January 17, 2019, 11 Sh'vat 5779 This Week  הַשָּׁבוּעַ

Reminders for the Week Student Council Tu B'shvat bake sale for the garden tomorrow School closed Monday for Tu B'shvat, Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Message from the Head of School

This weekend we mark Tu B’shvat, the holiday of trees. On this holiday we often share the story of Honi the Circle Maker who questioned why an elder would plant trees the benefits of which they would not enjoy in their lifetime. The elder then teaches the importance of legacy: “As I benefited from trees planted by my elders, so will my descendants enjoy the fruit of these trees.”  A similar message was taught by the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., whose birthday we also observe this weekend: Read More

Calendar and Upcoming Events

Jan. 18th Kabbalat Shabbat, 2:30pm Student Council Tu B'shvat Bake Sale for the Garden, 3:00pm Jan. 21st SCHOOL CLOSED Martin Luther King Jr. Day Tu B'shvat Jan. 24th Torah Service, 8:30am Jan. 25th Kabbalat Shabbat, 2:30pm Jan. 29th Common Ground Speaker Series, 9:30am Professional Learning, 2:00pm Dismissal

Jan. 30th Common Ground Speaker Series, 9:30am and 7:30pm Feb. 1st Kabbalat Shabbat, 2:30pm Feb. 4th Keshet of Kavod Assembly, 8:30am Feb. 5th YPA Meeting, 8:35am, Activity Room A Feb. 7th Torah Service, 8:30am Feb. 8th Kabbalat Shabbat, 2:30pm

Subscribe to Yavneh's Calendar New: 2019-2020 School Year Preliminary Calendar

Club J Mini Camp at the JCC Mon. Jan. 21st and Mon. Feb. 18th The JCC is offering Day Camp this Monday when Yavneh is closed for Tu B'shvat and Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and on Feb. 18 when Yavneh's closed for Presidents' Day. More Info and Registration

New Yavneh Gear for the New Year! Yavneh is excited to offer Yavneh gear with our new logo for order through Lands' End. Choose from a variety of new colors. Order below and enter in Yavneh's name and location, or the school #900106832. Order Yavneh Gear

Common Ground Speaker Series: Changing Bodies, Changing Times: Laying the Groundwork for Healthy Relationships, Justine Fonte, MEd, MPH, Tue. Jan. 29th, 9:30am, The Nueva School, Bay Meadows Campus Wed. Jan. 30th, 9:30am, The Harker School, Middle School Campus Wed. Jan. 30th, 7:00pm, Woodside Priory Justine Fonte, MEd, MPH, a leading sexuality educator and social justice activist, will explore the skills children and teens need to develop healthy relationships in today’s world. This event is FREE for Yavneh parents. More Info and RSVP

Yavneh Art Retrospective at the APJCC Now-February Student artwork is currently on display upstairs along the hallways at the JCC. Come take a look at pieces created by students of all ages representing different aspects of Yavneh's art program. Student artwork has previously been featured at the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco, The Obama White House Blog, the Peninsula Symphony and local newspapers.

All School Open House

Students showcased their learning at last night's Open House. We celebrated the Grand Opening of the re-designed bathrooms by the Yehumanoot classes (middle school elective) with guest Artists-in-Residence Dynamic Duo Isaac & Rabbi Shawna Brynjegard-Bialik (B2). There were also performances by Yavneh’s Modern Band and the Performing Arts middle school elective.

Guest Artist-in-Residence Dynamic Duo Isaac & Rabbi Shawna Brynjegard-Bialik (B2) hosted a workshop for the Yehumanoot students before Open House.

Kitah Gan Geffen has been exploring the Arctic region and are fundraising for Arctic animals. Here is a video they created with some facts about the Arctic. Gan Geffen encourages all Yavneh students to help by bringing $1.00 to Gan Geffen over the next 2 weeks.

Hebrew Pearls פנינת הלשון

Hebrew Corner by Professor Edna Aphek In this column, Yavneh Hebrew consultant, Professor Edna Aphek reflects on the recent rains and the word for rain in Hebrew, “geshem". A version of that same word, geshem, means body in Arabic and Aramaic. In the middle ages the “physicality” of the word geshem was adopted into Hebrew as well as is evidenced in words like materialism (gashmiut) and materialization of a dream (lehagshim) which share the same root. A biblical term for rain, “matar", which is used in prayer is the root of the Hebrew word for umbrella, “mitriyah”. Read More

Students in Action

The Keshet Krew introduced the character trait of Curiosity at the all school School Tu B’shvat Buddy Beit Midrash on Monday. Students put curiosity into practice with their buddies by discussing text from the Torah related to Tu B’shvat. Buddy classes are also working together on tree projects around the school campus.

As we look forward toward Tu B'shvat, Kitah Alef Tamar took part in nature walks to sketch and collect fallen pieces of nature near trees and in the garden. After discussing how trees helped us in their lives, Alef Tamar built a class tree out of branches, leaves, and bark they had collected. They then wrote about the value of trees.

Kitah Bet Zayit is exploring fruit and learning more Hebrew related to the fruits in honor of Tu B’shvat.

Kitah Dalet shares their Shiv'at HaMinim project. Shiv'at HaMinim (The Seven Species) are seven agricultural products - two grains and five fruits - which are listed in the Torah as being special species of Israel.

Kitah Hay has been studying explorers from the 14th-16th centuries. Students created ships and gave presentations on the early life, sponsorships, reasons for exploring, routes, obstacles, and accomplishments of explorers John Cabot, Vasco Nuñez de Balboa, Henry Hudson, Christopher Columbus, and Juan Ponce de León.

Kitah Bet held their Family Havdallah Workshop this past Sunday in preparation for their milestone ceremony in February. Understanding is profoundly deepened through learning in relationship and community. More photos

Important Links

Lunch Menu and After School Enrichment: Menu (School Password: LFC1) Challah Orders: Click here (School Password: yavneh1) Volunteer Opportunities: Click here Club J Ha'Moadon: Click here Shop with eScrip: Order gift cards from Lands End, restaurants, supermarkets, and more. eScrip will donate a percentage to Yavneh. Shop Now  AmazonSmile: When you shop Amazon Smile, Amazon will donate a portion (0.5%) of the purchase price to Yavneh. Shop Now

In the Community

The Princess Project of Silicon Valley Now-March Yavneh is partnering with the Princess Project of Silicon Valley to collect used dresses, gently used dress shoes, hotel size toiletries, and unused makeup. The Princess Project promotes self confidence and individual beauty by providing free prom dresses and accessories to high school teens who otherwise cannot afford them. The rack and bins are in Yavneh's lobby. More info Kehillah Jewish High School Presents:  Culture Grinds Featuring Alicia Jo Rabins - Girls in Trouble Concert Mon. Jan. 28th, 7:00pm, Kehillah Black Box Theater, 3900 Fabian Way, Palo Alto Please join us as we turn the Black Box Theater into a hip, immersive coffeehouse for music, performance, discussion, and of course, our own barista making delicious coffee and hot chocolate drinks! More info

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