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Wed., Sept. 20
Erev Rosh Hashana
- No School -
Candle Lighting @ 7:13 p.m.
Thurs., Sept. 21
Rosh Hashana I
- No School -
Candle Lighting @ 8:19 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 22
Rosh Hashana II
- No School -
Candle Lighting @ 7:10 p.m.
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Fundraising Event
Grandparent/VIP Visiting Day Marks Its Bar Mitzvah Year
CELEBRATING ITS "bar mitzvah" year, FJA's annual Grandparent/VIP Visiting Day is slated to kickoff at 9:15 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 17. As one of the school's most beloved fundraising events, the day begins with breakfast and concludes with lunch.
We are grateful for the generosity of Ann and Leonard Baruch for graciously underwriting the cost of lunch.
Additionally, we are excited to announce that several FJA benefactors have committed to matching gifts made by grandparents/VIP guests.
Three of our grandparent families -- Mr. and Mrs. Yale Levin, Mr. and Mrs. Spencer Partrich and Dr. and Mrs. Hershel Sandberg -- have each graciously committed to match any gift FJA raises during this event, dollar-for-dollar. (This means your tax-deductible gift of $360 will be worth $720 to the school.)
For more information, to register for attendance and to make your donation online, please click here.
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Parent Volunteers
All Hands on Deck: FJA Needs Your Help During Lunch
FJA'S NEW LUNCH program with FLIK (see sidebar notice below) has been a resounding success during its short life.
In fact, we are seeing more kids enjoying catered lunch than we anticipated. All good things.
Healthy, well-fed students make for happy students ... except when they have to wait for lunch because of long lines.
We are sending out an S.O.S. to our dedicated corps of parents to ask for some volunteers to help out during lunch a few times a month.
Please contact Julie Ohana and show our students that the parent body is as dedicated to the success of our new lunch program as we are. Email Julie by clicking
here.
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Student Life
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ADL Hosts Student Workshop on Anti-Semitism at CSZ
THE ANTI-DEFAMATION League will host a series of workshops throughout the fall and beginning of winter at Congregation Shaarey Zedek in Southfield for students to learn about addressing anti-Semitism.
The program offers tools to strengthen student capacity and build confidence to counter anti-Israel movements on college campuses and anti-Semitism in general.
Programs are 90 minutes long and will run one Sunday each month through December from 1-2:30 p.m.:
Sept. 17; Oct. 22; Nov. 19 and Dec. 10.
For more information, or to RSVP, contact Julie Wohl, Director of Youth and Family Learning at (248) 357-5544.
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 The Week
That Was
FINALLY, A FULL week of class and it will be fleeting as we hover around the start of the fall chagim season. The week began on a somber note as the school marked the 16th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks in New York, Pennsylvania and Washington D.C.
History Department Chair Paul Thebert used the occasion to spend the week having students in each of his U.S. History sections analyze the events of 9/11 within the context of America's democratic values.
Thebert said students discussed what types of events and people America should celebrate, juxtaposing several 9/11 monuments to evaluate compare their goals and designs.
The lesson will culminate in a semester capstone project using the equipment in Genesis Lab to design and build monuments for "hidden heroes" who have yet to receive recognition.
Let's Hear It For the Jags!
 IN THIS WEEK'S Town Hall, the theme was nominally called a "Fall Sports Pep Rally," designed to stoke the flames of school spirit for our Jaguars.
Given the relatively small size of our FJA community (in comparison to our competition), each student who makes the effort to attend a team competition makes a significant impact.
All fall sports teams, including Volleyball, Soccer, Cross Country and Tennis were represented. Want to feel as if you were part of the excitement? Click here.
 Make it a Sweet New Year!
On behalf of the Sof Shavua "newsroom" staff, the FJA faculty and administration, we wish you a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year. Shabbat Shalom and
Shanah Tovah Umetukah
!
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 Athletics Department
VOLLEYBALL | Jags Continue Making History
JAGS VOLLEYBALL CONTINUED its excellent play -- going 2-1 for the week, which began with a shutout on Sept. 11 against Macomb Christian, 3-0. Freshmen Adina Robbins and Julia Klein had several huge digs, while Emilie Weingarden offered up several contributions, too.
On Tues., Sept. 12, the girls traveled to University Liggett in Grosse Pointe where, despite a valiant effort, the Jags fell 3-0. In the match, Lauren Levitt and Ruby Ruben led the ladies with multiple kills, and Stephanie Snover was steady with her sets.
The week's third match, on Thurs., Sept. 14 at home against Cristo Rey, allowed the Jags to bounce back and steamroll their guests. Anna Weinbaum had a huge ace and one big kill, and the Morton Twins contributed several big digs and huge serves. Hannah Gorman saw her first extended action of the year.
FJA Volleyball now sits at 6-1 - a phenomenal record that should instill Jaguar pride in everyone. Next week, the Jags play at home with a 5 p.m. start time on Monday, Sept. 18. Tuesday is a 7 p.m. away game against Everest. Come and cheer your Jags on to victory.
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Administration News
Appreciating The Sound of Silence
By Dr. Seth Korelitz
Director of Jewish Studies
I'LL TELL YOU a secret. One thing all school administrators have in common is a jealousy of teachers. We miss the classroom and being with students throughout the day.
So I was excited this week to volunteer as a substitute for Rabbi Blumstein and his Seniors' Minyan. (One of the 11 minyanim we are offering during first semester.)
Rabbi Blumstein's lesson plan called for students to reflect on silence -- in groups and, appropriately, silently to themselves.
Silence is actually something FJA teachers have been thinking about lately. During our professional development week in August we spoke a lot about communication, and one of the points that kept repeating was the importance of silence. It seems obvious, but sometimes we forget that we can't truly listen to others unless we first silence ourselves.
It may seem less obvious, but silence is also a necessity for good teaching. An "awkward" silence after asking a question is often enough to elicit student contributions; a dramatic pause can highlight an important point; or silence can simply be an effective tool to encourage calmness or contemplation in the classroom.
A couple of examples show how silence is used as a powerful instructional tool at FJA. Rabbi Stein has introduced a new course called Jewish Texts and Art. By giving students the opportunity to interpret and comment on classical Jewish texts through different artistic media, by doing not "just" talking, Rabbi Stein provides students new, often deeper and more personal connections, to their heritage.
Another example is in the Mehitza Minyan, where Ms. Nadis starts each morning by projecting on the board a kavvanah, a short meditation or point to consider. Without saying anything, the participants in the minyan have an opportunity to consider familiar prayers from entirely new orientations.
As we continue to use silence in teaching our students, we hope we'll all see the results loud and clear. Shabbat Shalom.
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Performing Arts Department
Cast List for "Pippin" is Announced
THE FALL/WINTER production of "Pippin" has been cast! Students performing in the Tony award-winning story of a mysterious performance troupe telling the story of
Pippin, a young prince on his search for meaning and significance, is now knee-deep in rehearsals.
Tickets for "Pippin" go on sale beginning October 2 and the two-run show takes to the Berman stage December 2-3, 2017. And now, without further adieu, the cast of "Pippin" ...
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| And you thought YOU were the teacher's pet! |
Last year you got to know the teachers ... this year you'll get to know their pets.
A famous quote by the French novelist and actress Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, who penned the novella "Gigi" under the nom de plume
Colette
, sums up the relationship between a person and their pet fairly well: "Our perfect companions never have fewer than four feet."
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This is Atticus... He's an almost three-year-old English Bulldog who's very happy and energetic, always ready to play fetch. His favorite thing is to play in water, and gets mad if I water the garden and forget to water him!
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