Greetings From The Head Of School
The month of Adar flew by with all of the joy and spirit associated with Purim. The day after Shushan Purim, begins the massive pre-Pesach preparations, whether it is cleaning out one's household or planning and packing for a wonderful family get-together. In school, we also prepared for the Pesach
seder, having the girls write down on notecards, pithy insights to share at the table. Additionally, the Green team from color war (the team representing Rachel Imeinu) created a fun and educational version of the classic game Taboo- calling it "Tu'b'uu", as it is written that Bnai Yisrael crossed the sea but חיל מצרים טובעו בים סוף. We would love to get feedback from you on how much your family enjoyed this version.
As we rid our homes of
chametz, it is interesting to note the significance of
chametz in comparison to
matzah.
Chametz, (leavening) becomes bloated as it rises, symbolizing self-inflated egotism and pride.
Matzah, which remains flat and unpretentious, reflects selfless humility. This concept is also reflected in the Torah's description of
matzah as "poor man's bread"; לחם עוני - a poor man is humble and free of arrogance. Eating "poor man's bread" reduces our selfish tendencies. This is a good
reminder of the midot we want to inculcate in our children. Yes, we want them to have self-esteem but that is coupled with humility and understanding, that who we are and what we are, is all because Hashem took us out of Mitzrayim and freed us to realize our potential.
The word
Chametz is also a derivation of the Hebrew word for sour, "
Chamutz" and allegorically it can represents the sourness in our daily lives. Some people say
chametzut is also a term for the
yetzer hara (our inclination toward evil), which is understood by the rabbis to be part of every individual's personality. The
yetzer hara is part of a complex of natural drives and urges that is held in balance by its opposite, the
yetzer hatov (inclination to do good). The rabbis understood that
chametz can be used to make bread rise, but it also has the potential to over-ferment and spoil the bread. As yeast has its purpose, the
yetzer hara has its function, but it must be watched, reigned in and not allowed to overcome us. The drive to do evil requires balance in our lives, counterbalanced by the
Yetzer Hatov, which holds it in check from literally overwhelming the individual. There are times, however, when we must purge ourselves of
chametz totally.
Pesach becomes the perfect opportunity to free ourselves from past negativity. Pesach is the holiday that commemorates our freedom from enslavement. By getting rid of our internal
chametz, by letting go of old grudges, hurts, or disappointments, we can go forward with a positive mental attitude and really be free.
So my
bracha to you all is that we change the stress of Passover Preparations from distress to eustress (positive energy). May all SBTAG families, friends, faculty and staff enjoy a
Chag Kasher V'sameach.
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Calendar News
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shaareibina.org
March 26- April 9 - Pessach Break
April 10 - School Resumes
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D'var Torah Parashat Tsav
by Rivka Bodkins
(As told by her nephew Baruch Leib Gross)
This week's
Parsha,
Parshas Tzav, details the
halachos of the
Korban Todah, which is an offering of thanksgiving that people are obligated to bring after being saved from a dangerous situation. The
Medrash on Tehilim tells us that there are two aspects of thanksgiving within this sacrifice. What are these two aspects?
The Ksav Sofer explains that the person is obligated not only to thank Hashem for saving him from that danger, but to also thank Him for being put into that situation of danger in the first place! This is because everything Hashem does is for our good, even when it seems to be the polar opposite.
This is a major theme in the Pesach Hagadda as well. The three items we must discuss are Pesach,
Matza, and
Marror. As evident from the
Pasukim, the
Korban Pesach represents freedom, the
Maror represents the bitter servitude, and the
Matzah represents the dichotomy of both the freedom and the servitude. Rabbi Yonah Sklare suggests that the symbolism of the 'Seder Sandwich' where we eat all three together (although unfortunately nowadays we don't eat the Pesach) is that we are acknowledging that even the bitter servitude was for our good.
Let us all be reminded by the story of the Exodus, the story of the
Megilla, and so many other stories throughout
Klal Yisroel's history where we were able to see the full picture, that there is ALWAYS a full picture, where all the suffering is really unadulterated goodness from Hashem. May we merit to see the days of Moshiach when we will proclaim the
bracha of
Hatov Vihameitiv on bad events, acknowledging that everything we had to go through was one hundred percent for our benefit.
LESSON: DIFFICULT ROADS OFTEN LEAD TO BEAUTIFUL DESTINATIONS
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Brunch And Learn With Our Principal
Mrs. Tobi Wolf
This week, we discussed Pesach themes. The Rambam tell us that there is a positive commandment to tell of the miracles and wonders that were done to our forefathers in Egypt on the night of the fifteenth of Nissan (Laws of Chometz and Matzoh, Perek 7, Halacha 1). He explains that the textual Torah source of the mitzvah is:
"זָכוֹר אֶת הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר יְצָאתֶם מִמִּצְרַיִם" (שמות יג ג), כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "זָכוֹר אֶת יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת". (שמות כ ח)
Remmber this day thay you went out of Egypt just as it says, "Remember the day of Shabbat.
What do the two have in common? They are both
mitzvot of זָכוֹר, remembrance. The Rambam explains the
mitzvah of זָכוֹר אֶת יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת, is "to sanctify the day of Shabbat with words",
" כְּלוֹמַר זָכְרֵהוּ זְכִירַת שֶׁבַח וְקִדּוּשׁ", that is to say, remember it as a remembrance of praise and sanctification.
And so we learn, that the essential
mitzvah of the
Seder on the first night of pesach is to remember, through verbal articulation, the miracles that Hashem did for us. " והגדת לבניך - And you shall tell it to your children", explains the process through which that verbal articulation must be performed. But the objective is clear. Through the study of the events that happened, beginning with an understanding of how bad our initial state was and culminating in redemption, we recognize the beneficence and wisdom of the Creator; we are then overcome with the desire to praise Him. And so, we conclude our
Seder with the recitation of
Hallel .
May each of us, accompanied by family and friends, be זוכה to experience a
Seder that inspires us to a state of שֶׁבַח וְקִדּוּשׁ, praise and sanctification.
! חג כשר ושמח
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Pesach is coming and part of our Pesach prep included SBTAG girls sharing with their partners in The Peninsula. We brought our hand drawn Pesach pillow cases to be painted by the seniors. The girls explained that Pesach celebrates our ability to live in a land where we can practice our religion, choose our friends, and professions with freedom. The pillowcases symbolize our ability to lean like kings at the Pesach Seder. The seniors responded with the changes in this area, compared to how many of them grew up, and rejoice in our freedoms in the modern world. They expressed their enjoyment in the Better Together program. The seniors were excited to use their newly painted pillow cases as a symbol of their freedoms and the color that this program has brought to their lives.
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Visit To The Frost Museum
as reported by Avigail Roth and Chana Jaimovich
The entire High School went to visit the Frost Science Museum in downtown Miami. This trip was arranged by Ms. Sabina Joseph our science teacher. We first visited the Planetarium. We saw an entertaining and educational movie screened on the ceiling of the dome making it feel like we are gazing into space. This movie taught us how space exploration impacts our daily lives. We were excited to touch the stingrays and pet the starfish in the aquarium. In this section we were introduced to marine biology and the aquatic habitat of South Florida. We pretended we were archaeologists uncovering fossil remains of dinosaurs.
We were impressed by the layout of the museum and the architecture. It was amazing to see the aquarium from bottom up. The exotic fish and sea creatures were enchanting. Do you know that Jellyfish actually glow!!!
By making paper airplanes we learned about aeronautics and the evolution of travel as we know it today, including airplanes, jets, and spacecraft. The best part was the "Dance Floor" which was part of the exhibit about the human body. The floor counted our footsteps like a fitbit. There was a cool exhibit of the brain.
The view from the roof of the museum was breathtaking - you could actually see the whole of Miami on a clear day. We thank Ms. Joseph for coordinating this trip and encouraging us to go. Thank you to Mrs. Wolf, Mrs. Zienes and Ms. Vera for chaperoning us. We had a blast.
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On Wednesday the twelfth grade took their next step towards graduation and took pictures for their yearbook in caps and gowns. The girls looked beautiful against the backdrop of the designer stores located in Winwood. Our girls are really blossoming into young adults ready to go out into the world.
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From The Desk Of Noa Bejar
The March In-School SATs are behind us! Scores will be available 3-4 weeks after testing. Today we ordered the May AP
exams. We're so proud of our students who are working hard to open post high school doors for themselves! Seniors are set and Juniors have been exploring various college options and career fields. Please contact me if you have any questions
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SBATG Joins The First JNF Workshop
What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear about the Jewish National Fund? If you said planting trees, you would be right! Most people know JNF for their forests! But now JNF is working with schools to promote awareness about Israel - its heritage, its geography, its significance as our Jewish Homeland. The JNF is now partnering with South Florida schools to enhance Israel education. Sha'arei Bina was proud to be one of the participants in their first workshop and we look forward to partnering with them in the future!
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10th Grade English
Ms. Monica Vera
On Thursday, the 10th grade presented The Museum of Old Beliefs to other classes. The girls shared beliefs they held as children, which have evolved and changed over time in order to establish a relationship between their personal growth with the evolution of Christopher Boone, the narrator of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. The novel, which focuses on the ways in which individuals - even those who seem to be vastly different from us - face the universal challenges of transitioning into adulthood under difficult, sometimes devastating circumstances. This theme was thoughtfully illuminated by the 10th graders, who created their own installations to a museum exhibition showcasing old beliefs that characterized their understanding of the world when they were younger.
Adi Nissenbaum created a model that illustrated her fear of monsters in the dark, while Miri Mizrachi presented the belief that her dad was a superhero in her eyes. Chana Jaimovich used to think the human heart was shaped like the stylized version we see in print, and Rebecca Balgley believed all of the world's countries were located in the US. Batyah Lancry believed her brother when told her there was a pot of gold at the end of every rainbow, while Avigail Roth took her grandmother's joke literally when she was told she rode to school on a dinosaur. Aliyah Fromme thought the Cat in the Hat lived in her aunt's house, while Yehudit Fink believed that her mom went to "Mommy School" in order to learn how to be a mother. Like many others, Rachel Levy believed in the tooth fairy, and Leeam Gir used to think that the world was black and white until The Wizard of Oz was released in vivid technicolor. All of the girls did a great job sharing their old beliefs with other students, and Avigail's "performance piece," was especially fun. See pictures above for a glimpse into SBTAG's Museum of Old Beliefs!
The Art Room: Middle School
Mrs. Brody
This week we learned how to paint with coffee. The art room smelled like a coffee shop. On Monday we used regular coffee and Wednesday we used Mocha coffee. We learned techniques for creating different values, textures, and washes. Then we painted three values on 3 "coffee pods" and organized them from dark to light for our coffee wall display. After, we painted our own unique work based on abstract or realism. We all had a great time.
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