By Zeke Miller (’07), DRS Address Student Editor In Chief

Every year, the week before winter vacation starts, Rabbi Kaminetsky is noticeably absent from school, but he is never far from the DRS family, as he and Rabbi Storch fly to Israel to visit DRS alumni studying in Israel for the year. This year they visited fifteen Yeshivot and met with approximately eighty-five DRS graduates. Rabbi Kaminetsky personally met with all the graduates for at least fifteen minutes in order to see how they were doing. He also hosted two reunions, one for those in Shana Alef, and the other for Shana Bet and above at Yeshivat Netiv Aryeh in Yerushalayim.

DRS is very proud of its record of students who go to Yeshiva in Israel for a year. In this past year’s graduating class, 58 of 59 students went to Israel, in addition to the 25 students still there from the class of 2004.

By Zeke Miller (’07), DRS Address Student Editor In Chief

This past Monday night DRS hosted College Night for Juniors. This evening is considered to be the kick-off of the college admissions process. All aspects of the college admissions process from meeting with the college guidance office, to getting letters of recommendations, to acquiring scholarships were addressed. As usual, College Guidance Head Mrs. Hefter put together an enormously informative and helpful program.

The program began with Rabbi Kaminetsky introducing the admissions process and letting parents know about certain school policies. He was followed by Mr. Feldman who went over options for next year’s electives for rising seniors. Mr. Feldman was then followed by Mr. Rahr who presented parents and students with scholarship and financial aid information. He also distributed information regarding corporate scholarships and the like. Last but certainly not least, DRS College Guidance director, Mrs. Eva Hefter spoke about the rigors of the application process and about upcoming deadlines for the SAT exam. She also told parents and students how to schedule meetings with her to go over college options.

Overall, this program was incredibly successful and informative. Both parents and students were given the tools they need in order to begin working on college applications. Perhaps the only person not ready was Rabbi Kaminetsky, who remarked that when this night comes around, for him, it is the beginning of the end. He once saw the now juniors as freshman walking in to DRS for the first time and now envisions them walking up to the podium to receive their diplomas.

This past Wednesday DRS students were treated to a special program on Techelet. Mr. Joel Guberman of the Petil Techeles Institute in Israel showed students what Techelet is and where it comes from. Students had a chance to make their own Techelet and dye wool in the color of Techeles. Mr. Guberman also explained the science behind Techelet dying and why it has been only recently that it has been re-discovered. DRS students thoroughly enjoyed the program. We give special thanks to the Berger family for sponsoring the event.

Yair Saperstein ’08

In what has become a beautiful DRS tradition, Rabbi Willig once again lead a group from his shiur to Eretz Yisroel to spend their winter vacation immersed in the study of Torah. The students learned in the famed Mir Yeshiva, and had the opportunity to learn in a bet medrash with hundreds of other young men, studying the second and third perakim of Bava Batra.

They also had the great opportunity of meeting many gedolim, including Rav Asher Arielli, Rav Nissim Kaplan, Rav Duvi Kaplan, Rav Yaakov Moshe Katz, Rav Moshe Kaganoff, and Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel, the Rosh Yeshiva of the Mir. They also made visits to DRS alumni in several Yeshivot, including Yeshivot Sha’alvim and KBY. A highlight of the week was the Friday night Seudah where all of the boys and alumni from previous years joined together with members of the Willig family. This was followed by a very special Melavah Malkah at Rabbi Willig’s nephew’s house complete with Elie Bashevkin (’06) accompanying Rabbi Willig’s nephew on the Guitar. Shabbos day meals were spent at Kollel families homes, which all added to the Ruach of the enlightening and inspiring trip to Israel.

By Aryeh Sklar ‘08

This past week marked a momentous occasion in the history of DRS athletics. Several years in the making, and after months of hard work and practice, our wrestling team, headed by Coach Stas Khaitin, finally began team competition, competing in matches against Kushner and HAFTR, on Sunday, February 5th, and then again with HAFTR on Tuesday, February 7th.

While most of the fans at the match were new to wrestling, they learned quickly that each time a wrestler from DRS takes down the opposing team's wrestler, he gets two points, which is added to the team's score. Each time a person is taken down, but manages to get up, he gets one point. The wrestlers are lined up by weight class, and are pitted against another person who is around the same weight. However, if one is pinned in a match all points gained by both opponents are erased and the one who pinned his opponent scores 6 points, which goes on his team's score.

In the match against Kushner, our wrestlers persevered through several close encounters and were able to gather enough points to beat Kushner for a historic first victory in the DRS wrestling program.

However, it was not to be in the matches against HAFTR. HAFTR had the upper hand, being an older, more experienced team, and they managed to defeat the DRS team in both matches. Even so, the DRS wrestling team put in a lot of effort, and some of our wrestles really shined individually, like Max Gordon (’09), who went undefeated, pinning both the opposing HAFTR and Kushner wrestlers in his weight class.

The wrestling team looks forward to its next competition this Motzai Shabbat, as they travel to Teaneck, New Jersey to take on TABC. We wish them the best of luck!

By Jeremy Watman (’07)

This past Wednesday the freshmen attended the Gambling Prevention Workshop, where they learned the harms of gambling and the many different ways gambling can be done, from poker to football pools to dice. Parents and students heard from Rabbi Kaminetsky, watched a video showing the effects of gambling, heard from Mr. Chaim Brill, an expert on addictions, and met with a recovering gambling addict who shared his experiences.

Following this, the students split up by shiur and met with school psychologists Mrs. Harary and Rabbi Schafler, as well as Mr. Solomon of Arms Acres Brooklyn Outpatient Services.

While the students took part in their workshops, parents discussed the issues at hand with Mr. Brill, and what they could do to ensure that their children would not become involved with this harmful addiction.

Freshman Yaakov Schuss remarked, “It opened me up to the evils of gambling.” DRS Director of Guidance Rabbi Yudin, who coordinated the program, expressed his satisfaction. “This program was unbelievably successful, and has generated only the most positive feedback.”

Yona Saperstein ‘07

Now that the DRS seniors have applied to various Yeshivot in Israel, it is once again the time of year where the Roshei Yeshivot and other Rabbeim and Talmidei Chachamim from the Yeshivot come to DRS to interview the seniors who have applied to their respective institutions. The Bait Medrash has been filled with seniors diligently studying for their bechinot, alongside the Rabbeim interviewing the seniors.

Many Rabbeim from different Yeshivot have come to DRS to conduct interviews and bechinot. They include: Rav Yosef Nusbacher from Yeshivat Sha’alvim, Rav Mendel Blachman from Kerem B’Yavneh, Rav Moshe Taragin from Yeshivat Har Etzion (Gush) and his brother, Rav Reuven Taragin from Yeshivat Hakotel, Rav Aharon Bina from Yeshivat Netiv Aryeh, Rav Moshe Benovitz from Yeshivat Reishit Yerushalayim, Rav Moshe Gordon from Yeshivat Ohr Yerushalayim, Rabbi Berzon from Yeshivat Sha’arei Mevaseret Tzion, Rabbi Olshin from Yeshivat Torat Shraga, Rav Scott Kahn of Yeshivat Yesodei Hatorah, Rav Chaim Ilson of Yeshivat Derech Hatalmud, Rav Maori of Yeshivat Lev Hatorah, and Rav Kuntsler of Yeshivat Ner Ya’akov. We wish hatzlacha to all the seniors on their interviews and bechinot, and wish all the seniors luck upon being accepted to the yeshiva of their choice.

By Jason Strauss, ’07

This past week was a very important one in DRS sports. The JV hockey team beat HAFTR by a score of 6-0 on Thursday night, February 2nd, and thumped Magen David by the same score on Monday. They remain undefeated and are headed for a great spot in the upcoming playoffs.

The Varsity Wildcats played Frisch on Sunday night. Fans cheered as Daniel Litton scored the only goal in the first two periods. DRS continued to dominate into the third period, when Yoni Fein had two goals and Litton had his second. Yehuda Newman, “The Holy Goalie”, displayed great goaltending and earned the shutout in the 4-0 final score.

Also, on Tuesday, the Varsity basketball team won a key cross-town rivalry game at HAFTR by a score of 68-60, with great contributions from Evan Cohen. Max Gordon won multiple wrestling matches at HAFTR this week as well, showing a positive start to the new addition to DRS sports.

Please come cheer on DRS Wildcats teams in upcoming key games, including JV hockey at HAFTR at 8PM on Saturday night, Varsity hockey at DRS against HAFTR on February 14 at 8PM, and Varsity basketball at DRS against HANC on February 16 at 7PM.

All DRS Students, prospective 8th grade students, fathers, and Alumni are invited to an exciting program Thursday night, February 16. Beginning at 8:00 pm, there will be father son learning, followed by a concert by world renown artist Shlomo Katz. Join us for unlimited Dougie’s and unlimited Ruach! Please call the school at 516-295-7700, x102 to RSVP.