THE RAMBAM RECORD
The eNewsletter of Rambam Mesivta High School
February 03, 2006 / 5 Shevat

Student - Volunteers Return from Project Mitnadvim V

The ten intrepid Rambam student-volunteers have returned from this year's Project Mitnadvim V - Rambam's unique learning-chesed program. This is the fifth year now that Rambam talmidim have given up their winter break in order to volunteer in Israel. This year, the boys helped needy families in Yerushalayim in conjunction with a program called Livnot U'Lihibanot. The minyan of student-volunteers this year were: David Block, Charlie Cohen, Yaakov Cohen, Aaron Friedman, Avishai Fuss, Tani Guterman, Zoli Honig, Yair Oelbaum, Eli Sperling and Daniel Weisblum.

The boys stayed in the Israel Goldstein Youth Village in Jerusalem. They spent much of their time repairing apartments for people who cannot afford to do so themselves. In most cases, these apartments were so small, they could fit inside the senior dining room at Rambam! Most were heavily damaged. Students also worked in a soup kitchen preparing and serving meals, as well as packing food to be sent to families that live hand-to-mouth.

(Click here to read senior Avi Fuss's account of this year's Project Mitnadvim. Fuss is a three-time Mitnadvim veteran!)

"I loved this trip," said junior Charlie Cohen, a veteran of two Project Mitnadvims. "We saw so many smiles after the jobs were done; people couldn't stop thanking us."

Each year Rambam organizes a particular chesed for its students. On one previous Mitnadvim Project, the boys volunteered at Shaarei Zedek Hospital l'zecher nishmas Rabbi Dr. David Applebaum, z"l and his daughter Naava, a"h, who were murdered the night before her wedding.

On previous trips, the Rambam boys volunteered on army and air force bases providing logistical support in small but important ways that free up chayalim.

Project Mitnadvim is the brainchild of Rambam Principal Rabbi Yotav Eliach. "The program is designed to give our boys a meaningful appreciation of the life in Israel. This is a hands-on education program, part of our effort to impart true Ahavat Eretz Yisrael to our boys."

Rambam's educational philosophy is to not only learn chesed and love of Israel but to manifest that love through action.

"We don't just teach people to learn, but to do," said Rabbi Zev Meir Friedman, Rosh HaMesivta of Rambam.

While in Israel, talmidim also visited many yeshivot in consideration for their post- high school learning and participated in many special shiurim.

(Article contributed to by Avi Fuss and Charlie Cohen. Photos by Zoli Honig and Tani Guterman.)

Raffi Holzer Chosen as Intel Semi-Finalist

Mazel Tov to senior Raffi Holzer, who has been selected as an Intel Semi-Finalist. He will receive a $1,000 scholarship for the honor and is now eligible to compete for a finalist award in the competition.

(Click here to read Intel's announcement of the awards.)

Under the guidance of Rambam chemistry teacher Rebecca Isseroff, Holzer has been doing research at the Garcia Center of Stonybrook University where he worked with Dr. Miriam Rafailovich, professor and director of the program in chemical and molecular engineering. Holzer's project is on "Modifying Surfaces of Polycarbonate to Achieve Enhanced Properties." There are potential commercial applications for his discovery in the area of improved production of circuit boards and optic lenses. Holzer is currently applying for a patent for his findings.

Holzer is one of only 300 semifinalists selected, and one of only two yeshiva students to be so honored in this prestigious competition.

"We are proud of Raffi and all of our talmidim for their dedication to Torah and chochmas Hashem," said Rosh HaMesivta Rabbi Zev Meir Friedman. "When they win awards like this or present their world-class research at conferences they are simultaneously representing Torah Judaism in a way that creates a real kiddush Hashem."

"This comes as no surprise," said Principal, Rabbi Yotav Eliach. "Raffi is serious about his learning, deeply committed to halacha and Torah values. He exhibits wonderful midot and clearly cares about others. He is a well-rounded student with many interests, participating on our debate team and the Write On for Israel Program. He's passionate about his commitment to Torah Judaism and klal Yisroel. We expect to continue to see great things from him in the future."

Holzer's award this year now makes Rambam the only yeshiva high school in the country to produce two Intel winners in the past five years!

Rambam's first Intel finalist was Mordechai Joseph Bronner, ('02) who was the only yeshiva student in the United States to receive this honor that year.

Intel awards are only one part of a long-standing history tradition of academic excellence in science. Over the last few years, Rambam students have consistently captured some of the most prestigious science awards in the nation.

Michoel Snow ('03) was named a 2003 Davidson Fellow, the only yeshiva high school student so recognized that year.

Aryeh Reinstein ('04) presented his science project at the American Physical Society in Montreal, Canada and at the American Chemical Societies National Meeting in Anaheim, California.

Yisrael Herzberg and Yonathan Schwab ('05) did summer research at the Garcia Center at Stonybrook, (as Holzer did) and went on to become National Finalists in the 2004-05 Siemens-Westinghouse competition.

Click here for the schedule for the SAT Preparatory Course with Professor Sinclair, which begins on Wednesday, February 22nd.

All classes are two hours long - four are dedicated to math, four to reading, and four to writing. The distribution of this focus can be altered if there is an obvious need for more intensive study in one subject area based on class performance on the practice exams.

All practice tests are three hours and 45 minutes in duration and are actual SATs written by the College Board. They are administered in the same fashion as actual SATs with the exception that there is no experimental section (experimental sections are not released by the College Board).

All students interested in signing up for the course should speak with Professor Peter Sinclair or Professor Lisa Korman.

The students of Mr. Stevens' Video Production class have finished their latest project - a music video!

Click here to see some samples of their work.

Group 1 - Performance
Group 2 - "Don't Panic"

The varsity Hockey team came up a little short on Wednesday night, February 1st, in a 3-1 loss against the Hebrew Academy of Nassau County (HANC). Their record is now 5-5 giving them a strong shot at the playoffs.

"We played hard," said junior Dovi Barris, "but their goalie played a great game. He was unstoppable."

Coach Tzvi Hershenov is looking forward to the rematch against HANC this Sunday, 1:30 pm, at HANC.

Interview with the coach, by junior Shlomo Sprung -

Shlomo Sprung- I'm talking to Coach Hershenov after the Ravens 3-1 loss at home to Hanc. Why did Rambam lose this game?
Coach Hershenov- Even though the score was 3-1, we really were winners last night. That was our best effort out there all season. Their goalie was the difference.
SS- What makes their goalie so good?
CH- He's big, and has great reflexes. He has to be screened or rebounded off of to get it past him.
SS- Speaking of goalies, how did Chaim Schiff (Rambam goalie) play?
CH- He was strong. He played really well and made two huge saves.
SS- David Block scored the team's only goal. How did he put it past their goalie?
CH- On a really good wrist shot while the goalie was screened by traffic in front of the net. Block guaranteed that he would score before the game. He delivered.
SS- Even though the Ravens lost, is this match something that the team could build on going into the second half of the home-and-home series with HANC?
CH- 100 percent. We gave our best effort, all three lines played well, and they got good shots off. Our next big opportunity is on Sunday.
SS- Seize the opportunity coach, and thanks.

The Rambam Chess team continued their undefeated season with a 4 1/2 - 2 1/2 victory over the Hebrew Academy of Five Towns and Rockaway (HAFTR) on Wednesday, February 1st.

"The team really stepped it up and came through," said team member Chaim Stauber.

The Rambam Math team came up with a big victory at the Nassau County Interscholastic Mathematics League Math Meet at Davis Renov Stahler (DRS) High School on Wednesday, February 1st, scoring a meet-high 20 points.

Under the tutelage of Rambam Professor Peter Sinclair and senior Jonathan Ziring, the Math team is driving toward their most successful season.

"It's gratifying," said team member Raffi Holzer, "but we still have quite a few meets left this year."

Think you know math? Click here to see sample questions and answers from the meet.

The Rambam Math team is: Team #1 - Josh Bloom, Steven Goldman, Ariel Habshush, Daniel Himber, Raffi Holzer, Yehuda Isseroff, Sender Klein, Yossi Schlusselberg, Chaim Stauber, Jonathan Ziring.

Team #2 - Aryeh Amsel, Avi Bernstein, Avishai Fuss, Naftali Gluck, Naftali Lubin, Avrumi Perl.