Back to School Barbecue

The PTA once again kicked off the year with a fun-filled Back to School Barbecue.  Judging by the smiling faces in these pictures, I think it's safe to say it was another big success.  Thanks to all the volunteers who made it happen!

MHA Takes 1st place!

With just the right mix of creativity, humor, workmanship, and meat-related puns, our alumni group brought the first ever Showmanship Champion title at the ASBEE Kosher BBQ contest to the Academy. Of the nearly 50 booths in the competition, the school's booth took first place in both name ("Lebron Flames and the Miami Meat") as well as booth creativity (a mock lockerroom with walls describing the merits of each of Lebron's possible new teams - including the MHA Macs!). This year a new award, called the Showmanship Champion, was added to the mix for the team that had the highest combined score in the name and booth competitions. The first place finish in both competitions made us a lock for that one as well.

Our heartfelt thanks goes to Richard Lewis, Daniel Lewis, Benjamin Rubenstein, Zac Kaplan, and Yoni Frieden for all their hard work. Can't wait to see what they come up with for next year...

ASBEE BBQ

Be sure to drop by the Academy's booth at the ASBEE BBQ this Sunday.  Thanks to the incredible efforts of Richard Lewis, Zack Kaplan, Benjamin Rubestein, and crew, it is a "decision" you won't regret.

Internet Safety

If you haven't yet registered for this Tuesday night's presentation by Phil Rosenthal, an nationally recognized expert on internet safety, please do so by clicking here.

Rosenthal, a Tennessee native who attended then-Memphis StateUniversity, has nearly 30 years of experiance in computer safety andtechnology awareness. He created the Computer Crime Unit of the Rockland County Sherrif's Department, from which he recently retired.

Top law enforcement agencies like the FBI, the Israel National Police, andNew Scotland Yard have called on Rosenthal to assist in solving technology-related cases. He is frequently sought by mental health professionals, school guidance counselors, clergy members, and community leaders across the country for his expertise in Internet safety for children and treating technology addictions.

The presentation, sponsored by Young Israel of Memphis, will take place at the JCC, Tuesday, August 31st at 8:00pm.  If you have school age children or grandchildren, it is imperative that you attend.

EC -6 Are Underway!

The excitement pulsated through the hallways, smiles were in abundance, and anticipation was in the air, as grades PreK through 6 got the new school year started yesterday.  With new families and fantastic new faculty joining the MHA family it was truly a special day for all.  Catch a glimpse of it below...

$500,000 for the MHA

In case you haven’t yet heard, Kohl’s Department Store is running a Facebook contest in which people can vote for the schools they believe should get a $500,000 donation. The top 20 vote getters will all get the award. According to a story in the Jewish Week, there are currently 20 Jewish Schools amongst the top 50 vote getters. While the size of our school puts us at a disadvantage, we’ve shown time and again that our little school is capable of some pretty big things. So this is yet another opportunity for us to rally our troops and rise to the occasion!



Here’s what we have to do:



1. Go to http://www.facebook.com/kohls and vote for the Margolin Hebrew Academy. You have 20 votes and can use up to 5 for one school, so please do!

2. Send this message to everyone you know, let them know it’s not a hoax, and ask them to do the same.


For some schools, $500,000 is a drop in the bucket. For us, it could have a profound impact on our children and our community. The contest ends September 3rd so please don’t push it off. Take just a few seconds to give us your 5 votes and encourage everyone you know to do the same.



Thanks for your help!

New Site for Tournament

At approximately 12:00 EST, the newly revamped Cooper Yeshiva High School National Invitational Website went live on the internet. The website provides up to the moment information about the Invitational, its participating teams, hotel accommodations, and more. You can also visit to relive championships past via its pictures and records section, and discuss the exciting action with your friends on the new Invitational Forum. Once the Tournament tips-off, the website’s cutting edge technology will broadcast live video and audio of each game, and will release post game articles via its social networking media connections. Don't forget the sign up for the Bracket Challenge, which will be posted shortly after the seeding is released.

Visit the website and check it out. Make sure to keep up with all the action by becoming a fan of the Invitational’s Facebook Page and signing up for Twitter updates.

Many, many, many, thanks to Gershon Yarmush for his art direction, planning and execution of the new site

Memphis Receives Community Growth Grant

Thanks to the hard work of Mr. Josh Kahane and his dedicated committee, we just learned that the Memphis Orthodox community was one of two communities awarded the first Community Growth Grant from Yeshiva University's Center for the Jewish Future.


Here are some excerpts from the Grant's guidelines:

The Community Growth Grant selects several communities that display the preparedness to implement a growth strategy as outlined in this guide’s best practices and exhibit a culture of excellence and an infrastructure that promote the values and ideals of Yeshiva University. These selected communities will participate in an enhanced community growth relationship with YU CJF.


What a CGG community can expect from Yeshiva University:


 A programming grant toward YU programs which includes, but is not limited to, the following:

1. YU speakers to serve as scholars in residence
2. Site visits by YU CJF to consult with your community and assist in the growth process
3. Access to young families:
1. Apartment communities in our network through parlor meetings
2. Active promotions for your community through matchmaking efforts and interactions wit young families
3. Assistance in providing leadership training for the young leadership in your community
4. Access to other YU CJF resources including but not limited to ShaarHaavoda.org, Career Development Center, and the Department of Jewish Career Development and Placement Services

Selection parameters for communities:

1. A complete application
2. An established and vibrant Torah Umada Jewish infrastructure
3. An engaged and inspired leadership that is able to collaborate effectively across local institutions.
4. A vibrant local day school
5. A vibrant local high school
6. One or more vibrant local synagogues
7. A local federation that is actively supportive of community growth
8. Thriving local youth groups
9. A community eruv
10. A community mikvah An economic climate in your community that has potential for job growth
11. A comprehensive incentive package to attract young families and aid them in their move
12. A strong community growth infrastructure to facilitate the influx of young families and to assist new family retention
13. A commitment from your community to encourage high school graduates to attend Yeshiva University

We'll share more details when they become available.  In the meantime, though, I wanted to express how proud we are of the fact that all facets of our vibrant Memphis Orthodox community enjoy a strong relationship with Yeshiva University and how deeply appreciative we are for all the support they have given us over the years.  We have no doubt that this new grant will help both our community and our relationship with YU soar to even greater heights.

Camp Shemesh

As another fantastic summer at Camp Shemesh draws to a close, we wanted to share some of the highlights with you. . For more information on Camp Shemesh, email the camp director, Mrs. Michelle Katz.

Outstanding AP Scores

Our High School AP scores came in last week, and I'm proud to report that once again our students did beautifully.  Of the 62 students in our high schools last year, 19 of them took at least one AP exam last year and several took more than one.  Despite the very high percentage of our total student body who took an exam, the results from our high schools on all four of the tests taken far outdid the national averages (comparisons are to last year's average scores, as national data for this year is not yet available).  These numbers are particularly significant as the students taking AP tests are a self-selected group of the country's most talented and motivated students.  Here's a summary of how we did (Note:  The College Board, who administers the AP exam, considers a score of 3 to be passing.  Most universities award college credit, though, only for a score of 4 or 5):

• AP English Language and Composition: The national average score last year was 2.88.  Amongst the 10 MHA / FYOS students who took the test, the average was 4.2 - or 46% higher than the national norm!
• AP Physics B: The national average for Physics was also 2.88.  Only 2 students took the test this year, but their average was a 3.5.
• AP Psychology: Our AP Psychology results bordered on perfection.  The national average last year was a 3.22.  14 of our students took the test and all but two received a perfect 5, with the others receiving a very respectable 4.  Our school average was a 4.8 - or 51% higher than the national norm!
• AP US Government and Politics: This was a new offering for our school this year and the results were fantastic.  10 students took the exam and scored an average of 4.2, compared to the national average of 2.78.  Here too, our student scores were 51% higher than the average AP student across the nation.

Congratulations to Mrs. Johnson, Mr. Vaughn, Mrs. Perl, and Mrs. Kutliroff  - and, of course to all of our students - for a job beautifully done!

Color War

Just when our lower school kids were convinced that this year there really would not be any color war, color war was sprung upon them.  For a day and half the school was sea of yellow and blue and red and black.  They competed in everything from relay races to basketball, Torah bowl to team newspaper, banner to skit, and everything in between.  Both the chesed team and the tzedakah team demonstrated what it means to work together as well as sportsmanship and middot par excellence.  Here's a small taste of what it was like:

From Movies

Debate Day

What better way to culminate a year-long Debate elective in both high schools (the first of its kind) than with a debate against... each other.  So it was on Monday, that four pairs of debaters from the Boys School squared off against four pairs of debaters from the Girls School, over the national high school policy debate resolved "That the United States government should substantially increase social services to those living below the poverty line in the United States."  The teams sparred with each other over three rounds, each team arguing both the Affirmative and the Negative side of the debate at least once, and needless to say it got rather intense.  Each side grilled the other over their knowledge of the government's current social service programs, over the other team's proposal to enhance or reform it, over funding, over statistics, evidence, and anything else you can imagine.

It was a special privilege to have members of Seedco's Memphis Office, who several months ago introduced our debaters to many of the issues related to poverty in the US, join us as judges for the day.  Across the board, they were impressed by the eloquence, thoughtfulness, resourcefulness and creativity of both teams.  In the end, though, there could only be one winner... and this year it was our girls.

Here's a list of all the recipients of the individual and team awards:

1st place team: Maddie Tavin and Debbie Farber
2nd place team: Jeremy Cooper and Isaac Krupp
3rd place team: Shoshana Somer and Zahava Gersten

1st place speaker: Debbie Farber
2nd place speaker: Maddie Tavin
3rd place speaker: Jeremy Cooper and Zahava Gersten (tie)

A job very well done by all!

8th Grader Wins International Essay Contest

8th grader, Shira Osdoba, was awarded 2nd place in the 'True Story" category of the 2010 Jewish Heritage Essay Contest.  The contest included entries from Middle School students from 22 schools in 21 cities in the U.S, South Africa, and Israel.

Here's one small piece of her insightful and inspirational essay about the indomitable spirit of her father, the late Matty Osdoba, of blessed memory:

It could be very easy for anyone to be resentful or angry with God when someone’s life could be taken from him at  any second. Where is the joy in being sick? My father had a powerful answer. He firmly believed that by smiling at anyone and being cheerful that he was representing God on this
earth.


Read the rest by clicking here.  It's a short piece with a powerful punch and a critical lesson for life.

Thank you, Shira, for sharing it with us all.

Birthday Presents for the School

 

6th graders Nathan Goren and Marty Lang celebrated a special12th birthday together on Wednesday night. No, it wasn't the laser tag or the Ricki's pizza that made it so out of the ordinary.  It was two little lines written on all of the invitations which read "In lieu of gifts, a small donation to either the MHA Library Fund or to the MHA Athletics Department would be appreciated. Nathan and Marty will be prepared to accept any donations on behalf of MHA during the party."


As he was leaving school yesterday, Nathan handed me an envelope with all of their "presents."  It was a special gift from two very special boys.

A Moving Tribute

The Girls High School put on a most meaningful tribute dinner Monday night, in celebration of the life of their teacher, Mrs. Karin Schmitt.  Over two hundred community members were in attendance as the girls put on a program that would undoubtedly have made Mrs. Schmitt proud.  To say that her sons and husband were moved by the experience is an understatement.  From the slideshow to the video, and the dvar Torah to the desert, everything was done with class and the utmost taste.  It was a kiddush Hashem of the highest order and we are most proud of them.

From Exported Videos

From Tragedy to Triumph

These past few weeks have seen school-wide commemoration and celebration and we remembered both the tragedies and the triumphs of our people's recent past.



It began with Yom HaShoah when our older elementary and Middle School students watched as our high schoolers put on a dramatic rendition of eyewitness accounts of the Holocaust written by children who were there.  Afterward they broke into groups moderated by our Kollel boys and our Bat Ami girls, who led them in meaningful and reflective conversations about what the Holocaust means to us as individuals and to our people.

Yom HaShoah was followed by Yom HaZikaron, a day in which members of our own faculty who served in the Israel Defense Forces shared their thoughts and experiences with our students.  In the evening, our kids were on full display, as their choir performance, flag dance, and skit formed the centerpiece of the communal Yom HaZikaron and Yom Ha'atzmaut program sponsored by all of the local Orthodox shuls.

From Movies

Unlike the somber moods of Yom HaShoah and Yom HaZikaron, Yom Ha'atzmaut was one of unbridled joy and non-stop celebration.  From plane rides to Israel to davening at classroom kotels and from a special minyan and breakfast for the upper school to Israeli snack making in second grade, celebrations of Israel and what it means to us were everywhere you turned.  As has become the tradition, the day was capped off by a jubilant march from the school to Baron Hirsch in which the entire school joined several community members in publicly displaying our support and love for the State of Israel.  Upon arrival, our students were treated to ices followed by mincha and a shiur for the older kids and Israel oriented programming for the younger kids.  Finally, before dismissal, the entire school came together to dance and sing one last time.  Suffice it to say, it was a special day for all.

Student in Finals of International Math Competition

11th grader Molly Brakha will be heading to Israel later this week to compete in the final round of the Ulpaniada International Math and Logic Competition.  Now in its fourth year in Israel, the Ulpaniada was created by Michlalah College in Jerusalem as a means of promoting excellence in math amongst young Jewish women.

This year, for the first time, the Ulpaniada was expanded to become an international competition.  Thousands of girls in Jewish High Schools from across the globe competed in the first two rounds and only a select few made it to the finals which will take place on Tuesday, May 4th at the Michlalah campus in Jerusalem.  At its completion, all finalists will receive a special certificate from the Israeli Minister of Education.

We thank Mr. Vaughn and the rest of our Math faculty for preparing Molly so well and we wish Molly the best of luck.  We know she'll make us proud...she already has!

MHA Students Win Community Awards

While certainly it was not the focal point of Sunday's community-wide Yom HaShoah commemoration, nor should it have been, it was hard to walk away without being impressed with the students of the Margolin Hebrew Academy.  This year, the Federation used the event to culminate three community-wide student contests - for Holocaust related art, essays, and poetry – and our students could not have done any better.

In the Art contest, Racheli Tsuna shared 1^st place with 2 students from Solomon Schechter and Brina Copper took 2^nd place along with a boy from BSSS.  In the poetry contest it was a clean sweep: Alexa Wender took 1^st, Jake Baum took 2^nd, and Lavi Tsuna took 3^rd.  We swept the essay contest too with Maddie Tavin taking first place, Jordana Wender taking 2^nd, and Jonathan Tavin taking third.

Click here to see Alexa's award-winning poem and the evening's program listing all of our award winners.  Congratulations to all of the winners and a special thank you to Mrs. Fleischhaker and Mrs. Johnson for their help in encouraging our students to participate. 

Student Art On Exhibit at Dixon

The artistic creations of four of our Elementary School students are currently on display at the Dixon Gallery and Gardens.  As part of their Made in Dixon exhibit, the work of Edya Finkelstein, Dovid Freiden, Ethan Morris, and Joel Weinstein can be viewed by the general public until April 4th.  The Dixon has been kind enough to make several free passes available to those Academy families who would like to visit over chol ha-moed.  To get them contact Mrs. Chani Fleischhaker and when you do, be sure to thank her for the wonderful work she does running our school's rather impressive art program! 

Student Wins Scholarship to NYU-Poly

The Cooper Yeshiva High School's resident videographer, technical coordinator, and concert pianist, has received an enticing offer to continue pursuing his passions.  Ethan Addess received notice this week that he was selected for the Promise Fund Scholarship at the Polytechnic Institute of New York University, NYU's school of engineering, applied science, and technology.

According to the letter he received, the purpose of this scholarship program "is to identify, support, and encourage young men and women who demonstrate the potential for making significant contributions to our university."   Should Ethan decide to accept the offer, he would join fellow graduates Andrew Tavin (class of '09) and Yonadav Tsuna (Class of '08) in representing our school on the campuses of NYU.

Ethan's scholarship offer brings the total scholarship offered to this year's seniors up to $44,000, with the vast majority of acceptances still to come.  He, like almost of all of our seniors from both high schools, will spend a year learning in Israel before beginning his college career.  And, like all of our seniors, we're so proud of what Ethan has accomplished and can't wait to see what lies ahead.