Graphic by Aaron Newman ('24)

Why is it that the Torah does not mention the important history of Avraham Avinu? Judaism began with Avraham Avinu, yet we don’t know that much about where he is coming from! The Torah mentions very little, and what we do know comes from midrashim and words of Chazal that describe his journey to find Yiddishkeit and Hakadosh Baruch Hu.

But why doesn’t the Torah itself give a detailed description of his journey?

One answer is that every Jew has their own journey, and it is up to you to find your journey to becoming closer to Hashem. Avraham had his journey, I have mine, and you have yours. Every Yid has to find their own journey and not attempt to simply follow in the exact path of Avraham.

In our Shmoneh Esrei we praise Hashem for being “magen Avraham” – the shield of Avraham. The heilega Sfas Emes explains that within every Yid there is a piece, a spark, of Avraham Avinu, which gives us the yearning to find our purpose in this word and to build and enhance our relationship with Hashem. We say “magen Avraham” because Hashem calls out every day to the whole world – “lech lecha” – and Avraham is the only one who heard that call. And he came, he came running. 

May we all be zoche to hear the kol of Hashem that screams out every day, and may we be maztliach in our lives and cultivate our relationship with Hashem every single day.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Zians

Holla? I Thought You Said CHALLAH!

KYHS Mother-Daughter Challah Bake

Graphic by Ezra Dimont ('25)

On Wednesday evening, KYHS hosted a challah bake for women in honor of breast cancer awareness month and in solidarity with Israel. The event, coordinated by Director of Development Alyson Lev, began with a meaningful dvar Torah from Mrs. Amy Horowitz about the significance of hafrashat challah and how this mitzvah is what makes our weekly Shabbat bread so holy. Afterwards, Chef Iris Dahoah led the room in the making of the challah dough as well as the braiding process. There was even pink dye available, making for some beautiful dough and adding to the vibrant energy of the event! Emma Harow (‘27) remarked, “I really enjoyed making the recipe with my friends. You could really feel the sense of community among the women in continuing the tradition of challah.” The fun and messy dough-creation process was followed by a moving personal account by KYHS alum Alyson Winderbaum (‘18), who shared about her mother’s experience with breast cancer and Sharsheret’s unending support through the toughest of times. 

It was truly a heartfelt, unifying moment for all in the room. The women in attendance also had the opportunity to donate items for the Lone Soldier Center and visit information tables from the evening's sponsors, such as Sharsheret, Elements Massage, The Glam Spa, Drucker Hypnosis Center, and more. It was not a night without delicious refreshments, accompanied by some alumni who opted to join in on the fun, as well. Junior Rhyan Rackman (‘25) commented: “I actually can’t wait to eat my pink challah this shabbos!” 

Article by Aliyah Harow ('25)

KYHS Movers

A Group of Students Help Shlep Duffels of Equipment for Soldiers B'Simcha

Graphic by Danielle Zaretsky ('24)

Jewish people around the world are coming together during these hard times. Every Jew’s heart is currently aching for the State of Israel. However, when there is any one in need we will never fail to rise to the occasion and come together to make an impact. Jews all over the word are sending supplies to people in Israel who need them. For instance, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and evacuees from the South of Israel needed some supplies and the Boca Raton Synagogue did not hesitate to help. On Tuesday, October 23rd at 6 am, at Miami International Airport, students along with other members of the Jewish community undertook a heartwarming chessed and a meaningful mitzvah to help with the bags at the airport. The duffels were filled with supplies to help with the war in Israel right now, and Rabbi Goldberg, Rabbi Gibber, and Rabbi Broide helped ensure that these bags were brought with care to Israel as soon as possible. These 102 duffel bags will hopefully bring a smile to many people who need assistance during this horrific time. 

Senior Sarah Posner (‘24) was at this uplifting experience and said, “This experience was so meaningful. During this time it often doesn’t feel like we are directly helping Israel. No matter if you raise money, you can’t visually see the impact of your donation. Therefore, going to the airport and seeing that all of these duffel bags were going directly to Israel made me feel very privileged to have this opportunity”. While some were helping with bags others were making gifts to give to the ElAl workers to show gratitude for their hard work. Sarah Posner explained, “It was clear that the workers were extremely appreciative and it was so rewarding to see the fruit of our actions.” After working all morning the students ended off with singing and dancing for Am Yisrael Chai. These bags have safely arrived in Israel!

Article by Lauren Tabouche ('25)

Siyums at YHS

Mrs. Zisquit and Mrs. Stein Share their Special Siyum with the Girls

Graphic by Esti Distenfeld ('26)



Tuesday morning, right after davening, the KYHS girls all gathered to celebrate Mrs. Stein and Mrs. Zisquit’s siyum. They diligently learned Sefer Taam V’Daat by Rav Moshe Sternbuch for over a year, covering the parshiyot from the beginning of Bereishit through the end of Devarim. They learned together all of last year and even continued throughout the summer! All of the girls were invited to participate in the siyum, in which Mrs. Stein and Mrs. Zisquit each shared a few words of chizuk about the learning and what it meant to them. Afterwards, they gave the girls donuts to celebrate! After the siyum, Junior Amira Kahn (‘25) remarked, “I always saw them learning together and wondered what they were learning. I’m so glad they included us in the siyum. It was so inspiring!” 

Mrs. Zisquit spoke about how, although she and Mrs. Stein were friends before they started learning b’chavruta, learning together really deepened their friendship. Inspired, Hannah Markovich (‘24) said, “It was so beautiful to see that our role models grow their friendships through Torah! I hope to have that type of relationship with my friends one day.” 

The students were very moved by their teachers’ dedication to their learning. Especially during a time like this, it was great to come together to celebrate their accomplishment. Later, Mrs. Stein said, “We decided to make the siyum with all the girls since they have been so invested in our learning. And when they clapped for us, we knew we made the right choice.” The girls were so grateful to be included in the siyum, and the donuts were delicious!!

Article by Kira Kornbluth ('25)

Flag Football ✅

Up Next...

Graphic by Joshua Reich ('25)

The excitement for the first KYHS flag football championship game in history was palpable throughout school on Monday; however, before we were eligible to compete, we first had to defeat the reigning champions at Posnack. The team had an intense double-header day starting at 3:15pm. In the first close game, featuring a standout performance from junior wide-receiver David Schebovitz (‘25), the Storm clinched their first championship on a last-minute touchdown. After the game, David said that they “were all just having so much fun out there as a team.” This is what KYHS sports is all about – coming together and having fun. Although we’re having fun out there, our competitiveness as a school is not to be underestimated. You could tell by the tense energy in the stands and the turnout of parents, who drove regardless of the distance, that this game was important to everyone in the KYHS community.  The excitement and skill demonstrated from the first game carried into the second – like Haim Elmakies’s (‘25) pick six, or when Ayden Pinkis (‘25) scored a wide-open, deep touchdown. The game was neck-and-neck, but ultimately Scheck Hillel pulled through for the win. 

While it was a devastating loss, the team remembered that they still made the championship, led by senior quarterback Netanel Keiffer (‘24), and capped off an amazing season, setting the bar high for future years. Next year will see some changes with many essential senior players graduating, but with notable performances throughout the year by juniors and lower classmen, the future is bright for many more KYHS flag football championship games.  

Article by Yonah Greenberg ('25)

Bella’s Un-Bella-ievable News

Geography Geniuses: Competition Edition 

Graphic by Sruli Muschel ('26)



This Tuesday morning, while the world was peacefully sleeping, our very own KYHS geography club, led by Mr. Scott, Sarah Karamyshev ('24), and Bella Srugo ('24), awoke to compete in the International Geography Bee. After weeks of studying tirelessly, they were to make the trek all the way to Coral Gable Woman's Club. The bus ride was an exciting affair, as all team-members made their final preperations.

There were two teams: Katz Yeshiva A— consisting of seniors Mali Blanka, Sarah Karamyshev, Anna Rudensky, Meira Salit, and Bella Srugo, and Katz Yeshiva B—Simcha Hecht, Jake Landau, Eitan Lasry, Sruli Muschel, and Ethan Wasserstrom. Teams A and B were off to a rough start, but nevertheless they persisted. The first round ranked all the teams to pair up according to skill for the elimination round. The boys’ team tied two games in the first round, while the girls’ team had an extremely close game but ultimately lost. 

After a short break for lunch and some studying, the teams were back again for the second round, which both teams competed in simultaneously. Unfortunately, that was the end of the competition for Team A; however, Team B won that round and advanced to round three. While they were inside competing, Team A took pictures and discussed the event with the other schools’ teams. 

Even though the competition was shorter than expected since both KYHS teams were unfortunately eliminated, the experience was incredibly fun and educational. The questions were as challenging as they were interesting, and it is amazing that KYHS students were privileged to participate in such a prestigious event.

Article by Bella Srugo ('24)