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Sisters Nataniella and Elisabeth arrived eager to get started with 1st and 5th grade!
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Introducing Our Theme of the Year
"Thankfulness has an inner connection with humility. It recognizes that what we are and what we have is due to others and above all, to God."
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks
Welcome back to school! This year marks the 70th anniversary of Akiba-Schechter,
an impressive milestone that marks seven decades of excellence in Jewish education in Chicago. It is a milestone that, with the Jewish New Year approaching, requires reflection. A reflection, that for me, and for so many who have been a part of this wonderful school, deserves gratitude. For this reason, we introduced our theme of the year at our assembly today:
#akibagratitude
The Hebrew term and the Jewish view of gratitude is "Hakarat HaTov," which means "acknowledgment of the good."
"Hakarat Hatov" is more than words of acknowledgement, it also expresses positive feelings towards others and taking action to show that appreciation.
As we begin this new school year and enter the month of Elul leading up to Rosh HaShana, let me take a moment to thank all of our teachers, staff, students, parents, lay leaders, community members and supporters who take action every day to make Akiba-Schechter our great school. May this year be a year of growth, success and constant gratitude for the blessings our school provides for so many.
Shabbat Shalom!
Dr. Eliezer Jones
Head of School
Our first Parsha Newsletter went out yesterday. Please check it out and give us feedback!
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All Grades Assembly on Friday to announce our theme of Gratitude!
Children wrote notes about what they are grateful for to leave at school and also bring home.
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Our tree of Gratitude blooms in Loeb Hall, created by the students with help from Dara.
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A big thank you to preschool parent Alyssa Minkus, who created and gifted us this beautiful balloon arrangement for back-to-school week.
And welcome to Officer Pittman, who has joined our security team.
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Celebrating Self-Portraits
Over the summer, Director of Operations and Community Engagement Jill Kohl was hard at work beautifying the school. One of the results of her efforts is this gallery of students' self-portraits.
Creating self-portraits has always been a mainstay of our preschool curriculum and our art classes in grades 1-8. Making a self-portrait gives students an opportunity to express their artistic talent. Along the way it helps develop their fine-motor skills and problem-solving strategies, as well as promoting a deeper understanding of self. With this display we are proud to showcase some of their work from different grades, exhibiting the differences in observation skills, ability to create detailed representations and spatial awareness.
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Welcome to Our New Day School Teachers
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Iris Putterman is now splitting her time between Kindergarten in the morning and teaching Kitah Alef in the afternoons. She taught preschool at Akiba in the late '90s and early '00s, then spent many years in Singapore, where she also taught at a Jewish preschool. She returned to the U.S. and to teaching at Akiba four years ago. Consummate teacher and native Hebrew speaker that she is, we're glad she took on the new task of teaching Kitah Alef.
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Nechama Moller is excited to be teaching 5th/6th grade Tanach at Akiba. She lives in West Rogers Park and has worked closely with our former longtime
Judaics
teacher Alise Gold in a Sunday school program. She took the leap to Akiba at Mrs. Gold's prodding. Ms. Moller has a B.A. from Excelsior College, for which she studied online while working in Arie Crown's REACH classroom, where she worked individually with students on Tanach. She's is currently pursuing a B.S. in Special Education from North Dakota University, also online.
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Maor Yehoshua Sandak is teaching 3rd/4th and Middle School Hebrew, and is also riding the Lakeview bus as our bus monitor. He just moved to Chicagoland after wrapping up 20 years of service in the IDF this summer. He lives in Evanston, where his partner is at Northwestern University.
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Popsicles in the Park: Getting Ready for Preschool
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We had a wonderful time seeing old friends and making new ones at Popsicles in the Park on Thursday. We look forward to welcoming our youngest students next week!
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Join Us for Back-to-School Nights!
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Meet your children's teachers and get a glimpse of their day at:
Middle School Back-to-School Night
Wednesday, September 4
6:00 - 6:30 p.m.: Mandatory 8th Grade Parent Meeting
6:30 - 9:00 p.m.: Classroom Visits
Preschool - 4th Grade Back-to-School Night
Wednesday, September 11, 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
Please note that Back-to-School Nights are for parents only.
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After-School Programs Begin Next Week
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j
Please
contact Cindy Friedman if you have any questions.
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Refuah Shleima - Get Well Soon
...to
Ron Lisak
for a full and speedy recovery.
Baruch Dayan Emet
...our longtime benefactor Harriet Koehler passed away over the summer. May her memory be for a blessing.
Marla's Lunch
Don't forget to order lunch for your children! Lunch orders are due on Mondays at noon for the following week of lunches.
Comedy Night with Evolve Hadassah
September 10, 7:00 p.m.
Private Home in Lakeview
Evolve Hadassah, the Young Women's Network, is an exciting new opportunity in the Chicago area where women can make a difference, connect with other amazing women (30s through 50s) and have fun, too! We invite members of the Akiba Schechter community to join us at our upcoming kick-off event on ! Share with friends and
RSVP
today.
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Dates to Remember
Monday, September 2
Labor Day
No School
Tuesday, September 3
First Day of Kindergarten
Preschool Visitation Day
8:30 - 11:00 a.m.
Late Bus and After-School Programs Begin
3:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Wednesday, September 4
First Full Day of Preschool
Mandatory Meeting for 8th Grade Parents
6:00 - 6:30 p.m.
Middle School Back-to-School Night
for Parents Only
6:30 - 9:00 p.m.
Sunday, September 8
All-School Picnic
11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Harold Washington Park across from school
Wednesday, September 11
Preschool - 4th Grade Back-to-School Night
7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
Thursday, September 12
First Day of Parent-Tot
9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
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Volume 16, Issue 1
Candle Lighting: 7:08 p.m.
Parasha: Re'eh
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Affiliated with the Associated Talmud Torahs and supported by the Kehillah Jewish Education Fund
773-493-8880
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