Graphic by Ariella Mayer ('23)

Parshat Yitro contains the incredible experience of Matan Torah. In the pesukim leading up to the great revelation at Har Sinai, Hashem instructs Moshe: כֹּ֤ה תֹאמַר֙ לְבֵ֣ית יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב וְתַגֵּ֖יד לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל "So shall you say to the house of Jacob and tell the sons of Israel” (Shmot 19:3). Why does Hashem use two different words to describe Moshe’s communication: “say” and “tell”? Why does Hashem refer to the Jewish people as “the house of Jacob” and “the sons of Israel”? Rashi explains that “the sons of Israel” refers to the men and “the house of Jacob” refers to the women. Moshe was supposed to gently “say” the Torah to the women first and then “tell” the men about the harsh punishments and all the details of the Torah. Many mefarshim expound on Rashi’s commentary and explain why the men and women were spoken to differently. However, the simplest reading of the pasuk indicates only that there were two groups of people without explaining their differences.  Whether those two groups of people were separated by gender or something else, Moshe was instructed to speak to them using different forms of communication. To ensure that every person heard and understood the Torah, Moshe had to explain it to them “עַל־פִּ֣י דַרְכּ֑ו”, each according to their own way (Mishlei 22:6). Every day we communicate with many different people. Whether we are teaching a student, parenting a child, learning with a friend, or speaking to an employee, we must consider the person we are speaking to when choosing our language and tone of voice.  Let us learn the lesson that Hashem taught Moshe through the words  “כֹּ֤ה תֹאמַר֙ לְבֵ֣ית יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב וְתַגֵּ֖יד לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל” and may Hashem grant all of us the wisdom to know how to communicate with each person עַל־פִּ֣י דַרְכּ֑וֹ. Good Shabbos, Mrs. Epstein

#SaveTheTurtles  Check Out the Environmental Club's Beach Cleanup Over Yeshiva Week

Graphic by Rebecca Adler ('23) and Orly Dimont ('23) On the first day of vacation, members of the Environmental Club decided to use their free time to clean the beach. Equipped with garbage bags and gloves, they drove to the beach early in the morning, far before most students usually get up. On the surface, the beach seemed fairly clean. However, as the volunteers spread out across the beach, they found piles of litter buried in tree branches and sand. They ultimately collected four large bags of trash, and the entire group felt very grateful to help the environment and make a difference. As Shoshana Stadlan (‘22), the leader of the Environmental Club, remarked, “It felt fulfilling to do whatever I could do to help make the world a better and cleaner place.” Other people on the beach applauded their efforts, rendering the cleanup even more rewarding. Not only were the volunteers excited to help the environment, but they are hopeful their actions will inspire others.       Article by Kira Jacoby ('22)

Standing with the Lone Soldier KYHS Students Connect with Lone Soldiers through the Garin Tzabar Program

Graphic by Rivka Reich ('24) Chantal Newman ('22) and Chana Schandelson ('22)

During lunch this Monday, juniors and seniors had the opportunity to attend a presentation, given by Garin Tzabar and KYHS alum Hannah Katz ('15), about making aliyah and joining the IDF. First, Tomer Schorr, the head of Garin Tzabar for North America, introduced the program with a video. He explained that Garin Tzabar helps young adults from outside of Israel make aliyah and join the army by providing a home for these lone soldiers and acting as a support system for them. Hannah then spoke about her experience as an instructor in the IDF and how Garin Tzabar eased her transition to life in Israel. Students were able to ask Hannah and Tomer questions about the program and Hannah’s experience as a lone soldier. The presentation was extremely inspirational and helpful, especially for students interested in joining the Israeli army. Junior Shayla Saida remarked, “The session was very informative and interesting, and I learned a lot about Garin Tzabar.” Hannah also encouraged attendees to reach out to her with any questions about the program or her experiences. Thank you Hannah and Garin Tzabar for sharing your insights! Article by Ariella Greenberg ('22)

Ariella's Angle: Getting Yourself out of Procrastination Station Ariella Shares her Insight on how to Best Combat the Desire to Procrastinate

Graphic by Olivia Kahane ('22)  How often do you scroll through Instagram thinking “Wow, I have so much work I should do right now!” and then keep scrolling? Don’t worry; we’ve all done it. After all, it’s human nature to procrastinate. We know pushing off our responsibilities is harmful and foolish, yet we do it anyway. How can we explain this behavior? And how can we combat this innate desire? Though procrastination is often associated with laziness, it actually results from a variety of psychological factors. According to a 2006 Harvard study, we often delay our work because our brains are wired to protect us from mental burnout. The thought of tackling several homework assignments, essays, and tests is overwhelming so our brains convince us to relax.  Dawdling also stems from perfectionism. Perfectionists place immense pressure on themselves to be flawless, which, of course, is a highly daunting goal. This leads perfectionists to neglect tasks they fear cannot be completed to their standards. Similarly, people who fear failure are more prone to procrastination. Their logic is that it is impossible to fail at something you do not even attempt. So, how can we use this information to overcome procrastination? Knowing the root of the problem allows us to find solutions. For example, after discovering that feeling overwhelmed induces procrastination, scientists learned that breaking down tasks into smaller, concrete units is an effective way to combat it. Though a heavy load of schoolwork on top of house chores may sound insurmountable, studying page by page or vacuuming one room at a time is far more achievable. Furthermore, conquering individual tasks motivates us to strive for more.  Many anti-procrastinators also espouse the five-minute rule: if a task takes under five minutes to complete, do it now. Whether it’s making our beds, putting dishes away, or finishing an assignment, we often push off small duties that later amass into frightening to-do lists. However, research shows that once you start something, you’re much more likely to finish it; therefore, by undertaking one chore at a time, you’ll become much more organized and, in the meantime, enjoy a cleaner room and more manageable workload.  An essential aspect of overcoming procrastination is changing your perspective on short and long-term benefits. Often, we’ll watch one more episode or make one more TikTok and tell ourselves we’ll begin working soon. Instead of prioritizing momentary satisfaction, we should use the present to position ourselves well for the future. Tomorrow, a week from now, or further down the line, you’ll be glad if you accomplished something instead of squandering time.  Lastly, eliminate all distractions. You’ll never get your work done if you constantly check your texts or reply to Snapchats.  Defeating procrastination is challenging. In fact, many people never quit the habit. But, with the right mindset and determination, it is undoubtedly possible.   Article by Ariella Gross ('21)

Yeshiva Week Rewind Yeshiva League Hang-Outs all Over the Globe

Graphic by Abby Rosenthal ('23), Mikaila Shandler ('24), and Elie Loberfeld ('24)

Highlites Staff