THE RAMBAM RECORD
The eNewsletter of Rambam Mesivta High School
November 17, 2006 / 25 Cheshvan

STUDENTS COMMEMORATE VETERAN'S DAY; DACHAU LIBERATOR ADDRESSES STUDENTS

In commemoration of Veteran’s Day, Sgt. Curtis Whiteway, a World War II veteran who served in the 99th Infantry Division, discussed his experiences in the liberation of the infamous Dachau concentration camp. Sgt. Whiteway, who addressed Rambam students on Tuesday and HAFTR students on Wednesday, is an internationally recognized expert on the Holocaust, and has previously been honored by the Five Towns Jewish Community for his war time efforts. He was also instrumental in the liberation of Hadamar, one of the first Nazi killing centers. Hadamar was the center at which “euthanasia killings” of children and adults with disabilities occurred. Sgt. Whiteway, in collaboration with the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, has extensively researched and documented the murders, human experimentation, military psychiatry and resettlement and rehabilitation of Nazi doctors into the American medical community.

The Veteran’s Day assemblies began with an address by Rabbi Yotav Eliach who gave students some perspective on what they were about to hear. “Freedom is not free,” Rabbi Eliach declared. “Sixty years ago, Jews were hunted; we were prey. It is because of heroes like Sgt. Whiteway that we are sitting in this room today.”

After a short clip from the WWII movie “Saving Private Ryan,”Sgt. Whiteway addressed the students, providing them with some background about his experiences in the front lines before discovering the camps. “We were never warned that they were concentration camps. When we found them, we had no idea what they were.” Sgt. Whiteway described the horror and devastation of the camps, the “deplorable conditions, the sunken eyes and shaved heads and the unimaginable filth.” He also described the clothes, jewelry and piled bodies that attested to what had occurred.

Sgt. Whiteway is a living witness to the Nazi’s campaign to destroy world Jewry. He has educated people across the country about what he witnessed and his research into the “euthanasia killings” and human experimentation committed by the Nazis has been documented by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

Sgt. Whiteway is one of the countless U.S. soldiers who fought bravely against the Nazis, who bear witness to the horrors of the camps,” explained Rosh HaYeshiva, Rabbi Zev Meir Friedman. “We want our students to recognize the role the U.S. troops played in ending the war. We have tremendous hakarat hatov for the American liberation forces and this country’s great sacrifices to ensure the survival of the Jewish people.”

COLLEGE GUIDANCE OPENS DOORS FOR SENIORS

College application season has begun and while students are busily (okay, frantically) writing essays and collecting recommendations, Rambam’s Director of Student Guidance, Prof. Lisa Korman, is meeting with representatives from universities across the country.

On Monday, November 20, Prof. Korman will participate Yeshiva University’s College Advisor Seminar which attracts advisors actively meeting with university representatives.The YU seminar includes meetings with the Deans about academic programs, honors programs post-college opportunities and campus life. The seminar not only presents the prospects available for our students but also creates a network of advisors from some of the country’s most prestigious yeshiva day school programs.

Students were excited about the celebrated CUNY Honors College Programs at the CUNY Graduate Center in Manhattan, where Rambam alumni are disporportionately represented. Honors College offers small, supportive programs, research opportunities, high-level internships, mentoring, interdisciplinary courses and grants.

RAMBAM HOSTS MINI OPEN HOUSE

As a follow up to its November 5th Open House, that was attended by over 300 prospective students and parents, this past Monday Rambam opened its doors to yet another group of parents and prospective students who were seeking to get a taste of all that Rambam Mesivta has to offer its talmidim.

After opening addresses by Rabbi Yotav Eliach and Rabbi Zev Meir Friedman, attendees visited various classes to learn about curriculum and approach and get a sense of the warmth and excellence that Rambam is all about.

RABBI FINK'S DAY OUT AT DOUGIE'S

Learning with your rebbe is always fun and somehow Dougie's brings out the flavor of that wonderful experience. Last week, talmidim in Rabbi Fink's shiur had the best of both worlds. A little shwarma, a little shish kebob and the boys were ready to go right back to the enjoyment of Rabbi Fink's shiur.

YU/MACHON BEIT MIDRASH PROGRAM A GREAT SUCCESS

The YU/Machon HaTorah Community Beit Midrash program has been an overwhelming success. This week’s shiurim were given to students of the HAFTR division by Rabbi Rothstein on Monday night, and Rabbi Rothstein also gave shiur at Wednesday night’s dinner and learning. Rabbi Hirtz gave shiur on Tuesday night, with Thursday night’s TNL given by Rabbi Yosef Ziskind.

Join the Machon HaTorah TNL…over 130 talmidim served and counting!

Rambam Raven's motzei shabbat game against the Wildcats was nail-bitingly close through the first quarter of play as Rambam held a slim 3 point lead. But in the 2nd, the Ravens turned up the heat. Rambam Head Coach Avrum Stein employed a ruthless press and turned DRS errors into points resulting in an 11-point halftime lead. Rambam maintained the intensity through the 2nd half and beat the Wildcats by the score of 39-31. Rambam Junior Jeremy Siegal had 14 points on the game while big man Eli Schulman had 9 points and an impressive day on the glass.

-Jonah Steinmatz

Rambam ravens JV hockey lost last night to Magen David. The players credited Magen David goalie with the win. “We think we outplayed them and know we out-shot them by a significant margin,” says defenseman Hillel Gross. “But their goalie did a great job. We had some defensive lapses on our part and need to focus on fixing these for future games “

So while our hockey teams suffered some painful losses, the Ravens Varsity basketball team beat Westchester by a nerve-rattling 3 points. David Safrani scored 11 points and Sruli Szpigiel managed to rack up an amazing 13 points before being injured.

It's Machon vs. Machon this Motzei Shabbat as HAFTR and Rambam square off in a JV/ Varsity doubleheader. The JV game opens the festivities at 7:30 on the Rambam campus of Machon HaTorah.

WE'LL SEE YOU THERE!

NEW UNIFORMS!!!!

Rambam students have a new look these days. Specially-designed jerseys for the hockey team have arrived! at both campuses this week. So, show some school spirit and come to cheer the team--they're looking better than ever!

This past Friday, Shlomo Yosef Simpser added a very special component to Friday’s tish: a siyum on Seder Moed in Mishnayos.

But Simpser isn’t stopping there. In fact, this is the second seder in Mishnayos he has completed and he is working on completing all six before his brother’s bar-mitzvah. “Everyone’s preparing for the bar-mitzvah. I’m preparing by learning.”

• Josh Heller (Rambam, 99) on the birth of twin girls