes about being a good friend and mak-ing sure everyone is being treated properly.

as children learn to tune into their own feelings and to the feelings of others, they become more aware of their own behavior and its impact on those around thema skill that can make a profound difference in a childs capacity to make friends.

middos and sensitivity training when children are young and impressionable will enhance their ability to relate to others in positive, satisfying ways, says Dr. Gerson. Thats one of the keys to happiness. f

middos and sensitivity training when children are young and impressionable will enhance their ability to relate to others in positive, satisfying ways. thats one of the keys to happiness.

The ABCs of Empathy

Rav Nochum Dinowitz with some of his talmidim after exploring the melacha of tzoveia by tie-dyeing T-shirts


39MelachosInternalized

Talmidim learn FundamenTals oF HilcHos sHabbos wiTH Hands-on demonsTraTions

Who doesnt look forward to Shabbos, our day of rest? But Shabbos is more than a day off from work.

it is a day of kedusha, one that includes a signifi-cant amount of proscribed activities. The Chofetz Chaim warned that without a thorough familiarity with hilchos Shabbos, it is nearly impossible to avoid transgression, even if inadvertent. at what age do you begin teaching children the halachos?

at Yeshiva Darchei Torah, the answer is: in the second grade. Welcome to the innovative, im-mersive, child-friendly and most of all, exciting 39 melachos Project!

The 39 melachos, or forbidden labors of Shabbos, are based on the 39 activities involved in the mishkan in the desert. They begin with zoreia/planting, and 10 other melachos, called siddura dpas, required to bake the bread of the lech-em hapanim, and continue on all the way to hotzaah, transferring an object be-tween domains, or carrying. all hilchos

Zoreh/winnowing

cOveR StORy: lIvING tORAH

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Shabbos flow from these 39 av melachos and their subcategories.

The basic premise of the pro-gram is described by Rav nochum Dinowitz, one of the second grade rabbeim: To the extent that kids can touch halacha, it will touch them - it will stick with them.

So, for example, rather than simply show the talmidim pictures of farmers performing the agri-cultural work involved in siddura dpas, Rav Dinowitz and other rabbeim went a giant step further: they took the boys down to the Yeshivas ample playing fields, and with shovels, rakes, hoes, straw hats and all the necessary props, the talmidim got to re-enact the actual performance of the mela-chos - as well as to explore what actions might be permitted rather than prohibited on Shabbos.

Planting seeds in the ground or watering the earth? Zoreia/plant-ing. Dragging a heavy garbage can or sweeping soft earth? Possibly choreish/plowing. Collecting or-anges that fell out of a basket? Possibly meamer/gathering.

Back in the classroom, some more practical examples of these melachos that occur in a 21st-cen-tury home are examined as well.

i also make sure to throw some practical middos into the hala-cha, emphasizes Rav Dinowitz, so that when a child is home on Shabbos and a parent asks him to tidy up his room or put away the silverware, his instant reaction is not, sorry, ma, its assur. We make sure they learn how to avoid borer and so forth while still be-having with the utmost respect to-wards their parents.

Beyond siddura dpas, there are a number of melachos that do not lend themselves to easy re-creation, such as those that involve ancient weaving or tanning pro-cedures, but the rabbeim are not daunted by the challenges. One rebbi even purchased alpaca and

sheep wool to be used in tovveh/spinning. For tzoveia/dyeing, tie-dyeing T-shirts became a colorful activity as well as a halacha lesson.

Our overriding goal is to make sure the talmidim internalize what they learn, says Rav avrohom Bender, who in addition to teach-ing second grade serves as sgan me-nahel. We do plenty of traditional classroom teaching of the melachos. But having these hands-on experi-ences is crucial. he describes how despite the 39 melachos Project taking up very little time in a typi-cal week, at the end of the year the children are walking out [of Yeshiva] knowing all 39.

Towards the end of the school year the rabbeim begin the filming and production of a video. The 39 melachos are divided among the classes, with different boys re-en-

acting what they have learned. The settings can be the fields, the class-rooms, and even the Yeshiva kitchen.

Last year a celebration was held in the late spring, with parents and grandparents in attendance. The film was screened to the delight and amazement of all in the audi-ence. all the boys formed a choir to sing beautiful Shabbos zemiros and each talmid was given the famed Rav Boruch Chaits beauti-ful childrens sefer about what else? The 39 melachos.

Throughout the year, a rebbi may mark the milestones his class has reached along the way. To celebrate the completion of sid-dura dpas, which ends with ofeh/baking, Rav Dinowitz brought a donut-making machine to his classroom. While the talmidim were busy baking and frosting, the rebbi challenged them with ques-tions, testing and sharpening their knowledge amid the fun.

Rav Dinowitz makes another point: its important that Shabbos shouldnt be seen as all no; its a positive day. Besides learning about the melachos, we spend some time on the importance of the special preparations likavod Shabbos polishing your shoes, setting the table, etcetera.

Based on the feedback from par-ents, it is clear that in the homes of the second grade talmidim, Shabbos is indeed a positive expe-rience, one made all the richer by the investment their rabbeim have made in a most special project.

i recently had a sixth grader come over to me, relates Rav avrohom Bender, and tell me that he still remembers his mela-cha from four years ago, when we had assigned each boy to create a colorful poster depicting one mela-cha. it is truly remarkable. f

To see the 39 Melachos video, email [email protected] or call 718.868.2300 ext. 317

To the extent that kids can touch halacha, it will touch them

Choresh/plowing


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CCan you teach middos?it is a question that has confronted par-ents and educators for generations. Besides being a good example for him to emulate, can you truly train a child, who was born essentially self-centered, to develop good middos? To focus not only on improving his relationship with hashem but on his interac-tions with his fellow man, as well?

With the middos mission program in its first and second grades, Yeshiva Darchei Torah has developed an innovative and wildly successful answer to this question.

middos mission is the brainchild of mrs. Tzipi Fisher, a first grade general studies teacher. The Yeshiva had been seeking to introduce a middos program for a number of years until mrs. Fisher came up with a workable model.

What are middos? as Rav Yaakov Bender, Rosh haYeshiva puts it, middos are not manners. its very important to say Good morning and Thank You. But the most important thing is to genuinely care for others, to want to do for others. having good middos means effecting internal, not merely external, change.

So with the encouragement of the Rosh haYeshiva and Rav Shmuel Strickman, menahel of the Lower Elementary School, the collaboration of a first grade rebbi, Rav Eliezer ament, and the generous funding of the Yeshivas Womens League, middos mission was born.

The program seeks to train the boys to develop and sharpen several basic middos with a fun, comprehensive and child-focused

Comprehensive, Creative and Child-Centered, middos mission Successfully Trains Talmidim to Develop Good Character

MIssIonInCredIble


eleMeNtARy ScHOOl


approach. it concentrates on 5 or 6 middos per year, spending approximately one and a half months on each. (See sidebar.)

The focus is simple and age-appropriate, says Rav Strickman. By focusing on a few basic things, we give the talmidim realistic goals in middos improvement. as they get older they will have time to go deeper.

The first stage of teaching each middah is an assembly to introduce it. With all the first and second grade talmi-dim seated in the Diamond Bais medrash, Rav Strickman explains the middah on a level the boys can understand. a rebbi tells a true and inspiring story that highlights the mid-dah. The boys then sing the middos mission theme song.

The following week the boys will act out different aspects of the middah during their recess; Rav ament is on hand to record it all on video.

about a week later the beautiful video, replete with graphics, music and special effects, is shown to all the talmi-dim. Throughout these weeks each rebbi and teacher makes sure to incorporate the middah into their daily lessons or to use it as a springboard for discussion when something hap-pens in the classroom.

The following week mrs. Fisher will visit all the first grades, and Rav ament will visit the second grades, to conduct workshops. They review the fundamentals with the talmidim and ask them to suggest examples of the middah.

An incentive system motivates the talmidim to keep improving. in the first grade, talmidim are giv-en punch cards which the teacher can punch each time she sees a boy exhibiting good middos. For the second grade, the bulletin boards in the hallways are filled with mmnns (middos mission nachas notes), wherein parents submit their proud impressions of their childs successfully having incorpo-rated the middos into his behavior. This reinforces the home-school connection, mrs. Fisher explains, highlighting that good middos are not just for the classroom; they are for everywhere, 24/7.

There are no prizes in this program; the recognition the boys receive for demonstrating progress is its own reward. This ensures that the progress is real, and not merely an attempt to win a prize.

To enliven things a bit, friendly,

noseI bol IM ChaveIro Empathy; feeling anothers pain and doing something about it

Kavod habrIosTo speak like a mensch, and to initiate and reply to friendly greetings

haKoras haTovGratitude

lashon haTovSpeaking in a positive and dignified manner

bal TashChIsTo appreciate the good that we have and not waste or destroy it

ZehIrusSafety

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3

4

5

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This Years Middos:

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As part of the ongoing Middos Mission project, the first and second grade talmidim watch a video that features themselves role-playing various aspects of the middah that they are working on


age-appropriate mascots were created; for first grade it is Officer middos, a policeman, and for second grade it is handy middos, a handyman. a newslet-ter, middos mentions, reinforces the rest of the program with messages from the menahalim, a short story, and some choice mmnns.

This program is having a real impact, says Rav ament. i see the changes in my talmidim in so many ways, where saying Thank You while making eye contact, for example, becomes second nature when it wasnt previously. and the feedback from parents is overwhelming.

mrs. Fisher concludes that the program has suc-ceeded in sensitizing the boys to the practices of good middos. That's our goal. it is true that one

can only teach middos by example, and that is what we are doing. The talmidim have the

opportunity to learn not only from their rabbeim and teachers but from one an-

other - through real-life examples, such as those on the video - how to conduct themselves with good middos.

The Rosh HaYeshiva reminds us that Chazal say that if a person learns Torah but does not have middos, its a terrible

thing, a chilul hashem. We therefore have to make sure that the talmidim coming out of our yeshiva are not just talmidei chachamim,

but that they have good middos, as well. middos mission is a big part of that, and we are so pleased with the impact it is having. f

To see the Middos Mission videos, email [email protected] or call 718.868.2300 ext. 317

MMnnsMIddos MIssIon naChas noTes (a sampling)

During bedtime, Pinny brought his little brother, Efrayim

upstairs and changed him into pajamas.

MoMMY GerlITZ

While I was making dinner yitzChak mEir

took such good care of his baby sister and made her feel special.

MoMMY ToMasZeWsKI

Eliyahu came home from Avos Ubunim at our shul with a

special photo album. When he got home his sister started to

cry because she didnt have one. Eliyahu ran over and said, Here, take mine.

MoMMY barasCh

We are so proud of Chananya. He said, Excuse me

in order to pass.

MoMMY soloMon

When mEnaChEm finished his haircut at the barber he nicely

asked for a lolly and then politely said, Thank you.

MoMMY bender

SimCha greeted everyone he met on Shabbos with such a warm

Good Shabbos.

MoMMY sTadTMauerKavod Habriyos

Nosei Bol Im Chaveiro



Bridging ProposalWhen Rav Yisroel Kleinman wanted to illustrate the

Gemaras concept of hekesh (linkage) to his fifth grade talmi-dim, he delved into the subject of bridges with them. at one point the talmidim even built model bridges, using a variety of materials, from wood to cake.

Parsha ProductionsWhenever Rav Yoni Posnick and his sec-

ond grade finish learning an entire parsha, they put on a play. using costumes from

home (and a script prepared by rebbi) the boys re-enact some of the events from the parsha, helping them to retain and rel-ish their sweet Torah learning. in the photo, a group is reenact-ing the Bris Bein haBesarim - where

the pasuk says that a smoking oven and a torch of fire passed between the pieces, symbolizing the covenant between hashem and avraham avinu.

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Sukkah Fair

I t has become an annual, highly-anticipated event. utilizing their knowledge and proficiency of mishnayos Sukkah, the fourth grade talmidim collaborate to build models of examples men-tioned in the mishnah both acceptable and invalid Sukkos. With creativity and hard work, the boys assembled beautiful displays in the Diamond Bais medrash at an event that they were proud to share with the many parents and grandpar-ents who came to see it. The program was concluded with a choir of all the boys, who sang beautiful melodious rendi-tions of two meaningful songs about Sukkos.


I n the third, fourth and fifth grades, the talmidims knowledge of the parshios haTorah is extraordinarily broad. This can be attributed to the phenomenal success of the Yeshiva Darchei Torah Parsha Program, which endeavors to give each talmid a thorough grounding in the yedios of Chumash Bereishis and Chumash Shemos.

Each week, the talmidim are given a 20-question test on the previous weeks learning; at the end of each Chumash, a grand bechina is held in the Dining Hall with 100 questions. Based on their scores, the talmidim are then given tickets to a series of raffles which are held with great fanfare at a special assembly in the Diamond Bais Medrash. Some win prizes; some do not. All go away, however, having gained something more precious than any of the prizes: a comprehensive knowledge of so many parshios haTorah, something that is in itself so valuable and will surely serve as a springboard to continued, unstoppable growth in all areas of Torah.

The Parsha Program has been graciously sponsored by the Mirzoeff family, who perceive the great inherent value of such a successful project. f

Alter Boruch Ross wins a Cadillac (not a real one)!

Dovid Barkany wins a Shas (a real one)!

Parsha Program Hones Talmidims Knowledge


In the fourth and fifth grades every day starts with tefillah in the classroom. it is a modi-fied davening, tailored for the boys age and ability, and it is

done in unison, aloud, and led by the rebbi. it has been like this since anyone can remember.

in recent years the Yeshiva has incorporated Tefillah Power, a project developed by Rav heshy Kleinman of the vani Tefillah Foundation specifically for chil-dren. according to the rabbeim in Yeshiva Darchei Torah, Tefillah Power has immeasurably enhanced the talmidims davening, elevating lip service into the service of the heart which Tefillah is meant to be.

Once a week, a colorful 4-page newsletter is given out to the boys. it is an impressive piece, as appeal-ing to the eye as it is rich in con-tent. Each week a short phrase or pasuk from davening is explained and expanded upon. The first issue

began with modeh ani; as of this writing they are in the middle of Pesukei DZimrah. The newsletter includes illustrations, stories, par-ables, an activity/fun page and sa-lient facts about the relevant tefil-lah. most of all it includes food for thought and similar exercises to inspire the talmidim to contem-plate the messages of each tefillah. There is also a contest compo-nent, where talmidim fill in rungs on a ladder, based on their own achievements in the program over the course of a number of weeks.

Every day we read part of it, relates Rav asher Shteierman, a

fifth grade rebbi. The program adds flavor, meaning and struc-ture to the davening. The talmidim miss it when its not done.

Perhaps the greatest value of the program is that beyond the actual materials that are provided, rab-beim are using it as a springboard for further discussion, relating their own stories and examples of the Tefillahs meaning and apply-ing the lessons throughout the day.

We recently learned about Poseiach es yadecha, how hashem provides the specific foods and needs that every single individual needs, custom-made for that person, re-lates Rav Shraga Polter, a fifth grade rebbi. There are so many examples of that throughout the day, in and out of the classroom. nothing hap-pens by chance. From learning the meaning of this pasuk the children have learned to spot hashems hashgacha pratis (Providence) over them in every situation.

Rav Polter attests that after learning about a particular part of tefillah, there is a discernible dif-ference in the childrens davening. When we reach those psukim, you can see the boys paying more attention to what theyre saying, with added meaning. They really do it well.

Chazal tell us about the supreme value inherent in the prayers of ti-nokos shel beis rabban, those pure souls untainted by sin. Thanks to Tefillah Power and the rab-beim that are implementing and expanding upon it, those prayers have been enriched and made even more meaningful. f

Tefillah Power Energizes Davening in Upper Elementary School

Beyond Lip Service

The program adds flavor, meaning and structure to the davening.

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Hascholas Gemara Celebrates a Special MilestoneWhen the fifth grade talmidim open their Gemaros for the very first time, it is an extraordinary moment in their lives. At this juncture, having already gotten their feet wet in the sweet waters of Chumash, Rashi and Mishnayos, they are now ready to embark on what will hopefully be a lifelong journey on the majestic and infinite sea of Shas. To mark this milestone, the Yeshiva invites the fathers and grandfathers of the talmidim to join them for a festive seudah. This years

event celebrated another generation of Yiddishe Kinderlach joining the ranks of lomdei Gemara and becoming the new-est links in the chain of Mesorah that reaches back to Sinai.

Addressing the event were a number of grandfathers of talmidim, including Rav Yaakov Bender, Rosh HaYeshiva; Rav Shmuel Strickman, Lower Elementary School Menahel; Mr. Yitzchok Ganger; Rav Leonard Greher; and Rav A. Moshe Possick.

Moshe Yosef Hauer (center) with his father Rav Yitzchok Hauer (left) and grandfather, Rav Yecheskel Kaminsky

Shaya Soclof (second from right) with his father, Rav Dovid Soclof (left); grandfather, Rav Avrohom Kaminetzky (right) and great-grandfather, Rav Yosef Dovid Leiner (second from left)

L-R: Akiva Braunstein; his father, Rav Meir Braunstein; and his grandfather, Nachum Aber

Yitzchok Klein (center) with his father, Rav Avrohom Yaakov Klein (left) and grandfather, Dr. Marshall Keilson

Rav Leonard Greher, grandfather of fifth grade talmidim

Rav A. Moshe Possick, grandfather of a fifth grade talmid

Yitzchok Ganger, grandfather of a fifth grade talmid


Generations Gatherfor Torah Study

Rav Moshe Schochet with his son-in-law Rav Shalom Rosen

and grandson Shimshon

An empty seat was hard to find as three (and sometimes four) generations sat down to learn together

Binyomin Feintuch

learning with his grandson

Shmuel

Nearly every Motzaei Shabbos during the winter, the Yeshiva holds its Dor L'Dor program, where children can come learn Torah with their fathers, grandfathers or another adult, hear an exciting story and receive a slice of pizza and the chance to win a prize, as well. Once a year, to kick off the season and to include as many talmidim and their elders as possible, a Lunch 'N Learn program is held on a Sunday. This years program drew a record crowd of talmidim from grades 1 through 5, their fathers, grandfathers and even great-grandfathers. The program started with a delectable lunch catered by our own Mrs. Chana Florans and con-tinued with chavrusa learning in the Mesivta Chaim Shlomo Beis Medrash and Ezras Nashim. The assemblage was treated to brief remarks from Rav Shmuel Strickman, Menahel of the Lower Elementary School, and Rav Yaakov Bender, Rosh HaYeshiva. The children then en-joyed an entertaining and inspiring tale from the world-famous Rebbee Hill. The day ended with exuberant dancing and raffle drawings in the Diamond Bais Medrash.

Mel Zachter learning with his son Yehuda and grandson Yitzchak

Rebbee Hill kept the talmidim enraptured with his inspirational story

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According to mrs. Sara malka Krasnow, assistant principal of the Elementary School, one of the defining characteristics of Yeshiva Darchei Torah is

its focus on teaching the whole child. That means finding the magic balance between spontaneity and structure, between informality and authority, and between free-dom and discipline.

Were acutely aware that school is not every childs natural environment, in the sense that a typical school day can be very tax-ing for some children, she notes.

Eleven-year-old boys are in school from 7:30 to 5:30 four days a week, in addition to the hours on Sunday and Friday. For bar-mitzvah age boys, the school day is twelve hours or more. Were very cognizant that sitting behind a desk, focusing on learning and producing original work for so many hours is hugely demanding. The majority does wonderfully, but were deeply aware that there are those who struggle.

What happens when some stu-dents fail to achieve or whose progress is slower than that of their peers? Self-esteem can take a big blow, says mrs. Krasnow. a child may lose interest, turn angry or bitter.

One of the most important challenges in education is find-ing ways to help all children ex-perience success, she says. We want them to enjoy learning and be proud of their achievements so they will go on to become lifelong learners. To do that we have to be creative and discover the route to bringing out each childs strengths.

Often we partner with our stu-dents families to understand and develop each childs interests.

One of the rabbeim noticed one of his students looking downcast day after day, and drifting off by himself at recess, mrs. Krasnow relates. The rebbi spent time speak-ing to the boy in an effort to un-derstand what was happening. The child confided that he felt like a complete failure. he was not up to par in the classroom and he was clumsy on the ball field. Because he perceived himself as not competent in any realm, he felt worthless.

The rebbi discovered that this student enjoyed drawing and was good at it. That discovery inspired him to suggest an art project that would give the boy a chance to feature his talent in monthly news-letters for the benefit of the entire grade. The boy threw himself into the project and was gratified by the recognition he received from his peers. his poor self-image be-gan to heal.

Will one episode transform a childs life? Perhaps not, mrs. Krasnow explains. But a policy of looking at the whole child, with concern for his emotional and physical well-being no less than his academic performance, will go far toward giving him the self-confi-dence and tools needed to be suc-cessful in life.

We see a childs time in Yeshiva Darchei Torah as his time in a safe, nurturing cocoon before hav-ing to enter the often harsh arena of the real world, she explains. This is our time to fortify, to build up, and to inundate our chil-dren with love. f

PRINCIPALS AND TEACHERS FOCUS ON STUDENTS ACADEMIC AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

Reaching the Whole Child

We have to be creative and discover the route to bringing out each childs strengths. Often we part-ner with their families to understand and develop each childs interests.

meeting with elementary school talmidim who are new to the Yeshiva, in small groups, with cookies and soda, is one illustration of the many ways in which Darchei torah provides a chinuch with a personal touch. mrs. ariella Kelman, principal (left); and mrs. sara malka Krasnow, assistant principal, get to know the new talmidim.


For a third, fourth or fifth grade talmid, tefillah betzibbur is not something he gets to participate in every day. Although they daven together in the classroom with their rebbi, it is not the same as davening in a shul with a minyan. So every Rosh Chodesh, the third, fourth and fifth grades gather in the Diamond Bais Medrash for a real davening, with the special Hallel, Krias HaTorah and Mussaf led by their rabbeim.

This helps prepare them for the special experience of tefillah betzibbur, something they will do daily once they get

to sixth grade, explains Rav Dovid Morgenstern, menahel of the Upper Elementary School. It is beautiful to see our budding talmidei chachomim developing a sense of kavod haTorah and kavod hatefillah.

He adds that the power of tinokos shel beis rabban davening with such decorum and sincerity cannot be under-estimated. When they say Amein Yehei Shmei Rabbah in unison, the sound resonates so powerfully, you cannot help but be moved.

Rosh Chodesh Davening Prepares Talmidim for Next Stage

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you teach Talmidim.

You dont teach Gemara;

Rav Shimon Finkelman InfusesEvery Talmid with Learning Skills and a Love of Torah

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My aim is to help my talmidim love to learn, grow in learning, love to be a Yid and enjoy coming to Yeshiva.

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recent visitor to Rav Shimon Finkelmans sixth grade classroom noticed that this distin-guished mechanech and talmid chacham starts off the morning not with Gemara or Chumash but by relating inspiring stories of tzaddikim and other great Jews.

Rav Finkelman explains that his aim is to help his talmidim love to learn, grow in learning, love to be a Yid and enjoy coming to Yeshiva. more specifically, over the course of the year he will en-deavor to help each one of these boys hone his skills of reading and understanding Gemara and attain a broad and deep knowledge of Chumash and Rashi. Rav Finkelman relates, Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky used to say, you cant teach Chumash to a sixth grader the way you teach it to a first grader.

To accomplish all this, Rav Finkelman un-doubtedly brings to bear his wealth of teaching experience, his broad knowledge in Torah and his legendary love for talmidim.

But there is another fundamental goal that Rav Finkelman has. he strives to help each boy come away from the year with a pride and a love of be-ing a Yid. and it is in pursuit of that lofty goal that his daily telling of stories of tzaddikim and other great Jews comes into play.

The Chazon Ish says that the biggest mus-sar [lessons] are learning about tzaddikim, he explains. Years ago i heard from Rav moshe Feigelstock that a rebbis main purpose of course you have to teach them Gemara and Chumash and Rashi and everything else but we can never forget that we have to instill in [the talmidim] Yiras Shamayim, a love for Yiddishkeit, a love for mitzvos. [Relating] stories of tzaddikim are a great medium for accomplishing that.

after the inspirational stories are complete, Rav Finkelman begins the task of teaching Gemara and Chumash. after teaching for so many years and often the same material how does he stay fresh and energized?

Rav Finkelman replies that he keeps in mind what Rav Pam ztl once said: You dont teach Gemara; you teach talmidim. Rav Finkelman elaborates that if his only focus was on impart-ing material, the risk for monotony would be too

great. But if your goal is [tackling] the challenge of this class of these particular boys and get-ting them to learn Gemara well, then its not hard to stay fresh.

To succeed with his talmidim Rav Finkelman has to overcome a number of inherent challenges. One is to enable each talmid to grow on his level and to the best of his ability while remaining in sync with the overall class. an additional chal-lenge is to keep each talmid focused on the spiri-tual goals of Torah despite the many distractions of contemporary life. Were up against a world full of things that are, at worst, contrary to what were trying to teach and, at best, distractions, Rav Finkelman says. Looking at his history, how-ever, it is evident that this rebbi is up to the task and that with Siyata diShmaya he will continue reaching the mind and neshama of every single talmid under his care.

We asked Rav Finkelman, a talmid of such luminaries as Rav meir hershkowitz and Rav moshe Wolfson, if he has a particular role model or adheres to a specific educational philosophy. Rav Finkelmans answer reveals much about him-self as well as Yeshiva Darchei Torah.

When Rav Bender hired me, i remember that he said to me that he likes every rebbi to play to his [own] strengths. in teaching there is no one size fits all. its hard to say that any one rebbi was my role model i try to take from everybody.

Rav Finkelman has hundreds of talmidim in all walks of life who can testify to the impact that one year of learning under this master rebbi has had on their lives. Step outside Rav Finkelmans classroom, however, and you need not travel far to find a shining example. Just across the hallway, in a parallel sixth grade class, a young and dy-namic rebbi is also teaching talmidim. his name is Rav Peretz Strickman, and if you ask him to name one of his own primary role models, he has a quick answer.

This up-and-coming mechanech, with his own classroom full of talmidim, points across the hallway to the domain of the talmid cha-cham who was his own sixth grade rebbi: Rav Shimon Finkelman. f

a


Iwasoverwhelmedwiththeprofessionalismandtremendousknowledgetheseyoungmendisplayed.

TheGreatDebateabouttheBigAppleT

he seventh graders regaled an audience of parents, grandparents, teachers and fellow students on the eve

of the new York City mayoral election with a series of lively debates, punctuated by riveting oral and written presentations.

The november event capped weeks of painstaking research, writing, artwork, debating prac-tice and impressive teamwork. The students were guided by language arts teacher mr. Daniel Shuman and social studies teacher Rabbi menachem Bornstein, as-sisted by Rabbi Elazar Bronstein, a remedial English teacher.

Four classes of seventh grad-ersabout 130 students in allworked singly and in groups to master the relevant political is-sues central to the mayoral election and multiple skills involved in the two-hour presentation.

in addition to the 24 debat-ers, divided into 8 teams, the boys formed committees to create tri-board posters on the five new York City boroughs; a series of campaign post-ers using cartoons

and slogans; and informative presentations on five of new York Citys mayors. a separate Editors Committee and an art Committee, comprised solely of students, oversaw and polished the written work on the tri-boards and campaign posters.

The sheer volume of infor-mation the students delivered and the creativity, humor and coherence of their presentations stunned observers.

i was overwhelmed with the professionalism and tremendous knowledge these young men displayed, said Rabbi Yaakov Bender, Rosh haYeshiva.

Student-generated campaign slogans such as Charter Schools are Smarter and Dont Risk Stop-and-Frisk heightened the

at the debate on Public health and the soda Ban. From left, Kalman Yurman (obscured), avi steinberg, eli Dachs,

mr. Dan shuman (obscured), assemblyman Phil Goldfeder, avrohom Yehuda Friedman, Yitzchak isaac ringo and Yitzchok stern

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STUDENTS RESEARCH AND SKILLS SHINE AT ELECTION EVE EVENT


election night ambience in the Diamond Bais medrash, where the event was staged.

Four debates were held, and they were moderated by new York State assemblyman Phil Goldfeder, a proud al

bedarchei hatorah #35 spring2014 hi

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