It was a busy week for DRS sports. The week got underway with a tough loss for the Junior Varsity Hockey team. Playing against local rivals HAFTR, the team led 1-0 on a goal by Eli Margulies and strong goal play from Yehuda Newman. HAFTR tied the game with 8 seconds to go in the 2nd period and took the lead for good with 3 minutes remaining in the game to win 2-1. The teams are now tied for 1st place with another game to be played later in the season. The JV team bounced back in fine fashion with a 9-0 victory over Flatbush. Elie Cohen was in net for his first career shutout while Nafi Orlofsky paced the offense with two goals and two assists.

The Varsity upped its record to 7-1 with an 8-3 win over Flatbush. Mickey Reich played perhaps the finest game in his career accounting for 3 goals and two assists. Mikey Schertz added two goals for the Wildcats. David Weiss increased his goal scoring streak to five games in the victory as well. The hockey team goes on the road again this Sunday with a doubleheader against the always tough TABC Storm. Click on the link below for driving directions to TABC.

The Varsity Basketball team engaged in some good will this Sunday hosting a school from Virginia for a friendly basketball game. During the game it was all business for the Wildcats as they took the early lead and won handily by 30. After the games, pleasantries were exchanged by the two teams as donuts and juice were served and the two teams got to know each other a bit. It was a great experience. Unfortunately the Varsity basketballs winning streak ended at three with a tough loss in TABC. The basketball team is now 4-7 heading into the break with a good chance at making the playoffs.

At DRS, we strive to create an atmosphere where every student feels comfortable learning and developing at his own particular pace. To help maintain this environment, the Yeshiva has assembled a full time guidance team. This move allows for the emotional, social, psychological, educational, and learning needs of the student body to be handled under one office. The redesigned team allows for unprecedented collaboration among the staff in dealing with the various components of individual student needs. As a result, they are able to form a more unified, and ultimately more effective, approach.

The guidance team is led by Rabbi Aryeh Yudin, who serves as Director of Guidance. Rabbi Yudin, also a popular Sophomore Rebbe, has a MS in School Psychology, and serves as the clearinghouse for all information about students needs. He, along with Clinical Psychologist Dr. Neal Goldberg, handles much of the counseling that is done through the guidance office. Mrs. Ruchi Harary, a School Psychologist, overseas the testing and analysis that must be done to help pinpoint a proper intervention for the students. Rabbi Netanel Gralla serves as Director of Special Needs. In this position, he interfaces with the school district and parents to ensure that all students with special accommodations get them. Finally, Rabbi Perry Schafler, MSW, works with students on skill building, particularly in the area of social skills and studying. If you have any questions about the Guidance Department, please call Rabbi Yudin at extension 206.

It was an exciting week in DRS bowling as the Alleycats continued their domination of the league. By beating the MTA Lions on Tuesday night by a score of 25-5, the team is in 1st place going into the playoffs, with a record of 4-0. The high scorers of the game were Meir Shubowitz with a 174 and Jonathon Eskowitz with a 175. The entire season has been total domination by our Alleycats, convincingly defeating every team they encounter. We hope that they will continue their domination into the playoffs and win the championship!

This week the Seniors began taking their bechinot for entrance into yeshiva next year. Rav Mendel Blachman interviewed the boys applying to Kerem B'Yavneh. The boys spent the entire first semester learning in preparation for this very difficult bechina. Rav Blachman gave a shiur as well to the boys, giving them an entirely new insight into the classic understanding of bedikat chametz. Rav Blachman was enjoying his time in DRS so much he gave a machshava class to another group of seniors. It was an amazing analysis on the fundamental differences between the Jews and the Egyptians.

Rav Moshe Taragin came to give a presentation for Yeshivat Har Etzion. His shiur was on the process of Bitul Chamets. His clarity of presentation and thorough analysis "blew the class away". And finally the last presenter of the semester, Rabbi Benjy Kwalwasser, spoke to the seniors about Yeshivat Lev Hatora. He spoke to the boys about striving to find their own individualism in yiddishkeit. The boys were very impressed with these shiurim and look forward to the bechinot coming up in the 2nd semester.

The interview schedule is not complete, but the following is the schedule that we know. Yeshivat Sha'alvim will interview on February 9 and 10, Reishit Yerushalayim and Yeshivat Netiv Aryeh will interview on February 13, and Derech Hatalmud will interview on February 18. We wish all the seniors hatzlacha on their bechinot.

As the first semester of the 04-05 year draws to a close, all members of the DRS family are reminded that the chesed program is an important component of the yeshiva educational experience. In addition to providing students with a chance to look beyond themselves through meaningful and enjoyable volunteer experiences, it is also an academic requirement for each student to engage in 15 hours of chesed activities each semester. This year, the chesed program, ably chaired by Rabbi Eli Brazil, has been an incredible success. From Hat and Coat drives to nursing home visits, DRS students can be found every day of the week helping people in need. Nothing epitomizes DRS Chesed more then this past month's Chayainu Chanukah party, which was held in Israel for terminally ill children. Two current students took it upon themselves to raise money to make Chanukah a special time for these sick children. Our affiliation with Od Yoseph Chai, and the Hebrew Free Burial Soceity are only a couple of examples of what DRS Chesed has accomplished over the past few months.

Giving back to the community is also a critical element of DRS Chesed. We run several different mentoring programs throughout the tri-state area. Currently we have over 15 boys who are mentoring, tutoring and just being a big brother to kids who need some extra help at home. It is not un- common to find a DRS student picking up a child on a Sunday afternoon and going for ice cream with him. The smiles that these mentors bring to these children's faces are priceless.

If you are looking for more ways to get involved in DRS Chesed activities, just download the chesed packet below, or call Rabbi Brazil at extension 111. Every week we are coming up with new and innovative chesed opportunities for the boys to get involved in so please listen to Rabbi Kaminetsky's announcements in the morning and look for sign's about the next exciting opportunity.

The 50th Annual HALB Dinner will take place, IY"H, on Motzai Shabbat, March 12th at the Sands at Atlantic Beach at 8:45pm, where we will pay tribute to "50 Years of Our History". HALB will honor its past presidents who have worked tirelessly to make HALB what it is today. Rabbi Dr. Armin H Friedman will be the recipient of a Distinguished Educator Award and HALB will also present a special Community Service Award to Mr. John Adam Kanas, President, Chairman and CEO of North Fork Bank.

To place an add in our souvenir journal or to make dinner reservations, please call 516-791-8200 x107, fax 516-791-6261, e-mail dinner@halb.org or visit our website through the link below.