KOL ECHAD | Weekly Newsletter 

February 22, 2024

Kadima - Now More Than Ever!

By Alvira Chernichovski,

Director of Admissions & Marketing

While it has been, and continues to be, a very tough year for Am Yisrael, we have responded in a way that assures us, now more than ever before, that we are strong and will live to see brighter days. Here at Kadima, our goal is to not only provide a safe haven for our students in these times, but also be a place of Jewish pride, community, and a beacon of hope for the future. 

As it is re-enrollment season, there is no better time than now to review what makes Kadima a shining light in the darkness that surrounds us. Here are my top three reasons why Kadima shines so bright:

1. Kadima is home! For anyone who has walked our hallways, it is immediately evident that Kadima is as warm and loving as your own homes. Kadima kids are comfortable and happy in their school surroundings, free to express who they are, and free to be their authentic Jewish selves without self-censorship and without feeling different.  
2. Kadima is innovative! Our classrooms are built for transformations, thoughtfully integrating our general studies with Judaic studies, and inviting exploration and imagination to flourish. Kadima teachers work diligently to create exciting programming to fully engage and challenge every child to think critically and outside the box. 
3. Kadima is fun! Our students are full of smiles, laughter, and positive energy as they experience the loving and warm environment we have designed for them, knowing that this is how, and where, they learn best. This reality resonates with my personal experience, as I sometimes hear from children asking, “I want to go to Kadima. How can I apply?”, hoping to convince their parents to enroll them, too.   

It is rare to meet with a prospective family on a tour who does not recognize at least one Kadima child whom they know. This is because families rely on personal testimonials when considering Kadima for their own children. I invite you to share your Kadima moments with your friends, family, and on social media. Please take a few moments of your time to share the most recent experience you had that reminded you why Kadima is a shining light for your family. You can submit your testimonials here. You can also rate us on Facebook, yelp, GreatSchools, and niche.  

We are excited for the 2024-25 re-enrollment period as we also prepare to welcome new families to Kadima. We have received a record-breaking number of admission applications for next year and will begin admitting new students next month. Please be sure to submit your re-enrollment contract by March 1* to waive the enrollment fee ($475 for ECEC and $675 for ES and MS), as well as ensure your child's place for next year.

Thank you for being a part of our strong and resilient community. Together we can assure the continuity of your family's values, and of our people, for the next 3,000 years and beyond.  

Shabbat shalom,

Alvira Chernichovski

Director of Admissions & Marketing

*If your tuition assistance application is pending, your enrollment contract will be sent shortly with a different deadline.

Important Dates

Tuesday, February 27

• Middle school science fair - 9:30 to 11:30 am, in the auditorium

Thursday, February 29

• Parent-teacher conferences - minimum day - 12:00 pm dismissal (ES/MS only)

Friday, March 1

• Parent-teacher conferences - school closed (all divisions)
• Re-enrollment contracts are due

Monday, March 4

• Literary tea (reading celebration), kindergarten-8th grade

Thursday, March 7

• PTO meeting - 8:15 am, in the library

Sunday, March 10

• Daylight saving time begins (spring forward)

Wednesday, March 13

• Snack Shack
• 3rd and 5th grade field trip to Griffith Observatory

Thursday, March 14

• Pi Day

Monday-Friday, March 18-22

• Spirit week

Tuesday, March 19

• Field trip to the Jewish Home for the Aging (3rd-5th grades)

Thursday, March 21

• 1st grade field trip to the Los Angeles Natural History Museum

Friday, March 22

• Tropical paradise Purim carnival

Monday, March 25

• Purim celebrated at school

Sunday, March 31

• Casino Night Gala

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

Kadima Welcomes New School Staff!

Gaddy Ramirez - Second Grade General Studies

I am Gaddy Ramirez, a dedicated educator driven by a profound passion for teaching, with three years of classroom experience. Fortunate to have a wonderful husband, our shared love for exploration takes us to diverse cities, enhancing both personal and professional perspectives.

Alexandra Fiscus - Administrative Coordinator

Shalom! My name is Alexandra Fiscus! I grew up in a small town in Indiana and moved to the Los Angeles area about 6 years ago to pursue my first bachelor's degree in musical theater and dance. I later received my second bachelor's degree in organizational management. I have a passion for working in a school setting and working with teachers and students because my mother is a teacher. 

I have an immense joy for rescuing animals and working with children. I enjoy singing, learning about history, and spending time with my loved ones. My partner is from Israel, and I love being part of the Israeli and Jewish community. I love working at Kadima because I am surrounded by so many loving, caring colleagues. 

Cheers!

Matthew Fitzmorris - Receptionist

My name is Matthew Fitzmorris. I was born and raised in West Hills, and I attended the University of California Santa Barbara, where I studied history with a minor in French. I love working with all of the kids at Kadima, and I appreciate the opportunity to assist the wonderful staff and teachers who make this school what it is. 

Middle School Science Fair

Tuesday, February 27, 9:30-11:30 am, in the auditorium

Middle school parents, please join us on Tuesday, February 27, from 9:30 to 11:30 am, in the auditorium, for our middle school science fair. Our students have been working diligently on their science fair projects and are looking forward to presenting their projects to you. Bring your questions and curiosity.

Parent Teacher Conferences

Thursday & Friday, February 29 & March 1

Parent-teacher conferences for elementary and middle school will be held on Thursday and Friday, February 29 and March 1, 2024.

• Thursday, February 29, 1:00 - 6:00 pm
• Friday, March 1, 8:00 am - 3:00 pm

ECEC parent-teacher conferences will be held on Friday, March 1, 8:00 am - 3:00 pm.

Thursday, February 29, is a minimum day. School will conclude at 12:00 pm (elementary and middle school only). On Friday, March 1, there will be no classes for all divisions.

Kadima uses an online conference scheduling system. Click here to begin scheduling your conferences. You will need to set up a new login and password (unless you have previously set up an account). Click here for a step-by-step guide on how to sign up. The deadline to sign up is Tuesday, February 27.

Middle school parents: Middle school teachers will be reaching out individually to schedule conferences; therefore, they will not be using the online signup system. If you have further questions, please reach out to James Himsworth (jhimsworth@kadima.co).

Kadima will provide childcare in the library for parents while they attend conferences.

For assistance with signing up for parent-teacher conferences, please contact Alexandra Fiscus at afiscus@kadima.co or call (818) 346-0849.

Lost and Found

Thursday & Friday, February 29 & March 1

Our Lost and Found closet is overflowing with your children's belongings. We're sure that you value these belongings since you worked very hard to buy them. We need your help to get them back to you!

The items will be placed out during parent-teacher conferences and the following Monday and Tuesday. All items not claimed by Tuesday, March 5, will be donated for children in need.

Here are some helpful tips to help you and your child keep track of their belongings throughout the year:

1. Label every item with your child's first and last name.
2. Remind your child to bring their belongings back to class after recess and lunch.
3. Make sure your child knows where the lost and found closet is at school (in the hallway leading to the pool), and instruct them to check it every Friday before coming home.
4. Check their backpacks every day to make sure their belongings, such as jackets, lunch boxes, and water bottles, came back home.
5. Visit the lost and found closet periodically to locate your lost items.

Thank you for your partnership!

Yearbook Cover Contest

Due Friday, March 1

Calling all artists! Do you want your artwork showcased on this year's Kadima yearbook cover? Be sure to submit your art by Friday, March 1, to Jennifer Winderlich, art teacher. This year's theme is derech eretz. Please be sure to include your full name and the title: "Kadima Day School 2023-24". Good luck!

Get Ready for Spirit Week

Monday-Friday, March 18-22

In preparation for Purim, the middle school student leadership group invites students in Kinder through 8th grade to get creative! Each day during Spirit Week includes a special theme, and a costume to match.

On Monday, show off your crazy hair or hat. On Tuesday, everyone should be able to get to school on time as it is pajama day, easy breezy morning routine. On Wednesday, students will dress in a cohesive class theme (teachers will send details of their class's theme in advance). Also on Wednesday, volunteer parents will decorate each classroom door with the class theme. Thursday is v'nahafoch hu (opposite) day. Wear your clothes upside-down, backwards, or any other variation of your choice. Friday is our grand tropical paradise Purim carnival day. Dress in your favorite Hawaiian shirt, hula grass skirt, or other tropical-themed clothing.

On Monday, March 25, Kadima will be celebrating Purim with a mishloach manot exchange, costume parade, and m'gilah reading (more details to follow soon). On Purim, students should wear a costume of their choice (no weapons, please).

Purim Carnival Volunteers

Friday, March 22

Kadima's tropical paradise Purim carnival is in need of volunteers. The carnival will be held on Friday, March 22, with the following time slots for each division:

• ECEC: 9:00 - 10:30 am
• Kindergarten-2nd grade: 10:30 am - 12:30 pm
• 3rd-8th grade: 1:00-3:00 pm

To sign up to volunteer, please click here.

PTO Tie-Dye Event

Monday, April 8, 4:30-6:00 pm, on the Kadima yard

Deadline to register: March 1

Come have fun and tie-dye your purchased Kadima shirt, sweatshirt, or sweatpants on Monday, April 8, from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm. Click here or on the flyer to purchase your items. Deadline to purchase is Friday, March 1.

February Fundraiser

Show your support for Israel and Kadima with our February fundraiser! This month only, the whole Kadima community gets 10% off all items from Order Israel with the discount code “KADIMA." Even better, 20% of the proceeds from each item purchased will go to Kadima!

Use the following link to apply the discount code automatically: https://orderisrael.com/discount/kadima

In the Community

IAC Adloyada - Purim Parade 2024

Wednesday, March 21, 4:00 - 7:00 pm, IAC Shepher Community Center

Kadima cheer squad will be performing at this year's IAC Adloyada.

Come and support Kadima!

Immerse yourself in the magic of Purim with a carnival featuring kids’ attractions, food trucks, arts and crafts and many more surprises! Be captivated by various performances and displays!

The highlight of the event is the grand Purim parade, spreading the joy of Purim and bringing the spirit of Israel to Los Angeles. This celebration is a testament to our community’s unity and the pride of being together for Israel. Tickets are limited. Every person 2 years old and up needs a ticket.

Top 10 Conversation Starters: Parashat T'tzaveh

By Dr. Steven Lorch

#10 - The first topic in Parashat T'tzaveh, the oil for the m'norah and how to light it (Sh'mot 27, 20-21), seems out of place. The previous parashah was about building the Mishkan (sanctuary), and the next section of this parashah is about making the special clothing that the kohanim (priests) would wear in the Mishkan - in both cases, objects that needed to be prepared before the Mishkan could be used. Why do the oil and the lighting of the menorah come here?

#9 - The phrasing of the command regarding the oil for the m'norah is unusual. Most commandments use the verbs דבר (speak) or אמור (say). Here, the verb used is תצווה (command). Why?

#8 - The phrasing of the oil command is strange in another way, too. Instead of using the imperative form צַו, it uses the future tense תצווה. In addition, even though "you" is already implicit in the future tense form, the pronoun "you" is added, seemingly unnecessarily: ואתה תצווה. Why?

#7 - The lighting of the m'norah is called eternal or continuous (נר תמיד). However, in practice, it is only lit at night, and not during the day (מערב עד בוקר). Why does the Torah consider this eternal or continuous?

#6 -  In one verse (28, 2), Moshe is commanded to make the priestly garments (ועשית בגדי קודש), and in the next verse (28, 3), he is told to instruct the craftsmen to make them (ועשו את בגדי אהרן). Who actually makes the garments, and why does the Torah contradict itself on this point?

#5 - On the breastplate Aharon wore, there were 12 stones, corresponding to the 12 sons of Ya'akov (28, 21). But there are 13 tribes of B'nei Yisrael, including 11 of Ya'akov's sons (all of them except Yosef) and two of his grandsons, Yosef's sons Ephraim and Menashe. Why are there only 12 stones on the breastplate? Why are Ephraim and Menashe combined into Yosef there?

#4 - The Urim V'tumim differ from the other priestly garments in a couple of ways: first, there are no instructions regarding the materials with which they're made, how to make them, or what they look like. Second, the first time they're mentioned, unlike all the other garments, they're referred to as though we should already know what they are: את האורים ואת התומים (the Urim and the Tumim - 28, 30). Why?

#3 -  During the first seven days of the dedication ceremony of the Mishkan, Moshe served as the kohen gadol (high priest) and made all the sacrifices (29, 36-37). Only on the eighth day did Aharon start serving as the kohen gadol. What garments did Moshe wear when he served as kohen gadol - his own clothes, or the clothes that had been made for the kohen gadol that Aharon would wear, or different clothes altogether? Explain.

#2 -  The Torah says that God will arrange to meet with B'nei Yisrael (אוועד לכם - with you plural) at the entrance to אוהל מועד, the Tent of Meeting, and will speak with Moshe (לדבר אליך - with you singular) there (29, 42). If God is speaking only with Moshe, in what way can it be said that God is meeting with the people? Shouldn't it say אוועד לך, that God will meet with Moshe?

#1 - From the time Moshe is born in Parashat Sh'mot till the time he dies at the end of the Torah, this is the only parashah in which his name isn't mentioned. Based on what we have learned about the themes of Parashat T'tzaveh, why specifically in this parashah is his name not mentioned?