April 15, 2016 7 Nissan 5776

Parashat  Metzora

Candle Lighting 7:40 p.m.

Pesach 5776
Just this morning I watched a video of Rabbi Warren Goldstein, Chief Rabbi of South Africa, delivering a Pesach message. I wanted to share his thoughts with you. The Seder is replete with examples of G-d's glory and miraculous intervention on behalf of the fledgling Jewish nation. Hashem redeems the slaves and ushers them to freedom with the assistance of ferocious plagues, a supernatural splitting of the sea, the miracle of the manna and the gift of the Torah. All demonstrate God's majesty and God's love for the Jewish People. Never, most posit, has there been such an obvious expression of miracles for humankind. Rabbi Yaakov Emden, an 18th century German rabbi, disagrees. On Pesach during the Seder, we recite the paragraph "Ve'hi She'amdah:" 

And this is what sustained our ancestors and us.  N ot one alone has stood up against us to destroy us.  In each generation there are those who stand up against us to destroy us.  But the Holy Blessed One saves us from their hand. T he most extraordinary miracle in human history remains the survival and the growth of the Jewish People. Despite the enemies that the Jewish People has faced in every generation, our nation survives and thrives.

The miracle of our survival emanates in part from the revival of Jewish educational institutions such as Akiba, where children learn of our history and heritage and make those a significant part of their identity. The modern State of Israel is yet another example of the miracle that surrounds us. 

Please save the date for a commemoration of those who sacrificed their lives to bring about this miracle and to celebrate the wonder that is Israel. Akiba and Yavneh will host a ceremony on May 11 for Yom Ha'atzmaut and Yom Hazikaron. Fourth grade and above are welcome, due to the sensitivity of the topic.

Shabbat Shalom and Chag Kasher v'Sameach,
 
PHYSICS GARDEN DEBUT

More than 100 students, faculty, staff and parents attended a ribbon cutting for the new Physics Garden. Yosef Weiss, an eighth grader, helped create the garden for his Eagle Scout project. Special thanks to middle school science teacher Denny Ticker!


UNDER PRESSURE

Third graders learned about air pressure in the science lab. 


WRITER'S BLOCK

Middle schoolers delved into found poetry during their language arts classes. In f ound poetry, text is taken  from other sources and reframed as poetry by making changes in spacing and lines, or by adding or deleting text.

Sixth grader Ari Blumberg's poem drew on a New York Times article.

Great Hope
 
An unresolved problem
A disaster
The environment has been plagued
Our problems associated with our corrupt government
Who won't ultimately destroy the trash
The environment is dubious
About its resolution
Why
Hasn't the good in the world been unveiled
Why
Are the people of the earth reducing the space in which plants can grow
Why
Can't we capture the tantalizing experience of the outdoors
I still have great hope
 

DIALING FOR DONATIONS

Eighth graders volunteered at the Jewish Federation's  Good Deeds Day. By volunteering in this one-day phone-a-thon, students helped raise funds to provide food for the hungry, companionship for the elderly and programming for children, teens and young adults. 


RUNNER'S HIGH

The 7th and 8th grade track team had a great meet this week! 

 

A VISIT FROM THE ZOO

Third graders welcomed Zooniversity visitors, a leopard tortoise from the African Savannah, a southern three-banded armadillo from Paraguay and a fennec fox from the Sahara. 
 


RECESS FUN

Students enjoyed new recess equipment, thanks to our generous Parent Teacher Organization.

 

MAKING NEW FRIENDS

Second-grade students had a great time visiting residents of Our Crystal Creek at Preston Hollow (formerly The Legacy Preston Hollow).
 
 
 

HITTING THE BOOKS

In the library classroom, third graders studied why animals look the way they do with librarian Nancy Cunningham. Their reading list included, Rudyard Kipling's "Just So Stories" and Steve Jenkins' "Creative Features: Twenty-Five Animals Explain Why They Look the Way They Do." 

ARTFUL COMPETITION

The Middle School Pesach door competition heated up with artful entries, including a Seder plate and burning bush. Pizza lunch for the winning door was organized by the Yahadut committee. The Elijah door won first prize for its creators:  Zack Weinstein, Asher Cohen, Michal Reva, Gavi Kraines, Ilana Hirsch and  Stera Goldschmidt.

BNOT SHERUT

Tal and Nreya led a Passover-themed matzah art project in the Early Childhood Center.
PRESCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS

In every generation, a person is obligated to regard himself as though he actually left Egypt. As it says: "You shall tell your son on that day, 'It is because of this that G-d took me out of Egypt.'" (Exodus 13:8) Since we take these words seriously, Morah Dorit and Morah Sarah's Nitzanim class dressed up as avadim (slaves) this week, carried bags of blocks on their backs outdoors, and worked, worked, worked!


For a hands-on exploration of Pesach, Morah Gail, Morah Orit and Morah Vicky's Chaverim class hand-squeezed grapes to make juice. The children experienced the work it takes to get enough juice to drink out of the tiny grapes. They drank their fresh grape juice with challah during our Shabbat celebration.   


This week our Teenoki Bet students learned to be photographers. Morah Mercedes gave the children a tutorial on how to use the camera. Then, the children took their own pictures. These masterpieces are the work of these budding photographers.










           

Lauren and Morah Rosa's K'Ton Ton  class mixed their own paint to make spring colors in  the Early Childhood Art Studio. Then, they used real flowers as their painting tools. The children learned to be gentle and patient when painting with the flowers, so they wouldn't break.


Our Teenoki Alef children made matzah rubbings this week. This activity took a lot of focus and fine motor control to accomplish. The children were certainly up for the task!

   

School Directory
 
The printed Akiba directory will make a comeback next year, but we need your help. Please click the link below to sign up to help sell ad space, buy ad space, or to help coordinate and distribute the directory.   CLICK HERE
 
Just a reminder: The current Akiba directory is available on MyBackPack. See below for easy instructions on how to search and print.

PTO wishes everyone a Chag Sameach and a wonderful Pesach break!
  

Mazel Tov to Alex and Tally Goldfarb and big brother, Henry, on the birth of a new baby girl, Abigail Miriam.

Mazel Tov to Liran and Ayelet  Haviv, big brother, Aeden, and big sister, Ava, on the birth of a new baby girl.

COMMUNITY NOTICES
Rabbi Rackovsky's Thursday class will resume after Pesach (May 5th).   
May 6: Bake sale in the SRC boardroom at 9:30 a.m.
PASSOVER CAMP AT THE JCC
 

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.


   
  
  
Those that sign up will be dismissed appropriately on Friday (May 6th) for the Shabbaton.
 
For payments through 'Shaare Tefilla':
Shaare members:   CLICK HERE
Non members, please contact us through the info on the google form


GEARING UP FOR SPRING
NEW SPRING FASHIONS

In the past couple of weeks we have received a number of new shipments of clothing, jewelry, and accessories. Come on in today to browse our selection and get your wardrobe ready for Spring! Check out our Spring fashion guide.
 

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 .