Commission Fair 2012

Today, the SGO hosted the annual school wide Commission Fair for all of our students. At the Commission Fair, head commissioners promoted their commission with a specially designed booth, which represented the essence of their commission. All the students were invited to walk around and sign up for commissions that they are interested in. The commission fair provides students with an opportunity to explore their interests and hobbies by learning about and signing up for the plethora of commissions, clubs, teams and groups that our school has to offer. From performing groups to athletic teams to academic clubs - a wide range of activities are a available to fit a wide range of student interests. Some examples of the student activities that were displayed include: MSG Varsity, the Chess Team, the Peer Tutoring Commission, the Tzedakah Commission, and even the EKO Commission who are committed to making the Yeshivah and our community as eco-friendly as possible. Most of our students are involved in not just one, but multiple student activities, which enriches their Flatbush experience.

The Phoenix Online: First Edition of the Year

This year's first edition of The Phoenix, the school's online newspaper, was recently published. Check out these amazing articles:

• Some Advice to Freshmen

• The Beauty of Sundays

• Israel's Humanitarianism

• Examining Instagram

• The Mixed-Feeling Second Home

• StandWithUs MZ Teens Internship

Senior Picnic/Leadership Day 2012

Third Time’s the Charm 

There’s a first time for everything. Our first grade picnic was last year: the annual Junior Picnic. But it was also the first time that the picnic got totally and completely rained out. Even though we got drenched we still had a good time. However, we were committed to making this picnic happen-the right way. As senior year rolled in, the second date was set for September 28th. Guess what? Rain! Again! This time though, we didn’t have to get soaked to realize it’s just not meant to happen that day. After much planning and worrying and planning even more by the Senior Council, it was decided that October 12th would be the new date for senior picnic. This time we didn’t want it to be just a day in the rain or sun. We wanted it to be a day of something more, something that all seniors must learn to be a part of - a TEAM. The activities presented encouraged teams to work together. Students had to put their trust in others to complete the exercises. As the ominous clouds hovered above us, we were ready for another rainy day. Luckily, after a few drizzles the skies cleared and our worries melted away. The air was brisk, but after some pizza everyone seemed warm enough. The students were then given free time and it was then I realized that this is our last year to be together, as a grade, as a team. But I also realized that we don’t necessarily need activities to bring us together. We can work together, naturally, on our own. The day was indeed successful, maybe because it took us three times to get it perfect. I’m looking forward to many more activities and events during Senior year. ~Kimi Hamadani, Senior Council 2012 President

Flatbush Students Compile Sukkot Reader

We are proud to share that senior, Norman Greenberg and alumnus Aaron Senior (HS '11) have jointly compiled a holiday reader for Sukkot, which was published by Tebeh Educational Services. The reader can be downloaded here.

Norman Greenberg pictured with Sukkot Reader

The Beauty of Sunday Mornings

The Beauty of Sunday Mornings 

Torah To Go Series: Parashat Ha'azinu

Israel Activism

Israel Activism had the privilege of hearing guest speaker, Tali Hanukah from Stand with Us. She spoke about how to respond when faced with political issues regarding Israel. Stand with Us is an organization based on the belief that education is the road to peace. Students were informed that it is a misconception that one cannot be both Pro-Israel and Pro-Palestinian. Pro-Palestinian does not mean anti-Israel, it simply means supporting Palestinian rights. Tali explained that the reason there is conflict over the status of the Jewish State of Israel is because of three main Ds: Delegitimize, Demonize, and Double Standard. The Arab nations do these three things in order to justify violence towards Israel and remove public sympathy. Tali taught the students an effective method to combat allegations made against Israel such as: Israel is an apartheid state, or, the IDF targets Palestinian children. The method is called The ARM method. ARM is the acronym for Address, Reframe, and Message. The tactic works as follows, one validates a portion of what the opposition is saying then turns the accusation to address their message. It is also important to include words such as: peace, future, imagine, dream, children and hope. This was helpful advice to help students confront these types of situations as they venture out into the world.  ~Jamie Baum

Aseret Yemei Teshuvah Initiative

Chesed Fair

On September 21, 2012 the Yeshivah of Flatbush hosted its first Chesed Fair. Being right after Rosh Hashanah, it was a perfect time to give students the opportunity to be able to get more involved in the community. Organizations such as SBH, Mitzvah Man, Chai Lifeline, and many others came to inform students about their organizations and to get them more involved. The students visited the fair right after they participated in a Teshuvah assembly. These organizations demonstrated to the students that small acts of kindness can go a long way. ~Rashelle Gersh

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Torah To Go Series: Parashat Vayelech