Beit Rayim Hebrew School Newsletter May/June 2009 Iyyar - Sivan -Tamuz 5769
CO NT E NT Shalom Parents News May Birthdays Mitzvah Project Kabbalat Shabbat Upcoming Events Shabbat Shorashim Kabbalat Shabbat Walk with Israel May Calendar
Principal Rabbi David M. Eligberg
Shalom Horim/Parents, 1 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 4
ents Upcoming Ev ashim Shabbat Shor 6 May 2 - June n io at SK Gradu 10 ay M No School May 17 hool Break - No Sc r te in W Mid 22 and March 15, 19 Shabbarbecue tba ab Sh Kabbalat Kindergarten May 22 h Israel al UJA W k wit May 24 ol uot- No Scho av Sh ev Er May 28 7 Graduation de Gra hool Last Day of Sc May 31
To Contact your Child’s Teacher: Please call or e-mail the school office at 905-889-0276 x 32 or school@beitrayim.org
Torah! It’s what we’re all about. It’s our raison d’etre as a people and as a school. As the school year unfolds at a frenetic pace with teachers working diligently to hone the Hebrew skills of their students, introduce them to a new prayer, present another holiday custom, review some essential events in Jewish history, prepare for the class family education program and think about report cards, it is easy to forget the reason for doing it all. Fortunately, the holiday calendar provides the necessary mnemonic response. Shavuot comes along as an echo of our ancestors experience at Mt. Sinai when God revealed the Divine Presence to the nascent Israelite nation; formalized the Covenant between the Holy One and the recently redeemed Hebrew slaves and blessed the Israelites with the gift of Torah. Over the centuries the word Torah, came to have layers of nuance and meaning; going far beyond the written text to encompass the centuries of accrued interpretation and application of these sacred words. To distinguish between these two tiers of Torah the rabbis of blessed memory called the first Torah Sheh-Bichtav (the Written Torah) and the latter Torah Sheh-B’al Peh (The Oral Law). Both were essential to understanding God’s expectations. As the oral tradition grew it too would be written down in texts like the Mishnah, Gemara and Midrash. These generated more strata of interpretation and discussion - an ongoing process that still continues in our own day. Understanding that this was a continuing dialogue of discovery, of searching out new meaning, of finding contemporary relevance within the divine decrees is what moved the rabbis to give Shavuot an additional name, the Season of the Giving of the Torah. The present tense language was a deliberate emphasis on the idea that the Torah is presented to each of us individually and to every generation in its time with the challenge to study and learn, to understand and interpret, to explain and inculcate the words of Torah. Our task is to create an Oral Torah that speaks in a contemporary idiom, responds to the needs of our situation and is reflected in our daily behavior. That’s why we cherish every teaching moment, every prayer and custom, every Hebrew word and historical fact. Woven together, they form the tapestry of our Oral Torah, a living, dynamic expression of Jewish tradition and heritage in our lives. B’vracha,
The message will be given to the teacher who will contact you.
Rabbi David M. Eligberg
BRHS Newsletter
NEWS
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Grade 1 Mitzvah Project
MAY BIRTHDAYS Jason Arbour, May 3 Lesley Zosky, May 3 Benjamin Cohen, May 4 Naomi Koven, May 7 Lauren Soudack, May 10 Matthew Wilks, May 11 Erica Presement, May 15 Ryan Bloom, May 15 Jadyn Miller, May 16 Adam Sharvit, May 16 Eric Caplan, May 17 Sydney Jacobs, May 21 Joey Miller, May 21 Jennifer Miller, May 21 Samuel Macy, May 25 Brandon Wainberg, May 29
We are very proud of our Kita Alef students who took to heart the work of Mrs. Clara Hammer, better known as “The Chicken Lady”. Each week hundreds of Jerusalem families receive chicken for Shabbat as a result of Mrs.Hammer’s efforts. The monies raised by our Alef students made them partners in the performance of this mitzvah.
Sponsor Your Child’s Kabbalat Shabbat Service We are pleased to offer you the opportunity to sponsor your child’s Kabbalat Shabbat Service. Sponsors will be formally acknowledged at the Service. Tax receipts will be issued for donations of $18 or more, and more than one family can sponsor each Service. Please bring in a cheque made out to Beit Rayim Hebrew School by the Sunday before your child’s Kabbalat Shabbat Service. For more information contact Grace at the School office (905-889-0276 x32 or email at school@beitrayim.org)
Our school is NUT FREE and KOSHER.
BRHS Newsletter
UPCOMING EVENTS
Walk with Israel and Beit Rayim
Sunday, May 24, 2009 Let’s all march together! Register at www.walkwithisrael.com under the team name “Beit Rayim Synagogue” and put yourself in this year’s picture!
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Kabbalat Shabbat 5769 May 22, 2009 Save the date! Interactive and participatory service for all ages! The Service will be held as part of the congregation’s Shabbarbecue event which will be held in Wade Gate Park, Judith Avenue (one block north of Clark Avenue) Thornhill. To participate in the dinner beginning at 6:30PM please RSVP to the synagogue office with your payment by May 19. Adults $12; Children 10 and under: $ 8. Otherwise please join us for services and dessert at 7:15 PM.
SHABBAT SHORASHIM 9:00 am KickKick-off Party, Coronation Park (Lakeshore Blvd. West and Strachan Ave.) 10:00 am Walk Departs (Rain or Shine) Post Walk RioCan Festival Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place
School Council We would like to thank all the parents who participated in the School Council Meetings during the year and took an active role in helping the school succeed. A special Yeeshar Kochcaha to Harris Korn for all his efforts and valuable contributions.
Calling all families with children 6 years old and younger!!! Join us for a Shabbat morning full of songs, stories, prayer and snack once a month. Shabbat Services are held at The Reena Battle Centre 927 Clark Avenue W. Thornhill 10:30 am -11:30 am Please call the synagogue office for more information: 905-889-0276 x.31
2009 SCHEDULE May 2 June 6
Our school is NUT FREE and KOSHER.
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CALENDAR
BRHS Newsletter
Iyyar - Sivan - Tamuz 5769 - May - June 2009 Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
1
2
7 Iyyar
8 Iyyar Parashat Achrei MotKedoshim Shabbat Shorashim
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
9 Iyyar
10 Iyyar
11 Iyyar
12 Iyyar
13 Iyyar
14 Iyyar
15 Iyyar Parashat Emor
School
School 10
11
12
13
14
15
16
16 Iyyar
17 Iyyar
18 Iyyar Lag B'Omer
19 Iyyar
20 Iyyar
21 Iyyar
22 Iyyar Parashat BeharBechukotai
23
School SK Graduation
School 17
18
19
20
21
22
23 Iyyar
24 Iyyar Victoria Day
25 Iyyar
26 Iyyar
27 Iyyar
28 Iyyar 29 Iyyar Yom Yerushalayim Parashat Bamidbar Kabbalat Shabbat @ Wade Gate Park JK/SK
No School Youth Group Trip to the Zoo 1-4 PM
School 24
25
1 Sivan 2 Sivan Rosh Chodesh Sivan
26
27
28
29
30
3 Sivan
4 Sivan
5 Sivan Erev Shavuot
6 Sivan Shavuot I
7 Sivan Shavuot II
No School Tikkun Leil Shavuot
Walk With Israel
No School
Kabbalat Shabbat Special Family Service @ Reena
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
8 Sivan
9 Sivan
10 Sivan
11 Sivan
12 Sivan
13 Sivan
14 Sivan Parashat Nasso Shabbat Shorashim
Last Day of School
Grade 7 Graduation
School Office: 209-1118 Centre St. Thornhill ON L4J 7R9 Phone: (905) 889-0276 x32 During School Hours: (647) 230-0597 Fax: (905)889-4113 e-mail: school@beitrayim.org www.beitrayim.org