February 26, 2016 17 Adar 1 5776

Parashat Ki Tisa

Candle Lighting 6:04 p.m.
THINGS ARE HAPPENING AT AKIBA ACADEMY
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MONDAY MORNING CARPOOL UPDATE

The circle drive outside the Merit Drive entrance in front of the administration building will be closed from 8:30-10:30 AM on Monday, February 29th due to the Lion King performance, which is open to all parents.
CHUMASH CEREMONY

Our second graders met such a milestone this week by receiving their first Chumash.  They showed their knowledge of the content and their Hebrew skills during their ceremony.  Mazel Tov!!   FLICKR ALBUM and
Ki Tisa

This week's parashah includes Hashem's commandment to Moshe to collect half a shekel from every person in order to conduct a census of the Israelite nation. The results of the census would be calculated only after collecting the half shekel. What message underlies this mitzvah? The half shekel offering, for that is indeed what it was, speaks volumes about unity. Symbolically, each individual, each half shekel, is incomplete without another. And, that wholeness or completion in magnified a thousand-fold when viewed in the context of a national endeavor or a community.  Membership in a community, the Torah models, cannot be passively transmitted. Rather, a person must engage actively in the needs of the community and literally "buy into" the community with the half-shekel. Once Bnei Yisrael made its donations, Moshe used the collection of the half-shekel to meet the needs of the community to make the silver sockets that formed the foundation of the Tabernacle. Every individual contributed to the spiritual infrastructure that would ensure communal service to God.
At this point in the year, 70% of our parent body has emulated our ancestors in the desert. With their contributions to the Akiba Fund this year, each individual family has supported the spiritual growth of our community and the next generation of our people.

Shabbat Shalom!
SIDDUR CELEBRATION LEADS TO PREPARED DAVENING

Our first graders were so excited to receive their Siddurim, that they now use them with pride daily during their davening.  Their success shows!


CHAZARA IN 6TH GRADE

The 6th grade boys in Rabbi Weil's class have done a Chazara (חזרה - review) on the first three Prakim of Sanhedrin.  They have joined in Chavrutot (pairs) to go over the Mishnaiot with some review questions evaluating how much they think they know and remember, just to find out that they know and remember more than they think they know and remember.

 

THE LION KING IS MORE THAN JUST A PLAY

The 5th graders are working hard to prepare for their Hebrew Lion King presentation on Monday.  To raise money for supplies and props, the students hosted an Israeli Cafe.  The students, teachers, and volunteers baked traditional Israeli food that they sold.  FLICKR ALBUM

3RD GRADE CODES

A big thanks to David Yalovsky for teaching third graders about binary code. Third graders are future coders- they all learned to write their names in binary code! 

    

UNDER PRESSURE

7th graders' study of the cardiovascular system went hands on with Nurse Susan. Using their scientific understanding and vocabulary, students listened, measured, and recorded resting and running Blood Pressure and pulse rates. Even Mrs. Ticker was well cared for by her student physicians.



LEARNING TO ADVOCATE FOR ISRAEL

Akiba Academy of Dallas stands on seven pillars.  The Middle School staff of Mrs. Fass, Ms. Richman, and Rabbi Weil focus on the pillar of  AHAVAT YISRAEL, to i nstill a love for all Jewish people, a commitment to the land and State of Israel, and an appreciation of Hebrew, the language of the Jewish people, through its study and application.

Due to the current situation and beliefs about Israel, the Middle School started building our own front line, having designed for our middle school students an Israel Advocacy course teaching them the history, complexity and facts about what is known as 'The Israeli-Palestinian conflict'.   The excitement is enormous, among both students and teachers, and certainly we are grateful for having this privilege.


BNOT SHERUT

Tal and Neriya did their weekly program with Nitzanim.  The girls taught the children the Hebrew word for goat (תיש) and the song (יש לנו תיש )  "We have a Goat".  The student made bridges out of their arms and danced through.  


LEARNING HERE THERE AND EVERYWHERE


IN PE, WE GET OUR GAME ON!

The kindergarten and 2nd classes are working on teamwork, good sportsmanship, and hand eye coordination in our PE classes.  They played rounds of "Fetch and Catch" and "Dodgeball" to put these principles into practice.  


MS WRITERS' BLOCK

Seventh Grade LA, working in conjunction with "New Worlds" Unit, created travel brochures for their own new worlds. The brochures feature all of the elements of the persuasive essay, including the Aristotilean appeals of ethos, logos and pathos. They were graded using the Four C's - critical thinking, creativity, communication and connections.


THE ARTISTS' EASELS

Moshe Terenyo (4th grade) colaborates with Eliyahu Cohen in an abstract art moment.

Art Competition
Our students participated in the  PSI ( Private School Invitational) 2016 art competition which included 18 private schools.  8th grader, Sam Blumberg, won 3rd place on his ink diptych in the 2D category.  Congratulations to the ten students whose art represented our school: 
  • Block, Nechama (8) Medium: 2D
  • Blumberg, Sam (8) Medium: 2D
  • Dubrawsky, Sarale (8) Medium: 3D
  • Govrin, Johnathan (5) Medium: 3D
  • Govrin, Tami (8) Medium: 2D
  • Lax, Kerry (7) Medium: 3D
  • Rapps, Ruthie (7) Medium: 3D
  • Reva, Michal (6) Medium: 3D
  • Schwartz, Noah (5) Medium: 3D
  • Yahalom, Tamar (8) Medium: 2D
GENERATION X

This is Generation X (as in 'ten') for our Science Lab's Spider plant! 6th graders study plants and how they reproduce. Fortunately, Mrs. Ticker's spider plant was but a sprout 10 yrs ago, and every year produces a bountiful crop of genetically identical 'babies,' just like Mama! That's asexual reproduction (ask your kids.)

PRESCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS!

Morah Gail, Morah Orit, and Morah Vicky's Chaverim class headed to the Dallas Museum of Art. where they were detectives and used spy glasses to examine the parts of bugs!  They learned that to be in the bug family you have to have 6 legs, a head,  thorax, abdomen, and antennae.  The children also explored a painting by Jerry Bywaters. The painting was of a farmer who was looking at his corn crop that was being eaten by grasshoppers in the middle of a drought.  They discussed the farmer's feelings and the colors in the painting.  


Morah Malka, Morah Vickie, and Morah Amy's Chaverim class worked on still life drawings in the art studio with Morah Lindsey. This type of experience takes a lot of focus and attention, important skills that will last the children throughout their lives.

 

To build strength in the hands and the skills for cutting, our toddlers engage in cutting experiences. Our Teenoki Alef children use special toddler snipping scissors. It takes a lot of coordination to squeeze the scissor on the paper and make a "snip"! In Morah Lauren and Morah Rosa's K'Ton Ton class, the children use children-sized scissors  to cut up the straws that they then used to string. 

 

Morah Marissa's and Morah Nitzan's Nitzanim children worked in the art studio on creating covers for their own personal siddur. This is such a special and important project for them and it is easy to tell from their focus how important their siddurim are to them.


COUNSELORS' CORNER



 
  
HOT LUNCH
Thank you to everyone who has helped out with hot lunch this year! We are still in need of volunteers for several slots this month. Please consider signing up here: ( CLICK HERE). Thank you!

PTO General Meeting
Save the date! Our next general meeting will be Monday, March 28. Please join us to hear what is going on for the rest of the school year and bring your ideas to share. Time and place TBD. 


For more PTO information check out the PTO page
on the Akiba website.

To Morah Miriam Fartook on her engagement.

COMMUNITY NOTICES
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Akiba Academy provides a superior general and Judaic education to children in preschool through eighth grade. As a Modern Orthodox school, Akiba Academy develops ethical and responsible members of the Jewish people and American society, knowledgeable about and committed to their Jewish heritage and the State of Israel. For more information about Akiba contact  info@akibaacademy.org .