| Join our list |
 |
Next Week at TVT:
February 16
Presidents Day - School Closed
February 17
Grade 3 Field Trip
MS Soccer Tryouts
US Sports Awards (Assembly)
February 18
MS Soccer Tryouts
February 19
PTSO Speaker:
Yaffa Balsam
Honor Committee Meeting
MS Sports Awards Assembly
College Prep Meeting for juniors
February 20
Special Kabbalat Shabbat honoring
Irving Gelman
February 22
Annual Gala
honoring
Irving Gelman
| |
|
| PARSHAT OF THE WEEK - YITRO |
|
| This week's Torah portion includes the Ten Commandments, one of which is to Honor Your Father and Your Mother. What difference does it make if a child learns this principle as a commandment from God or picks up his attitude towards parents from his society?
A rabbi was sitting next to an atheist on an airplane. Every few minutes one of the rabbi's children or grandchildren would enquire if they could bring him something to eat or drink or if there was anything they could do for him. The atheist commented, "It's wonderful the respect your children and grandchildren show you; mine don't show me that respect." The rabbi responded, "Think about it. To my children and to my grandchildren, I am one step closer in a chain of tradition to the time when God spoke to the whole Jewish people on Mt. Sinai. To the Darwinian follower, children and grandchildren are educated to believe that their parents and grandparents are one link closer in the chain of evolution to the ape."
The Torah teaches us our obligations to our parents and our elders. It teaches us that we must stand up for our parents, a person with Torah knowledge or a person over 70 (if one has lived 70 years, then he or she has wisdom about life - just through living). Our society? Note a recently seen bumper sticker:
"Be good to your children. They choose your nursing home."
In the Torah perspective of the world, a parent is a paradigm for relating to God. A parent loves his child unconditionally, feeds his child, sets boundaries and reproves, though the child did wrong, and wants only the best for his child. A parent is not always understood or appreciated and is sometimes suspect of not having the child's best interest at heart. (Mark Twain once commented that at 17 he could not believe how ignorant his father was and at 21 he was amazed how much his father had learned in 4 years.)
If one does not show gratitude and respect to his parents who gave him life, how is he expected to show gratitude and respect for God, who not only is a partner in giving him life, but who has given him the whole world? The Torah helps us train our children in how to relate to their parents and therefore how to relate to the Almighty.
Here is what the Torah says:
"Honor your father and your mother as the Lord your God has commanded you in order that your days may be lengthened and that it should be good for you upon the Land which the Lord your God gives to you." (Deuteronomy 5:16)
Also:
"Every man shall revere his mother and his father and you shall observe My Sabbaths; I am the Lord your God." (Leviticus 19:3) (It is interesting to note that the Torah commands us to observe the Sabbath in the same sentence as the commandment to honor one's father and mother. This is to clarify that the same Source that commands you to honor your father and mother commands you NOT to listen to them if they tell you to violate the Shabbat or any other mitzvah.)
We see from these two verses that there are two mitzvot (commandments): (a) to honor your parents, and (b) to revere your parents. |
| EUROMATH CONFERENCE - CYPRUS |
|
| Last week, two upper school students journeyed to Cyprus in the eastern Mediterranean, to present their research at the Euromath2009 conference. Students and teachers from across Europe learned from TVT students,Einav Nachman and Yael Nahum, who devised a formula for determining the best placement for pacemakers in children with heart failure. At the end of their presentation, they even passed around pacemakers for the audience to examine up close.
In addition to sharing their research, the young ladies had the opportunity to meet other students and experience the Cypriot culture- through a trip to the sea shore, Greek dancing, tables full of local olives, cheese, bread and more. On a walking tour of the ancient city of Nicosia, Yael, Einav and chaperone, TVT European History teacher, Ms. Candace Peleaux, saw the ruins of the city walls built by the Venetians and ancient icons painted during the Byzantine Empire. Next year the conference will be held in Austria, so all interested mathematicians should keep this outstanding opportunity in mind! |
| CELEBRATING TU B'SHEVAT |
|
"This past Monday, our students celebrated Tu B'Shevat with various activities throughout the day. Unfortunately, due to the rain, they were not able to partake of the tree planting ceremony. This has been rescheduled for March 5 at 9:30, when the Mayor of Irvine will join us. We will begin with a short assembly in our auditorium, followed by the tree planting ceremony in the courtyard
Thank you to Mr. Tom Larson, Engineering and Environmental Manager of the Great Park, who arranged for 400 "Podocarpus" trees to be delivered to the school. Through his generosity, every lower school student will have the opportunity to plant his/her own tree. These trees will be donated to the Great Park in Irvine."
Tu B'shvat was celebrated around the Middle and Upper School campus with seders and song. After studying the trees and fruit native to Israel, as well as the principal of "ki ha'adam etz hasadeh" (that a person grows all his life like a tree, and both need to be taken care of by the community), the MS Hebrew classes had a special surprise - a chocolate fountain for dipping fruit!
The seniors led a special assembly where they incorporated photos from last year's Israel/Poland trip and gave a D'var Torah about Tu B'shvat to enhance student understanding of the commandment to plant in the Holy Land. The Senior Class gifted a tree to the Junior Class as symbols of the Tree of Life and of the passing of the tradition of planting from generation to generation.
|
| V- DAY 2009 |
|
| Thirty seven people were in the audience at the Merage JCC Theatre on Thursday night to listen to a collection of monologues and essays written by women and men who have been affected by violence against women. Nathan Grouse ('09) organized this V-DAY event to raise money and awareness to end violence against women and girls.
Inspired by last year's event, produced by Leah Greenbaum ('08), Nathan wanted to get the message out that this is not just a women's issue. Violence against women affects everyone and men can play a role in changing societal attitudes and stop the violence.
This year's V-DAY spotlight is on the atrocities being committed in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Nathan chose to donate part of the proceeds from ticket sales to women and girls in DRC and the rest to a local charity, Mariposa Centre for Women and Families. For more information, please go to the TVT website homepag and click on V-Day or go to VDay.org.
|
| SPORTS ARE AWESOME AT TVT! |
|
Varsity Boys Basketball
Though the Lions lost 31-42 in their final game against Fairmont Prep, the winning spirit of the fans - over a hundred of who packed the stands in support - made the day. Today's 11:30 game against Avalon ends league play, with the Lions 21-2 for the year, 7-2 league. Next week, our Lions enter the CIF Playoffs for the 11th straight year. Stay tuned for the dates and times. Good luck Lions!
Varsity Girls Basketball
The Lady Lions won Wednesday's game against Pioneer Baptist 22-32, winning the Express League 10-0, 15-1 for the year. Watch for our Lady Lions Playoff schedule, starting next week. Good luck Lady Lions!
Varsity Soccer
After losing their last game to SBCV, the Lions ended on a positive note, focusing on their preparation for next season. After losing eight starting players from last year's team, they finished 4th in the league (2-2-4), successfully vetting a host of new stars who promise to make 2009 -10 a very interesting season for Lions fans.
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR PLAYERS AND COACHE |
| TVT ALUMNI IN THE NEWS |
|
|
Jacob Taylor ('08) and Annie Turner ('08) are among the student directors whose films were accepted into the 7th Annual Pacific Jewish Film Festival. Both short films are being screened this Sunday, 15-February at 7:30 pm in Irvine. More information online at Film Festival.at http://www.jccoc.org/adultpro_filmfest.html
Freshman Camille Levin ('08) was selected as one of the players that will attend a U20/U18 Super camp in Chula Vista, Calif. from Jan. 25-Feb. 1.
The combination of the U-20s and U-18s into two training camps will give the coaches a chance to evaluate a large number of players in each age group as the teams begin their runs to what will hopefully culminate in the 2010 U-20 Women's World Cup in Germany and the 2010 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in Trinidad & Tobago.
Camille, who began the season at defense and was then moved into the midfield, contributed six goals and four assists to the Stanford University Cardinals' record breaking season. |
| TVT GALA NEXT WEEKEND |
|
We hope you are joining us next weekend, Sunday, February 22nd, for TVT's Annual Benefit "Honor Our Heritage and Celebrate our Children" in honor of our founder,
Irving "Papa Gelman", and our school's 18th/Chai year. Don't miss out on this fabulous opportunity to celebrate with friends and support our school. Chair, Reega Neutel, and her committee are planning an elegant evening of cocktails, dining and dancing 'til midnight in the White House East Room of the Nixon Library in Yorba Linda. Your generous donations will go fund scholarships and programming at the school.
Tickets are $240 each. For more information call Gaby at (949) 509-9500, Ext 1136.
Parents are also invited to attend a special school-wide Shabbat Celebration honoring Irving Gelman next Friday. (See below) |
| SPECIAL KABBALAT SHABBAT |
|
|
Please join us in the Lower School MPR next Friday, February 20th, at 8:00 AM for our Kabbalat Shabbat celebration honoring Papa Gelman, our founder's 85thbirthday and TVT's 18th /Chai year. |
| PRESIDENTS' DAY - SCHOOL CLOSED |
|
| On Monday, TVT will be closed in observance of Presidents' Day. U.S. Presidents' Day, officially known as Washington's Birthday, is a federal holiday in the United States and is celebrated on the third Monday of February. | |
|
