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*Shevat Launch*
We have kicked off the Good Choices theme for the month of Shevat: Adam V'Adama, People and the Earth: Keep Them Growing Together.
John Johnson III, Recycling Outreach Coordinator from the Council of the Environment of NYC (CENYC) and Office of Recycling Outreach and Education (OROE), joined students in first through fifth grades for an interactive assembly on the dos and don'ts of recycling: what can and cannot be recycled, and what items can be recycled together. They learned some key recycling tips such as how to tell if something paper or plastic can be recycled in NYC. If the plastic bottle has a neck, then it can be recycled. If you can rip or tear paper, than it can be recycled. After learning about taking care of the environment in general and recycling in particular, the students enjoyed a short video clip. Using the information just provided to them, the recycling relay allowed our students to race against the clock to recycle items in the correct bins. Many students brought in their own recyclables to use for their relays. Four teams competed against one another in the relay, while other students cheered them on with recycling cheers. "G-R-E-E-N Go Green!" Interest and enthusiasm was high. Students and teachers showed their spirit for the theme of Adam V'Adama, People and the Earth: Keep Them Growing Together by wearing green clothing.
Class areas are being set up with clearly marked garbage cans and boxes for paper to facilitate and encourage recycling.
*Tu B'Shvat Seder*
On Tuesday, in preparation for Wednesday's Tu B'Shvat Seder, over a dozen students helped to make decorations for the tables. They planted bean plants and made paper flowers with the SAR logo planted with a popsicle stick for the centerpieces. Wednesday evening, the atrium and lunchroom were blessed with well over 200 people enjoying dinner, a Tu B'Shvat Seder, and an erev shira. With a live band and lyrics on the screen, it was easy to follow along and enjoy the songs. "ההר הירוק תמיד"-the mountain is always green-we sang.
The guests, of all ages, read aloud from a Tu B'Shvat Haggadah, ate the fruits of Israel, and enjoyed singing Israeli songs. The question of why we have a Seder Tu B'Shvat was considered and discussed. Tu B'Shvat is not mentioned in the Torah. We first hear of it in the Mishnah, where it is referred to as one of four "Rashei Shana" - new years. Tu B'Shvat is "Rosh Hashana La'Ilanot", the new year of the trees, which determines a tree's age. The Jewish people throughout the generations maintained this date as a day to commemorate Eretz Yisrael, its nature, and its special fruits, namely "Shivat Haminim", the seven species (wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, and dates). The mekubalim in Tzfat gave this day another layer of meaning by being the first to give it the "seder" form with a ritual meal over four glasses of wine and fruits from Eretz Yisrael. At the end of the 19th century, Zeev Ya'abetz, a school principal in Zichron Yaakov, took his students to plant trees on this day, and soon after this became the common way of celebrating Tu B'Shvat in schools and youth movements all over Israel. In recent years, as the awareness of environmental issues has grown, yet another layer has been added to this day, as we acknowledge the need to protect the wonderful world that Hakadosh Baruch Hu has given us, and commit ourselves to living in a more considerate and "green" manner.
This year, we wanted especially to dedicate our thoughts during the seder to the Carmel Mountains. The devastating fire that raged for four days in December burnt large portions of this beautiful and unique piece of land. We know by now that the restorative powers of nature are incredible and yet, the damage will take decades to restore. This year's call for action is to help restore the Carmel forest in the north of Israel and to support the JNF and The Israel Nature and Park Authority, who are working tirelessly to help and secure this renovation.
A special thank you to the parent coordinators of this program, Rena Karol and Stacey Daube. Thank you as well to parent volunteers Oshrat Shoham, Cecily Oberstein, Yardaena Osband, and Julia Salter. Thank you to faculty members: Eran Ginzberg, Michal Ben-Dov, Michael Ribalt, Shalom Schlagman, and David Glazer. A very special yasher koach to our student volunteers who made the room festive and beautiful.
*5th grade Melave Malka*
~by Danya Benovitz and Naama Kobrin
This year the fifth grade had a wonderful Melave Malka. The first thing we did was learn Torah with our parents. After that, we went downstairs to eat dinner, looked at the artwork we made, and watched the slideshow. When we were finished, we went outside of the lunchroom and danced and had dessert.
We think that S.A.R. should continue doing events such as the Melave Malka. We think that the other kids had as much fun as we did, and we think that the parents had as much fun also.
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