THE RAMBAM RECORD
The eNewsletter of Rambam Mesivta High School
September 27, 2004

Rambam Mourns the Passing of Coach William Wiener

Rambam Principal Rabbi Yotav Eliach, addressed the silent students with heartfelt words: "It's always difficult to take when a member of the school passes away. It's a loss and we all feel it. He taught me more than how to coach basketball. He taught me how to approach kids. He was someone I could always talk to and when he spoke to me, I listened. The loss of this man was very personal. I cried when I heard of his passing this weekend."

Rambam Rosh HaMesivta, Rabbi Zev Meir Friedman, added: (Read more...)

Rambam Hosts Annual T'Shuvathon

On Sunday morning, September 19, approximately 250 fathers and sons gathered at Rambam for a thought-provoking, inspirational shiur on the topic of "Tzom Gedaliah and the Teshuva Experience."

The shiur was given by Rabbi Reuven Mann, Menahel of Yeshiva Bnei Torah and Mora D'Asara, Congregation Rinat Yisrael in Plainview who spoke passionately about how to avoid the pitfalls of Tovel U'Sheretz b'Yado and how to engage in a proper, meaningful process of teshuva.

Tovel u’Sheretz b’Yado refers to a person who immerses in a purifying mikvah but holds a contaminating object in hand while doing so, thus nullifying his virtuous act. This is comparable to a person who says he will do teshuva but is not completely committed to it, maintaining a connection to the aveira even as he attempts to do teshuva. True teshuva requires a clean break with the aveiros of the past. Not only must we feel that an aveira is wrong, but we must channel that remorse into a commitment for the future, never to return to our prior misdeeds.

Fathers, brothers, and grandfathers gathered to learn in a beis medrash style preparation of source material with their sons. This was followed by the shiur, then questions and answers with Rabbi Mann. The gathering truly set the tone for the Yamim Noraim.

Evening Learning Program

The schedule is now set for our 2004-05 evening beis medrash learning opportunity available to all of our talmidim. This optional program further enhances the ability of the talmidim to learn on their own.

Monday 8:00 - 9:30pm - Rabbi Yitzchak Friedman will supervise chevrusa style learning in our Beis Medrash on the main floor, room 104.

Tuesday 6:00 - 7:00pm - Gemara shiur b'Iyun, Meseches Megillah, given by Rabbi Avi Haar in our Beis Medrash on the main floor, room 104.

Wednesday 8:00 - 9:30pm - - Rabbi Yitzchak Friedman will supervise chevrusa style learning in our Beis Medrash on the main floor, room 104.

Thursday 8:00 - 9:00pm - Rabbi Yosef Ziskind will give a Gemara shiur b'Iyun followed by a parsha shiur in our Beis Medrash on the main floor, room 104. Adults are invited to this shiur and encouraged to attend.

These shiurim will take place weekly and will in general follow the school calendar.

Student Prepare for the SATs

Rambam students will be more prepared than ever to take the SATs this year.

Led by Mrs. Debbie Solomon, Rambam's College Guidance Counselor, the freshmen will take part in our PPSAT Program that partners with Princeton Review. On September 22, freshman students took a pre-preliminary SAT exam. The analysis of the test by the Princeton Review identifies a student's strengths and weaknesses in writing skills, mathematical problem-solving and critical reading skills.

Parents are strongly encouraged to attend a seminar at Rambam on October 20 at 7:30pm that explains how to interpret individualized results. In the past, this evening has received rave reviews, as parents have appreciated the insight into their son's academic capabilities. Most importantly, these current and objective results allow parents to partner with our school to help improve student performance. These efforts have paid off. The average score for Rambam students taking the SATs last year was a 1290. (Read more...)

"Enjoying Yom Tov – By Sharing with Others" By Rabbi Zev Meir Friedman, Rosh HaMesivta

As we prepare for the upcoming Succos holiday, the feelings of joy and excitement abound. We all look forward to the festive Yom Tov meals with family and friends. We relish the special moments of explaining to children and grandchildren the meaning and beauty of mitzvas succah. Dancing next to or with children on our shoulders creates lifelong impressions. Who doesn't remember the flags and candy apples WE got as children?

In addition to celebrating with family and friends, there is another dimension to simchas Yom Tov that the Rambam speaks about. In the sixth perek of Hilchos Yom Tov, halacha 18 he says, "when a person eats and drinks (on Yom Tov), he is obligated to feed the convert, orphan, and widow, along with poor, despondent people. One who locks the doors of his courtyard and eats and drinks along with his family, and fails to give food and drink to the poor and broken hearted...this is not simchas mitzvah…but the simcha of his own stomach - self-indulgence with no spiritual overtones. Thus we see that chesed is a cornerstone, if not a prerequisite, of true simchas Yom Tov. Let us follow this lead and search out individuals in our community who would benefit – be it economically, emotionally, or spiritually – from our sharing.

Chag Sameach!

Faculty and parents gathered to help each other in the education of the talmidim at Rambam Meet the Teacher Nights last week.

To the parents of the freshmen, Principal Rabbi Yotav Eliach remarked that the first few weeks of high school are usually marked by extremes. "If your boy is elated right now," he said, "Don't worry he'll come back to reality. Things will start to even out as the school year progresses." (Read more...)

Hockey coach Mr. Scott Firester and Assistant Varsity Basketball Coach Mr. William Wiener conducted tryouts for their respective teams this week. (See article above about Mr. Wiener's passing.) Students put their hearts into the effort in the hopes of securing a place on the teams. (Read more...)

This year, Rambam has begun a new computer class for Sophomores - Web 101.

The class is being taught by Mr. John Stevens, Webmaster and English teacher at the school.

"Today, communicating via the Internet is as important for these students as it was for me to learn how to write cursive script in second grade," said Mr. Stevens.

The course emphasizes learning-by-doing as the students will be creating several websites during the course of the year.

Web 101 includes learning the Macromedia family of web authoring, and image processing software. Learning this industry-standard suite of applications will provide the students with practical communications skills they will be able to employ in whatever career they pursue.

Click here to find out more about the new class.