Heilicher's Halloween Statement

Halloween is Monday, October 31, 2022. It presents an interesting case study of what it means to be a Jewish community day school in America in the 21st century.

For most, Halloween is a secular American holiday, with traditions emphasizing local community and neighborhood connections. For others, its pagan origins (dating to ancient times), Christian associations (dating to the Middle Ages), and history of anti-Semitic activity make it a religious celebration and therefore off-limits for Jews. The full range of participation in Halloween is visible in the Jewish community: some families embrace it fully, some reject it completely, and some find a spot for themselves somewhere in-between. All those responses are represented at Heilicher.

Because it is a Jewish community day school, Heilicher does not include Halloween in its program of holiday celebrations or in its classroom curriculum. The school does not post decorations, wear costumes, or distribute candy/treats. Those rituals are reserved for Purim, an explicitly Jewish holiday.



At the same time, Heilicher does not presume to tell families how to engage with Halloween. This means some students in every classroom will talk about their plans with great enthusiasm, while others will be silent. Our job (teachers and parents alike) is to be alert to these conversations as they occur between now and Halloween and to recognize their potential to make a Heilicher student feel like an outsider within their Jewish classroom and Jewish school. We all are responsible for providing a safe and supportive forum for examination and reflection, if necessary. In that regard, Halloween also serves as an interesting case study of what it means to be Jewish in America in the 21st century.

Dr. David Ackerman (Doc)

Jewish Living and Learning Director

Torah Thoughts from Doc

Read a brief message about this week's Torah portion, Parashat Noach. "Demonstrate your faith in democracy and vote."

Mark Your Calendars!

• Thursday, October 27-Wednesday, November 2 - Fall Extracurriculars End — Refer to Jumbula for each program's end date 
• Wednesday, November 2 - Picture Day
• Thursday, November 3 - NO SCHOOL: Conferences, 8 a.m.-7 p.m., Heilicher
• Friday, November 4 - NO SCHOOL: ISACS Conference for Faculty
• Thursday, November 10 - Heilicher Moms' Night Out, 6:30-8 p.m., Mainstream Boutique Golden Valley (more info in PTO section below)
• Friday, November 11 - Winter Friday Dismissal Time begins (2:45 p.m.)
• Sunday, November 20 - Heilicher Annual Benefit, 5 p.m., Beth El Synagogue
• Tuesday, November 22 - Yom Dor l'Dor Grandparents/Special Persons Day, 1:30-3:30 p.m., Heilicher

View the full Heilicher calendar online

Key Dates for 2022-2023

Last Chance: Register for Winter Extracurriculars

Registration for winter 2022 after-school activities and athletics closes TOMORROW, Friday, October 28. Sign-up is first come, first served.

*On the payment page, DO NOT click the acknowledgement box shown here, as it may interfere with your registration.

Please reach out to Athletic Director Lee Metzger or HaBonim and After-School Activities Coordinator Rivka Buchbinder with any questions.

**Please note that fall extracurriculars end between today, October 27, and November 2. Refer to Jumbula for each program's end date.

Fall Conferences

Sign up for fall conferences by 11:59 p.m. on Monday, October 31.

Conferences will be on Thursday, November 3, 8-11 a.m., 12-4 p.m., and 5-7 p.m. Note: No conferences 11 a.m.-12 p.m. or 4-5 p.m. to allow teachers to have a lunch and dinner break.

Sign up here for fall conferences. If you have K-5 students, please make sure to sign up for a 20-minute block with your child(ren)'s General Studies teacher and a 10-minute block(s) with their Hebrew and Jewish Studies teacher(s). Those with students in grades 6-8 should sign up for an hour time block with the “6-8 Middle School Team,” not with individual teachers. The Middle School conferences will be in the auditorium, and you will rotate through your child(ren)’s teachers.

Specialists will be in the auditorium for drop-in conferences. Please be sure to meet with them.

Reminder: If you are signing up for conferences with more than one teacher or for multiple children, be sure to look for the “Register for multiple conferences” button to help coordinate your times.

IMPORTANT UPDATE:

• Grades K-3 Conferences are PARENTS ONLY.
• Grades 4-8 Conferences should involve both parents and children. 

Note that there will be NO SCHOOL on Thursday, November 3, or Friday, November 4.

Contact Mollie Divine with any questions.

Picture Day is Next Week

Picture day is Wednesday, November 2. Order your pictures online before then at mylifetouch.com with the ID: EVTV497T8. If you would prefer a physical copy of the order form, please email Ali Berdass.

Instrumental Music Program Interest Survey

Traditionally Heilicher has had a robust music program. We previously had a band program run by Sean Prichard, and our own David Shaw leads a separate choir program in addition to the music classes our students have during the school day. 

This year, we are rethinking how we will offer an instrumental music program that takes place outside of the regular school day. In brainstorming possibilities, the most valuable data is your input. If you are at all interested in exploring any instrumental music program, please complete a quick parent/student interest survey. One survey should be completed for each student.

*Please note, this is for preliminary information gathering. How the program will look will be determined by the results of this survey and the availability of the proper teaching personnel.

Join Us for the Heilicher Annual Benefit

Celebrate with us as we dance the night away and reconnect as a community. The Benefit honoring Wendy Lovell-Smith and Colin Smith will take place Sunday, November 20, at 5 p.m. at Beth El Synagogue. It promises to be a fun evening with a DJ, ’80s video games, food stations, and a chance to celebrate our school together. 

RSVP by Friday, November 4, for a night of entertainment and inspiration, while supporting our school.

From the Parent Teacher Organization:

Help the Chesed Committee Help Our Community

The Chesed Committee’s purpose is to support Heilicher families during life cycle events or whenever a need becomes apparent. The committee’s volunteers provide a warm, home-cooked meal to families that have a new baby (hopefully many of those), for shivah, or illness. Kol Yisrael areivim zeh bazeh means all Jews are there for each other, or, simply, “it takes a village.”

Our goal is to make sure that all Heilicher families know that we as a community are there to support them in times of need. In order to achieve this goal, the Chesed Committee needs the help of parents, teachers, and staff. Please reach out to Chesed Committee Chair Sharon Rosenblum if you know of a family or you are a family that can use the committee’s service. Please don’t assume someone else will share the info. In addition, if you would like to volunteer to prepare a meal or help deliver a meal, please email Sharon.

Shop Fall Fashions and Support Heilicher!

Join us for a Heilicher moms' night out on Thursday, November 10, 6:30-8 p.m., at Mainstream Boutique in Golden Valley (679 Winnetka Ave. N.). Come out for wine, hors d'oeuvres, and a chance to check out all the beautiful new fall styles! Most importantly, Mainstream Boutique will donate 15% of proceeds from all purchases to Heilicher! 

Can't attend in the evening? Mainstream Boutique will also generously donate 15% of proceeds on all clothing purchased that business day (10 a.m.-6 p.m.) — just mention Heilicher when you check out. 

See Mainstream Boutique's fun fashion lineup, and contact Beckie Skelton at 612.419.3290 with any questions.

Join Us for an In-Person Parent Education Webinar

We will continue our Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS) parent education webinar series with an in-person viewing and discussion on Thursday, December 8, 7:30-9 p.m. at Heilicher. Bestselling author and education professional Jessica Lahey will present on the "Gift of Failure."

The webinar will go from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m., followed by a 30-minute group discussion. RSVP to Michele Kaplan Clinard by Friday, December 2. Following the event, a link to the webinar will be shared in the Roar for those unable to attend.

The first webinar, Thrivers: What Really Helps Kids Find Happiness Today & Success Tomorrow, and related resources are still available through Wednesday, November 30. Please share any thoughts on the webinar with Michele.

From the Admissions Office:

Spread the Word About Heilicher

Know someone who might be interested in Heilicher? Please have them reach out to Admissions Director Deborah Getsug at dgetsug@hmjds.org and tell them about our Information Evening on Wednesday, November 9, at 7 p.m.

We are also excited to announce that we are waiving the $100 application fee for all applications submitted by December 1, 2022. Learn more and apply today!

Support Heilicher and Get a Gift Card

Heilicher is offering a $5 Caribou gift card for any two things you choose from our Ten Ways to Support Heilicher, which includes becoming a parent ambassador. You are already a parent ambassador simply by sending your student(s) to Heilicher, and the ambassador group will formalize the process and help us gather data on effective recruitment. Current parents are key influencers in prospective parents' decisions to tour, apply, and enroll at Heilicher.

The more ways you support Heilicher, the more gift cards you can receive! Contact Admissions Director Deborah Getsug for more information. Let her know which two (or more!) things you've done, and a gift card will be on its way. Thank you for supporting Heilicher!

Volunteer Opportunities

Sign up to help with All-School Lunch and/or All-School T'filah.

• All-School Lunch: Help set up and clean up our all-school lunch on Wednesday(s) in the auditorium 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
• All-School T'filah: Help us set up for all-school t'filah (prayer) Monday(s) in the theater 8:15-9 a.m.

Grade-level volunteer opportunities will be sent out by room parents.