9 minute read
Regulars
THE BEAT GOES ON
Students continue to learn and grow, and are challenged in many ways in the music department. The music room has been upgraded with the latest air filtration system and special seating, and students have been equipped with specialized music PPE – for themselves and their instruments! Many new music software applications have been adopted which allow students to play with each other from home and with recordings of their music pieces. The curriculum has been enhanced with sound editing, and students can now audio edit their own performances to create virtual ensembles. Families were invited to watch small ensemble band performances live via Zoom. The TanenbaumCHAT Singers and the Jazz Band meet regularly. They performed at TanenbaumCHAT’s Got Talent, and at a donor appreciation event and Generations Day. Students’ recordings from all music classes this year will be featured in a virtual music night in June – stay tuned!
Highlights from around the school
Thinking Pink
Students and staff dressed to impress in support of this year’s iteration of “Think Pink” for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
The Fireside Chat
After a long history of print publication, this year our student newspaper went digital. Find our student journalists here: www.thefiresidechat.org.
Highlights from around the school
YACHAD
It’s heartening to see our students continuing to connect and support one another as well as others in our wider community. Case in point: one evening in November, 20 TanenbaumCHAT students and 30 members of Yachad – an international organization dedicated to enhancing the life opportunities of Jewish individuals with developmental disabilities or other learning challenges – met online to enjoy games, activities and breakout rooms.
A Taste of Shabbaton
The Grade 9 Taste of Shabbaton, masterminded by Keren Romm ’98, Co-Director of Student Activities, was this year’s creative stand-in for regular Shabbaton programming. This in-school and online series of events included ice-breakers, discussions around important concepts like Jewish identity and shabbat, guest speakers from our community (Rabbi David Grundland from Beth Emeth Bais Yehuda Synagogue and Rabbi Robyn Fryer Bodzin from Beth Tzedec Congregation), Israel Engagement activities run by our shlichim Lee Kestecher Solomon and Ariel Solomon, craft projects, and challah making. It was not the same as a traditional shabby to be sure, however “it gave students the opportunity to experience the highlights and, of even more importance, socialize with their friends outside of class,” says Keren.
AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE We were proud to mark the accomplishments of our Awards of Excellence recipients. The honours were for 2019/2020, and so the grades noted here in parentheses are for that academic year. (Pictured left to right) The Edith and Victor Sefton Award for academic achievement went to Aaron Black (9), Shira Reznik (10), and Noah Juravsky (11). The Tikkun Olam Award for Distinguished Service went to Jacob David (9), Natanel Roizenman (10) and Ori Epstein (11).
Yeshiva University Model UN
A TanenbaumCHAT delegation participated in the Yeshiva University Model UN – a student-run simulation, fully online this year, that provides an opportunity for students to learn about the complex landscape of international diplomacy. Close to 350 students from 35 schools attended virtually. Our team represented Thailand in various UN committees. Roni Vicus (Grade 11) in UNICEF, and Ori Epstein (Grade 12) in UNEP, received honourable mentions for best delegate of their respective committees.
TanenbaumCHAT’s Got Talent This year’s talent show – dubbed Into the Unknown: QuaranTEEN Edition – was a onehour extravaganza of song, dance, comedy, magic and surprises, all pre-recorded in individual “home studios”, aka outdoor locations, bedrooms, living rooms and garages!
Interesting speakers
L to R: Shawn Lichaa, Adam Abid Alexander, Anthony Housefather One upside of connecting online is that guest speakers can participate from far afield. For example, in his Grade 9 and 10 Jewish History courses, Rabbi Shaanan Scherer ’96, hosted Guy Yehoshua, a member of the Samaritan community in Holon, and Shawn Lichaa, a member of the Karaite community in San Francisco, along with Adam Abid Alexander of the Ahmadian Muslim community closer to home in Toronto. Extra-curriculars have also hosted virtual visitors. For example, MP Anthony Housefather joined the Politics Club in mid-October for a discussion that included the government’s response to COVID-19, minority rights, and Canada’s foreign policy.
VIRTUAL DESTINATION: ISRAEL
Our shlichim, Lee Kestecher Solomon and Ariel Solomon, joined forces with our Athletic Council and Israel Engagement committee to create Tigers Trekking Israel. With an eye to staying active during the pandemic, this online experience in support of UJA Federation of Greater Toronto allowed participants to exercise locally and log their distance virtually across an Israeli “hike” of more than 1,000 km.
Fellowship for Dr. Nicholas Maes
TanenbaumCHAT teacher, Dr. Nicholas Maes, was awarded an inaugural Abraham Lincoln Teacher’s Fellowship. This new initiative by the Tikvah Fund provides an advanced seminar on American history and civilization for Jewish day school and yeshiva educators. This is Nick’s 18th year at TanenbaumCHAT where he teaches history (Canadian, American, modern, western, and ancient) and politics.
Highlights from around the school
Remembering...
During Holocaust Education Week, TanenbaumCHAT was once again honoured to have survivor Elly Gotz tell his story to students, both in school and learning remotely. For Remembrance Day, the school community came together for a beautiful and thoughtful student-led online ceremony to commemorate those who have served Canada during times of war, conflict and peace.
Let’s chat about mental health
Tools in your mental health toolbox was the theme of this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week (MHAW). Established in 2014 by Guidance Counsellor Stacia Wolle, the annual MHAW includes a variety of relaxing and fun activities, lots of shared information to expand the educational component of mental health, as well as interactive programs run by an enthusiastic student committee. An incredibly well-attended Zoom assembly welcomed back TanenbaumCHAT alumni to share their mental health journeys and stories of hope (see p.23 for more). This year also saw the launch of the MHAW website which contains important resources for our TanenbaumCHAT family and the community at large. See tchatmhaw.weebly.com, and continue the conversation around mental health.
DRAMATIC FLAIR
This year, despite the many safety protocols in place, the Drama Department has worked hard to allow students to form strong artistic and social bonds, and to hone their skills as actors, writers, directors and producers. “What has been truly amazing to witness is the resilience, commitment to the creative process and excellent work of our students,” says Lori Fahidi, Department Head. Grade 9 students created original scenes using both mime and tableau, and wrote and performed monologues – some of which explored the difficulties of the past year. Grade 10s performed the play Check Please in person, online, and as a hybrid of the two. They adapted material that was written for the stage to video, and in their final productions the usual production elements of costumes, props and sets were augmented by digital components like sound effects, opening titles, closing credits, Zoom backgrounds and even editing! The show must go on of course – and it will, in Quad 4, when Grade 11 and 12 Drama is scheduled.
Holiday celebrations
Pandemic notwithstanding, we’ve continued to mark holidays at TanenbaumCHAT. For chanukah, candles were lit – safely! – in each classroom, and there was a wealth of in-class programming, prizes, dreidel games, ugly sweater days, and a virtual, school-wide assembly. Fully online for Tu B’shvat, classes could join a Jewish National Fund virtual experience: a tour of the Jewish Quarter in the Old City of Jerusalem, or a look at the migratory bird species and biodiversity of Israel. Back in school for Purim, we were treated to two days (one each for Cohorts A and B) of fabulous costumes and individually packaged hamantaschen, and a rousing reading of Megillat Esther!
Unwinding Online
Over the last few months, thanks to our Student Activities team, our school community has enjoyed all kinds of fun online gatherings that have provided a chance to connect and unwind. These have included the Teachers vs. Students Games; the 5th annual student spelling bee, and bingo night for students, staff and families.
Highlights from around the school
Time to help
During Quad 2 this year, our students were provided with many opportunities to contribute their time, compassion and talents to a range of local community organizations through our JesinNeuberger Community Service Program. Here are a few examples.
At Ve’Ahavta our students made blankets, prepared food, packed Harm Reduction supply kits, and collected and sorted clothing donations and supplies, all of which were distributed to hundreds of Torontonians living on or near the streets. “We are so grateful to these students for their volunteering – and positive attitudes!” says Ruth Hart, Volunteer Services Coordinator.
When the women of the Toronto Jewish Quilting Project – an initiative of the National Council of Jewish
Women of Canada, Toronto Section
– decided to add quilted pot holders to their Passover Food Drive boxes, they realized that “hand-sewing 2,000 of these was a huge challenge during COVID as we have not been meeting,” notes Eva Karpati, President. Then she realized that TanenbaumCHAT students “could learn a new skill and participate.” Eva says it, “was an absolute delight, and a pleasure to meet them and work with them.”
Our students supported children and families through Jewish Family and Child Services (JF&CS). According to Sharyn Feldman, Supervisor, Family Resource Centre, the parents in the matched families were appreciative of the homework help our students provided. With Reena programming all online, finding ways to engage has been challenging. However, TanenbaumCHAT students stepped up. “The volunteers from TanenbaumCHAT have been great,” says Raquel Heayn, Coordinator, Volunteer Services. “They are kind, helpful, have a positive attitude, take helping others seriously, and have genuine empathy for the individuals they are volunteering with.” Many of our students returned to their elementary schools to help younger students with reading, math, test preparation, homework, and socialemotional support. Associated Hebrew Schools (AHS) and Bialik Hebrew Day School are just two examples. At AHS, Danilack Volunteer Tutor Initiative Coordinators, Sarah Bernholtz and Debbie Cohen-Savage ’93, note that “the volunteers took their time to support other Jewish students in the community... and exceeded our expectations.” Similarly, Shoshana Taitz ’93, Director of Curriculum at Bialik Hebrew Day School says that TanenbaumCHAT students went above and beyond and “were mentsches. It was a wonderful partnership and a unique way to keep our communities connected.”
Shawna Sliwowicz (Grade 11) echoes the sentiments of many of our volunteers when she says that spending time with the younger students “especially during the pandemic, and helping them learn and grow, was something I looked forward to every single week.”
(Left) Many of our students volunteered with UJA where they helped to fill over 200 grocery boxes for vulnerable and isolated community members over the winter holiday season.
