By Yitzi Diskind (’08) and Zeke Miller (‘07), DRS Address Student Editor in Chief

This past Thursday, the DRS Debate team, under the leadership of their coach, Mr. Gerald Schmugar, in an extraordinary display of debating talent, scored their first major win of the season, going 6-2. The subject of this debate, which took place at the Rambam Mesivta, was whether insider trading should be legalized. The teams were Chesky Kopel (’08) and Eli Wolf (’09) on one affirmative team, and co-captain Elliot Schrier (’07) and Yoni Fein (’07) for the other affirmative team. The two negative teams were made up of Chaim Frankel (’07) along with Mordy Fenster (’07) and Mark Weingarten (’09) and captain Sammy Steiner (’06). Along with them were Yitzi Diskind (’08) and Avi Miodownik (’09) as alternates and observers.

Besides for the outstanding record of 6-2, DRS took home two awards: overall first place team, (Elliot Schrier and Yoni Fein,) and first place speaker, Elliot Schrier. Debate team coach Mr. Schmugar said about these great achievements, “I’m very proud of the boys, and I hope that this trend continues for many years to come.” Co-captain Elliot Schrier, who got the best overall scores of any of the approximately 100 students who participated in the debate, was very happy that DRS came home with 2 trophies, and hopes that “we will continue our successful ways.”

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

Every once in a while, something happens at DRS that is just so amazing, so completely uplifting, that all you can do is shake your head in wonderment. Last Thursday night was one of those experiences. The average Thursday night in DRS is lively enough.The Bait Medrash is hopping all night with students in our Mishmar and Night Seder programs, learning alongside students participating in our much heralded Kulanu mentoring program. And the official scent of DRS (Dougie’s) fills the entire dining room wing of the campus, as students from three separate programs enjoy the refreshments after learning.

But this night was different. Take all of the learning and Dougie’s. Now add students from Ohel home in Woodmere. Add more Dougie’s. Add world-renowned singer Shlomo Katz. Add a little more Dougie’s. Finally, add prospective eighth grade students and their fathers, who were invited to get a glimpse of the ‘DRS Experience’ in action. You are left with over 300 people learning, laughing, and dancing with enough ruach to shake the floor. It was truly an incredible event. Everyone in the extended DRS family had a wonderful time, and the eighth graders and their fathers were visibly impressed with the program.

“It was really a great experience to spend time with students from Kulanu and Ohel and the prospective freshman; the Ruach was great” said Elliot Schrier (’07). These words were echoing throughout the halls of DRS for the next few days after this incredible program. Director of Student Programs Rabbi Emerson added that from a recruiting perspective, “this event was exactly what we wanted. We spend a lot of time and energy describing the ‘DRS Experience’ to prospective students and their parents. This program allowed them to see and experience it firsthand.”

This past week we had the opportunity to welcome prospective eighth grade students to come see a typical day at DRS. The students were lead by DRS student guides, and had the opportunity to sit in on classes, meet with faculty, and observe the daily schedule firsthand. This week we welcomed students from YCQ, South Shore, HAFTR, Har Torah, HANC, and Derech Hatorah. We wish them much hatzlacha in their school choices.

Our ninth grade students were surprised to find Mrs. Eva Hefter in the room when they walked into their computer class. Mrs. Hefter, Librarian and College Guidance Director, is presenting a series of lessons in library research to assist our students with their research projects. Working collectively with our computer teacher, Rabbi Moshe Erlbaum, students were shown the use of the library card to access the vast collections of the Nassau County Library System for in-depth research in numerous study areas, including Literature, Music, Science, Global Studies, Mathematics, Art, Health and Physical Education.

The databases which are available through the Nassau County Library System are far more extensive than "Googling" and offer a deeper analysis of the issues. All our freshmen who did not have library cards were given cards from the Peninsula Public Library, enabling them to carry out their research even from the comfort of their homes, irrespective of the county or borough they live in.

By Jason Strauss (’07)

Wednesday morning the Juniors packed onto buses after davening to head to Washington Heights. Yeshiva University is running a special seforim sale, and DRS would be a part of it. First the students headed into the YU high school building (MTA) for a few words from Rav Mordechai Willig. Rabbi Willig spoke about last week’s parsha, Yisro, and its connection to choices. Yitro started off as a priest for idol worship in Midyan as the parsha first describes him, but as the parsha progresses and he chooses to serve Hashem he is called only the father-in-law of Moshe. As opposed to the rest of the world, Klal Yisroel has an obligation to enjoy this world of physical pleasures in a proper way such as meals on Shabbat, and mix it with spirituality. That is why the end of the transformation of Yitro is when the Torah tells us “they ate with the father-in-law of Moshe before Hashem”. Rav Willig explained that we must take what we learn in secular studies and what we learn in shiur to make a similar transformation and combination into lives in this world that are spiritual, and full. The seforim that the students bought should be chosen carefully to help make sure that everyone can do just that.

The students then walked to the sale, the largest seforim sale in North America. Hundreds of seforim filled the tables, including everything from Mussar to Halacha, Gemara to Tanach, English to Hebrew and Yiddish. There were Jewish CDs, Holocaust books, and many commentaries on Shas. Some bought only one sefer and some bought bags full in a room that was packed with all kinds of Jews buying books of Torah. The experience was uplifting, and hopefully will help bring Rav Willig’s words to reality.

By Jason Strauss (’07)

As the season nears an end for the basketball and hockey Wildcats, the competition gets more intense than ever. Tuesday night the Varsity hockey team visited cross-town rivals the HAFTR Flames in a key division game. The battle between these two great teams was fierce, with cheering from both schools fans filling the room. Daniel Litton scored the only goal in the exciting 1-1 tie.

A season deciding game took place on Thursday when the Varsity basketball team took on TAB in DRS. After the first quarter of the game, DRS was leading 10-5, with half of the 10 points scored by Yehoshua Joseph who was one of the starters. In the next eight minutes, TAB started to come back with the score closing to 25-23. Evan Cohen hit a 3-pointer as part of a 7-point quarter. The Wildcats held the lead through the second half, as Judd Lindenfeld hit four free throws in the fourth quarter in a ten point half, leading to a final score of 52-45, DRS. High scorers were Cohen with 13 points, Lindenfeld with 12, and Joseph with 8.

The atmosphere in DRS is full of excitement and anticipation, as all four teams prepare for the playoffs. The season seemed long, but as any sports fan knows, all the wins come down to whether a team makes the post season. DRS has accomplished that and more, without leaving any of its teams behind.

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

Many DRS students participated in the TLN Shabbaton in Connecticut this past weekend. Participants, led by student representative Yoni Mandelstam attended the two night, 3 day shabbaton. They had a great time spending shabbat with their favorite Madrichim, including some of the DRS Chabura leaders, as well as notable Rabbis from the area including Rabbi Blachman, Rabbi Beitler from MTA, Rav Moshe Taragin, and Rav Mordechai Willig and Rabbi Brander of YU.

This amazing program, sponsored by Yeshiva University, brings local high school students together to have a fun shabbat packed with Ruach and singing. It also emphasizes the importance of learning. One of the great things that began at this program was a Siyum Mishnayot for Shavuot where all participants would learn Mishnayot in order to finish all six Sedarim by Shavuot. The highlight of the program was a Saturday night concert by Shlomo Katz. This wonderful program is an extension of the popular Thursday Night TLN mishmar program at YU. DRS students all had an amazing time and got a tremendous amount out of the program.

The DRS G.O. and Student Activities Office is gearing up for its annual fund raiser for Od Yosef Chai. If you would like to donate funds or volunteer to help collect funds, please call Rabbi Brazil at 516-295- 7700, x111.

The DRS G.O. is gearing up for a rocking Rosh Chodesh Adar! If you want to participate in the Talent Show on Wednesday, please sign up at the student activity office.