Weekly Newsletter with Important News & Updates from Columbus Torah Academy
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Shabbat Shalom D'var Torah
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By Shira Claman, Upper School Judaic Studies Teacher
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One of the most significant events in world history, G-d's revelation at Mt.Sinai, is recorded in this weeks parsha. After orally transmitting four of the Ten Commandments, G-d instructed the Jewish people to “Honor your father and mother” as the fifth, and promised a long life to those who fulfill this mitzvah. The Gemara (Kiddushin 30b) explains that every person is a project created by three partners: Hashem, one's father, and one's mother. The Gemara instructs us to equate all three, and treat our parents as we would treat G-d himself. There are only two beings that the Torah instructs us to show kavod –honor- towards: a parent and G-d. The Gemara continues that there are only two beings that we have a mitzvah to fear, to be in awe of: a parent and G-d; Hashem also prohibits us from cursing both a parent and Himself, once again, apparently equating the two.
To insult your parents is to insult G-d, and to do a favor for your parents is to do a favor for Hashem. He receives nachas or bizayon vicariously, via mom or dad, as if it was His own. He sees one's parents honor as His own. In fact, Rav Yosef would stand up when his mother entered the room, explaining that G-d was entering! This is actually the source for the halacha to rise when one’s parent enters.
The Ramban (Shemos 20:12) wonders why this commandment appears on the first Tablet, the one reserved for mitzvos between man and his Creator, G-d. After all, isn’t this obligation one of “bein adam lachaveiro," between man and his fellow? He explains that indeed our father and mother, like G-d, are also our creators. G-d -our Creator- demands that we honor our parents -our joint creators- the same way we honor Him.
In sum, our parents are reflections of the Divine, who in a certain sense are mini-gods and deserve special treatment for being our creators. Maybe to everyone else in the world, our dad might just be Joe, but to us he's G-d!
Our parents are also godlike when they feed and clothe us, finance and heal us, love, nourish, forgive, support, watch over and protect us, discipline us, bless us and act selflessly towards us etc. -just as G-d does. Our parents are the most G-d-like humans that we know.
What is the Torah's reward for serving G-d properly? A long life (Devarim 4:4). Those who properly relate to their parents are promised the same (Kli Yakar, Shemos), because parents are like G-d. May we merit to understand the greatness of Hashem, to appreciate the greatness of our parents, and to treat the three of Them with the highest level of honor.
Shabbat Shalom!
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Preview of the Week: February 5-9, 2018
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Lunch: Macaroni & Cheese
Sports:
COAL Middle School Basketball Tournament Begins
MSB
AWAY
vs. Grace Christian, 6:15 pm
Activities:
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Lunch: Chicken Nuggets - Volunteer: L. Markush
Sports: VB HOME vs Madison Christian, 6 pm
Activities:
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Lunch: Pizza - Volunteer: I. Khozin
Sports:
Activities: Lower School Tennis, 4:15 pm
5th & 6th Grade Parent Informational Meeting about Jr. HIgh, 7:30 pm, CTA
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Lunch: Meatball Subs - Volunteer: D. Kopp, S. Epstein
Sports: VG HOME vs KIPP Academy, 6 pm
VB HOME vs KIPP Academy, 7:30 pm
(Basketball Senior Night)
Activities:
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Lunch: Fish Sticks - Volunteer: S. Sapir
Sports:
Activities:
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Upcoming Dates to Remember
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Feb. 16:
Faculty Professional Development Day, NO SCHOOL
Feb. 19:
President's Day - NO SCHOOL
Feb. 20: Author Visit in grades K-3
Feb. 23:
Lower School Dress Down Day
Feb. 23:
Enrollment & Tuition Assistance Forms for 2018-2019 due
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Important School Information
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Twirlers Jump Rope Team Sign Up is Open
Now that basketball season is over, it’s time to jump!
The C.T.A. Twirlers jump rope team is open to students in grades 2 through 12.
Team meetings will be on Mondays from 4:00 until 5:00 p.m. beginning on March 12th.
Space is limited! Reserve your place on the team by contacting Deena Tanenbaum at dtanenbaum@torahacademy.org . Reservations will be taken in the order in which they are received.
The cost to join is $50 per student, plus $10 for the team shirt.
Flyer to download is
here
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MISS CHOCOLATE SALE STARTS THIS WEEK!
There are new ways to order and pay for the Miss Chocolate fundraiser this year. It's never been easier to help raise money for our school PTO and to earn prizes!
*NEW AND IMPROVED - YOU CAN ORDER ONLINE
You can invite out of town friends and family to help support the CTA PTO by visiting
www.misschocolate.com and clicking on "ONLINE STORE". Select Student/Seller-DASHBOARD and create a seller ID#.
Give your student ID# and the school order code: 703241 and follow the online instructions to invite family and friends to shop at your very own personalized home page. You can increase the prize level you can earn!
*ANOTHER GREAT ADDITION THIS YEAR: Your customers can pay online with a credit card by going to www.misschocolate.com/pay. There will be a small processing fee added.
For every 10 orders placed, your child will receive a small prize.
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Re-ENROLLMENT AGREEMENTS and FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FORMS for the 2018-2019 school year must be turned in by February 23 including a deposit of $250 per child. The Financial Assistance forms must be begun while it is understandable that all supportive data including 2017 tax returns will not be turned in until a later date.
Electronic version of the forms were emailed to parents and paper versions were sent home with the youngest child in the family this week.
To apply for Tuition Assistance, go to the Smart Aid website at
https://www.smartaidforparents.com and use school code: 13328. If you already have an account for last year, use your login.
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#mrsmilleristweeting #coolprincipal #areyoufollowing #canyouhashtag
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Click on link or icon below to see more.
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Order magazines for your office or home. 40% profit goes to benefit the 8th grade trip to Washington DC. Click on this
flyer or this
link and use the school code: 2522449. Any questions, ask an 8th grader or Norma.
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Mister G Concert and Purim Palooza. CTA is a partner with this fun pre-Purim event on Sunday, February 25 from 10:30-12:30 at the JCC on College Avenue. Flyer
here.
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Click icon above for detailed information and ways to fulfill your
Give & Get
.
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Learn How to Live Longer and Better at a FREE Breath Brake Seminar with Rabbi Goldberg of Kids Kicking Cancer. Program on
Saturday, February 3 at 7:45 pm at the JCC on College Avenue. Flyer
here.
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Columbus Conference for Jewish Women on
Sunday, February 11, from 9:30 am - 2:00 pm at the Columbus Museum of Art. More information and register
here.
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Save the Date for the JCC Gala on
Saturday night, February 24, 2018.
Full flyer here.
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NEW TIME!!! How to Outsmart Our Kids in Technology with Alex Paskie on
Sunday, February 25 at 7:00 pm at the JCC on College Avenue. Flyer
here.
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I MATTER on
February 4 for teen girls, moms and mentors. It will be an afternoon of empowerment, motivation and inspiration with some food, fun and gifts thrown in there, too. The topic is teen dating violence awareness and education surrounding healthy relationships which will include promoting self confidence, self respect and inner beauty.
A complete flyer can be found here.
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Ahavas Sholom Cholent Cook Off on February 17. RSVP to ahavas-sholom.org
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Meet Sharon Tal, successful Israeli designer and entrepreneur on
Thursday, March 8 at 7 pm at Creekside Event Center in Gahanna. Flyer
here.
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Consider sponsoring
a Day of Learning in memory or honor of a loved one or to celebrate a birthday, anniversary, b'nai mitzvah or other life cycle event. A Day of Learning is a $180 donation and dedications are listed in both the CTA Weekly Communicator and the monthly CTA Dateline.
CTA's Day of Learning for Friday, January 26, the 11th of Shevat, is sponsored by Rabbi Michael Emerson and Dr. Adina Bitton in memory of Rabbi Emerson's grandmother, Bernice Cooper, Basha Bat Yaacov Dov. May her neshama have an aliya.
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CTA accepts donations to our Annual Fund or Scholarship Fund throughout the year. We also accept Tribute Donations in memory of or in honor of loved ones. Donations can be made through the school office at 614-864-0299 or online by clicking
here.
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Columbus Torah Academy | (V) 614-864-0299 | (F)614-864-2119 | info@torahacademy.org | www.torahacademy.org
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