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Shalom parents,
Back to Routine
After last week's special all-school program supporting Israel with our dear Rabbis and our all-school program and activities focusing on Israel, we are back to our usual schedule. This shift back to routine doesn't mean we leave behind the lessons and values we explored; rather, we carry them forward as a living testament to our collective Jewish identity and the strength of our community.
Torah Portion of the Week: Noah
Last week, we dove into the first Parasha from the Torah: Bereshit, the story of creation. This week, we started to learn about Noah. In the wake of the war in Israel, this Torah portion resonates deeply. Just as Noah was a beacon of hope and peace during the flood, Israel too, will persevere through adversity. The covenant between God and Noah, symbolized by the rainbow, serves as a poignant reminder that despite the challenges, there is always hope and promise for a better tomorrow for the Jewish People and the State of Israel.
7th Grade and Tzedek America Partnership
I am incredibly excited about our newly redesigned 7th-grade program, which will allow our students to spend less time in the classroom and more time engaging with the community and exploring real-life challenges. On Tuesday, we launched our annual Tikkun Olam and Social Justice program. Rabbi Adrienne Pesternak and Elana Beame from Tzedek America led a comprehensive two-hour program covering social issues such as Immigration Injustice, Understanding Homelessness, Racial Justice, Food Insecurity, environmental sustainability, and Healthcare, just to name a few. We delved into the nuances of Inequality, Equality, Equity and Justice and wrapped up the session by outlining our year-long commitment to these subjects through five (!) dedicated field trips we will have throughout the year.
Our 7th grade program is in partnership with our VBS B'nai Mitzvah program. Students choosing to focus their Mitzvah projects on one of the themes we explore can allocate the field trip hours towards their required Mitzvah Project time, pending review and approval by Cantor Rafii and me.
Professional Development: JNF USA
Finally, our dedicated teachers spent yesterday in an enriching professional development session with JNF USA. The topic was Zionism, Leadership, and Israel, and the timing couldn't be more pertinent. I'm thrilled about the depth and breadth of knowledge our teachers will bring to our students as we, as a community, continue to support Israel.
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