Sept. 23, 2016 20 Elul 5776

Parashat Ki Tavo

Candle Lighting 7:03 p.m.
This week Akiba participated in a tremendous act of chesed. All of our students from K'Ton Ton to 8th grade mixed, kneaded, punched, shaped and packaged close to 400 challot for Jewish Family Service's Rosh Hashanah meal program for people in need. The photographs tell much of the story. Students up to their elbows in dough, faces and uniforms dusted with flour, older students partnering with younger students, and parent and grandparent volunteers guiding every step of the process: These images project the joy and excitement with which our students engaged in this important mitzvah. This parasha includes joy as a significant theme. The commandment to offer the first fruit, the bikkurim, fills the opening of the parashah. Following the description for how to present the bikkurim in Jerusalem, the Israelites were instructed, " Then, you shall rejoice with all the good that the Lord, your God, has granted you and your household..." (Devarim 26:11). Later in the parashah, Bnei Yisrael is admonished that if they do not serve God with happiness and good-heartedness, then a range of horrifying curses would befall them. Certainly, the message from the parasha resonates: we must serve Hashem with absolute joy that emanates from recognizing the gifts God has given us and appreciating the wondrous world in which we live.

Challah provides another insight into the happiness with which we should practice our Judaism. When we bake challah, we gather the material blessings bestowed on us and shape them into something that sustains us. Hashem provides us the raw materials and we craft with them, effectively partnering with Hashem in the creative process. That creativity and partnership imbue us with a sense of accomplishment and purpose-a mission to be God's ambassadors in this world-a lofty, and joyful goal.

At Akiba, our students have the opportunity to perform mitzvot, learn Torah, engage with each other and the partner with the community in joy. Whether it is baking challot for JFS, singing for residents at the Legacy, analyzing text with a study partner, dancing at a bar or bat mitzvah celebration, or welcoming a guest with a smile, our students are learning that the best way to partner with God and improve the world through their mitzvoth is with joy.

Shabbat Shalom,

   
UPCOMING EVENTS



Sept. 26, 7:30 p.m.: A Night to Celebrate Jewish Education 
Honoring Leslie and Howard Schultz, cofounders of Akiba's Schultz-Rosenberg campus, as they receive the CJE Lifetime Achievement Award.  Tickets and sponsorship info here

Tuesdays, 12:30-1:30 p.m., Library Conference Room: Join Rebbetzin Chana Naparstek, fellow Akiba moms and staff, as we study and gain meaningful insight in to the weekly parasha. You're welcome to bring a kosher lunch, and light refreshment will be available. 
Thursdays, 8:30 a.m., Board Room: Join Rabbi Rackovsky for "Pathways in the Parasha."

For the full 2016-2017 calendar, click here

   
HEALTH CLASS IN THE LIBRARY 
Nurse Susan to give her cleanliness/germ talk during library classes this wee k. She demonstrated proper hand washing and other tips to help students stay healthy. The library provides great fiction and non-fiction books for students and teachers on topics, such as  health professions, the human body, disease prevention , germs and feeling sick .
 
Below, nurse Susan Donnefeld and librarian Nancy Cunningham pick out books with third graders.
  

DISCOVERING THE LAW

During first grade's unit on citizenship, students learned about rules and laws by reading  House Mouse Senate Mouse and working in  teams to sort rules and laws. Each student then came up with their own thoughts on what should become a law. 



WRITER'S BLOCK

My Summer
  
During summer break my strongest relationship was with my brother, Asher. From finding animals in Yellowstone, to chilling at home, Asher was always there next to me. He and I never fought or even argued. In the past, Asher and I usually had at least one disagreement a day. Our arguments were about who sits in the front seat, or who gets to play a video game first. Our summer road trip before camp was something that Asher and I will never forget, because we got along so well. This summer our bond grew beyond imaginable limits. Hopefully, it stays that way.
                                                                        
Simon Cohen, 6th grade

       
FOURTH GRADE LEARNS

Below, right: Fourth graders are learning a new game called "I have....who has?"  This game can be integrated into all subjects as it not only teaches the particular subject, but helps reinforce listening skills. 
 
Below, left: Students take their spelling/vocabulary quizzes on the computer.  This system allows for students to work at their pace and self-check their work.
 


       
MIDDLE SCHOOLERS ON THE MOVE

Below, right: Sixth grade learns the ups and downs of measuring mass on triple beam balances in science class.

Below, left: Seventh grade chalutzniks (pioneers) dig into the physics garden!



       
CHALLAH BAKE

Thank you to our volunteers who helped bake close to 400 challot that will be distributed in food baskets by Jewish Family Service to the needy for Rosh Hashanah.

We appreciate our parents, grandparents and great-grandparents:
Reenie Kogutt, Ruthy Rosenberg, Jana Milstein, Fredell Shulkin, Faige Meller, Sandy Prager, Alana Tinnin, Pam Schwarcz, Leah Dubrawsky, Mollye Finkelstein, Susan Hollander,  Daniella Smith, Marni Rael, Chana Naparstek, Rivka Goldschmidt, Rishi Gurevitch, Lisa Ido, Amy Baynash, Dahlia Abramov, Erica Morenoff, Shiri Sharvit, Miriam Raphael, Charlene Shamir, Yehudit Wider, Danny Meyerovitz, Michal Shapiro, Michelle Raphael, Ilana Yalovsky and Joumana Abraham.

Thanks to our teacher and staff bakers, and bnot sherut, Oriya and Renana.  A special thanks to Ron Romaner for his tasty challah recipe and his baking expertise.

Read the Texas Jewish Post's story about the challah bakeFor more photos, view the Facebook  album .






PRESCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS

As it is customary to eat apples dipped in honey during Rosh Hashanah, the children are offered many different kinds of experiences to explore the world around them using apples.

In Morah Bonnie and Morah Vicky's K'Ton Ton class the children were experimenting with whether apples float or sink. The children first made their own predictions about what would happen and were excited to test their theories.



Morah Rebeca, Morah Amy, and Morah Jenny's Teenoki class were painting at the easel using the colors of apples, while Morah Marissa and Morah Nitzan's Chaverim class also painted using the color of apples, but took the experience to the level of the Chaverim children.





Morah Malka and Morah Vickie's Chaverim class used apples as a measurement tool. The kids got to see how many apples long all of their friends are. 


 
A note of gratitude: Than k you to all of our snack helpers this week, including Shannon Hoffman, Julia Kaufman, Seth Kaufman, 
Sandy Prager, Michelle Raphael, Miriam Raphael, Elyse Rose and Alana Tinnin. T o join the Snack Helper Club, make a date with a friend or a spouse, or meet a new friend, and sign up here.

Thank you to Akiba dad, David Goldfarb, and Middle School Principal Avi Spodek, for blowing the shofar for the Early Childhood Program this week. Interested in blowing the shofar next week? Please contact Jordana Bernstein

   

Back-to-School Donuts in the Park:  All families are invited to join us for donuts, coffee and playing to celebrate the 2016-2017 school year. Sept. 25, 9-11 a.m.,  Preston Hollow Park (Thackery Park) , 6600 Park Lane, Dallas, 75225. Check out the Facebook event here.

Dessert in the Sukkah: Mark your calendars to join us in the campus sukkah for dessert, games and fun on Oct. 19 at 5:30 p.m. 


   
COMMUNITY NOTICES