The DRS Media Department is pleased to present to you a week in review video to give you a taste of what all of our students experienced this week. Enjoy!

On Tuesday, the DRS students were treated to a moving presentation, as Gadi Goldwasser spoke about his brother, captured Israeli soldier Ehud. Ehud, known by family and friends as Udi, was abducted by Hezbollah terrorists on the last day of his reserves duty in the North. He was taken together with Eldad Regev, and their capture is what sparked the Israel-Lebanon war this past summer. Because the captives are presumed to be alive, the Goldwasser family is persevering in efforts to keep the captives’ story in the news and to place pressure on the international community for their unconditional release. The stories Gadi shared with our students touched many and especially motivated students to become more involved in the captives’ cause.

Gadi spoke about his brother’s personality and the details of the capture. He consistently emphasized that Udi is “not just a soldier” and “not just the photo” shown by the media, rather a caring older brother who is “needed by the world”, in part because of his environmental and intellectual interests. Gadi also noted that the Hezbollah raid was conducted on a regular road in northern Israel. This means that although Udi and Eldad were captured, they were not taken during a military operation as soldiers, but as civilians returning home from the army. Hence Gadi asserted that the Hezbollah raid was in fact a breach of many international security laws, despite what media outlets may say otherwise, and Israel’s cause for invading Lebanon was entirely justified.

Following his statement, Gadi welcomed all questions, touching upon both the personal and the political aspects of the situation. In particular, many students and parents were interested to learn how the local community can act to increase the likelihood of the captives’ speedy release. In response, Gadi highlighted the need to ensure that the situation with the hostages be constantly updated in the news. Furthermore, to enable widespread recognition, informing family and friends of the captives’ circumstances is crucial. Gadi stressed that as a community, one of the most important things we can do is to “never ever forget” the situation of the hostages, and to “stand united.” We would like to express our thanks to Mr. Phil Rosen for arranging Gadi’s presentation at DRS.

By Zeke Miller, Student Editor in Chief, and Yitzi Diskind, Staff Writer

As Jews around the world were preparing for the Jewish new year, students at DRS made sure to take time out to make their voices heard on two very important moral issues. On Sunday, September 17th, DRS students attended the “Save Darfur” rally in New York City’s Central Park. Spearheaded by Chesky Kopel (’08) and Ezra Grushko (’08), the DRS group proudly showed their support for Darfur and the proposition for United Nations Peacekeepers to be sent there by wearing shirts that read “Save Darfur,” as well as blue berets, symbolizing the blue helmets and berets worn by the UN Peacekeepers.

Four days later, the entire DRS 11th and 12th grade class joined over 35,000 people in Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza in front of the United Nations. The rally was a tremendous show of support for Israel, and the participants joined together to demand the immediate release of Israeli MIA’s, as well as protesting the invitation of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahamdinejad to address the UN General Assembly. Students waved Israeli flags, held protest signs and shouted along with the rest of the rally. They heard from notable speakers such as US Ambassador to the UN John Bolton, world renowned Harvard legal professor and advocate for Israel Alan Dershowitz, Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel, as well as religious leaders throughout the New York Area. The rally was sponsored by the JCRC of NY as well as the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations and by all accounts was a tremendous event. Hopefully rallies like these will not be needed again, but if it will be, DRS Students will be there front and center.

By Yair Saperstein, Staff Writer

What better way is there to prepare for Rosh Hashana than to bring fathers and sons together for an inspiring morning of learning? Coming on the heels of a moving motzai Shabbat slichot program, the DRS students and fathers were treated to words of inspiration from Rabbi Benjamin Yudin, spiritual leader of Congregation Shomrei Torah in Fairlawn, New Jersey, and noted contributor on the "JM in the AM" radio show. After tefilla and a special breakfast, fathers and sons packed the Bet Medrash. The room was soon humming with a Kol Torah as the fathers and sons prepared for the shiur by learning mekorot, including several sections of gemara from Mesechet Rosh Hashana. Rabbi Yudin then addressed the group, where he expounded on the significance of the tefillot in the Mussaf for Rosh Hashana. The event was a tremendous success, and was one of the many ways in which the students prepared themselves for the Yomim Noraim.

By Zeke Miller (’07) Student Editor in Chief

DRS has taken yet another step to ensure that the Limudei Kodesh Program in our school is the best one around. This year, DRS is proud to announce the formation of a Yeshiva University Community Kollel, which hosts seven young men from YU's RIETS program in our Bet Medrash every day. Rabbi Kaminetsky commented on how this program is beneficial to DRS, saying “The Yeshiva University Kollel represents Yeshiva University’s commitment to our Yeshiva and their desire to strengthen the bond between our two institutions. It also represents DRS’s commitment to elevate the level of learning and to provide outstanding role models to our students on a daily basis.”

One way that these men add to the learning in DRS is that they are among the leaders of the weekly chaburahs that take place on Friday. Additionally, they are chavrutah to boys in the twice a week Night Seder program. Yoni Posnick, one of the men from the Kollel, expressed his enthusiasm to be a part of the YU Kollel, saying “We’ve enjoyed our time learning, and we’re privileged to be a part of the growing Kol Torah at DRS.” This step by DRS is indicative of their dedication to ensuring torah growth in our community, and is sure to be a success.

An essential element of the Yomim Noraim is tzedaka, and tzedaka day has consequently become an integral component of the DRS student body’s preparation for these days. For the 3rd year in a row, Joey Kramer (’07) served as the able chairman of the tzedaka day proceedings, and for the 3rd year in a row, he oversaw a tzedaka collection effort that shattered previous records. Those ubiquitous blue plastic tzedaka containers were shaking all over the school, as tzedaka volunteers searched far and wide for spare change and generous donations alike, raising a grand total of $2,700.

The collection effort was especially emotional this year, as the students decided in advance that much of the money they raised was going to be used to help Israelis rebuild homes destroyed in northern Israel this summer as a result of rocket attacks from Hezbollah in Lebanon. The money is going to be personally delivered to inhabitants of Tzfat by DRS Rabbeim and students visiting Israel for Sukkot.

By Jason Strauss

DRS welcomed the week of slichot leading up to Rosh Hashana with a unique program. Billed as a way to “exercise the body, mind, and soul,” the yeshiva opened up the gym early motzai Shabbat. Pickup basketball was followed by a melava malka and an amazing kumsitz lead by Rabbi Kaminetsky “unplugged” on guitar. Students, fathers, and faculty joined together in song in what was an incredibly inspirational way to begin slichot.

By Yair Saperstein (‘08), Staff Writer

Learn Torah. Eat Dougie’s. How can a DRS student possibly have more fun? Last Thursday night, over 40 DRS students headed to Yeshiva University for its immensely successful TLN learning program. There, the students were able to learn with students from Yeshiva University, many of who were alumni of DRS, and attended shiurim given by YU Roshei Yeshiva and Rebbeim. The program was well attended by schools from all over the Tri-State area, and our talmidim particularly enjoyed meeting up with their friends from their summer programs, especially the NCSY Kollel, whose members joined together for an impromptu reunion.

Last week, Rabbi Friedman and his 10th grade shiur brought their incredible ruach to the Nautilus Nursing Home in Atlantic Beach. The residents were thrilled to see the boys, and they enthusiastically conversed, danced, and sang with them. But the real highlight was when Rabbi Friedman began his informal concert, a virtual greatest hits parade of Rosh Hashana cantoral classics. We would like to thank Mrs. Anita Weitzman, mother of our own Jonathan (’07), for coordinating this visit, and we look forward to many more.

This year the yeshiva has placed a special emphasis on reinforcing the special relationships that develop within each grade, and last week, the junior class was the beneficiary, as they enjoyed a special achdut day on Friday. The boys began the morning with “special edition chaburot,” as our madrichim joined small groups of students to learn about the significance of achdut in the Torah. This was followed by a mesmerizing presentation by Rabbi Gralla, who relayed many touching and often hilarious stories. Then it was on to the gym for some intense dodgeball games and another DRS classic, Friday morning chulent.

We are pleased to announce that the Freshman Class President Ballots are in! The winner of the extremely close election is Zev Rosenberg. The GO looks forward to working with him this year.