On The Bridge February 9, 2012
Gesher Jewish Day School 16 Shvat, 5772
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Shabbat Shalom
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שבת שלום
Candlelighting: 5:23 pm
Yitro
יתרו
Torah Portion: Exodus 18:1 - 20:23
Haftarah for Ashkenazim: Isaiah 6:1 - 7:6; 9:5 - 9:6
Haftarah for Sephardim: Isaiah 6:1 - 6:13
Yasher Koach to today's Torah readers: Josh R., Jonathan S., and Mr. Gensler.
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| Greetings! | |
We celebrated Tu Bishvat yesterday, the birthday of the trees. On Tu Bishvat the sap begins to flow and the trees begin to wake from their deep winter's sleep. As it turns out, sleep is just as important for people, especially children.
Researchers have found that children who do not get enough sleep miss out on learning- big time. According to Dr. Avi Sadeh of Tel Aviv University, "A loss of one hour of sleep is equivalent to [the loss of] two years of cognitive maturation and development," In other words, the performance gap caused by an hour's difference in sleep was bigger than the normal gap between a fourth-grader and a sixth-grader (New York Magazine, Oct 15, 2007). On top of this finding, there are also studies that demonstrate an association between lack of sleep and obesity.
Take note: According to WebMD, children who are 3-6 years old need 10-12 hours of sleep per day, children who are 7-12 years old need 10-11 hours of sleep per day, and children who are 12-18 years old need 8-9 hours of sleep per day. (By the way, adults need 7-9 hours of sleep per day.)
Is your family getting yours?
Shabbat is an excellent time to catch up on some sleep. However, the key to good health and learning is not catching up on the weekend, but getting the sleep you need every night all week long.
Shabbat Shalom!
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Upcoming Events
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See our full calendar of events!
February 13 - Board Meeting, 8 pm
February 17 - No School: Faculty Work Day
February 20 - No School: Presidents' Day
February 21 - Parents' Meeting, 8 pm
February 24 - Kitah Hay Hallel Siyum, Rosh Chodesh Adar
February 26 - Admissions Open Gym, 10-11 am
March 1 - Read-a-thon Month Begins
March 3 - Kitah Bet Grade Havdalah Ceremony
March 6 - Kitah Gimel Purim Spiel, 2 pm
March 8 - 1:00 pm Dismissal - Purim
March 9 - Parent Technology Workshop, 8:30 am
March 12 - PTO Book Sale Collection Begins Board Meeting, 8 pm March 16 - 3:30 Friday Dismissal ResumesParent Technology Workshop, 8:30 am
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| SCHOOL NEWS | The Almond Tree is Blooming!
Thank you to Naomi Hutchins, Pamela Deichman, and Sigi Saadia for purchasing the goodies for the Tu B'Shvat Sedarim in the Gan, Kitah Gimel, and Middle School!
Pictures!
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Middle School - A Tu B'Shvat Seder.
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Kitah Bet Examines the Gettysburg Address.
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Kitah Bet Outside Ford's Theater.
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2012-13 School Calendar See next year's official school calendar. |
| Development and Fundraising |
Parents, We are thrilled to announce that Gesher will be honoring Senator Joseph and Hadassah Lieberman at our 30th Anniversary Spring Gala to be held on May 20th, and Sara Rosenthal, Gesher alum, as our Tikkum Olam award winner. Closer to home, we are also thrilled to be honoring four special members of the Gesher family - Judy Gabel and Esther Uscher, who are retiring this year, Meredith Parnes, who celebrates her Bat Mitzvah (13th year) at Gesher, and Sharon Rosenblatt who, along with Gesher, celebrates her 30th Anniversary teaching at Gesher. We are creating a special keepsake 30th Anniversary Yearbook for the Gala and we'd love to include a message from you to these four outstanding women who have touched the lives of our children in so many ways. Please submit your tribute now. This year you can include a picture of your adorable child(ren) as well as a heartfelt mazel tov or thank you. All funds raised benefit our scholarship fund which helps keep our school filled with the happy sounds of children and ensures a vibrant community for all of us. The tribute form is attached. Thank you for your support. Remember to Save the Date - May 20 - for a fun festive evening at the 30th Anniversary Spring Gala. Invitations will be coming soon or buy your tickets on line http://gesher-jds.org/giving/ticket.php - Space is limited and we expect a record crowd! Please join me in thanking the following parents who've already placed a tribute! Yvonne and David Shurberg Linda Recht and Robert Watts Rebekah and Clay Dickinson Jane and Marc Shichman Laura and Michael Williams Michelle and Paul Nash Cynthia and Mark Rutzick Rochelle and David Goldberg Miriam and Jeffrey Berkowitz Parent Greeting Grandparent Greeting Alumni Greeting Community Supporter Greeting Business Ad Greeting |
| GESHER GREEN | |
Green Tips
This week we are starting a new feature for On the Bridge. Each week we hope to print an easy tip to help you go green-er in your everyday life. Here is the tip for this week:
Go paperless on your credit card and utility bills. Most credit card companies and many utilities offer to bill via email and include a 2-year online archive of past bills.
Tu B'Shvat and Gesher Green
Tu B'Shvat, the birthday of the trees, and the original Earth Day, occurred on Wed, Feb 8th this year. Gesher Green celebrated all week.
The goal of this year's festivities was to help the children remember how to sort their lunch scraps. We wanted them to know what can be recycled, what is compost, what is trash, and what goes back home. Of course, we like to remind them that the best "composter" for their lunch is their stomach and they should not throw out good food! But banana peels, orange skins, apple cores, etc are not eaten and should be composted.
Every day this week we watched the students sort their lunch scraps. If they did it correctly, they got a sticker, and one of these prizes: pistachios nuts, dates, clementines, or a pencil made of recycled newspaper.
One other project we are doing is to try and determine how much paper we recycle each day. To do that, we are weighing the paper in every classroom recycling bin at the end of the day. Last week we recycled over 43 pounds of paper! Way to go, Gesher!
Thank you to Abhaya Schlesinger, Laura Helfgott, and Amy Friedman who helped us in the lunchroom during the week.
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| PTO | |
Get Ready for a Bouncing Good Time....
Join the PTO at REBOUNDERZ in Sterling on Friday, February 17 from 10am-1pm
for some morning exercise. The cost is $13 per bouncer (non-refundable). Please make your payment in advance by check (made payable to the Gesher PTO) sent to the PTO mailbox. More information on REBOUNDERZ is located on their website at www.rebounderzsterling.com. We look forward to seeing you there. Any further questions? Please send Naomi Hutchins an email at neshicot1029@verion.net.
Gesher Scrip - Shop for Pesach
Come to the office for your grocery scrip so you can prepare for Pesach! We will have extra SCRIP on hand in early March so you can tackle the shopping for your Seders! Check out which grocery scrips are always in the office anytime. Bring in your check or cash.
We Want You...to volunteer.The PTO is always in need of extra hands. If you are interesting in helping out, please go to the PTO section of the Gesher website to sign up.
Don't Be Deceived by Packaging!
Box Tops can be found on products with plastic wrappers too! So keep an eye on the products you buy for the Box Tops logo pictured above. Box Tops never stop, so please keep sending in those Box Tops!
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| Admissions | |
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!
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The Mama Doni Band!
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| Mitzvah Coupon Donations | |
In memory of Malcolm Frame
Ellen and Ron Katz
Yvonne Fujimoto and David Shurberg
In honor of Laura and Daniel Strouse's new baby
Ellen and Ron Katz
Yvonne Fujimoto and David Shurberg
In honor of Miriam Berkowitz's special birthday
Jeanette and Barry Astrow
Michelle and Paul Nash
Dottie Bennett and Richard Morton
Rebekah and Clay Dickinson
Sarah Elpern and Bruce Waxman
In honor of Michelle Stravitz - a wonderful friend
Miriam Berkowitz
In honor of Ann Bennett - a wonderful friend
Miriam Berkowitz
In honor of Jeffrey Berkowitz - a wonderful husband
Miriam Berkowitz
Donation to the Library Fund in honor of Miriam Berkowitz's special birthday
Ingrid and Zvi Schoenburg
Debra and Paul Mendelson
Carol Gordon and Steven Rosenthal
In memory of Rose Marie Russo's mother
Yvonne Fujimoto and David Shurberg
In memory of Charles Holtzman
Michelle and Paul Nash
In memory of Stephen Book
Michelle and Paul Nash
In honor of Allison G.'s Bat Mitzvah
Michelle and Paul Nash
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.
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| Community Announcements | |
Please click on the links below to view each flyer.
The Washington Jewish Week is now available for purchase from the newsstand in the office for $1.
Embassy of Israel Cultural Calendar
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.
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| Caring Community |
We wish a Refuah Shlemah to Steve Rose.
Visit Jconnect.org! 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! 
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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,
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Gesher Jewish Day School
4800 Mattie Moore Court
Fairfax, VA 22030
phone: (703) 978-9789
fax: (703)978-2668
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Address or Email Changes
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