“...Know that every deed counts, that every word is power...” —Abraham Joshua Heschel
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Pennsylvania, Chips and Amish: The Sixth Grade Trip By Talia Kahan
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A New York State of Mind: The Seventh Grade Trip By Abigail Sylvor- Greenberg ON WEDNESDAY, MAY 13th, Heschel seventh graders boarded a bus, toting sleeping bags and sweaters, and headed for the Albany area. On the itinerary was a mix of historical/political stops, and nature-oriented “group building” activities. Students were excited, about what the journey had in store.
ON THURSDAY, MAY 17th, shortly before 9:00 PM, the sixth grade returned, exhausted but cheerful, to The Heschel School, with many stories to tell. We had a blast, from when we pulled out of the school on Wednesday morning, to when we arrived back on the West Side Highway, watching the movie, The Blind Side. On Wednesday, after three hours of sitting in a crowded bus, we finally arrived at Herr’s Potato Chip Factory, our first destination. We were glad to stretch our legs and eager to start the tour. Before we went in, a mashgiach from Orthodox Union, described the process of how he made sure that all the food produced by Herr’s “deserved their OU”- their Orthodox Union kosher certification. We asked about the process of making sure that the chips are kosher, what other companies he goes to, and has he ever taken away anyone’s kosher “OU”. Then, we entered the factory that we had heard about for so many years.
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The first stop was a river cruise along the shores of the Hudson River. Seventh graders dined on a packed disposable lunch, while they looked out onto the horizon. When they had finished, they played games, or ran from the lower level dining rooms to the windy balconies of the small tour boat. There was then a shift from the leisurely to the educational, as the students toured the New York State Capitol, and sat in the meeting-places of the state legislature; then to the State Museum, and pored over dioramas of Catskills wildlife. This served as a quick tutorial about the history of New York.
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JUNE 2015
Eighth Grade in Israel: Desert Report By Carlin Greenfield ON THE SECOND day of the eighth grade Israel trip, we embarked on a two day journey through the wilderness. The eighth grade was split up into two groups at the start of the hike. We hiked along a road until we reached the bottom of a steep hill that led up to the rim of the Makhtesh. After a short rest and a motivational speech by our guide, we climbed and we climbed; this was the first difficult task of the day. After this hike, we walked a short distance across the edge of Makhtesh Ramon and looked down over the Makhtesh. From there we continued to a nearly sheer cliff face where we scaled about six feet of rock. We then continued along the path, until we climbed down to join a riverbed where we would eat lunch. Sheltered from the sun by an overhang, we enjoyed the shade and rest before continuing. We proceeded along the riverbed, then we stopped to play a name game.
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Letter from the Editors
2014–2015 Editors Carlin Greenfield Nina Glesby Mariel Priven
Staff Writers Abigail Sylvor-Greenberg Abby Fisher Anna Dubey Aliza Sirota Ayelet Kaminer Lexi Wenger Noa Levine Rachel Mehler Sabina Sternklar-Davis Tema Zeldes-Roth Tova Kleiner Talia Kahan
Art 6th, 7th, 8th Grade Students
Photography Carlin Greenfield Karen Dorr Lori Skopp Rabbi Jack Nahmod
Faculty Advisor Karen Dorr Judy Katz
Layout & Design Karen Dorr
Dear Readers, WE LAMENT THE fact that this is our final issue of the Heschel Herald, and would like to thank all the people who have supported us throughout the years we have worked as writers and editors for the Heschel Herald. Firstly, we would like to thank Karen Dorr for her leadership, support, and kindness, for the past three years; without her this paper would truly not be possible. We would also like to thank our fellow staff writers and artists for their assistance, and creativity. They have helped us tremendously to put together a newspaper that reflects what we at Heschel care about. We would also like to congratulate Abigail Sylvor-Greenberg, Tova Kleiner, and Noa Levine who will become next year’s editors; they already proved that they can put out a great issue with their
Seventh Grade Special Issue of the Heschel Herald. We wish you well, and would like to remind you to enjoy the process. We would never get an issue out if it were not for all of these people. We especially thank our Heschel Middle School readers who support us with every issue. Your Eighth Grade Editors, Nina Glesby, Carlin Greenfield, and Mariel Priven
We wish everyone a safe and wonderful summer. Wherever you go- keep your eyes open, so you may experience and learn as much as you can. Put your cellphones in your pocket and observe.
Journalist of the Issue: Sarah Maslin Nir By Nina Glesby " Recently, Sarah Maslin Nir, a writer and investigative journalist for The New York Times, wrote the article “The Price of Nice Nails.” An article that quickly circulated, and raised awareness of the exploitation of nail salon workers in New York City, the “Manicure Capital”. " Nir was born in New York City, and attended The Brearley School, George Washington University, Columbia University, and The Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, where she studied politics and philosophy. She has worked as a staff reporter for The New York Times since August 2011. She wrote the Times’ “Nocturnalist” column, covering the nightlife of New York City. One significant event that Nir covered was the Occupy Wall Street protests. She covered the protests by spending nights with demonstrators who pitched tents in Zuccotti Park. Before becoming a staff
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reporter for the paper, Nir freelanced for eleven sections of the Times, which consisted of traveling to the Alaskan wilderness to research people who prefer living in isolation, and traveling to Haiti after the earthquake. " In response to an interviewer asking what lessons she learned after doing her articles, “The Price of Nice Nails” and “Perfect Nails, Poisoned Workers,” Nir said, “There is no such thing as a cheap luxury. It’s an oxymoron. The only way that you can have something decadent for a cheap price is by someone being exploited. Your discount manicure is on the back of the person giving it.”
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Pennsylvania At the factory we looked at all the machines used to slice and fry the potatoes, and tried, fresh out of the oven, potato chips. They were good. Next, we ate a brief lunch and boarded the bus. We were on our way to the Amish in Lancaster, PA.! At the Amish homestead, we visited a greenhouse with unique technological ways of growing things, a farmer with horses, cows, and goats, and a farmer to whom we could ask questions. To me visiting the Amish was the most interesting part of the trip because we could see and learn about a whole different culture. They use no technology, making them out of the norm for a regular American life. I find it amazing that a culture can function without technology, especially since it is available. Imagine living with no light bulbs, no cars, no computer, especially, when it is right at your fingertips. After we left the Amish, we headed toward the DoubleTree Hotel to eat a dinner of burgers and hot dogs. For those who do not eat meat, there was pasta and other vegetarian options. During dinner we had a talent show which consisted of songs, imitations, dances, and raps. Before dropping off our bags and having a private swim party at the hotel, we went bowling. We were all eager to have some exercise after sitting down for so long, and bowling definitely fit the bill. We had a lot of fun bowling, despite the fact that my shoes were much too large. When we arrived back at the hotel, although we had an exhausting day, everyone changed into their bathing suits, and headed to the pool for a swim party. Once we were there, we had a great time on the slides, participated in relay races, and just swam around. After the swim
party, we went to sleep- finally exhausted, and looked forward to the next day. The knocks on our doors, and the cries of, “Wake up, wake up” were heard at 7:00 in the morning. After getting up and eating a hearty breakfast, we headed to the Franklin Institute. There we walked around in groups through the heart exhibit, the electricity exhibit, the air exhibit, and the gift shop! We spent quite a while looking around the gift shop thinking about what, when, and who we should buy our gifts for. Once we bought our gifts we headed out to the field next to the Franklin Institute to eat lunch. We ate lunch for around half-an-hour and then headed out to the Shofuso house. When we arrived at the Japanese Shofuso House we took our shoes off and were split into two groups, Shemesh and Yarach. In these groups we made origami swans and cups, listened to a Japanese story, and toured the house. We learned about bamboo rugs, Japanese tea parties, and Japanese life in general. This was a very special part of our trip. After exploring the tiny gift shop at the Shofuso House, we went to a park and played frisbee, tag, and just hung around. The trip had been a huge success but there was still one last part left, dinner! We ate a dinner of burgers and salad at the University of Pennsylvania Hillel dining room and then headed back to the Heschel school. We arrived back at school to our waiting parents from an incredible trip around 8:30.
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New York We returned to the school’s coach bus and eventually pulled into Camp Berkshire Hills, Eisenberg. This would serve as the backdrop for some of the trip’s best bonding moments. A hilly landscape, barely-green with the approaching summer, the camp stretched around a luminous pond dotted with rather bare wooden cabins. Despite the evening’s drama games being cut short, the seventh grade found ample opportunity to socialize and enjoy themselves. Though the nights were frigid, the sense of community was warm. Day two brought a visit to Katchkie Farms, an organic farm that grows everything from apples to herbs in vast fields and steamy greenhouses. There, students played with chickens, harvested fruits and vegetables, and prepared a fresh, healthy lunch with the produce they had picked. In the afternoon we visited a local nature center and then took an educational and scenic hike complete with a waterfall. The second night was the highlight of the trip for many students, who enjoyed s’mores and Talmud-inspired stories around a warm campfire. Music played softly, and the seventh graders sang and danced into the night. Friday, the final day of the trip was eventful though gloomy in weather. Heschel students rode their bus to Storm King Art Center, where they walked through the picturesque hills and observed the large-scale sculpture from both a mathematical, and artistic lens. Overall the seventh grade trip was a fun and educational bonding experience for the Heschel seventh grade. All the seventh graders are incredibly grateful to all of the Heschel staff members who helped to plan and chaperone the experience.
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Israel: Desert Report Continued from page 1 We then were encouraged to commune with the natural wonder of the place, and to take the time to meditate and think about our goals in life. After this solitary time we continued to where we would spend the night. We spent the night in a Bedouin tent; heaters included. Once settled, a game of “Truth or Dare” quickly ensued and was shut down equally quickly by the teachers
were told about the difference between a llama and an alpaca, we then got to spend time with, and feed, the alpacas. I missed out on rapelling, the idea of jumping off a cliff seemed to be counter intuitive. ***********************
after the “dares” went from funny and absurd to inappropriate. The next morning, after a quick breakfast, we set off on our journey over a fairly flat road, We ate lunch at the same spot where we had played the name game the day before. We hiked to the foot of a mountain, where most of us were strung together and embarked on climbing the mountain. At the summit we were untied, and it felt great to have reached the top. After descending, we were shown fossils in the side of the mountain and continued to our campsite. At the campsite we were given 5’x5’ tents (with a very… interesting scent) and were stuffed in - three to a tent. After setting up the tents, we had a bonfire and did some stargazing.The next morning the busses were reassigned and we set off to an alpaca farm and an opportunity to do some rappelling. At the alpaca farm we
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Kibbutz Ketura By Mariel Priven After two days of vigorous hikes and overnights in sleeping bags in the middle of the desert, we got on our buses and drove to Kibbutz Ketura north of Eilat in the Negev. At the Kibbutz we were divided into suites of four rooms, with three or four students per room. The first night we attended the Kibbutz's egalitarian Friday night service. After the service we all had Shabbat dinner in the main dining hall of the Kibbutz. Eating all together and watching the community members eat together was fun and interesting; it was very different from what most of us are accustomed to, as most of us only eat Shabbat dinner with our families. When we finished eating dinner we went into a classroom where a resident of the Kibbutz led us in an Israeli trivia game. After the game we returned to our rooms and went to bed. The next morning, on Shabbat, we returned to the Kibbutz's synagogue, but this time some students participated in the service, some reading Torah and others receiving aliyot. After the service, we went back to the classroom we had been in the night before, and a Kibbutz member taught us the ways in which the Kibbutz is run. He explained about the different committees they had, which covered certain issues such as economic, educational, religious, and more. We then broke up into groups and discussed examples of cases specific committees might deal with. After the activity and lunch, we had a
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few hours of rest time. The majority of the boys played basketball and hung out by the pool, while most of the girls went swimming in the pool, befriending several Kibbutz girls. When the free time was over, we broke up by advisory and got a tour of the Kibbutz, specifically of its solar panel field which we learned about. After the tour we did a big Havdalah together, and then did Karaoke. Everyone had a lot of fun, singing the different songs together in groups, doing solos, or singing with teachers. The next day, Sunday, the morning was spent in Eilat, where we all snorkeled together. Later, in the afternoon, back at the Kibbutz, we were split up by homeroom, and did three activities. The first consisted of learning more about the use of solar panels, especially in small huts, to provide, energy for light and heat. The second activity was biking to the Jordan border and back, which several students found very interesting, to be so close to an entirely different country. The last of the three activities included mudbuilding, where students had the opportunity to help construct outdoor living areas out of mud. That night we all changed into our swimsuits and went to the pool, where we had a barbecue and pool party with the kids who lived on the Kibbutz. This experience was very meaningful, because we finally had an opportunity to just hang out; it was fascinating to learn about the lives of these teens. At first we thought they’d be very different, because they live in what we believed was an isolated community. However, we quickly learned that we had a lot in common. We discovered that we shared enthusiasm for region-wide sports leagues, and had similar tastes in American music and television shows. We also learned that some of us played the same musical instruments. Shared media became our common language, and a way to connect.
June, 2015 Volume 5 Issue 6
8th Grade in Israel
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June, 2015 Volume 5 Issue 6
8th Grade in Israel
Girls At The Kotel By Sabina Sternklar-Davis & Rachel Mehler MOST OF THE EIGHTH grade girls would probably agree that their experience at the Kotel was extremely meaningful, and was one of the highlights of the trip. As soon as we arrived, we gathered in a circle along with our female chaperones and tour guides, and sang songs to welcome Shabbat. Afterwards, we made our way to the Western Wall itself, and each girl had the opportunity to pray individually. The connection to Judaism and spirituality that was felt at the Kotel was made evident by the people around us, some of whom were in tears as they prayed. When each girl completed her individual prayer, she joined the rest of the girls in a circle of singing and dancing. After just a few minutes girls from other schools and youth groups joined the Heschel group in singing and dancing. One of the most memorable moments was when the large group of women enthusiastically sang ‘Am Yisrael Chai’. This was particularly striking because, as
“Standing” By: Tema Zeldes-Roth we danced, it became clear to us that the words of the song, “the nation of Israel lives” meant so much more to us in those moments. Despite anti-semitism and persecution directed at the Jewish nation for thousands of years, it was beautiful to see that through it all, the Jewish nation survived. We Jewish women and girls, gathered from different places in the world, were united in song and spirit in
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What does it mean to stand up for what we believe is right? does it mean to press our opinions on others or else to hand them out and see if they are accepted does it mean to leave when injustice occurs or does it mean to stay and be the change does it mean to long for what might be or else to stay rooted in history What does it mean to stand up for what we believe is right? does it mean to push until they break or else to stay silent and crumble inside does it mean to wrestle with questions of morality or does it mean to demand that others grapple with them too does it mean to push the envelope? does it mean to refuse to give in? What does it mean to stand up for what we believe is right? does it mean to stand down or does it mean to fight
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June, 2015 Volume 5 Issue 6
Iris
Pitch Perfect 2
A Film Review
A Film Review
By Tova Kleiner
By Noa Levine
FUN, QUIRKY WITH an eye for design; all of these characterize Iris Apfel, fashion and design icon. Iris has been called many names from ‘The Rare Bird of Fashion’ to a ‘Geriatric Starlet.’ She is full of wisdom and wit. The documentary IRIS directed by Albert Maysles (his last) is a celebration of all these things. The movie shows the range of Iris,
from her start designing textiles to interior design and fashion. When she was young, shopping in Loehmann’s she was stopped by the owner, Mrs. Loehmann, who liked to observe her customers. “Young lady, I’ve been watching you” she said to Apfel, and added, “You're not pretty, and you'll never be pretty. But, it doesn't matter. You have something much better. You have style." Over the years, the 93 year old Iris’s style has unfurled it’s magnificent wings and flew to great heights. The documentary follows Iris as she shops in exotic stores haggling for the cheapest prices. From African beaded bracelets to colorful shawls, Iris is always looking for a deal. She grew up during the Great Depression, and values work; she said, "I feel lucky to be working. If you're lucky enough to do something you love, everything else follows." She has many homes, all full of her extensive array of clothes, among other eye-catching tchotchkes.
At one point, the film gives the viewer a window into an exhibit of how her amazing style is curated. The way she puts together her outfits makes them into works of art. All clothes and accessories are layered carefully to make a loud, vibrant image that give an astonishing impression. She puts together these outfits, always set off by her signature round glasses. Her style is unique and exquisite. Through interviews, footage and photos documenting Iris’s life, the viewer grasps the amazing qualities of Iris. From her witty comments, her majestic posture to her funky smile. Iris is truly a fashion icon. She is candid, optimistic and unique. She makes no judgement of other people’s sense of style, saying “It’s better to be happy than well-dressed.” While this film showed the multilayered aspects of Iris, it did feel a bit repetitive in places and the amount of outfits, cloth, accessories, and STUFF can become overwhelming. Though her style is incredible, and her extensive collection impressive, seeing it in the movie felt at times claustrophobic. The way it was shot felt as though there was too much going on. However, IRIS is fun to watch, is entertaining, and Iris’s vibrant personality is very compelling.
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Pitch Perfect 2, directed by Elizabeth Banks, picks up three years from where the last movie Pitch Perfect, left off. Three years prior, they had won the National a Capella Competition. Now, as the movie opens, the Barden Bellas are performing at Lincoln Center, and the performance takes a rather surprising and humiliating turn. Following what is a massive public disgrace, the group tries to get back into good graces with their fans and their university by competing at the International a Capella Competition. Led by Beca Mitchell (Anna Kendrick) and Chloe Beale (Brittany Snow), they work hard in hopes of winning. But to win, they must get past obstacles, in particular, they must compete against the German group, Das Sound Machine. Everything that can go wrong, does, both technically and personally. The movie proved entertaining when characters from the original reemerged, such as Fat Amy, who encourages the girls with comments like, “You’re Beca and Chloe, together you're blowie!” Ultimately, you’ll have to see the movie to find out whether they overcome the challenges thrown at them. This follow up to the first Pitch Perfect, is light hearted, comedic, and fun to watch. I would definitely recommend Pitch Perfect 2 to anyone who liked the first one.
June, 2015 Volume 5 Issue 6
The Governor’s Ball Music Festival By Abigail Sylvor-Greenberg ON JUNE 5-7TH, 2015, New York’s hipsters, fun seekers and general music lovers crossed the bridge onto Randall’s Island for the fourth year of the annual Governor’s Ball Music Festival. The weekend-long festival showcases the best in indie, pop, alternative and hip hop music at an expansive outdoor location. In the past
four years, it has gone from a small event
f o r little known acts to a massive gathering with famous headliners such as Drake, Florence + The Machine, Lana Del Rey, The Black Keys, and DEADMAU5. Also on this year’s lineup of over forty acts, there were slightly lesserknown artists like synthpop band Future Island; Canadian punk-rock band, White Lung; and “wildcard,” Weird-Al Yankovic. Its wide range of musical styles ensured that, unlike more nicheoriented music festivals like Electric
Zoo, there was something for everyone. This year’s list of performers in particular, gave ample opportunity for the strong women in music, Marina Diamandis of Marina and the Diamonds, for example, to lead the way. All the musical acts successfully inspired an enthusiastic and passionate audience, comprised mostly of cool twenty-somethings and teens. Regardless of their varying levels of fame, each musician, dj, and band attracted a swarming crowd of eager festival goers. This years Governor’s Ball, or “ Govball” bore all the trademarks of a popular music festival: unbelievable crowds and lines, an unspoken bohemian dress code ( though one less pronounced than at California festival “ Coachella”) , and delicious food. The festival has followed in the footsteps of New Orleans’ “Jazzfest” and brings in dozens of artisanal food vendors typically found at popular street food destinations like Smorgasburg and Madison Sq. Eats. Some food highlights of 2015’s included Morris Truck grilled cheese, and buildyour-own ice cream sandwiches from Coolhaus. In addition to its multiple stages and numerous food vendors, Governor’s Ball also had a variety of other stands located on its grounds. These ranged from practical sunscreen-spraying and phone
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charging stations, to tattoo and flower-crown vendors to help get festival-goers into the freespirited mood intended for the weekend. There were several especially exciting moments throughout the weekend. For example, during her set, Florence Welch of Florence + The Machine responded to a sign held up by a fan by offering to hug that fan if she could “crowd surf over here”. The fan proceeded to crowdsurf to the stage, wherein she hugged Florence and all members of the band. Some moments were less heartwarming, particularly when Slim Jimmy of hip-hop duo Ray Sremmurd split his leg open while jumping off stage. There was singer, Bjork’s choice of costume, a feathery butterfly suit, as well as feminist p o p vocalist Charlie XCX’s empowering, if slightly vulgar cheers between songs. As The New York Times put it, Governor’s Ball brought New York “the strongest and strangest” in music, leaving all who attended with a feeling of excited, united musical bliss. Though tickets were pricey, as were food costs, the ground was muddy from on-and-off rain, and crowds sometimes got stressful, Governor’s Ball Music Festival was full of memories and ambiance which packed a powerful punch.
June, 2015 Volume 5 Issue 6
The Hesed Middle School Art Show By: Mariel Priven and Sabina Sternklar Davis ON WEDNESDAY, MAY 27th, Karen’s eighth grade advisory hosted a Middle School-wide Art Show. This past year, during the celebration of Martin Luther King’s birthday, all the advisories, inspired by the words of Rabbi Heschel and Dr. King, chose Hesed projects to improve the Heschel school community and the greater New York City community. Karen’s eighth grade advisory chose
to raise money for the Jewish Child Care Association’s Gateways program, a residential treatment for teenage girls who have been sexually exploited. The Art Show included artwork created by sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students. The show was beautifully curated by Liat Reisman. Many parents, teachers, and students came to admire the work, and to see the Seventh Grade Science show. The advisory is grateful to all those who donated generously to the cause. The advisory was able to raise over $700 for the JCCA Gateways program, and hope that this will help bring a brighter future to a number of teenage girls.
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June, 2015 Volume 5 Issue 6
The Fortuneteller Fiction By Anna M. Dubey " Ella pulls me out the door of our house. “Come on, Della! We have to get there before she closes down for the day!” It’s only 12:38. Madame Zenobia stops working every day at 5:00. But nevertheless, I let Ella drag me along. Truthfully, I’m just as excited as she is. The sun is shining today. It’s March 30th, and already there are new buds on the bushes that we pass. But far off to the west, dark clouds threaten to cover the ground in layers of shadow. I hope that they don’t. After walking for a few minutes, we stop in front of a small house that I have passed often but never dared enter. It really is tiny, but the black paint covering it and the majestic purple curtains hanging proudly over the widows give it an air of importance. I wonder how many times people just my age have stood on this patch of sidewalk, clutching fearfully onto their last moments of innocence before they learn their fate. Ella, always the braver twin, is the one to stride up to the door and knock firmly with the dragon-shaped knocker. No one answers, so she tries the door handle. It twists and the door opens. I rush to her side, and together, holding hands, we enter. Inside, it seems like an entirely different world from the one we just left. It is completely dark, except for little glowing purple wisps of cloud that seem to float about. They aren’t light enough to see by, so Ella and I stand together, clinging to each other’s hands. Suddenly, a voice says from behind us, “Ah, the twins.” I scream, but Ella squeezes my hand and turns around timidly. “Are you
Madame Zenobia?” she asks. I dare to peek over my shoulder. A tall woman stands holding a dim lantern. In that light, I can still barely see her. She has thick black hair streaked with deep purple. Her face is sharp and angular, her nose jutting out strangely. She wears a purple and black robe, the two colors fading into each other until it’s hard to tell which is which. Her face holds a faint smile. “Twins,” she repeats. “Yes, I knew you would come. Sit down.” Ella apprehensively sinks to the ground. Well, she can do that. I don’t think my shaking knees can handle staying up much longer, so I just collapse. Madame Zenobia paces before us. “I assume you have come for the birthday tradition. Yes?” She shines the light in my face and I nod, half blinded. In our town, we have a tradition. When the children of the town turn twelve years old, they must come to Madame Zenobia. And then will they find out their fate. I have seen the twelve year olds emerge from Madame Zenobia’s home before. Once, it was a boy who slapped his waiting friend high five. Another time, a girl who stumbled out the door, stunned. People always whispered about the secrets that Madame Zenobia revealed to them. Now I will find out mine. Ella pinches me and I snap into attention. Madame Zenobia is talking. “I never usually allow two people to hear my prophecies at once, but I suppose we must make an exception, as you are twins,” she
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says. “Now, which of you was born first?” Ella raises her hand. “Good, good,” Madame Zenobia says. Suddenly, her eyes close, then pop open again, only this time they have a strange fire in them. She smiles, and shadows dance across her face, making her expression look cruel. “The elder one goes first,” she declares. With almost inhuman speed, she grabs Ella and hauls her to her feet. Ella swallows. “Ella Carrillo,” she pronounces. “You have always been good at academics. By the end of this year, you will have applied to D’Bridge, and you will get in.” Ella’s eyes shine as she looks at me. She has always wanted to go to a good school, and now she knows that she will achieve her dream. But… “D’Bridge is a boarding school,” Madame Zenobia continues. “You will stay there for five years, away from your family. And you, Della Carrillo--” she fixes her glare on me. “You will never forgive her. Starting the very second she leaves, you will never speak to her again.” All I can think is that this isn’t true, it can’t be true, it can’t. Ella whirls around to face me, a look of terror on her face. A rectangle of pale light appears in the darkness. It’s the door opening. I race out the door, Ella at my heels. The door closes behind us as we stand on the front steps, panting. “She’s crazy,” I say, shaking my head. “She’s just making things up. Right, Ella?” Ella doesn’t answer. “Ella?” I look at her. Her face has turned white, and she crouches on the steps. “Come on,” I say softly, taking her hand. “Let’s go home.”
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The Fortuneteller She flinches at my touch, then stands up and starts walking purposefully on the sidewalk. “Ella?” I call, hurrying after her. “What’s wrong?” She comes to a halt but doesn’t face me. “Well,” she says, her voice shaking a little. “If I’m going to get into D’Bridge, I need to start studying.” “Wait!” I shout. “You don’t believe what she said, do you? Nothing could pull us apart!” She doesn’t answer. Above me, the dark gray clouds have completely covered the sky. Six Months Later Ella has gotten in to D’Bridge. She leaves tomorrow morning. She had been studying day and night, and all my pleas hadn’t been enough to sway her. I’ve tried asking my parents to stop her from leaving, but they say that it’s her choice if she wants to go. I really don’t know if I can stop her. My only hope is to convince her that Madame Zenobia is a fraud. The thing is… I thought that Madame Zenobia’s fortune couldn’t have been true. But Madame Zenobia said that I would ignore Ella for the rest of my life. And now, when I lie in bed at night, anger bubbles up in my stomach. How could Ella leave me and our parents? We’re her family! And the anger always tells me that if she betrays me, I have the right to stop speaking to her. Each night, I banish those feelings, but it gets harder and harder. Ella and I aren’t really communicating. Like, one of us might ask the other to pass the salt during dinner, but that’s it. I don’t want it to be like that the night before she leaves. While we eat dinner and Mom and Dad fawn over Ella, I make an effort to join in.
“We’re so proud that you’re going to go to D’Bridge! I mean, so few people are accepted!” Mom exclaims. “Yeah, it’s really cool,” I echo. I don’t think Ella hears me, because immediately after I speak, Mom and Dad start gushing again. I give it up as a lost cause and ask to be excused. As I rinse my plate and stick it in the dishwasher, I think about my options. Really, the only thing that I can do is convince Ella that Madame Zenobia’s fortune doesn’t have to come true. Suddenly, I know exactly how to do that. I’m so sure that my plan will work, I don’t bother to stay up plotting all the details. It will work perfectly, I just know it, I tell myself as I slip under the patterned covers of my bed and fall asleep. The next morning, my grin won’t leave my face. As Mom hugs and says goodbye to Ella (Dad’s driving her to the school, but Mom has to stay), I pull Dad aside for a moment. “Dad, I have a question,” I begin. “Shoot,” he says. “Well,” I say, “when you and Ella start driving, could you stop right at the end of the driveway and not go any farther?” Dad has a quizzical look in his eyes. “Sure, but why?” he asks. “You’ll know then. You can leave right after,” I promise. If Ella still wants to, I add silently. Dad shrugs and agrees. Mom, Dad and Ella load Ella’s suitcases into the car. I’m nice enough to help them. Finally, Ella and Dad slide into the car. “Bye, Ella!” Mom calls. The car pulls out of the driveway, then, as I requested, stops. “Why did they stop?” Mom asks. I ignore her and rush to the car. I motion for Ella to roll down her window, and she does, confused. “Ella, listen!” I say. “Listen! I’m talking to you and you’ve already started leaving! Madame Zenobia said that I wouldn’t, but
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I am! That proves that she wasn’t telling the truth! Her prophecy was a lie! You don’t have to go to D’Bridge! You can stay here!” I wait for Ella to start climbing out of the car, but she doesn’t move. My heart sinking, I ask “What is it?” She bites her lip. “Della… I know you think I only tried to get in to D’Bridge because Madame Zenobia said I would. And in the beginning, that was the reason. But then, later… I really wanted to qualify. Yes, the dream was started by Madame Zenobia, but all she really did was show me that it was what I wanted to do. So even if she really was just a liar… I’m going to go.” I should be devastated. I should be lying on the ground bawling my eyes out. But I’m not. For some reason, I really understand what she means. So I step back and don’t run after the car when it starts moving again. Life isn’t always just about making sure things stay exactly the same. It’s about learning to be able to let go as well. Sometimes letting go can be the best thing you can do. It teaches you that things beyond your power happen, and you have to be okay with that. You can’t control everything. I couldn’t, and Madame Zenobia couldn’t, although we both tried. You can’t fight fate.
The Fortuneteller by Bartolome
June, 2015 Volume 5 Issue 6
One Way Ticket: Jacob Lawrence’s Migration Series and Other Visions of the Great Movement North @ MoMA Museum Review
By Tova Kleiner JACOB LAWRENCE, AFRICAN American artist, is well known for his Migration Series, which he created when he was just twenty three years old. In 1941 he created the sixty paintings, with captions to tell the extraordinary resonate with you. We see the lynching story of the Great Migration. trees, the sparse food, and the crowded trains stuffed to the bursting. The browns, dark greens, and reds, blues, and mustard yellows show the dark and oppressed feeling of the migration. The paintings are simple, beautiful and intensely touching. " There are several rooms breaking off from the Migration Series. Contained
" The Great Migration spanned many decades, during which millions of African Americans fled from the rural South to the urban North. These paintings were divided when they were bought in the 1940s, with the Phillips Collection in Washington DC buying the odd numbered paintings, and the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) buying the even numbered paintings. Now, for the first time in twenty years, the paintings are all being shown together at MoMA. The exhibit will be on until September 2015. " A flowing timeline, of the history of both the migration and the history of Jacob Lawrence and his body of work, is painted along the wall in the hallway leading to the exhibit. The long hall opens up into a room, around the walls hang the series. The paintings are small, with a continuous dark color scheme throughout. As you walk around the room and follow the story of the Great Migration, the hardships and the feeling of the paintings
one of the largest internal migrations in the United States with clarity, precision and simplicity. Poignant and beautiful, this exhibit is incredibly thought provoking. Its title, One Way Ticket, is borrowed from the Langston Hughes poem by the same name.
************************** “One Way Ticket” By Langston Hughes I pick up my life, And take it with me, And I put it down in Chicago, Detroit, Buffalo, Scranton, Any place that is North and East, And not Dixie. I pick up my life And take it on the train, To Los Angeles, Bakersfield, Seattle, Oakland, Salt Lake Any place that is North and West, And not South.
within these are some of his other paintings as well as those from other artists. These paintings depict scenes such as bus segregation and other African American oppression. In addition, there is a collection of poetry and periodicals from the Harlem Renaissance that celebrates African American literary life in the North, as well as the life left behind in the South. " There is also a room with audiovisuals in which we hear music and see photographs and or film of African American artists such as Billie Holiday singing “Strange Fruit,” Paul Robeson, Louis Armstrong, WC Handy, and Muddy Waters. The exhibit shows the story of
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I am fed up With Jim Crow laws, People who are cruel And afraid, Who lynch and run, Who are scared of me And me of them I pick up my life And take it away On a one-way ticketGone up North Gone out West Gone
June, 2015 Volume 5 Issue 6
THE ART OF READING AT HESCHEL 7th Grade Watercolors
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June, 2015 Volume 5 Issue 6
Staycation: Great Things to Do Outdoors In New York City This Summer By Ayelet Kaminer Who doesn’t like summer? Lemonade, watermelon and sitting around all day. Here are some cures for your boredom, so you can do something fun this summer.
free concerts in public places throughout the five boroughs that all take place from 10 A.M. to 10 P.M. On the first day of summer (June 21) advanced and amateur performers fill the streets of New York. For a full schedule, check the Make Music New York website.
Summerstage
Stargazing at The Highline There’s nothing better than stargazing, and (surprisingly) you can even stargaze in New York. Thanks to the nice people over at the Highline, anyone can come look at the stars every Tuesday at dusk and stay later for dinner and desserts. The best part? It’s completely free! Every Tuesday, April through October, dusk to 9:00 PM, High Line at
Outdoor Movies
Beginning on June 2nd, artists will be performing concerts in parks around the city. Featuring artists such as Ingrid Michaelson, Lindsey Stirling and Jukebox the ghost, Summerstage is an opportunity to see artists for free or for a very low price. Check the Summerstage websites for dates and directions.
Make Music New York
West 14th Street
Concerts in the Parks
Take a break from Netflix to watch a movie outdoors. Starting on June 12, free outdoor movies will be screened in parks around NYC for anyone to come and watch. Ranging from family movies to mature dramas, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Check the NYC Parks website for a movie schedule
Celebrate the last day of school, June 18th : NY Phil Concerts in the Parks & Fireworks: Central Park at The Great Lawn (in Central Park) , Manhattan 8:00 p.m. –9:00 p.m. In June 2015 the New York Philharmonic will mark the 50th anniversary of the Concerts in the Parks, the iconic series of free outdoor performances. Free!
Make Music New York is a festival of over 1,000 (No, that was not a typo)
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June, 2015 Volume 5 Issue 6
Reach For the Stars, A Middle School Party By Ayelet Kaminer " ON MAY 26, students from 6th, 7th and 8th grades made their way up to the roof for the middle school party. The party was planned by Bev along with the help of Sophie Fisher, Tillie Germain, Eliana Sirota and Ayelet Kaminer. Full of music, games and waffles, it was an enjoyable experience for everyone who attended. There was a photobooth that everyone had a great time with, a ping pong set kids went crazy over, an air hockey game, and a great playlist of songs. " The music playing set the summer mood, featuring popular artists such as, Walk The Moon, Bruno Mars and Charli XCX, selected by the fantastic DJ Kevin Chaikelson. " The theme this year was “stars,” so all of the decorations were magical fairy lights and shiny star garlands. When asked why they chose this theme, the middle school party committee said, “We thought that it would be a good way to end the year. With everything that we have accomplished so far, it’s still good to dream. Even though we are maturing, it is very important to reach for the stars!” " Food was provided by teachers, who made enough waffles for everyone there. In addition to that, every topping imaginable was available. There were also tons of delicious snacks and candy such as, oreos, chips, twizzlers, pretzels, etc as well as some drinks and soda. " A sixth grade student said “I liked the waffles and the awesome DJ. I can’t wait until the party next year!”The middle school party was a great success.
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June, 2015 Volume 5 Issue 6
#Food4Thought
not considered proven safe. In the U.S. on the other hand, the FDA approved By Carlin Greenfield commercial production of GMOs based Today it occurred to me that I often on studies conducted by the companies give people flak for just saying, “what's who created them and profit from their wrong,” and not how to fix it, so, today I sale. Many health-conscious people find am going to address the, “what can I do?” the lack of independent, scientific question about some of the issues I have examination on the impact of consuming raised in the pages of this newspaper. GMO foods to be cause for concern. The Issue number one, the harm factory Non-GMO Project is an initiative of the farming causes to the food we eat. The North American organic and natural most extreme thing, and in my opinion the product industry to create a standardized best thing, a person can do to combat the definition of non-GMO and provide a horrors of factory farming is to go vegan; third party verification program to assess a choice I have made. However, for those product compliance with this Standard. of you who wish to do something, but You and your family can now find in most don't feel ready to commit to full on markets, foods that are labeled, “Non veganism, there are still a few things you GMO.” I recommend you look at labels can do. The one that I think might be carefully, and buy what you can at easiest is, to buy (or ask you parents to farmer’s markets and ask whether they buy) your meat from a farmers market use non GMO seeds. where you can talk to the farmer. Avoid Issue number four was Colony broad questions like “Is this free range?” collapse disorder (CCD) and the use of “Is this organic?” Rather, ask more Monsanto seeds and pesticides, like specific questions like, “How many hours Roundup. CCD is the phenomenon that are the animals pastured a day?” and “Do occurs when the majority of worker bees you use growth hormones, or long term in a colony disappear and leave behind a antibiotics on your animals?” The next queen, with plenty of food and a few step up is to join a growing movement nurse bees to care for the remaining called, “Meatless Mondays.” As the name immature bees and the queen. Bees have suggests, you agree to give up meat one been disappearing all over North America day a week; to learn more visit bit.ly/ and in Europe. Many suspect pesticides 1cAHvfr. and seeds manufactured by Monsanto. Issue number two, the harm that Now that summer is here, there are a Seaworld does to sea mammals. To number of books and movies on the explore this topic in more depth I subject of food and its manufacture, that I recommend seeing, The Cove directed by recommend. My two favorite books on Louie Psihoyos, and Blackfish directed by the subject of industrial food production Gabriela Cowperthwaite. Both these films are, The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael are available for streaming on Netflix. Pollan, and Fast Food Nation: The Dark Once you have seen these films, the Side of the All-American Meal by Eric simplest thing for you to do, is to avoid Schlosser. Seventh graders: this is one of Seaworld and other marine parks, and to your summer reading options, I highly tell your extended families to do the same. recommend it. Issue number three, the use of The Movie Food, Inc.,directed by GMOs in our foods. Genetically modified Robert Kenner, Is a cooperative project organisms have been restricted In 30 other of the two aforementioned authors and countries around the world, including provides a great visual connection to the Australia, Japan, and all of the countries two books. Another good documentary I in the European Union, because they are
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recommend is, Tapped directed by Stephanie Soechtig and Jason Lindsey. This movie provides an interesting insight into the bottled water industry and explores how unhealthy bottled water is. All are available at the NY Public Library.
June, 2015 Volume 5 Issue 6
Blueberry Tart! By Talia Kahan THIS BLUEBERRY TART recipe will satisfy the whole family. It is sweet and tart at the same time. Although the recipe is a little bit complicated, it is completely worth the trouble when the amazing taste touches your lips. Ingredients: For the Crust 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for dusting 1/3 cup sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces For the Filling 6 cups (six 1/2-pint containers) fresh blueberries, rinsed and dried 2 tablespoons cornstarch 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest 3 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 2/3 cup sugar Pinch of salt
Watermelon Lemonade By Ayelet Kaminer " THIS RECIPE IS perfect for a barbeque, a day at the beach, and especially for the Fourth of July. In addition to being simple to make, it can easily be doubled or tripled. Makes 12 serving
Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a food processor, combine flour, sugar, salt, and butter; process until large moist crumbs form (dough should hold together when squeezed). Transfer dough to a 9-inch round tart pan with a removable bottom; with floured fingers, press evenly into bottom and up sides. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes; prick bottom of dough all over with a fork. Bake until golden, 20 to 25 minutes; cool completely. Meanwhile, reserve 1 cup of the prettiest berries for topping. In a medium saucepan, bring 1/4 cup water and 1 1/2 cups berries to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat; simmer, stirring occasionally, until berries begin to break down, 3 to 4 minutes. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water; stir into berries in pan. Add lemon zest and juice, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat.
Simmer, stirring, just until mixture begins to thicken, 30 to 60 seconds. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining 3 1/2 cups fresh berries. Immediately pour hot berry mixture into cooled tart shell, and smooth with a spatula. Scatter reserved berries on top, pressing down lightly to help them adhere. Refrigerate until cool, about 30 minutes and up to overnight.
Add watermelon. Mix well. Garnish with additional watermelon if desired, or with wedges of lime.
Ingredients: 8 cups cubed seedless watermelon 12 ounces lemonade (Homemade or store bought) 4 cups water Directions: Place watermelon in a blender or food processor. Cover and blend on medium speed until smooth. Place lemonade and water in a large pitcher or punch bowl.
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June, 2015 Volume 5 Issue 6
Time 4 Kids Grows up to Time Edge By Noa Levine ON TUESDAY, MAY 12th, Suzanne Zimbler, an editor for Time 4 Kids, spoke to the newspaper staff of the Heschel Herald to discuss different aspects of her job at Time 4 Kids and to introduce a new edition of Time designed specifically for Middle School students, that will be called, Time Edge. First, she explained that the work of the editors for this new edition included choosing its name (which took some time), choosing the cover story, and the cover art. She showed the Heschel Herald staff examples of different cover art and different headlines for the same article
and asked the staff to “think as editors” and vote on which cover art we preferred. " One cover story was about kids who are obsessed with their iPhones and technology, another was about a Time 4 Kids reporter who traveled to Antarctica. Interestingly, the most popular choices among the Heschel Herald staff ended up being the same ones chosen for the actual articles by the Time Magazine editors. Additionally, we looked at the finished product of the article in an the published edition of Time 4 Kids. Next, she told us that young people between the ages of eight and thirteen are able to apply to work a “Kid Reporters” at the magazine; they work closely with the magazine editors to write articles about different experiences they have. She encouraged students to apply online. With much fanfare, she previewed Time Edge, the new extension of Time 4 Kids. Time Edge is definitely meant to cater to a slightly older audience, geared
more toward middle schoolers. Unlike Time 4 Kids, Time Edge is entirely online. Overall, we enjoyed the experience of learning from a professional editor at a real news magazine about how they go about creating their publication.
Time/Edge
Lag B’Omer
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June 2015, Volume 5 Issue 6
Lag B’omer
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June 2015, Volume 5 Issue 6
Interview: Mari Tetzeli By Carlin Greenfield What is the biggest difference for you personally between middle school and lower school? The biggest difference for me is that when you teach lower school, when you're a classroom teacher, you're living with the kids all day. You're the den mother. Which is lovely in certain ways, because you form a very deep connection to the kids. Kids used to slip up and say "mom" instead of "Mari" which I always thought was very sweet. In middle school, students are more independent, so my interactions with the students occur in a period or if they come to meet with me during office hours. What is the biggest difference from a teaching perspective? That’s a harder question, because when you teach there are certain things you are always doing, whatever the age. You're always trying to deeply understand the material. You're always trying to figure out why kids should care about this or how you can make them care about it. You're trying to structure experiences for them that will engage and invest them. I guess I can expect more as far as the amount of work kids will do at home, and as far as the material I can expect them to grasp. On some level, there's less time. You have to cover the curriculum. In teaching literature, the level of the books you are reading is totally different from middle school, and you can expect deep, long, interpretive conversations focusing on the text with eighth graders, in a way you can't expect that from fifth graders. When you first came to the middle school, what were you expecting to be different? Well, certainly I was expecting the level of the material to be different, although I believe you can do very complex things with little kids. But in literature I knew that the sophistication of the material would be greater. I also
expected the rhythm of my day to be different, That was borne out. What was new or unexpected about teaching in middle school? Well, I'd never taught 8th graders before, So learning about that age, and what kids are like at that particular moment in life, that was new. My colleagues, obviously, meeting new people, forming new relationships, I knew I would have to do that, but it was a new experience anyway It so happens that you have taught some of the same people in fifth grade, how have they changed on an individual level. I was very pleased with how much they remembered from fifth grade! That delighted me. Their writing skills are in a place where I saw growth, as you would expect. That wasn't surprising. The growth was what you’d expect: kids can think on a more complex level, they can synthesize ideas in a different way, they have a broader range of background knowledge that they bring into the classroom. What challenges have you experienced moving to the middle school In lower school when I was in my classroom it was just me. I invented, I did, what I wanted. Here I came into a collaborative situation where there is a pre-existing curriculum which I didn’t have a hand in creating, and that had incredible benefits. It was an incredible support system, but it was also a challenge to work wth in that structure rather than doing my own thing. I think that whenever you switch grades, it’s a challenge to remember the pacing of that grade level, how kids learn things at that level. When I went from high school to fifth grade, I thought "Oh my god, what do you do with fifth graders? They're not going to sit there and take notes.” So I had to learn a different way [of teaching]. The challenge here was finding that balance between the really, interactive,
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student centered approach that we use in the lower school and the survey approach in the high school. Middle school is in the middle of that. So figuring out how to balance between those two things was a challenge. You spoke about going from high school to lower school, how did you experience that? It was fantastic in the end; it had its challenges in the beginning, as I describe above. I discovered I prefer teaching social studies to younger kids, rather than literature, which is my first love, because there is so much to do in social studies, so many activities, like simulations and debates, that you can put together to connect history to the kids. I had never taught social studies before so it was fantastic to discover this whole new type of teaching that I loved. I found literature harder to teach for two reasons. For one, many of the books we read were less rich than material for older kids. how many times do you want to have a conversation about The Great Gilly Hopkins? That’s a terrific book and all, but I don’t mind rereading The Great Gatsby 25 times. I don’t want to do that with Gilly. Second, the kids’ experience is more limited, and the personal experience you bring to literature discussions really affects the depth of your reading. So that was a hard shift for me. It was somehow easier to figure out the social studies lessons than to deepen the literature discussions. In teaching literature, there are those classes where you walk out and you think, "That was a home run. That was a grand slam," but very often you teach something and you feel like, "That was good. How could I do it better?" So there are so many ways in all levels to always think about how to make it better.
June, 2015 Volume 5 Issue 6
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חגי ישראל :יום ירושלים
מרבית מתלמידי ומורי בית הספר ביקרו בירושלים במהלך חייהם והשאירו פתק בכותל .הם גילו לנו מה הם כתבו על הפתקים
אני מקווה שכל הילדים בשכבה שלי ישארו חברים ! טובים מאוד!. גבריאלה טרובוביץ
אני ש רוצה הניו ראנ -יורק ג ׳רז ינ צ ח ו הס את טאנלי ק א ש פ! למה- צ ב י ש ליסר
אני מקווה שיהיה שלום עולמי ושישראל והמדינות האויבות שלה יהיו חברות!. עמיחי שליפר
הלו ואי וכל ה אנשים בנפאל יתאוש שו מהר מר עידת ה אדמה !. מיה סט ינבורג
שיהיו ל י ח י ש ים מחים ו ש א ל ישמ והים ה ור על מש פחה ש ל נ י !. תן דנ י א ל ס
הא י זינו ל ש י ר רו על ה שלים. ס ר ק ב ו את רקוד
אני מקווה שאנשים ישמחו מהדברים הקטנים שבחיים!. טובה קלינר
רוצה ! אני ה שלום שיהי שראל!. בי ה בריל עליז
אה את אר הלוואי ו שלי ואת משפחה ה לי בארץ ברות ש הח בקרוב!. רה עוז שי
אי וירד
הלוו גשם פורניה!. בקלי ה טנמן שר
!Staff Writers Shira Oz Ayelet Kaminer Liat Frumer Sarah Horvath Tova Kleiner Abigail Sylvor-Greenberg Noa Levine Tova Kleiner Mia Steinberg Simeon Schlisser Nathan Daniels Eliza Brail Amichai Schleifer Gabriela Trubowitz Nina Glesby Lara Caligor Casey Weinstein Naomi Kazis-Taylor Daniel Borkow Liam Baim Jordana Levin Michael Eizak Leo Hasher Aaron Bergfeld Ben Richman Sara Timen Phil Keisman
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שיהיה מקווה אני יץ מלא כולנו ק ל ה ,כיף, חדוו מנוחה!. ו ל קיזמן פי
Art Lexi Wenger
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!Faculty Advisor Rinat Levy-Cohen Aviva Kirchman Puzzled?! Scan the code to read !it in English
* ציירה :לקסי ונגר !June 2015, Volume 5, Issue 6
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! !The Alan B. Slifka Middle School
חגי ישראל :יום ירושלים סלבריטאים שבקרו בירושלים השנה ! שרה הורבץ
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בשנה האחרונה הרבה סלבריטאים הגיעו לביקור בישראל וזה מפתיע שלמדינה קטנה כמו ישראל יש כל כך הרבה מבקרים מפורסמים כמו האפיפיור .לפני שנה בדיוק בא האפיפיור פרנסיס לביקור בארץ הקודש .הוא ביקר בירושלים ושם נתן כמה נאומים ,והלך לכנסיה שלו להתפלל .לאחר מכן הוא הלך לכותל המערבי ,להתפלל לשלום ,איפה שיהודים בדרך כלל מתפללים .הוא אמר שהוא עשה את זה כי הוא רוצה להיות חבר של היהודים ולעזור לישראל ככל יכולתו בזמן שהוא אפיפיור.
שיר לכבוד יום ירושלים! בן ריכמן
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רציתי כל כך להיות שם כשהם היו .אבל לא יכולתי להיות שם באותו הזמן.
חידון על ירושלים! אביגייל סילבר-גרינברג ונועה לוין!
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הנה כמה שאלות על ההיסטוריה ועל הגיאוגרפיה של העיר ירושלים -עיר הבירה של ישראל .פתרו את החידון נכונה ותזכו בפרס! ! ! .1מה היה השם של ירושלים בימי אברהם?! .2כמה שערים יש בירושלים? מה השמות שלהם?! .3מה הם ארבעת הרובעים בירושלים?! .4מי היה היהודי הראשון שביקר בירושלים?! .5היכן נקבר המלך דויד?!
אבן ירושלמית מן הארץ נלקחת עליה השמש את קרניה שולחת
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להאיר את העיר על תשעת קביה ולהעיר בשיר יחד כל אוהביה
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"הר הבית בידינו" אמר הצנחן את הסמכות של הוקף אישר אז דיין
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אומץ ואמונה שומרים על נס האיחוד ובתושייה כלילת יופי תישמר מאיבוד
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סקרו את הברקוד בשביל פירוש שיר הספר:
June 2015, Volume 5, Issue 6
ריצ'רד גיר מגיע לישראל מדי השנה .בימים אלה הוא עושה סרט שהתחיל לצלם בחודש שעבר בניו יורק .לפני כמה חודשים הוא הלך לכותל והתפלל לשלום ,בדיוק כמו האפיפיור. קים קרדאשין גם היא ביקרה בישראל והיתה שם רק ליומים .היא רצתה להטביל את הבת שלה בירושלים .כשקים הלכה בירושלים ,כל המעריצים שלה הקיפו אותה ואת הבת שלה בת השנתים. היא הוטבלה בכנסיה הארמנית ׳סנט ג׳יימס׳.
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שלחו את התשובות שלכם ל!: !abigailsy@heschel.org ! noale@heschel.org
! !The Alan B. Slifka Middle School
חגי ישראל :שבועות שמות חג השבועות ליאת פרומר! לחג השבועות יש ארבע שמות: קוראים לו חג השבועות לזכר שבעת השבועות המחברים בין חג הפסח לחג השבועות .אנו ״סופרים את העומר״ ובסוף הספירה אנו חוגגים את חג השבועות .למילה שבועות יש עוד פרוש -׳שבועה׳ :לזכר זה שאלוהים הבטיח לבני ישראל שהוא יהיה רק האלוהים שלהם.
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קוראים לחג גם חג מתן תורה לזכר זה שקבלנו את התורה מאלוהים בשנת 2448לבריאת העולם.
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חג הקציר הוא שם נוסף .קוראים לו כך כי החג חל כשאנחנו מתחילים לקצור את התבואה ואת החיטים שפרחו בארץ ישראל .בעבר בני ישראל הביאו קורבן לבית המקדש שמסמל את תקופת הקציר.
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לחג הזה יש עוד שם -חג הביכורים לזכר זה שבני ישראל לקחו את החיטים ואת התבואה והלכו לבית המקדש ונתנו את זה לכהנים .הם היו נותנים פירות בעיקר משבעת המינים :חיטה ,שעורה ,גפן ותאנה ,רימון ,זית ,ודבש-תמר.
מגילת רות!
שבועות בבית הספר ׳אהבת ציון׳!
איילת קמינר! בשבועות אנחנו קוראים את מגילת רות בבית הכנסת. יש גיבורה שלא מדברים עליה מספיק ,והיא נעמי. נעמי היתה גיבורה וחזקה! . בסיפור מגילת רות ,אלימלך )בעלה של נעמי( והבנים שלה מתו במגפה .הכלות של נעמי ,ערפה ורות ,רצו ללכת איתה לבית לחם כדי לטפל בנעמי כי היא היתה זקנה .אבל נעמי אמרה להן לחזור לבית שלהן, למשפחות שלהן .נעמי רצתה שערפה ורות יחזרו לבית שלהן כי הן היו עדין צעירות והיא רצתה שהן יתחתנו שוב .זה מראה שהיא אישה חזקה כי היא לא אנוכית; היא חושבת על טובת הכלות שלה ולא על טובתה. למרות שהיא באמת צריכה עזרה היא אומרת לבנות לחזור הביתה.
שירה עוז! בבית הספר שבו למדתי בארץ ,בית הספר ׳אהבת ציון׳ חוגגים את חג השבועות לפני שהחג חל .הבנות לובשות שמלות לבנות עם זר פרחים על ראשן והבנים צרכים לבוא עם חולצה לבנה עם סמל בית הספר ומכנסיים כחולים .כל ילד מביא איתו פירות או שוקולדים לכיתה ואותם שמים בסל אחד גדול של הכיתה .אחר כך בטקס נציג אחד מכל כיתה שנבחר על ידי המורה ,שם את הסל על השולחן שעל יד הבמה ,בחורשה של בית הספר .שם עושים את טקס חג השבועות .בבית הספר שלי ,וברוב בתי הספר בארץ ,כיתה א׳ מארגנת את הטקס .בטקס כל כיתה שרה שירים ורוקדת. בטקס גם מסבירים על חג השבועות לדוגמה, על איך חג השבועות התחיל .שאני הייתי בכיתה א׳ אני זוכרת שאני שרתי ורקדתי וראיתי את כל ילדי בית הספר שרים את השירים.
June 2015, Volume 5, Issue 6
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! !The Alan B. Slifka Middle School
כיתות ח׳ בישראל
תלמידי כיתות ח׳ היו בטיול לישראל .הם חזרו עם חוויות וזכרונות מרגשים וכתבו על החיבור שלהם לישראל… השפה העברית ! קאסי וישטיין! לאפל השפה העברית מחברת ! פ אותי לארץ ישראל .אני ! ! חושבת שזה ממש חשוב לדעת עברית כי השפה ! ! גורמת ליהודים להיות שונים מכל העמים האחרים! . כאשר אני מדברת בעברית ! אני מרגישה מיוחדת .אני גם ! ממש מודה על זה השנים שלמדתי עברית .זה מעניין לדעת שכאשר אני מדברת עברית יש יהודים בישראל שגם מדברים עברית .אני ממש גאה שאני יהודיה ושאני מדברת עברית.
ישראל שלי! נינה גלזבי! אני אוהבת את ארץ ישראל כי אני יכולה למצוא קשרים עם הרבה יהודים אחרים .כולנו יודעים את אותה השפה ,אותם השירים ,ואותן ההלכות .אני יכולה ללכת ברחוב לומר ׳שלום׳ למישהו ,ולגלות שיש לנו הרבה במשותף .זה לא קורה בארה״ב .כאשר הייתי בישראל הלכתי להרבה חנויות ושרתי את השיר ׳ברוש׳ של אהוד מנור .בעלי החנויות הכירו את השיר ושרו אותו איתי .אני אוהבת את זה שאני יכולה ללכת לישראל ולהרגיש בה בבית.
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החיבור שלי לארץ ישראל ! נעמי קאזיס -טיילור !
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הקשר שלי לישראל! לארה קליגור
הקשר שלי ! לישראל התחיל לאחר הלילה השני ,כשישנו בחוץ! . לא היו עננים בשמים וגם בגלל שהיינו בטבע ,לא היו אורות ,רק אור הירח .ראיתי מליוני כוכבים גדולים וקטנים .זכרתי שהחול שאני ישנה עליו והכוכבים שראיתי ,היו מה שאלוהים הבטיח לאברהם :שבני ישראל יהיו רבים כמו מספר הכוכבים בשמיים .באותו הרגע הרגשתי קשר מיוחד לנגב ולעם היהודי.
!June 2015, Volume 5, Issue 6
להרגיש בבית! עליזה ברייל! הדבר שהכי מחבר אותי לישראל זה שישראל ! היא הבית של כל היהודים בעולם .בישראל ! כולם רצויים וכל אחד יכול להרגיש מחובר ! אליה .בישראל יש להרבה אנשים ערכים דומים והאנשים שם מדברים בשפה של היהודים! . הרגשתי שם שכל היהודים הם משפחה אחת ! גדולה .כשהייתי בכותל התפללתי עם יהודים מארבע כנפות הארץ .ישראל היא המקום היחיד בעולם שכל היהודים יכולים להרגיש בו שהם בבית שלהם.
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החיבור שלי לארץ ! ישראל היא התרבות ! הישראלית .אני אוהבת ! מוזיקה ישראלית למשל! , את עידן רייכל .אני גם ! אוהבת אוכל ישראלי כמו פלאפל ושאורמה.מכל המקומות בישראל ,אני הכי אוהבת את השוק .אני כל כך אוהבת את הריחות ואת החיים בשוק .זה משהו שלא ניתן לראות ולחוות בניו-יורק.
! !The Alan B. Slifka Middle School
כיתות ח׳ בישראל תלמידי כיתות ח׳ היו בטיול לישראל .הם חזרו עם המון חוויות וזכרונות מרגשים. בבניאס! אפרים איזיק!
במעלה ההר! דניאל בורוקו!
כולנו התחלנו לפחד ! כשהמדריכים התחילו ! לקשור את התיקים שלנו ! אחד לשני עם חוט .הבנו ! שאנחנו צריכים לעבוד יחד כדי ! לטפס את ההר על שביל צר .בזמן הטיפוס חשבנו על מה שהקבוצה צריכה -ועצרנו בעת הצורך .המון אתגרים עמדו בפנינו אבל בסופו של דבר ,הגענו אל ראש ההר.
בכותל המערבי!
זה המפל שראינו בבניאס .היה ערפל ! בגלל המים שנפלו מהמפל .היה שם קריר מאוד .הרעש של המים הגועשים ! היה מאוד שלו! . הרגשתי מחובר ! לאלוהים באותו ! הרגע כי הוא ! ברא את המפל ! היפה הזה.
במדבר!
ליאם ביים!
אני מאוד אוהב את ישראל ומרגיש מחובר אליה למרות למרות שלא ביקרתי בה לפני הטיול עם הכיתה .כל חיי ראיתי את כיפת הזהב ואת ירושלים בתמונות. כשהגעתי לישראל הייתי המום .הרגשתי כאילו התמונות קמו לתחייה.
ליאו השר!
בטיול לישראל היינו במדבר .אני זוכר שאני וכל החברים שלי הלכנו במדבר בשורה .הרגשתי כאילו אנחנו בני ישראל שיצאו ממצרים והולכים בדרך לישראל .ראיתי מסביב את כל ההרים וכמה שהנגב גדול .זה גרם לי להרגיש שישראל לא מדינה כל כך קטנה.
צלע הר!
בכותל המערבי! לאה לוין!
הרגע הכי משמעותי עבורי ! מהטיול לישראל היה בכותל ! המערבי .היו שם נשים מכל העולם! . שרנו שירים בעברית ביחד וכולנו הכרנוֿ את אותם השירים למרות שאנחנו גרות במדינות שונות .הייתי שמחה מאוד באותו הרגע. הרגשתי מיוחדת ושאני חלק ממשהו גדול.
June 2015, Volume 5, Issue 6
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אהרון ברגפלד! עמדנו על צלע הר .היינו צריכים ללכת אחד אחרי השני כי השביל היה צר מאוד .אני זוכר שכשהסתכלתי אחורה ראיתי את הבעות הפנים של החברים שלי .לכולנו היה את אותו המבט -שאנחנו הולכים למות .ברגע ההוא ידעתי שהחיים שלי בידיים של אלוהים ושאם אהיה חזק ואמיץ, אצא מזה בחיים.
! !The Alan B. Slifka Middle School
We wish everyone a safe & wonderful
summer!