D’var Kesher
May 12, 2017/ 16 Iyar, 5777
31st Day of the Omer Parashat Emor/ Leviticus 21:1-24:23
Greetings!
- The goal: $2.1 million over three years.
- The cause: the only progressive Jewish day school in Central Ohio.
- The total: already almost half way there.
- The purpose? To Renew.
CJDS’ three- year
Hadesh Yamenu – the Renewal Campaign is the largest fundraising campaign since the school was founded two decades ago. Hadesh Yamenu, or “Renew our days,” is a phrase we sing at the High Holidays.
It is in this spirit of deep reflection and focused goal setting that we embark on an unprecedented campaign. Over the past several months, the Board campaign has more than doubled that of any previous board campaign, and we have now secured 100% participation. Thanks to the hard work of our CJDS’ Board of Trustees, combined with an unprecedented gift from and demonstration of confidence in CJDS leadership from The Wexner Foundation together with Abigail and Leslie Wexner, we have been able to launch the campaign with over $1M towards the 3-year goal of $2.1M.
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The launch event, which took place last Sunday May 7th, gathered over 90 CJDS parents, alumni parents, alumni, teachers, staff, board members, and CJDS founders and supporters in the living room of our warm and gracious hosts, Katie and Brett Kaufman, proud parents of three CJDS alumni. Old friends reconnected sharing warm hugs and stories, and new connections were made with a whole new generation of CJDS families. Movingly, Brett Kaufman shared how CJDS introduced him to a Judaism he never knew existed.
Our Board President, Andrew Grossman, and parent of 2 CJDS alumni and a current 4th grader, welcomed and addressed the room with reports on the Board’s work and vision. He charged the room with the imperative that we must first and foremost believe in ourselves:
“You are here tonight because you have seen first-hand the benefits that a CJDS education has given to your family and to the larger Jewish Community. Without CJDS, the Columbus Jewish Community would be smaller, weaker, less impactful. We’ve all seen the difference CJDS makes. And we’re all here to ensure that CJDS and the children we educate and foster have the ability to continue to make a difference. We have a generous community who is rooting for our success. If we want our largest donors to believe in us, and if we expect to bring even more new donors and new dollars into CJDS, we have to believe in us.
[For the full text of Andrew Grossman’s remarks, please click
here
].
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I had the distinct honor of addressing the group by standing next to one of our original founders, Tobi Gold (whose picture you walk by in our school’s corridor). I’ve had the delightful pleasure of getting to know Tobi over these past months. Through my conversations with her, it has become abundantly clear that CJDS continues to be animated to this very day by those very same founding principles; namely, to teach Jewish youth in Columbus that there are many ways of being Jewish, and that we’re whole people, as Jewish Americans, and we need not be bifurcated, hyphenated, or fragmented. Instead, the values of our Jewish tradition can be the very lenses for our contributions in the world broadly.
As Tobi puts it, “Heschel says it best: ‘Teach them a Judaism that will re-make the world.’ Not just the Jewish world, but the whole broken world.” So being Jewish is not somehow marginal or something carried awkwardly at our side and sort of pulled out from time to time ritually. [for the full text of Rabbi Z’s remarks, and the four areas of CJDS renewal that are already underway, click here].
So spread the word that our campaign goal is to raise $2.1 million over three years. As of the launch, we have already raised the unprecedented amount of over $1M!
In the coming days, you will receive a letter from the school inviting you to participate in the Hadesh Yamenu campaign and be a part of making CJDS shine. If we can secure 100% parent and board participation in the campaign, multiple major donors have committed to increase their gifts to the campaign. So parents, we know you contribute so much already to the school, but please contribute what you can, whatever it is, to ensure that our donations go even further, just with 100% participation. We can do it!
To our close friends in the larger community, both new and long time supporters of the school, we hope you will all join us in renewing CJDS as well. We also encourage everyone to share this link far and wide with grandparents, friends, and other family, who know how much the school means to you and your children.
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Pictured above: Friends of CJDS, Steve Shkolnik and Jackie Jacobs (CEO of the Columbus Jewish Foundation).
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Pictured above: Alumni parents, Donna Hecker, Eugenia Erlij, Robin Judd.
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Pictured above: CJDS Alumni parents Sam Fried and Bruce Soll.
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Pictured above: Event Host Brett Kaufman and alumni parent, Brad Glick.
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Pictured above: Julie Saar, Andrew Brodey and Eugenia Erlij
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Donate to the Hadesh Yamenu Renewal Campaign here:
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Let us go from strength to strength!
Shabbat Shalom,
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End of the year events
you won't want to miss...
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CJDS Annual Memorial Butterfly Release
Friday, May 19
11:30am
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We remember loved ones through the acts of loving-kindness we perform in this world. In keeping with CJDS' tradition, we invite you to attend our Annual Butterfly Release. During the event, name(s) of people you wish to have memorialized are read aloud as each butterfly is released.
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CJDS Arts Night
Monday, May 22
6:30pm-8:00pm
(Students should arrive by 6:20)
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You are all cordially invited to CJDS’s Night of the Performing and Visual Arts (also known as Arts Night) on Monday May 22nd, 2017. The students will showcase their musical skills by performing various compositions in a concert. This night CJDS will be transformed into an art museum; having galleries and exhibition spaces of the students’ visual arts accomplishments this year.
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6th Grade Graduation
Tuesday, May 23
7:00pm-8:30pm
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You are all cordially invited to CJDS’s Graduation on Tuesday, May 23rd, 2017.Join us as we celebrate our graduates!
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Rachel Hillman, parent of CJDS Alumnus Lee Hillman reflects on her years at the school:
As a kindergartener, Lee was not happy about standing on the stage in front of everyone at Kabbalat Shabbat. CJDS helped build his self-confidence and esteem. And by 5th grade he was performing solo electric guitar in front of the whole school.
The kindness of his classmates was a constant source of support.
Lee’s love of fine arts and STEM were born at CJDS. His decision to take engineering as his elective next year as a Freshman is in large part due to his experience at CJDS with robotics and technology.
Lee continues to prioritize Jewish learning and life by participating in the Middle School Jewish lunch club and BBYO. Lee is about to enter his sixth year at Camp Blue Star, a 70-year old pluralistic Jewish camp located in the North Carolina mountains.
The Hillman family is eternally grateful for the gift of CJDS. The school was our home base for Jewish learning and life for 8 years and we all benefited deeply. And we miss Shmendrick.
Pictured above: Lee Hillman (CJDS class of 2015)
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For the most up-to-date version of our calendar and a full list of current CJDS events:
CLICK HERE!
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SAVE THE DATE
Friday, May 19: Annual CJDS Butterfly Release 11:30am
**NOTE NEW DATE** Monday, May 22: CJDS Night of the Arts 6:30pm-8:00pm Allison Goldberg Senser Gymnasium
Tuesday, May 23: CJDS 6th Grade Graduation 7:00pm-8:30pm Allison Goldberg Senser Gymnasium
MAY
Sunday, May 14: Lag B’omer
Friday, May 19: CJDS Genizah Ceremony 11:20am-11:35am CJDS Cheri Beth Wasserstrom Butterfly Garden
Friday, May 19: CJDS Butterfly Release 11:35am-12:00pm CJDS Cheri Beth Wasserstrom Butterfly Garden
**NOTE NEW DATE** Monday, May 22:
CJDS Arts Night
6:30pm-8:00pm Allison Goldberg Senser Gymnasium
Tuesday, May 23: 6
th Grade Graduation 7:00pm-8:30pm Allison Goldberg Senser Gymnasium
Wednesday, May 24: Yom Yerushalayim
Friday, May 26: Learning Bridge Assembly (parents create a bridge with their arms. As students run under and through the bridge, they move up to their next CJDS grade - join us for this fun event)1:30pm-2:15pm Allison Goldberg Senser Gymnasium
Friday, May 26: Last Day of School
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NEED MULCH? Oakland Nursery
Gift Cards
Click on the Oakland Nursery image for a printable form.
Purchase Oakland Nursery gift cards through CJDS and we keep 20% of the profits.
Cards are $20.00 each. To purchase gift certificates, just click
here
for a printable form. Checks should be made payable to CJDS for the desired amount. Your gift cards can be picked up or mailed to you within two weeks.
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Pictured above: Students celebrating Lag B'Omer Field Day
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The Color Run!
(Before & After)
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How Does a Caterpillar Turn into a Butterfly?
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Each classroom is learning about the life cycle of butterflies. The butterflies we hatch will be released during our CJDS Annual Memorial Butterfly Release. Join us!
Friday, May 19th at 11:30 a.m.
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CJDS Tzedakah Club students gathered together for their last meeting of the school year. Yasher Koach, Tzedakah Club!
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- Terracycle (number of items collected and recycled)
Energy Bars 3850 + Juice Pouches 927+ Beauty Products 724+ Cereal Bags162+
- Box Tops for Education $149.60
- Art to Remember $711.75
- Pennies for Patients $1277.26
- Red Nose Day Fund $50.00
- Life Care Alliance (food drive and art work donation )
- Leket Israel over 35 meals delivered to individuals in need in Israel
PLEASE NOTE: Red Nose Day is May 25, 2017 (wear your nose to show your support for initiatives that help poor children)
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Shawn Bushong, Ma’ayan Cohen, Michael Dill, Victoria Flowers-Navarro, Vivian Lamendola, Caleb Moses, Ruthie Moskowitz, Leeon Rinkoff, Bram Rubin, Ethan Silverstein, Seth Silverstein, Lilah Solove
Fourth Grade
Samuel (Sam) Feldstein, Drake Grossman, Ryan Stroh, Gabriel Zeigler
Fifth Grade
Eva Bassik, Ruby Emory, Leah Grinberg, Isabella Stern, Jasmine Stroh, Michael Goulet
Sixth Grade
Rami Bandler, Isabella Bushong, Charlie Dobres, Zeke Fried, Johnathan Grimm, Natanya Kleit, Ian Mansur, Jerry Merchant, Jacob (Cobby) Rubin, Seth Stein, Wendy Wasserstrom
Advisors
Susan Couden, Eva Tibor
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Kesher Organization
PARENT LIAISONS
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Kindergarten: Stefanie Zelkind
Grade 1-2: Rayna Weiner and Adam Davis
Grade 3: Merav Dill and Bat-Ami Moses
Grade 4: Maggie Saracheck and Sara Zeigler
Grade 5: Alan Bassik
Grade 6: Ruth Rubin and Jennifer Wasserstrom
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Supporting
our
Community
We Want to Know About the Life Cycle Events in Your Family
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Mi Shab
erach
When a member of the CJDS family is ill or in need of healing, the entire community lends its support and its prayers for a full and complete recovery.
Bradley Rothbaum
CJDS Alumni Class of 2016
(his Hebrew name is Benyamin Eitan)
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Share a Mazel Tov!
Jacob Schottenstein on becoming a Bar Mitzvah.
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May Their Memory Be a Blessing...
Joel Wolff z"l, Loving father of CJDS alumna student, Emilia, and husband of past CJDS Jewish Studies teacher, Diana (Dina) Wolff. Joel passed away on Wednesday, May 10, 2017. He was preceded in death by his parents, Walter and Vittoria Wolff and brother, Jay Wolff, he is survived by his wife, Diana D’Angelo Wolff; daughter, Emilia Wolff and sister, Doris (Yona) Davis Hershkovitz and nieces and nephews.
A Graveside service was held on Thursday, May 11th at New Ahavas Sholom Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations are preferred to the charity of ones choice in his memory. May their family be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.
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CJDS Tribute Cards
CJDS Tribute Cards provide a thoughtful and caring gift for everyone. The income generated by every purchase enhances a child's educational experience at CJDS. You can get the All-Occasion pack year-round. It includes five pre-printed memorial cards and five pre-printed special event cards for only $90. You can also make an individual tribute gift and we will send a Tribute card to the recipient. Tribute cards require seven business days for delivery.
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We Collect Boxtops
Help us reach our goal this year of $1000.00
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AmazonSmile
When you shop at
smile.amazon.com
, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to CJDS.
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The Rewards Add Up
Have you linked CJDS to your Kroger Plus card or Giant Eagle Advantage Card?
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Community Events
To learn more about these events
Click on any of the images
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Book Signing
May 16th at Gramercy Books
By: CJDS Parent, Benny Zelkowicz
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Baked Goods Delivered to the Classroom
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Hooray for Challah!
Welcome to the 2016-17 School Year! Once again, we are fortunate for the opportunity to order weekly challahs and baked goods from Matt’s Bakery. It is as easy as "pie" to place your orders. All you need to do is go to the Matts Bakery website to see a full listing of all of their delicious items. All challah and or baked goods will be delivered on Fridays to your child’s classroom.
Have questions? Call or email Matt's directly:
info@matt’sbakery.com or (614) 237-4848
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Order your CJDS Apparel today!
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We have several events and opportunities for you to come to the school. Take a look at our school calendar of events
HERE.
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