Warriors' Week in Review

Dear Parents,

What an amazing week it has been at MDYHS - filled with exciting programs and events.  It is an honor for me to share a glimpse of some of them with you.

Last night, the Department of College Guidance & Career Counseling Services, under the direction of Mrs. Debbie Solomon and assisted by Mr. Steven Harris, Mr. Daniel Zide, and Ms. Tova Werner, hosted the annual MDYHS College Fair.  Seventeen colleges and universities were represented, including such popular MDYHS choices as Barnard, Baruch, Brooklyn, FIT, Macaulay Honors, NYU, and Sophie Davis.  We were honored to have two senior level admissions officers among the representatives - Ms. Marianne Boufall-Tynan, the Director of Enrollment Management of the entire Macaulay Honors College, and Mr. Christopher Wanyonyi, the Director of Admissions of the Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Studies.  Parents and students had the opportunity not only to learn about various college programs, admissions criteria, tuition assistance, and life on campus, but they also had the opportunity to establish relationships with some of the college officers who will be reading their applications and taking part in the admissions decisions.  This is a great way for our students to get an "edge" in the college acceptance process.  I was so proud to hear from the various representatives about how impressed they were with the students and parents that they met.

Magen David's involvement in our students' college experience does not stop at the students' acceptances to the colleges of their choice.  We are pleased to offer our students ongoing career guidance during their college years as well.  Our very own Dr. Abe Tawil has made himself available for mentoring and counseling our alumni, and many of our graduates have already seized this wonderful opportunity.  I have seen the outpouring of gratitude in emails sent to Dr. Tawil for his invaluable assistance to our alumni.  The foundation that has been set at MDYHS for our students' success continues well beyond our own hallways and classrooms.

And speaking of success, on Monday our entire senior class had the privilege of participating in the inaugural seminar Risk to Succeed led by Mr. Ricky Cohen, chairman and CEO of Conway, and sponsored by Morgan Stanley Wealth Management.  While Risk to Succeed will be instituted at other schools in the tri-state area as well, MDYHS is the first school to host this wonderful program, which is designed to guide the students in factors and strategies necessary for success in career and in life.  Students were spellbound as they listened and then participated in Mr. Cohen's workshops, which were built on themes explored by his recently published book - and which are designed as a series to continue throughout the year.  The program ties in beautifully with the famed MDYHS Senior Internship Program.  (Please see the attached photo from the seminar).

On a related note, our Principles of Investment class, led by Mr. Daniel Kamelhar, visited the NY Stock Exchange this week.  Students learned about the history of the Exchange, its merger with Euronext, and the various markets including those of commodities and bonds.  They then had the special privilege of seeing the market in action from the trading floor itself.  Our future entrepreneurs and investors are well on their way!  (Please see the attached photos from this amazing trip).  While some MDYHS students were learning about futures, others were learning about pasts.  The entire 9th grade, led by Mr. Joe Naftaly, Mrs. Joanne Auman, and Mrs. Natalie Greenberg, visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  Guided by specific instructions and assignments - including an "art scavenger hunt" project - our students conducted a comparative study of artifacts from ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome.  (Please see the attached photos from this stimulating visit).  And from the future and the past, we move to the present, where Mrs. Stephanie Shamah brought her Literature Across Cultures classes to New York's Lower East Side.  Before the trip, students were tasked with creating original T-shirts depicting artworks or sayings associated with New York.  Wearing their own handiwork, students were led by a professional tour guide through the former "Five Points," the Jewish Lower East Side, Chinatown, and Little Italy.  Our classes had the chance to appreciate the layers of ethnic history in New York, and thereby learn about themselves and other people.  (Please see the attached photo from this wonderful tour).

Last night, Magen David's Student Government Organization (SGO), under the leadership of Yoni Hadar, arranged a "Thursday Night Learning & Cholent" event.  Rabbi Reuven Jacobsohn and I had the joyous privilege of teaching the students a shiur on the topic of Hanukkah while they feasted on delicious cholent.  The great bonding between teachers and students while they learned lishmah - not for an exam or an assignment, but for its own sake - is inspiring.  One of the students put it best when he said, "This program is great - food for the stomach and food for the soul!"

And while on the topic of the beautiful neshamot of our students, I was so proud of the MDYHS student body as they sponsored "A Day of Relief" for young boys and girls in Israel who had experienced the trauma of missile attacks in their neighborhoods.  In a program coordinated by our own Rabbi Nir Shalom and our Director of Hessed Programs Ms. Elyse Nadjar, more than 1,000 youth from southern Israeli cities came to a major mall in Israel to have fun - they were joined by volunteers and artists for a host of enjoyable programs, and the boys and girls were given gifts at the end of the day.  The event was so inspiring that Israeli radio broadcast a story about it - and they mentioned MDYHS's role in the program!  (Please listen to the attached audio clip from that radio broadcast).  What a beautiful way to reach out and make a great difference in the lives of others!

Finally, I am pleased to report that our Girls Varsity Volleyball team, under the wonderful leadership of coaches Margie Mathews and Michele Cohen, defeated the team of Bruriah High School by a score of 2-0 in the opening match of the season.  And our Boys Junior Varsity Basketball team, under the great leadership of coach Aaron Shasha, was victorious over the team of JEC by a score of 68-54.  Jack Chehebar and Joseph Grazi were the high scorers with 19 points each.  Go Warriors!  Look for all the sports scores as well as other breaking news at MDYHS in the latest issue of our student newspaper, The Flame, which came out today.

As always, please accept my warmest wishes for a Shabbat Shalom and for a great week ahead!

Sincerely yours,

Rabbi Saul Zucker