Color War

The Lower School erupted in fun-filled, educational, and uplifting competition this week when Rabbi Joel Finkelstein's talk on Yom Yerushalayim turned into Color War Breakout.  Both team worked exceptionally hard while keeping the values of IKaRR front and center at all times.

Great job to all!

Video D'var Torah

Have a look at the 4th grade's video d'var Torah for this week.  It's Rashi and Rashbam like you've never heard them before...

Graduation Honors Announced

In what was one of the closest races in recent memory, three students have been awarded the top honors at our upcoming high school graduation.  Dylan Cooper and Zahava Gersten will share the limelight as co-valedictorians, while Ethan Cooper will be this year's salutatorian   All three students will be headed to Israel next year before beginning their university studies.  Dylan will be going to Yeshivat Har Etzion followed by Columbia University, Zahava will be attending Michlelet Mevaseret Yerushalayim before heading to the Honors Program at Touro University, and Ethan will spend a year at Yeshivat Eretz HaTzvi before joining his brothers Dylan and Jeremy at Columbia.

 

Chidon Contestants Head to NY

We once again have students who qualified for the finals of the national Bible contest, the Chidon HaTanach.   This weekend 8th graders Tani Finkelstein and Efraim Wiener will be headed to New York to compete in the Middle School competition, while 9th grader Noga Finkelstein will compete in the High School competition.  We wish them the best of luck!

 

High School Debate Remix

Last week we had our annual high school debate.  Though the Girls High School did not field any teams this year, the competition was no less intense.  As the national high school debate topic for this year focused on the many challenges the United States is facing due to the sorry state of our transportation infrastructure (ranked 21st in the world, got a "C" on a internal assessment in 2009), we invited officials from the Tennessee Department of Transportation to serve as our judges.

Here is the email they sent me the day after our debate:

Good day Rabbi Perl,   We would like to thank you and the academy for allowing us the opportunity to participate in your annual debate.   The young men where superb in their oratory deliveries as well as being very knowledgeable in regards to the challenges we face in improving and maintaining our national, state and local infrastructure.   The plans that were presented by each team were all sensible in their approach in addressing not only the financial challenges but also the environmental and livability challenges when it comes to improving upon our transportation network.  The aptitude that the young men at Margolin Hebrew Academy have are great representations of the future of public policy.  All the young gentleman were effective in their discourse and therefore they are all winners in our book.  Tell the young men we said hello and best wishes.   

Once again we would like to thank you and the academy for the opportunity and we wish the young men much future success.  If we can assist in anyway in the future, please feel free in contacting us.  Oh, by the way if we could get a copy of some the pictures it would be great.  Have a pleasant weekend. 

Carlos B. McCloud

TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Transportation Coordinator,
Office of Community Transportation Region 4

AURY S. KANGELOS

COMMUNITY TRANSPORTATION PLANNER

OFFICE OF COMMUNITY TRANSPORTATION

TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Special congratulations go to our winners:
1st place team: Ethan Cooper and Yaakov Kaplan
2nd place team: Dylan Cooper and Jake Pollack
3rd place team: Gabriel Goldstein and Bradley Goldmeier / Aaron Noble and Natanel Brakha (tie)

1st place speaker: Ethan Cooper / Dylan Cooper (tie)
2nd place speaker: Jake Pollack
3rd place speaker: Yaakov Kaplan

Below you'll find some more pictures from the event and a remix of video clips that will give you a sense both for the intensity and challenge of our debate program, as well as the remarkable job all of our students did in rising to meet - and surpass - that challenge.

JTA Article on Corky's Fundraiser

JTA Washington Bureau Chief, Ron Kampeas wrote a nice article on our Corky's fundraiser from earlier this year.  Thanks again to Dena Wruble and Aileen Cooper for all of their hard work in making it happen:

Converting a happy pig into a kosher cow: A Memphis fundraising story

By Ron Kampeas · April 30, 2013

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The original Corky's logo featuring a pig next to the kosher version of the logo featuring a cow. (Corky's)

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (JTA) -- The thick scent of a peppery rub wafted through the Margolin Hebrew Academy and Corky the Pig embroidered his chef’s hat with a K and became a cow.

Just before Purim, the famed Memphis barbecue joint Corky's, with a hog for its mascot, koshered one of its smokers for a brisket fundraiser on behalf of the city’s Orthodox Jewish day school. Organizers explained that the unusual marriage of brachas and BBQ was a product of a parlous economy, a small school in need of refurbishing with a limited fundraising base and the laid-back traditions of a “Shalom y’all” Southern Jewish way of living.

“We need to find any revenue we can,” said Rabbi Gil Perl, the school’s dean. “We asked ourselves, ‘Do we have a product here valuable enough for a large market nationally?’ ”

In Memphis, one answer to the question was barbecue, and one of the best answers was Corky’s, a top-rated eatery with three branches in the city...

Read the rest of the article here.

Science Expo

Last week our 5th through 8th grades hosted our first ever Science Expo.  A modified version of what we used to call a science fair, this year's event tied student projects much more closely to classroom work and did away with the competition aspect of the program.  Instead, the motivation for our students to do their best work was simply the fact that parents, teachers, and students would be asking them to explain their research and they'd have to be able to respond intelligently.

With the guidance of our dedicated science faculty, our students rose to the occasion and created and most impressive event.  Special thanks to Mr. Dave Lewellyn for overseeing the program and creating a fun, entertaining, yet educational evening for everyone to enjoy.

Skyping to the Top of the World

Thanks to the initiative of their teacher, Mrs. Cindy Massey, our 6th graders just finished Skyping with social entrepreneur, adventurer, and filmmaker Elia Saikaly who is half way up Mt. Everest.  The opportunity was brought about by ePals, an organization that uses technology to link students across the globe and one that our 6th graders know quite well.  Though they have spoken before with students on remote islands and in orphanages in Africa, this was the first time our students spoke to someone who was in negative 40 degree weather, half-way up the tallest mountain in the world.

Curious to know how Mr. Saikaly got internet access at Base Camp of Mt. Everest in the Himalayas? So were our students.  Watch the videos below and find out...

Students Collect Environmental Data at Shelby Farms

Last week, Mr. Dave Lewellyn took his AP Environmental class to Shelby Farms to conduct a water quality testing lab.  He met with Mr. Larry Pickens, the Park Operations Manager, and arranged for the students' measurements to be sent to him as a means of supporting their ongoing water quality assessments.  Mr. Lewellyn approached Mr. Pickens thinking we would be one of dozens of schools in the area collecting data on the park but found out that, to the best of his knowledge, we are the only school besides the University of Memphis currently studying the park's rich and diverse environment.  

Additionally, Mr. Pickens informed Mr. Lewellyn that if we can provide data on a regular basis we have the opportunity to become a part of the park efforts to monitor all sorts of water  and soil related issues.  It goes without saying that such would provide an invaluable learning opportunity for our students and a wonderful way for our kids to use their learning to help improve the world around us.

 

Mothers and Daughters

The annual Girls High School Dinner took on a very special feel this year, as the student-driven fundraising event paid homage to women who attended the Goldie Margolin School for Girls and who now send their daughters here as well.  From tables that were beautifully set to food that tasted great, and from a most entertaining game of MHA trivia to a most inspiring student dvar Torah, the night as a whole, and the student-made video tribute in particular, was a fitting tribute to these impressive women.

Below you'll find images from the night, all of which can be accessed here.  I've also posted a clip from 11th grader Jamie Epstein's dvar Torah.  If you didn't hear it live it's worth listening to.  Even if you did, it's worth hearing again...

Yom Ha-Ha'atzmaut

This is my sixth Yom Ha-Atzma'ut here at the Academy and while they have always been high-spirited enjoyable days, we have never had anything quite like what we experienced this week. The Bat Ami and the Kollel, under the direction of Rabbi Maimon and Daphna, outdid themselves. From the exceptional, and highly educational, decorations all over the school to the sessions on Israeli history, culture, and industry which filled the elementary school classrooms, and from the Bedouin tent cooking fresh pita outside to the festive lunch inside, there was experiential education happening everywhere.

The Boys High School, under Rabbi Lubetski and Rabbi Gersten's direction, took their Yom Ha'atzmaut program to new heights this year as well by creating a color-war type day of competition that asked the boys to do everything from preparing Israeli cuisine to researching and formally debate big questions relating to American-Israeli relations like "Can one be a Zionist while living in America?" and "Do Jewish men and women in the Diaspora have an obligation to serve in the Israeli army?" The excitement, energy, and festivity was palpable throughout the school and it all culminated with our annual march from the school to Baron Hirsch.

Below you'll find a slideshow with some pictures from the day, all of which can accessed here.  I've also included some clips from our Boys High School debate.  Please keep in mind that the views expressed don't necessarily reflect the views of the school or of the debators.  The do, however, reflect our boys' ability to think critically and make persuasive arguments about important issues.  Enjoy!

Yom HaZikaron

To commemorate Yom HaZikaron, our Torah MiTzion Kollel and Bnot Sherut transformed our computer lab into an exhibit hall replete with posters, pictures, and digital media conveying the loss and suffering which our brothers and sisters in Israel have endured since the establishment of the state.  For the older grades, the exhibit was complemented by a ceremony in the auditorium that helped make the names and numbers of fallen soldiers become real and relatable to our students.

Here are some pictures from both programs:

Yom HaShoah

The 4th through 12th grades commemorated Yom HaShoah earlier this week with a somber, yet meaningful, program organized by the Torah MiTzion Kollel and our Bnot Sherut.  It began with the lighting of six candles, the recital of kel maleh and yizkor by boys in our high school, and then a multi-media presentation that involved both live-acting and video.  I closed the program with a few words about the intensifying need for our children to learn from those who were there so that even in a world without survivors we never forget.

Student Receives Prestigious Bronfman Fellowship

Rachel Tsuna was informed earlier this week that she is one of only twenty-six 11th graders from across North America who were selected to participate in this summer's Bronfman Youth Fellowship program.  The program features an all-expense paid five-week trip to Israel for these talented and diverse young men and women where they will explore their Jewish identity and strengthen their ties to the Jewish State.

In addition, each fellow in the program is charged with the responsibility of developing a Ma'aseh Project, a social-action endeavor which they must implement over the course of their senior year with guidance from mentors provided by the Bronfman program.   As a Bronfman Fellow, Racheli will also gain access to a network of highly successful and closely knit Bronfman alumni who have assumed leadership positions throughout the Jewish community.

We have no doubt that the experience will prove invaluable and we can't wait to hear about it in August when she returns!

Congressman Stephen Fincher Visits the MHA

Due to the impressive efforts of 11th grader Isaac Graber and the AIPAC Club which he leads, United States Congressman Stephen Fincher visited our school today and spoke with our high school students about his support for the State of Israel.  Rep. Fincher, whose 8th District was recently redrawn to include the Margolin Hebrew Academy and its immediate surroundings, answered a series of questions which the AIPAC Club had sent him ahead of time ranging from the role his Christian faith plays in his support for the Jewish State to his views on the threat posed by Iran and the degree to which the American government ought to support the plight of ordinary Palestinians.

The 2nd term Congressman, who was accompanied by his wife and several staffers, told our kids how eye-opening it was for "a guy from Frog Jump, TN" to visit Israel two years ago together with a congressional delegation and how it transformed his support for Israel from being primarily faith-based to now being driven by the "the love of freedom" which Israel and America share.  He talked about the time he spent with Prime Minister Netanyahu and how he believes that the American government must allow the Prime Minister the latitude he needs to make the decisions that are in the best interest of Israel and the Israeli people.

When he finished answering the pre-selected questions, Representative Fincher opened the floor to spontaneous questions from our kids who were genuinely taken by his affability and down-to-earth style.  After over an hour of conversation, Rabbi Uriel Lubetski, our Upper School Principal, offered closing remarks and thanked the Congressman both for giving his time to us today and for giving Israel his unwavering support each and every day that he represents the 8th District of Tennessee in the nation's capital.

Pesach Play

The 2nd grade did a magnificent job today in performing their Pesach play in front of the entire Lower School as well as parents, relatives, and friends.  Performed completely in Hebrew and interspersed with songs and dances relating to the story of yetziat miztraim it was a true חגיגת הנלמד, a celebration of all that the students have been learning for the last several weeks.  יישר כחך to Morah Chaya Shochet, Morah Yehudit, and everyone else who helped our students to do their very best.

Here are some pictures from the play.  To download them, and to view a few short videos, click here.

Looking Beyond Ourselves

The following appears as the Dean's Message in this week's MHA / FYOS Reporter

The dominant theme of seder night is undoubtedly the story of our exodus from Egypt.  Yet there are two additional motifs which play a strong supporting role in the days leading up to the seder and continue right through to the very end of this most unique night in the Jewish calendar.  They are related ideas both of which require that we look beyond our own proverbial four cubits to those who need and depend on us: the less fortunate in our community and the children in our own family. 

While providing for the disadvantaged is always a value in Jewish life, it takes on additional intensity thirty days before Pesach as communities begin their ma’ot chittim campaigns to ensure that everyone in the community has sufficient food for Pesach.  These efforts reach a crescendo at the outset of our seder when we publicly invite anyone who is hungry to join us at our table for the festive meal.

Engaging and educating our children follows a very similar pattern.  It is a foundational element of Jewish life at all times of the year, yet as Pesach approaches it takes on a fevered pitch: the littlest ones practice Mah Nishtanah and the songs of the seder; the older ones prepare to impress their guests with insights into the Hagaddah; everyone learns and relearns the myriad halachot and customs that guide our behavior over these eight days.  Then, when seder night arrives, all eyes turn toward the children.  Over and over again the author of the Haggadah and its commentators stress the importance of centering the night which tells of our past on those who will ultimately create our future.

These two themes – extending ourselves to the less fortunate and extending ourselves to our children – came together in the most extraordinary way for me last week.  In response to the newsletter message I wrote some weeks ago about David Reed, son of Mrs. Betty Reed, an anonymous alumnus of our school sent me these moving words.  I share them with you as we head into Pesach as evidence of what can happen when we heed the seder’s call to look beyond ourselves and see those who need our help, guidance, and love.

Good afternoon Rabbi Perl,

I hope this e-mail reaches you, and that it finds you well. I just came across the beautiful story you wrote in the newsletter, about receiving the check from David Reed, and I feel that I have to write you (as soon as I stop crying). 

I attended the Memphis Hebrew Academy decades ago, from kindergarten through eighth grade. I was definitely not a typical MHA student--my family was very poor and we were not Orthodox. My parents were in an awful marriage and home was a very scary place. My siblings and I were traumatized and quite neglected. We also lived in a very rough part of town, and endured quite a bit of after-school anti-semitism. Needless to say, I kind of stood out from the crowd, for all the wrong reasons. I was an awful student, just awful, and while many my teachers and classmates were very nice to me, unfortunately, quite a few were not. Still, I credit the school for allowing me to attend (I surely was given some sort of scholarship or aid), and for providing me with the only stability that I had at the time. It gave me a firmer foundation, and a glimpse of civility that didn't exist at home. I just don't think that anyone knew what to make of the messy, troubled little girl who showed up for class each weekday. I'm sure I was pretty hard to tolerate. 

But there was one teacher there who accepted me unconditionally, and that was Betty Reed. No matter how disheveled or exhausted I was, that lovely woman greeted me with a warm smile each weekday morning. Sometimes she even hugged me. Under her tutelage, I was reading at an eighth grade level in first grade (though I barely passed my other classes). She instilled in me a love for literature and writing that I carry to this day. In fact, I became a writer.

I still have a lacy, rather yellowed thank you card that she wrote to me back in 1966. Here is what it said: 

"...Thank you for the stationary. I love it because it’s so pretty, but most of all I love it because it came from my very special friend. I love you...– Betty Reed"

You cannot imagine what those words meant to me. Mrs. Reed made me feel valued when no one else did. There were other kind teachers who came along later, but in my nine years at the Memphis Hebrew Academy, she had the greatest impact on my life.

For years, I tried to find her, to thank her for all she'd done for me. So often people quietly change the lives of others for the better, never realizing the impact of what they've done. I wanted to tell her. It wasn't until I came across the story in your newsletter that I realized that she too was struggling at that time. It reminded me that life works in mysterious and beautiful ways. For over forty years, I've carried the memory of this wonderful woman in my heart, feeling grateful for the goodness she had bestowed on me when I was six years old. I never imagined that at the same time, one of her own children was carrying the same feelings for those who had employed her. The world is a wonderful place. 

I did an Internet search after reading your story, and I believe that Mrs. Reed has passed away. I don't know if you have a way of contacting her son, but if you do, I hope that you'll feel free to forward him this e-mail and/or my e-mail address. I'd like to tell him how remarkable his mother was, though I have a feeling he already knows. 

Thank you for sharing your experience, Rabbi Perl. You've made my whole week. 

Sincerely,

A Former Student 

Championship Basketball

Both our 7th and 8th grade Macs and our High School Varsity Macs played for their respective Shelby County League championships last night.  While our 7/8 team played their hearts out, they came up a bit short at the end. Though it wasn't the result our boys had hoped for, they, under the direction of Coach James Nokes, and the on court leadership of Ariel "J.J" Kampf, had a season to be proud of.

Coming off of their historic success at Yeshiva University's Red Saracheck Invitational Basketball Tournament in New York, our varsity Macs were heavily favored to win their championship game against their rival Bucs.  The balance shifted, though, when it was announced that starting center, Brian Itkowitz, would be unable to play to do an injury to his knee.  Nonetheless, led by the superb play of captain Eli Osdoba and the guidances of Coaches Richard Lewis and Craig Wiener, the team rose to the occasion and walked away with a fitting cap to a most remarkable season.

Here are all of the pictures from these two championship games:

Chidon HaTanach Finalists

Congratulations to Tani Finkelstein, Efraim Wiener, and Noga Finkelstein all of whom have qualified as finalists in the National Bible Contest, the Chidon HaTanach.  Tani, Efraim and Noga all ranked amongst the highest scoring students in the nation on three written exams covering six different sifrei Tanach.  As a result, they will be heading to New York on May 5th to take the national contest's final exam. The student who scores highest in New York will be crowned the national champion and will move on to the International Bible Contest in Israel next year.

We wish all three of them the best of luck and continued success in their Torah learning!

Shelby County Champs

In what was as good a basketball game as you'll ever see, our 5th and 6th grade boys knocked off Germantown Elementary to complete a perfect 12-0 season in the Shelby County Basketball League.  Sporting only eight players, the team's success throughout the season was a testament to the incredible effort and hard work of every member of the team and to yet another masterful job of coaching by our Athletic Director, James Nokes.

Much like the semifinal game that preceded it, the championship game was a back and forth battle right from the outset.  Despite going down a few points late in the second half, our team bounced back and it was all tied up with a minute to play.  In those last 60 seconds the teams traded baskets and then, with 1.1 seconds on left on the clock, Simcha Osdoba drove the lane, drew a foul, and knocked down this free throw to seal the game:

Congratulations to Simcha, Ethan, Joel, Yisrael, Dovid, Ezra, Akiva, and Robby for a job really well done!