Graduation 2025 Speeches

Julia Sabbagh: 

Transition, evolving, growing, changing, progressing that is what graduation is about. However I learned an important lesson since my last graduation. We sometimes expect life to give us all that we need. We expect our growth and knowledge to be handed to us by people who have committed themselves to that task. But this idea is flawed. We are not passive recipients. We are supposed to invest ourselves to truly achieve. That is what Yeshivah Prep has taught me. That it’s all up to us. It is up to us to learn and utilize that learning. It’s up to us to create relationships with the people around us and never let them go. It is up to us to want to attain knowledge, it is up to us to pursue wisdom and growth. It is up to us to want to achieve and to succeed. It is up to us to want to be committed to Torah and Mitzvot even more so to hold on and stay connected to all that we learned even after leaving High School. Yeshivah Prep is a place that fosters that kind of personal responsibility and agency. It is a place that taught me to utilize and take advantage of the opportunities around me. The fact that Yeshivah Prep is affiliated and works hard to integrate their students into Yeshivah of Flatbush showed me that they are committed to us being well rounded in every possible way. Seminars, leadership opportunities, color wars, electives, friendships, extra curricular activities were all all given to help us become the best versions of ourselves. This is all in addition to the underlying devotion of our teachers, our enriching environment that was created for us individually and the strong bonds that Yeshivah Prep creates. The small school that it is brings that sense of community and belonging. Being a part of a 9 person class give or take a few for four years and growing up together has made us a family. These people sitting in front of me aren’t just classmates but my brothers and sisters. I can’t believe I’m saying this but I am really going to miss having to come to school with our ever changing  schedule, nonexistent 20 min absent rule, and even getting yelled at to go to class when there’s no teacher in the room. 

However even with all of this guidance and all the opportunities in the end it’s still all up to us. We have to always look around wherever we are in life and try to recognize and take advantage of what is being given to us. And so as we graduate we graduate with new knowledge, with new abilities and skills but most importantly a new perspective of how to squeeze all we can out of life. To take advantage of opportunities, to recognize and learn from the people around us. To better ourselves through circumstance, through the berachot and even through challenges. That is who we are today. Graduates who keep on graduating by looking at every day as just more time to grow into being the best versions of ourselves. 

Thank you to all that made that possible. You made us possible.

David Dweck: 

It is an incredible honor to stand before you today. I want to begin by expressing my deepest gratitude—to our teachers and rabbis who guided us with wisdom and patience, to our parents and families who supported us every step of the way, and to my classmates, who turned these past four years into an unforgettable experience. I couldn’t have done it without you.

Our time at Yeshivah Prep has been anything but ordinary. We began high school without a real classroom—just a wall divider separating us from the rest of the space. Somehow, that chaotic beginning became a symbol of our class’s resilience. 

We created memories that only this class will truly understand. From Josh getting stuck in a locker during the first week of freshman year, to our unforgettable Panama trip just weeks ago—these are the moments that bonded us, shaped us, and reminded us how far we’ve come. Even the smell of Mechi’s chicken became part of the atmosphere we’ll weirdly miss.

Over these four years, we’ve grown into more than just classmates—we’ve become a family. I remember walking in and sitting at my desk in freshman year, meeting everyone for the first time, exchanging numbers, starting a group chat. We were already laughing and making jokes. None of us really knew what to expect, but even then, you could feel something special. That first day turned into hundreds of shared moments—going skiing in American dream, conversations in class, that one karaoke night, birthdays, pranks, and those random times when ovadia or josh would say something stupid in the middle of class and we would all break out in laughter. 

I realize now something that I didn’t fully understand. EVERYTHING we have done to be where we are today, we have done together, as a class. Somewhere along the way, we stopped being just a group of kids in the same building—we became a family. 

We’ve laughed together, learned together, and grown together. Whether it was dissecting a pig in nutrition, or those moments when we all asked ourselves, “Has anyone actually seen Shelomo today?” — each experience brought with it a lesson and a memory that will stay with us forever.

But what made Yeshivah Prep truly unforgettable for us, was the opportunity to be integrated into Yeshivah of Flatbush. In my freshman year, I came from a different school and didn’t know anyone. The conection between Flatbush and YP was a crucial part of my high school experience and how I grew throughout the years—through gym and SAFE, the arts, and everything in between.

I want to take a moment to thank the people who helped me reach this point. Ms. Parris—for always pushing me. Rabbi Setton—for believing in me. And my parents—without you, I wouldn’t be where I am today. 

As we move forward from High school, I hope we carry with us not only knowledge, but the values we were taught: integrity, perseverance, and a sense of responsibility to something greater than ourselves. As the Mishnah in Pirkei Avot reminds us: “In a place where there are no men, strive to be a man.” In other words—when leadership is needed, be the one who steps forward. When kindness is lacking, be the one who offers it.

Our journey does not end here—it begins. May we all go forward with purpose, humility, and the courage to leave a positive mark on the world. Continue striving for excellence.

Thank you, and congratulations.