TheLehrmanLink mini
Holiday Edition
continued from front…
A weekly publication of
lehrman community day school containing time-sensitive information for members of the school community
Vol 10 • Issue 7
Fri, Oct. 3, 2008 • 4 Tishrei 5769 • y"xa,
Dear LCDS Family, What could a blind person lose by gaining his eyesight? Crashing Through: The Extraordinary True Story of the Man Who Dared to See, by Robert Kurson, tells the story of Mike May, blinded by a chemical accident at age three. May majors in electrical engineering, works for the CIA, learns to ski fast, travels the world, and becomes a successful entrepreneur. He is married to his best friend, an accomplished – and beautiful – woman, and he dotes on their two sons. Now at 42, an experimental stem cell implant procedure may offer him a chance to regain his sight. May deliberates on whether to go through with the operation. Among his pressing issues are (i) the increased probability of early mortality, owing to the induced immune suppression needed for the implants (what percentage risk of dying would you assume to get your sight back? 2%? 5%? 10%?); and (ii) the risk of prejudice to his current relationships with his wife and children. May is confident that that he pays full attention to each of their feelings and needs. How many of us blessed with actual sight, in comparison, can say that we continuously – or even more often than not - really devote mindful attention to those we claim to love? May rigorously analyzes the sixty reported cases “between the dawn of time and the year 1999”of humans whose regain sight after long blindness. To summarize the arresting descriptions provided in the book, the new stimuli interfere with the other - and often more significant - signals in the environment to which the blind person had previously responded. May’s dilemma offers an insight into a perplexing passage in the Torah. After the man and woman in the Garden of Eden disobey God’s command by eating from the fruit of the tree of knowledge, “then the eyes of both of them were opened and they perceived that they were naked.” (Genesis 3:7). What kind of punishment exactly is having one’s eyes opened? Rabbi Norman Lamm, whose discerning wisdom is now collected online at http:// www.yu.edu/lammheritage/, cites to a Hasidic master, R. Yitzhak Isaac of Komarno, who teaches that man is endowed with two sets of eyes, that is, two means of viewing life: einei basar, or material eyes, and einei ruach, or eyes of the spirit. continued…
hra, 's
Candle lighting 6:47 pm
Dear LCDS Parents, The Children’s Progress is a computer-based, interactive assessment of achievement in literacy, language arts and mathematics. We administer this child-friendly and accurate assessment three times a year for students in Pre-K through Grade Two. Below is the schedule for the fall administration of the Children’s Progress. For more information about the assessment, you can visit www.childrensprogress.com Pre-Kindergarten. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tues, Oct 7 Kindergarten (Ms. Betsy). . . . . . . . . . . Thur, Oct 16 Kindergarten (Ms. T). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Thur, Oct 16 Kindergarten (Ms. Grettel). . . . . . . . . . . . Fri, Oct 17 First Grade (Ms. Mimi). . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mon, Oct 20 First Grade (Ms. Levin). . . . . . . . . . . . . . Thur, Oct 23 Second Grade (Ms. Karasik) . . . . . . . . Wed, Oct 29 Second Grade (Ms. Rotholz). . . . . . . . Thur, Oct 30 There is nothing particular that you should do to ready your child, though a good night’s sleep, hearty breakfast and warm hug never hurt. We look forward to a successful fall administration of the Children’s Progress. If you have any questions, please contact me directly at jbruce@lehrmanschool.org Jennifer Reiz Jodi Bruce Dean of Education Early Childhood Coordinator
First OPEN HOUSE of the year: PreK • K • First Grade Tues, Oct 7, 8:30 am—tell a friend!
online lehrmanschool.org/admissions
Papa•razzi patrol
Images of Life@LCDS. More at lcdsphotos.org
Cast away your sins…
Students participate in the tashlikh ceremony to prepare for Rosh ha-Shanah.
This edition plus The Link archives are available on the web lehrmanschool.org/LL
Sukkot Family Dinner Thurs., Oct. 16, 2008 • 6:30 pm at Lehrman Community Day School A special ceremony will follow dinner. RSVP to sukkot@lehrmanschool.org
Middle School Presidential Debate As a culminating activity to the study of geopolitical issues, from the perspective of being a responsible citizen, students participated in a debate centered on US foreign policy as it relates to issues of security. Teams for Obama, McCain, and Nader each researched the policy positions of their candidates. Instructor Jason O’Connor, himself an International Baccalaureate (IB) graduate, taught students the traditional debate format and coached each team. Passions ran high as each speaker presented arguments that were cogent, forceful, and based mostly in fact. Along with learning the important skills of persuasion, students were encouraged always to attack ideas, not each other. At the end of class, a vote was taken and a winner declared. Everyone shook hands and left the room as friends.
What’s for Lunch?
Before eating of the forbidden fruit, Adam and Eve looked at each other with the eyes of the spirit, in an I-Thou relationship, not in terms of their own wants. Afterwards, their eyes of the spirit became blinded and their material ones opened – they perceived each other differently, even though the physical tableau before them remained unchanged. To invert John Kennedy’s depictions in his only Inaugural Address, they went from “ask what you can do for your country” to “ask what your country can do for you.” As God informs the prophet Samuel, “man sees only what is visible, but the Lord sees into the heart.” (Samuel I 16:7). When our mission statement speaks to raising our students to be “reflective,” we mean to develop eyes of the spirit, to enable each student to use all of her sensory tools and deeper faculties to write the prose, poetry and music of her own life. In this penitential period, we would do well to wrestle with the instruction of Rabbi Yehudah Ha-Nasi (135-219), the compiler of the Mishnah, who taught: “Think deeply about three things and you will never be gripped by the desire to commit a transgression. Know that above you is an eye that sees and an ear that hears, and all your deeds are inscribed in a book.” (Pirkei Avot 2:1). Taking off from the Rabbi of Komarno, Rabbi Lamm suggests interpreting the “seeing eye” not necessarily as Divine but rather as our “eyes of the spirit,” the reflective part of our souls that understands the power of love and the responsibility of ethics. Now that we have eaten from the fruit of knowledge, may we – us and our children – use all of our intelligences to make progress on our vision of a more perfected world. Shabbat Shalom and G’mar Chatimah Tovah, may you and yours be inscribed for a happy and healthy New Year. Rabbi Seth Linfield, Head of School
reminders! Baby University: Reading to Baby, Thu, Oct 16. Presented by B ooks & B ooks
New course added! “Spices for Kids”
To download a refrigeratorready menu, visit us online… lehrmanlunchbox.org Monday, October 6 Vegetable soup • Hamburgers • Tossed salad Corn on the cob • French fries • Watermelon Water (served Mon/Wed/Fri) Tuesday, October 7 Tomato soup • Greek salad Cheese quesadillas • Black beans & rice Apples • Milk (served Tues & Thurs)
lehrmanschool.org/BU • Sukkot is coming! We are offering lulav & etrog sets. Details: lehrmanschool.org/sukkot
Holiday Closings:
Yom Kippur/Sukkot: Wed-Wed, Oct 8–15 Shemini Atzeret/Simh.at Torah: T-W, Oct 21–22 January Toddler Class begins Jan 5, 2009. Children 18 months and older. Half-day option. Jennifer Reiz 305.866.2771 x25. Deadline for ordering class photos: Oct. 30. www.michellesas.com/events.html
Copyright ©2008 Lehrman Community Day School
TheLehrmanLink mini
Holiday Edition
continued from front…
A weekly publication of
lehrman community day school containing time-sensitive information for members of the school community
Vol 10 • Issue 7
Fri, Oct. 3, 2008 • 4 Tishrei 5769 • y"xa,
Dear LCDS Family, What could a blind person lose by gaining his eyesight? Crashing Through: The Extraordinary True Story of the Man Who Dared to See, by Robert Kurson, tells the story of Mike May, blinded by a chemical accident at age three. May majors in electrical engineering, works for the CIA, learns to ski fast, travels the world, and becomes a successful entrepreneur. He is married to his best friend, an accomplished – and beautiful – woman, and he dotes on their two sons. Now at 42, an experimental stem cell implant procedure may offer him a chance to regain his sight. May deliberates on whether to go through with the operation. Among his pressing issues are (i) the increased probability of early mortality, owing to the induced immune suppression needed for the implants (what percentage risk of dying would you assume to get your sight back? 2%? 5%? 10%?); and (ii) the risk of prejudice to his current relationships with his wife and children. May is confident that that he pays full attention to each of their feelings and needs. How many of us blessed with actual sight, in comparison, can say that we continuously – or even more often than not - really devote mindful attention to those we claim to love? May rigorously analyzes the sixty reported cases “between the dawn of time and the year 1999”of humans whose regain sight after long blindness. To summarize the arresting descriptions provided in the book, the new stimuli interfere with the other - and often more significant - signals in the environment to which the blind person had previously responded. May’s dilemma offers an insight into a perplexing passage in the Torah. After the man and woman in the Garden of Eden disobey God’s command by eating from the fruit of the tree of knowledge, “then the eyes of both of them were opened and they perceived that they were naked.” (Genesis 3:7). What kind of punishment exactly is having one’s eyes opened? Rabbi Norman Lamm, whose discerning wisdom is now collected online at http:// www.yu.edu/lammheritage/, cites to a Hasidic master, R. Yitzhak Isaac of Komarno, who teaches that man is endowed with two sets of eyes, that is, two means of viewing life: einei basar, or material eyes, and einei ruach, or eyes of the spirit. continued…
hra, 's
Candle lighting 6:47 pm
Dear LCDS Parents, The Children’s Progress is a computer-based, interactive assessment of achievement in literacy, language arts and mathematics. We administer this child-friendly and accurate assessment three times a year for students in Pre-K through Grade Two. Below is the schedule for the fall administration of the Children’s Progress. For more information about the assessment, you can visit www.childrensprogress.com Pre-Kindergarten. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tues, Oct 7 Kindergarten (Ms. Betsy). . . . . . . . . . . Thur, Oct 16 Kindergarten (Ms. T). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Thur, Oct 16 Kindergarten (Ms. Grettel). . . . . . . . . . . . Fri, Oct 17 First Grade (Ms. Mimi). . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mon, Oct 20 First Grade (Ms. Levin). . . . . . . . . . . . . . Thur, Oct 23 Second Grade (Ms. Karasik) . . . . . . . . Wed, Oct 29 Second Grade (Ms. Rotholz). . . . . . . . Thur, Oct 30 There is nothing particular that you should do to ready your child, though a good night’s sleep, hearty breakfast and warm hug never hurt. We look forward to a successful fall administration of the Children’s Progress. If you have any questions, please contact me directly at jbruce@lehrmanschool.org Jennifer Reiz Jodi Bruce Dean of Education Early Childhood Coordinator
First OPEN HOUSE of the year: PreK • K • First Grade Tues, Oct 7, 8:30 am—tell a friend!
online lehrmanschool.org/admissions
Papa•razzi patrol
Images of Life@LCDS. More at lcdsphotos.org
Cast away your sins…
Students participate in the tashlikh ceremony to prepare for Rosh ha-Shanah.
This edition plus The Link archives are available on the web lehrmanschool.org/LL
Sukkot Family Dinner Thurs., Oct. 16, 2008 • 6:30 pm at Lehrman Community Day School A special ceremony will follow dinner. RSVP to sukkot@lehrmanschool.org
Middle School Presidential Debate As a culminating activity to the study of geopolitical issues, from the perspective of being a responsible citizen, students participated in a debate centered on US foreign policy as it relates to issues of security. Teams for Obama, McCain, and Nader each researched the policy positions of their candidates. Instructor Jason O’Connor, himself an International Baccalaureate (IB) graduate, taught students the traditional debate format and coached each team. Passions ran high as each speaker presented arguments that were cogent, forceful, and based mostly in fact. Along with learning the important skills of persuasion, students were encouraged always to attack ideas, not each other. At the end of class, a vote was taken and a winner declared. Everyone shook hands and left the room as friends.
What’s for Lunch?
Before eating of the forbidden fruit, Adam and Eve looked at each other with the eyes of the spirit, in an I-Thou relationship, not in terms of their own wants. Afterwards, their eyes of the spirit became blinded and their material ones opened – they perceived each other differently, even though the physical tableau before them remained unchanged. To invert John Kennedy’s depictions in his only Inaugural Address, they went from “ask what you can do for your country” to “ask what your country can do for you.” As God informs the prophet Samuel, “man sees only what is visible, but the Lord sees into the heart.” (Samuel I 16:7). When our mission statement speaks to raising our students to be “reflective,” we mean to develop eyes of the spirit, to enable each student to use all of her sensory tools and deeper faculties to write the prose, poetry and music of her own life. In this penitential period, we would do well to wrestle with the instruction of Rabbi Yehudah Ha-Nasi (135-219), the compiler of the Mishnah, who taught: “Think deeply about three things and you will never be gripped by the desire to commit a transgression. Know that above you is an eye that sees and an ear that hears, and all your deeds are inscribed in a book.” (Pirkei Avot 2:1). Taking off from the Rabbi of Komarno, Rabbi Lamm suggests interpreting the “seeing eye” not necessarily as Divine but rather as our “eyes of the spirit,” the reflective part of our souls that understands the power of love and the responsibility of ethics. Now that we have eaten from the fruit of knowledge, may we – us and our children – use all of our intelligences to make progress on our vision of a more perfected world. Shabbat Shalom and G’mar Chatimah Tovah, may you and yours be inscribed for a happy and healthy New Year. Rabbi Seth Linfield, Head of School
reminders! Baby University: Reading to Baby, Thu, Oct 16. Presented by B ooks & B ooks
New course added! “Spices for Kids”
To download a refrigeratorready menu, visit us online… lehrmanlunchbox.org Monday, October 6 Vegetable soup • Hamburgers • Tossed salad Corn on the cob • French fries • Watermelon Water (served Mon/Wed/Fri) Tuesday, October 7 Tomato soup • Greek salad Cheese quesadillas • Black beans & rice Apples • Milk (served Tues & Thurs)
lehrmanschool.org/BU • Sukkot is coming! We are offering lulav & etrog sets. Details: lehrmanschool.org/sukkot
Holiday Closings:
Yom Kippur/Sukkot: Wed-Wed, Oct 8–15 Shemini Atzeret/Simh.at Torah: T-W, Oct 21–22 January Toddler Class begins Jan 5, 2009. Children 18 months and older. Half-day option. Jennifer Reiz 305.866.2771 x25. Deadline for ordering class photos: Oct. 30. www.michellesas.com/events.html
Copyright ©2008 Lehrman Community Day School