QUICK STUDY: Highlights from around the school

Whether it was rounding out the 2020/21 school year remotely, or launching the 2021/22 school year in person, life at TanenbaumCHAT has continued and flourished.

(Re)opening Doors

After closing out the 2020/21 school year, well, closed – it was particularly exciting to open our doors once again for summer school! We were also thrilled to be able to run two of our school’s favourite fall traditions: the Welcome Back Carnival and the annual Club Fair during which students had the opportunity to sign up for over 100 clubs, committees and special events.

L to R: Zoe Wolpert Peterson, Michael Rubinoff, Sidure Ludwig.

Welcoming guests

Michael Rubinoff, the creative force and producer behind the Tony Award-winning musical “Come From Away”, dropped into a drama class taught by Josh Sable ’90. In her Grade 10 English class, Michelle Hyde ’11 hosted current parent and author Sidura Ludwig who spoke about her most recent collection of short stories: You are not what we expected. Zoe Wolpert Paterson, a Senior Portfolio Manager at Wealthsimple, the online financial management powerhouse founded by Michael Katchen ’05, spoke to business students.

COMMEMORATIONS & CELEBRATIONS

On International Holocaust Remembrance Day the school came together online to commemorate the 6 million Jews who were murdered in the Holocaust. Students, faculty and special guests gathered again for a meaningful assembly commemorating Yom HaZikaron, and during our Yom Haatzmaut celebrations our Music Department, under the direction of Jaclyn Klimitz ’03, collaborated with some of our feeder schools, including Associated Hebrew Schools, Bialik Hebrew Day School, Netivot Hatorah Day School, Robbins Hebrew Academy and The Toronto Heschel School.

On September 30, 2021, TanenbaumCHAT paused classes to acknowledge the first Truth and Reconciliation Day. The co-heads of our Indigenous People’s Committee led a moment of silence and spoke about the importance of the day.

The school marked Yitzchak Rabin Memorial Day with the help of our Israel Engagement Committee, shlichim and shinshiniot. There were classroom activities, a hallway display, and a moment of silence.

Chabad “Eight Under Eighteen” recipient

This past summer, Michael Mandel ’21 was one of only eight teens nationwide to be selected for Chabad Teen Network’s inaugural “Eight Under Eighteen: Yisroel Fund Leadership Award”. During his Grade 12 year, Michael successfully applied to a federal grant program that provided money to youth aiming to better their communities. He used the funds he received to purchase tablets and accessories, filled them with apps, and delivered them to ten isolated seniors. He taught each of them how to use the device, and also facilitated a monthly program called “Senior Pals” where teens would spend time (virtually) playing games, talking, and consuming content with seniors in the community. Michael is pictured with Minister Stephen Lecce and MP Melissa Lantsman at the CTeen award ceremony.

Essay win!

Last year, when still in Grade 12, Leah Powell ’21 was awarded first prize in the Fraser Institute’s Student Essay Contest, 2021. The policy-focused challenge was to explore economist Joseph Schumpeter’s concept of creative destruction in understanding entrepreneurialism and economic progress.

Disability Inclusion Week

Disability Inclusion Week, championed by our student-led Tikvah Club, culminated in a school-wide assembly with speakers from Yachad Toronto — an organization dedicated to enriching the lives of Jewish individuals with disabilities. Guests included local TikTok star Julia Slater, along with Zachary Perlmutter ’08 (far right) who joined us to share about his own disabilities and challenges, and answer student questions. (See p. 27 for more.)

STAYING ACTIVE

Despite the lack of traditional Tigers’ sports last year, our Athletic Council kept busy. During Health Week, they shared ideas for activities, workouts, recipes, and live streams on social media to help with nutrition, fitness and mindfulness. This October, they spearheaded a special pandemic-edition class-by-class Terry Fox run.

Talking TanenbaumCHAT

Our students have enjoyed lots of airtime on the CJN Daily podcast courtesy of host Ellin Besner. Most recently, Grade 9 student Eitan Steinfeld spoke with Ellin about the Apple Watch app he created. Called “Watch Siddur”, it is the only free app of its kind. Eitan, a self-taught coder, was joined on the podcast by his father, TanenbaumCHAT Jewish Studies teacher Zev Steinfeld. Eitan explained that he wanted to ensure accessibility by not charging for downloads. Last year, Grade 12 students Isaac Begun ’21, Alexa Jacoby ’21, and David Segal-Pillemer ’21 reflected on their rather unique final year of high school; while Stacey Goldberg ’21 and Rena Zevy ’21, and Athletic Director Adam Chaim spoke about the success of the Tigers Trekking Israel virtual hike program.

Virtual Music Night

Under the direction of teachers Jaclyn Klimitz ’03 and John Malarczyk, students from every grade practiced and performed over the course of an entire year to put together the program for our Virtual Music Night. A major assist was provided by students in Sharon Harding's Grade 11 Communications Technology Class who edited the footage.

Golden Bagels

Our 15th Annual Golden Bagel Awards celebrated our amazing school community with the presentation of various awards, tributes to retiring staff members, and a surprise guest appearance from Toronto Raptor legend Jack Armstrong.

In the Sukkah

Teachers Kyle Borenstein ’06 and Danya (Borenstein) Koplowitz ’08, and co-director of Student Activities Keren Romm ’98, were the driving force behind lulav and etrog orders. In the Sukkah, our madrichim (student leaders), with an assist from Vice Principal Rabbi Shlomo Gemara, delivered musical hits in both English and Hebrew; the madrichim, student activities staff and Israel Engagement Shlichim, Lee Kestecher Solomon and Ariel Solomon, also led a trivia extravaganza.

That’s the spirit! (Battle of the

Tens) With Battle of the Nines an unmitigated success (see p. 12), it was only fitting that Battle of the Tens follow in quick succession. By virtue of COVID-19, it was a long-overdue chance for this class to experience a full-on in-person gradespecific TanenbaumCHAT spirit event.

TWIN DAY

What’s more fun than a school spirit day? A school spirit day enjoyed with a lookalike! Staff and students did not disappoint with their unique takes on dressing up to match one, and sometimes two, friends!

Professional Development

Staff have had numerous professional development opportunities. For example, Michael Waxman and our school social worker Diana Kirzner (both from JF&CS) led an important seminar on gender identity and pronouns; and noted author Jay McTighe led a morning focused on “deep learning”.

Recently published!

Thinking about Good and Evil: Jewish Views from Antiquity to Modernity, the most recent book written by Rabbi Wayne Allen, was published in May 2021 by the Jewish Publication Society. This is Rabbi Allen’s ninth year at TanenbaumCHAT and he is currently Co-head of the Rabbinic Department. He teaches Grade 9 and Grade 10 Rabbinics and has also taught Ethics, Jewish History, Talmud and Tanach.

A TREMENDOUS FEAT

On October 8, participants in the school’s morning minyan had the opportunity to celebrate a tremendous feat of scholarship. Mindy Chapman ’13 marked a Siyum (ending) on the entire Tanach after having completed the study of all 929 chapters of the 24 books of Torah, Neveiim and Ketuvim. This represents the culmination of years of study for Mindy who teaches science and coaches TanenbaumCHAT students for the Chidon Hatanach — International Bible Contest.

L’hitraot and thank you!

The final virtual staff meeting of the 2020-21 school year provided a chance to recognize the members of our staff who were retiring. We honoured them for their combined multiple years of dedicated service to the school and the indelible impact they had on thousands of students. May retirement be filled with health and happiness.

L to R: Pierina Gialanella, Rabbi Lori Cohen, Shirley Markman, Sandy Miller and Perach Roifman.

TanenbaumCHAT Teaches – and not just high school students!

Many of our talented and expert teachers led the sessions for this wonderful online learning series. Last year’s contributors were: Rabbi Aaron Greenberg, Michael Kohl ’97, Dr. Nicholas Maes, Ryan Peters ’09, Dr. Alexandria Silver, Zev Steinfeld, and Rachel Urowitz ’89.