Have you ever imagined how it feels to be blind? Well the truth is, you really can’t. Throughout your life, you’ll come across several blind people but you will never know how they feel and what they feel. However, recently, the ninth grade class was treated to an unbelievable and inspirational experience. “Dialogue in the Dark,” a new exhibit at the South Street Seaport, gives you a unique opportunity to put yourself in “the shoes” of a blind person for an hour. In this new, motivating exhibit, you are taken on a tour of “Manhattan” with a blind tour guide. The catch is, “Manhattan” is pitch black so then you are able to experience a fraction of what it feels like to be blind. The only way for you to get around is to pay careful attention to the different sounds and voices around you. You are also given a stick to feel your surroundings which makes it easier to progress from one area to another.

Each and every day we make the Bracha of Pokeach Ivrim. If you think about it, we all take eyesight for granted. After experiencing being blind for even an hour, I couldn’t believe how much I have to be thankful for. Just imagine how blind people must feel every day. We should all thank Hakodosh Baruch Hu and concentrate on the words “Thank you for giving me eye sight.” We should all feel privileged to be able to wake up and see the beautiful world the Borei Olam created.

A big Yasher Koach to Rabbi Konig for giving new insights to our lessons and making them come to life.

Jacob Friedman (9th Grade)

The Rambam DebateStars who participated in the December 18, MTA Great Debate at Yeshiva University came away with major accomplishments. Competing against 42 teams from 13 schools, Rambam took the Third Place School Trophy, and two of the four teams won all three of their matches.

In a clean sweep, Affirmative Team A consisting of Avi Gross and Hillel Lerner and Affirmative Team B of Gary Feder and Co-Captain Michael Rosenfeld defeated all three of their opponents.

Negative Team B consisting of Yair Lichtman and Jake Plaut won its first round match. Also competing was Negative Team A, consisting of David Fodiman and Co-Captain Joseph Yizhaky. The topic was permitting the use of unethical scientific research.

The team’s victories at the MTA Great Debate are following the team’s recent success at the Ezra Academy Debate and mark what appears will be a banner year for the DebateStars.

This past Sunday the JV Rambam Ravens, anxious for another victory, took on the Flatbush Falcons. The Ravens came out strong scoring 3 of their 5 goals in the first period. Two goals came from captain Akiva Hochbaum, two from Yaakov Nussbaum, and one goal from assistant captain Yaakov Bronstein. Great goaltending was illustrated through both goalies, Yosef Septimus and Eli Chesner only allowing 1 goal collectively on the whole night as the Ravens prevailed 5 to 1. The JV Ravens have now improved their record to 4 and 2.

Eli Lava (10th Grade)

This past Sunday the Varsity Rambam Ravens Hockey team went up against Flatbush. It was a great match for the Ravens dominating the whole game from the start. An outstanding game was had for Josh Honig who had four goals. Mickey Levinson, the manager of the Poetry Team, had two goals and Chulent Winner Avi Goodstein, Jeremy Bock, and Zach Stern each scored a goal. Hopefully these winning ways will continue for the rest of the season and throughout the playoff. Go Ravens!

Zach Stern (12th Grade)

On Tuesday, the first ever Rambam Human Rights Committee came to order. The mission: to help the people of Sudan, who are being slaughtered by their genocidal government regime.

Sophomores Sam Cohen and Hillel Lerner explained that the people from this distant corner of the world are defenseless, and are being murdered by the thousands by government soldiers, and their villages are being destroyed.

They showed a video taken of Sudanese children drawing, and what becomes apparent is that these children do not draw their house or animals, but instead display jets screaming across the page, dropping incendiary bombs on huts, soldiers shooting their neighbors, and exploded corpses littering the ground. Sadly, these frightening realities are often ignored while the UN continues its barrage against Israel’s so-called “crimes against humanity.” Working together with UN Watch, an organization that attempts to monitor and guide the UN to more pressing issues of the world, the Rambam Human Rights Committee hopes to get in contact with government officials and Sudanese expatriates, many of whom found refuge in Israel. In this way, the Committee hopes to send the message that genocide and persecution of any group around the world is an evil that must be stomped out.

Avi Gross (10th Grade)

Rambam hosted their second very successful Blood Drive this month. Thanks to students as well as teachers and faculty we collected 27 pints for the NY Blood Center which will go on to saving lives and people in dire need for it. We appreciate all the help we received from parents who helped organize and put this huge chesed into action. In the near future Rambam will be hosting many more Blood Drives and we hope for your donation.

Chanani levy (11th Grade)