FROM THE PRINCIPAL'S DESK...

It was wonderful to see so many of our families on Zoom yesterday during our special snow day programming. Thank you to Shira Kroll, Ailie Schmulowitz, and Adina Steinberg for organizing and coordinating such a diverse array of special activities. 

 

If you have not yet done so, I encourage you to join our Celebration of Heroes campaign, as we honor nine incredible individuals in our community for their leadership, service, and dedication. Please make your reservations for the virtual event, to take place on January 14, and join us to pay tribute to our honorees.

 

Shabbat Shalom,

RABBI BINYAMIN KRAUSS (AC '84)
Principal

MAZAL TOV!

MAZAL TOV to the following students on the occasion of their bar/bat mitzvah:

 

Ari Freedberg (Gr. 7)

Noah Fromen (Gr. 7)

Amalia Gerber (Gr. 6)

Rachel Khalil (Gr. 6)

Nave Mali (Gr. 8)

Elinor Ohana (Gr. 6)

Sef Pershin (Gr. 7)

Jonah Schloss (Gr. 7)

Max Sinowitz (Gr. 7)

 

 

If you would like a "Mazal Tov" listed in Chadashot for a new baby that is

born in your family, please click here.

Click here to sponsor a Day of Learning at SAR to commemorate a yahrzeit; learn in the merit of a loved one's refuah shlemah; honor a parent, teacher, leader, or friend; or celebrate a simcha. It is a wonderful way to model by example the value we place in learning and give meaning to our acts of tzedakah. If you have any questions, please contact Sara Hasson at sara.hasson@saracademy.org or at x1300.

SCHOOL NEWS@SAR

A WEEK OF CHANUKAH CELEBRATION

What a week of celebration! Each day was packed with fun Chanukah-themed activities. Students made latkes, went ice skating, created edible dreidels, danced with the Silent DJ, had some intense dreidel spin-offs, participated in cake wars, a photo scavenger hunt, Chanukah-themed games of Jeopardy and Family Feud, and so much more! Each day concluded with candle lighting on the steps. 

OUR FIRST-EVER #STAYHOMAKAH

On Thursday we had our first snow day in quite awhile, and what a snow day it was! Our amazing faculty and staff planned an exciting day filled with Zoom minyanim, arts and crafts activities, a baking class, STEM fun, musical and PE/Movement activities, and more! SAR's first-ever #STAYHOMAKAH offered a little something for everyone.

 

We capped off the snow day, and the last night of Chanukah, with a school-wide candle lighting featuring special guest singer Shulem Lemmer, who treated us to a sampling of beautiful Chanukah songs. What an amazing way to celebrate the final, snowy day of Chanukah!

SAR DINNER: A CELEBRATION OF HEROES

Every year, SAR hosts our Anniversary Dinner, where we gather as a community in celebration of the many achievements of the SAR community and launch our largest fundraising campaign of the year. This year, we are launching our campaign online and will gather virtually in a live event on January 14, 2021 to celebrate SAR Community Heroes.

 

We celebrate those who have selflessly cared for the broader community with leadership, service and compassion. We celebrate the collaboration and resourcefulness of a community full of heroes. We celebrate the students who have embraced the changes and have discovered a new appreciation for their education.

 

We are deeply honored to celebrate our honorees for inspiring acts of service of school and community.

 

Esther Bacharach, RN | Russi Bohm, RN | Tal Bouskila | Teena Lerner, PhD

 

Gita Lisker, MD | Maggie Listhaus, FNP, RN | Joshua Rocker, MD

 

 Esther Sperber | Hila Stern

 

Please join the campaign!

THEME OF THE YEAR: אחריות

BRING IT TO THE TABLE

Each week in Chadashot you will find a column called "Bring it to the Table," with prompts and questions to discuss אחריות, responsibility, around your Shabbat table. In school each month, we will highlight another aspect of אחריות, broadening students' conception of what responsibility is and the many ways we can express responsibility and be a community that continues to "step it up." We are looking forward to deepening our understanding about ways in which we can act responsibly in the world and be proactive in caring for ourselves and for others.

Print this week's "Bring it to the Table."

ELC@SAR

GAN EITZIM'S CHANUKAH STUDY

Chanukah is here and Gan Eitzim is so excited! We had a blast all week celebrating with a Shooby Doob concert, silent DJ, dreidel competition, and candle lighting together as a class. Before Chanukah, to help the children decide what they would like to explore about the holiday, the morot asked the children what they knew about Chanukah (which we noted with a K), what they wondered about Chanukah (which we noted with a W), and what they learned about Chanukah (which we noted with an L and which we filled out this week). After much discussion in ma'agal it was decided by the children that they would like to explore more about light and lighting the chanukiah. During ma'agal we observed many different types of candles being lit (birthday, Shabbat, Chanukah, and oil). The children noticed many differences and similarities between the different lights, but the most exciting part was watching the candles melt right before their eyes. They were fascinated and this led to a discussion of other items that we know of that melt. The children recalled stories of ice cream, snow, and chocolate all melting. They really felt a sense of pride when relating their experiences with melting to the Chanukah candles!

LOWER SCHOOL@SAR

CHANUKAH LEARNING AND CHUMASH STUDY IN KITAH BET

In Chumash in Kitah Bet, we have been continuing our exciting study of Adam and Isha in Gan Eden. As we learned the words and actions of the nachash, Isha, and Adam surrounding the Etz HaDa'at, and their subsequent punishments from Hashem, our studies sparked fascinating conversations about taking responsibility for our actions. The students are really internalizing our theme of the year of Achrayut!

FIFTH GRADE HAPPENINGS! 

Fifth grade began exploring historical fiction as they read Number the Stars. The students read about the bravery a girl their age displayed during the time of the Holocaust. Learning that there were, in fact, many Righteous Gentiles and resistance to the Nazis was fascinating to the fifth graders.

 

Chanukah was so much fun this year! Although it was different than usual, many fun activities were planned including Jeopardy, a scavenger hunt, Silent DJ, and dreidel competitions. Our students had a very special, memorable, and meaningful week!

MIDDLE SCHOOL@SAR

DEBATE TEAM WINS FIRST PLACE

By Charlotte Filer, 8Y

 

Last week, the 7th and 8th grade debate team competed in their first debate of the year. The topic of the debate was mandatory voting in the U.S. and there were two teams of two people arguing both pro and con. We competed against four other Jewish schools and won 1st place school. Congratulations also to Maya Puterman (8X) who won first place speaker. The event was different from usual since the debate was on Zoom but because of all the features on Zoom, it was very smooth. The debaters all prepared a 3-5 minute speech on the topic and presented these to the other team as well as a judge from another school. The debaters wrote and practiced their speeches over the last few weeks with help from the debate team coach, Mr. Coughlan. This was the first of three debates this year for the debate team and they hope to continue bringing in wins for SAR. Thank you Mr. Coughlan for making this a memorable experience. 

SPECIALTIES@SAR

STUDENTS AND GRANDS CONNECT THROUGH GRAND STORYTIME

Since the beginning of time, cultures around the world have shared stories as a means of education, entertainment, cultural preservation, and installing of moral values. Stories form connections from one person to another and from one generation to the next.

 

The GRAND Storytime is an opportunity for grandparents, as well as great-uncles and great-aunts, to join SAR students and read to them via Zoom on Monday or Tuesday mornings. We've had the honor over the past several weeks of welcoming many grands to serve as storytellers and share their favorite children's literature with our first and second grade students. It has truly been a grand experience for both children and adults.

 

We look forward to welcoming next week's readers, and to continuing this special program after winter break!  To learn more, please email  sblack@saracademy.org.

STEM@SAR

CANDLES IN A JAR EXPERIMENT IN HONOR OF CHANUKAH

As the kindergarten students prepared to celebrate Chanukah, not only did they make their own chanukiyot, but they also engaged in a STEM lesson that will help them better understand what allowed their candles to burn during the eight nights of the holiday.  They were first introduced to the three different states of matter - solid, liquids, and gases - and they learned how to differentiate between different forms of matter based on their shape. They learned through investigation that solids have a definite shape, liquids take the shapes of their containers, and gases lack shape and exist everywhere. They were then able to watch a candle burning, appreciating all three states of matter at the same time, viewing the solid candle, the molten wax, and the gaseous smoke. 

 

When asked to predict what would happen if the candle was covered with a jar, various answers were offered by our kindergarten students. They soon learned that a candle covered with a jar would quickly extinguish, but now they had to figure out why. After suggesting that a candle must need air to burn, they were introduced to the importance of oxygen in the air around us. However, the fun and excitement did not stop there! The students were then asked to predict which candle would burn the longest - one in a small jar, one in a medium sized jar, or the one in the largest jar? They had a fabulous time predicting, observing, recording, testing, and comparing!

CHANUKAH-INSPIRED STEM FUN!

This week, as the light at the end of the long tunnel began to shine brighter with the release of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine in the US, Chanukah programming and festivities also began to light up our school. Our STEAM team devised a number of Chanukah-inspired lessons to enhance the students' school experience during the holiday season. One such activity, Light Up the Menorah, was enjoyed by a number of Middle School classes this week. In this activity, students were assigned the challenge of building a catapult using limited materials, such as popsicle sticks, tape, rubber bands, and plastic spoons, that would then be used to shoot a ping pong ball into eight cups, lined up in a row. In this way, the activity symbolized the lighting of the eight candles of the menorah. 

 

Students were excited to rise to the challenge and got straight to work, constructing what they felt would be the best and most functional catapult using the materials provided. Once they had brought their designs to reality, one member of each "team," or group, stood on opposite sides of the eight cups, and competed to see who could score in all of the cups first. It was difficult, but the students had a great time engaging with their creative and competitive sides all in the spirit of the Chanukah holiday!

LIGHT IT UP CHALLENGE

The Middle School Minecraft elective is a virtual space for students to work collaboratively in order to build, survive, and discover. This week, they competed in a Chanukah-themed challenge! The goal was to build the tallest chanukiah possible that met the circuitry criteria. A successful chanukiah had to have redstone powered circuits (Minecraft wiring) that could be turned on and off to reflect the correct night of Chanukah. Teams worked together in breakout rooms and assigned roles to different members to create the greatest builds! Below are a few samples of their work.

 

In 6Y we took this challenge to the next level! Students who competed were tasked to design a chanukiah that worked using circuitry and displayed their learning from Gemara. By screen recording their Minecraft build and inserting a voiceover in iMovie, students were able to teach others about the concept of ner ish beito, mehadrin, mehadrin min hamehadrim and the machloket between Hillel and Shammai.

AMONG US, IRL

This week in 6Y and 6Z we put our coding skills to the test in an exciting IRL version of the popular game, Among Us. Students competed in virtual rooms to complete STEM coding challenges that incorporated loops, animations, sounds, movement, and lights. Imposters were required to complete tasks in reverse and if they did so correctly, they were able to "sabotage" the work of their peers. In addition to developing their programming skills, the game encouraged students to use deductive reasoning and critical thinking to identify their crewmates...and imposters. 

BEYOND OUR WALLS

One of our seventh grade students, Nina Bellows, is coordinating a project called Tales for Tots. Please read Nina's message below:

 

My name is Nina Bellows. I am 12 years old and am in 7th grade at SAR Middle School. This year is my Bat Mitzvah and I wanted to do a chesed project. I very much enjoy reading. I also thought that due to Covid-19, many parents are pressed for time on Fridays, as Shabbat enters earlier. So I thought, what about reading children's books online to children roughly ages 3-7 for about 30 minutes? Perhaps parents could get a little break, children would be read to and we can all have a great time! I read every Friday from 2:30-3:00 PM. Please see this flyer for all the details and feel free to tell your friends. I can't wait to meet you online!

 

--Nina Bellows, SAR '26

PARSHAT HASHAVUA

DAF YOMI

DVAR TORAH

וַיַּ֨עַן יוֹסֵ֧ף אֶת־פַּרְעֹ֛ה לֵאמֹ֖ר בִּלְעָדָ֑י ה יַֽעֲנֶ֖ה אֶת־שְׁל֥וֹם פַּרְעֹֽה

 

I think this was a very big step for Yosef because he had just come out of the prison. He showed that he was not angry at Hashem for the time that he was jailed. Yosef was also very brave to speak about Hashem in the palace where Pharaoh and all of the Egyptians believed in other gods. He risked getting them angry and going back to jail.

 

We can learn from this story to be like Yosef and always try to recognize the good that Hashem is doing for us. We might not realize what it is, but the good always comes around. 

 

Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks once said "We are changed by what we do." Yosef gives Hashem credit for all the good that happens in the house of Pharaoh. This changes Yosef and prepares him for when his brothers come. Yosef is ready to forgive his brothers. When they arrive, Yosef is now ready to see the good in everything.

CHANUKAH DIVREI TORAH

By Simone Werblowsky, 6Y

 

When most people think of Chanukah they think of the miracle of the oil and how it lasted for eight days. However, what I believe is that the most important miracle is that the Jewish army was super small, but they still defeated the huge Greek army.

 

The most important miracle of all is that we the Jewish people are still here today celebrating Chanukah. There are people that say how come there are no miracles happening today like in the Torah but I believe there are still miracles happening today.

 

When a baby is born that's a miracle and when scientists invent a vaccine against COVID-19 that's a miracle. We should be thankful for all of the miracles in the past and that are happening today. That is the real meaning of Chanukah.

By Ariel Bar, 6Y

 

Chanukah is not just about the miracles of the oil lasting for 8 days or that Hashem helped the Maccabees defeat the Greek army. Even though the Greek army was many times larger and stronger.

 

Chanukah is about something much deeper and controversial, which explains why we are so fortunate to be Jews and study Torah. 

 

In order to understand this controversy, we need to know the history that led to the miracles of Chanukah. Alexander was the Greek leader that was trying to conquer the world and spread Hellenism.

 

Hellenism is the Greek culture which celebrated physical beauty over spirituality. In the ancient Greek culture, they think that outer physical appearance is beautiful as well as art, sculptures, and even dancing in the nude.

 

Alexander the Great went on his journey of conquering the world. He made it to Israel where the Syrians lied to Alexander about the Jews. The Syrians did not get along with the Jews and told Alexander that in the temple they prayed against the Greeks.

 

Alexander summoned his army to march to the temple in Jerusalem to destroy the Jews. The Jewish priest led by Shimon haTzadik marched to meet them. The Greek army expected a battle but was surprised to see that their leader, Alexander, bowed at the feet of Shimon haTzadik. His army said, "What are you doing?" and he replied, "Before every war, I saw the man before me in my dreams, and he is wishing me luck and praying for us."

 

The Greeks and the Jews made a peaceful deal that the Greeks can rule Israel but they cannot force the Jews to  give up Judaism. 

 

A few years later...

 

Soon the Greeks started to influence some of the Jews to adopt to Hellenistic Judaism. After Alexander died at the age of 32 his generals got control over Israel and the Jews. They tried to get rid of Judaism and force Hellenism on the Jews. 

 

This is where the real question about Chanukah lies. Which is worse, breaking the Jewish law of pikuach nefesh (preserving life) and fighting to follow Torah or adopting Hellenism to stay alive?

 

The Jews chose to hide in caves and study Torah but pretend to play games (the spinning of the dreidel) when Greek soldiers came to check on them. Later with the inspiration of Matisyahu, they decided to revolt and suffer death rather than give up the Torah. Channah, a mother of 7 boys, witnessed all her boys sacrifice their life, rather than give up Torah.

 

Matisyahu's son led the Maccabees into the war that lasted 10 years. Even though they were outnumbered against a professional army, they succeeded in winning. This led to the final discovery of the destroyed temple and the miracle of the oil that lasted eight days instead of one.

 

But why is it so important to fight for the right to practice Judaism and follow Torah? Surely saving a life is a mitzvah and that should be more important. Well, if everyone gave up on the Torah, then we would no longer be able to practice our religion, there would be no mitzvot to follow, in future generations. It is because we were willing to lay our lives on the line for our religion and Hashem, that we exist today. Many times, in our history, we were challenged to give up Torah but we never did, no matter how deadly.

IN THE COMMUNITY

Sunday Market Selections

New for this year, the Riverdale Y Sunday Market is organizing a preorder/pickup service for our customers during the winter months. We understand that people want fresh food throughout the year, and we appreciate that you want to continue buying that food from your favorite vendors at the Market. For a full list of vendors and information on the pre-order process, please visit www.RiverdaleY.org/sundaymarket.

 

Israeli Cuisine @ Home: Moroccan Fish

Join the Riverdale Y's Israeli Emissary, Shani Aslan, for this fun and delicious cooking series, as she brings traditional and modern Israeli cuisine into your own home. This event is co-sponsored with the Y of Washington Heights and will take place the third Tuesday of each month, unless otherwise noted. For registration details, and a full list of ingredients you will need to prepare the recipe, please visit www.RiverdaleY.org/moroccanfish.

 

KCI Food Pantry

The KCI Food Pantry provides fresh Kosher food delivery to anyone in need in the community. The economic downturn has affected many people, and the Met Council and UJA Federation of New York are helping the community get these food resources to help. Please call (646) 647-1380 or email kcifoodpantry@gmail.com. All requests are confidential, and all food is delivered to your door.

 

Book Festival

We are thrilled to present a Fall Book Festival that connects you to the author right in your living room. Featuring authors such as Mike Leven, Natan Sharansky, Gil Troy, Joan Lunden, and more. Visit www.RiverdaleY.org/bookfestival for more information and registration details.

 

Safekeeping Stories of the Holocaust Workshop

Registration is open for this workshop designed specifically to help the next generation preserve their family's Holocaust story. The workshop teaches Storykeeping, a method that makes it easy to create a meaningful family story in about 10 pages. No special writing skills are required. This program is now available via Zoom. This is a small group experience and there is very limited capacity. Choose Tuesday evenings, or Wednesday afternoons. Click here to register. Questions? Email jill@safekeepingstories.com.

 

The Upper West Side Babies and Children's Gemach

The gemach accepts and provides new and gently used clothing and accessories for babies and children. We welcome new and gently used clothing, strollers, pack 'n plays, books, toys, etc. (Please no cribs, car seats, or stuffed animals.) Please contact us at uwsgemach@jewishcenter.org to schedule a clothing/accessories drop off (items cannot be dropped off without prior arrangement) or to schedule a private shopping appointment (there is no cost associated with a shopping appointment, but donations are accepted). We also welcome volunteers. A tax receipt can be provided for donations upon request.
 
Sarah Lily Adoption Fund

Please share this with anyone who's adopting: The Sarah Lily Fund provides two $5,000 grants annually to help defray some of the many costs of forming Jewish families in this vital way. For additional information, as well as the application form, please visit www.RiverdaleY.org/sarahlily.

 

Senior Meals

Our community's seniors need your support! The Riverdale Y is preparing and delivering free, hot, kosher meals to seniors in our community! Please visit www.RiverdaleY.org/seniormeals and donate generously. If you'd like to donate your time, you can help volunteer by reaching out to volunteers@riverdaley.org. Your help is essential to keep 200+ senior community members fed and healthy.

 !שבת שלום