Early Childhood and Lower School
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This week for parshat lech-lecha, Early Childhood students were greeted by “Avram” (a disguised Rabbi Srolovitz) who commanded them - “Lech lecha m’artzecha.” Students followed Avram on this unknown journey, armed with suitcases for the trip, and set out to search all over the school building for Eretz Canaan and their new home. They sang and marched with Avram until they found their new home and concluded their journey with the singing of Hatikvah.
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Our school's Rishon, Yehonatan Friedman has begun to visit our classrooms. The Rishonim program, in partnership with Federation of Greater Metrowest, sends Israeli teens to area day schools as shlichim to educate children about Israel, Israeli people and Israeli culture. This week, the students got to know our new Rishon, and he got to know a little about us and our homes.
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With the changing weather, first graders are learning about weather. Since we can’t see the wind, we look at how objects move outside as a result of the wind to determine the wind speed. First graders went outside of school this week to observe the flags on the flagpoles in front of the building and used a scale to record the strength of the wind. Each student created his or her own weather flag and tested it out to see how much wind was blowing. They will be checking out the wind speed throughout the weekend and will record the findings.
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As part of the Names Not Numbers program, students are mentored by a journalist for the oral history Holocaust documentary that they will produce. Shira Vickar-Fox, managing editor of the New Jersey Jewish News (and mom to 8th grader Boaz Fox and Gidi Fox, JKHA '15) spoke to the 8th grade students this week and provided them with guidance on proper interviewing techniques and pointers on how to ask questions that elicit responses. The students will surely use the advice they gleaned when they interview the survivors in the upcoming months.
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Their last year at JKHA started to feel real as the eighth grade gathered for their yearbook photos this week! The whole school enjoyed smiling for the camera for their picture days as well throughout the week.
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The RKYHS chapter of SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) met this week and heard from Bill Lillis from the Partnership for a Drug- Free NJ. Mr. Lillis spoke about teenage use of juuling/vaping and the dangers involved. The group discussed effective ways to help their peers steer away from vaping and promote healthy behaviors.
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As part of this week's SEED program, RKYHS students heard from Lili Gil Valletta, the CEO of Cien+ CuturalIntel. Ms Valletta is an expert in new uses for data analytics in the 21st century economy. She spoke to students about the skills they should acquire to be "future proof" as we move forward in this "Fourth Industrial Revolution," the different ways to gather and utilize big-data analytics, and the prime importance of cultural intelligence and its applications.
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RKYHS was thrilled to welcome renown scholar and prolific author Dr. Erica Brown to school last Friday. Dr. Brown inspired students as she delineated how they can shape their own personal and Jewish identities, from their valuable time now in high school and as they go forward through life. Dr. Brown had the students think about the major factors that have shaped their Jewish identities up until now, and discussed the concept of a “thin and thick Jewish identity,” - what aspects of our identities are strong and immutable, and which can wax and wane. She concluded her inspiring and motivational talk by describing three identity frameworks, behavioral, emotional, and cognitive - what you do, what you feel, and what you think. In order to maintain a “thick” Jewish identity, one must think, feel, and do in order to create a deep and meaningful Jewish life.
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The weekly Chugim have begun at RKYHS! Students can choose from a selection of options representing a wide variety of interests including chess, knitting, ceramics, choir, literary magazine, DNA chug and more. Several chugim this year have been initiated by the students themselves including "girls who code" and a Sharsheret/cancer awareness chug. As part of their chug meeting this week, the packed room for the homeless awareness chug discussed and planned for their visit to the streets of Newark this Thursday evening to hand out food, clothing, and supplies.
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In our Yesodot (Foundations) class, grades 9 and 10 boys have been learning that it is not enough just to do mitzvot, but to do so with a sense of idealism and pride in what we are doing. To that end, we discussed that the way one dresses and presents oneself as a Jew, helps build a sense of passion and belief in what we do. The class has been working together to strengthen their observance of the mitzvah of tzitzit in particular, and to have a sense of pride in wearing tzitzit as proud members of the Torah community.
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Approximately 20 students from the RKYHS AIPAC committee attended a gathering for Jay Webber, Republican candidate for Congress for the 11th District. The featured speaker was Speaker of the House, Paul Ryan, who urged the crowd to get out and vote. A special "shoutout" was mentioned that students from RKYHS were present in the audience, which was met with huge applause. The AIPAC students also recently had the opportunity to attend an event for Mikie Sherrill, the Democratic candidate running against Webber.
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Kushner Torah Videos (KTV)
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We are excited to continue the Kushner Torah Video series, featuring school faculty sharing an inspiring moment of Torah based on that week's parsha. Enjoy this video with words on Parshat Lech-Lecha from RKYHS Judaic Studies faculty member Rabbi Landau.
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The Lessons from Lech Lecha
The first two words of the parsha capture Avraham’s essence and character: “Lech Lecha—Go thee out.” Avraham was a man of action. He took initiative, engaged challenges, developed dynamic relationships with others, and demonstrated moral leadership. His motto, explains Rabbi Norman Lamm, is that a Jew “must never be static.”
A closer read of Avraham’s odyssey, however, reveals that his journey was fraught with disappointments and laced with distress.
The Lubavitcher Rebbe points to Avraham’s mixed experiences to highlight a fundamental theme of Judaism in particular and life in general. In isolation, descent can be crushing. But for Avraham, his conflicts and struggles transformed into learning opportunities and character development. His setbacks became platforms for later achievement.
All people struggle through crises and challenges can often yield long-term benefits and personal redemption.
Shabbat Shalom!
-Rabbi Eliezer Rubin
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A Look at Torah She Be'al Peh
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This week we continue our new Kushner Connections feature that
takes a holistic look at how different subject areas are covered throughout each of our divisions, from our youngest learners to our oldest high school students. This week we take a look at Torah She Be'al Peh...
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Save the Date for the JKHA/RKYHS ATID SOCIETY concert on
Sunday, December 2nd
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Don't miss this event coming up
this Sunday!
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Mazal Tov to Rachel Rutner and to Juliet and Dr. Torin Rutner on the occasion of Rachel's bat mitzvah.
Mazal Tov to Danielle and Akiva Rosenzveig on the birth of a baby boy.
We regret to inform you of the passing of Linda Anne Bloom, a"h, beloved mother of Jodi Liebov and beloved grandmother of Shelli (12th grade) and Mitchell (9th grade) Liebov.
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We Invite You to Dedicate Our
Children's Torah Learning
at JKHA/RKYHS
If you are interested in sponsoring a Day of Learning, contact Sarah Levinson: slevinson@jkha.org or (862) 437-8001
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If you are interested in dedicating a mezuzah, please contact Lauren Shapiro, Director of Development at
lshapiro@jkha.org
or
(862) 437-8192
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Mazal Tov Sheri (Liebman JKHA 2002/RKYHS 2006) and Ariel Rotenberg on the birth of a baby boy. Mazal tov to grandparents Yaffa and Larry Liebman.
Mazal tov to Kyle Blank (JKHA '06) on his engagement to Samara Sone.
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