Metro
Jerusalem Day
Yeshivat Akiva program includes salute to its Israeli educators.
0
n May 21, Yeshivat Akiva in
Southfield celebrated the 42nd
anniversary of Jerusalem's
reunification with a multimedia program
that included song, dance, documen-
tary footage from the Six-Day War and
an original video production entitled
Jerusalem in All Its Glory.
The video, produced by 11th-grader
Amitzur Nachshoni, was a montage that
featured photographs of contemporary
Jerusalem interspersed with pictures
of various branches of the Akiva family
— high school students touring Israel,
Akiva students of all ages rejoicing in the
Jewish state and Akiva's various morim
shlichim (emissary teachers), paying spe-
cial tribute to those who will be return-
ing to Israel at the end of this academic
year.
Educational Director Rabbi Yigal Tsaidi
and his wife, Shulamit, who serves as
a teacher and musical director for the
school, also were celebrated for their nine
years at Akiva. They will return to Israel
as well. 7
All
Ori Hayun and Yossi Nadel, both 8 and of Southfield
Rabbi Yigal Tsaidi with Rabbi Pinchas and Yehuhdit Amior of Southfield
Adi Pertiz, 19, of Israel
✓ ners
Akiva students in 5 of top 7 slots
at national Bible contest.
H
ow does the Am HaSefer, the
Nation of the Book, celebrate
Israeli Independence Day? Along
with singing, dancing and picnics, the
International Chidon HaTanach (Biblical
Academic Decathlon) has become an annu-
al institution on Yom HaAtzmaut in Israel.
Throughout the world, students pre-
pare rigorously, hoping to represent their
country in this competition. This year, five
students from Yeshivat Akiva in Southfield
placed among the top seven highest scorers
in the Hebrew middle school division of
the National Bible Contest held in New York
City on May 17. This is the greatest number
of winners from the same school for any
division.
The contest drew some 150 students,
grades 6-11, from 42 Jewish day schools and
supplementary schools from every region
in the United States. Students were tested
on their mastery of the biblical books of
Deuteronomy Judges, Jeremiah, Ruth and Job.
The word "hidon" is related to the Hebrew
word for sharp and, to be sure, only the
sharpest of minds could aspire to the level
of retention, comprehension and recall that
is required of these young scholars.
Of the nine Yeshivat Akiva students
competing in the Hebrew middle school
division (grades 6-8), those who finished
among the top 10 included Jamie Rashty,
14, from West Bloomfield, who tied for
second place with Rivka Steinberg, 13, from
Oak Park; Yoni Nadel, 13, from Southfield,
who took fifth place; Talia Schectet, 12,
from Southfield, who placed sixth; and
Elana Greenbaum, 13, from Southfield, who
placed seventh. Elana also has the distinc-
tion of being one of only two students in
the United States who scored 100 percent
on each of the three regional examinations
that qualify students to compete at the
national level.
Chaviva Bluth, 14, grade 8, Talia Schechet, 13, grade 7, Elana Greenbaum, 13, grade
8, Rivka Steinberg, 14, grade 8, all of Southfield; Jamie Rashty, 14, grade 8, West
Bloomfield; Ezra Friezer, director of Chidon HaTanach, from Israel; Rabbi Pinchas
Amior, Akiva teacher; and Jonny Korman, 13, grade 7, Yoni Nadel, 14, grade 8, and
Joey Jubas, 13, grade 8, all of Southfield. Not pictured: Naomi Foxen-Craft, 14,
grade 8, West Bloomfield.
Rabbi Pinchas Amior, a moreh shaliach
(emissary teacher) from Israel who has
taught at Akiva for four years, mentors the
school's Hidon team. Amior, whose energy
and contagious enthusiasm for learning
earned him the distinction Top Moreh
Shaliah in 2008, will be returning to Israel
with his family at the end of this academic
year.
"Preparing for Hidon represents an enor-
mous commitment of time and energy on
the part of our students," Amior said. "As
proud as I am of our students' distinctions,
I am prouder still to be involved in a pro-
gram that instills a love of Torah study in
the hearts of our youth."
June 4 ' 2009
A23