2009_09

Issue 6 September/October 2009 Elul/Tishrei 5770

Dedicated by Anna and Sol Zuckerman and Family

TEACHERS COLLEGE, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY

Program Sets Foundation for Students as Independent Learners Hillel’s Lower School has partnered with Teachers College of Columbia University for its Reading and Writing Project, an approach designed to empower students with tools to become lifelong readers and writers. It is also a research and staff development program for teachers.

The Project, with a 25-year tracked success rate, helps to integrate subject areas in reading and writing.

Students are taught to be independent and use critical thinking skills.

“Teachers College is one of the premier educational institutions in the country,” said Dr. Adam C. Holden, Head of School. “To be able to partner with such a distinguished, respected university is exciting, and its Readers and Writers Project is simply remarkable,” he added.

Jessica Figueroa, Grade 1 teacher, has applied the Teachers College approach to her classroom for the last two years based on training she received as a teacher in New York.

Students in Grade 1 work on editing skills by reviewing work with a partner and editing for capitalized letters and punctuation at the end of a sentence.

Figueroa and Grade 1 teacher Raquel Yohai attended training seminars at Columbia University this summer. “Students love reading and writing,” Figueroa said. “And now we are giving them tools for life.”

During this school year, professional development personnel from Teachers College will visit Hillel to train teachers and map out plans for that will tailor lessons to meet individual student assessment levels.

Students Train as Counselors for Hillel Trips

Hillel Becomes Candidate School for IB Middle Years Programme Hillel’s Middle School is on the road to becoming an International Baccalaureate school. It was accepted this year as a candidate school for the Middle Years Programme, which includes Grades 6-10.

“The IB program has a recognized curriculum considered to be one of the best in the world,” said Nick Hinrichsen, Middle School Principal.

The program is designed to help students develop the knowledge, understanding, attitudes and skills necessary to participate actively and responsibly in a changing world.

Though a momentus accomplishment, Hinrichsen said the program is not a dramatic change for Hillel. “It’s not very different from the past curriculum. Our school has been moving in the direction of the IB mind-set in recent years.”

Story continued on page 3

Nearly 40 Upper School students attended a Madrichim Seminar, a one-night Shabbaton to train students as counselors for Lower and Middle School Shabbaton trips. The Shabbaton was hosted by Beth David Highland Lakes, and the students enjoyed sessions led by the Student Activities office, Rabbi Hod and Chaya Tamir, Joshua Meisels and Chani Kramer. Dr. Adam Holden, Head of School, and Tym Bonilla, Upper School Principal, joined the students for Shabbat dinner. This year, class trips and Shabbatonim are planned for students in Grades 4 - 12.

The Samuel Scheck Hillel Community Day School The Ben Lipson Hillel Community High School The Juda and Maria Diener Elementary School The Henrietta Scheck Middle School

learning for a lifetime

From Israel to Hillel....

BOARD OF GOVERNORS Chairman Vice-Chairman Treasurer Secretary Immediate Past President HIP/PTA President

Gil J. Bonwitt Jorge Woldenberg Carlos Berner David Wolf Rafael Russ Amy Chafetz

Michelle Amselem Sara Bejar Uri Benhamron Dr. Judith Dach Michelle Diener Rossana Franco Anita Givner Dr. Jan Hockman Matt Kuttler Anita Lapco Sherri Lebwohl Jeffrey Levinson Rabbi Ezra Levy, Ed.D.

David Lichter Rabbi Avrohom Lipszyc Gary Mars Diana Mundlak Joanne Papir Eva Rub Rachel Sapoznik Marty Scheck Dana Yemin Schrager Mike Shalom Jill Shockett Hedy Whitebook

ADMINISTRATION Head of School Rabbinic Dean Principal, Lower School Principal, Middle School Principal, Upper School Director, Nativ Assistant Principal, Lower School Assistant Principal, Lower School Assistant Principal, Grades 6-12

Dr. Adam C. Holden Rabbi Michael Druin Debra Abolafia Nick Hinrichsen Tym Bonilla Carole Repensek, Ph.D. Valerie Lustgarten Tara Solomiany Joshua Meisels

ABOUT HILLEL From early childhood through Grade 12, Hillel is a Jewish community day school structured to cultivate and inspire students and to prepare them for college admission.

Through meaningful religious and cultural experiences, Hillel strives to deepen students’ commitment to Judaism, the Jewish people and Israel.

ACCREDITATION Hillel is a beneficiary agency of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation and is accredited by: Commission on International-Regional Accreditation, National Council for Private School Accreditation, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and Association of Independent Schools of Florida. Hillel is affiliated with: Partnership for Excellence in Jewish Education, RAVSAK: The Jewish Community Day School Network, National Association of College Admission Counseling, Greater Miami Jewish Federation, Jewish Federation of Broward County and Center for the Advancement of Jewish Education.

In most recent weeks, Mor Goldhamer and Sigal Citron worked in the Student Activities office making posters and planning awareness campaigns for the High Holidays, among many other student life projects.

Students are happily in and out of the office and have already formed a working relationship after only a few weeks at Hillel.

Goldhamer and Citron are Shlichot, or emissaries, and part of an exclusive program run by Emunah Organization, which sends, together with the Jewish Agency for Israel, a select number of trained and talented observant Israeli young women to Jewish communities around the world.

“These women come as ambassadors from Israel to assist with student activities and bring, an increased love of Zionism, Israel and Judaism to our students’ educational experience,” said Student Activities Director Hillel Hurwitz.

As their first visit to Miami, Goldhamer and Citron are very excited to be at Hillel. “We love it; everyone has been so nice,” Citron said.

Mor Goldhamer and Sigal Citron create posters for the “Sorry Campaign” for Rosh Hashana in the Student Activities office.

Hillel Launches 2009 Annual Campaign: Because of Hillel. Because of you...

Hillel has launched its 2009 Annual Campaign, Because of Hillel. Because of You. “We look forward to reaching 100 percent participation from our parents,” said Erica Shafir, Director of Development. “Every gift counts,” she added.

This year’s campaign tracks six alumni, who trace their roots to Hillel on their journey to become leaders, activists or Hillel parents. For information, please contact Erica Shafir, 305.931.2831 x279, or visit the Hillel Web site, hillel-nmb.org.

KOL HILLEL The Kol Hillel is a bimonthly publication of The Samuel Scheck Hillel Community Day School/The Ben Lipson Hillel Community High School, 19000 NE 25th Avenue, North Miami Beach, FL 33180, P: 305.931.2831. For submissions please email plainjanegraphics@gmail.com.

Leaders are made. Home is forever.

Generations are connected. Identities are strengthened.

Foundations are laid. Traditions are preserved.

Lifelong learning is inspired.

It starts with us, but it’s because of YOU.

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Creating a Shofar

New Web Site Brings Events and News to Parents Your phone vibrates....a new text message. You were just reminded about tomorrow’s football game, sports schedules, back to school night or new information about school.

“Hillel’s new Web site is all about strengthening community by keeping families and friends informed and up-to-date with news at school,” said Ilana Lipson, Director of Advancement. “In every corner of campus on every day of the week, students participate in exciting learning experiences at Hillel. Now we can share them with families and friends in real time,” she added.

And people are tuning in. The Web site attracted more than 15,000 visits in its first four-week period. The new feature of the alert system will be available for parents later this semester.

Each day new stories and photos are posted. Parents have a glimpse of activities and events at school from students attending assemblies and working in math to using interactive whiteboards and practicing flag football. The Web site also includes calendars for all events at school. Visit www.hillel-nmb.org today!

Students Create and Learn about Shofars While students in all grades participated in many activities and classes in preparation for the High Holidays, students in Lower School learned every detail about the Shofar. Students first learned its origin, significance and then worked to prepare an unfinished Shofar into a work of art just in time for the Holidays.

“The beauty of the Hillel learning experience is the wellrounded environment we provide for our students,” said Rabbi Michael Druin, Rabbinic Dean. “They learned about the Jewish Holidays in their Judaic, Hebrew, and general studies classes. And over and above that, the student activities office then brought it all to life,” he said.

Hillel Candidate School for IB Middle Years Programme Story continued from page 1 The Middle Years Programme increases interdisciplinary studies and critical thinking. Teachers work together to build lessons, where subjects are interrelated.

Students graduating from IB programs are highly recognized by colleges and universities. The director of admission at Harvard, Marilyn McGrath Lewis, is quoted as saying, “Success in an IB programme correlates well with success at Harvard.”

IB candidate schools teach the program for at least one year, which includes teacher training. After the trial period, an IB delegation visits the school and evaluates its capacity to deliver the program.

The IB Programme of international education was founded in 1968, and currently works with 2,718 schools in 138 countries.

Currently in the United States, 1,033 schools offer the IB Programme, of which 320 offer the Middle Years Programme.

Coffee, Conversations and Meetings Highlight New Program Hillel parents will have an opportunity to participate in an education series, exclusively for them, offering a variety of programs that include informal conversations with administrators, sessions with community experts and monthly coffees, parlor meetings and morning shiurim.

“Hillel believes in partnership. A student will benefit and learn so much more if he or she hears the same message from their teacher and parent. Therefore, we are providing educational and social opportunities for our parents to come together and to get involved with their child’s education by way of learning,” said Rabbi Michael Druin, Rabbinic Dean. “After all, we are a learning institution for all of our constituents.”

The Parent Education Series, hosted by the Guidance Counseling Office and HIP/PTA, will feature topics relevant to the modern family. Look for series details in the weeks ahead!

The Shiurim with Rabbi Michael Druin and faculty is a monthly morning series held at 8:15 a.m. in the Kunin Library Media Center.

Coffees with the Head of School Dr. Adam C. Holden and Rabbi Druin will be held at 8:15 a.m. in the Kunin Library Media Center on December 3, February

11 and April 29.

Parlor Meetings with Administrators for Lower School parents will be held November 5, at 8 a.m., in the Kunin Library Media Center and on November 10 at 7:30 p.m. at the home of a Hillel family. The Middle School meetings will be November 3 at 7:30 p.m. at the home of a Hillel family and on November 19 at 8 a.m. in the Bertha and Isaac Berezdivan Library Media Center. The Upper School meetings will be November 6 at 8 a.m. in the Bertha and Isaac Berezdivan Library Media Center and November 23 at 7:30 p.m. in the home of a Hillel family.

KOL HILLEL 3

Scene back to school....

Council and Senior Board Named Upper School student council president Esther Schoonover and her fellow officers have many activities planned this year, including spirit week, a basketball tournament fundraiser, spirit days and much more.

“We are looking forward to an exciting and spirited year,” she said. The Upper School council also includes: Jimmy Feterman and Jade Wollschlaeger - Co-Vice Presidents, Shira Papir- Secretary, Josh Kleinman- Treasurer, Ben Rose- Grade 11 representative, Judah Makover - Grade 11 representative, Sabrina Zarco - Grade 10 representative, Daniel Wodnicki - Grade 10 representative and Yael Almani - Club Coordinator. Grade 9 representatives were elected on the Freshmen Overnight Bus Ride.

Members of the senior board include: Todd Levy-President, Michael Lederman - Vice President, Karina Esquenazi -Secretary and Avi Gadish- Treasurer.

Honor Society Elects Officers

FIRST DAY FUN!

National Honor Society led elections for the 2009-2010 school year. Shira Papir was elected president, Boris Treskunov and Dennis Valerstain were elected co-vice presidents, and Rebecca Battat was elected secretary.

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Future Hillel Students!

Already picture perfect, Eli and Hannah Sanders show off their adorable smiles and attire: “Future Hillel Q-Tee” shirts.

Mom and Dad are Julie, a 2000 Hillel graduate, and Jeff Sanders. Grandparents are Heidi and Austin Frye, former Hillel Chairman.

at Hillel Middle School Students Learn about “Rachel’s Challenge” Middle School students sat solemnly and listened.

Some shed tears and were inspired as they learned about Rachel’s Challenge and the events that have brought the life of Rachel Scott to more than 14 million people in the last decade.

Rachel was the first student killed at Columbine High School in 1999. At the assembly, students learned about her life, her dreams and her challenge, which is what brings Rachel’s family and friends all over the country to share her message: start a chain reaction of kindness and compassion.

“One of our overarching goals deals with teaching kindness, compassion and respect, and Rachel’s Challenge certainly complements this goal,” said Nick Hinrichsen, Middle School Principal. “Rachel’s Challenge also spoke to the High Holidays as it prepared our students as they entered the new year. The four challenges shared with students were a great way to start our first assembly of the school year,” he added.

Rachel’s acts of kindness and compassion, coupled with the contents of her six diaries, have become the foundation for one of the most life-changing school programs in America. Millions of lives have been reached by this powerful message that encourages each person to start a chain reaction of kindness.

More than 250 parents enjoyed gourmet coffee, socializing with friends and learning with administrators and faculty to informally discuss programs planned for the 2009/2010 school year.

At Cafe Hillel, parents shuffled from table to table to discuss and learn about exciting programs - from athletics and technology to the International Baccalaureate Programme.

Students Share Monthly Shabbat Assembly Students in Grades 3-5 enjoyed sharing their first Shabbat together in September. Each month, students will gather for Shabbat Beyachad, a Lower School community celebration of Shabbat through shared prayer and song.

KOL HILLEL 5

ALUMNI HIT/PTA Annual Breakfast Kicks off Events and Programs HIP/PTA kickedoff the school year with their Annual Welcome Back Breakfast in September, announcing plans and dates for events during the 2009/2010 school year.

HIP/PTA President Amy Chafetz said more than 60 parents attended the breakfast and volunteered for the many activities and events planned. Upcoming events include: Scholastic Book Fair - November 9 – 13, Family Night is November 11. The co-chairs are Carla Fischbach, Chava Mann, Karen Ruah and Inbal Vainstein.

Guardian of Learning Event - December 1, 2009 Chanukah Store - December 9 - 11. The co-chairs are Michele Scheck and Leanne Cohen.

Mishloach Manot - February 25 - 26 The co-chairs are Joana Kirsch and Monica Wagenberg.

Lower School Event - January, 2010 The co-chairs are Ileana Berenstein and Susy Abbo.

For more events and programs, please visit the Hillel Web site, hillel-nmb.org.

HIP/PTA Buys Laptop Cart for Middle School

Alumni Breakfast to Bring Generations Together Hillel parents who are also alumni will have an opportunity to get re-acquainted at the M’Dor L’Dor Breakfast on October 25 at 10 a.m. in the Rose and Lew Goodman Beit Midrash, hosted by Hillel’s Dr. Jerome Levy Alumni Association.

The breakfast is designed to bring together Hillel alumni who are also current Hillel parents to reminisce about their Hillel experience, said Erica Shafir, Director of Development. The event is chaired by Ariela Mars and Lea Dimitri. Families will enjoy breakfast while Upper School students lead arts and craft activities with their children.

To attend, write to shafir@hillel-nmb.net.

Class of 1999 Reunion Planned The 10-year reunion for the Class of 1999 is Saturday, November 28 at 8 p.m. in the Rose and Lew Goodman Beit Midrash. The reunion is chaired by Sara Levy. Alumni wishing to attend or help plan the event can email Levy at LevySa@gtlaw.com.

A Warm Welcome to New Hillel Families Flavia and Raphael Ades Leah and Yosef Amar Karen and Gideon Azari Cynthia and Michael Berkman Daiva and Sammy Bitton Ruth and Gary Cula Laura Dinari Diana Grimberg Raquel and Imanuel Hazan Deborah and Dennis Kainen Mira and Peter Kohn Raquel and Mark Knobel

Leah and Jonathan Marcovitz Rachel and Jonathan Meisels Sara and David Mizrahi Etty and Abraham M. Oliel Elina and Albert Petichenskiy Melanie and Howard Prine Debbie and Mike Ruah Gabrielle and Bernardo Schpilberg Karen and Daniel Stauber Marina Esayag Tendler Jaya and Joseph Zebede Regina and Miguel Zinguer

Mazel Tov...

Mazel Tov to Hillel alumnus Michael Yativ, 2003, on his engagement to Ariana Zelonker. Michael, who is completing his master’s in Psychology at FIU, is the son of Yossi, the Upper School Hebrew Department Chair, and Lillian Yativ.

HIP/PTA vice president Michele Scheck and president Amy Chaftez show off the new laptop cart for Middle School.

The cart houses 24 wireless netbooks and a printer. HIP/ PTA has also funded technology and interactive white boards in the Lower, Middle and Upper Schools. Families also are funding technology, and Hillel is grateful to all the generousity demonstrated so far this year.

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Pennys for Charity

Hillel Middle School student David Broide presented approximately 70,000 pennies to the Holocaust Documentation and Education Center as an ongoing Mitzvah project for his Bar Mitzvah. more about it at www.NeverForgetNeverAgain.org.

Hillel Participates in Fairchild Challenge Students in Middle and Upper School will participate this year in the Fairchild Challenge, an environmental education outreach program of Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden.

Tym Bonilla, Upper School Principal, said its a standards-based program that works into the curriculum. Students complete the project, and then the best are submitted into the competition at Fairchild. The 16 topscoring middle and high schools are awarded $250 to $1,000 for their environmental programs.

“The program is competitive and allows students to showcase their talents,” Bonilla said.

Through the Challenge, students research and critically evaluate environmental topics, become more actively engaged citizens, and come to appreciate more fully the beauty and value of nature. By blending content areas to create activities, projects, and “authentic experiences” that use the environment as an integrating context for learning, the Challenge promotes science literacy, civic engagement, creative expression, and lifelong learning in students and, by extension, in their respective circles of influence.

Three Plays to take the Stage

COLLEGE

The Jordan Alexander Ressler Performing Arts Department will stage three shows this year, allowing students from all divisions to showcase their talents. The program will begin with the Middle and Upper School comedy Beau Jest November 4-5, followed by the musical comedy Hello Mudda, Hello Fadda on March 11. Lower School will perform the Disney musical The Jungle Book May 12-16.

Corey Feinsilver, Performing Arts Chair, encourages all students to try out for roles, even if they never have acted before.

“I am excited about students who perform for the first time. They build confidence and develop as individuals,” she said.

Football Season Kicks Off for Lower, Middle and Upper School The varsity football team kicked-off its second year, middle school students are playing flag football, and for the first time, students in Grades 4-5 are part of a co-ed Lower School flag football league.

The Lower School team has 22 players, coached by Jimmy Robertson and Tim Allen, and competes in the Jewish Independent League, said Athletic Director Cindy Lyon.

Upper School started its season beating Westwood Christian and David Posnack Hebrew Day School. The next game will be against Princeton Academy on October 28 at the FIU north stadium. “The team has been working hard, and has totally committed itself to a successful season,” said Lyon.

Middle school flag football, coached by Tim Allen, is continuing to play in the IAL league, but have also added games in the Jewish Independent League. At press time, the team ranked first in the North District League.

Guidance, New Tools Simplify College Application Process The process has started. Hillel seniors “Every year we have more acceptances to are writing essays, filling out applications top tier schools,” Wolf said. Last year nearly 90 and gathering recommendations to prepare percent of Hillel seniors were accepted to their for college entrance. Each year at Hillel, first-choice school and earned more than $1 million in merit-based scholarships. the process gets a little easier, as there are The college guidance office welcomed Dana more tools to help on the often stressful journey.

Ponsky to its staff this summer. As the former “This year, students have another Director of Orientation at Barry University and advantage,” said Dr. Allan Wolf, Director Assistant Director of Orientation at University of College Counseling. The Common Dr. Allan Wolf, Director of of Miami, Ponsky has an insight into preparing Application, which reaches more than 350 College Counseling, and Dana students for college.

Ponsky, Assistant Director of “After the application process, students colleges, has teamed with Naviance, a Web- College Counseling should also be educated about what to expect based college career planning resource.

“It makes the whole process electronic, including teacher when they get to college. We are doing that at Hillel,” said Ponsky, who worked with college freshmen to register and prepare them recommendations and transcripts,” Wolf said.

Students and parents are trained at school seminars to for their first year. “At the universities, I saw many students who use Naviance, which allows students to research any college were not prepared,” she said. for information and application requirements and track Ponsky graduated from University of Maryland and has a Hillel acceptances and applications submitted over the last masters in College Student Personnel from Bowling Green State five years.

University in Ohio.

KOL HILLEL 7

The Samuel Scheck Hillel Community Day School The Ben Lipson Hillel Community High School

The Juda and Maria Diener Elementary School The Henrietta Scheck Middle School 19000 NE 25th Avenue North Miami Beach, Florida 33180

HILLEL-NMB.ORG Hillel’s NEW Web site...

Featuring daily news, school updates and information.

See page 3 for details.

Learning to Lead Students become role models and learn team-building skills.

Planning spirit days and giving food to charity were only some of the ideas students in Grade 5 listed as they learned how to become leaders in the newly formed Lower School student council.

Sitting with their lunch trays in big leather chairs in the school’s conference room at a recent meeting, students discussed projects for the school year with advisors Lower School Principal Debra Abolafia, Student Activities Director Hillel Hurwitz and coach Tim Allen.

Students discussed recycling, color war, spirit days like crazy hat and sock days, and charity projects.

“Grade 5 students were elected to sit on the council after signing up and writing an essay about leadership,” said Abolafia.

The students meet weekly to discuss issues pertinent to them, learning team-building skills and discovering the responsibility of being role models for their peers. “We are so pleased to enrich our curriculum with this program,” she added.

The students are: Daniel Assor, JoAnn Battat, Claudio Bentata, Leehie Bortman, Natalie Broide, Steven Budman, Gaby Chehebar, Shana Cohen, Katherine Cula, Yonatan Feuer, Tamara Freiman, Josef Gad, Dana Graff, Farida Homsany, Andres Kiblisky, Sarah Lang, Justin Moskovitz, Marc Ojolro, Danielle Scheck, Sabrina Serber, Anna Sher, Sarah Waxman, Randy Weber and Ali Wolf.