January 11, 2013 / 29 Tevet 5773
With Love From the Seniors In This Issue Senior Israel Experience Exam Schedule Calculator Art Portrait Art This Week in Sports STAND UPdate Alumni Trivia A Taste of Torah
Save the Date Sunday, Jan. 6 -
Senior Israel Experience
Thursday, Jan. 24 Senior Israel Experience Monday, Jan. 14 Friday, Jan. 18 Winter Exams Tuesday, Jan. 22 Second Semester Begins Sophomore & Parent Meeting Sunday, Jan. 27 JNF Tu B'Shevat Fair Monday, Jan. 28 Senior Classes Resume Sunday, Feb. 10 ACT Wednesday, Feb. 13 Curriculum and Beyond Monday, Feb. 18 No School
P. O. Corner Gelt Program The P.O. is pleased to once again introduce the gift card "Gelt program" to our families and we have made it much easier (look for upcoming email with details on how to register). Faculty and staff can also buy Gelt that will help to support programs provided for the school by the P.O. This program is designed to help families earn money toward their children's junior year Panim program and/or the Senior Israel Experience. The program is a passive earning system, in which you buy the things you ordinarily purchase anyway, and earn money which will be credited to your family for designated school trips. If you have any questions, contact Sheri Sandrof at ssandrof@cjhs.org or call her at 847.324.3723.
The seniors have landed in Israel! From the desert wilds of the Negev to the communitybuilding and gardening projects of kibbutz Ketura, our students are learning about themselves and the land we love so much. Miranda Smerling reports from Timna National Park, "The blessing for seeing wonders of nature is "oseh maaseh Breishit" (praised are You God, for crafting the works of Creation) -- and we had ample opportunity to say this bracha this afternoon. Timna is an ancient copper mine, mined by the Midianites and Egyptians 3,000 years ago. Mr. Griffith
Community News and Events NSS Beth El Presents Joel Chasnoff
Wednesday, Jan. 16 7:45 p.m. North Suburban Synagogue Beth El, Highland Park Popular standup comedian and author Joel Chasnoff explains Zionism today with his own signature brand of humor. Click here for more details.
noted some of the geographic similarities to the Grand Canyon, both in scope and the different colors of the rocks. At Solomon's Pillars, we again took time in silence to bear witness to the desert. As it is said, ה מ ד ב ר מ ד ב ר. The desert speaks - when you listen to it... As a parting gift, a rainbow appeared over the mountain!"
Yesterday and today were spent in civic Be'er Sheva and the urban Tel Aviv, learning about the inhabitants and their lifestyles. The white team, under the cool leadership of Dr. Schorsch, petitioned 10 different people to grant asylum to refugees for 1000 bonus points. Rabbi Silver's rocking green team took pictures of cute twins and navigated the streets with students' use of Hebrew (they want Gveret Wasserman to know). In the end, though, Mr. Griffith's yellow team emerged victorious in the north Tel Aviv scavenger hunt. Even as we read this in 50-degree mists, our students are bringing in Shabbat in the snowy city of Yerushalayim, as per their wonderful SIE blog. They send love from Ms. Susnow and wish us all a Shabbat shalom!
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. An announcement will be made in Tefillah and in the dining hall, and the occasion will also be listed in our weekly E-News. If you have any questions, please call 847.324.3713 or email idrazin@cjhs.org. Order forms are available online here.
Exam Schedule: January 14-18 Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday
Quick Links 8:30 Our Website Online Calendar Trumba Calendar Tips
2012-2013 Year Calendar Lunch Menu Join the Tiger Club
Tefillah
9:30 English
Math
12:30 Spanish
History
Talmud
Science Bible
Please note that tefillah during exam week starts half an hour later than usual, at 8:30 a.m. Happy studying, everyone!
Truly nSpired Calculator Art
Mr. Baumstark's Honors Pre-calculus and Ms. Charous's Honors Algebra II/ Trigonometry classes have been using their mastery of equations and general graphing skills to create beautiful works of art. For this project, the Algebra II class focused on transformations of basic functions and circles, while the precalculus students focused on graphing conics and polar curves using both cartesian and parametric equations. Ms. Charous' class combined multiple equations on the TI nSpire CX, and Mr. Baumstark's class used an online graphing calculator called Desmos.
We may have some stellar graphic designers in the works here! And to think we once might have faulted you for "doodling" on your calculators during class. Way to go, sophomores and juniors!
My Favorite Subject Is... The annual CJHS Portraits are in from Ms. Snyder's photography class! This year's stunning color photos in their mock-binder overlay frames are adorning the main staircase in a showcase of the models' academic interests; each student was photographed by their trusty partner while immersed in their favorite subject. This was also the first year that the annual portrait project was completed using cell phone cameras! So take a walk through "History," (and through "English," "Talmud," and "Math") to see what our artists are up to!
Alumni Trivia Semper Fi! Which CJHS graduate is sharpening his knowledge of mechanics in the U.S. armed forces?
This Week in Sports
The varsity basketball team thrashed Roycemore last Wednesday night 62-45! Sophomore Josh Newlander scores 18 points, junior Avidan Halivni added 17, and junior Jeremy Goodman had 12. The team's record is now 13-2 for this incredible season. Back in the Caplan gym, the Lady Tigers took on Francis Parker and the freshman Tigers went up against Northtown Academy. Don't forget to take a study break on Saturday night to come cheer on our teams against the Skokie Yeshiva!
STAND UPdate STAND Secretary Yadid Licht points our community to Project Enough, an anti-genocide and human rights organization that focuses on the issues in Congo, Sudan, and South Sudan. In this video, Laura Heaton, a writer and editor for the organization, explores the underlying causes behind the violence in Jonglei, South Sudan. Jonglei is one of the ten provinces of South Sudan, an area a bit larger than France. Raise your awareness of world events!
Alumni Trivia Private First Class Kayce Miller ('09) completed his 12week intensive training program in the U.S. Marines and is going on to be a logistics specialist. He is pictured here with his sister, junior Baye Miller. Kayce earned his Private First Class designation based on his levels of education and merit, and one day hopes to use his skills to help develop his brother Dakota Miller's ('07) organic farm. We salute you, Kayce! You make our country great.
A Taste of Torah: Va-Era The start of finals marks the beginning of an important time in the life of our school. This week's parsha, Va'eyra, also explores another transformative moment in the collective memory of the Jewish People: the Exodus from Egypt. This week, we've invited some of our students to share their musings on a number of issues raised in Parshat Va'eyra. We encourage you to continue these conversations and explore these ideas at your Shabbat tables this week...and beyond! Shabbat Shalom, Ms. Frankel Ms. Frankel: The book of Shmot (Exodus), and this parsha specifically, outlines the birth of the Israelite nation. In your view, what does it mean to be a part of the Jewish People? Carly Silvers: Being a Jewish person at CJHS is like being part of a family. The members of our Jewish family are all different but united. In addition, our religion has a lot to do with faith in God, each other and the world. So being part of the Jewish People means a spiritual connection to God, God's creations and everything surrounding us. CJHS as a whole is like one Jewish person in the world in the sense that our school represents a small section of the Jewish community. Ms. Frankel: Traditionally Moses has been nicknamed "Moshe Rabbenu" - "Moses, our teacher." Why? What has Moses taught you? Dylan Janczak: Moshe devoted most his life to delivering and teaching the word of God to the Jewish People, so it seems clear that this is why he is nicknamed "our teacher." Moses has taught me what it means to be a Jew. Devoting one's self to the
Torah and God is but one of the many lessons Moshe has taught me. Ms. Frankel: Parshat Va'eyra describes the first six plagues that Moses brought upon the Egyptians. What plagues you today? Why? Josh Newlander: Something that plagues me is self-confidence in the classroom. In the past, teachers have advised me to move up in a class, but I'd always decide to stay in my comfort zone than be challenged and risk lowering my grade. Ms. Frankel: Moses is considered not only to be a great leader, but a prophet. Who would you consider to be a modern-day prophet? Why? Joe Cohen: I don't believe that one specific person can be called a modern-day prophet. Rather, everyone has the potential to become a prophet. If one is willing to step outside one's comfort zone, like Moses did with public speaking, then one shows the ability to overcome obstacles and to create solutions to life's roadblocks.
Shabbat Shalom Candlelighting this Friday night, Rosh Chodesh Shevat, will be at 4:22 p.m. Shabbat Shalom and Chodesh Tov!