E-News: Rochelle Zell Jewish High School Lights Up

December 11, 2015

29 Kislev, 5776 This Week at RZJHS Happy Chanukah Egg Drop 2015 Mazal Tov Sacred Space Hillel Director Speaks Drivers' Ed Ventra Cards for Students Art Show Students in the News Apply By December 15 A Taste of Torah

Rochelle Zell Lights Up Week of Chanukah Cheer

Class Schedule ​Monday, December 14 BB -­‐ extended tefillah Tuesday, December 15 C Wednesday, December 16 A

The joyous spirit of Chanukah is palpable! On Monday, students took to the senior hallway to decorate the large windows facing into the gym. Teams worked by grade, and created beau?ful Chanukah-­‐themed decora?ons. Thursday's lunch was a fun-­‐ filled affair with cookie decora?ng, sponsored by Holla for Challah, and a special Chanukah movie sponsored by Film Club.

And throughout the week, DEAP has been collec?ng new and lightly used children's books to donate to Bernie's Book Bank.

The collec?on bins are filling up, so bring in whatever books

Thursday, December 17 B

you have so we can pile them over the top!

Friday, December 18 CC

Quick Links CJHS.org Calendars Lunch Menu Edline Give Now

Save The Date December 13 ACT at CJHS December 7-­‐16 Chanukah December 20 -­‐ January 3 Winter Break January 3 -­‐ January 22 Senior Israel Experience ​January 4 Classes Resume January 5 Freshman Parent Mee?ng January 11 -­‐ January 15 Final Exams January 18 MLK Jr. Day January 19 Semester 2 Begins

Eggs Ahoy Karaoke Friday Enhances Annual Physics Compe\\on

Sophomore/Parents Mee?ng January 25 Classes Resume for Seniors Tu Bishvat January 27 Junior/Senior Parent Mee?ng February 7 ACT at CJHS ​February 15 President's Day ​March 2-­‐6 Model UN Conference March 18-­‐19 All School Shabbaton ​March 18 2:15 pm Friday Dismissal Begins

STEM Corner Illinois Ins?tute of Technology invites high school sophomores, juniors and seniors to a\end NxtGen Tech Program in the summer of 2016.

Students will learn technologies and tools and get a glimpse of the future of the Internet, compu?ng, and the next wave of emerging technologies. To learn more, click here.

​Dozens of enthusias?c underclassmen filled the upstairs hall on Tuesday to watch the fiaeen excited teams of physics students test weeks' worth of careful designs for the annual egg drop.

Mrs. Eliaser’s 11th and 12th grade physics classes applied their knowledge of impulse, momentum and collisions as they tossed raw eggs over the school balcony in collision-­‐proof structures of their own design. Each team had four sheets of paper and 20 straws to keep their egg from eggsploding! In a momentous honor roll, fully nine out of the fiaeen teams emerged triumphant, holding up unbroken eggs with shouts of triumph.

The 2015 egg drop also featured the first ever all-­‐class karaoke party, as groups explained their design principles in catchy, crea?ve art forms. The week kicked off with a sly tribute to air resistance with "It's Physics, Baby" by Melissa Levin, Hana Lieber, and Celia Pivo, while Yoni Maltsman, Akiva Stein, and David Weisskopf shook their groove thang with "Drop It Like

It’s Hot." We got "Fresh Prince of the Egg Drop" from rocketeers Sara Behn, Felix Rosen, and Dave Vayngart, whose finned nose cone dented by a good two inches, leaving their egg unscratched. Jonah Karoll, Zev Mishell, and Henry Wolle worked out a complete set of physics choreography to "We're Gone!" while Arielle Small and Gabe Chasin beat-­‐boxed an original rap about increased impact ?me. Congratula?ons to all forty egg engineers!

Mazal Tov, Joe Steiner!

Rochelle Zell EMT Completes His Conversion This morning, we had the privilege of celebra?ng the conversion to Judaism of our beloved security guard and EMT, Joe Steiner. Joe fell in love Judaism while he was working security on Friday evenings at B'nei Joshua Beth Elohim (BJBE), the congrega?on across the way. Aaer a few weeks, Joe began a\ending even on Friday nights when he wasn't working. For the first ?me, he felt a part of a religious community.

While at Rochelle Zell Jewish High School, Joe has found another Jewish community to embrace as well. He said that aaer our fall Shabbaton, he knew that he was ready officially to become Jewish. He was cap?vated by the spirit of services, the study of Torah, and the rituals which transform a simple meal into an act of community and worship.

Joe's conversion ceremony took place at BJBE on Monday, where he took the Hebrew name Binyamin Chanan, a name he took in honor of his dear friend and mentor, Mr. Bruce Scher. When a few staff and students wished to dash across the street to support their beloved guard, Joe graciously invited the en?re senior Bible class to take ?me off from their study of Megillat Ruth and join him for the official ceremony. Presiding, Rabbi Brian Stoller passed him the Torah scroll, and Joe chanted the Shema for the first ?me as a Jew. The seniors were able to hear firsthand about Joe's desire to become a Jew, the inspira?on he received from his mentors, and the

lengthy process that made his dream a reality.

This morning, resplendent in a new tallit, Joe was called to the Torah as a member of our people.

He shared with the en?re group the story of his Jewish journey along with his touching insights on who your real friends are and the process of adop?ng an observant lifestyle. "Keeping kosher was a bit tough at first," Joe explained candidly, "but Rabbi Stoller explained it to me. If you were a guest in G-­‐d's house, and He asked you not to eat something, then out of respect for Him, you wouldn't eat it." Rabbi Silver presented Joe with a mezuzah in honor of Joe's entrance into the Jewish people, a sign of the covenant between God and his treasured ones. Mazal tov, Joe! As you have entered our covenant, so may you experience the joys of Torah study, Jewish family life, and a life of mitzvot!

Sacred Space Sophomore Class Explores Houses of Worship

On Monday the sophomore class hit the road in order to apply insights they have gleaned in their study of “Sacred Space” in their Bible and Talmud classes. In visi?ng and mee?ng with clergy at Anshe Emet, Temple Sholom, the Baha'i Temple, North Shore Congrega?on Israel and B’nei Jehoshua Beth Elohim (BJBE), students enhanced their understanding of how sacred spaces are designed and how they func?on – and, some?me, don’t func?on so well anymore. Two themes emerged: one, that we are in a period of ?me when the older, grander models of sanctuaries no longer fully serve the needs of their congrega?ons as well as they once did and, two, that the sanc?ty of a space can depend, in varying degrees, on both the design and inten?on of the space itself and the community that inhabits it. The trip was led by Ms. Frankel, Rabbi Greenberg and Rabbi Belgrad.

White House, Gold Menorah Rochelle Zell Sophomore Attends Presidential Lighting Happy Chanukah from the White House, where Eli Nasa\r and his family were invited to the annual Chanukah party to light the menorah with the Obamas. Eli writes from Washington, "The White House Chanukah celebra?on was an incredible experience. The mee?ngs showed me that while Israel and the USA's rela?onship is some?mes foggy, the USA-­‐Jewish rela?on is unques?onably strong."

ConJew Students Learn About Israel on Campus Rabbi Winberg Addresses Sophomores Last Friday, Rabbi Seth Winberg, the Execu?ve Director of Metro Chicago Hillel, visited Contemporary Judaism class to speak about his experiences encountering the Boyco\, Divestment, and Sanc?ons movement on college campuses. He gave a broad picture of the climate on several campuses, no?ng the challenges that students might face. Rabbi Winberg noted that this BDS movement is a feature on most campuses and being aware of some of the rhetoric is an important first step in represen?ng Israel. He encouraged students to con?nue being nuanced in their thinking about Israel, even in the midst of these challenging ?mes. We look forward to hearing from students in the coming weeks about their experiences.

Driver's Ed Sign-Up Forms Coming for Freshmen and Sophomores Please be on the lookout for the Driver's Ed email for the Spring Semester. Adams School of Driving will be holding classes at Rochelle Zell Jewish High School beginning on Thursday, January 21, 2016 from 4:10 p.m. to 5:10 p.m. and on select dates. In order to enroll in these classes your student must have been born on or before May 16, 2001. If you have any ques?ons regarding the classes, please call Adams School of Driving at 847.965.6565 or email Janice Dla\ at jdla\@cjhs.org.

Alumni Trivia Happy Chanukah from Anthony Goldstein, Luna Lovegood, and the rest of the Harry Po\er fans! ...And has anyone seen my calculator?

Which of our Po\errific alumni played "Luna" almost every year in the class Purim spiels, performing a hilarious sendup of herself and her lost possessions? And where is she now?

Studio Art Show Heller Nature Center | 2821 Ridge Rd., Highland Park Ms. Snyder’s pain?ng class has been studying textures and color play in the common pineapple as part of their ongoing study of mindful living, and taking ?me to focus on what ma\ers in all aspects of life. As Ms. Snyder says, “ The pineapple reminds us that life can be colorful, sweet, tart and some?mes prickly.” The studio art class will hosted the opening recep?on of their exhibit "MINDFUL DESIGN" last weekend at the Heller Nature Center in Highland Park, so come on by to view the pain?ngs! The exhibit will be up for all of December.

Renew Your Ventra Pass Today!

Reduced Fare For Public Transportation Students who use Ventra cards must RENEW REDUCED FARE RIDING PRIVILEGES EVERY SCHOOL YEAR. Fill out this form and email it to idrazin@cjhs.org for the school to place its official seal on the form and send to Ventra Chicago.

Don't Delay! Apply Today!

Save $500: Apply to Rochelle Zell By December 15, 2015 All incoming freshmen and transfer students can save $500 on tui?on when they submit their applica?on for admission by December 15, 2015. Click here to begin your applica?on today!

Happy Chanukah from the Parent Organization Thank you to Mar?ne Gorstein for organizing the Faculty/Staff Chanukah fund. Thanks, too, to all of the families who contributed in support of our amazing faculty and staff. On Monday, December 14, the P.O. will provide students with a meat lunch in celebra?on of Chanukah. Come enjoy hot dogs, burgers, latkes, and sufganiyot. Happy Chanukah!

Sponsored Breakfast Thank you to Oliver Friedman's family for sponsoring breakfast last week in honor of the staff. (And apologies for last week's error in repor?ng!) If you would like to sponsor breakfast in honor of your favorite Tiger, contact Diane Zidman at dzidman@cjhs.org.

Community News and Events

Alumni Trivia

Madeleine Mynae ('13), our resident ar?ste and coiffeuse whose lost calculator achieved comedic propor?ons, is studying crea?ve wri?ng, musical composi?on, and digital media design at Lake Forest College, as well as being a second chair violinist in the college orchestra. Maddie is also a designer at the Lake Forest Costume Shop for the theatre. Maddie reports, "I also recently co-­‐hosted and researched as an official Digital Research Assistant for the Andrew. J. Mellon Founda?on Conference here at Lake Forest. I’m also planning to study abroad at the Rothberg Interna?onal School at Hebrew University next fall." Good for you, Maddie!

A Taste of Torah: Mikketz

Parashat Miketz features Joseph as the prince of Egypt, a man who was pulled up from a pit to be Pharaoh’s dream interpreter and confidante. Materially he has everything. Or does he?

In the middle of this week’s parasha, his brothers sojourn down to Egypt to search for food, because there is a famine in the Land of Israel. Joseph recognizes them, but they do not recognize him. They bow down to him, and in turn, Joseph speaks harshly to them. Seemingly, Joseph has transformed so quickly and drama?cally to look and speak like an Egyp?an, he is unrecognizable as the Hebrew that he is. Oddly, Joseph asks the brothers to go back to Canaan and bring their youngest brother with them. He takes Simeon as collateral to ensure that they will return. He will do this again. Upon the brothers’ return, Joseph has a minister place a goblet in Benjamin’s sack and subsequently accuses the brothers of stealing from him. Naturally, Joseph discovers this “stolen item” in Benjamin’s bag and says that Benjamin must go to jail.

The ques?on is why does he go through this process? Why torture his brothers in this fashion?

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks notes that one might think that this is out of spite, a measure-­‐for-­‐measure enactment of revenge, a reversal of power dynamics, and an anonymous one, at that (Not in God’s Name). But Joseph cries privately in each of three situa?ons: when he first sees the brothers; when the brothers return; and aaer Judah’s passionate speech to save Benjamin, where he offers himself instead of his youngest brother. As Rabbi Sacks notes, “there is no malice here” (152). In fact, each of these situa?ons tears him apart emo?onally to the point that he needs to step aside and not let his brothers see him distraught.

During each of these interac?ons, Joseph brings his brothers through the process of teshuva. As Rabbi Sacks suggests, “Joseph has constructed a controlled experiment in [Maimonides’ defini?on of] ‘perfect repentance.’” He puts the brothers in a series of situa?ons where they experience precisely the same situa?ons as vic?ms as the ones that they afflicted Joseph with. Finally, in next week’s parasha, Judah is willing to sacrifice his life for that of his brother, and the trial is over.

Of utmost importance, Joseph forgives them at the end of this narra?ve. But the brothers do not ask for it in words. Their true teshuva illustrates more than words ever could. And it is this “moral growth, on which the biblical vision depends” (156).

​Rabbi Zachary Silver

From All of Us at School Shabbat Shalom and Chag Chanukah Sameach from all of us here at Rochelle Zell Jewish High School!

May your days be full of peace and your homes be full of light.

1095 Lake Cook Road Deerfield, IL 60015 | cjhstigers@cjhs.org | 847.470.6700