KOL ECHAD | Weekly Newsletter 

December 7, 2023

Girl Power

By Dallas Perez, Athletic Director

In recent years, female Jewish role models have been paving the way for our girls in soccer. Take, for example, Jessica Berman, the head of the US Women's Soccer League, and Yael Averbuch West, American former professional soccer player. She was formerly the executive director of the National Women's Soccer League Players Association and is the current general manager of NJ/NY Gotham FC. These inspiring women show us that anything is possible. 

Research has shown that participating in sports can provide valuable skills and life lessons for female athletes. A study conducted by the Women's Sports Foundation and ESPNW revealed that 94 percent of women in leadership positions had played sports during their youth. By investing in girls' soccer programs and other girls' sports, we not only promote positive outcomes in education and society but also empower our girls to succeed in the future. 

Here at Kadima, we are proud to offer girls the opportunity to play sports, preparing them for the workforce and life beyond college. Soccer, in particular, offers numerous physical, mental, social, and emotional benefits. It's a holistic experience that shapes our girls into well-rounded individuals. 

This year marks a significant milestone for Kadima as we have three girls' soccer teams for the first time in our history. We have 18 talented girls on the middle school team, nine on the 5th/6th grade team, and ten on the 3rd/4th grade team. Nationally, participation in girls' soccer has grown by over 30 percent in the last decade, showcasing the increasing interest and dedication of girls. 

Our girls have been working hard, pushing themselves to learn a new sport and overcoming obstacles along the way. While soccer may take away some of their TikTok-taki time, they will undoubtedly look back on this experience with gratitude and cherish the memories they've made. As Mr. H. said, "It warms my heart to see these girls out on the pitch, competing." 

The games will start in January and run through February. We are excited to kick off the season with a match at Sofi Stadium. Our ultimate goal is to proudly hang the first-ever female championship banner in the Kadima auditorium. We invite you to come and support our girls, and be on the lookout for the game schedule. Go Lady Kodiaks! We believe in you.

Shabbat shalom,

Dallas Perez,

Athletic Director

Important Dates

Monday, December 11

• Field trip to the Los Angeles Jewish Symphony (4th grade)

Tuesday, December 12

• Field trip to the Jewish Home for the Aging (3rd-5th grades)
• Chanukah program (K-5th grades) - 5:30-7:30 pm
• Middle School Chanukah party (6th-8th grades) - 5:30-7:30 pm

Wednesday, December 13

• Snack Shack

Thursday, December 14

• ECEC Chanukah program and generations day - 2:00 pm

Monday, December 18 - Tuesday, January 2, 2024

• Winter break - school closed

Wednesday, January 3

• School resumes

*For the full school year calendar, please click HERE.

4th and 5th graders lighting the chanukiah and singing Chanukah songs

ECEC Gesher children singing Chanukah songs

3rd Grade singing Chanukah songs

Kindergartners singing and dancing to a Chanukah song

A Warm Welcome to Our New Staff!

Orly Levy - Director of Finance

Orly is a seasoned financial expert who held various director and controllership positions in large and mid-sized organizations. She has three children, all whom have graduated Kadima's ECEC program, and she also served on Kadima's Board of Trustees for two years. Orly loves to dance and enjoys traveling with her family. She is excited to join the Kadima team and is looking forward to contributing to and participating in our community.

Mazal Tov

Please join us in congratulating Gaya Hajaj and her family on the occasion of her Bat Mitzvah. Mazal tov!

Thank You, Kadima PTO!

Thank you to the Shakib-Beltran, Simantov, Sinai, and Tahvili families for sponsoring a delicious brunch for the faculty and staff in honor of Rosh Chodesh Tevet. We really appreciate it!

Elementary School Chanukah Program

Tuesday, December 12, 5:30-7:30 pm

Elementary school parents (K-5th grade), please join us for a special evening celebrating "the light within me" on Tuesday, December 12, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm, in the auditorium. The program includes Chanukah candle lighting, student holiday performances, and delicious sufganiyot (donuts). Winners of the recycled Chanukiyah contest will be announced as well.

Middle School Chanukah Party

Tuesday, December 12, 5:30-7:30 pm

Kadima middle school students (6th-8th grade) are invited to a special 'Glow in the dark Chanukah party on Tuesday, December 12, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm, in the middle school lounge.

ECEC Chanukah and Generations Day Celebration

Thursday, December 14, 2:00 pm

ECEC parents, grandparents, and special guests, please join us for a Chanukah celebration on Thursday, December 14, at 2:00 pm, on the ECEC yard.

In the Community

Kol Tikvah Temple Chanukah Community Celebration

Friday, December 8

Join the Kol Tikvah Community for latkes, donuts, and fun! Festivities begin at 5:30 pm on Friday, December 8, with a special Chanukah Shabbat service, featuring the Kol Tikvah house band, Kol Play! Bring your family chanukiah and candles for our community candle lighting. The celebration continues after services with a latke dinner, Chanukah crafts and activities, and donuts! RSVP is required for dinner. Please click here to RSVP.

Let's Light Our Personal and Community Light

Saturday, December 9, 7:00 pm

The Israeli-American Council (IAC) is honored to invite the community for an evening of resilience with guest speakers Miriam Peretz and Doron Leibstein on Saturday evening, December 9th at 7:00 pm.

Miriam is an Israeli educator and public speaker. After losing two sons during active service, Miriam went on to become a lecturer on Zionism and resilience. Doron is the brother of Ofir Leibstein, one of the victims who was murdered on October 7. Ofir was a man of vision and action, and served as the mayor of the Sha’ar Hanegev regional council. General admission is $10, and registration is required. This event is for 16 years and older. To register, please click here or on the flyer.

Top 10 Conversation Starters: Parashat Vayeshev

By Dr. Steven Lorch

#10 - Ya'akov loves Yosef more than he loves his other sons, and he shows it by giving him a many-colored, striped tunic. When his brothers see this, they hate Yosef. (B'reshit 37, 3-4) Should they hate Yosef for their father's favoritism, or should they be angry with Ya'akov?

#9 -  Yosef has two dreams. He tells the first one (about bundles of grain bowing down to Yosef) to his brothers and not to his father (37, 5-7), but he tells the second one (about the sun, the moon, and the stars bowing down to him) to both his brothers and his father (37, 9-10). Why?

#8 - The two dreams are similar in some ways and different in others. In what ways are they similar in content? Similar in meaning? In what ways are they different in content? Different in meaning?

#7 - When Ya'akov hears the second dream, he gets angry and asks, "Will I, your mother, and your brothers come and bow down to you?" (37, 10) Based on what he asks, what is he angry about? What isn't he angry about? Do you think he really is angry for just one reason, or for more than one? If he's angry for more than one reason, why does he mention only one?

#6 -Does Yosef realize that his brothers will hate him and his father will be angry if he tells them his dreams? If not, why not? If so, why does he tell them anyway?

#5 - The brothers decide to kill Yosef when he approaches them in the field (37, 18-20). But then the eldest, Reuven, convinces them to throw Yosef into a pit instead (37, 21-22), and later Yehudah convinces them to sell Yosef into slavery (37, 26-27). How does throwing him into a pit accomplish the brothers' goal? How does selling him accomplish their goal?

#4 - The brothers show their father made-up proof that Yosef was killed by a wild animal, and Ya'akov is so grief-stricken that they can't comfort him (37, 31-35). Before telling him this lie, did they consider how Ya'akov would react? Even when they see he's inconsolable, they don't tell him the truth. Are they afraid that he'll punish them, or are they trying to punish him?

#3 - When Yosef reaches Egypt, he is sold to a high officer in Pharaoh's court, and he quickly becomes the officer's trusted servant. When Yosef does his job well and makes the officer richer, the officer realizes that the Jewish God is helping Yosef (39, 1-3). Is this something you would expect an Egyptian officer to figure out? Why, or why not?

#2 - Yosef is thrown into jail for a crime he didn't commit. The Torah refers to the jail as jail (בית הסוהר) eight times (39, 19-23; 40, 3; 40, 5), but when Yosef is speaking (40, 15), he calls it a pit (בור) , the same word used for where his brothers threw him. Why does the Torah call it jail, and why does Yosef call it a pit?

#1 - In jail, Yosef meets two officers who have dreams that they don't understand, and Yosef offers to interpret them (40, 8). One of them tells him his dream, and Yosef explains that the dream means that the king will forgive him (40, 9-13). Only then does the other officer decide to tell him his dream because "he had interpreted the first dream well (כי טוב פתר)." (40, 16) What does the second officer mean - that he interpreted it favorably, with a positive outcome? Or that he interpreted it correctly?