ISACS Team Visits 14 Adar I, 5774
February 14, 2014
This Week at CJHS
ISACS Accreditation
ISACS Voter Registration This Week in Sports CJHS Musical Showcase DEAP Immigration Initiative Parent Education Night Curriculum and Beyond STAND UPdate Mazal Tov Baruch Dayan Emet A Taste of Torah Alumni Trivia
Save the Date Monday, Feb. 17 No School: President's Day Tuesday, Feb. 25 Curriculum and Beyond Tuesday, March 4 Sunday, March 9 Model U.N.
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.
Community News and Events
On Sunday through Wednesday, CJHS had the privilege of hosting
"Good Jews," "Bad Jews" and the Relationships Among Us Please Join Us For An Amazing Learning Opportunity as Mechon Hadar Comes To Chicago! Sunday, February 23, 2014, 1:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. at Anshe Emet Synagogue, Co-Sponsored by CJHS 3751 North Broadway Street, Chicago, Illinois 60613
twelve members of the ISACS team, a group of school professionals who visited classes, met with parents, administrators, alumni, and most importantly with our students. They came to evaluate how our school functions in its entirety, how we communicate information, build Jewish community and provide the physical and financial infrastructure that allows our community to flourish. The study takes place every seven years upon the completion of a constituent survey and comprehensive self study, followed by a three-day site visit.
Every religion struggles with questions of who is in and who is out, of maintaining boundaries even as we uphold openness and the desire to learn from all. We will explore texts both ancient and modern about the lines that connect and divide Jews. We will investigate law, liturgy, and narrative as we strive to deepen our understanding of boundaries and the ways they are both affirmed and transgressed.
Special Needs Services in the Jewish Community, Present and Future The Sidney and Frances Avner Torah Learning Center of Northbrook Invites you to the fourth annual Jack Ogron Memorial Lecture:
"What Can We Do Next?: Special Needs Services in the Jewish Community, Present and Future" Sunday, February 23 7:00 p.m. Torah Learning Center of Northbrook, 2548 Jasper Court, Northbrook Introductory Torah thoughts by Rabbi Moshe Katz, Founder and Director of Chicago Torah Network Remarks by panel members Deni Rosen, Founder, Keshet Ma-Amin Program Abbie Weisberg, CEO/Executive Director, Keshet Rabbi Stuart Litwack, Judaics Study Coordinator, Keshet Ma-Amin Program Rabbi Zelik Moscowitz, Director, Stuart I Raskas Friendship Circle Gayle Malvin, Director, JCC Day Camping Services Brian Rubin, Attorney, Rubin Law Sherri Schneider, Founder, Family Benefits Solutions, Inc. Free and open to the community! RSVP strongly encouraged- 847.272.7255 or info@torahlearningcenter.com www.torahlearningcenter.com
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.
The visit began on Sunday evening when faculty, administration, and Board members attended a welcoming dinner with the visiting team in the Shapiro Dining Hall. Monday and Tuesday, the visiting team spent the full day at CJ observing classes. On Wednesday, Ray Levi and Rabbi Eric Grossman (chair and co-chair of the visiting team) shared their preliminary impressions of our school.
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.
"As Jewish educators, we tend to look around the beit knesset with a deficit model, looking for what others around us appear to be missing, for what we wish was there. Sometimes it takes an outsider to make us truly appreciate what we already have. All right, we know everyone was on their best behavior on Monday at tefillah, but that shacharit service was tremendously powerful: lively, spiritual, meaningful, and full of energy. Not everyone can make a service like this happen, and we were both moved and impressed." --Rabbi Eric Grossman, Frankel Jewish Academy of Greater Detroit
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The team was highly impressed by our students, our staff and their close
relationships, a consistent hallmark of CJ. In addition, they fully endorsed our emphasis on technology integration and encouraged us to make continued strides in this area. The complete report with a series of commendations and recommendations will be delivered in approximately three weeks. Many thanks to our entire school community: students, board members, and tireless staff for the eleven months of superhuman effort they put into the self-study and for their gracious and flexible welcome to all the visitors in our classrooms and hallways. A special yasher koach goes to Dr. Roger Stein and Ms. Rochelle Katz, our ISACS committee chairs, for managing the entire process from start to finish. Well done everyone!
CJHS Voter Registration Last week, the United States Politics Club worked to register all eligible seniors and juniors for March's primary election. Altogether, 38 students registered, 35 of whom represent a staggering 70% of the senior class. Congratulations to all those who will be casting their votes this March, and may they fulfill their civic duty with pride!
Winter Sports Championships
The Lady Tigers are back in the game with a vengeance! Our girls basketball team defeated Cristo Rey St. Martin Wednesday night 40-26 to advance to the
IHSA Regional Championship game. Yasher koach to Emily Reisler, Lena Rabinowitz, Charlotte Kamin, and Alana Spellman for some truly spectacular shots; the whole team really banded together with a solid effort. This is the first time ever the Lady Tigers have made it to regionals! Many thanks to all the fans who rode out to Arlington Heights last night
to cheer the Lady Tigers on in their bid for blue glory: well played to our rivals at Christian Liberty, and next year in Peoria, everyone! Breaking news: congratulations to junior Lena Rabinowitz, who has just qualified for the IHSA Regional Championship in the Three-Point showdown. Way to go, Lena!
This past week, the Ten-Pin Tigers closed out a fabulous season with the annual bowling banquet. Coach Auslander notes with pride that 31 members of the team have improved their averages since the beginning of the season: junior Benji Fishbaum increased his average a whopping 47 pins since early November and junior Larry Bender and sophomore Ranan Vales tied for the highest average this year with a 149. Senior Carly Rubin and sophomore Sarah Comar averaged over 100, while juniors Noa-Gordon Guterman, Rachel Small, and Shira Forester hit the magic 100 and continue to improve.
The team bids a fond goodbye to longtime seniors Yadid Licht and Elijah Kliot who spent each of their four years bowling with the team. Coach Auslander was assisted this year by Mr. Jerry Drazin, Mr. Joseph Eskin, and loyal parent coaches Arnold Bender and Philippe Weisskopf. Their time and effort helped make a great season that much better. The boy's basketball team had a tough week on the court, going down against Providence St. Mel early in the week. Wednesday, the team fought valiantly without three starters against Lake Forest Academy, but ultimately came up on the losing end of a 63-39 contest. We play Saturday night at home against Westminster Christian Academy at 7:45. Go Tigers!
Alumni Trivia Which two CJHS alumni found each other out east and are now helping shovel out Boston University from under all this snow?
DEAP Immigration Initiative Many thanks to Rebecca Katz of JCUA/Or Tzedek for coming to address the student body this morning on the topic of immigration policy and conditions. Our DEAP team is excited to be preparing for the visit of Congressman Brad Schneider to our school next week!
The Gospel According to Griffith and Torah Taught by Schorsch
"The Gospel According to Griffith and Torah Taught by Schorsch: An Interfaith Conversation" Presented by Rebecca Schorsch, PhD and Dale Griffith, M.Div. Tuesday, February 18, 2014 - 7:00 p.m. at CJHS Back by popular demand, you are cordially invited to the conversation with two esteemed members of our CJHS faculty and scholars of theology. Questions? Email po@cjhs.org. We hope to see you there!
Curriculum and Beyond
Join us on February 25, for our annual Curriculum and Beyond night, where prospective parents and students can come discover more about what makes Chicagoland Jewish High School so special both in and out of the classrooms. 6:45 p.m. Welcome Enjoy an introduction to the many diverse extra curricular opportunities available at CJHS. 7:00 p.m. Model Lessons Interact and learn with Chicagoland Jewish High School teachers. Visit multiple classrooms and experience for yourself our dynamic, engaging approach to learning. 8:30 p.m. Reception Eat a well deserved snack while mingling with CJHS staff, faculty, students and other prospective families. Click here to register. Questions? Contact Lily Zoberman, Director of Admissions at lzoberman@cjhs.org or 847.324.3706.
STAND UPdate Senior Gabe Wacks reports, "The conflict in the Central African Republic rages on as heavily armed Christian and Muslim militias are preparing to clash over the town of Kaga Bandoro, which lies on the border between the majority-Muslim and majority-Christian areas of the country. Earlier last year, Muslim rebels from the north known as the Seleka seized control of the Central African Republic, conquering the capital city of Bangui by March 2013. However, attacks by Seleka fighters against the majority-
Christian population of the country prompted the anti-Balaka movement (literally meaning "anti-machete") to attack Muslims across the country in retaliation. Last month, the Seleka-backed President Djotodia resigned due to international pressure, and the Seleka movement has largely retreated to the Muslim-majority region in the north of the country. Anti-Balaka fighters have conquered several villages across the country and are closing in on the Seleka-controlled, mineral-rich northern region, attacking Muslim communities along the way and forcing tens of thousands to flee from their home out of fear of anti-Balaka attacks. "Outside the town of Kaga Bandoro, which is inhabited by both Christians and Muslims and is controlled by Seleka fighters, anti-Balaka fighters have assembled and have demanded that the Seleka leave the town. The Seleka have refused to evacuate the town and dismantle their checkpoints that they have set up along the roads leading into Kaga Bandoro. In addition, they have begun evacuating the Muslim residents of the town to nearby Chad, while at the same time threatening the Christian inhabitants of the town with violence. Anti-Balaka fighters are waiting for reinforcements before the expected attack will begin. A group of U.N officials, as well as local political and religious leaders are attempting to mediate the situation, with the hope of opening talks between the two groups, and their actions are currently ongoing. However, currently, no breakthroughs have been achieved."
Mazal Tov Mazal tov to Charlie Gandelman ('05) on his recent marriage to Alexis Braverman. Charlie is now an analyst at BlackRock in Philadelphia, where he and his new bride will reside.
Baruch Dayan Emet It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Marjorie Frank, beloved mother of CJHS Head of School Mr. Tony Frank. Shiva will continue at 9259 Lincolnwood Drive in Evanston today until 4:00 p.m. and Saturday night from 7:00-9:00 p.m. We grieve with our Head of School and wish consolation and warm memories to his family. Hamakom Yinachem Etchem B'toch Sh'ar Avalei Tziyon V'Yerushalayim. May God's presence comfort the Frank family among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.
A Taste of Torah "You favor humanity with knowledge and teach mortals wisdom." Unique to the petitionary prayers of the Amidah, this prayer begins with a sentence of praise to God. It seems fitting that in a prayer requesting knowledge, we begin by connecting with the bestower of the gift.
The prayer (in the Ashkenazi version of the siddur) then continues, "Favor us from Yourself with deah, binah, v'haskel. Blessed are you Adonai, Who favors us with knowledge." These three words seem synonymous, but with important distinctions. Deah describes a knowledge of facts, binah a knowledge of discernment and haskel a relational knowledge. This overlapping and integrated knowledge is the backbone of our requests three times a day during our lives. During our evaluation this past week, our entire community highlighted to our visitors that our education centers on the overlap of these three notions of knowledge. The chairs of the ISACS committee, Dr. Ray Levi and Rabbi Eric Grossman, pointed out in particular that our students' confidence and trust of each other and our faculty provides for the unique learning culture within the building. May we continue to cultivate this community of learning long into the future, one which fosters the learning of factual information, discernment of those facts and of relationships. As we say after tefillah each morning, "Let's go learn a lot today!" --Rav Beit Sefer Zach Silver
Alumni Trivia Jamie Levin ('10) is in a combined BS/MS program at Boston University for Speech Pathology. She is very excited already to be doing her graduatelevel studies in what would have been her senior year. With her out east is Danny Hochberg ('12), now a sophomore at Boston University School of Management. Danny is also the president of Boston University Students for Israel. Good luck, you two! Next week: both of these CJHS alumni come as part of a set of four! Where are the other Levins?
Sponsored Breakfast Happy birthday to David Weisskopf. Many thanks to his family for sponsoring bagels.
Shabbat Shalom Candlelighting this week will be at 5:04 p.m. Shabbat shalom!