Parents' Meeting

Join Dr. Schoenburg and Gesher School President, Miriam Berkowitz, Friday, January 27 at 8:30 a.m. in the Chadar Ochel (cafeteria).  We will have preliminary findings of our Parent Survey to share.  We also wish to discuss with you where the school stands in relation to our five-year strategic plan.  We look forward to your participation!

2012-13 School Calendar

See next year's official school calendar.

Middle School Interdisciplinary Week - Topic: Africa

The week kicked off with a series of drumming circles in which students experimented with the rhythms that are so central to African life.  Students played African math games, followed wild herds as they make their way across the continent, took a virtual tour of several villages in the technology lab, designed and made their own peace flags with blessings for the African continent and her people, cooked up a Moroccan lunch, listened to African folktales, read stories about Africa in Talmud, examined the issue of 'blood diamonds,' listened to Gesher's own Director of Finance and Operations, Eunice Oyungu, share her memories of growing up in a Kenyan village, learned about sub-Saharan Africa's AIDS crisis, remembered Operations Solomon and Moses that brought Ethiopian Jews home to Israel, played Africa's most popular sport (soccer), and watched the movie Invictus, set in South Africa's post-apartheid era when Nelson Mandela used the 1995 World Cup rugby matches to unite South Africans. 

African Drumming Workshop

 

 
Africa Week Banners

Gesher United Basketball Results

On Tuesday, at Alexandria Country Day School, Gesher United played two exciting and close games.  Gesher United Boys won 32-28 and Gesher United Girls lost  20-15.  Next up: Browne Academy on Tuesday, January 31, at home. 

Alumni News

Gesher alumnus Ari Cukierman (Class of 2001) is the 2012 recipient of the Thomas Jefferson Prize in Natural Philosophy.  Ari is currently a senior at William & Mary with a double major of math and physics.  Bravo, Ari! 

If you have alumni news you'd like to share, please contact us by replying to On the Bridge.

Pictures! 

Mrs. Moldover's 1st graders practice counting by 2's by ordering flashcards from 2-100.

Kitah Gimel at their Amidah Siyyum

Rabbi Rock addresses Kitah Gimel at their Amidah Siyyum Oneg

Last week Kitah Gimel went to the Alexandria Archaelogical Museum.  They had an opportunity to examine actual artifacts to determine whether they were syrup jars or sugar molds.

Technology in Action! Kitah Chet "Skypes" with our sister school, Hartuv, in Israel.

In keeping with the Tu B'Shvat theme of recycling, this week we are looking at plastic bottles.

Water bottles are made from polyethylene terephthalate -- or PET -- which are labeled as #1 plastic.  When bottled water first came on the market (and it's really not that long ago) people didn't believe anyone would pay for water, since water was free.  Boy, were they wrong!  We currently purchase over 1,000 water bottles every second!  Of those, only about 100 are recycled. 

The other common type of plastic bottles is high-density polyethylene or HDPE, and they are labeled #2.  Milk jugs and detergent bottles are examples of this.   

These and other plastics are made from petroleum, a limited, non-renewable resource.  The U.S. uses almost 1 billion barrels of oil a year, just to make plastics.  When buried, some plastic materials may last for 700 years.  If the Pilgrims had six-packs, we'd still have the plastic rings from them today. 

But there is hope - We can recycle!  PET can be melted and drawn out into long fibers and recycled into carpets, fiberfill for jackets, and fabric for T-shirts and shopping bags.  HDPE is made into a wood-like product that is used for things like decks.  It takes 5 recycled two-liter PET bottles to make enough fiberfill for a ski jacket.  It takes 1050 recycled HDPE milk jugs to make a 6-foot plastic park bench.

Please note that in Fairfax County, only #1 and #2 plastic bottles can be recycled.  The "clam shells" that our tomatoes and berries come in may be #1 or #2, but they are not recycled in Fairfax County.  Yogurt and cottage cheese come in #5, (Polypropylene) and they can be recycled by bringing them to a Whole Foods store.

The Environmental Sustainability Committee meets about once a month, usually on Monday mornings.  If this topic interests you, we'd love to have you join our group.  Contact jleckert@gesher-jds.org.

HHH Ties to Middle School Interdisciplinary Week

This week the middle school has been exploring Africa. As part of the social action component the 6^th grade has decided to release their commercial...

Check out what the 6^th grade is up to!

They are raising money to provide a clean water source to a village in Kenya. Next Tuesday, January 31^st, they will be selling water bottles they designed for $10 a piece before and after school.

Watch this commercial to see what it is all about. http://vimeo.com/35575256

Get Caught Wearing Purple...Don't forget to show your school spirit by wearing purple and/or white on Fridays.Those in need of GesherWear may contact Naomi Hutchins at neshicot1029@verizon.net.

Stay in touch with Gesher through Facebook and our new Twitter Feed on our homepage at  www.gesher-jds.org  

Community Family Fun Mitzvah Day at Gesher!

SAVE THE DATE for Family Fun Mitzvah Day on Sunday, March 25 from 1-4pm.  Enjoy the funky sounds of the Mama Doni Band LIVE and participate in a number of community service projects that will be geared to families with young children.  What a great way to celebrate our 30th anniversary year by helping others!  If you are interested in participating in the Family Fun Mitzvah Day planning committee and/or volunteering that day, we need you!  

The Mama Doni Band!

The Washington Jewish Week is now available for purchase from the newsstand in the office for $1.

Embassy of Israel Cultural Calendar

Camp Ramah Parlor Meeting  

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.

Condolences to Gesher's PE teacher, Rose Marie Russo, on the death of her mother. 

Former JCC Community Shlicha, Shiri Rahamim has recently been diagnosed with a serious illness.  Please remember her in your prayers. 

Jconnect.org is the one place where you can go to find information on everything Jewish in the Greater Washington community. This new community site features a robust community calendar that's easy to navigate for both posters and users. Please check the website often as the site is ever-changing!