Kibitzer October 30, 2020

Our Teva Means Nature program is going strong. In this activity, participants gathered differently colored leaves in the park, then matched them with the colors of this parachute. It was a big hit on that windy day!

#akibatogether

October 30, 2020

Volume 17, Issue 5

Candle Lighting: 5:27 p.m.

Parasha: Lech Lecha

Seeing the World Through a Different Lens

by Carla Goldberg, Early Childhood Director

We are all trying to find things to be grateful for during this pandemic. Of course we are thankful for good health, for being able to be together at Akiba, and for our families. In the past, I believe I have taken nature for granted. I always loved to go hiking and camping, and yet I never realized the health benefits these activities present.

I feel different about that now. I am looking at the world through a different lens and for this I am so grateful. I believe this started with our Teva Means Nature class, and our desire to spend as much time as possible learning outdoors at Akiba. One of our preschool teachers gave the best description of a recent day:

“It was really special to see what was happening at the park across the street. We took our class for a long buggy ride and looked for different colored leaves. We saw the Teva class exploring and learning with a huge pile of wood pieces that an arborist was showing them. The Kindergarten was in a different space with another arborist learning about trees and how to take care for them. There was a gym class playing in the big open field. Another class was collecting leaves in front of the preschool playground. Then there was a cohort eating lunch in the courtyard. And a group of students were laughing and playing a game together on the sidewalk of the courtyard."

On Thursday, an arborist visited with the Kindergarten and the Teva Means Nature class to teach them about taking care of trees, and how to tell their age and health from the trees' rings.

Our outside space at Akiba is no longer just a playground - it’s so much more than that.

We are looking at our time outside as a gift, and we are making the most of it. I feel my pace slowing down, and I find myself breathing more deeply when I am outdoors. I am stopping and observing things that I never noticed before. Was there always a tree in the park with no leaves? Did we always have such beautiful orange and yellow leaves in our park? One of the parents in the Teva class commented, “I think as a family we are seeing things differently now because of this class. My son will stop and look at a tree and say, “I think Susan [my teacher] would really like this tree. He is making connections he didn’t make before.”

It is considered a Mitzvah (good deed) to protect or guard nature - sh’mirat HaTeva. One of the silver linings in this pandemic for us at Akiba is to appreciate the nature we have around us. Hopefully this value will be cherished long after the pandemic is over.

Examining tree rings to tell a tree's health and age

School under COVID-19 - For Your Reference

Social Covenant

Re-entry Plan & FAQs

Most Recent Health Update (October 23, 2020)

Recording of Recent Townhall with Health Committee

Dvar Torah

The Study of Tefillah (Prayer)

by Rabbi David Bauman, Head of Judaic Studies and Community Engagement

One of the most challenging Jewish experiences for adults is prayer, Tefillah. It is a challenge due to the language, the choreography, and the theological and philosophical ideas that the prayer book (Siddur) contains. If this is true for adults, then it is all the more so for elementary and middle school students.

According to Jeremy Schonfeld in his book Undercurrents of Jewish Prayer, the Siddur represents "a unique example of inattention to meaning in rabbinic Judaism." As a key example, the Tanakh, the Talmud, even the Midrash collections all come in editions that surround the core text with multiple commentaries and interpretations. The Siddur never received such treatment.

In the history of Jewish printing, there are no (or rare) such editions of a "study Siddur." There are only Siddurim meant to be read from in the act of ritual. Existing commentaries on the Siddur tend to focus on the sources of the language and prayers, rather than offering interpretations. Some of the more recent editions of Siddurim (such as Artscroll or Koren) attempt to fill in this gap to a degree. By design, however, they are primarily meant for recitation.

What makes Tefillah (prayer) so averse to this key Jewish activity, namely the study of sacred texts? Schonfeld offers a number of possible explanations:

Ritual. Tefillah is naturally meant to be performed, recited, enacted. Moreover, the argument over the degree to which kavvanah (spiritual intention) is required is found in some of the earliest discussions of Tefillah. Over time, as Hebrew became less well understood in Diaspora communities, participation in a minyan and the practice of daily prayer took precedence over the meaning.
Multiple versions. The different nusachs (texts of the prayer book), i.e. Sephardi, Sephard [Hasidic], and Ashkenazi as the largest ones today, along with many others historically, rendered the text of the Siddur more variable. Thus it was less amenable to the kind of interpretation given to texts that were more firmly standardized.
Anthological difficulty. The fact that the Siddur is so clearly an anthology of texts collected over the centuries renders it more difficult, perhaps, to interpret it as a coherent document whose structure yields intentional meanings.
Detachment. The repetition of Tefillah, alongside its length, may render it, for many, hard to focus on the meaning, certainly in a consistent manner.
Philosophy. This is Schonfeld's most interesting argument. The potential philosophical quandaries surrounding Tefillah (such as "Does God hear our prayers and respond?" - "Is Tefillah primarily aimed to God or to the worshipper?") render the siddur as a minefield that the rabbis instinctively avoided.

In the book, Schonfeld analyzes the prayers of Birkhot HaShachar and Pesukei deZimra as a "narrative" around the worshipper's hope of God's presence and fear of God's absence (to reduce a rich discussion of over 200 pages to one sentence!). He attempts to interpret prayer combining traditional rabbinic and modern philosophical and psychoanalytic insights.

When we talk about "Iyyun Tefillah" (the study of prayer), we usually have in mind explanation--getting to some version of its plain sense--more than interpretation. To this end, over the course of the academic year, our Akiba-Schechter students will engage in the study of prayer as one aspect of their education. Please discuss with them the following questions:

What approach do you find most successful in approach prayer?
What tools help you think about prayer (Tefillah) as a spiritual activity?

Preschool

Online preschool is a great way to develop and nurture a community, but seeing one another in 3D is also wonderful to further connect and just check in. This week online preschool teacher Rebecca traveled to Glencoe for a socially distant visit with two preschoolers. Their smiles say it all! Rebecca is looking forward to heading south to Hyde Park next.

The Afternoon Explorers have been learning about dinosaurs, using Model Magic to make their own Triceratops.

The Kindergarteners celebrated Morah Schinasi's (who studies Hebrew with them) birthday with her on Thursday.

Noah's Ark - From Blueprint to Building

by Arun Srimani, Upstairs Preschool Teacher

The Upstairs Preschool children have a special interest in building. After discussing the story of Noah's Ark, they had many questions, and so we teachers, Emily and I, followed the children's interest and dove into the subject with them. We showed them different pictures of Noah' Ark and explained that different artists used their imaginations to create these images. Then the children decided to use their imagination to make a blueprint and build their version of Noah's Ark.

Each child contributed to the blueprint. From the seed room to the dining room for Noah's family, their design expressed their thoughtfulness. They had three levels in their blueprint, just the way it is described in the Bible. But they added some practicalities, like rain gutters, to keep the Ark safe.

After the teamwork of making the blueprint, the children worked together to build two arks for their rooms. They didn't forget to put the animals in pairs on the second floor. They also used the class laser cutter printer to make animals to add to the Ark.

The whole process was not only a wonderful experience for the children but an amazing observation for us teachers. Children are always capable of making learning meaningful and more.

Grades 1 - 8

Social distancing recess: 5th/6th graders visit with 1st/2nd graders

In Art, middle school students discussed Japanese contemporary artist Yayoi Kusama and drew patterned pumpkins. Here are Benny and Yis show their detailed drawings.

Choice Projects

8th graders have embarked on their Choice Projects, which are learning projects of their own choosing. They must work on something new to them and/or something they can’t do in another class. It must involve creating something, and it must be completed by December 4. They work on their choice projects on Fridays. This group took over the kitchen: Yadin (top) is making chicken; Robbie (left) is cooking soup, and Toby (right) is baking soda bread.

Two 8th Graders Create a Small Business

For their choice project, Solje and Lilac decided to buddy up and create a small business selling stickers, lip gloss and more! 20% of the money they make will be going to the Akiba. Feel free to check it out and share!

8 Questions for an 8th Grader

In each issue of the Kibitzer, we feature one of our 8th graders. In this edition, it is Dan Bransky:

Since when have you been at Akiba? I have been at Akiba for 9 years.
What neighborhood do you live in? I live in Northbrook.
What do you hope to accomplish in 8th grade? How is being an 8th grader different from your previous grades at Akiba? I want to get good grades so I can get into AP classes in high school. This year is different because I am older and more mature.
What is your favorite subject at Akiba? My favorite subject is Language Arts, even though I don't have it this year, because I enjoy it a lot and feel it is one of my strongest subjects.
What do you think is special about Akiba? What do you particularly like and why? The relationship between teachers and students is really strong at Akiba, and I think that is unique and not true at many other schools.
If you have had your bar mitzvah or are preparing for it, what did you learn from it? I will have my bar mitzvah at the end of this year.
When you’re not at school or doing homework, what do you like to do (hobbies, special interests)? I have become the class IT guy! I have fixed the printer in room 209 and made it so everyone can now print! Also, I have fixed Dara's computer at least twice. I love football, hanging out with friends, and playing video games.
What do you want to be when you grow up? I want to grow up and be healthy and not living in my mom's basement.

PTO

Forty-five families (students, alumni and staff) participated in Akiba's Virtual Shuffle on Sunday, October 18. Despite the light rain, it was a fun community event!

Development

Please Consider Empower Illinois to Support Akiba

First of all, thank you for your generous support of Akiba-Schechter Jewish Day School. To make a gift or Dedicate a Day of Learning, click here.

Another way you can support our students is through the Empower Illinois program. Donors can specify that Akiba-Schechter receive their donations, which become scholarships for students whose families would otherwise not be able to afford an Akiba-Schechter education. Donors receive an Illinois tax credit worth 75% of their donation. Donations must be completed by November 30, 2020 to apply for this school year. For more information, contact Doug Glick.

Our October 23 Day of Learning was sponsored by Miffie and Sy Nagorsky in honor of their grandson, Sam. Mazel tov, Sam, on your Bar Mitzvah. You did a great job on all three days. Love, Bubbee and Papa Zaide

Today's Day of Learning has been sponsored by Sheryl and Bob Greenstein and family in memory of their mother, Pearl Greenstein, Z"L, who was the bookkeeper at Akiba South Side Jewish Day School in the 1960s and early 1970s.

Save the Date!