Go Tigers! 3 Elul, 5774
August 29, 2014
This Week at CJHS Fall Sports
Fall Sports Kick Off
Project Tefillin AP Physics Adventures Rabbi Melman Speaks Alumni Column P.O. Book Club Yearbook Photos Alumni Trivia A Taste of Torah
Save the Date Monday, Sept. 1 Labor Day - No School
The breeze is blowing, the heat has broken, and glory be, the rain held off for long enough for the CJHS Tigers to kick off
Wednesday, Sept 3 Back-to-School Night Thursday, Sept. 4 Student Activities Fair Friday, Sept. 12Saturday, Sept. 13 Freshman Shabbaton Wednesday, Sept. 24 Erev Rosh Hashannah - 1:15 Dismissal Thursday, Sept. 25Friday, Sept. 26 Rosh Hashannah - No School
New Links! CJHS on Instagram CJHS Tigers on Instagram
another amazing autumn! The men's golf team opened the fall season against Universit y of Chicago Lab School on Tuesday, August 26. It was our first match, and all eight boys played well. Well done to our top scorers for 9 holes: Josh Lederman, Ethan Laney, and Seth Wein all tied with 49, and Jake Lankford, who shot a 52. Our next match will be Thursday, September 4. Go Tigers!
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P.O. Corner The P.O. is pleased to continue the gift card "Gelt" program. This program is designed to help families earn money toward their children's junior year Panim program and/or the Senior Israel Experience. Faculty and staff can also buy Gelt to support programs provided for the school by the P.O. By buying things you ordinarily purchase anyway, you can earn money which will be credited to your family or class for designated school trips. Contact Sheri Sandrof at ssandrof@cjhs.org or call her at 847.324.3723.
Indoors, the women's volleyball team opened their season against Woodlands Academy on Wednesday and lost a tough game to Depaul College Prep on Thursday. The ladies are training hard to take on Lake Forest Academy on September 2.
College Visits CJHS is pleased to welcome the following schools this season: College Technion Israel Institute of Technology Muhlenberg College University of Washington
Date 9/2/14 10:52 AM 9/8/14 3:30 PM 9/10/14 10:52 AM 9/10/14 1:26 PM
College of Charleston Case Western 9/10/14 Reserve 2:34 PM University Vanderbilt 9/10/14 University 3:30 PM Boston 9/11/14 University 9:00 AM Washington 9/11/14 University in St. 3:30 PM Louis 9/12/14 Illinois Institute 12:44 of Technology PM 9/15/14 Elon University 9:00 AM 9/15/14 Tufts University 10:52 AM Dickinson 9/15/14 College 2:34 PM Indiana 9/15/14 University at 3:30 PM Bloomington Goucher 9/16/14 College 9:00 AM 9/16/14 Grinnell College 2:34 PM University of Illinois at 9/16/14 Urbana3:30 PM Champaign University of 9/17/14 Rochester 9:00 AM 9/17/14 Dartmouth 10:52 College AM Haverford 9/22/14 College 9:00 AM Emory 9/22/14 University 9:56 AM University of 9/22/14
The men's soccer team played hard yesterday, with senior Jacob Erlichman and freshman Josh Levitas leading the charge against Depaul College Prep. Senior Eliel Stofenmacher, reports Tigers forward Daniel Silver, "played a great game, with this incredible header for a goal!" The Tigers will challenge Chicago Hope next Wednesday: come on out and watch the game!
Project Tefillin Continues This past Monday, as part of our two-week focus on tefillin, Rabbi Annie Tucker of Beth Hillel Congregation B'nai Emunah, Rabbi Debra Newman-Kaimin of Am Yisrael Congregation, and Rabbi Judy Greenberg of the Jewish Theological Seminary came to tefillot to speak to our students about their own relationships with tefillin. The rabbis spoke about when they began wearing tefillin and why they have continued the practice to this day. Touching on the intersections of gender, commandedness, and egalitarianism, our guests began a conversation that will continue into classes this year.
Maryland, College Park Hampshire College University of Chicago Wesleyan University
1:26 PM
9/22/14 2:34 PM 9/22/14 3:30 PM 9/23/14 9:56 AM 9/23/14 Yeshiva 10:52 University AM 9/23/14 Bradley 12:30 University PM Binghamton 9/23/14 University 2:34 PM 9/24/14 Barnard College 9:00 AM 9/29/14 DePauw 12:30 University PM University of 9/29/14 Wisconsin, 3:30 PM Madison 9/30/14 Yale University 12:30 PM University of 9/30/14 Pittsburgh 3:30 PM 10/6/14 Clark University 9:00 AM Swarthmore 10/6/14 College 3:30 PM 10/7/14 Oberlin College 9:00 AM 10/7/14 Purdue 12:26 University PM Northeastern 10/7/14 University 2:34 PM University of 10/7/14 Michigan 3:30 PM 10/8/14 Amherst 12:41 College PM Jewish Theological 10/13/14 Seminary of 1:28 PM America Northwestern 10/13/14 University 3:30 PM 10/14/14 University of 10:10 Denver AM 10/14/14 Knox College 2:35 PM Drake 10/20/14 University 2:34 PM Hofstra 10/20/14 University 3:30 PM
Dr. Rebecca Schorsch considers: "Tallit, a beautiful ritual symbolizing being embraced and enveloped by God, is a naturalistic symbol, as though embraced by the warmth of the sun or the coolness of a spring breeze. Tefillin symboling the supernatural God expecting covenantal obligation upon us in exchange for our miraculous redemption from Egypt, stands in contrast to the more naturalist symbol of the Tallit. ...Judaism as constraint and restraint is challenging. Judaism as love and embrace is not. However, as I began to think about being bound and constrained through the words and passion of this one student, I began to think anew about the necessity of commitment, of submission, of obligation... I am indeed bound. We all are. I am bound to my family, I am committed to my family's Judaism, and have been for forever; I am committed to my people's traditions and history; I am committed to my community; I am committed to our Jewish future, and much more. We are all bound one way and another whether we gesture it ritually or not." Read Dr. Schorsch's full dvar Torah here.
University of 10/22/14 Kansas 1:26 PM Skidmore 10/27/14 College 9:00 AM Franklin and 10/27/14 Marshall 1:26 PM College Interdisciplinary 11/6/14 Center (IDC) 10:30 Herzliya AM
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. Announcements 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, please call 847.324.3713 or email idrazin@cjhs.org. Order forms are available online here.
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Steel Sphere Circus "Fire in the hole!" The AP Physics class has transformed the physics lab into a circus stage as part of their study of projectiles and ballistics. Using a tabletop projectile cannon that fires steel ball bearings, the class has set up a series of Quidditch-style hoops through which the ball should fly. Preliminary trials yielded success as the students predicted the ball's trajectory, programmed spreadsheets and graphs to track its motion, adjusted the height of their hoops to correct for drift, and reminded each other not to peer down the barrel of a loaded cannon to industriously adjust the firing angle!
Contemporary Judaism Welcomes Rabbi Melman On Wednesday, Rabbi Silver's and Rabbi Belgrad's Contemporary Judaism class began its unit on the matzav in Israel by welcoming Rabbi Aaron Melman of Congregation Beth Shalom. Rabbi Melman is the rabbi at Congregation Beth Shalom in Northbrook and served as co-chair of the Rabbinical Assembly's emergency mission to Israel this summer. Rabbi Melman spoke from a personal place about the many people he spent time with on the trip, including Racheli Frankel, mother of the late Naftali Frankel, and Natan Sharansky. Students asked him about coverage of Israel in the media, how Israelis feel about their government officials, and about the recent truce signed by Israeli and Palestinian officials.
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The Matzav on Campus: Alumni Guest Column
Rachel Rubinstein ('13) reports from Tufts back to her friends at CJHS: "I was told upon graduating that life outside "the bubble" of the Jewish community would be different than what I was used to, but honestly I don't think anything could have prepared me for the political climate addressing Israel on Tufts University's campus. CJHS, with its pro-Israel classes, speakers, and atmosphere seemed like a different planet than Tufts, where Tufts Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), a club whose members openly protest Israel and its right to exist, are some of the loudest voices on campus. "You'll be fine," they said at graduation, "there are so many Jewish students at Tufts!" One thing that I learned early on about the Israel climate on campus is that "Jewish" is NOT synonymous with "proIsrael." There exist many Jewish students in Tufts SJP, and these very students are often the ones that show up to pro-Israel events to protest. Now, please don't get me wrong--I am not saying that one cannot be both pro-Israel and pro-Palestine at all! Of course one can support Israel's right to defend herself while also empathizi ng with Palestinia n civilians being oppressed by Hamas. However, in the often confusing jungle of campus politics, the two opposing groups face off until the choice (and the conflict in general) reduced to
soundbites: one side or the other, no middle ground, often no dialogue. Thus, it makes it even more difficult to bring the campus together to discuss this issue, and it rather serves to polarize the campus into two radical sides. At times, this political climate leads to the feeling of hopelessness. Realistically, you can't talk to these people. They will only shout louder, protest harder, and throw halftruths in your face as you stand there trying to defend something you believe in and know to be true. However, learning this fact was perhaps one of the most important lessons in learning how to be actively and effectively pro-Israel on campus. 
By learning who will be receptive and who will just shut down, one learns how to advocate to people who will listen and be more willing to pass on the messages they hear.
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By learning how to communicate ideas in a way that acknowledges the actual truth of the situation, people are able to hear from both sides, but are also more likely to take away something they have heard.
If there's one thing I've learned by being shut down by SJP, it's that yelling louder and louder doesn't actually get the point across. It only serves to turn people who may not be involved further away from dialogue and productive learning about the conflict.
While the Israel climate may be more favorable on some campuses and worse on others, the main idea applies everywhere: people will disagree with you in a way you've never experienced before, and sometimes you won't be able to change their minds. The best you can do when encountering someone with an extremely divergent view--especially on Israel--is to keep a cool head and stand your ground. Know when to walk away rather than yell, and understand that whereas these people may not change their minds, people listening to the conversation might, and even helping to educate one person and change his mind is an important step in advocating for Israel on campus. It's also extrem ely importa nt to get involve d in proIsrael groups, because if we don't advocate, who else will?
Introducing the CJHS P.O. Book Club Our first book is here at last! October 20, 2014, 7:00 p.m. at CJHS Once We Were Brothers by Ronald Balson Join us for an engaging evening with Ronald Balson. Mr. Balson will discuss his inspiration for writing this book. Once We Were Brothers is the compelling tale of two boys and a family that struggles to survive in war-torn Poland. It is also the story of a young lawyer who must face not only a powerful adversary, but her own self doubts. For more information about the book or author, visit the webpage here.
Yearbook Portraits Attention parents: to order pictures for your student, please return the form your student received to the front office, along with a check payable to E Image Chicago. Forms are due by August 30. For questions, please contact Stanton Kramer at E Image Chicago at stanton@ eimagechicago.com or at 847.831.0338.
Alumni Trivia
This week's guest correspondent Rachel Rubinstei n ('13) is majoring in biology and Spanish at Tufts. Rac hel reports, "This summer I was at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem doing research on iron transport in the photosynthetic apparatus of algae. Highlights of the research involved creating graphs for PhD students, learning a bit about genetic engineering in algae, and taking a trip to an algae biotech start up near Modi'in. I hope to help plan some more Israel advocacy events on campus this semester with FOI, and can't wait to take some freshman hiking and climbing in the beautiful White Mountains of New Hampshire with TMC!" Are you studying abroad? Making headlines? Making aliyah? Serving in the armed forces-or as a barefoot bread baker for social justice? Send fun facts, life updates, and parental kvelling to your returning editor Mrs. Shira Eliaser, seliaser@cjhs.org.
Sponsored Breakfast Happy birthday to Emma Siegel. Many thanks to her family for sponsoring tasty bagels for breakfast!
A Taste of Torah "We have just begun the month of Elul, a time anticipating new beginnings, a new year, and the beginning of our new school year together. We are in the month that leads us back to the beginning, to Rosh Hashanah, to the beginning of another year,
which reminds us traditionally of the beginning of all beginnings, the creation of the world. We return to Gan Eden, where the question our lives must be an answer to was originally posed. God asked Adam Ayeka? Where are you? In no need of a geographic answer, God's question can be understood as a question of orientation! Where are you? How are you going to live this one precious life you have... What kinds of choices will you make? How will you channel your free will and your gift of life? Ayecha, this profound divine question must continue to reverberate for us; we must see our lives as trying to always and repeatedly answer Ayecha? Where are you? We often live comfortably and knowingly, having answered that question for some time. But then new phases and new experiences emerge... once again, we need to decide how to respond to life's new circumstances to be able to say "hineni," here I am, this is where I want to be, this is how I am going to articulate my purpose and my understanding of my new situation, this is how I am going to regain my certainty that I know where I am in my life's journey. Sometimes answering the new challenge is easy, the answer seems obvious. And sometimes it takes a while, and we have to strive to see, to strive to push ourselves to encounter or respond to the new opportunities, to answer hineni, I am here, ready to take on this new moment of life's unfolding journey." --Dr. Rebecca Schorsch, Judaic Studies Department Chair and 2014 Covenant Foundation scholar
Shabbat Shalom
Candlelighting this week, parashat Shoftim, will be at 7:14 p.m. Shabbat !Shalom
ַאחֵינו ּכָל ּבֵית י ִּש ְָראֵלַ ,הנְתונִים ּ ְבצ ָָרה ש ְבי ָה הָעומְדִ ים ּבֵין ּ ַבי ָם ובֵין ּ ַביַבָּשָה, ,ובַּ ִ וְיוצִיאֵ ם ִמצ ָָרה ל ְִר ָוחָה ,ו ֵמ ֲא ֵפלָה ַ ,המָקום י ְַרחֵם ֲעלֵיהֶם שתָ א ּ ַב ֲעגָלָא ו ִבזְמַן ק ִָריב ְאורה ,ומִ ּשִעְבוד ִלגְ ֻּאלָה ,הַּ ְ .ל ָ We pray for the peace and security of all our brothers and sisters everywhere.