YULA Girls | Panther Post | Issue I | November 2020

PAGE 4 | NOVEMBER, 2020
COMMUNITY
THE PANTHER POST | YULA GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL
New Staff Become Part of the YULA Family
BY SHALVA KAPLAN ‘23
This year YULA Girls is lucky
to have so many dynamic new
members of staff and faculty join
us!
Ms. Anna Lee Stone is the
newest addition to our science
department. She makes learning
science a fun and engaging environment
and we are excited to
learn and grow with her as the
year continues. Ms. Stone has
over twenty years of experience
in Neutral Engineering for the
Department of Defense, NIH, and
DARPA. She also has her MS
in Science, Online Teaching, and
Professional Communications
from Southern Utah University.
Mrs. Ariella Hakakian has
joined our Ivrit Department and
is described by student Rivka
Shamulian ‘23 as “an amazing
teacher whose class I truly enjoy
attending! She has helped me
enhance my Hebrew vocabulary
tremendously!” Mrs. Hakakian
has previously taught in Yavneh
Hebrew Academy and was the
Director for the amazing Bat Ami
program. She is extremely experienced
in the field and speaks four
languages.
We are extremely excited to
have Mrs. Kayla Stern and Mrs.
Rachel Rose as part of our Judiac
studies faculty! They have both
already added so much inspiration
and Torah to our days at YULA
Girls. Their constant attention,
care, and desire to teach students
has been something students at
the school truly enjoy.
Mr. Noam Nizzani is joining us
as our new director of media and
communications. He is the faculty
advisor to YULA Girls weekly
newsletter “Paw Print” and has
“continued to lead us every week
in the production of the Paw Print.
We would never be able to do this
without his guidance!” says Meira
Ives ‘22. He has also helped guide
the Panther Post and has years of
experience in both photography
and videography.
Jennifer Sieger, a YULA
alumn, has further become part
of the YULA Girls family as a
bookkeeper. We love having her
on campus and are looking forward
to getting to know her better
throughout the year.
It is so incredible having these
new role models and teachers
on campus, and we can't wait
to build relationships with them
as the year progresses. Students
excitedly anticipate going to class
and seeing their teachers and
YULA Girls faculty everyday!
Yachad Safari Kickoff Event
BY LEORA TEICHMAN ‘22
Yachad began this year with
an exciting Safari Kickoff
Event. Both the director, Monica
Rukhman, and executive program
coordinator and advisor
of engagement, Esther Beron,
ensured that safety precautions
were taken, many people came,
and that everyone had a great
time. Yachad board members
welcomed the participants as
they entered the Beth Jacob
garden. Along with great music
being blasted, there were booths
for entertainment such as decorating
your own mask and trying
the ring toss, as well as ice cream
that was befitting the warm
weather. Additionally, there was
a photo booth where all the participants
constantly returned to
in order to include all of their
friends in the pictures.
There were many new faces at
the kickoff celebration as well.
The purpose of Yachad’s annual
kickoff event is to recruit those
interested in joining and becoming
a part of the Yachad family.
By being privy to witnessing
the warm environment created,
many new members sign up
with the intent of gaining close
relationships with the participants,
similar to the relationships
they’ve seen.
Due to Covid19, a major toll
was taken on in-person events,
causing the board members and
participants to turn to virtual
meetings instead. However,
rather than being an inconvenience,
this new format ultimately
allowed for the LA
chapter to meet Yachad members
from across the chapters
such as Baltimore, New Jersey,
and Canada, allowing for an
even larger Yachad family to
emerge! Yachad board member
Aliza Nissanoff ‘22 expressed
that while the virtual events have
been amazing, “it was so nice to
finally be able to see everyone in
person again.”As more programs
are beginning to run in person
again, Yachad LA is super excited
to have been able to host the
Safari Kickoff Event, as well as
restart Thursdays with Yachad
where participants and members
are able to come to Yachad headquarters
and be involved in activities
together. If the kickoff event
is any indication for how this
year will be, Yachad LA seems
to be off to a great start!