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This week’s parsha is Parshat Ki Tisa, which is infamously known for recording one of the Jews’ gravest sins – the cheit ha’egel. The message of the parsha is: Sinning is bad. Don’t do it.
Now that we got past the D’var Torah part, let’s get into the week’s recap.
What a whimsical, musical, shticky, sticky, silly-goose-esque week it has been here at Katz Yeshiva High School! Although the week started off SLOW with a FAST (hehe), Purim came in with a bang (and an airhorn). After a beautiful megillah reading from the remarkable Zachy Dennis (‘23), students calmly and respectfully trampled each other to get food and then headed to the dance floor. Students hit the dance floor in their unique, creative, and humorous costumes for the annual chagiga. Senior girls dressed up as fairies Hogwarts students cops and robbers Smurfs in conjunction with Mrs. Kanner, who went all out as a fabulous Gargamel. Other group costumes included those huge inconvenient inflatable-car-dealership-dancing-things that made it infinitely more difficult to make it through the hallway.
The next day, the KYHS community enjoyed Purim with their family and friends. As per the holiday tradition they dressed up, heard megillah again (not as good as the previous night’s though), and disobeyed traffic laws by zooming around on vehicles that weren’t street-legal. On Wednesday, students had the privilege of a late start even though everyone was safely in bed by 7:00pm the night before. As an act of good shtick, students dressed up as BBQ Dads and Soccer Moms. For some students, the dress up was hilarious as they came dressed in striped polos, sports shades, visors, and dry fits. However, it was sometimes hard to tell if they participated in the dress up or just naturally have the fashion sense of a middle-aged man! Considering that most of the student population doesn’t check their email, many chose to play it safe (smile and nod). Throughout the day of Shushan Purim, each grade got to enjoy the carnival that was set up on the Great Lawn. This carnival included bungee jumping, bounce houses, throwing games, musical chairs, and a toilet (why?). We thank the KYHS administration (especially Rabbi Nachar, Mrs. Goldenberg, and Rabbi Kroll). KOSL and the STUCO also deserve some recognition (but not too much – let’s not be dramatic).
Fortunately we are the top Jewish High School in the Western Hemisphere (self-proclaimed), so a Torah idea must be included. Since we are supposed to be b’simcha on Purim, let’s focus on the brighter side of this parsha – the chatzi shekel, which represents Jewish unity and how we aren’t whole without our fellows. Even beyond that, it’s no mistake that the way we are counted is through our charity; we are our good deeds. This idea fits perfectly with the holiday of Purim, where two of the four mitzvot involve giving food and money. Overall, this was definitely a Purim for the books!
Shabbat Shalom,
Zohara Lam ('23) & Atara Keehn ('23)
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