By Rambam Record Editorial Staff

This week was certainly an unusual one for the talmidim in Rambam Mesivta as Rambam went online! Shiurim and classes were held and learning took place. The week even concluded with a virtual assembly where Rabbi Zev Meir Friedman, rosh mesivta of Rambam, met online with the 11th- and 12th-graders and then with the 9th- and 10th-graders to offer insight, divrei Torah, and words of chizuk to the talmidim.

Despite all the struggles of this week, the talmidim, rebbeim, teachers, students, and families of Rambam persevered and this week was a successful and meaningful one.

Purim with Rambam boys

This week was also amazing as extracurricular activities went online! Rambam, true to its core values, immediately relaunched Online Torah learning initiatives. Masmidim, both night and lunch learning, were back, as was the Early Morning Learning Crew. The Tanach Yomi WhatsApp group returned and Donny Guttman set up an online Tehillim group.

Social distancing also couldn’t stop the return of Question of the Week; Torah Question of the Week; Photo of the Week; and Caption of the Week. Not to mention Dovi Deutsch brought back his own Word of the Day deluge.

Zeke Rothbort and Jonah Fishbein launched “Rambam Sports Talk Live with Jonah and Zeke” where students called in to discuss the wide world of sports. Next week they have a surprise guest: a current NCAA basketball player!

The Book Chat met virtually to discuss two short stories of Mary E. Wilkins Freeman (shout-out to Yosef Bluth, Class of 2019, who tuned in from Israel at 3 a.m. to discuss the stories). Freeman’s classic short stories, “The New England Nun” and “Old Mother Magoun,” deal with themes that we are still struggling to grapple with today. What is masculinity? Femininity? How can the two interact in a productive, meaningful way not at a cost of each other? What must one give up to protect the ones they love? It was an interesting and fun talk! (Thanks to the Aesthetically Blessed Dovid Edelkopf for fleshing out the details about the chat.)

Purim fun was also had (since, sadly, our chagigah and annual Best Costume Contest were postponed due to school being shut down) but the rebbeim virtually voted on the best costumes and Yonatan Sternberg took first prize!

Even some of the postponed March Melee events took place virtually! Raphael Dovid Pam won the Memorize Pi (Day) Contest with Eliezer Graber taking runner-up.

Stay tuned for more fun stuff including a Videogame Madden Football Tournament, Shakespeare Tournament, Classic Film Club events, talent show, Purim video, Pop Pod, and more!

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