In This Issue
	Facing the Challenges of Substance Abuse Eighth Annual DRS Melava Malka Achdut Honor Society Members Inducted! The Israel Yeshivot Application Process DRS Chesed Update

Eighth Annual DRS Melava Malka

Over 500 people attended an annual DRS tradition, the eighth annual Parent Son Melave Malka. Abbas, imas, and talmidim gathered in the decked-out DRS gym for a night of food, divrei torah, torah growth and midot awards, a slide show, and a vigorous installment of hard-core DRS ruach, led by the Neshoma Orchestra. DRS 11th grade Rebbe and Student Services Coordinator Rabbi Nesanel Gralla led off the evening with penetrating divrei torah on the integrity needed for a rebbe to be a role model for students. The Torah Growth awards came next, and we wish mazal tov to all the winners: Sophomores Joey Kramer, Max Gottfried and Chanoch Schrier; Juniors Joey Lehman, Daniel Hefter, Alon Mallin, and Eli Sklar; and seniors Meir Schubowitz, Dovid Schulman, David Weiss, and Zvi Shapiro. One of the highlights of the event each year is the presentation of the grade-wide midot award, voted on and awarded to one boy from each grade. We wish Mazal Tov to Sophomore Barry Eichenbaum, Junior Evan Cohen, and Senior Josh Reich on their well-deserved honors. The crowd was then treated to a ten-minute slide show put together by the amazing techno-wizard Sophomore Jason Hagler, who we thank for his outstanding efforts. Finally, fathers, sons and Rabbeim danced the night away to the beat of Michael Nadata, Ari Boianjou, and our own parent Avi Feinberg. All in all, an inspiring invigorating night was had by all. Click HERE for a photo gallery of pictures from the DRS Parent Son Melava Malka! »

Achdut Honor Society Members Inducted!

This past Monday evening, we had the pleasure to induct the new members of the National Honor Society, Achdut Chapter. The group, comprised of juniors and seniors, was welcomed into the auditorium by the parents and family members, members of the DRS faculty and the current sustaining members of the Society. DRS Principal Mr. Harvey Feldman, welcomed the inductees and explained the significance of the students' achievement in the areas of Scholarship, Leadership, Character and Service. He then inducted DRS Mathematics Chairman, Mr. David Weinstein, as an Honorary Member of the Achdut Chapter and presented him with a beautiful plaque. Mr. Weinstein now joins our last year's inductee, Rabbi Yisroel Kaminetsky. Our talented faculty member, Mr. Howard Abramowitz, led the audience in the singing of the Star Spangled Banner and Hatikva. DRS Menahel, Rabbi Yisroel Kaminetsky, congratulated the students and inspired them with divrei Torah encouraging them to keep up their outstanding work. We were delighted to welcome our guest speaker, Mr. Hillel Davis, Vice President for University Life at Yeshiva University, who delivered a moving message to the inductees, encouraging them to 'write their own music' as they pursue further academic and career paths in a true Torah way. The new inductees then participated in the candle lighting ceremony and received their certificates and a gift from Mr. Steward Rahr, Assistant Principal, and Mrs. Eva Hefter, Honor Society Advisor. Newly inducted member, Baruch Shalom Abittan, concluded the ceremonies with a moving musical rendition, accompanied by Mr. Eli Zomick on the keyboard. There were tears of pride on the parents' faces, and beaming smiles of nachat throughout the audience. A Special Mazal Tov to all the inductees: Boruch Shalom Abittan, Boruch Yechiel Abittan, David Aharonoff, Yossi Berger, Rafi Blumenthal, Yoni Bryk, Tzvi Cederbaum, Chaim Chovev, Benjamin Eghbali, Daniel Elefant, Michael Feldman, Steven Feldman, Ari Feldstein, Steven Genachowski, Chaim Gross, Daniel Hefter, Avi Heinberg, Ariel Jacob, Joey Lehman, Judd Lindenfeld, Joshua Lobell, Yosef Miller, Isaac Orenbuch, Gabi Orner, David Rifkin, Elliot Samuels, Yona Saperstein, Aryeh Schlusselberg. Dan Shekhtikhin, Eli Sklar, Etan Slomovic, Andy Stahler, Sammy Steiner, Aaron Weiss and Oriel Zarifpoor. Click HERE for pictures from the DRS Achdut Honor Society Induction Ceremony! »

The Israel Yeshivot Application Process

The decision of which Yeshiva to attend in Israel is a complicated one for many of the seniors. There are over 20 yeshivot to choose from each with different emphases, hashkafot and academic levels. DRS has a full program to guide each student through this difficult process to insure that he will attend the yeshiva that suits him best. The process begins in September and October with a one on one meeting with Rabbi Storch, our excellent director of Israel guidance, where each student has an opportunity to explore why he is going to Israel, his goals and what type of yeshiva he is looking for. At the conclusion of the meeting, Rabbi Storch will help the student choose approximately three yeshivot that correspond to what the student is looking for. In the first week of November we host Israel night in yeshiva. This year, the program began with Rabbi Kaminetsky explaining the importance of a year study in Israel. Rabbi Storch followed with an explanation of the very complicated application process. Then each senior and their parents had an opportunity to select three yeshivot out of 20 to visit and learn of their unique qualities. Overall it was a very informative night. Elly Warman said "Wow, I never knew how exciting some of the yeshivot sounded. It gives me a whole new perspective on the decision". During November and December each Yeshivah sends a representative into the machshava classroom to give a model lesson similar to what a shiur would be like in their yeshiva. Dovid Schulman said "Each time a rebbe comes from Israel I appreciate some of the nuances of that particular Yeshiva". After some presentations the boys have an opportunity to meet with the representatives one on one for a shmooze to learn more about the Rebbe and Yeshivah. The boys must apply to yeshivot by a given date in December. Rabbi Storch handles all applications and sends them as one unit to the Yeshivot. After winter break the boys have to take their bechinot for entrance. Each Yeshivah stresses a different area of importance for their bechina so the boys have to be on their toes in their learning to guarantee their acceptance. By March the yeshivot let the students know if they have been accepted and the seniors must make their final decisions in April. Overall it is a very trying process to insure that each boy finds the right "shidduch" in terms of the yeshiva he chooses. But that might not be the most important part of the process because as Rabbi K says "the most important part of the decision is not where to go but rather what you do once you get there". We wish the seniors luck in their decisions; but most of all, wherever you go In Israel, we will never forget you in DRS!! Click HERE to learn more about Yeshivot in Israel »

DRS Chesed Update

In designing the Judaic Studies curriculum, the Yeshiva seeks to take the learning beyond the classroom, and make it something real and applicable to the talmidim. One way of doing this is through our Chesed program. This week, several 11th grade students spent time visiting with and entertaining residents at the Woodmere Rehabilitation Center, a local nursing home. Before the trip, Student Activity Director Rabbi Eli Brazil met with the students to discuss strategies for working with the elderly, and when they arrived, the residents could not stop telling the boys about how they love it when they come to visit and that they are always looking forward to visits from DRS students. The main purpose of the visit was to bring ruach and laughter into the home, and the students, accompanied by Rabbis Brazil and Gralla, were very successful. The highlight of the day was when Daniel Rothman got up in front of the entire room and started to sing and dance. He gave everyone a big laugh and put a smile on all of their faces. We look forward to many return visits by our students.