Beit Rayim Hebrew School Newsletter Newsletter December, 2007 Kislev– Tevet, 5768
Principal Rabbi David M. Eligberg
HAPPY HANUkKAH ! ChAg SAMEACH ! Shalom Horim/ Parents,
C on te n t Shalom Parents Grade 1 News News Principal’s books School Council– Help Statutory holiday Report cards Challah Fundraising Tzedakah Boxes Upcoming Events Hanukkah Party Family Ed. Grade 7 Shabbat Shorashim Kabbalat Shabbat School Council December Birthdays Havdallah Happening Youth Group Calendar
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Upcoming Events •
Shabbat shorashim: Dec. 1
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Hanukkah celebration: Dec. 9
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Family Ed. Grade 7: Dec. 16
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Kabbalat Shabbat: Dec. 14
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Havdallah: Jan. 19
SCHOOL Sunday Dec. 23 Thursday Dec. 27 Sunday Dec. 30 Thursday Jan. 3 Sunday Jan. 6
Hanukkah offers us a wonderful opportunity to spend some quality time together as a Jewish family. Having gathered to light the hannukiya we chant the blessings and sing a few appropriate Hanukkah songs such us Maoz Tzur and Al Hanisim. Our enjoyment of the mitzvah of Hanukkah candles does not have to end there; it is customary to play games or engage in other fun family activities while the candles are burning. Once you have exhausted your repertoire of Hanukkah songs or simply cannot handle another rendition of “I had a little dreidl” try to listing to some newer Hanukkah music– a group called SAFAM has a nice collection and Debbie Freidman’s Light These Lights offers traditional favorites with a twist and some nice new pieces. Music being subjective, you will like some, dislike others but you won’t know which until you begin exploring. For younger children there are a myriad of Hanukkah books from “Sammy the Spider” to “Moishe’s Miracle”. There is no reason to stick with Hanukkah related stories. Folk tales from around the Jewish world abound and can be a wonderful treat on a wintery night; you can travel to Chelm, Jerusalem, around the world and back through time. If you want to take a break from latkes and sufganiyot then pop some popcorn and catch a Hanukkah flick– Lights, Alef– Bet Blast off, Rechov Sumsum and The Animated Menorah are just a few of the titles available. Send us your movie review and we can create our own rating system– rate your film with one to five latkes. Those of you with a flair for the dramatic can recreate the Hanukkah narrative. Film your presentation and submit it for consideration by MACCABEE (The Movie And Creative Cinema Association of BeitRayim Educational Enterprise). The special Hanukkah booklet which you will receive shortly has wonderful material prepared by Babaganewz, that is designed to foster family dialogue and discussion. Please share any particularly noteworthy comments and insights that your child(ren) produce(s). May the Hanukkah light, provide us, as they did our ancestors, a moment of opportunity to assert the Jewish elements of our lives and enjoy a Jewish moment with our loved ones. B’vracha, Rabbi David M. Eligberg
Grade 1 News At the end of Tefillat Shachrit (morning prayer), the children in Grade 1 share their thanks to God. " I thank God for": Coby G.: "Making us and the whole world" Mandy J.: "the light" Adam R.: "making air" Leanne F.: "clothes" Nathan C.: "making space so people can explore" Jonas H.: "trees" Jordana D.: "the best mommies and daddies" Samuel W.: "giving us bones, blood, spine and brain to tell the body what to do" Rebecca B.: "everything" Jayme Z.: "animals" Hailey P.: "making Jewish people" Ryan S.: " making me" Jory C.: "making different kind of weather" Ryan B.: "making our voices" Rachel T.: "making us free" Huntyr A.: "making the sky" Benjamin D.: "having Money" Samuel G.: "toys" Alexis M.: "taking care of us" Spencer B.: "waking up every morning"
BRH School Newsletter From the principal’s bookshelf “The Jar of Fools”: Eight Hanukkah Stories from Chelm by Eric Kimmel. Illustrated by Mordecai Gerstein. Holiday House. $18.95. 56pp. Hanukkah stories for Grades 3-6. The stories, one for each of the eight nights of Hanukkah, are cleverly told. Although the fine people of Chelm are often foolish, the lessons learned are always relayed in a wry, humorous way and the collection of wisdom represented within this book brings a new meaning to the holiday spirit. Too delicious to be enjoyed only at Hanukkah, these effervescent tales show how the wisdom of fools might be the wisest kind of all!
New Statutory Holiday The provincial government has created a new statutory holiday called Family Day. This holiday takes place on Monday, February 18th, 2008. Following our current practice this means that the school will not hold our scheduled session on Sunday February 17th.
News
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Help Wanted!! We need you! It takes so much time and man power to make sure your children get the attention they deserve. But with your help, even for one event or one hour you can be assured the best will be given! Here is how you can make a difference! With the bad weather coming we need 4 parents to help with the phone calling in case of school closures! The kiss and ride is an easy and quick way to get your kids into school, but we need some help to make sure it is safe! Our events are great fun for all participants, let’s get some photographers to help keep the memories! Snack club has been going well but how can we get more kids enrolled? And who has some good food ideas to share? Upcoming events need your help to get the momentum going! What are you good at that you can share with us?
Enjoy the nice long weekend with your children!
Please contact me either through the office or come say hi at the school!
Report cards
I want to hear ALL your comments!
Students will be bringing their report cards home the first week of January. Please sign where indicated and return that portion of the report card. Once again this year we will not be having a teacher/parent interview evening. If you have any concerns after reading the report card please send an e-mail to the school office or call and your child’s teacher will call to discuss them with you.
Steffi Goodfield Chair Beit Rayim School Council
Remember the great fundraiser going on right now! The money raised will help make our upcoming celebrations even better! Bring home Richman Bakery’s 100% peanut and nut free large Challah for Shabbat! Beit Rayim is happy to offer your family this wonderful treat! To participate: Give your child $4 (exact change, please) on Sunday to receive a Challah the following Thursday. The money will be collected in the classroom. Enjoy! Beit Rayim School Council
We have placed Tzedakah boxes on our table, at the entrance of the school, the good news is: they were all taken. We now have more!! Feel free to take one from the table for your home! The Blue Box is a symbol - a symbol of the JNF and its effort to develop the land, plant parks and forests, prepare the ground for settlement and agriculture and build roads and water reservoirs. It is a symbol of the bond between Jews and Israel. It is also a vehicle for educating youngsters and involving them in these efforts in order to foster their identification with the Zionist enterprise and the State of Israel. The Blue Box has its honoured place - at home - at work - in school - in community centres. Now is the time to ensure the continuity of a meaningful tradition. Place a Blue Box in your home!!
Upcoming Events
BRH School Newsletter
Hanukkah Celebration in the School!! Sunday, December 9
Get ready for lots of fun!
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Family Education Day Grade 7 Sunday, December 16 10:30-12:30 PM Theme: Communicating Effectively & Creating Jewish Identity
Happy Birthday!
Shabbat Shorashim
Jordan Jacobs, Dec. 6 Joshua Matile, Dec. 6 Mark Weinberg, Dec. 8 Samuel Wengle, Dec. 11 Grant Fletcher, Dec. 12 Amanda Beliak, Dec. 15 Zane Grossinger, Dec. 24 Natalie D'onofrio, Dec. 30 Noah Benezrah, Dec. 30 Jonah Benezrah, Dec. 30
Saturday, December 1 10:30–11:30AM
Kabbalat Shabbat Friday, December 14 6:00– 7:15 PM Both services are held at The Reena Battle Centre 927 Clark Ave. W. Thornhill
Save the date! Saturday January 19 6:30 PM Havdallah Happening! at The Reena Battle Centre
School Council Get involved in your child’s Hebrew School experience by joining the Beit Rayim School Council. The next meeting is on Sunday, December 9. For more details please contact the school office.
927 Clark Ave. w. Thornhill
Are you part of the Beit Rayim Youth Group? Contact Cheri to find out about Upcoming programs and become a youth member to save on program fees! cheris@rogers.com Recent programs included: National Film Board, Mad science, apple picking…
We’re on the Web! How to Contact your Child’s Teacher: Please call the office 905.889.0276 x.32 or school@beitrayim.org The message will be given to the teacher who will contact you.
www.beitrayim.org
Calendar
BRH School Newsletter
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Kislev- Tevet 5768- December 2007 Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday 1 Shabbat Shorashim
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
14
15
Hanukkah Party @ Reena
School
Siddur meeting for Grade 3 parents School
9
10
11
12
13
School Hanukkah: 8th Day
School
19
20
Kabbalat Shabbat Service @ Reena
School wide Hanukkah Celebration School Council Meeting
16
17
18
School
21
22
28
29
School
Family Education: Grade 7
23
24
No School
30
25
26
27
Statutory Holiday
Statutory Holiday
No School
31
No School
In winter time please leave your boots outside of the classrooms.
SCHOOL Reminder: Our school is NUT FREE and KOSHER.
School Office: 209-1118 Centre St. Thornhill ON L4J 7R9Phone: (905) 889-0276 x32 During School Hours: (647) 230-0597 Fax: (905)889-4113 E-mail: school@beitrayim.org
Sunday Dec. 23 Thursday Dec. 27 Sunday Dec. 30 Thursday Jan. 3 Sunday Jan. 6