On the Bridge 11/24/2010

The faculty, staff and students at Gesher thank the almost 200 grandparents, special friends and community supporters who visited with us for our annual Grandparents and VIP Day yesterday. Click here for photos.

Teacher Wish List Book Sale

The Teacher Wish List Book Sale at Grandparents/VIP Day was a huge success! Using teacher's individual wish lists allowed our guests to honor teachers and students while feeling they are directly adding value to the classroom. The Wish List sale added over $600 of new Books, CD's and DVD's to the classrooms!

Chanukah Doughnut Sale!

On Thursday December 2^nd and on Friday December 3^rd, Student Council will be having a Chanukah sufganiyot/doughnut sale. The doughnuts will be sold during lunch and recess for $1 a doughnut. We will be raising money for student council events and to celebrate the holiday of Chanukah. There will be both Jelly and Glazed doughnuts for sale.

Nominate your Teacher as My Favorite Teacher and Win Prizes!

If a Gesher student wins this Barnes & Noble contest, the teacher AND the school each get $5,000. Click here for more information.

Chanukah Musical: The Odd Potato

Gesher will again perform an all-school Chanukah musical for family and guests at our annual Chanukah Family Celebration. We are already in the thick of production! This year, the celebration will be the eighth night of Chanukah, Wednesday, Dec 8th. Mark your calendar, you will not want to miss it! The story of the Odd Potato is a charming adaptation about siblings and their challenges to having a family Chanukah celebration. Each elementary grade has a featured song to perform and they are busy learning their song in music class. Selected performers from our Middle School serve to narrate and act out the story to tie the songs altogether!

A pre-show dinner by Z-tov will again be coordinated by the PTO.To make reservations for your family visit https://www.gesher-jds.org/rsvp.php . The cost is $10 per dinner. As always, our afterschool program is available on a drop-in basis if it is more convenient for you to meet your child(ren) here at Gesher at 5:45pm for dinner and then the program. Please do provide notice to Meredith Parnes mparnes@gesher-jds.org if you'd like to take advantage of afterschool drop-in care that Wednesday; there will be a flat $10 charge. We will be staffing as necessary for the number of children who RSVP.

Whether or not you plan to join us for dinner, all students are asked to report to the Gesher gym no later than 6:30 that evening, where parent volunteers will be ready to help the children get into their places, costumes and warm up their voices! The gym will be open to parents at 6:55 for audience seating and the performance begins at 7pm. The show will run around one hour. We look forward to celebrating Chanukah with our school community! Thanks to so many volunteers, both PTO and classroom parents who are helping with many aspects of the evenings festivities and show!

The Odd Potato Poster

The Odd Potato Chanukah Musical poster has been selected for 2010. Our winning artist this year is Shana F., gr. 3. The selection, as always, was very difficult as so many beautiful entries were submitted. All are on display in the Chadar Ochel (cafeteria). See you at the Odd Potato on Dec. 8!

Jewish Life in Mr. Lincoln's City

Thirteen students correctly answered all ten questions on the exhibition on loan from the Jewish Historical Society of Greater Washington. Yasher Koach to history scholars: Mollie S., Talia B., Noah M., Emmett D., Miryam M., Sarah C., Mallory A., Ianne S., Coby B., Sophia A., Ben L., Ben R., and Sam R. Lucky recipeints of $10 gift certificates to Barnes and Nobles: Ianne S., Ben L., and Ben R. Emmett D. will take the portrait of Abraham Lincoln home through winter vacation.

The B-Boyz are Back for Chanukah 2010!

B, J & M Borenstein celebrate and share the joy and lights of Chanukah with everyone with their own parody version of Taio Cruz's "Dynamite" Hit. Coming soon to your neighborhood. Share this YouTube Video link with your children and relatives nationwide to help them light up the holiday with joy and 100,000 video views! Click here, forward to your friends, and let's run up the Jewish score! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhulTPLd4rc

PS- The B-Boyz will perform the song at Kabballat Shabbat at Gesher JDS on Friday, December 3, as a L'dor VeDor Mitzvah.

Pictures from Grandparents/VIP Day:

Alex A. and his grandmother create a Tree of Thanks.

Marc and Josh present their play for Grandparents/VIP Day.

Alex and his grandmother make a placemat to donate to 'Food for Others'.

Kitah Gimel girls and their Grandparents and VIPs show the fleece blanket they made to send to Ronald McDonald House.

Max and his grandfather work together on an exercise to 'teach the blind'.

Rachel D. poses with her grandparents

Shoshana and her grandmother arrange Rambam's Tzedakah ladder.

Coby with his grandfather

Avi with his grandparents.

Admissions News

Next Admissions Open House- Tell your friends!

Sun, Jan 9 from 10-11:30a (child care available in the Gesher gym for the Sunday Tour)

RSVP 703-962-9216 or dmendelson@gesher-jds.org.

Refer a Friend Program

Help build enrollment for the 2011-2012 school year and save on next year's tuition through our Refer a Friend Program!

Development and Fundraising

Giant Food Bonus Cards
Please register your Giant Food card. Giant cards need to be registered each fall. Gesher will earn cash from Giant Food every time you shop at Giant and use your card. This even includes Peapod purchases. So please register your card now. Our school number is 02238. See more grocery stores you can register with on Gesher's website.

PTO

PTO logo

The Barnes & Noble Book Fair is back! During the week of November 23-29 use voucher # 10342194 in stores or online to make purchases. Tell your family and friends to use this voucher # too. The PTO will get a portion of each purchase. Proceeds will go towards teacher wishlist book purchases and staff appreciation week. Chanukah is right around the corner and Barnes & Noble has some great gifts!

Don't want the stress of cooking before the Chanukah musical on December 8? Let Z-Tov do the cooking for you. Come to the pre-show dinner at 5:45 pm coordinated by the PTO. The vegetarian meal is $10 per dinner. Register online in advance via this link https://www.gesher-jds.org/rsvp.php, or go to the Gesher homepage and click on "Chanukah Dinner" under Quick Links.

SAVE THE DATE: December 17
Family Kabbalat Shabbat at the Gesher Gym for Grades K-5
Mishpachat Gesher PTO welcomes all families:
Friday December 17, 1:45 PM
Gesher Gottesman Performing Arts Center & Gymnasium
Interactive show by Mark Novak and Renee Brachfeld: Songs and Stories from the Jewish Tradition

Burke & Herbert Bank is sponsoring its 4th annual kids' holiday art contest. Children 12 years old and younger can submit an original illustrated drawing that shows "Holiday Fun" using crayons, colored pencils or colored markers on white 8 1/2" x 11" paper. Artwork submission deadline is Tuesday, November 30, 2010. Download the entry form from their website at burkeandherbertbank.com or pick up at any of their banking office locations. The winner will receive a $100 U.S. Series EE Savings Bond and their artwork will be featured in Burke & Herbert Bank's holiday advertisement in community papers in December.

A Happy Thanksgiving to all and safe travels if you're on the road!

Turn in your box tops as the first submission deadline is coming soon. Gesher receives 10¢ for each submission, which totaled over $500 last year. Drop them off in the office or send them by Kiddie Mail.

Mitzvah Coupon Donations

Mitzvah Coupon donations can now be made on-line through our secure website, www.gesher-jds.org. Simply log in and click on the Donate link at the top of our homepage.

In honor of Ellen and Ron Katz for being fantastic hosts of Dinner with a Twist and the magnificent dinner!

Graciela and Yair Granek

In honor of the Bat Mitzvah of Moira J.

Jane and Marc Shichman

In honor of the Bar Mitzvah of Avi S.

Jane and Marc Shichman

Sherri and Howard Kohr and family

In honor of the Bar Mitzvah of Ben E.

Jane and Marc Shichman

Sherri and Howard Kohr and family

In memory of Ken Barnett

Sherri and Howard Kohr and family

Community Announcements

Shopping for God... at Wegmans!

Join the Jewish Leadership Institute (JLI) for coffee and conversation as we explore the intersection of Jewish leadership and American popular culture. What can we learn from each, and how should they inform our lives? The Emmy award-winning TV show, Modern Family, will serve as our guide. Everyone will enjoy this self-exploration, regardless of background or experience. Pick up your coffee and let your curiosity lead you upstairs to the café! Thursday, December 2nd at 9:15am at the Fairfax Wegmans; Thursday, December 7th at 9:15am at the Leesburg Wegmans. For more information, visit www.shalomdc.org/jli or email jli@shalomdc.org.

What is your child doing this summer? How about Capital Camps?

Capital Camps, a pluralistic, Jewish residential camp located in nearby Waynesboro, PA, is hosting an information session on Tuesday, December 14th from 3:45-4:30pm at Gesher Jewish Day School for all Gesher families interested in exploring camping opportunities for summer 2011. Come meet Jon Shapiro, camp director and hear about the exciting plans for Summer 2011.

Capital Camps attracts more than 600 children in grades 3-11 who are interested in a quality Jewish camp experience emphasizing life-long friendships, individual challenges and personal expression all in a newly-renovated, natural setting nestled among the Catoctin Mountains.

Current campers also invited!

Israel 2011- JCC Maccabi Games, JCC Maccabi Artsfest

Give your family an unforgettable trip to Israel and watch your teen athlete/artist at the JCC Maccabi Games/ArtsFest! Spend time together and have supervised age-appropriate programs for young children. Click here for more information on trip 1, click here for information on trip 2.

Light Chanukah Candles!

Come light Chanukah candles every night of the holiday! December 1st -December 8th at 7:00 p.m. (Except for Erev Shabbat on Friday, December 3rd) Click here more more information.

FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC (suggested contribution of $5)

The Jewish Community Center of Northern Virginia

8900 Little River Turnpike, Fairfax, VA 22031 | 703- 323-0880

The Jewish Federation Wants to Help! If you are in need of financial

assistance at t his time, or if you know anyone in the community who

is in need, please do not hesitate to contact the Jewish Federation's Warm Line at 1-866-950-4AID.

We welcome your inquiries. To schedule a tour, or for more information about admissions or making a donation to Gesher Jewish Day School, please contact us at (703)978-9789.

Sincerely,

Gesher Jewish Day School

4800 Mattie Moore Court

Fairfax, VA 22030

phone: (703) 978-9789

fax: (703)978-2668

www.gesher-jds.org

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