TAG LINES
March 9, 2018
כב׳ אדר תשע׳׳ח
Candle lighting for Hollywood 6:08pm
 
Brachot Gathering

 

Over one hundred women and girls, from all over south Florida joined together on Wednesday evening for an elegant, and  spiritual Bracha Gathering dedicated to a Refuah Shelayma for Nechama Aidel Malka Bas Sara Leah (Mrs. Nechama Sheinkopf).

In This Issue
 
Greetings From The Head Of School


This week SBTAG students felt the gamut of emotions beginning Motzei Shabbat with the lively and joyous Simcha Dancing to Wednesday nights serious yet uplifting Bracha Gathering. In the interim, students concentrated on their school projects and assessments, as Report Cards are coming soon and for the first time we were able to administer the SAT's on a regular school day. All of this within the backdrop of Sephardic Cultural Week, learning and celebrating our diverse heritage. How fitting that these activities took place during the week of Vayakheil-Pekudei, the concluding parshiot of Sefer Shemot. Just as in the parsha the Jews all gathered together as one (vayakheil) so too did our community gather together to offer tehillim and say brachot for a refuah shelayma for Mrs. Nechama Sheinkopf.  Our girls understand that although our parents and grandparents emigrated from different parts of the world, and have different minhagim, we are indeed one nation and follow the same Torah. We believe that a Beit Sefer is a Beit Mikdash Me-at, a smaller version of the Holy Temple. Just as the Mishkan was the sanctuary for Hashem's presence, so too our school strives to bring kedusha, holiness, to all of our endeavors. The posuk reads, Hashem commanded us " Ve'asu li Mikdash v'shachanti b'tocham - Make me a Mikdash, so I shall dwell in them". Not in it but in them. The whole purpose of the Mishkan was so that Hashem's presence could be within us. It is our sacred duty as a Yeshiva to instill in our talmidot the understanding that they are Bnot Torah, and as such carry within them a radiant kedushaMay we all merit to build a Mishkan in our hearts.



Shabbat Shalom
Dr. Rochelle Brand
Head of School


Calendar News

Please click here to view the complete calendar and latest news on our website  shaareibina.org

Save The Dates:

March 2 - Shushan Purim- regular sessions/ special event
March 3 - Simcha Dancing -Masquerade Party
March 5-9 - Sephardic Cultural week
 
Brunch And Learn With Our Principal
Mrs. Tobi Wolf
As part of our study of Vaykhel-Pekudei, we continued our exploration of the topic of  'ארון ברית ה, the Ark of the Covenant. At the onset of Sefer Yehosua, the Jewish people stand at the Jordan River, ready to cross into the land of Israel. Yehoshua tells the Kohanim who are carrying the ארון to step into the water. When the soles of their feet touch the bottom, the Jordan splits and the Jews walk through on dry land.  When the Kohanim lift their soles to step onto the bank of the river, the waters returned to their former forceful state. The Medrash explains that the Kohanim stepped back onto the original bank of the river. Then the ארון lifted the Kohanim and flew across to the other side of the river. The Medrash describes this as ארון נושא את נושאיו, the Ark carries its carriers.

Fast forward to Shmuel Bet, when David tries to bring the ארון up to the City of David.  He has it placed on a newly built wagon and a group of Levites, including a man named Uza, accompany it on the way. The animals drawing the wagon veer to the side and Uza reaches out his hand to stop the ארון from falling. Hashem strikes him dead and the Medrash criticizes him: If ארון נושא את נושאיו, all the more so it can carry itself.  The passuk states (Shmuel Bet: 6,7),  וַיָּמָת שָׁם עִם אֲרוֹן הָאֱלֹהִים - And he died there with the Ark of G-d. The Medrash explains that although Uza was punished severely, this means that his soul went to עולם הבא.

The punishment seems very severe and it brings to mind the deaths of Nadav and Avihu on the day of the consecration of the Mishkan.  They are punished because they bring an אש זרה, a foreign fire. It is called "foreign" because the incense offering was not one that G-d had commanded them to bring. In both situations, we have righteous well-intentioned people who want to "help" the religious process be meaningful and successful. However, the punishments expose the subtle flaws in their motives. The concept of ארון נושא את נושאיו means that a person shouldn't think that he/she is helping G-d in the service of the Temple. The ארון doesn't need us. We need the ארון. The entire system of מקדש exists, not because Hashem needs the honor we give Him, but because it teaches us how to relate to Him properly and how to prosper in that relationship. The ארון is the centerpiece of that lesson; it represents the ideal relationship between Hashem and His nation. Therefore, we must act strictly in accordance with those halachic guidelines that govern that relationship. The word, עבודה, means service and subordination. We must follow the will of God, rather than acting in accordance with our own will.

In the story of Uza, the first mistake was transporting the ארון by wagon instead of having priests carry it on their shoulders. Additionally, it is forbidden to touch the ארון.  David and his entourage were trying to treat the ארון respectfully, but their idea of respect stemmed from their own framework. Uza also acted out of respect but his "reflexive" action revealed a concern that the ארון was dependent on his protection, that he was "helping" Hashem. Similarly, Nadav and Avihu "assumed" that Hashem would welcome their 'special" offering on that "special" day.
  
It is natural and good to feel eager to enhance the service of Hashem with our own passion and creativity. And the Torah does offer us ample opportunities to express our simcha in individual ways.  The proof lies in the zeal with which David danced before the Aron when he finally did bring it up to Yerushalayim. It is demonstrated through the Simcha that is a cornerstone of our celebration of the festivals.  עבדו את ה' בשמחה באו לפניו ברננה-Serve Hashem with joy; come before Him with song. The Simcha of Mikdash is a highly purified שמחה של מצוה, the joy of fulfilling the commandments precisely.


 b
Brachot Gathering




The evening, coordinated by Mrs. Rivkah Bodkins, began with everyone reciting a number of perakim of tehillim thereby covering the entire Book of Psalms. Dr. Brand welcomed everyone and explained the nature of the evening. Mrs. Bodkins described her special relationship with the Sheinkopf family and why participating in this evening was so meaningful. Mrs. Wolf gave a brilliant d'var torah, complete, with sources, on why we aspire to say 100 brachot a day. Mrs. Parnes, explained the meaning of Amen, as an affirmation of the truth that ALL comes from Hakadosh Baruch Hu. Dr. Brand led the room in reciting the various brachot (mezonot, ha'gafen, ha'etz, ha'adamah and she'hakol) as the women sampled from the delicious array of treats. The room resounded with the Amens, especially when table number 18 (Chai) made the last bracha. We thank the following families for sponsoring the event: Adar, Fink, Pollack, Sedaghadi, Toronczyk, Brody, Nash, Roth, Ellenbogen, Zwelling and Ms. Vera)  The beautiful flower arrangements were created and donated by Mrs. Rena Izaguyov, the brochures by Copymaster and the food presentation by Cindy Itzkowitz. Students Penina Rosenbaum and Leah templeberg were incredibly helpful in setting up the event as was Mrs. Sandra Goldenberg. May Hashem answer our prayers l'tovah.


 
Sephardic Cultural Week


















This week we dedicated to learning about our beautiful, rich and varied Sephardic heritage. Student coordinators, Arielle Chemtov and Alyssa Suissa, organized and coordinated the presentations throughout the week. The Eighth Graders introduced the program explaining why Sephardim are called "Sefardim" as they trace their roots back to Spain (Sefarad) before they began their journeys to all points of the globe. The sixth graders put on an adorable fashion show wearing the typical garb of the different communities. The ninth graders discussed the differences between Ashkenazi and Sefardi minhagim (customs) and of course there was a day dedicated to the delicious cuisine prepared by students on all grade levels.  In essence the experience instilled even more pride in all of our students knowing that we can be different but yet we are all " Am Echad" - we are all one nation.


 
Advocating For Israel
Avigail Roth, 10th grade


Spending this weekend at AIPAC was an unforgettable experience. Having the opportunity to spend Shabbat with diplomats and fellow pro-Israel activists was inspiring. I got to hear Natan Sharansky, Nikki Haley, Vice President Mike Pence, and Prime Minister Netanyahu speak about their stand on the U.S.- Israel relationship. Being there as one of the 4,000 students and 18,000 pro Israel Americans made me proud to be both Jewish and pro-Israel.

We are so proud of you too, Avigail!



Focus On The Classrooms


11th Grade English
Ms. Monica Vera

Students in 11th grade English are working on their submissions for the Norman Alexander Award for Excellence in Jewish Student Writing by submitting a 500-word essay on Jewish Contributions to American Music. While the contest is open to all students in high school (please see Ms. Vera if you're interested in entering!), the 11th grade will work on this writing assignment as part of the curriculum for the last academic quarter.

The winner of the contect will receive $500.00 plus the Alexander Award Medal, and will have her essay published in The Jewish Week and on the websites, "Fresh Ink for Teens", and the Jewish-American Hall of Fame.

Consideration will be given to originality, creativity and writing style, and students will also indicate why their chosen artist's accomplishments are meaningful to her.

Some of the students' choices are included below:

Tamar Waisman: Idina Menzel
Rachel Rothenstein: Pink
Rony Gir & Bella Friedman: Billy Joel
Leah Baroukh: Matisyahu
Miriam Balgley: Haim
Hana Koskas: Shlomo Carlebach
Shaina Knobel: Barbra Streisand




8th Grade History
Arielle Tempelberg and Aliyah Shapiro




For Black History Month the 8th grade watched a documentary about Emmett Till. He was a 14 year old black boy who was murdered in 1955 for being accused of whistling at a white women while leaving a local shop. While watching this video we learned that it was an event that sparked the Civil Rights Movement. The aftermath of his death was meaningful because his mother spoke to many audiences about her son's story. Many thousands of people gathered to see his open casket at his funeral. A few things that were hard to picture was the fact that it took such an incredibly inhumane tragedy, to open people's eyes to their imperfect society. We also learned that we are so blessed to have the opportunities and privileges that we have today. It is nearly impossible to begin to comprehend the way that different races were treated. It is crucial that we nourish our young minds with the actuality of our dreadful history and take in the information as best we can and gain wisdom from it. The murder of Emmett Till is one that should be known to all.




8th Grade History
Ms. Chapin

We just finished our section about the American Revolution. For the 8th graders, we are now an independent nation! To wrap up our unit on the American Revolution, the girls were able to create their own final projects. Alice Reich created a graphic novel about war tactics during the Revolution, Eliana Peckman gave a comprehensive history of the Minutemen, Tamara Yeshurun, Aliyah Shapiro, and Devorah Cohen wrote and sang a song about the Battle of Bunker Hill to a Disney mix that gave many of us chills, and there were a few acts performed including a musical about the signing of the Treaty of Paris. I am sure you have heard about the story of Paul Revere, you know the man who famously yelled "The British are coming, the British are coming!" But did you know that he never said that and did you know that he wasn't the only one to make a dangerous ride across the country to warn of the British? Below you can read a poem written by Dassy Roth about a brave young girl, Sybil Ludington, who also took a ride similar to Paul Revere's.


Sybil Ludington
By Dassy Roth
In the rain she rode across the land
Found only holding a stick in her hand.
In April 1777 on a spring night
This girl wouldn't go down without a fight.
Sixteen year-old Sybil Ludington
Went out one night without a gun.
Her father asked for her help
The British are coming she would yelp
The rain poured down on her way
To the farmhouses she would stray.
The houses that held her father's troops
She would leave in no groups.
From Carmel to Mahopac she would go
Sybil did not stop there you know.
She rode to Kent Cliffs and Farmers Mills
Back home she would go after the thrills.
She returned home at dawn the next day
Drenched in the clothes she wore on the way.
While Sybil Ludington went off to doze
Around 400 troops arose.
These men would march when light
To Danbury they went to fight.
The troop made it to Danbury too late
At Ridgefield they had to wait.
Sybil was congratulated by family and friends
And General George Washington attends.
Ogden was her married name
In her lifetime she didn't have much fame.
February 26, 1839 was a sad day
Sybil Ludington passed away.
In her honor a statue was assembled
The ride of Sybil Ludington will be remembered.




Junior/Senior Speech Class
Ms. Chapin

Below you can read why the students feel that  it is important to learn about Black History Month:

Leah Tempelberg
This speech was really important to say in front of the whole school for two main reasons. The first one is that besides the Middle School, most girls were not taught about Black History Month. Our speeches exposed them to different influential people that they would normally have never been exposed to. Second, we are a Jewish school, and we are not so different from the black community. Both communities have experienced enslavement, torture, racism, and mistreatment. It is good that a Jewish school can learn about how we are not alone, and other races went through the same thing.

Ahuva Simpser
I thought this project was very important to do because I believe that everyone should have equal rights. I think it's also important to remind ourselves and other people that not everyone has what we have. It's good to remind people of the suffering of others so that we can relate to others or prevent some of the persecution from happening again. I thought that my person Sojourner Truth was someone especially  important to speak about because she also stood and spoke for women's' rights which I can relate to as a female.

Sarah Aaronson
Black history month is a yearly commemoration of African American achievements in American history. We always speak about great white American heros, but not all American heros were/are white. This month is a wonderful time to get to better explore and understand our history as a whole and not just as segregated racial groups. I really enjoyed learning about black history month because it taught me that there is not wrong definition for what a hero looks like, acts like, or dresses like.

Rony Gir
I think Black History Month is important because it displays parts of our history that aren't always shown. Black History Month raises awareness by helping people acknowledge equality and how it wasn't always that way (still isn't but less). Every human should be treated the same and not any less than anyone. Black history month is important to everyone of any ages.

Shaina Knobel
I think that it is crucial that Black History Month is taught in all schools. The black community has been through many hardships in history that are necessary to learn about. We can learn many things from our Black Heroes in history, like how to stand up for the rights of everyone when society keeps telling you otherwise. We can also learn the importance of not giving up on what is right. Black History Month raises awareness to these terrible things that happened and can help us prevent them from happening again. Something we can take away from Black History Month is to be grateful for the equality that we have today.

To read the girls speeches please click the link below


Mazel Tov!


Mazel Tov to the recipients of the Chai- Lifeline Dream Team award, Shayna Knobel, Rachel Cojab, Tamar waisman, and Chana Koskas. We are so proud of our  ballot chased... incredibly giving young women.


Kudos to 6th grader Noa Gurnin for donating her hair to help cancer victims.


   
SCHOOL ADVERTISEMENTS AND ORDER FORMS 












 
 
PAID ADVERTISEMENTS: IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PLACE AN AD, PLEASE CALL (954)927-5544