HAFTR hosts memorial debate tournament

The Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway High Schools held its fourth debate tournament on Feb. 8 in memory of Arkady Rivkin, who was considered a great technologist and inventor in Uzbekistan and the United States.

Evan Winkler for HAFTR won the red ribbon for the one-on-one debate format. Uriel Sussman and Avi Balsam won the red ribbon for Rambam Mesivta Maimonides High School in the two-on-two debate. Lawrence Woodmere Academy and Lynbrook High School also took part.

The topics debated were free speech on college campuses in the individual format and military spending in the public forum for the two-on-two debate.
Other notable debaters were: Brian Kessler (Lynbrook), Adam Gao and Ming-Wei Zao (LWA), Natan Goldschlag, Elliott Ottensoser, David Lederer, Justin Moskowitz and Jonathan Lederer, all from HAFTR.