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November 1st, 2019
3rd of Cheshvan, 5780
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Candle Lighting at 6:21 PM
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The Power of People
The midrash relates a somewhat disturbing fact about the construction of Migdal Bavel, which takes place towards the end of this week's parsha:
"The laborers who carried up the bricks went up on the eastern ascent, and those who descended went down on the western descent. If a man fell and died they paid no heed to him, but if a brick fell they sat down and wept, and said: Woe to us! When will another one come in its place?" (Pirkei D'Rabbi Eliezer 24).
It seems like the builders of Migdal Bavel really had their priorities mixed up! Did they really care so much about the bricks they used to build the tower that they fell into despair at the loss of one brick, yet completely ignored the loss of human life?
The builders of the Tower had a mission. They envisioned a new society in which they could "make a name for [themselves]," driven by their desire to remain concentrated and insulated from the outside world, "lest [they] be scattered" (Bereishit 11:4). To accomplish their goal, they had one task: the construction of the tower that represented their communal values. And it seems, according to the midrash, that the completion of this task, the building of their new community, became so singularly important to them, that nothing else mattered! One human life? No big loss in the context of what they were hoping to accomplish.
God gets angry with them. The exact nature of their sin is vague, but we might infer from the midrash that He is upset with their mixed-up values. Building up society is an admirable goal, but overlooking the value of each individual builder is wrong, an epic mistake.
As teachers and parents, we deeply relate to the struggle to achieve the perfect balance of valuing each individual while keeping an eye on the needs and goals of the group. In our homes, with our families, and at school, in our classrooms, we recognize the value of being part of a "community", sharing common ideals, participating in something beyond ourselves. We also, however, care about each member of that community and treat as precious everything each individual has to offer.
Although at times it seems hard to strike that exact balance, we continue to make it OUR singular mission to always view our students as essential, unique, irreplaceable individuals who comprise the incredible community of KYHS.
Shabbat Shalom,
Ms. Amy Horowitz
Tanach Department Chair
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Upcoming Events
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Nov. 4th
Staff Professional Development - No Classes
Parent Student Teacher Conferences
Nov. 5th
Late Start - 9:15 Davening
Nov. 6th - Nov. 10th
Shalhevet Basketball Tournament
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Good & Welfare
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Births
Shira Roszler ('04)
and Kivi Steinberger on the birth of their son, Alexander
Raquel Amram ('07)
and Zaki Betesh on the birth of their son, Abraham Yeshayahu
Sofia Peimani ('09)
and Emanual Haghighat on the birth of their daughter, Rivka
Kelley Tripp ('13)
and Joseph Nitzani on the birth of their son, Yonatan
Rachelli Goldberg ('16) and Mikey Pearl ('16) on the birth of their son, Aryeh Tzvi
Mazel Tov
Zachary Cohen ('06) on his marriage to Kimberly Jaco. And to Mrs. Claudia and Douglas Cohen on the marriage of their son Zachary.
Condolences
Mrs. Sarah Tabakin on the passing of her beloved father, Mr. Eli Acriche
Mrs. Caryn Sherman on the passing of her beloved father, Mr. Max Elias
Mrs. Miriam Grunhaus on the passing of her beloved father, Mr. Jacob Dolinger
Ari ('14) and Michali ('15) Mazor on the passing of their beloved father Yosef Patrick Mazor z"l.
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Sharsheret Stands Up to Cancer
School Covered in Shades of Pink as Students Spread Awareness
Graphic by Sivan Mussaffi ('20)
Article by Sophia Purow
('21)
On October 25, there was a splash of pink all over the school in honor of Sharsheret Pink Day. This day is a world initiative in schools to learn more about Sharsheret, a non profit Jewish organization that supports women fighting breast cancer. Its goal is to raise awareness about this disease, which is why our school joined many other Jewish schools across the country wearing pink. The entire school united by wearing the same color to raise awareness about breast cancer. Seeing the whole school come together to dress up was an inspiring phenomenon and demonstrated the amazing things students can accomplish! We all gathered together to take a picture and, for a treat, yummy mints were handed out. All in all, it was an amazing day filled with achdut and support!
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Students Take Glorious PSAT
Students Pledge Not to Share Test Information Or View Dangerous Memes
Graphic by Chana Schandelson ('22)
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New Features of Year's First Chagiga Bring Ruach
Graphic by Naomi Reichemberg ('23) and Sydney Freedman ('20)
Article by Gavi Melnitsky ('23)
On Tuesday, an exciting Rosh Chodesh celebration took place in school. Classes were shorter to make time for an unforgettable chagiga full of blasting music and enthusiastic dancing. We all joined hand in hand, dancing and singing for Rosh Chodesh. Infectious energy and inspiring unity filled the air. Sweat dripped from our foreheads after an extremely competitive boys vs. girls Connect 4 game, where KYHS merchandise was raffled off. What would seem like a normal Tuesday to the rest of the world was transformed by us into an exciting day; on the second day of Rosh Chodesh, the burden of PSATs hanging over our heads was lightened by the treat of Dunkin Donuts at breakfast.
Students, rabbis, and teachers came together to celebrate this monthly festival that not everyone knows the reason for. Rosh Chodesh is a holiday celebrating the moon's monthly cycle. The moon goes through phases in which different amounts of light from the sun are directed onto the moon. At the start of every new cycle, we celebrate the new beginning, which we call Rosh Chodesh.
The question still remains, why do we celebrate the moon's cycle of renewal? The answer lies in the Jewish people's continuous existence. The Jewish nation is compared to the moon. Our light has been dimmed and we have been attacked many times, however even in complete and utter darkness like the night, our light will never be extinguished, just like the moon. Therefore, we celebrate our existence and praise Hashem for protecting us and keeping our nation and faith alive.
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Rabbi Dovid Kimche's Trials and Tribulations
Rebbe Gives Seniors Knowledge, Perspective, Inspiration
Graphic By Penina Kahane ('22)
Article by Al Dimont ('20)
This past Friday, the senior class had the honor of hearing Rabbi Kimche speak about his battle with cancer. Back in 2014, Rabbi Kimche was living in Israel he explained how he all of a sudden just collapsed in pain. That's when he went to Shaarei Tzedek Hospital and found out that he had stage two cancer. He told us the shocking fact that if he had found out even a week later, it might have been too late for him.
Rabbi Kimche quickly traveled to England for treatment. He had three rounds of chemotherapy and lost his hair in the process. Some days he felt great, he said, but some days he could not get out of bed. Within three months Rabbi Kimche was cured and has thank G-d been in remission ever since.
Rabbi Kimche imagines his life like the movie "Inside Out." Each experience has a complex set of emotions (like the multicolored orbs at the end of the movie) that affects your future in numerous ways. Getting cancer was like that; yes, it was a difficult time full of feeling sick, upset, and scared, but it also led him down a path that he wouldn't have gone down otherwise.
Rabbi Kimche also explained his opinion on get-well wishes. "It was awkward when someone would start crying for me," he explained. "It is better to stay positive for the person who is ill." Also, Rabbi Kimche suggested we not tell someone that we are davening
for
them but that we are davening
with
them. If you are davening for someone, then it's like their challenges are greater than everyone else's. Davening with someone strengthens bonds and hope. To sum up, we must remember to be cognizant of how our words affect others.
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Storm Speaks: Mahjong Club
Benny Frank Introduces Students to Mahjong Mania
Graphic by Abby Rosenthal ('23) and Rebecca Adler ('23)
Article by Benny Frank ('21)
Mahjong is not not just a game. It's a lifestyle. Although it's beautiful, enjoyable, intricate, and exciting, its seemingly overly-complex tiles scare many people away from playing, which is a shame. The creation of the Mahjong Club solves this whole problem. Not only are there games for experienced players, but the club is a judgement-free and welcoming environment for kids to tackle the surprisingly easy challenge of learning how to play and get better at Mahjong. We meet every Wednesday at lunch in the upstairs rotunda, and we are always ready to invite new participants. Stop by and check it out so that maybe, just maybe, you can be as cool as your mom and her friends who play every Shabbos.
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Art by Andrew Galitzer ('20)
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The Yeshiva Highlites Staff
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