E-news: DECA Breaks All Rochelle Zell Records!

22 Kislev, 5776 This Week at RZJHS DECA Wins Big Alumni Reunion Girls' Basketball Victorious Illinois State Scholars Environmental Club ​Studio Art Show Chanukah Book Drive Chanukah Coat Club Mazal Tov Apply By December 15 A Taste of Torah ​Happy Thanksgiving

December 4, 2015

Update: DECA Breaks All RZJHS School Records!

Twenty-­‐Seven Medals in CompeQQon!

Class Schedule ​Monday, December 7 A -­‐ extended tefillah Tuesday, December 8

Our RZJHS DECA team set a new bar for performance for our school this year! Our students showed professionalism,

C -­‐ extended tefillah Wednesday, December 9 BB -­‐ extended tefillah Thursday, December 10 C -­‐ extended tefillah Friday, December 11 A -­‐ extended tefillah

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enthusiasm and poise compeJng against other North Suburban schools in the annual regional business conference. There were 21 schools represented at this compeJJon including Glenbrook North, Highland Park, Deerfield, Niles North and Niles West to name few local "compeJtors." DECA is a naJonal non-­‐profit program in business and finance, preparing emerging high school and college entrepreneurs for careers in finance, management, markeJng, and hospitality.

Twenty-­‐five students competed on Monday, a new record for parJcipaJon for us, up from 20 last year. Twelve students-­‐-­‐ nearly half!-­‐-­‐ finished with medals, which are awarded for top 3 scores in each event, and RZJHS earned 27 medals overall-­‐-­‐a whopping 9 higher than last year, over a 50% increase! Mr. Baumstark kvells, "Although this staJsJc is not tracked at the compeJJon, there is no doubt in my mind that our school by far had the most medals 'per capita' of any school there. In fact, we averaged over one medal per parJcipant, which I don't think I have ever seen done before at any school. Really, no maXer how you measure it, today was our best regional compeJJon performance in the four years since our school formed a DECA chapter!"​

Save The Date December 6 Studio Art Show 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 MeeJng January 11 -­‐ January 15

Eight students finished with medals in their overall combined event: Sara Behn (gold), Emma Siegel (gold), Akiva Stein (gold), Melissa Levin (bronze), Shai Sklar (bronze), Joshua Weisskopf (bronze), Sammy Hoffman (bronze), and Ari Rosenthal (bronze). Eleven students earned one or more medals in individual compeJJons: Akiva Stein (gold, bronze), Yoni Maltsman (gold, silver), David Levin (gold), Ethan Harris (gold), Jonathan Taitz (silver, bronze), Shai Sklar (silver), Emma Siegel (silver, bronze), Sammy Hoffman

Final Exams January 18 MLK Jr. Day January 19 Semester 2 Begins Sophomore/Parents MeeJng January 25 Classes Resume for Seniors Tu Bishvat January 27 Junior/Senior Parent MeeJng

(silver, silver), Sara Behn (bronze, bronze), Ari Rosenthal (bronze, bronze), Joshua Weisskopf (bronze), and Melissa Levin (bronze).

Our other team members included Daniel Sacks, Brian Silverstein, Aitan Maeir, Micah Brody, Eli Wein, Noam Sigler, Sol Treister, David Weisskopf, Jake Lankford, Zev Mishell, Zach Becker, Daniel Silver and Seth Wein. Please high-­‐five any or all of these students when you see them! Kol hakavod, DECA, and well done Mr. Baumstark, their stalwart advisor!

Alumni Reunion Welcome Wednesday and Alumni Basketball Game

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

Lots of familiar faces arrived at RZJHS for our annual "Erev Thanksgiving" Alumni Day. The building filled with the sounds of alumni energeJcally reconnecJng with the school, their teachers, and their friends. "CriJcal thinking" was the buzzword Wednesday in tefillah, whether sailing ahead in advanced college classes or fielding criJcism of the Jewish state on campus, as the alumni to reminisced about the independence they learned at school and the close Jes with friends and teachers they sJll treasure. Many expressed how their Jewish idenJty was culJvated in Jewish studies classes.

Saturday night's Alumni Reunion and Basketball Game greeted over 100 alumni from graduaJng classes old and new. Old friends snapped silly poses at the photo booth and lined up for the Milt's food truck. Mr. Frank and Va’ad president Jake Lankford welcomed members of the community back to 1095 Lake Cook Road: new leXers, old leXers, and a few stalwart old-­‐Jmers who remember silver and maroon in Morton Grove! Up in the stands and running the halls, sporJn' their new swag and vintage CJHS togs, some pint-­‐sized future Tigers from classes yet to come were ready to cheer for their favorite players!

Then it was Jme for Jpoff. Avram Pachter (’06), Daniel Fishbaum ('13), Josh “Gingi” Aaronson ('14), Evan Gorstein, ('14), Avidan Halivni ('14), Nathaniel Moses ('14), Josh Silverman ('14), Jacob Erlichman ('15), and Benji Fishbaum ('15) defeated our current RZJHS team by a score of 60-­‐ 52. However, our Tigers got their own back at the halfime three point contest where junior Gabe Chasin beat Shai Alima ('15) with five out of nine shots to claim the coveted Jtle of three point champion!

Thanks to everyone who came out for this fantasJc event. Don't be strangers! We look forward to seeing you next year!

Lady Tigers On a Winning Streak!

The Lady Tigers are on a roll with the best season in remembered history! The women's basketball team currently stands at 4 wins and 1 loss. They lost their first and only game on November 17, their first game of the season, whereupon they proceeded to steam past Beacon last week, out-­‐play arch-­‐rivals Ida Crown with a

Hope in the coming week!

thrilling buzzer beater by Ariel Saxton, and take apart Woodlands Academy the day before Thanksgiving. They returned from Thanksgiving break Monday night against Our Lady Tepeyac, emerging triumphant 46-­‐20.

Coach Forde reports, "So far this season it’s been a group effort, great coaching, great execuJon by the players and great support from the fans." Come out to see your Tigers play Northtown, Christ the King and Chicago

Illinois State Scholars Eleven RZJHS seniors have been named Illinois State Scholars for outstanding academic achievement. CongratulaJons to Bessie Cohen, Sarah Comar, Jorie Dayan, Coby Drexler, Mai Dulberg, Max Gruenberg, Aviva Hirsch, Mellissa Levin, Hana Lieber, Celia Pivo, Gabrielle Pretekin, Emily Reisler, Jack Rubinstein, Arthur Sredni, and Jason Taitz. Many thanks to our enJre staff for the outstanding preparaJon that you give our students who have the ability to excel in so many areas. Your mentoring and your teaching are great assets to every student and to our school in general.

Environmental Club Rallies for Climate Change On a brisk Sunday morning, Zev Mishell, Sara Behn, and Hadar Halivni made their way to the town square of PalaJne, where they marched alongside other local environmental acJvists. Rallies like this one occurred all around the world on Sunday in support of the Paris Climate Change Conference taking place right now. As they cheered repeatedly on Sunday morning, the Environmental Club wants climate acJon, and they want it now!

Alumni Trivia Which CJHS graduate held the crown for outrageous Purim costumes and was about ready to set sail for Paradise Falls Physics Expo with 30,000 balloons Jed around his waist? Hint: he's now about to set sail on a real adventure to serve his country with the US Navy!

Studio Art Show This Weekend December 6, 2015 | 12:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Heller Nature Center | 2821 Ridge Rd., Highland Park Ms. Snyder’s painJng class has been studying textures and color play in the common pineapple as part of their ongoing study of mindful living, and taking Jme to focus on what maXers in all aspects of life. As Ms. Snyder says, “ The pineapple reminds us that life can be colorful, sweet, tart and someJmes prickly.” The studio art class will host the opening recepJon of their exhibit "MINDFUL DESIGN" this weekend for family, friends, and staff at the Heller Nature Center in Highland Park, so come on by to view the painJngs! The exhibit will be up for all of December.

Chanukah Book Drive

In the miraculous and joyous spirit of Chanukah, DEAP is partnering with Bernie's Book Bank to sponsor a children's book drive throughout next week. Please bring in any and all new and gently used children's books that you have. Books can range from birth through 6th grade level, and should be in good condiJon. DonaJon bins are in the first floor hallway, right outside of the Beit Knesset. Bernie's Book Bank provides books to children who otherwise do not have access to them, so let's make a difference in their lives this year by bringing in as many books as we can!

Don't Delay! Apply Today!

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

Other Programs The Bronfman Fellowship is an exciJng academic experience for promising Jewish high school juniors. The merit-­‐based Fellowship includes an all expense paid summer trip to Israel where high level discussions take place in a community of inspiring peers. Apply by January 6 at hXp://www.bronfman.org.

Happy Chanukah from the Parent Organization Get your tummies ready for some holiday yummies! On Monday, December 14, the PO will provide students with a fleishig lunch in celebraJon of Chanukah. There will be burgers, veggie burgers, hot dogs, and of course, latkes and sufganiyot. Happy Chanukah, RZJHS!

Sponsored Breakfast Happy birthday to Jonah Karoll, and many thanks to his family for sponsoring breakfast. Thank you also to Michelle Friedman for sponsoring breakfast in honor of the whole school! If you would like to sponsor breakfast in honor of your favorite Tiger, contact Diane Zidman at dzidman@cjhs.org.

Community News and Events

Mazal Tov New Baby for the Pioneer Class

Mazal tov to Ari Berkowicz ('05) and his wife Zahava on the birth of their first child this past Sunday! Ari and Zahava's liXle boy will be welcomed into the covenant this Monday morning at Anshe Shalom B'nai Israel CongregaJon in Lakeview. May baby Berkowicz grow up with abundant health and happiness and celebrate a life filled with many great deeds and peace.

Alumni Trivia

School funny man and science whiz Adam Schneider ('11) , who parodied Sarah Palin and Lance Armstrong and played a starring role in "The Physics of Disney's Up!" back in the day, finished up a biology major at Dartmouth back in June. Afer graduaJng, Adam spent five months working on the Dartmouth Trail Crew doing trail work across the white mountains in New Hampshire. Adam will be starJng at Navy Officer Candidate School in Newport, RI on February 14th to be commissioned as a Surface Warfare Officer. Adam reports, "My iniJal commitment is four years acJve duty, during which I'll be assigned to two surface ships as a junior officer." Kol hakavod, Adam!

A Taste of Torah: Vayeshev Our parasha opens with a new cast of characters but unfortunately the theme of sibling rivalry conJnues on throughout unJl the end of Breishit. In each and every generaJon, siblings struggle.

In Rabbi Jonathan Sacks Jmely new book Not in God’s Name: Confron:ng Religious Violence, he notes that the Joseph story “is the most searching of all Genesis’ studies of sibling rivalry and its consequences” (145). Where previously, God had been at the center of every narraJve, here the human narraJve stands center, and God is always in the background. “Having given us several dramas of sibling rivalry, it now invites us to deepen our understanding of the theme by idenJfying with the characters, emphasizing with their emoJons, understanding of ourselves what goes wrong when one child is favoured over others… The outcomes are diving, the emoJons are all too human” (145).

When Jacob sends Joseph off to Shchem to see his brothers, for the first Jme of our narraJve, the group finds itself away from home, away from their patriarch. The text notes that the brothers “saw him in the distance and before he reached them they ploXed to kill them” (Genesis 37:18).

Rabbi Sacks notes that on a contextual (peshat) understanding of the text, this reports a narraJve fact. But it also notes a psychological reality, as well: “ They were able to contemplate fratricide because they saw him at a distance. They refused to allow him to come close. He was a threat rather than a person. They could see his cloak, but in Emmanuel Levinas’ terminology, they could not yet see his ‘face,’ his reality as a person. Distant physically, they would not let him come close emoJonally” (147-­‐8).

Every person has mulJple Josephs in his/her life. A person that is difficult to handle on mulJple levels — the individual who may even get in your face about how wonderful he is and declare that it is a prophecy from God.

A mentor during Rabbinical school once told my class that we must make a concerted effort to reach out precisely to the people we find most difficult, both professionally and in our personal lives. “Keep 'em close,” he would say. There is real danger to let distaste fester from a distance.

May we find the strength to make amends with our brothers and sisters.

​Rabbi Zachary Silver

From All of Us at RZJHS 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