Members of Barrack's Israel Club, advised by Oded Philip, had the honor of introducing Israeli leader Effie Eitam to Barrack students and faculty in two assemblies held this Thursday. Mr. Eitam served in the Knesset from 2003-2009 and is also well-known for his military career, having reached the rank of Brigadier General in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF.) He received a Medal of Distinguished Service for his service in the Yom Kippur War. He also participated in the daring rescue mission, Operation Entebbe, in Uganda. Mr. Eitam currently serves as a Security Advisor to Israel's Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. He is touring campuses across America. The tour is supported by the Jewish National Fund.
 
Mr. Eitam held our Middle School and Upper School students transfixed as he told personal stories about his work in a special counter-terrorism/hostage rescue unit of the IDF.  You could have heard a pin drop as he recounted his part as second in command in the rescue of Jewish hostages in Entebbe, Uganda in 1976. Central to Mr. Eitam's message is that Israel is a beacon to the rest of world Jewry.
 
After his talk, Mr. Eitam stayed for a spirited question and answer period with interested students. He also praised our student body for their commitment to, and knowledge of, Israel and for their intelligent comments. Mr. Eitam invited students to stay in touch with him via his blog and email.

Members of Barrack's 12th grade Introduction to Engineering Class participated in Widener University's Mousetrap Engineering Competition on October 21. The competition called for the design of a vehicle, powered only by a mousetrap that could travel around a circular course without touching the walls. "In order to accomplish this, our students went through the design cycle that engineers us to create new products," reports Mrs. Kathleen Saltz, science department faculty member. Each group improved the performance of their device through designing and building multiple prototypes, applying such scientific concepts as torque, rotational inertia, friction and Newton's laws of force and motion.
 
Another more down-to-earth set of skills the students learned was how to navigate their way around a machine shop. They learned how to use hard tools and power tools to construct their devices. Integrating writing skills, they wrote an engineer's technical report around the vehicle they designed. Technical writing is a skill they will carry with them throughout college and, in many cases, throughout their careers.
 
One of Barrack's teams, consisting of Oryan Howard and Asaf Rothschild, were finalists in the Mousetrap Engineering Competition and placed fourth out of the 23 teams competing for three trophies. Following the competition, the students toured the Engineering labs at Widener, where featured professors shared lively presentations on many different fields of engineering.  Barrack students witnessed demonstrations of water treatment systems, an experiment in vibrations in structures, tensile strength changes in plastics, chemical engineering applications for collagen beads, and a room-sized wind tunnel.

Save the Date! Barrack Hebrew Academy will proudly honor three exemplary leaders in learning, leading and life: Susan Weisgrau, inspirational English teacher; Robin and Steve Katz, communal leaders and philanthropists; and Joshua Landes '80, alumnus, business and Jewish communal leader. The event will be held at Barrack Hebrew Academy on Sunday evening. Stay tuned for details.

November 8:
6th grade leaves for TEVA
 
November 10, 11, 19, 23, 24, & 30
9th and 10th Grade Parent Coffee 'n Conversation with Dr. Brown
 
November 19:
Parent-Teacher Conferences
No School for all students
 
November 20:
10th Grade Shabbaton at Capital Camps
 
November 20:
HSA Bagels and Learning 
 
November 24:
Thanksgiving Assembly
 
November 25:
11th graders return from Israel
 
November 25:
Young Alumni reunion
 
November 26 & 27:
School closed for Thanksgiving
 
November 29 - December 2:
Barrack Repertory Company's production of You Can't Take It With You

Rivka Bernstein '93 and her husband Paris Lovett on the birth of Ezekiel Lev.
 
Michael Bihovsky '05, who was chosen for the lead role of Mark Cohen in the upcoming production of RENT at the Hackensack Theatre Company in North Jersey. The show will run from January 22- February 6, 2010.
 
Lauren Borowsky-Woolley '01 on her marriage to Michael Ascher on October 24. Lauren is a second year student at Columbia Law School. Michael attended the Sackler School of Medicine in Tel Aviv and is now a resident at Beth Israel Hospital in New York City.  Lauren is the daughter of Gwen Borowsky, Barrack Board member, and the sister of Arielle '05 and Zoe Camp '08. Lauren's bridal party included some of her closest friends from Akiba, including: Sarah Aronchick Solow, Rachel Kamen, Shira Roemer, Rebecca Sobel, Dena Young, as well as her two sisters.
 
Gregg Gardner '94 and his wife Carey Brown on the birth of a daughter, Yael Deborah. The family lives in Arlington, MA.
 
Naomi Alter Ohayan '83 and Isaac Ohayan '83 on the Bar Mitzvah of their son, Aden.