The Flame Magen David High School Student Newspaper

February 22nd, 2013/ Adar 5773

When we have happy occasions, it is always an opportunity to think of those who cannot join in on the celebration. In Magen David Yeshivah, whenever there is a new festival or holiday we always remember those who are less fortunate. With a high-spirited, creative, and wonderful holiday coming around the corner, MDY chose to show their love to other community members through different events of Hesed that took place last Tuesday and Wednesday. As Rabbi Haber and Rabbi Sutton explained, Hesed is usually not the first word that pops up when thinking about Purim. It is a day that people usually consider to be chaotic and hectic, with traffic rules suspended and Batman and Spongebob running through the streets. However, it is really a day of remembrance, a day of love, and a day of care. It is a day where the Jewish people are supposed to unite and give to

one another, from Mishloach Manot to Matanot La’evyonim. Therefore, last Tuesday and Wednesday MDY students took Hesed trips around our community as a way to unite and show we care. Ms. Nadjar ran the event, and some places that MDY students visited were old age homes, Yachad, or the Sephardic Food Pantry. If you were playing Bingo with senior citizens, or even dancing at a musical carnival, we can all agree that there are people who need hope and love from each and every one of us. There is an important ma’amar that says: Every Jew must care for the other (Kol Yisrael arabim ze ba ze). Therefore, with our strength and ability we must think of those less fortunate and show that Am Yisrael is one!

CHESED DAY BY NATHAN HASBANI

Sarah Tawil Freshman, Improves Grades

STUDENT OF THE WEEK

By: Gloria Safdieh and Esther Hanon

Q: Who or what motivated you to try and improve your school grades? A: My teacher, Mrs. Saad moti-vated me and helped me im-prove my grades. I wasn’t doing so well in school at first. Then, one day Mrs. Saad told my class that it is extremely important to focus on English because it is very important for life. She also mentioned that Science and Math are important because you need to take it in college. She gave me tips on how to boost my grades and helped me be-come a better note-taker. After, I got a 100 on my vocabulary quiz! Q: What were the easiest sub-jects for you to improve in? A: English was easiest to im-prove in because I was guided by Mrs. Saad. Q: What were the hardest sub-jects for you to progress in? How did you overcome this challenge?

A: Math and Science are my hardest subjects. I come early to every class (I have math first period!). I raise my hand when-ever I have a question, and it really helps. I also watch sci-ence videos for homework and make sure to write down what the teacher says. Q: Is Freshmen year what you expected it to be? A: It’s easier than I expected because we aren’t required to learn dikduk. I enjoy Hebrew class much more than elemen-tary school. It’s also harder than I expected because we are treated more like adults. We aren’t spoon-fed the information and we have to take notes our-selves. That was something I had to get used to, but now I realize that I understand the material better when I take my own notes. Q: What tips can you give to other students about improving grades? A: Study for every test, take notes in class and pay attention,

always ask questions, and work hard on your homework! I al-ways thought homework wasn’t as important as tests were but it makes a big different and helps us understand the topic. It’s also a big percentage of our averag-es! Q: Do you have any academic goals in mind that you hope to accomplish in the future? A: Yes, to continue doing better in Math. I know that I can do it if I really try. I also want to get Honor Roll. Q: How did it feel when you saw that you were succeeding? A: I felt very confident in myself, and I am so happy it’s working! Q. Any words of encouragement for your friends? A: It is so rewarding! It’s never too late to start improving. Start by working on one subject and soon you’ll be able to improve in more. It really will pay off. Suc-cess feels amazing and it is truly rewarding!

Reminders and Announcements

Reminders from the College Office for February:

The ACT is postponed to Sunday, April 21st

Test Make-Up Dates:

Thursday, February 28th Wednesday, March 6th

Tests will be proctored at 5:45 PM

Birthdates:

2/23 David Sabbagh, Eli Azrak,

Raquel Sabbagh, Mrs. Shamah

2/24 Danielle Shammah

2/28 Alyce Shasha

3/1 Jack Adjmi and Marilyn Tobias

3/2 Jason Balassiano, Henry

Mbazbaz, Benyamin Saadia

3/3 Jack Beyda, Eddy Antar, Esti

Hazkour, Nathan Hasbani

3/4 Joseph Kassin and Albert Mizrahi

3/5 Ralph Betesh and Dennis Dayan

3/6 Manny Shapir and Ricky Cohen

3/7 Elliot Elo and Evana Said

Candle Lighting Times

Friday, February 22nd 5:20 PM

Friday, March 1st 5:28 PM

Rabbi Zucker institutes school

uniforms beginning after Passover

What will this mean for MDYHS

students?

PAULETTE’S EDITIORIAL 2

Second Episode of Leo Sorcher’s

Thriller “The Ballpoint Pen”

What was Eddie’s secret, and what

must he do to keep it from spreading?

SERIAL 5

Excerpts from senior Gloria Sitt’s

Journal

Experience the Heritage trip from a

first-hand account.

SPECIAL FEATURE 7

Special Purim

Edition!

Page 2 ● The Flame ● February 22, 2013

Editor ia ls

It’s a bird… It’s a plane… It’s a meteor!

Friday, February 15th was a very peculiar day for many Russians when a meteor hit Siberia. This rare, celestial occurrence, although majestic, injured approximately 1200 people– 200 of which were children. People reported that the shockwave of the explosion blew in their windows, and was then followed by a blinding light with heat pouring in like a mid Summer’s day. Even more surprising, that very same day an asteroid (a meteor that did not enter the Earth’s atmosphere) followed a course barely missing Earth.

What is so uncommon about this event is not that the meteor exploded so close to Earth, which was about 20 to 30 miles

above Earth’s surface, it’s that the meteor’s material was so hard. In fact, there is an en-tire, thriving black market for pieces of meteorites. Locating a piece of the meteor, which shouldn’t be too difficult for many Russians since the pieces rained down through their houses, is like striking gold.

How powerful exactly is a meteor? This specific meteor is said to be 50 feet in diameter, and to weigh 7,000 tons! The energy emitted from this meteor is estimated as being equiv-alent to 300 kilotons of TNT. This is enough power that although it exploded 20– 30 miles above the Earth’s surface it was able to break windows, shatter dishes, break TV’s, and set off car alarms all along Russia.

It is not uncommon for celestial objects to fall towards the Earth, sending down the object’s remains. In fact, scientists say this happens all the time. But for something of that size and strength to affect people as it did is truly a rare and remarkable occurrence. When some-thing like this occurs it shows us the true power of nature. It’s kind of like a reality check; it shows us how small and trivial we are in comparison to the deeply unexplored universe. There is so much that has yet to be explored, and so much that may never be explored. All we can do is sit back and marvel at the beauty of nature, and be grateful that what hap-pened did not occur where we live.

-Abraham Tobias

UNIFORMS IN MAGEN DAVID HIGH SCHOOL!

There have been many dress code violations this

year which have been enervating to the school

faculty. Well, it has come to the point where

action needs to be made.

Rabbi Walt Mossberg, Executive Director of the

Jewish Board of Education, had a meeting this

past week with the MDY administration. Rabbi

Mossberg statistically proved to Rabbi Zucker

the advantages to school uniforms. Rabbi Zucker

therefore decided to institute uniforms as part of

the school policy, beginning after Passover

break. What will this mean for our students?

Well, I got the scoop. The uniforms will be man-

datory for students from 9th-11th grades. The 12 graders will not be obligated to wear uniforms

as they will no longer be attending classes as a result of the senior internships.

MDY ordered customized uniforms that fit the proper and ideal Bar and Bat Israel.

Boys Attire:

White buttoned down shirt, with the top button fastened

Shirt must be tucked in at all times

Grey, Navy, or Khaki slacks

MDY Logo Blazer must be worn at all times, either navy or grey

Black dress shoes

Girls Attire:

White buttoned down shirt, with the top button fastened

Shirt must be tucked in at all times

Navy or grey pleated skirt, which reaches the ankle.

Cardigans with the MDY logo will be available for the girls in yellow and blue (MDY colors)

Girls can also wear the MDY Logo Blazer

Black Mary-Jane shoes with at least a .35” heel.

The school will provide the uniforms, and the cost is $135 for the boys and $105 for the girls.

Uniforms will be on sale beginning the second week of March.

A student who comes to school without their uniform will be sent home the first time, suspended

the second, and expelled the third. We hope that our school can enjoy the uniforms, and contin-

ue to grow on a beautiful path. We also hope you didn’t believe this article, because it is a joke.

Happy Purim.

-Paulette Gindi

7801 Bay Parkway

Brooklyn, New York 11214

Rabbi Harold Sutton

Rosh Yeshivah

Rabbi Saul Zucker

Principal

Mrs. Sabrina Maleh

Associate Principal

STAFF

Editors: Abraham Tobias, Paulette Gindi

Editing Staff: Ceasar Sitt, Raymond Dayan, Jonathan

Cohen, Julie Swed, Judah Djmal, Joseph

Zalta

Photographers: Jennifer Jemal

Reporters: Maurice Elbaz, Jack Nasar, Suzy Roubin,

Alice Khaski, Esther Hanon, Gloria Safdieh,

Sarah Mamrout, Evana Said, Rachel Faiena,

Nathan Hasbani, Abie Chabbott, Hannah

Cohen, Raquel Salem, Ralph Shalom, Renee

Cohen, Tina Roubin

Sports Staff: Jack Beyda, Benny Mann, Ally Menasche,

Albert Zalta

Advice Column: Florence Catton, Dennis Dweck,

Creative Staff: Evana Said, Shoshana Louzia, Rachel Sar

dar, Jeffrey Grazi

Faculty Advisor: Mrs. Rachel Harari

NOTICE OF NON-DISCRIMINATORY POLICY AS TO STUDENTS

The Magen David Yeshivah-Celia Esses High School admits student of any race, color, national and

ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to

students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in

administration of its educational policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school

programs.

Dvar Torah

Purim

By Gina Malach

Purim comes from the word “pur” which in Persian

means lots, as in “Haman casts lots for the most ‘successful’

date to kill the Jews”, and it is celebrated on the 13th of Adar.

Purim is the holiday that reminds us that G-d runs the world

behind the scenes. Nowhere in Megillat Esther is the name of

G-d mentioned, though there is a belief that every time the

words “The King” are used, it also refers to the Almighty.

Why do we wear masks on Purim? Well, Hashem’s

name is not mentioned in the Megillah. If one so desires, he

can see the whole story of Purim as a chain of coincidences

totally untouched by Divine Providence. Just as we hide behind

masks, but our essence is still there, so too G-d has “hidden

His face” but is still there guiding!

Shabbat Shalom and Purim Sameach!

Russo’s Philosophy

“In the end, it’s not going to matter how many breaths you took, but how many mo-

ments took your breath away.”

-Shing Xiong

This quote means that by the end of your lifetime it won’t matter how long you’ve

lived. What will matter to you is all of the meaningful moments you saw or made in

life.

WRITE TO US!

Tell us what you think! It doesn’t matter if you’re a teacher, par-

ent, student, or an alumnus/alumna. We would love to hear from

you!

Your responses might be featured in our next issue!

Thepress@mdyhs.net @MDYFlame

February 22, 2013 ● The Flame ● Page 3

ASK DENNIS AND FLO

MDYHS Advice Column ● E-mail Questions: thepress@mdyhs.net

Dear Dennis and Flo,

I want to give Mishloach Manot to my six closest friends, but I think some people

will feel badly. How can I do it in a way where no one feels left out?

-The Giver

C’mon, that’s a crazy question.

Of course you’re not too old! That’s like asking if Max Dushey is too old for free play.

Best regards,

Dennis Dweck

Dear Hope the Answer is No,

No!!

It’s a fun holiday! Dress up and have fun with it. A good idea would be to get your friends in-volved too. That way you won’t be the only one who is dressing up.

It is a lot of fun to see who every-one ends up dressing up as. For some costume tips, see Jennifer Harari’s fashion column on the next page!

-Flo

Dear Dennis and Flo,

I am 15 years old, so I’m not a kid anymore. Does that mean I am too old to dress

up for Purim?

-Hope the Answer is No!

Dear The Giver,

I was in this same situation. What I did was go to a 3 year old’s party, took a bat, and smacked that pinada. Let it rain.

You’ll have enough candy for next year too.

Ya boy D-Eazy!

Dear The Giver,

I don’t think your friends will really care. You are past that stage of being mad over Mishloach Manot.

But, if you have a friend who you know would get mad about it, just make an extra one. Remember: the purpose of giving Mishloach Manot is to unite our community, not bring anyone further apart. Avoid any fights. Happy holiday!

-Flo

College Acceptances

We would like to congratulate the following students on their college acceptances

so far!

Amin Adjmi– Pace University

Eli Azrak– Hoftra University, Dean’s Scholarship of $11,000 a year for four years,

for a total of $44,000)

Jason Balassiano– City Tech College

Leon Betesh– Baruch College

Marie Betesh– Marymount College, John Jay College of Criminal Justice

Jacqueline Beyda– Baruch College, Brooklyn College, Hunter College

Marlene Braha– NYU, NYIT with a merit scholarship of $15,000 per year for four

years, for a total of $60,000

Elliot Cohen– Baruch College, Brooklyn College, College of Staten Island

Judah Djmal– CSI, Hofstra University, Presidential Scholarship of $22,000 a year

for four years, for a total of $88,000

Esther Hanon– CSI

Lisa Jrada—CSI

Jackie Kassin– Baruch College

Mickey Kishk– Pace University, with an Honors Scholarship of $15,000 per year

for 4 years, for a total of $60,000

Michael Mamiye– Brooklyn College

Sylvi Matalon– Baruch College, Brooklyn College, Queens College, City College of

New York, College of Staten Island

Rachel Naftali– Baruch College

Jeffrey Pardo– University of Massachusetts Amherst, Chancellor’s Award ($8,000

a year for four years, for a total of $32,000), Boston University

Marc Saadia– Baruch College, Queens College, College of Staten Island

Frieda Sabbagh– FIT

Mosie Schrem– SUNY Binghamton

David Setton– Baruch College

Frieda Shayek– LIM College

Barry Sitt– Baruch College, College of Staten Island

Ceasar Sitt– University of Indiana

Renee Sutton– NYU Steinhardt

Abraham Tobias– University of Maryland College Park, Honors Program, SUNY

Binghamton, Hofstra University, Presidential Scholarship ($22,000 a year for four

years, for a total of $88,000), Baruch College, City College of New York, College of

Staten Island

A Book Review by Raquel Nahum

SHATTER ME

Shatter Me, the first of a trilogy by

Tahereh Mafi, tells a tale about 17-year-old

Juliette whose world is falling apart.

Juliette’s fatal touch is inexplicable.

She hasn’t touched anyone in almost a year.

The last time she accidentally

touched someone, she ended up

in an asylum at the hands of the

Re-establishment, a militaristic

regime that holds the fate of all

humanity.

Things soon take an

unexpected turn when this gor-

geous and very familiar guy

named Adam, who is immune to

her touch, is put in her cell. Prob-

lems begin to arise as the Re-

establishment come up with

bigger plans for Juliette, a kind

and loving teenager who hates

to kill. They want to use her as a murder

weapon. Now she must choose to be a weap-

on or a warrior.

Juliette and attractive, smart Adam

set out on a journey filled with love and adven-

ture. As she fights for her life, Juliette must

make tough decisions about power, love, and

forgiveness.

In her debut, Mafi

shows a great deal of promise.

She really outdid herself in this

cautionary tale of love and ac-

tion intertwined. Her writing is

descriptive and beautiful, over-

flowing with metaphors. I be-

lieve words can be very power-

ful, and Shatter Me depicts that

idea in every way. Mafi cap-

tures the reader in this story of

unimaginable twists, which

makes for a very successful

author and book. I promise you

that you won’t be able to put

this book down, and before you know it you’ll

be anxiously awaiting the sequel!

Recently, the

school added a

new and im-

proved computer

room full with new

iMacs. This past week, my class’ wonderful

English teacher, Mrs. Harari, took us to the com-

puter room and introduced us to a website called

Weebly where we were able to create our own

blogs. In class we are reading Shakespeare’s

Macbeth.

We enjoyed the book so much that each and

every one of us wanted to blog about it! On our

websites, we all chose a character and began

blogging as if it was that character’s website. We

chose font colors, pictures, and layout that we

felt represented that character in Macbeth. The

assignments were actually enjoyable even

though they were given as homework.

It was interesting blogging about the

thoughts and feelings from the point-of-view of

one of the characters from Macbeth. The best

part, though, was that we were able to access

each other’s websites. We got to read

our classmates’ blogs and learn from what they

wrote. You can check some out at

www.mrsharari.weebly.com.

-Adele

Hey guys! So, as we all know technology is

taking over Magen David HS. We had the privi-

lege to use the amazing new computer room to

make websites!

When Rabbi Bitton gave us the instructions to

make a website I was in complete shock! Who

would want to make a website?! WRONG! I

honestly love it, it’s so much fun!

Because it’s your website,

you can really

be creative and

play around with it.

My website is for

my Torah class.

Every week we

add something to

our website to

make it creative

and fun. –Frances

Tech Talk With Adele Sutton

And Frances!

Page 4 ● The Flame ● February 22, 2013

MDYHS

Fashion News

Jennifer Harari

What to Wear to Your Purim Party

Hi everyone!

With Purim on Sunday, I know a lot of you are stressing over what to wear to your Purim party. Well, the possibilities are

endless, but here are a few tips:

Pulling off the “Teacher-Look”:

If you are planning on dressing up as a teacher, here are a few ideas-

Mr. Naftaly— Wear an army suit

Mrs. Harari— Hold a pile of newspapers

Mr. Rabinow— All you need is a lab coat (don’t forget scissors and tweezers!)

Rabbi Zucker— Grey suit and a megaphone. Keep repeating “And the final begins NOW” over and over.

Mrs. Saad— Carry three iced Dunkin Donuts and a bag of chocolate

Mrs. Auman—Bring a rolling suitcase

Mrs. Elnadav—Chunky jewelry and sunglasses

Gabriel– MDY shirt with swagger sneakers

Now, for some general Purim costume “Dos and Don’ts”

JUST KIDDING!

This is the one time you don’t have to worry about fashion, so JUST HAVE FUN!!

Interested in joining the team at MDYHS Flame?

Email Mrs. Harari, Abraham Tobias, or Paulette Gindi

ThePress@mdyhs.net

Follow us on Twitter: @MDYFlame

DO: Dye your hair

DON’T: Wear a wig

DO: Dress like a clown

DON’T: Try to “look good”.

When dressing like a nerd...

DO: Break your real, prescription glasses in half, then fix

them with tape

DON’T: Buy fake ones

When dressing as Vashti…

Do: Get off Accutane a week prior

Don’t: Color fake pimples with marker

New Band Instruments

By: Abie Chabbott

Recently, MDY provided the

school band with a new set of instru-

ments for their future performances.

The school bough a drum set, a

sound system, and amplifiers. The

band consists of a dedicated group

of talented students who all share a

love of music. Ikey Schuster, an

11th grade member of the club,

said, “The things the school got us

were very cool and we really appre-

ciate it. They will definitely improve

our sound quality.”

Some band members re-

cently performed at the Junior-

Senior Seminar in late December.

“They were really good,” said 12th

grader Mosie Schrem, “I heard the

school got them new instruments so

I’m sure they’ll be even better next

time.” The band plans to perform at

the “Evening of the Arts” which will

be hosted by Magen David. David

Peretz, a 10th grade member of the

club, said, “The whole band is excit-

ed for the ‘Evening of the Arts’. We

meet once a week to practice and it

will all pay off that night.”

Rabbi Schienfeld, the coor-

dinator of the clubs, said that, “It’s

so exciting to find kids who feel a

passion for something they love,

and that the school is willing to sup-

port that.”

Math Team

By: Hannah Cohen

On Wednesday, 20 students from the Math Team were chosen to participate in the Na-

tional AMC Math Test.

Students from all different schools have the opportunity to take this test. Students had 75

minutes to complete 25 difficult question, each question getting harder as the test contin-

ued.

Although many of the questions were difficult, no one gave up. Working until the last

second possible, everyone completed the tests.

Official answers will be sent out next week.

Let’s go Math Team!

School News and Events

New Writing Center

The writing center on the 5th floor is going to be in session starting this Tuesday!

Ms. Katie Chabbott will be providing extra writing support to students during all lunch

periods!

Feel free to make an appointment with Ms. Chabbott if you have been Dirty Dozened

one too many times, if you have a paper coming up in any subject that you are having

difficulty with, or if you just want your paper proofread!

After Pesach, all Juniors will be meeting individually with Ms. Chabbott in order to work

on college essays.

You can e-mail her to set up an appointment at KChabbott@mdyhs.net

Mock Trial

By: The Mock Trial Team

Magen David’s very own Mock Trial team went up against Secondary Law School last

week and came out on top. We dominated the other team!

The case this year was about an average student who applied to a college he never

heard of before, and it turns out that the diploma wasn’t even worth the paper it was writ-

ten on. He claims the school tricked him into going, yet the school claims that he didn’t do

well because he didn’t try hard enough. Now, the student is drowning in debt trying to pay

the tuition.

We went up as plaintiff this past week, and next week we are going up as defendant. No

matter which side we go up as, we always try our hardest to prove our point… and win!

Breaking News!

Queen Esther is a Jew!

By: Rachel Sardar

And it came to pass, a few

months ago: Achashverosh was the

King of 127 countries, from India to Ethi-

opia. His highest officer, Haman, offered

money for permission to execute the

Jewish people.

After agreeing to the mighty

Haman, a date was chosen for the day

of execution, the 13th of the 12th Jewish

month. This tragic news was all over

Twitter!

Queen Esther, though, heard

about it through Facebook. She immedi-

ately called upon three days of mourn-

ing– no eating or drinking, just a day

dedicated to Gd. She had been too

afraid to call her husband on her new

iPhone 5, but her uncle Mordechai

forced her.

She dialed his number but

typed it incorrectly. Touch phones these

days! She dialed again, and the servant

responded. She had to wait for permis-

sion to speak with the king.

When her husband responded,

she pleaded for the life of her nation.

Yes! Her nation! She is a Jew! The King

nullified the extermination, and as they

hung Haman they took his Samsung

Galaxy S111.

Both the King and Queen

Tweeted this great news, and so in

about an hour all the people knew. And

this day forward, the Jews will rejoice

greatly!

February 22, 2013 ● The Flame ● Page 5

The Ballpoint Pen A Serial by Leo Sorcher

Episode 2/3

It was nine p.m., and I was finishing up my homework at the wobbly kitchen table while my mother cooked dinner for my father. My mother and I heard my father’s creaky car door slam in the driveway, and we

simultaneously started cleaning up the cluttered kitchen. I put my AP Business Law notes in my beat-up folder while my mother put the hamburgers that she made for my father on a plastic plate. My father walked into

our one-story, brown, rusty ranch house, and he looked angrier than ever.

"Your little friend made a visit to the factory today. Apparently he's the new health inspector in town. The moment he saw me, his face got all pale. I knew you had something with him!” My father yelled at my

mother.

My mother just stood there by the rusty stove, stuttering, not knowing what to say, or do. "I, I, I didn't mean to..."

My father quickly walked over to my mother, hand raised, and slapped her across the face. His wedding ring left a mark on her upper right cheek.

I couldn't watch this anymore. I needed to get out of here. I needed to get as far away from here as possible. I looked around the small kitchen, for something to take with me. Anything. I couldn’t roam streets

empty-handedly. I needed food, money, and clothes. Finally, in the corner of my eye, I spotted a black and white, shiny ballpoint pen sticking out of my father’s brown-leathered briefcase. It was shining from the ceiling

light, and it almost looked as if it was calling out to me. I knew that pen could be worth at least fifty dollars, so I ran over to the floor near the dented refrigerator, where my father put down his briefcase, and picked it up.

The brown leather tickled my fingers.

“Hey, kid! Put that down, now!” My father yelled at me as he saw me pick up his briefcase. When I didn’t comply, he started coming towards me, with that same hand raised that had abused me so many times

before. By looking at my father’s worried expression, I realized that something in this briefcase had to be very valuable, and I wasn’t about to give it up.

I took one last look at the man who had caused me so much pain, and at the women who was too afraid to stand up for me. Then I threw the briefcase over my shoulder and ran out of the kitchen door, into the

darkness of the night.

The rest of the day went by in a blur. I couldn't concentrate on the big presentation that was coming up. All I could think about is who sent that terrifying letter. Was it one of my parents? How did they find me after

all of these years? I thought I made sure they could never find me again. Were they even still alive? When the clock turned seven p.m., it was time for Chris to drive me back home from AndersonCorp. As I was on my

way home in my limousine, I got a mysterious text message on my iPhone. I looked at the caller ID and it read "Unknown". This had to be the mysterious stranger who left the note. The text message said "Transfer

$25,000,000 into the bank account #827662478 by either p.m. tonight or your secret gets out." I gasped.

"Is everything all right, sir?" Chris said from the front seat as I rolled down the window to get some air.

"Everything is fine, but I've changed my mind. Can you take me to the AndersonCorp Lab before I head home?" I asked Chris, trying not to sound too suspicious.

"Right away, Mr. Anderson" Chris replied.

As I got to the AndersonCorp Labs, I rushed through the front doors of the 17-story, glass building. I took the elevator straight up to the 7th floor, where one of my closest friends, Danny Sullivan, worked. I knew

Danny since I started my company and I knew I could trust him with anything. After I gave Danny a warm greeting, I got straight to business.

"Danny, I can't tell you what this is about, but I need your help. I need you to trace this text message to the sender." I told Danny as I showed the message.

I watched as Danny connected my iPhone to his large computer monitor, and started pressing buttons. I had no idea how he was going to trace the message, as I knew nothing about technology. All I could hope

for is for him to trace the text message so I can identify the person who is trying to ruin my life. 10 minutes later, Danny finally stopped pressing buttons. I knew by the look on his face that he couldn't trace it, and I didn’t

want to hear it.

"I'm so sorry, Eddie, but I couldn't trace it. The message is encrypted and I can’t get passed it."

At 7:45 that night, I had no choice but to transfer the 25 million dollars into the bank account of the mysterious person. I knew I could’ve transferred a decoy deposit, but I didn’t want to take a chance. I couldn’t

take the chance of my secret getting out. I was furious. I didn't care about the money, I just cared that someone out there knew the secret that can ruin the life I have worked so hard to build.

HUMOR

A man is having a problem with his son and goes to see his Rabbi. “I

sent him to Hebrew School and gave him a very expensive Bar Mitz-

vah,” says the man, “and now he tells me he has decided to be a

Christian! Rabbi, where did I go wrong?” The Rabbi responded,

“Funny you should come to me. I also brought my boy up in the faith

and gave him a fancy Bar Mitzvah. Then one day, he too tells me he’s

decided to become a Christian.” “So what did you do?” asked the

man. “I turned to Gd for the answer,” replied the Rabbi. “And what did

he say?” pressed the man. “Gd said, ‘Funny you should come to

me…”

Q: Why didn’t Esther receive Mordechai’s e-mail warning her about

Haman’s plan to kill the Jews?

A: She had an Acashvirus

Esther: Mom, I’m trying to write an article for the Flame about Jewish

holidays. How do you think I should start it off?

Mom: They tried to kill us… We won… Let’s eat!

Answers to last week’s Crossword Puzzle:

Purim-Themed Sudoku!

Directions:

Play the Purim Sudoku

challenge! Make sure

there is always a crown,

a grogger, a mask, and a

hamentash in each row

and column.

Check out Special Purim trivia on the

next page!

Page 6 ● The Flame ● February 22, 2013

Purim is in the air, and so are Mishloach Manot!

They usually consist of candy, candy, and more candy. There are

also cookies and cakes in there as well. It takes a prodigious

amount of self-control to resist all that.

That’s why we aren’t telling you to. The key thing is portion control

and moderation. Purim is a festive holiday, so enjoy it! Instead of

focusing on the food so much, focus on your family and friends

around you.

Here is an example of a nutritious, healthy Mishloach Manot:

Home-baked oatmeal cookies

A piece of fruit

A low-sugar treat

This has a variety of goodies in it. It isn’t that hard to turn something

not healthy into something healthy. Making your own Mishloach

Manot can benefit you and the person you give it to.

Another big thing about Purim is Ta’anit Esther. The biggest piece

of advice we can give is when breaking the fast, eat dinner as you

normally would. Don’t overload on food to make up for the whole

day you didn’t eat. This will cause stomach pains and it isn’t very

healthy.

You should have a nice dinner and a snack an hour later if you are

still hungry. Also, make sure to drink lots of water because not only

are you hungry, but you are also thirsty!

Nutrition & Health By Frances C. Mamiye and Michelle Catton

Purim Trivia By Joseph Kassin

1. What is אסתר‘s other name and who is her father?

2. What did חרבונה do?

3. What תפילות do we add on Purim?

4. Who did אסתר invite to her party? 5. Which famous king is ושתי a descendant of?

6. When should you eat the סעודה and what are you supposed to eat and drink

during the סעודה so you will be happy?

7. Are women obligated to hear the מגילה –why?

8. What happened to המן‘s decree after he died?

9. Who wrote the :מגילה

01. Fill in the blank: כי מרדכי היהודי משנה

11. Which cities celebrate שושן פורים (which time period does it go by)?

01. What is the minimum amount one must give to fulfill the mitzvah of משלח מנות

01. Who is התך?

14. Who are you supposed to give מנות משלח to?

15. What book was read to אחשורוש when he couldn't sleep?

16. What happened first פורים or חנוכה and during which time period did they each

occur?

17. The מגילה is in the תנך so is Purim a holiday from the Torah or from the

Rabbis?

18. On what day did המן want to kill the Jews?

19. Which פרשה is read on Purim and what does it talk about?

20. In the olden days what was the earliest time Purim could've been celebrated?

Bonus: According to Rabbi Sutton how does one fulfill the מצוה of drinking on

Purim?

Riddle: In the Torah I am a precious stone, in the נביאים I am a place, and in the

מאזוז מאיר I am a person. Who am I? (fromמגילהI am a person (hint: the ) כתובים

רבי(

ATTENTION

SCHOOL-WIDE CONTEST!

PRIZE: $50 Amazon Gift Card

Topic: Television

Challenge: In 500 words or less, tell us what your favorite show is and

why you just can’t look away. The show can be something currently air-

ing, in re-runs, or a favorite show from your childhood.

Think about: What makes your show special? Does it have any con-

nection to your hobbies, passions, or interests? Are there larger themes

that this show addresses? Is it a tradition for you and your friends to

watch this show?

The winner will be posted in our next issue!

Along with a $50 gift card, the winner’s entry will be presented to a

national contest! GOOD LUCK!

February 22, 2013 ● The Flame ● Page 7

A unique glimpse into Gloria Sitt’s daily diary entries…

Day 1—February 3rd

“Today we got off the plane and went

straight to see whatever was left of the

Warsaw Ghetto. We saw the walls and

buildings and

looked at pic-

tures of things

that happened

that exact spot.

The tour guide

showed us how

bad the condi-

tions were in the

Ghetto with pictures and stories as we

looked at the exact spot it happened in… “

Day 2—February 4th

“We got up at 6AM and went straight to

the Warsaw Jewish cemetery where we

saw graves of people who fought back and

of Rabbis from that time.

Then we went to this big open area and

my teacher kept telling me to move back,

but I didn’t understand why. Then it came

to me that this area was a mass grave. As

soon as I realized

it caused a shiver

through my body. I

couldn’t believe

there were bodies

under this huge

area. It was mas-

sive. It was the first

time I started to

get a real perspec-

tive of how many lives were taken in the

Holocaust.

Later that day we arrived at our first death

camp– Maidenek. When we got there it

looked fake; I thought I was in a movie

scene. Wooden sheds were lined up with

barbed wire

around it. I could-

n’t believe that

what I was looking

at was real. We

walked through

the rooms where

they cut the girls’

hair off and where

they took showers. We walked then into

the next room and saw a room with con-

crete walls, a room that looked so regular,

when the room was really a gas chamber.

Then came the hardest part of my day.

The shoes. You can’t imagine how many

there were. I got close and focused on one

pair closely, trying to picture the person

whose life was taken and who was wear-

ing that pair of shoes.

We walked a little more and saw a huge

dome of the ashes of the bodies that were

buried there. I thought my eyes were de-

ceiving me and my jaw just dropped. I

couldn’t believe all of these things were

right in front of my eyes…”

Day 3—February 5th

“When we got to Belzec I couldn’t under-

stand why they would bring us here. It was

just a pathway where the walls got higher

and there was a memorial at the end.

Then they started to tell us what happened

here, which in short was basically that the

trains un-

loaded

straight

into the

gas cham-

ber.

500,000

Jews got

there, except we were there longer than

499,997 of them because only 3 survived.

As we walked that

pathway that I first

thought was noth-

ing, emotions were

flying through my

body thinking of

the people who

lost their lives

here, the people who were so excited to

go take a show-

er and ended

up losing their

lives for no rea-

son.

Later that day

we went to the

grave of a very

special Rabbi, and prayed there like we

never prayed before.”

Day 4—February 6th

“Children’s grave. Completely speechless.

I can only cry.”

Day 5—February 7th

“Finally, the day I was anticipating came. It

wasn’t easy knowing I was actually going

to Auschwitz, and I was very nervous.

We got there and first went to see Ausch-

witz 1, which is like a museum. We saw

their shoes, pots and pans, suitcases, hair

brushes, shoe polish, glasses, talet, cloth-

ing, dolls, etc.

The hardest thing for me to see was defi-

nitely the girls’ hair and the babies’ cloth-

ing and dolls. I

can’t explain my

emotions after

seeing that.

We walked

through the gas

chamber and the

crematorium.

Then we had a silent march into Ausch-

witz—Birkenau. We heard the story of the

Holocaust survivor who was with us and

was actually there as we walked rough as

much as we could. It was bigger than the

whole Deal and more. It was really gigan-

tic.

We walked out of Birkenau singing

“LeShanah HaBa’ah Be’Yirushalayim”

with tears streaming down our faces,

heading straight to the airport. “

By: Becky Chakkalo

Last week, Magen David Yeshivah took ten girls on a trip to Spain to

help us learn a little more about our Sephardic heritage. We spent the entire

week visiting so many different places, meeting so many new people, and

hearing so many inspiring stories.

Then, finally, Friday came along and it was time to do something we

all know and love. It was finally time to go shopping! As Ms. Nasar, Ms. Mis-

hanieh, Sheila (our travel agent), and Moses (our tour guide) led us to Plaza

Mayor, we immediately felt at home. It was like we never left New York. We

felt the same rush that you would feel here. It was almost the same exact sce-

ne– so many people in one place talking, smiling, laughing, and shopping.

There were people in costumes, dancing, and playing instruments. We all

wondered what such a cheerful place like this could have to do with Jewish

history.

To our surprise, it had a lot to

do with it. We were standing right in

the middle of the place where Jews

were embarrassed, tortured, and

burnt alive during the Spanish Inquisi-

tion. To the Spanish Christians, the

burning of the Jew was a happy occa-

sion, something you had to go and

see for yourself. Something to cheer,

talk, and laugh about. People would

gather around and watch with happy

faces as an innocent person was mur-

dered just for being Jewish or show-

ing signs of Judaism.

Imagine being accused of something without knowing what is you

were being accused for. Now imagine going through pain and torture until you

confessed that thing you were being accused of. How can you confess if you

don’t know exactly what you did wrong? That’s exactly what those Jews went

through. They were tortured and beaten with a great big audience to cheer

them on. They ended up confessing every Jewish thing they secretly did, until

they finally said the one thing that they were actually being accused of. That

was when the poor Jew was burned alive.

We all entered the Plaza Mayor with happy thoughts, like what we

would buy from the Zara in Spain or how many cute gifts we would be able to

find for our friends back in Brooklyn. But we left the place with something new

to think about. Most of us don’t take the time to appreciate the area and time

period we live in. Just imagine for a moment, Jews being tortured and burnt

alive in the center of New York City on a daily basis. We have it easy. We can

do or say whatever we want openly

without a single worry. How many of

us would still be Jewish if we were put

into the same situation as those who

lived during Spanish Inquisition?

Our ancestors put themselves

in so much danger just to keep even a

few aspects of Judaism alive. Even

with all the burning and converting,

and the expelling of Jews, there are

still plenty of Jewish communities in

Spain! It’s truly amazing. Our past is

something we should take pride in.

Page 8 ● The Flame ● February 22, 2013

Message Board: A message from Obama and Romney: Happy Purim! Happy birthday Marilyn! -Adele Sutton and Nicole Sitt Happy belated birthday Rabbi Tobias! -Haser and Schimel Happy birthday Albert Mizrahi! -The Crew Happy birthday Mrs. Shamah! -12th Grade Academy Happy Purim! -10GH

We asked Twitter:

“What do you think of the Harlem Shake?”

@Lynda_Russo: hilarious !!!!!!!!!

@Jescava21: I want to have a harlem shake in the atrium

@Julgreeny: Can u send me urs I wna see it

@RichieAyal: you tell me!

Frances Mamiye and Gina Malach favorite your Tweet

@Gmmusiclover1: lol dahak! We should make one with our

class and me being the one dancing first

@Jescava: I bet @MDYFlame doesn’t put me in

the newspaper even though I answered both

questions…

@MDYFlame: @Jescava of course I will!

@Jescava: YESS!! hha

@SophSaf_: @ Jescava @mdyflame you just made his night

@Jescava: @SophSaf_ @mdyflame she did

@PaulsDemon: will totally die out soon

@KimDJ6: What is that?! The students are obsessed

@BrigetteDana: whatttt is this Harlem shake everyone is talk-

ing about?

Tweet Us! @MDYFlame (Warning: If we follow you back, we might correct your spelling and

grammar)

Besides teaching Gemara and Tanach, Rabbi Michael Bitton is also our newly appointed Director of Educational Technology. Rabbi Bitton believes that as our world heads into the 21st century it is imperative to ensure the students at Magen David Yeshivah are fully prepared for what lies ahead post high school. Colleges are quick to embrace the new changes that are occurring and therefore we as a school need to be ready to help our students succeed in those new environments. Rabbi Bitton achieves this by starting at the top; our beloved fac-ulty. Rabbi Bitton meets with faculty members for one-on-one sessions and helps train them in the latest educational technolo-gies that are available Some of the pilot programs that have al-ready begun are E-Portfolios (Individual websites created by students to collect and reflect on their learning) and the "Flipped" classroom (Lecture done as home via video, therefore leaving more class time for individual teacher assistance). Rabbi Bitton also mentioned that Magen David Yeshivah has some very exciting and innovative ideas that are being prepared for next year as well, stay tuned!

Rabbi Michael Bitton

Student Art Showcase

Carol Missry

Acrylic on Canvas

Joanie Kraiem

Worms Eye View

Colored Pencil

Noy Yatcha

Bird’s Eye View

Colored Pencil