May 31, 2013 / 22 Sivan, 5773
Graduation Day In This Issue Senior Siyyum Graduation Class of 2013 Passing the Torch El Malei Rachamim Bike the Drive Physics Expo Math Team Party Exam Schedule Summertime Torah Study STAND UPdate Baruch Dayan Emet A Taste of Torah
Siyyum Sets the Tone For Graduation
Alumni Trivia
Save the Date Sun., June 9 ACT Tues., August 13 New Teacher Orientation Wed., August 14 Thu., August 15 Staff Development Mon., August 19 New Student Orientation Tues., August 20 First Day of School
P. O. Corner
"Before we intellectualize, before we use the tools of reason in which we have been schooled for years, we must allow ourselves to appreciate that wondrous expanse which is so much bigger than we are. That ultimately allows us to be at our most human," Rav Beit Sefer Zach Silver explained, fondly recalling the desert experience shared by the Class of 2013 this winter in Israel. The Class of 2013 culminated their studies at morning services with a passage from the kedushah, expressing awe at the divine omnipresence and simultaneously trying to locate and quantify the infinite ("Ayeh mekom
Gelt Program The P.O. is pleased to once again introduce the gift card "Gelt program" to our families and we have made it much easier (look for upcoming email with details on how to register). Faculty and staff can also buy Gelt that will help to support programs provided for the school by the P.O. This program is designed to help families earn money toward their children's junior year Panim program and/or the Senior Israel Experience. The program is a passive earning system, in which you buy the things you ordinarily purchase anyway, and earn money which will be credited to your family for designated school trips. If you have any questions, contact Sheri Sandrof at ssandrof@cjhs.org or call her at 847.324.3723.
Community News and Events Libenu Beauty Night for
kevodo?"). With the blessin g for good fortune appreci ated and shared with others, Rabbi Silver formally concluded his teaching of our senior students, and the rest of the staff rose to acknowledge the gifts and good memories contributed by every member of the class. "If my heart breaks on
Women Look and feel your best! Join us for the Libenu Evening of Beauty and Wellness for Women. Tuesday, June 4 6:30-9:30 PM Women's LifeCenter 118 Skokie Blvd., Wilmette Support this wonderful Jewish organization with a wine and cheese reception, expert consultations with health and beauty experts, and free beauty products!
For tickets, click here or call 847.982.0340 ext. 227. Libenu is a 501(c)3 organization that fosters independence and inclusion by providing supervised group homes and vocational training for Jewish adults with special needs. .
Sponsor Breakfast What's better than a birthday celebration with friends? Celebrate your student's birthday or other milestone with a special breakfast at CJHS. For a donation of $180 (10x chai), bagels, cream cheese, and orange juice will be served to everyone. An announcement will be made in Tefillah and in the dining hall, and the occasion will also be listed in our weekly E-News and on the school announcement board. If you have any questions,
the spot, one of you parents please call 911," Mr. Griffith opened his remarks to his students. Rabbi Belgrad described Zoe Goldhirsh's graceful dance as a metaphor for her life, while Dr. Miller predicted brave things for Gabe Gavrielov, who will always have his buddies ' backs in the IDF next year. Mr. Griffith described the talented Jonathan Tupper as the bestkept secret at CJHS. "Pescadito" Fishbaum and "Margarita" Tunik were sent off with hugs and affection by their Spanish teachers, while the lateworking Dani Sery was saluted by fellow nighthawk Ms. Gladstein. Mr. Marchenko paid tribute to the fearsome leadership skills of debate queen Ceren Maeir, and Dr. Auslander compared Aitan Licht to other great New York Yankees of history--this from a Dodgers fan, no less! Rabbi Silver applauded the passion for ethics and organizational genius of Miranda Smerling, whose IFYC programming enabled Muslim, Jewish, and Catholic students to talk about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict without a single feather flying. And Mrs. Eliaser, as always, sent off Ilan Hulkower with Star Trek references and quotes from Pirkei Avot. If you've ever wanted to learn how to say, "And now the teacher chokes up and cries," in American Sign Language, you'd find this year's Siyyum particularly noteworthy. In
please call 847.324.3713 or email idrazin@cjhs.org. Order forms are available online here.
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addition to our fond and teary teachers, CJHS wishes to extend an extra-special thank you to our team of talented and dramatic ASL interpreters, who navigated through Hebrew prayers, inside jokes, Talmudic citations, and basketball puns to make the morning an inclusive and extra-special experience for everyone present.
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"I love this tradition!" was heard on all sides, from parents and staff alike, as one by one, the graduates were called up to be addressed and congratulated by a favorite teacher. "You can just see how well the teachers know these kids and how much they've shaped each others' experiences. You don't get moments like these at any other school!"
Commencement Exercises
Preceded by class marshals Zach Erlichman and Annie Schrayer, the Class of 2013 marched down the aisle for this year's graduation. Aaron Zell began the proceedings with a mighty blast of the shofar, and Nate Swetlitz gave the invocation at this year's commencement exercises. Aitan Licht and Rachel Rubinstein reflected on the bewildering number of opportunities at CJHS that threatened to overwhelm the Class of '13 during their freshman year--and the sense of unity, enthusias m, and responsibil ity which they have grown into so exuberantly. "What says CJHS more than bagels for breakfast and dozens of club meetings at lunch?" asked Va'ad president Elan Sykes and Senior Gift Chair Eryn Minkow. The Class of '13 leaves to CJHS a brand new 46" monitor to be used for birthday announcements, student group meetings, athletic schedules, and other daily data. (At the moment, it's being used for Prom pictures-were you there?) "When you are called, how will you answer?" Board
President Michael Small urged the outgoing class. "For each of you, in ways direct or subtle, by great causes or by those near and dear, will be called, and not just once-many times. How will you answer? Will you say: hin'ni muchan um'zuman? Here I am, prepared, and ready for the moment!"
"Be active and involved participants in the larger community," Head of School Tony Frank charged the graduates. "Find a niche in which to exercise leadership; strive for a healthy balance between your academic and extra-curricular pursuits. Be true to yourselves, but continue to do for others. And finally-in true CJHS fashion--never forget to hold the door open for the person coming in behind you." On behalf of all the graduates, the eloquent Ceren Maeir concluded the ceremony with these blessings, "May we always have the courage to seek truth and goodness during moments of struggle, to stand for what we truly believe in even if it is not the norm, to never let the light that lives within our souls fade even when it flickers in darkness. May we always
remember the precious lessons our dedicated teachers have impressed upon us and allow them to continue to guide us. May we continue to live by the ethics and morals of our tradition, to find comfort and a home in the community we have created together, and to appreciate the gift of having parents and teachers that lead us, guide us, and love us unconditionally. May we always remember to accept and care for our fellow human beings, for this is all that truly matters. May we never let our zest and passion for life fade no matter the circumstance. But most of all, may we never, ever let the bond between us break!"
The Class of 2013 "I love CJHS because it is, more than anything else, a community. It is one big dysfunctional, weird, amazing, beautiful and special family... The best thing about CJHS is the unspoken rule to hold the door open for the next person entering the building behind you..." --Class of '13, Anonymous Exit Slip
Thus departs the class of 2013, the class that gave us the media club, the breakfast posse, IHSA volleyball glory, and the best Jewish men's basketball team in the country! Among them we graduate dancers and soldiers, prize chemists and prize photographers, microbiologists, political scientists, philanthropists, collegiates and seminary girls: thirty-six talented, beautiful young men and women who will be making a difference on campuses all over the world.
Passing the Torch For the first time since the school opened, CJHS will be going back to school next fall without a single Flink! The Flinks were one of our pioneer families and have graduated four children and one nephew from CJHS. "It is not," as our graduates wisely said, "upon you to finish our great work, but neither were you free to neglect it." We are grateful for all these wonderful families have given the school: as we leave our pioneer days behind us and move into the new era of IHSA championships, award-winning debate teams, world-class M.U.N., and college admissions readers who know us by name, we will surely not neglect to continue the work they began.
Zecher Tzadik Livracha God of mercy who rests on high, find perfect rest under the wings of the shechinah among the righteous, the inspiring, and the holy, to the soul of Mr. Harvey Gross, Zvi Mordechai ben Yoel, our beloved social studies teacher, whose second Yahrzeit we mark with fond remembrance. O Giver of Mercy, may his soul be bound up in life with all the students he has inspired. May his mighty deeds of social justice and the love he bore for his students help him rest in peace, in honor, and in love.
Bike the Drive
This past Sunday, nine CJHS students and Dr. Auslander participated in Bike the Drive and raised over $4,000 for Chai Lifeline, a wonderful organization which provides year-round emotional, social, and financial support to more than 4,000 seriously ill children and their families every year, helping them to live full and happy lives despite the presence of serious illness. This marked the fourth year that CJHS has participated in this event and also saw the most students ever participate in Bike the Drive from CJHS. Freshmen Ranan Vales, Seth Wein, Michael Weldler, and sophomores David Steinberg, Jonathan Schrag, Alex Cope and Eli Schrayer rode. Junior Zahava Vales participated, as did senior Yoni Gabel, biking with Team CJ for his third year. Zahava Vales remarked, "Raising money for Chai Lifeline and participating in Bike the Drive at the same time was truly an experience that I will never forget. I got to spend time with my friends, I got good exercise, I got to raise money for an extraordinary cause, and I got to see how beautiful my city really is. Thank you so much, everyone, and I look forward to participate next year as well."
Rabbi Shlomo Crandall was so impressed by our school's participation that he came to the school on Tuesday to personally thank the students for helping out. Most of the participants are already talking about participating next year! What do you say--do you think we can get 20 riders?
Alumni Trivia This CJHS thespian starred in CJHS' original production of David and Lisa, and after graduating from the University of Pittsburgh with a theater arts and psychology major, has been working on stage and in drama education ever since. Who is she, and what production of hers is about to hit the airwaves?
Physics Expo 2013
If you think it's time to try defying gravity, than the 2013 Physics Expo was the one you've been waiting for! Sixteen teams of juniors in Mrs. Eliaser's three physics classes showcased five months of research in the physics of tennis,
the physics of dance, the physics of superheroes, and the physics of the Bible. 2013 was a good year for movies: we had Willy Wonka and the Physics Factory, where three orange Oompa-Loompa girls
explained fluid pressure and T.V. transmissions to kid brother Charlie, and the uproariously funny The Physics of Bullying, highlighting the physics of toilets, text messages, and other nefarious tools of the trade--plus the physics of Krav Maga for the victims to even the odds! And over in the corner, you might have heard Arielle Kaye and Talia Canter warming up their voices for The Physics of Music and The Human Voice. Honors for the evening went to Defying Gravity: The Physics of Stage Flight, a cinematic masterpiece calculating tension in stage rigs courtesy of Shira Harris and Josh Swatez. High honors also went to Sara Splansky and Tali Lupovitch's The Physics of Cooking, whose thermodynamic cake bakeoff and grill stations tied Jessica Hochberg and Tali Shapiro's The Physics of Animals sodium-potassium gradient hopscotch for the best demos of the evening. The Daniel Bier Award for Best Use of Film went to Jeremy Goodman, Yarden Michael, and Josh Silverman's The Physics of Football, winner of the loudest groan of the afternoon for, "Ouch--that has got to have hurt!" Many thanks to all the friends, parents, teachers, alumni, cheering younger siblings and volunteer camera operators who came to applaud and to help make this year's Expo a success. And godspeed to our graduating cameraman Yoni Gabel ('13), who since his freshman year, has attended over 12 hours of Physics Expos as our most enthusiastic fan!
Mathletes Celebrate The math team celebrated the end of a successful season
during lunch on Monday, enjoying ice cream sundaes, puzzles, and friendly games of Set. In our first year in the 55-school North Suburban Math League, CJHS finished fifth out of the twelve teams in its division; Joe Kupferberg and Benji Fishbaum earned Honorable AllConference Awards. The team recognized the contributions of this year's captains: Josh Aaronson, Evan Gorstein, and Joe Kupferberg, and each student's accomplishments were recognized via a "Piece of Pi" award such as Matt Dulberg's "Super Matt" award, awarded for the enthusiasm he demonstrated at each meet by donning his Superman cape. Our math team looks forward to many more future events under our new Board of Math Evan Gorstein, Joe Kupferberg, Jonah Glick-Unterman, Sarah Comar, Hana Lieber, and Rayna Gorstein. Many thanks to our faculty coaches, Ms. Averbuch, Mr. Baumstark, Mrs. Charous, Ms. Gitlin, Ms. Musleh, and Dr. Yuen, for all their dedication and hard work this year.
Exam Schedule Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday 8:30
Tefillah
9:30 Science 12:30
Bible
Hebrew
English
Math
Talmud
Hebrew
Spanish
History
English
Summertime Torah Study
Best Friends Forever: Ruth and Naomi, Jonathan and David This summer, join CJHS teacher Shira Eliaser and alumni parent Dr. Elysa Barack Fisher at the LifeCenter Torah Network to explore the hidden relationships in the Book of Ruth and the story of King Saul's doomed son. Through the lens of Pirkei Avot, we will examine what it means to be a true friend in the face of hardship, exile, and an uncertain future: how friends shape our self-awareness and our destiny. The first session begins on Monday, June 10! Click here for details.
STAND UPdate STAND secretary Yadid Licht signs off for the summer,
"This past year has been one of STAND's most active and successful years in recent history. With a fantastic SleepIn, and a great Human Rights Week, STAND has informed the community on various issues relating to global conflicts and human rights. STAND has also raised a large sum of money which has been donated to the Solar Cooker Project. Thank you to everyone who has participated in STAND this past year, and especially to our fearless leader, Nate Swetlitz. Thank you to you all for reading these brief updates every week. If you would like to stay updated in terms of human rights news during the summer, check out http://endgenocide.org or http://enoughproject.org/."
Baruch Dayan Emet Condolences to sophomore Hannah Lynch and her family on the recent loss of her aunt, Sally Chasse. May the Omnipresent comfort the entire family along with all the other mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.
A Taste of Torah: Shlach Lecha
The true difference between the two accounts of the scouts--the ten traitors on one hand, Joshua and Caleb on the other-- is in the way that the perspective taken affected their motivation to complete the task at hand. In the first case, the less reliable concluded that because of the strength of the enemy and the difficult terrain of the land, it would not be possible to conquer it. Joshua and Caleb, who saw the same land with the same challenges, looked hard at the panorama and decided, "It can be done! Let's go!" The Jewish people's problem was not only the desire to return to Egypt, but in the fact that their leaders, the unfaithful scouts, discouraged them from completing the task before even beginning it. Now, the lesson becomes clear. As leaders, it is essential to be conscious of the perspective we take: perspective has major implications on motivation. At every moment we observe and in every situation, we must pause and think. Is this perspective I am taking productive? Does it it help get the job done? This is so crucial because leaders must lead. If the leader decides that the task is too daunting, he or she is not leading. And their followers have nothing to do but wander in the desert. As seniors heading out to some of the world's best universities or to defend the State of Israel, it is certain that we will all be in positions of leadership. It is important for us to remember parashat Shlach Lecha at these times, because our perspective and attitude as a leader has a strong influence on all of those around us. We have to be sure that we are always working, providing a perspective that motivates others to work at the task at hand. It may seem like a tall order, but we are lucky to be coming out of an institution like CJHS, for we have really already been doing it. At CJHS, we don't look at all of the knowledge the world has to offer, say, "Too vast!" and then never work at it. Instead, we work at it chunk by chunk constantly working to be the best students we can be. At CJHS, we don't look at the hardest questions in Judaism, whether its God, mitzvot, humanity, or community, say "Too hard!" and then forget it. Instead, we question, we think critically, we discuss, and we grow. At CJHS, we don't look at the injustice in the world, say "Too much!" and then hide in artificial blindness. Instead, we volunteer, we fundraise, we donate, we
educate, and work to make the difference.
לא עילך המלכה לגמור ולא אתה בן חורין להבטל ממנה It is not for you to complete the task, but neither are you free to desist from it. Often times the task is vast, and we know that our efforts alone will not complete it. But it is important that we stay motivated, and continue working so that we inspire others to join in. Perhaps with the help of others we may complete it, but otherwise we will be wandering the desert for forty years.
In the end, this is what I think it means to be a leader, always focus on the task at hand and make sure that you are always thinking that the task can be completed, because it cannot be completed alone. We need help, we need friendships, we need communities dedicated to bettering the world, we need people working together. Graduates, I hope that each year, as parashat Shlach Lecha rolls around you remember this lesson, and all of the lessons that we have learned here at CJHS. For if you do, I'm sure that this world will be lead to a better place.
--Aaron Zell ('13), in honor of the graduates
Alumni Trivia Renana Fox's ('06) radio adaptation of Shakespeare's As You Like It will air on Sunday, June 9 on Washington DC's local NPR station. We can catch the live stream on the WAMU website here. Alumni in D.C. can even attend the live showing at American University's WoodsBrown amphitheater; for more information on the show and on the Lean and Hungry Theater Company, click here. Break a leg, Renana!
Shabbat Shalom
Candlelighting this Friday will be at 8:02 p.m. Shabbat shalom!
To all our readers, we wish a relaxing, safe, and productive summer. Whether you're at camp, in Israel, working hard, or just relaxing at home, we wish you nothing but the best. E-News will resume in August. See you in the fall!