Feb 10 2017

14 Shvat, 5777

This Week at Rochelle Zell

February 10, 2017

Religion Symposium

Global Studies Explores Abrahamic Religions

Religion Symposium Na onal Merit Finalist Israel Seminar Bible and Art Talmud and Entertainment New Nurse Consultant Tu B'Shvat Seder This Week in Basketball Science and Math Adventures Sponsor Ad Book Alumni News

Save the Date Community News Alumni Trivia

Class Schedule

Monday, February 13

A

During fi h and sixth periods on Wednesday, all

Rochelle Zell freshmen had the chance to hear from members of Jewish, Muslim, and Chris an faiths during a religious symposium. The event featured Hazzan Steven Stoehr of Congrega on Beth Shalom, Reverend Martha Gille e of the Church of the Holy Apostles, and Mariam Sultan‐Abbasi, an English teacher at Barrington High School. Organized by Global Studies teachers Ma Cohen and Melissa Feinstein, the symposium involved one class period of hearing each representa ve speak about their personal experiences, from the day‐to‐day to larger scale ma ers of faith. A er that, in the next

class period, each speaker rotated among three breakout groups. Students asked thoughೀ�ul, specific ques ons, which helped them understand other religions, as well as their own, from a uniquely personal perspec ve. Students remarked that the event was interes ng, helpful, and eye‐opening.

Tuesday, February 14

B

Wednesday, February 15 A

Thursday, February 16

C

Friday, February 17 BB

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Save The Date

February 12 ACT

We are proud to announce that Sara Behn has been named Na onal Merit Finalist by the Na onal Merit Scholarship Program. We are extraordinarily proud of everything she has accomplished at our school, from scien fic accomplishments and mathema cal acumen to social jus ce and social change. We are also proud of all of our seniors and their many contribu ons to our school and the greater community in which they live.

RZJHS.org

2017 National Merit Finalist

Quick Links

Senior Israel Seminar Seniors Consider Israel on Campus

February 20 No School

Following the Israel trip, the seniors are partaking in a three‐ week seminar about Israel on campus and more broadly in their lives. This week, we welcomed Natan Pashman and Allison Rosenfeld of the An ‐Defama on League. Natan and Allison complemented last week's personal presenta ons by Northwestern Hillel Director Michael Simon and our own alumnus and NU student Yadid Licht (CJHS '14). Natan and Allison presented the three ideas of an ‐Semi sm, an ‐ Zionism, and an ‐Israel, how they are o en used (and misused) in various places in society, where the terms intersect, and how they differ. As Michael Simon did, they offered several case studies from campus life and how these same sen ments o en appears in social jus ce efforts that have nothing to do with Israel. Students are gaining language and perspec ve for what to expect as leaders on campus.

February 22‐26 Miami Basketball Shabbaton

March 2‐3 All‐School Shabbaton

March 13 Shushan Purim

March 15‐19 Model U.N.

March 20 No School

Adventures in Art

Juniors Study Bible Through Mixed Media

When are words insufficient to the cause?

When are they too numerous, too confusing, and too obscure? When do words break down communica on instead of enabling it?

Rabbi Greenberg's junior advanced Chumash class concluded their unit on the Tower of Babel without using words. Each student was challenged to create one art piece from before God baffled the language of the people and one piece a erward, finding ways to non‐verbally ar culate the change and highlight the contrast between the se軀�ngs.

To several students, the contrast between order and chaos was not always a nega ve one: the Babel incident brought diversity, culture, and variega on into the too‐staid world. Shown above are pastel oils and watercolors by Hannah Kelly and Dena Romanoff.

Talmud Takes a Break Freshman Talmud Explores Shabbat Through Entertainment

There's more to Shabbat than kugels and kiddushes, and the freshman Talmud class is examining the Biblical sources for permission and prohibi on. The HamilJews sing to the tune of "Take a Break" about the need to stop all work, even holy work, on Shabbat. Other groups told the story of God giving manna (the extra por on on Friday to last for Shabbat) in an SNL style skit.

Another showed the consequences of breaking mitzvot: minor consequences like sacrifices, unless it's Shabbat you're breaking, when you might get stoned! Next week we will get post‐biblical and see how these laws and tradi ons are lived today.

Tu Bishvat Seder Environmental Club and Va'ad Israel Celebrate

On Friday, Va'ad Israel and the Environmental Club celebrated Tu Bishvat with a seder complete with all seven of the species of the Land of Israel. Following the requisite brachot and mixing of grape juice, the leaders of the clubs led a meaningful presenta on about environmentalism in Israel, par cularly focusing on water preserva on. Chag Ha‐Ilanot Sameach!

Hello, Nurse Consultant!

We are pleased to welcome Mrs. Jill Moss, RN, to the Rochelle Zell family a er over 25 years of work as a school nurse. Mrs. Moss, our new nurse consultant, will be on campus during the school day at designated mes throughout the week. To reach the nurse, you can call 847.324.5958 or e‐ mail jmoss@rzjhs.org.

Alumni Trivia

Which of our alumnae has the sweetest job of all our graduates‐‐and drives a truck to prove it!

This Week in Basketball Three Wins for JV Tigers

A er a tough loss Saturday night to Yeshiva, our freshman and sophomore boys bounced back with three impressive wins. On Monday night the sophomores played a physical and fast defense to completely shut down Schaumburg Chris an 32‐19.

Leading scorers were Niv Ostroff and Henry Hoffman, both with 10 points. Wednesday, our freshman and sophomores came away with two domina ng wins versus Northtown Academy. First came a fast‐paced freshman game en route to a 24‐15 win. Leading the way were Jake Silvers with nine points, Ari Rosen with seven points and Coby Maeir with five. A er the freshman's impressive victory, our sophomores came out fast and furious, and put away Northtown early with a 27‐4 first quarter, leading to a 59‐22 win. Our leading scorers were Niv Ostroff with 16 points, Ari Rosen with 12 and David Levin and Noah Shanes with eight each. We will close out our regular season this weekend with two sophomore games versus Ida Crown on Saturday and Fasman Yeshiva on Sunday. Go Tigers!

Science and Math Adventures Seniors Take Learning Outside

Rub‐a‐dub‐dub, it's fun in neuroscience! Students in Mrs. Murphy's AP Psychology class used their knowledge and ar s c skills to map out the four lobes of the brain, including the sensory and motor cor ces, Broca's area, and Wernicke's area.

The ar s c medium of choice? The common shower cap! Ask your favorite senior for a biomedical tour‐‐but wait un l they're out of the shower!

And who are those suspicious‐looking characters swinging like monkeys around the playground? No worries‐‐it's the AP Physics class, trying to measure their moments of iner a by studying their rota onal proper es! Ask any AP Physics student how they found their center of mass using two bathroom scales and a plank from Home Depot or what they hope to learn by stringing weights down the staircase‐‐and look for their incredible lab footage in two weeks!

Sponsorship Opportuni es

Yearbook Ad Book

Adver se your business in the Rochelle Zell Jewish High School ad book supplement to the yearbook. Recall memories, give a bit of advice, or simply extend good wishes to students, the community or to the faculty and staff. Click here for an order form, or pick up a form in the school office. Complete and submit to the front office at Rochelle Zell Jewish High School in an envelope marked 'yearbook'. All ad book submissions are due April 7. For ques ons or more informa on, contact Ms. Averbach at 847.423.5977.

Mazal Tov

Congratula ons to our fearless registrar and honorary Yiddishe Mamale Martha Keefe on the birth of her new granddaughter Valerie this past weekend! And mazal tov to Zach Frankel (CJHS '05) and Laurel Van Allen on the birth of their new li le boy this past week. Zach was a member of the pioneer class of Chicagoland Jewish High School. Alan Frankel currently serves as the Execu ve Vice President of the Board of Directors of Rochelle Zell Jewish High School. The brit milah will be on Sunday 10 a.m. at Moriah Congrega on, following 9 a.m. morning minyan.

Baruch Dayan Emet

It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Rabbi Yehuda Simes, uncle of Akiva Stein ('17) and Aliza Stein Zivic (CJHS '07). Shiva will be at the Stein residence 9045 Keystone Ave, Skokie. Sunday from 7:30‐9:30 p.m. (Maariv at 9:30 p.m.), Monday all day (Shacharit at 7:30 a.m., Mincha/Maariv at 5:15 p.m.), and Tuesday for Shacharit only at 7:30 a.m.

It is with great sadness that we also inform you of the passing of Herbert Schneider, grandfather of Bin (Rebecca) Dauber. Rebecca Dauber serves as our school social worker.

‫וירושלים‬ ‫ציון‬ ‫אבלי‬ ‫שאר‬ ‫בתוך‬ ‫אתכם‬ ‫ינחם‬ ‫המקום‬ May God's presence comfort the Stein, Simes, Dauber, and Schneider families among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.

Sponsored Breakfast

Happy birthday to Yonit Mlotek and Alex Bernat, and many thanks to their families for sponsoring bagels in their honor. Thanks also to librarian Eleanor Parker for sponsoring bagels in honor of all the February birthdays. To sponsor bagels in honor of your favorite Tiger, please contact Diane Zidman in the office.

Save the Date Performing Arts Night and P.O. Book Club

Community News and Events

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To increase radon awareness, the American Lung Associa on is hos ng the sixth annual statewide radon video contest. We are calling on Illinois high school students and classes to create a 1 minute Public Service Announcement (PSA) or commercial that will increase public awareness of

radon gas and encourage people to test their homes. First place wins $1000 plus $300 for the school! Click here for details.

Alumni Trivia

Our glorious chocoholic Danielle Geraty (CJHS '11) is the District Sales leader for Nestlé! Danielle explains, "My job is a bit unique: as a District Sales Leader, I manage a team of truck drivers and salesman for Nestlé pizza and ice cream‐‐ and they all happen to be men roughly twice my age! I manage about 20 people. I also have my Commercial Driver's License so that I can drive the company trucks when necessary, which helps me gain some points with my team when they see that I can do what they do! I've moved around twice so far for the company: first to Milwaukee and more recently to Indianapolis. I'm learning to love every place that I'm relocated to. My job is every bit of crazy, with hard work, long hours, but I love all the chaos and I don't know what I would do without it!" Wow, Danielle! We are impressed!

Israel Reflections

Over the next several weeks, we will feature the reflec ons of students about their Senior Israel Experience, responding to the prompt, "My Israel is..." Students offer profound thoughts about the place of Israel in their lives, their evolving Jewish spirits, and enduring ques ons that they are s ll facing. Today, enjoy the reflec ons of Henry Wolle and Erin Miller .

A Taste of Torah: Beshallach

At the end of the iconic song of the sea, we read about Miriam, who takes her mbrel and leads the Israelite women to rejoice about the miracle of crossing the sea. For the first me, Miriam is referred to as Miriam HaNeviah, Ahot Aharon, Miriam the Prophetess, the sister of Aaron.

Rashi asks why she is given this par cular tle: “When did she prophesy? When she was Aaron’s sister, before Moses was born!”

In her new book, Moses, Aviva Zornberg explains that the Midrash features Miriam enables Moses’ birth in the first place by cri quing her father from separa ng from his wife — in the midst of their despair, couples had stopped procrea ng all together . She states: “Your decree is harsher than Pharaoh’s: he decreed against male children, while your decree prevents any child from being born!” By standing up to her parents, Moses comes into the world (Zornberg, 122).

Precisely at one moment of triumph and exalta on, the narra ve brings us back to where it began. Miriam’s forethought and resistance to the status quo altered the course of history. The text reminds us how easily Miriam could have been “simply” Aaron’s sister. And now, in this

ul mate triumph, she erupts in joy, from one scene on the river to another crossing the sea.

Rav Beit Sefer Zach Silver

1095 Lake Cook Road • Deerfield, IL 60015 • gers@rzjhs.org • 847.470.6700