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For Your Calendar
Wednesday, February 24
Girls Home game vs. SMSA
Friday, March 11
8:30 am
Grandparent Relish
Friday, March 11
Last 2:30 dismissal this year
Friday, March 18
3:30 dismissal resumes
Sunday, March 20
PJ, Pancakes, and Purim
at the Hoffman Summerwood Community
Thursday, March 24
Purim celebrated in school
Friday, March 25
No Classes
School Closed
Wednesday, March 30
Parent-Teacher Conferences
No Classes
Friday, April 8
Schechter Shabbat Share
Saturday, April 9
JCC Film Festival: Schechter Parent/Staff Outing
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Solomon Schechter Day School offers our heartfelt condolences to...
Bruce and Ayelet Chozick and their children, Schechter graduates Rebekah (2004), Daniel (2006), and Josh (2009)
on the loss of their beloved mother, mother-in-law, and grandmother
Joanne (Jody) Chozick.
המקום ינחם אתכם בתוך שאר אבלי ציון וירושלים
May God comfort you among the mourners
of Zion and Jerusalem.
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Solomon Schechter Day School extends a hearty mazal tov to...
Jennifer and Liran Blum on the birth of their son. Baby boy Blum was born Saturday, February 13 and joins big sister Lila (EC3).
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Join Our List
Would you like a grandparent, relative, or friend to receive the Schechter newsletter?
Email
[email protected] and include the name, email address, and relationship to Schechter
and we will add them to our list!
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Community Events
Saturday, February 20
8:00-10:00 pm
Beth David Synagogue
BDS is having a Whiskey tasting this Saturday night. There will also be music, a buffet of cheese & crackers, a chocolate fountain, and home-made cookies, as well as some cordials for those who prefer something sweeter than Whiskey.
Click here
for more information.
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Sunday, February 21
2:30 pm
The Emanuel Synagogue
Greater Hartford Mega Challah Bake sponsored by Chabad.
Click here
for more information or visit www.megachallahbakect.com
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Thursday, February 25
7:00-9:00 pm
Mandell JCC
ADL invites y
ou to a free community briefing on How Does One Become a Terrorist?
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Saturday, February 27
7:00 - 9:00 pm
ScavenJer Dash - grades 6 and up.
Scavenger Hunt meets Obstacle Course.
Dave & Buster's and Fleet Feet are co-sponsoring and will be giving away prizes. Click here for more information.
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Sunday, February 28
Chabad House of GH
Mikveh Bess Israel of Greater Hartford is organizing a women's only wellness for women to come and learn about STRESS. The featured presenter will discuss what stress is, how it impacts our bodies, and offer ways in which we can help ourselves improve our sense of wellness. As part of the second session, women will be able to participate in either in a Yoga class with a certified instructor or a presentation from a licensed nutritionist. For more information click here and to preregister
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Saturday, March 12
7:30 pm
JT Connect Fundraiser at
Congregation Beth Israel
Worries Go Down Better with Chicken Soup : Stories about being Jewish.
an evening of diverse group of local storytellers sharing true stories about funny, joyous,soulful, and significant Jewish
moments in their lives,
featuring Matthew Dicks. Click here for more information.
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Sunday, March 13
1:00-3:00 pm
S'mores and Tours -
Camp Laurelwood Information Session
Click here for more information and additional dates
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Sunday, March 13
2:00-4:00 pm
B'nai Tikvoh Sholom, Bloomfield
Invites you to Community Interfaith Seder, led by Rabbi Debra Cantor. Click here for more information.
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Saturday, March 26
8:00 pm
Emanuel Synagogue
Cabaret Night - We've Got Talent
The Emanuel Synagogue Sisterhood presents a lively cabaret evening with singers, dancers, pianists, guitarists and comedians hosted by special guest and MC Max Reiss. In addition to the variety of talent, there will be wine tasting and elegant desserts.
Click here for more information.
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Sunday, March 27
2:00 pm
Solomon Schechter Day School
Hear About the
Camp Zeke Experience.
Join us for some fun Krav Maga and to learn all about Camp Zeke, a Jewish overnight camp.
For more inforamtion call 212-913-9783 or email
campzeke.org.
Click here
for more information
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March 29-April 1
Host the Israeli Robotics
Team Members!
25 students and 5 teacher/ chaperons coming from Israel to participate in Trinity College's Annual Fire Fighting Robot Contest. The Israeli Hosting Committee currently needs several families willing to house Israelis when they visit our community. For more information on hosting Israelis, please contact Sharon Efron,
860-559-4010.
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Friendship Circle of Greater Hartford. For more information and a calendar of events contact Shayna Gopin
(860) 833-4035
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Shabbat Shalom
Parashat Tetzaveh
Candlelighting 5:10 pm |
February 19, 2016
10 Adar I 5776
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A Message from Andrea |
Only at Jewish Day Schools
Last week a colleague and friend, Rabbi Micah Lapidus, published a  thoughtful article for eJewishPhilanthropy, entitled
On the Vitality of Spontaneous Judaism.
In this piece he considers how Judaism in the Diaspora is often a scheduled part of our lives. We incorporate Judaism into our lives during Yom Kippur or Shabbat services, at a Bar Mitzvah or Passover Seder. Rabbi Lapidus observes that in Jewish Day Schools, Judaism can be and still is celebrated spontaneously. He paints a beautiful picture of wandering into his school's courtyard with a guitar, strumming and singing with the students about Shabbat - truly, where else, outside of Israel, does this spontaneously happen?
Thursday morning at Schechter's Parent Association meeting, Jason  Kariel, our Technology Integration Specialist, spoke with twenty Schechter parents about developing Digital Mensches. Upon reflection, where else outside of Jewish Day School do we even consider this concept? Only in a place like Schechter is the Acceptable Use Policy for Technology guided by the core Jewish values and the mission we have articulated for ourselves. In listening to Jason speak, it is clear that there is a profound power and lesson for all of us when our actions are guided by values. Using Schechter's Core Values (Wisdom -
Chochma
, Community-
Klal Israel
, and Good Heartedness -
Lev Tov
), helps develop our students' abilities to categorize, discern, and think critically about what it means to comport themselves in accordance with the values. Being guided by values means we do not need to create an exhaustive list of rules; rather, it requires our students to develop the ability to think in nuanced and sophisticated ways.
Jewish values course through the very soul of Schechter. Our students live and breathe Judaism in spontaneous and wondrous ways. They will be found singing "
Modeh Ani
" as they wander through their homes; they will speak about the cycle of the Jewish year as if it was a universal reality; they will engage in conversations about God and faith on their own; and they will consider their behavior and decisions through the lens of our Core Values.
Only in Jewish Day Schools - More at Schechter
Shabbat Shalom,
Andrea
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1st Graders Help Endangered Species |
Last week, students in first grade learned about Koko the gorilla, who knows over 1,000 words in sign language. She is 44 years old and her birthday is on July 4th! The students watched a video about Koko and have learned a few words in sign language.
As part of connecting their studies to Jewish values, students collected money
 to send to the Gorilla Foundation, an organization that
supports all great ape species, including Koko's.The gorilla is an endangered species. The class did various jobs around their homes, knowing that if they received even a nickel, they would donate it to the Koko box, which they decorated with their reading buddies.
As part of their mathematical studies, students counted the money that they raised
and identified coins and currency. They raised a total of $53.05. Along with the money, they also included letters to Koko written by the students.
Noah Kabakoff asked, "Koko, how did you learn sign language?"
Amaia Potashner wrote," I don't want gorillas to be endangered. I love you Koko."
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EC 4 Students Tour Building Site |
EC 4 continues their exploration into the subject of constructtion! Recently,
Schechter parent
Steve Temkin
, President and CEO of T & M  Building Company, hosted the EC 4 students on a tour of a real house during the construction phase. The students were able to conduct research on a real job site. Wearing their hard hats for safety, they carried a check list of items to look for while on the site.
They saw how to install a tile floor and the many materials that are needed to build a house. While visiting different rooms at the site, the students tried to guess what each room would be by looking at the items in each room.
This project emerged from an observed interest of the children building since the beginning of the year. "It was such a rewarding experience for both parents and students that day. Everyone was so invested in their research," said
Michelle Fontaine, Early Childhood 4 teacher. "At Schechter we are so lucky to have parents like
Steve Temkin who are willing to share their passion for their profession with our students."
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News from the Parent Association |
Tech Talk with Parents: The PA thanks
Jason Kariel for his presentation "Raising Digital Mensches." His philosophy of teaching our students to be responsible digital citizens and the curriculum he uses to support the technology program at Schechter were enlightening. He connected his experience, learning, and passion with
Dr.
Devorah Heitner's research for a presentation that was both meaningful and valuable for all attendees. Kariel gave many tips on mentoring our tech savvy kids as they navigate an ever changing digital world.
For more information please visit Dr. Heitner's website raisingdigitalnatives.com
. Resource materials and handouts are available in the front office.
Mishloach Manot
:
Volunteers are needed to help pack Mishloach Manot baskets on
Tuesday, March 22
and to deliver them on
Thursday, March 24
. Contact Leah Berson for more information.
PA Coffee Talk: Monday, March 21, 7.30 pm, facilitated by Head of School Andrea Kasper
Schechter Shabbat Share: April 8
JCC Film Festival
: SAVE THE DATE
Saturday, April 9
, we are organizing a parent / staff outing to the screening of
Rock in the Red Zone
. "Despite living in the bomb shelter capital of the world, Sderot's people persevere under fire through music." A reception begins at
8:00 pm
followed by the film at
9:00 pm
at the
Herbert Gilman Theater, Mandell JCC.
More information to follow.
Group ticket sale for Rock in the Red Zone (see attached Flyer). Must RSVP to Elaine Leshem by March 1st for reduced ticket price.
Box Tops
: Erica Nair, Box Tops Chair, urges everyone to collect their box tops for the March 1
st
submission.
AmazonSmile
is a simple and automatic way for you to support your favorite charitable organization every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at
smile.amazon.com
, you'll find the exact same low prices, vast selection, and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to Solomon Schechter Day School of Greater Hartford.
On your first visit to AmazonSmile (
smile.amazon.com
), you need to select Solomon Schechter Day School of Greater Hartford as your charitable organization. Then every eligible purchase you make at
smile.amazon.com
will result in a donation.
Spread the word!
Scholastic Book Fair was an enormous success under the direction of
Rob Dulitsky. The PA offers a heartfelt
Thank You for all his hard work. Thank you also to all families who supported the book fair. Proceeds will go towards student enrichment and teacher appreciation week.
More Book Fair Deals:
We have just concluded our onsite Solomon Schechter Book Fair. Now, we have a limited time offer for you to support our school by purchasing items online. All items will be shipped to SSDS free of charge and we will arrange to get them to you or your loved ones.
This offer ends Feb. 24. Shopping is easy and each purchase supports our amazing school!
Go to: www.scholastic.com/bookfairs and click on the following options:
find a fair - Connecticut - West Hartford - across from Solomon Schechter - click on "Shop Now" under shop online.
This link is good until 2/24 - Good luck!.
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Susan Kurtis, Editor
Lara Lakenbach and Audrey Sobel, Asst. Editors
Solomon Schechter Day School of Greater Hartford |
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