The Community Responds

We're fighting back and we need your help.

Rather than accept the desecration of our siddurim and our Torah last week in Jackson as an isolated act of misplaced anger, we're reaching out across the community to make a statement to our city, our region, and to ourselves that there is no place for hatred and bigotry of any kind.

We are joining hands with Facing History and Ourselves and the Simon Wiesenthal Center for an event being graciously hosted by the Baron Hirsch Congregation, in which we will educate ourselves and others about the kedusha (sanctity) of a sefer Torah and its meaning to our people, while also speaking out strongly and unequivocally against all forms of prejudice and intolerance.

The event will begin at 7pm on February 11th at the Baron Hirsch.  Mark it off on your calendars, tell your friends, hang a sign in your office.  Let's come out in full force and show everyone who we are and what we stand for.

A Tale of Two Stories: Reflections on a Hate Crime

A Chumash vandalized in the incident.

The following appears as my weekly message in our school newsletter for this week:

We have a choice to make.  You do, I do, our community does. 

There has been a lot of talk in our circles this week about evil, madmen, and hate. I’m as guilty as anyone else, if not more so.  Those were the things running through my head as I tried to talk to our boys last shabbat afternoon.  I had never felt as sick to the stomach as I did when I peered under the cover of our Torah earlier that morning to see whether the person who had left messages of hate all over our room, had gone so far as to deface our Torah as well.  As everyone knows by now he had.  And in the most vile of ways.

I was shaken to the core and  I let our kids know it.  I talked about anti-Semitism, because it’s all I could think of.  I told them that as a graduate student and then as an Instructor of Modern Jewish History at Yeshiva University, I gave numerous lectures on anti-Semitism, its roots, and its causes.  But I had never done so in the room where an anti-Semitic attack had occurred – that very same day.  I grew up knowing that my grandparents and great-grandparents had been subjected to unspeakable horrors.  I even visited the places where that happened.  But nothing I had personally experienced compared to this.  So I let the boys know.  And then, when asked, I told a reporter from the Jackson Sun. 

So the story that emerged was one of hate.  It was the story of Jewish persecution and Jewish victimization from Egypt to Jackson, with quite a few pit stops along the way.  The story is factual.  It’s part of who we are and part of who we’ve always been.  We can choose to tell that story to our kids and to their kids after them.  But there is another story as well.

It’s the story of a non-Jewish hotel manager who was close to tears when she saw what had happened.  Not because she was concerned for her job – she did nothing wrong – but out of genuine concern for us.  It’s the story of a dozen law enforcement officials who showed up on the scene, each more respectful and caring than the next.  It’s about the amazement, awe, and deep seated respect they showed when the Torah was unrolled in front of them and they saw the painstaking labor of love with which each letter was formed.  It’s about the member of the Jackson Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Unit who, covered from head to toe in his white sterile suit and meticulously documenting the evidence, told me about the year he spent in Israel living in the King David Hotel on assignment by the US military and the lifelong admiration he’s had for the Jewish State ever since.

And it’s the story of Nancy and Bert Bennett, residents of Jackson whom I have never met, but who wrote me the following letter this week:

Dear Sirs, Madame,

My husband and I were truly sorry to hear of the terrible incidents that happened to your holy books in Jackson.  We have lived here for over twenty years and have never heard of such a thing happening.  As I watched the television report, I did not think you got the sincere apology you deserve.

This world seems to be filled with such hatred.

But there are many Christians that recognize that the Torah is God’s sacred word and the Jewish people are God’s chosen people.  My husband Bert and I sincerely ask for your forgiveness for the city of Jackson and again, though we hold no official power, we apologize for what happened here.

Sincerely,

Nancy & Bert Bennett

The choice is ours.  Which story do we want to tell?

Students Win Comcast Leadership Scholarship

Seniors Eli Osdoba and Zahava Gersten were notified yesterday that they are both recipients of Comcast's Leaders and Achievers Scholarship for 2013.  According to their website, "the Comcast Leaders and Achievers Scholarship Program recognizes graduating seniors who excel in the classroom and give back to their communities" and is given to students with excellent grades who also "demonstrate a strong commitment to community service and display leadership abilities through school activities or work experience."  Both Zahava, who has been the star of our debate team for the last two years, and Eli, who known nationally in the Day School world for his prowess on the basketball court, have also dedicated countless hours in service of our school and our community and therefore fit that description perfectly.

Each of them will receive $1,000 to be used toward their college education which both of them will be pursuing after spending a year studying in Israel.  We know this is just the beginning for both of them and we look forward to hearing about many more outstanding accomplishments in the future!

Images of Chanukah

Chanukah is always a special time in school and this year was no different.  Here are some images from the myriad of wonderful events and programs that happened throughout each of our divisions last week...

Students Accepted to YU Honors and University of Michigan

Congratulations to Jake Baum, Josh Mayime, and Netanel Brakha all of whom were accepted into Yeshiva University's prestigious Honors Program.  Jake and Josh, both of whom were offered annual academic scholarships of $25,000, were accepted to the Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein Honors Program at Yeshiva College, while Netanel, whose scholarship has yet to be announced, was accepted to the new Business Honors and Entrepreneurial Leadership Program at the Sy Syms School of Business.  Both programs require outstanding standardized testing scores as well as exceptional curricular and co-curricular achievement for admittance and we are very proud of all three of them for having been selected.

Rounding out the good news from last week was word that both Ethan and Dylan Cooper have been accepted to the University of Michigan which is ranked #4 amongst the nation's public universities.  Much thanks goes to our college guidance counselor, Mrs. Talya Tsuna, and we look forward to hearing similarly exciting news from the rest of our seniors when the decisions from non-early applications come in a few months from now.

Steak Dinner 2012

The high school boys once again dazzled the community with what might have been their finest Steak Dinner ever.  With over 300 community members in attendance, last Sunday's dinner, which they cooked, served, marketed, set-up for, and cleaned up after, was a remarkable reflection of just how talented they are and just how capable teenagers can be when you believe in them...

Those Were the Nights

Here is a Chanukah treat for all of our Lower School parents.  It's a video of our elementary school students singing the Yeshiva Boys Choir song "Those Were The Nights of Chanukah" at a recent Friday afternoon assembly led by our new music teacher, Cantor Aryeh Samberg.

Happy Chanukah to all!

Student Admitted Early to Columbia University

We received our first college news of the year this week and it was wonderfully good.  Dylan Cooper was accepted Early Decision to Columbia University.

Like most of his classmates, Dylan intends to delay matriculation for a year while he continues his religious and spiritual growth through a year of intensive Torah study in Israel.  Where exactly he'll be headed though, is the next major decision he has to make.  And it's one he can now make with a rather significant burden lifted off of his shoulders.

On Twinkies and Jewish Education

The following post appeared as my weekly column in last week's school newsletter.

I never ate a Twinkie and last week’s failed mediation between Hostess and its bakers’ union ensured that I never will.

Of course, like many of my kosher-keeping peers, Coffee Cakes, Ding-Dongs, Fruit Pies, and Devil Dogs were a staple of my adolescent diet. Though raised in a home where “junk food” consisted of all-natural fruit leather and sugar-free candies, my high school’s vending machine ensured that the variety of kosher delicacies made by Hostess under its Drakes brand were never more than a flight of stairs and seventy-five cents away.

So why won’t my children ever have the pleasure of using their hard-earned babysitting money to indulge in such artery-clogging treats? Reasons abound, from fiscal irresponsibility to workforce inefficiency. But one facet of the company’s collapse is reverberating across news sites and blogs throughout the web and ought to give pause to educators of all types, and Jewish educators in particular.

Larry Popelka of Bloomberg BusinessWeek put it this way:

There are plenty of culprits in the recent bankruptcy and closure of Hostess Brands, including weak management, short-sighted labor unions, and poor judgment by investors. But the real reason Hostess is going belly up is a problem that’s been brewing for more than 20 years: The company completely failed to innovate.

Despite its iconic brand and more than 80 years of success, Hostess is gone because the times changed and it didn’t have the foresight or wherewithal to change along with it.

Education, as an industry, is notoriously slow to innovate. And, to a certain extent, it ought to be that way. Innovation requires risk. Taking risk necessarily entails failure, flops, and frustration and there are few areas where such results are more feared than with regard to the education of our children. And true as that is in society in general, it is all the more true in the world of Jewish education. In general education, we have pedagogic traditions that go back a century and perhaps a little more. In Jewish education, our traditions of learning and study date back two thousand years, if not more. Taking risks in general education is seen as putting college acceptance and professional success in jeopardy. Taking risks in Jewish education is seen as jeopardizing a way of life and a Divine command.

No one wants to see failure or flops in Jewish education and therefore everyone is hesitant to take risks. The irony, though, is that business leaders and religious leaders alike have been growing increasingly vocal over the years about their frustration with the growing number of flops and failures being produced by our educational system in its current form. Fortune 500 companies bemoan today’s college graduates as lacking the ability to think critically and creatively, communicate effectively, and collaborate efficiently. Rabbinic leaders bemoan a lack of passion, commitment, and meaning in the religious lives of those same twenty-somethings.

So, perhaps we have less to lose than we think. Perhaps the time to take calculated risks in the way we educate is now. The thought that my children’s children will never have the pleasure of biting into a Devil Dog doesn’t keep me up at night. The thought though, that some pundit with 20/20 hindsight will in twenty, thirty, or forty years write that “the real reason Jewish education is going belly up is a problem that’s been brewing for more than 50 years: the industry completely failed to innovate” is one that definitely does.

High School Open House

Last night's high school Open House centered around the Prezi below.  After the slideshow for each "opportunity" one of our high school students spoke from the heart about what such opportunities have meant to him or her during their time at our school.  While I can't share their inspiring words (maybe next year via video), I at least wanted share the Prezi and give you a visual glimpse into the very special place that our boys and girls high schools have become.

High School Open House 2012 on Prezi

Our Students Need Your Vote!

As part of our high school's videography elective, 9th graders Aaron Wruble, Nachi Fleischhacker, and David Silberman, 10th grader Avi Katz, and 11th grader Jason Graf, created this video about our elementary school and entered it into the AviChai Foundation's Jewish Day School Video Contest.  Winning the contest could result in thousands of dollars for the school (and a nice Chanukah present for our high school students!). Despite the less than flattering cover shot of my mouth, the video is quite good, so please cast your vote for them today!

The 5th Soldier

As part of a Skype conversation with Israel this morning, a tank commander in the Israeli Army explained to our elementary school about the "secret 5th soldier" hiding in every Israeli tank.  Listen for yourself...

Student Publishes in Medical Journal

Dylan Cooper, a senior in the CYHSB, recently had the research he worked on this past summer in the Department of Medical Oncology in Boston's famed Dana Farber Cancer Institute published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.  The study, conducted by a team of researchers at the Institute, focuses on Merkel Cell Carcinoma, a rare and aggressive form of skin cancer, and can be read in its entirety here.

We know this is merely the first step for Dylan who aspires toward a career in medicine and we can't wait to see what's next.

My Summer in Africa

Guest post by Ariana Kaufman, Class of 2012

Mahatma Ghandi famously said "you must be the change you want to see in the world." By going to Africa this past summer with the American Jewish World Service, I was able to fully comprehend the true importance and value of making a difference in a child's life. While my initial intent was to build a school for rescued child slaves, I left with an indescribable feeling of attachment and love for these young victims. Having witnessed firsthand their extreme poverty and illness, I feel a strong obligation to spread their stories and share their pain.

"No. My mother needed money so she sent me to sell my blood to a man on the street." This was the response I received when asking Abigail, a frail and innocent seven year old, if the one cedi (equivalent to 50 American cents) in her hand was because her mom had sent her to the market. Abigail, along with many other children her age, had a small weak body with a bloated stomach due to malnutrition and parasites. In addition, she had a protruding belly button due to her umbilical cord being cut improperly at birth. I caught myself staring at the gruesome and unprofessionally done needle mark on her hand, which the predator who drew her blood did not even have the courtesy to bandage up afterwards. I would also bet that the needle and apparatus that he used were not sanitary and could have exposed her to life threatening complications including Hepatitis and HIV. After staring for a few seconds, I realized no words could ever take back the experience that had just occurred to her or make it better. I simply gave her a smile, implying that I was happy that she felt so comfortable confiding in me. The hardest part was not being able to tell her I would always be there for her, knowing that that was not a promise I was capable of keeping. With this, Abigail smiled. I can't describe how happy I was to be there for her during a time of extreme discomfort. It is shocking how a simple smile and giving someone a hug can be such a little action with such a big effect.

On July 25 I woke up expecting a normal day of strenuous manual labor building the school, but realized shortly after my head lifted from my pillow that something was wrong. I got out of bed feeling dizzy and disoriented. I tried to stand but nausea overwhelmed me and I could not swallow food or even think about eating. Two days passed and in that time my fever increased and I began to vomit and faint continuously. It was clear that something was wrong and I was immediately sent to the hospital. Two days later I was diagnosed with second stage malaria. Fortunately, after a terrifying few days I began to slowly feel better. While I was recovering, neighborhood children would come into my room and express their sympathy. I even received letters and prayers from them, which meant so much to me. It amazed me how someone with so many problems of their own could take a pause from their daily hardships and worry about someone else beside themselves or their immediate family. I cannot possibly imagine what it is like not being able to afford vital medicine and receive immediate care. I realized that while I was able to touch upon the surface of their pain, I knew that I could never experience what these children go through on a daily basis.

In Ghana, we were able to spend time with many political and religious leaders. When meeting with the local Imam (Islamic priest), we discussed the importance of charity. I still vividly remember him saying, "well obviously if you have three shirts you give away one." This great motto drove home the ideal of what we should aspire do in our daily lives.

I went into this program with the goal of making a difference in the lives of these children and would like to believe that I succeeded in even a small way. What is clear is how much greater of a difference they had on me. My trip certainly helped reinforce many of the lessons on chesed that I learned in school and at home. I am committed to raising awareness of these critical issues and encourage you to contact me if you want further information or would like to help make a difference.

Ariana is currently spending a year studying at Tiferet in Israel before matriculating to Yeshiva University's Stern College for Women next year. 

BSSS and MHA Parents Learn Together

Yesterday morning marked our first learning event of this year's Kohelet Fellowships Program.  In conjunction with the Global Day of Jewish Learning, parents from the MHA and the Bornblum Solomon Schechter who are participating in the Fellowships program gathered together in our Girls High School where I led them in a discussion of a Jewish Perspective on Gratitude.

Central to our conversation was this thought-provoking video entitled "You Can Dance" from jewishfoodforthought.com:

The Kohelet Fellowships program asks parents to commit to one of two Jewish adult learning programs over the course of the year: Chabad's JLI program or a chavruta program from Yeshiva University's Center for the Jewish Future.  Parents who complete the course of study and attend one of two learning events during year like Sunday's receive a $1000 grant ($1250 for couples who participate) from the Kohelet Foundation that can be used to offset tuition or gifted back to their children's school.

Though the financial help is deeply appreciated by both the parents and the school, the program would be worthwhile just for days like yesterday when more than forty members of our community from different backgrounds - some of whom had never met before - got together to talk about the values and texts we share.

Here are some pictures from what was a wonderful morning:

C21: Caring for Kenyans

Among the Essential Capacities for the 21st Century enumerated by the National Association of Independent Schools is the necessity for students to gain what they call a "Global Perspective." What does that look like in a classroom?  How about sixth graders in an Orthodox Jewish Day School in Memphis, Tennessee taking the initiative to raise funds in order to purchase school supplies to send to their e-pals at the Cheery Children Education Centre in the Kibera slum of Nairobi, Kenya.

This video, created by sixth grader Akiva Finkelstein, says it all:




To help their cause, click on the "Donate" button on right-hand margin of the blog and when you see the option to "Add special instructions to the seller" put in "Caring for Kenyans."

Please also share this via Twitter, Facebook, email, and any other means possible so that our 6th graders can see just how far their care and concern can go.

The GMSG Presents: The Twilight Zone

Come join our Girls High School for a night of light-hearted theater this coming Tuesday at 7:00pm in the MHA Auditorium.

In addition to a theatrical rendition of a Twilight Zone episode directed by Mrs. Renee Davis Brame and starring Zahava Gersten, Jamie Epstein, Hudis Lang, Emma Peiser  and Racheli Brakha, you'll be treated to cameo appearances by characters currently being read in our Girls High School English classes including:

• Nora from A Doll's House played by Chaya Ross
• Torvald from A Doll's House played by Sarah Ballinger
• Announcer played by Michelle Bouchard
• Romeo played by Sarah Belz
• Juliet played by Sarah Broniscer
• Oedipus AND Odysseus played by Alyssa Wruble
• Tiresius played by Noga Finkelstein
• Antigone played by Racheli Tsuna
• Penelope from the Odyssey AND Dr. T.J. Eckelberg played by Lily Morris
• Mark Antony played by Alex Pittler

Tickets are $5 for students and $7 for adults.

Fall Festival

Thanks to the hard work of our Early Childhood Director, Mrs. Charna Schubert, our Lower School Principal, Mrs. Sandy Gersten, and a whole host of volunteers, the fifth annual Fall Festival was another smashing success.  Here are some pictures from the fun-filled day:

C21: Roanoke Island Project

I walked into our 8th grade History class the other day just as a student was completing his presentation of the video below.  The project, designed by Mrs. Shelley Kutliroff, epitomized so much of what we mean when we talk about 21st Century learning, and how it differs from more traditional classroom methods, that I thought it was worth sharing.

The class was learning about what is often referred to as the "lost colony" of Roanoke - a late 16th century English settlement on an island off the coast of North Carolina whose settlers mysteriously vanished somewhere between 1587 and 1590.  In a traditional classroom, the story of the Roanoke settlers would be covered in a few minutes of lecture, perhaps buttressed by a paragraph or two in a text book, and then assessed with a question or two on that chapter's test.  Kids with a knack for names and places would get it right, those without it might get it wrong, and only the real history buffs would retain any of the information more than a week or two after the exam.

In this project, however, the story of Roanoke was used a tool to accomplish pedagogical goals far more meaningful than honing a student's ability to answer questions on Jeopardy or in a game of Trivial Pursuit.  The assignment, in essence, was as follows: Imagine you are an archaeologist studying the colony of Roanoke.  Present a hypothesis, backed up by evidence, as to what caused the settlers to disappear and present it in an engaging manner to your classmates.  In one fell swoop, "read, memorize, and spit back" were transformed into "read, think, innovate, create, communicate, and entertain."  Instead of passive consumers of history, 8th graders were momentarily transformed into authors of history.  Though their "hypotheses" were far-fetched at best and at times a bit zany, it was a learning experience that emphasized process over product; one that challenged students to experience what Howard Gardner calls "disciplined thought" (the authentic thought process of a particular discipline) on a developmentally appropriate level.  It was also a learning experience that gave students the opportunity to synthesize various media and communicate the information in a way that is germane to the world they live in and the world they will soon have to lead.  Furthermore, it was an experience which reminded kids, long after they graduated from Kindergarten, that their imaginations are still of great value to us and ought to be prized by them.

Of course, the great irony is that after an exercise like this one which focused on skill-building and methods of thinking rather than rote memorization, our students are far more likely to have etched the names Roanoke and John White, the word Croatoan and the year 1587, into their long-term memory than they would have had they merely heard it, read it, and regurgitated it for a test.

A Wedding in the ECE

Learning doesn't get much cuter...