MSG Varsity’s The Challenge is an award-winning, academic televised quiz show for high schools, featuring the best and brightest local students from across the tri-state area. Jared Cotter serves as moderator, asking high school teams questions about history, arts and literature, current events, math and science.
Under the leadership of Dr. Joanne Bernstein, the Flatbush team—seniors Ahuva Landman, Kevin Mishan and Jonathan Zacharowicz and junior Steven Burekhovich—worked smoothly together, using their superior knowledge and speed to win their first game in October.
In February, their success continued as they won two more games. They continued to a March victory, as well. In the last round, Flatbush caught up from being way behind and ended up winning in a tie-breaker, with Jonathan answering the final question. They were the Brooklyn champions!
The team had a great time traveling to the NEP broadcasting studios in Manhattan where a group of supportive parents and classmates cheered them on. Some of the games can be watched (if one is a Cablevision subscriber) at msgv.www.msgvarsity.com/brooklyn-bronx/yeshivah-of-flatbush, with more to come. The matches will be aired on News Channel 12 and MSG Varsity (iOTV Channel 14) on April 22, May 20, June 3 and June 13.
Dr. Joanne Bernstein, coach of the larger Flatbush College Bowl team as well as the Challenge team, had the highest praise for them all. “Although their reign ended in the regional match, our students played very well, and will forever be known, at least to me, as ‘Dream Team II.’”
YOF participation in The Challenge has been an extraordinary experience for the school and the students, who learned about TV and film production.
YOF Athletic Director Mike Gelber and Rebecca Silberman have been the program’s faculty liaisons since Flatbush joined last year, the first yeshivah to participate. They have worked closely with students and MSG Varsity Manager Norm Morais and Producer Leonarda Domingo, ensuring that students received the maximum benefit from the program. Beyond the training and equipment that the project routinely provides, Flatbush received an additional $2,000 stipend for extra equipment and $2,000 to be distributed in scholarship aid for select YOF seniors. Go Flatbush!
