Two projects won first place in their respective categories. “Left Turn Assist” by Avery Moskowitz, Marc Dweck and Jacob Fenster won first place in the Transportation and Automotive category. The device calculates the speed of oncoming traffic, informing drivers when it is safe to make a left turn. Meanwhile, “Solar Seeker” by Alon Stein, Dan Turok and Steven Stein won first place in the Environmental Engineering category as well as a “best room pitch” award. The “Solar Seeker” is a solar panel designed to track the sun’s movement in order to capture the largest quantity of solar energy to convert to electricity.

Three projects won second place awards. “The Gyro Tray” by Jude Shankman, Oran S. Goodman and Benjamin Wolf won second in the Engineering for Older Adults category for its ability to help patients with Parkinson’s. “Hearo” by Eliana Wolf, Liana Goldberger and Josh Davis, which helps deaf people drive safely by alerting them to siren sounds, won second in the Engineering for Mobility category. Finally, “Pet Life” by Rae Herschmann, Rebecca Haberman and Eliana Weinstein won second in the Engineering for Pets category for a device that serves as a diagnostic for monitoring a pet’s vital signs. In addition, “The Auto—Rocket” by Gedaliah Dimbert won third place in the Aeronautical Engineering category. The invention in an arduino fitted with a gyroscope which senses a rocket’s altitude during flight and helps correct it if it veers off course.

Other impressive �鶹���� projects won “best room pitch” awards. “Brainy Board” by Max Stober, Henry Yellin and Kovi Ressler, won this award for creating a chess board that instructs kids how to play chess (the board tells them the allowable squares for each piece moved). “SeatBelt Secure” by Barbara Sasson, Etan Mincer and Jeffrey Jacobs won “best pitch” for a project that detects whether a child has been properly secured in their car seat.

Students gained a tremendous amount of engineering and coding knowledge over the course of developing their projects. Jacob Fenster, Avery Moskowitz and Marc Dweck spoke about how the project taught them how to integrate microcontrollers besides Arduino, the challenges of setting up the AI to integrate with the rest of the project, and the problem solving skills that were essential to making their “Left Turn Assist” function optimally.

“There’s so much to be gained from seeing other projects and bringing them on the road,” said �鶹���� Engineering Program Director Rifkie Silverman. “Our students have worked so hard and can be so proud of the sophisticated, fantastic projects they came with.”

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Over the course of this past year, my classmates and I have been studying different areas of medical sciences. Along with learning about different disease processes, our teachers, Dr. Karen Goodman and Dr. Avigayil Elkin, set up different case-based simulations that my peers and I would have to assess, diagnose and initiate treatment.

When our teachers came to class with a duffle bag, we knew that our class was going to be an interesting one. Inside this bag was a full size manikin that we would continue to use throughout the year for our experiential learning. We would start class by assigning roles such as patient, family of the patient, doctors and nurses. Just like in a real emergency, the “doctors” would start by checking the ABCs: airway, breathing and circulation. After that was done, the “doctors” would dive deeper into the case in order to identify the source of the patient’s problem, and work as a team to carry out the evaluation and management. We had many opportunities to learn about disease processes, and medical procedures followed by simulated cases and hands-on training related to what we had learned.

After engaging in this type of learning throughout the year, we went on a trip to the EMS training center in Paramus where Mr. Infield, our school EMT, is an instructor. There, we saw many different types of manikins that are used to train volunteer EMTs. While the manikin we use at school is a basic model that we adapt for our learning purposes, the EMS training center had more complex manikins. For example we saw a pregnant manikin who could deliver a baby, teaching EMTs skills they may need in their clinical practice. We had an opportunity to give CPR to a manikin that gave automated feedback on how well we were doing our chest compressions. Lastly, to end off the trip, we were able to step inside a real ambulance and see how they are used to save lives every day.

At the training center, we had hands-on exposure to manikins with a higher level of realism and feedback, giving us a chance to see how simulation and innovation in medicine is used in training medical professionals. Having spent the year participating in simulations of real life emergencies with our medical science elective at �鶹����, it was amazing to see how a similar approach to medical simulation is used in real life training of EMTs.

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“At �鶹���� Night Seder special attention is given to ensure that everyone who wants a chavrusa finds one,” said Spivack, who will be attending Yeshivat Har Etzion in the fall. “Looking around the beis medrash makes me feel a part of something truly special. Whether it’s the warm chevra at Night Seder that learn together or Chidon, there is a feeling of community and belonging to Talmud Torah at �鶹���� that pulls you in and kept me motivated to come back again and again to be a part of it.”

Vogel’s appreciation for this learning community was reflected in a daf that particularly stood out to him. “I’d have to say that my favorite thing I’ve learned was on daf zayin of Taanis,” he recalls. “It talks about the power of chavrusa learning and how when people learn together they sharpen each other’s skills. It’s especially powerful because I learned it in Night Seder in a chavrusa where I see the benefits of chavrusa learning firsthand.”

Senior Josh Knoll emphasized the role that other students have played in his growth. “The students at �鶹���� have made a huge impact on my Torah learning experience,” he said “They have challenged me and inspired me and I know these friendships will last a lifetime. I’ve also had the amazing opportunity to learn Gemara and Chumash every Thursday night at Night Seder b’chavruta. Learning closely with a learning partner has helped me dive deeper into what we are learning and gaining another person’s perspective has opened my eyes to other ways of thinking.”

Knoll, who will be attending Yeshivat HaKotel in the fall, served this year as co-captain of the Chidon HaTanach club alongside fellow senior Rosenfeld, who will attend Migdal Oz. “When I was given the opportunity to co-lead the Chidon HaTanach Club, I was thrilled,” he recounted. “I love studying and preparing for the Chidon competition, and I was super excited to have the opportunity to really share my love of Torah and Chidon with other students.”

Rosenfeld notes that her favorite text to study has been Shmuel Bet. “I learned it with multiple people at once, and each person I learned it with had different insights, nuanced close-readings and sophisticated analysis that made me read the same pesukim in completely new ways,” she said. “While learning Shmuel Bet in this way, I truly appreciated that there are shivim panim leTorah.”

“When someone else is excited about the same thing you are, you can’t help but become more excited,” said sophomore Ilan Romm, who came third place in the Dr. Shimshon Isseroff Chidon HaTanach USA national finals this year. “When you become more excited, so does the other person, so an infinite cycle of excitement is created. Learning with friends as part of Chidon and Night Seder not only pushes yourself and your chaburah to learn more, but makes you wish to share this surplus of excitement and learning with everyone else outside of these clubs.”

The value of community is one echoed across the beit midrash. “The community at �鶹���� has been so supportive, and I really think it’s a testament to the school as well as specifically talented and dedicated teachers that the Torah-learning community has become so robust,” said junior Maya Tratt, who came in seventh place in this year’s International Chidon HaTanach for Youth and is poised to lead �鶹����’s Chidon Club next year.

In addition, the students emphasized unequivocally how important �鶹����’s faculty has been to their growth in Torah. “I think one of the highlights of �鶹���� is the ability to have an intimate and close connection to the rebbeim and the other Torah faculty,” said Hahn, who will be attending Yeshivat Kerem B’Yavneh (KBY) in the fall. “The things I’ve learned from my rebbeim over the past four years of being in �鶹���� have greatly impacted how I learn, approach my learning and act toward people in the real world. For example, this year, I had Rabbi [Noah] Gardenswartz for shiur, and I learned many skills from him, but one of the most important things I learned from him was mesorah. Hearing how he talks about the Tannaim, Amoraim and Rishonim makes them not just words on a page but real, living, breathing people in the classroom with you and who you are having a dialogue with.”

“The most meaningful part of my Torah learning at �鶹���� has been the relationships I have cultivated with my rebbeim and teachers during their classes,” Knoll agreed. “The Torah learning opportunity that I look forward to most every week is Rabbi [Joshua] Wald’s Thursday night Mishmar. In addition, Rabbi [Yair] Shahak and Rabbi [Asher] Bush have played a huge role in helping us prepare for and organize Chidon HaTanach related events. They have gone out of their way to make sure that we have as much study material as possible and that all the logistics are taken care of. They have been our biggest supporters.”

Rabbi Shahak, who won the 2016 International Chidon HaTanach for Adults, coaches �鶹����’s Chidon HaTanach Club, giving students study strategies, comprehensive questions, maps, mnemonic devices and pasuk-by-pasuk breakdowns of difficult Chidon material.

“Personally I would not have been able to accomplish whatever I managed without the help of Rabbi Shahak as well as a cohort of immensely wonderful friends and teachers who were always supporting me,” said Tratt.

In the case of junior Yosef Feldman, who will serve as head of Night Seder and captain of the boys Torah Bowl team next year, his lunchtime chavruta is someone extra special: his own father, �鶹���� faculty member Rabbi Jonathan Feldman. The two learn together every lunchtime. “I appreciate the fact that the beis medrash is open all day, allowing me to learn during my free time,” said Yosef. “At Yeshivat �鶹����, there are numerous rebbeim available in the beis to assist you with any shailos related to Halacha, studies or life.”

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�鶹���� Visits New Rambam Exhibit at YU Museum

Over the past two weeks, select �鶹���� classes visited the YU Museum with �鶹���� history faculty member Dr. David Sclar, who gave them a tour of the museum’s brand new Rambam exhibit. The tour was a one-of-the-kind opportunity; Sclar himself curated the exhibit, which is titled “The Golden Path: Maimonides Across Eight Centuries” and will be on view through the summer. The exhibit features some exceedingly rare objects, including books in Rambam’s own hand.

�鶹���� Takes Field Trip to YIVO Archives

Manhattan’s Center for Jewish History (CJH), which features libraries, archives and exhibits, hosts five major Jewish research institutions under the same roof: the American Jewish Historical Society, American Sephardi Federation, Leo Baeck Institute, Yeshiva University Museum and YIVO Institute for Jewish Research. On May 18, �鶹���� sophomores in Dr. Yaelle Frohlich’s history classes took a field trip to YIVO, home of 24 million Jewish archival documents from around the world, with a special focus on East European Jewish history. These students got to be YIVO’s pilot group for new and exciting programming geared toward high schoolers. Students experienced first hand what it is like to do archival research, exploring some of the incredible youth autobiographies from the 1930s held in YIVO’s archives all while under the guidance of YIVO’s expert staff of archivists, librarians and historians.

“It was an amazing opportunity to learn about our history,” said Ahava Bak ’25. “The direct primary sources tell us so much on events and life all throughout Jewish history.”

For some students, it was also a chance to learn about the richness of East European Jewish life before the Holocaust. “While YIVO has plenty of material from the time of the Shoah, there is so much more,” said Kimberly Guttman ’25. “YIVO’s history is rich, and I very much enjoyed learning there.”

�鶹���� Hosts Engineering Symposium

On May 15, �鶹���� held its annual Engineering Symposium, dedicated by the Maurice and Hester Lowenthal Foundation in memory of Mitzi and Edward Traurig z”l. The evening featured a keynote presentation by �鶹���� alumnus Yoni Cooper ‘13, who shared his journey from �鶹���� to his becoming an Amazon engineer. Earlier in the evening, advanced elective students got to have dinner and a Q&A with Cooper in the campus’s new engineering lab. Following the keynote address, engineering students showcased their capstone innovations and Arduino games. Projects ranged from the seriously safety-oriented (e.g. “Stove Safety System” by Meirah Klayn and Nava Sandler, which automatically turns off a left-on stove) to the playful (e.g. “Brainy Board” by Max Stober, Henry Yellin and Kovi Ressler, which is a chess board that teaches children how to play the game).

Also on display at the Engineering Symposium were projects by �鶹����’s Hackathon and CIJE Tank teams, Robotics Program, Girls Who Code, Fab Lab student creators and more. In addition, the event included the live annual Robotics CouGear Cup, where robotics teams compete to win the in-house �鶹���� robotics championship cup. Thanks goes to Rifkie Silverman, Travis Merritt and Michael Preston for their incredible instruction and mentorship throughout the year.

Evening of the Arts Held at �鶹����

�鶹���� held its annual Evening of the Arts this past Monday, May 22. The first half of the event featured musical performances by �鶹����’s Jazz Ensemble, Performance Ensemble and the Cougar Chorus. Then, attendees got to do a gallery walk and take in the outstanding artistic creations—from paintings and fashion design to paper sculptures, glass art and Judaica woodworking projects—by students in �鶹����’s Art Track, Artist Beit Midrash, Art Club and other courses within the schools Visual Arts department with Ahuva Winslow and Mira Levy.

�鶹���� Student Entrepreneurs Showcase Innovations

On Tuesday, May 23 the end-of-year academic celebrations continued. �鶹����’s annual Entrepreneurship Demo Day featured business pitches and startup ideas developed in the Entrepreneurship Track with �鶹����’s Entrepreneurship Program Director Christian Balevski. The event was broken up into two halves. First, the audience got to go around and view all the groups’ projects. Then, 10 teams gave a three-minute pitch for their business ideas, with an audience vote at the end. Many of the projects were innovative, integrating new technologies like AI–for instance, “Parma-Cam,” an iPad system to detect medication errors, and “EduKaty,” which uses technological tools to target girls’ education inequality in sub-Saharan Africa.

�鶹���� Presents Research Symposium

�鶹����’s Research Symposium on May 23 featured presentations by seniors in the Research Seminar elective with Dr. David Sclar as well as those doing a directed study, under the purview of Nina Cohen. This year’s research projects included: “Death in Children’s Films” (by Bracha Israel), “Dwight Morrow High School: A Story of Race and Money” (by Noah Stifelman), “Innovator or Evil Mutilator: Walter Freeman and the History of Lobotomy” (by Jillian Leifer) and dozens more. Projects were presented in the form of papers, podcasts, video essays and websites.

�鶹���� Senior Trip

When this year’s �鶹���� seniors were sophomores, covid upended the traditional 10th grade �鶹���� trip to Virginia Beach. However, this past weekend, �鶹����’s graduating class got to make up for lost time, and experience the grade-wide getaway they missed. The senior trip proved to be an incredible weekend of bonding as a grade, with fun activities, Torah learning and more. It was the perfect weekend for the Class of 2023 to spend together before bidding one another good luck on the way to their different yeshivot, seminaries and colleges.

�鶹���� Art Students Win International Jewish Photography Competition

Earlier this month, �鶹���� received the exciting news that the photos of four students have been selected out of hundreds of entries as winners in the 2022-2023 Jewish Lens Competition at ANU-Museum of the Jewish People in Tel Aviv. The photos of Naomi Elkin ‘23 and Adi Beniluz ‘23 (“Endless Prayers”) and Daniela Hahn ‘25 and Gaby Zlatin ‘25 (“Milk and Honey”) will be displayed alongside all winning entries in the Jewish Lens gallery at ANU. They will also eventually be featured in the museum’s online gallery. In addition, Naomi and Adi’s photo was also selected as the top photo for all English-speaking countries.

�鶹���� Introduces New Golf Team

Now that there is a new yeshiva Golf League, students at �鶹���� are excited to have formed their own team, founded by senior James Forman. Last Thursday, the �鶹���� golf team won against Ramaz in a second playoff hole at River Vale Country Club. “The best part of the club is being able to interact on the course with kids from other schools,” said team member David Rosen ‘24.

Medical Sciences Track Covers Injury Prevention

Sophomores in the Medical Sciences Track with Dr. Karen Goodman and Dr. Avigayil Elkin have been learning about injury prevention. After learning about fire safety and burn management, the class did a simulation of a patient who had jumped from a building that was on fire, sustaining injuries and burns. Management of the injury included a simulated escharotomy for a circumferential burn.

New Nursing Club Comes to �鶹����

Students from the Nursing Club, led by co-founders Noa Grinstein and Emma Salomon, recently attended the annual Orthodox Jewish Nurses Association (OJNA) conference in Midtown Manhattan. The conference featured a variety of presentations on nursing topics such as “Milk Sharing in the Orthodox Jewish Community” and a panel discussion on the “Wide Spectrum of Nursing Roles.” During breaks, the students made the most of their time by networking with nurses from diverse fields, such as medical/surgery, oncology, labor and delivery and aesthetics. In addition to gaining valuable knowledge, the students generously volunteered their time to help with conference set up and clean up.

Chess Culture at �鶹����

Yeshivat �鶹����’s chess team made it to the finals last week, after a year of chess’s popularity explosion among the student body. During any free period, one is sure to find a game in progress in the library, student lounge or cafeteria. This year, two �鶹����-wide chess tournaments were organized by senior Jacob Feit—sophomore Ethan Feder, who plays competitively, emerged victorious both times—with hundreds of students attending and waiting with baited breath for every exchange, blunder and en passant.

Lunch N’ Learn for the �鶹���� Community

Rabbi Yosef Weinberger delivered a pre-Shavuot Lunch n’ Learn shiur this week to the broader �鶹���� community, on the topic of Moshe Rabbeinu and Jewish leadership over the generations.

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Last Monday morning, students and faculty were moved and inspired by the words of Mirlana Morris, the mother of Donny Morris z”l (and sister of �鶹���� faculty member Shira Kronenberg). Morris spoke to the entire yeshiva ahead of Donny’s second yahrzeit, about holding on to emunah following her son’s loss, and about the power of small acts of kindness—a huge part of Donny’s legacy that continues to shine so brightly for all who knew him and learn about his life.

Throughout the week, �鶹���� students engaged in different activities that enhanced the community of kindness in Donny’s memory. Students made brachot l’ilui nishmato; wrote thank you cards to teachers and staff throughout the week (perfect timing for Teacher Appreciation Week); collected many bags of clothing for Yad Leah; wrote cards for children with cancer, through Zichron Menachem and more.

On Lag B’Omer night, over 70 �鶹���� talmidim and talmidot went with faculty members Rabbi Michael Bashist and Racheli Israeli on a special Lag B’Omer trip to the Hilula of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. They started at the Ohel of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, where they composed handwritten notes and shared personal tefillot. They then went to a celebration at Aish Kodesh in Woodmere, given by Rav Moshe Weinberger, where they sang and heard words of inspiration. The following morning, each grade got to take trips to different fun places in the New York-New Jersey area. Sophomores biked, flew kites and played ball on Governors Island, while freshmen, juniors and seniors enjoyed the attractions at American Dream Mall.

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The student organizers—Rikki Ashman, Rebecca Kieffer, Ayelet Motechin, Daniel Sarasohn, Jeanie Moses and Yakira Weinberg—along with �鶹���� Nurse Leah Shteingart partnered with the New York Blood Center to collect the donations. Eighty one units were collected during the fall semester, 91 in the spring.

Students were driven to get involved in order to do chesed and help boost the region’s blood stores; after all, every two seconds someone in the United States needs blood. “You can’t get blood when you need it without donors,” said Rebecca Kieffer, one of the student organizers. “It was really special to see our �鶹���� community come together and help those in need. I was really amazed by the whole planning process from start to finish and I am so proud that we were able to collect 91 units of blood this semester!”

The drive also offered a long-lasting lesson. “I found it amazing how as young students we were able to help people and make a difference,” said �鶹���� senior Ayelet Motechin. “The blood drive gives us an opportunity to help and have an impact—it doesn’t matter who you are, where you live or your age. It inspired me to do more in life.”

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Some mini-courses touched on areas of wisdom that will hopefully last a lifetime, such as Dealing with Life’s Curveballs, Life Lessons of the Lubavitcher Rebbe and Navigating Relationships.

Yet other mini-courses were hands-on, such as Dorm Room Cooking, Makerspace Projects, Knitting and Chemistry Demos. In addition, one senior mini-course delved into hilchot shechita. On the final day of the mini-course, the instructor (�鶹���� business teacher and certified shochet Dr. Len Fuld), gave a live shechita demonstration with a real chicken.

“We are proud to be offering an incredible selection of exciting mini-courses this year,” said �鶹���� mini-courses coordinator Mrs. Danielle Tamir. “You name it, it’s on the schedule—there is truly something for everyone.”

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Before the game, the �鶹���� delegation got to go to the Mets’ press conference room and meet with Ben Zauzmer, vice president and assistant general manager, Baseball Analytics, who discussed the role of analytics in building a winning franchise. He noted that everything learned in school you actually will use in your future. He discussed how, in his case, he used math tools like calculus, trigonometry and regression models in statistics on a daily basis to help build the best team. The students then heard from Ethan Wilson, senior director of Communications, who described the role of writing in fashioning compelling stories for the fans in the print press, to the various media outlets and on social media.

Finally, the �鶹���� Cougar Chorus sang the national anthem at the opening of the game! They then got to watch an exciting back-and-forth game, culminating with Maariv during the seventh inning stretch. In the end, the Mets pulled through for the win! What a great night for the Cougars!

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�鶹����’s Yom Hazikaron tekes on Tuesday—entirely prepared by students—included the stories of the Dee family, fallen soldiers Dani Cohen, Sean Carmeli and Benaya Rovel, as well as the cousin of �鶹���� student Lilach Atiya, who fell in the first Lebanon War. The yeshiva also heard moving words from the friend of Elan Ganales, a 27-year-old from the Upper West Side who was murdered earlier this year in a shooting attack. The tekes concluded with Kel Maleh Rachamim and the tefillah for the IDF. Also of note: the yeshiva learned all of Tanakh over the prior 24 hours—a siyum l’ilui nishmat 929 fallen kedoshim (corresponding to the number of perakim of Tanakh).

The next day, sorrow turned to joy as students and faculty alike celebrated Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israel’s milestone 75th birthday! Throughout the week, students learned “Kol Dodi Dofek,” the classic work by Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik which discusses the religious significance of the creation of the State of Israel and the obligation its existence poses for Klal Yisrael. On Yom Ha’atzmaut itself, words of Torah and round-robin historical skits by faculty emphasized key points from this learning. The yeshiva also celebrated with joyous davening, the annual Yom Ha’atzmaut chagiga, a BBQ lunch courtesy of the �鶹���� Parents Association, and fun afternoon activities, including cooking falafel with �鶹���� Culinary Science teacher Toby Moses, Israel-themed cutout art, and Gaga ball. (Did you know it’s an Israeli game?)

Meanwhile, on Yom Ha’atzmaut, �鶹���� junior Maya Tratt represented the United States at the youth Chidon HaTanach competition in Jerusalem, finishing seventh place in the world. Just a few days later, on Sunday, April 30, �鶹���� was proud to send the largest contingent of finalists from any one school to the national USA Chidon, with 19 students qualifying as finalists. There, two other members of the �鶹���� Chidon Club were recognized for their inspiring Tanach knowledge: sophomore Ilan Romm who finished third in the 9-11th grade division after two nail-biting tiebreaker rounds, and senior Tamar Rosenfeld, who finished third in the newly created 12th grade division. Chidon USA Coordinator Rabbi Dovi Nadel noted during the program that establishment of the 12th grade division owes a great deal to the efforts of �鶹���� senior Josh Knoll, who, along with Rosenfeld, led �鶹����’s Chidon HaTanach Club this past year.

Am Yisrael Chai!

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