March 11, 2016 1 Adar II 5776

Parashat Pekudei

Candle Lighting 6:14 p.m.
JESSICA LAHEY: THE GIFT OF FAILURE
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Rosh Chodesh Adar II
This morning our Lower School atrium rang with the joyous voices of our students singing Hallel in celebration of Rosh Chodesh Adar II. While we always join together for this Tefillah on Rosh Chodesh, today's davening included an extra element of happiness. Yes, our students delighted in the fact that 1st grade parents participated in Hallel this morning. That was not the only circumstance that injected more joy into the day. The month of Adar II (and Adar in a non-leap year) is infused with additional happiness; the Talmud teaches that when Adar enters, our joy increases. Because Purim falls within Adar, much of our understanding of the special emotion raised during the month revolves around our celebration of the holiday. Purim is not only a fun occasion filled with levity and laughter, masquerades and mishloach manot. It is also a holiday that reminds us of God's eternal presence; we remember that God performs miracles in our lives that are sometimes hidden but always powerful. Purim, and by extension the month of Adar, also trains our eyes on redemption. With the start of Adar, our season of salvation begins as we celebrate our redemption from Haman's evil plot on Purim and rejoice in our exodus from slavery at Pesach. The season includes miracles great and small as constant reminders that God orchestrates every part of our history.  The Sages comment on another aspect of the happiness that Adar ushers in; they teach that happiness, true existential joy, results from being freed from doubt, from knowing who we are and what our purpose is in the world. The Purim story illustrates how a generation of Jews absorbed into Persian society lost sight of their uniqueness as the Jewish nation. With Esther and Mordechai's victory and elimination of the threat of destruction, the Jewish People reclaimed their purpose and rededicated themselves to Torah and a distinctively Jewish life. In modern parlance, the Jews of Shushan demonstrated what it means to have a strong Jewish identity and modeled for every future generation what it means to stand up and proudly rejoice in that knowledge.
Shabbat Shalom and Chodesh Tov!

Shabbat Shalom!
 
DIAMOND IN THE CROWN SPARKLED

A huge thank you to our amazing volunteers, spearheaded by our Diamond in the Crown Casino Night committee.  These supporters created a night to remember.  We thank you for your time, resources, energy, and commitmentfor a truly successful event.  The committee members: Jessica Josset, Dalia Abramov, Malka Grubenau, Tammy Diamond, and Courtney Goldberg.
AKIBA COOKS UP A STORM AT THE KOSHER CHILI COOKOFF

Thank you to Chef K eggan Luskey, our teachers, and volunteers for making this chili cookoff an amazing experience for all!


AKIBA GARDEN: WHERE NATURE AND SCIENCE CONVERGE

First graders explored our school garden by digging, weeding, and experiencing physics and nature.  They even had a chance to try out the Physics Garden!

LIVING THE LEGACY

1st graders visited The Legacy to sing songs from their Siddur Celebration.  After singing, they greeting the residents.


HANDS ON HEBREW

Our Kitah Aleph students use their hands (and entire bodies) to learn Hebrew.  Ariyot, the main character in their Tal Am Hebrew Curriculum, even comes for a visit!!!
   

AKIBA STANDS TOGETHER WITH THE IDF

This Purim, our school will partner with 'Standing Together'.  This organization delivers Mishloach Manot to soldiers all over Israel.  We ask that each student brings to school at least $1 and at least one personal note by Tuesday, March 15th. Money collected will go toward the much needed items for those who serve Israel everyday. Our students learned about this amazing organization from its creator, Ari Fuld (current IDF soldier), who addressed 3rd grade and up.



KEEPING 2ND GRADE EX"STATIC" ABOUT LEARNING 
 
After experimenting with balloons and static electricity (and funny hair!), 2nd grade students were given the challenge to separate Salt and Pepper mixture into its components. Overheard during the team brainstorming process:
  • Magnets--let's try magnets!
  • No--use tape! we want to do tape!
  • This magnet's broken; it doesn't work! No, the stuff's not metal so the magnet doesn't care!
  • Use the balloon--oh, it doesn't work because it's red (?)
  • Rub it on your hair, then put it near the salt & pepper!
  • IT'S WORKING--wait, how come only pepper works? 'Cause salt's bad for you!
  • No, it's lighter--pepper's lighter so it works on pepper!
Pretty spicy science going on!



GOTTA HAVE HEART

7th grade lab had hands on cardiac training today. Dissecting a cow's heart showed the vessels, chambers, tissues very much like the human heart. Yehudit Ayalon, wife of teacher Mr. Israel Rov, led the heart pumping lesson! Even Morah Sabo came to learn with us!



THE ARTISTS' EASELS

ART AND MUSIC UNITE!

The Artroom got a surprise visit!! Band came marching into the art room before heading to the music room.



AKIBA ARTISTS 

Akiba had 10 participants showcased at the PSI (Private School Invitational) Art Competition.  


BNOT SHERUT

Purim is in the air!  Neriya taught the Nitzanim students the song "Chag Purim".  The students danced and sang along.  After learning the song in Hebrew, the students made masks, מסכות, to go along with the song.



In honor of Rosh Chodesh Adar II, Neriya STOPPED traffic in morning carpool.  She told drivers (and their children) STOP! (עצור) and SMILE! (חיוך) for Adar II.


TEMPERATURE RISES

8th grade observed how temperature changes during a phase change in science. Our 8th graders feel the heat!!!!


IT'S A GIRL THING: ROSH CHODESH FOR 7TH AND 8TH GRADE GIRLS

Megillat Esther is filled with absence and concealment. Hashem's name never appears but is referred to and the main heroine is told to hide her identity as she enters the palace. Her very name is the hebrew root of s.t.r - to hide. This month's IAGT challenged the 7th/8th girls to think about their identity both as they appear to others and what remains hidden from others as well as how they identify with their Jewish identity. 


WRITERS' BLOCK

2nd graders were tasked with the prompt, "What I Want to Be When I Grow Up".  Here is what one of them had to say....

In Twelve Years
In twelve years I will be very smart in math, science, social studies, and lots more. I will go to Harvard like my father and do many things. I will be in Harvard for six years like my father. When I'm done I will go to a school that teaches you how to be a businessman for one year. Then I will be a businessman. I will continue my Dad's company. I will do many things. I will fix businesses and then buy them. More people will hear about me and they will want to work for me. After 20 years I will go into politics and learn a lot about it for two years. I will learn how to be president. Then I will run for president. If I win I will make sure NOTHING goes wrong then I will do the right thing. I will change laws and do many things. When it's over, I will go back to my old job and my son will keep the job going. I will learn torah all the rest of my life. This is my job I will do.
--Yonatan Lewis 2B
CHESED AT AKIBA

The Middle School tzedakah committee taking a vote with the seventh grade about which tedakah project to donate toward for this month.

PARENTS CONFERENCES ON MARCH 29 AND 31
For information about conferences, see the email that went out this week.  To sign up,
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PRESCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS!

Purim fun has come to life in the Early Childhood Program. From Purim flannel board stories, to signing, to baking, and more, the yeladim (students) are all experiencing the joy of this holiday.


Dressing up for Purim! 

 
  NURSE'S NOTES 

Dear parents,
Please remember to  only pack water or milk in your students' lunches and snacks, saving the Gatorade, etc. for hot weather sporting activities. The added sugar and caffeine should be avoided, especially at school. Thank you for your help in hydrating healthily!   

Nurse Susan      
Susan D.,RN
  

Mazal Tov to Eric Wohlstadter (Akiba Alum) for being accepted  into the Iowa University Writer's Workshop MFA program and was awarded the Iowa Arts Fellowship. Eric also graduated from Columbia University in 2015 Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa with a double major in English Literature and Creative Writing. 

COMMUNITY NOTICES



 
STUDENTS AGAINST TERRORISM AND POINTS FOR PEACE
 
Students Against Terrorism's keynote event, Points for Peace, is a 3-on-3 basketball tournament for people of all ages starting from 1st grade to Adults. All of the funds raised go to OneFamily Together, whose goal is to aid victims of terror. If you would like to contribute a donation or sign up a team please visit our website at:  http://studentsagainstterrorism.org.



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 .