|
|
|
|
|
HEADMASTER'S MESSAGE |
This week's parsha (Torah portion) opens with the mitzva of Bikkurim.  This commandment entailed bringing one's first fruit to the Beit Hamikdash (Temple) in Jerusalem where a special thanksgiving ceremony was performed. Each person would recite a declaration containing a brief overview of Jewish history and concluding with an affirmation that the individual had performed all the relevant mitzvot and was deeply grateful for the fact that Hashem had brought the Jewish people to the Land of Israel. This ceremony epitomizes the Torah's perspective on the fundamental purposes of life, which are to learn about and fulfill our obligations and responsibilities, and to articulate appreciation for our blessings and good fortune. An authentically Jewish life fully expresses these goals through Torah learning, the performance of mitzvot and prayer. Speaking of gratitude, we are all very thankful that the new school year has started in such a wonderful way with the students and teachers happy to be reunited and ready to get down to a year of learning and growing together.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Zvi Kahn |
BIG KIDS OR LITTLE, CTA STUDENTS WELCOME EACH OTHER BACK TO CLASS |
 Nitzan Levi is a high school senior this year. Abby Kleinman is in kindergarten. But it didn't matter. They both had a lot to be excited about: one anticipating the beginning of an adventure called graduation, and the other wondering what stories the teacher will read and if the songs will be easy to learn.
School reopened Tuesday with great fanfare, as the youngest pupils donned their blue CTA ball caps, and the oldest ones escorted them into the building. Parents stood by with their cameras.
 "Opening day is my favorite time," said Rabbi Zvi Kahn, CTA headmaster. "There's such enthusiasm and the building is abuzz with warmth as students reunite after summer activities and teachers see how much the kids have changed since last year."
This year, CTA starts the academic year with almost 240 students. This is the second consecutive year with an increased student body. Over the last two years the school has grown by more than 10%. This year large class sizes have resulted in three grades being split into two sections. They are kindergarten, first and sixth.
 |
|
|
Monday, Aug. 30: Macaroni & Cheese
Tuesday, Aug. 31: Hamburgers
Wednesday, Sept. 1: Lasagna
School Picture Day
Team Sports Picture Day, 3-5pm
College Night, 12th Grade, 7:30pm
Thursday, Sept. 2: Pasta
New K-6 Parent Orientation, 6pm
Meet the Teachers, Grades K-6, 7pm
Friday, Sept. 3: Fish Sticks
Monday, Sept. 6: Labor Day - NO SCHOOL
Tuesday, Sept. 7: Tacos
Wednesday, Sept. 8: Pizza Bagels
Erev Rosh Hashanah, 2pm dismissal
Thursday, Sept. 9: Rosh Hashanah - NO SCHOOL
Friday, Sept. 10: Rosh Hashanah - NO SCHOOL |
|
|
Monday, August 30
AWAY Soccer Game vs. Northside Christian
HS, 5pm
AWAY Volleyball Games vs. Northside Christian
Jr High, 5pm
HS, 6:15pm
Tuesday, August 31
HOME Soccer Games vs. Granville Christian
Jr High, 4:30pm
HS, 6pm
HOME Volleyball Games vs. Granville Christian
Jr High, 5pm
HS, 6pm
Thursday, September 2
AWAY Games vs. Patriot Academy
Volleyball
Jr High, 5pm
HS, 6pm
Soccer
Jr High, 4:30pm
HS, 6pm
Tuesday, September 7
HOME Games vs. Grace Christian
Jr High Volleyball, 5pm
Jr High Soccer, 5pm
AWAY Games vs. Licking County
HS Soccer, 4:30pm
HS Volleyball, 6:15pm
|
SCRIP UPDATE - PLACES TO PURCHASE SCRIP |
CTA Scrip Office - Monday-Friday - 8:00am-4:00pm
Parent Volunteer, Aliza Finegold, is selling Scrip from her home and taking orders via phone (239-6356) or email ( scrip@torahacademy.org). She also delivers! Contact Aliza today! Please note that Aliza's home email address has changed to: ajfinegold@gmail.com |
|
PARENTS OPEN THE YEAR WITH A FAMILY PICNIC |
 CTA families got to meet new staff members, then try their luck tossing water balloons. But the event was far from "all wet." Laughter filled the air. Kids (and rabbis) got to play basketball. Younger kids enjoyed the inflatable bounce-and-slide. Everyone brought picnic lunches and Karan Tannenbaum, CTA's food manager, provided cookies, corn chips and watermelon. A great time was had by all. If you missed the fun this year, please plan to join us next year. The CTA Family Picnic is always held on the Sunday before the first day of school.
Visit CTA's Facebook page for more photos!
You will find a link at
www.torahacademy.org along with other great information. |
|
NEW CTA FACES | |
This week we will begin profiling each of CTA's new staff members.
 Dror Karavani is CTA's Lower School Judaic Studies Curriculum Coordinator.
He came to Columbus from Charleston, S.C., where he served as Vice Principal of Judaic Studies at Addlestone Hebrew Academy.
He and Irit moved to Charleston in 2000 from Kiryat Melachi, Israel, with their children, Oded, Ido, Ohad and Hadar.
He studied at Ohr Etzion, Hesder Yeshiva, the Herzog Institute, and earned a master's degree from Lander College in Israel.
Dror published a one-year course, "Sages of Israel," and has worked as an advisor on educational issues and created educational opportunities for underprivileged families. He was instrumental in organizing the Partnership 2000 program with the Jewish Agency and communities in the western U.S.
 Irit Karavani teaches First Grade Judaic Studies at CTA.
Irit attended the Chafetz Chayim Yeshiva in Israel and served in the Sherut Leumi (National Service) as a teacher.
She worked with the Magen David Adom, where she provided relief, support and counseling during critical stress situations.
Irit has degrees in Technical Support, Computer Sciences, and Education as well as a B.A. in Communications.
She worked as a leader in the B'nei Akiva movement and has taught at the elementary and secondary levels in computer and Judaics.
|
WELCOME TO CTA'S NEW DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR |
 Ruth Portnoy of RSP Development and Communication has joined our team to help CTA raise money. Ruth was with us last year, in charge of marketing and communications. She will continue in that role as well.
Ruth has served as development director of the national Religion Newswriters Foundation and has worked as a professional grant writer and development consultant. She has training from the Fund Raising School (Indiana/Purdue Universities). Ruth was a print news reporter, working the field for 20 years, including nine with the Columbus Dispatch. She was founding editor of The New Standard, a position she held for four years. You may reach Ruth at rportnoy@torahacademy.org. |
|
| |
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Abelman & Family
Mr. and Mrs. Dan Bornstein & Family
Rabi and Mrs. Avrohom Drandoff & Family
Mr. and Mrs. Yona Edelkopf & Family
Mr. and Mrs. Noam Even & Family
Dr. and Mrs. Seth Hoffman & Family
Mr. and Mrs. Dror Karavani & Family
Rabbi and Mrs. Jeffrey Katzman & Family
Mr. and Mrs. David Myers & Family
Mr. and Mrs. Norma Schneiderman & Family
Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Slutsky & Family
Mr. and Mrs. David Stein & Family
Mr. and Mrs. Yadin Ukeles & Family
Rabbi and Mrs. Naphtali Weisz & Family
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Wolf & Family
Mr. Egal Ziv & Family
Mrs. Donna Ziv & Family |
|
REFER A FRIEND | |
Thank you to the following families who benefited from CTA's "Refer A Friend" tuition incentive program and helped to bring new families to our school. Thank you to Jeff and Murielle Rosenberg & Family, Debbie and Jeff Meyer & Family, Rabbi and Mrs. Areyah Kaltmann & Family, Rabbi and Mrs. Levi Andrusier & Family. Keep up the good work! To find out how you can help, contact Shari at sherszage@torahacademy.org. |
|
| |
Rabbi Shaul Epstein (Class of '98) on the birth of a son and Rabbi Joel and Janice Epstein on the birth of a grandson
Sarah (Epstein) Barth (Class of '00) on the birth of a son and Rabbi Joel and Janice Epstein on the birth of a grandson
Sarah (Weinerman) Cheses (Class of '02) on the birth of a daughter, Adina Malka
Debbie Weinerman (Class of '04) on her marriage to Nadav Recca
Rebecca (Weinerman) Lefkovitz (Class of '00) on the birth of a daughter, Eliana Rose
Alison Barnett (Class of '06) on her marriage to Avi Block
Rebecca Weisfogel (Class of '02) on her marriage to Natan Fink
Zach Stern (Class of '06) on his marriage to Stephanie Kimmel
Mina Weisz (Class of '06) on her marriage
Yedida Schramm (Class of '04) on her marriage to Joe Simons
Rabbi Ben Mellman (8th Grade Class of '76) on the birth of his granddaughter, Aidel Adina Cohen
Rabbi and Mrs. Tzvi Katz on the Bar Mitzvah of their son Yisroel
Jonathan and Agi Hartstein on the Bat Mitzvah of their daughter Ariella
Rabbi Andrew Berenstein (8th Grade Class of '83) on the Bat Mitzvah of this daughter Tova Miriam
Marni Rosen (Class of '01) on receiving her Ph.D.
Sammy Levy (8th Grade Class of '97) on his engagement
Joey Schottenstein (Class of '98) and Lindsey Schottenstein on the birth of a daughter
Julye Shore on the Bar Mitzvah of her son Roston
Michael Estreicher (Class of '00) on his graduation from Sackler Medical School at Tel Aviv University
Garret Sobol (Class of '06) on his engagement to Alexandra Lipschultz |
REFUAH SHLAIMA (GET WELL) TO: | |
Thea Press
Anne Shulman
Suzanne Hoxworth |
|
CONDOLENCES TO: | |
Marlene Sobol on the passing of her mother, Lillian Ganz
Daniel Newman on the passing of his father, Howard
Rabbi Jonathan Rosenberg (8th Grade Class of '79), Frada (Rosenberg) Stone (8th Grade Class of '76) on the loss of their father Harvey Rosenberg |
IMPORTANT SCHOOL INFORMATION |
Parents who have not turned in Emergency Cards, Field Trip Permission Forms and Medical Forms need to do so immediately. It is very important that the office have this information on file.
PARKING: Remember, no vehicles are allowed beyond the flag pole circle during school hours and evening programs. This area is for buses and emergency vehicles only.
PM PICK-UP (after 3:30) is from the upper parking lot only. Please enter and stay to the right. Follow the driveway around to the gym entrance.
Drive slowly once on school grounds and be alert for small children and people walking to their vehicles. Be extra careful when backing out of a parking space. Good security and safety procedures are by nature an inconvenience. An inconvenience worth enduring to save a life. |
|
|
CTA School Picture Day is Wednesday, September 1. This is one of PTO's most popular fundraisers. Every student should have received and brought home a photo order form from our photographers, MPS. Please fill out this form and send back with your child by Wednesday morning. For families with more than one child, each child needs his own form, but you may make one payment for your entire family. Please indicate on your forms which child's envelope has the payment information. There will be extra forms available at the front desk and from the photographers on Wednesday. We look forward to seeing your child's smiling face! |
ARE YOU ALWAYS TAKING PICTURES AT CTA? |
That's great! We need you. Please let us know if you are willing to photograph our students during school events, for use in school materials. You can use your own camera, or borrow the school's camera while you're in the building. Please contact Ruth Portnoy at RPortnoy@torahacademy.org. She has a card reader for easy transfer of your images. |
|
|
Please join us for our K-6 New Parent Orientation at 6pm and K-6 Meet the Teachers event on Thursday, September 2, at 7:00 p.m. and our 7-12 New Parent Orientation and Meet the Teachers night on Wednesday, September 15. There will be a presentation on our new programs, an introduction of the new teachers and an opportunity for you to learn about your children's classes. |
|
|
The need for blood donors is never completely satisfied. New donors must be found when long time donors can no longer give. Please come Wed., Sept. 1, to the JCC, 12:00-6:30 pm to give the "Gift of Life". You can arrange an appointment by calling the Red Cross at 1-800-Give Life or go to the Red Cross website at www.bloodsaveslives.org, sponsor code: tolife. |
|
|
Columbus Torah Academy is following flu guidance recommendations from the Center for Disease Control, the Columbus Health Department and Columbus City Schools. There are four main steps that you can do to protect your child and family from the flu this year.
1) Practice good hand hygiene by washing your hands often with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective. Reinforce thorough hand washing techniques with your family (washing hands with warm running water and soap for at least 20 seconds or to the tune of Happy Birthday twice).
2) Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. If you don't have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your elbow or shoulder; not into your hands.
3) Stay at home if you or your child is sick for at least 24 hours after there is no longer a fever or signs of a fever (without the use of fever-reducing medicine). Keeping sick students at home means that they keep their viruses to themselves rather than sharing them with others. We will be enforcing the 24 hour rule and you will have to come in and pick up your child if they return to school too early. Do not send your child to school in the morning if you suspect that they may be ill. Plan ahead for child care at home if your child is sick.
4) Get your family vaccinated for seasonal flu and 2009 H1N1 flu when vaccines are available.
5) Please call School Nurse Cathy Tran at 864-0299 with any questions about the health office. Her days at school this year are Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Laurie Alexander is covering the office and is available to answer questions on Mondays and Wednesdays. |
|
|
1. When did the obligation to bring bikkurim (first fruits) begin?
a) After the Land was conquered and divided.
2. Bikkurim are from which crops?
a) The seven species for which Eretz Yisrael is praised.
3. How does one designate bikkurim?
a) When one sees the first fruit ripen on a tree, he binds a piece of straw around it to mark it as bikkurim.
4. Who shakes the basket containing the bikkurim?
a) The kohen places his hands under the hands of the one bringing it, and they wave the basket together.
5. What does "v'anita v'amarta" mean?
a) Speak loudly.
6. Which Arami "tried to destroy my father?"
a) Lavan.
7. When during the year may bikkurim be brought? Until when are the special verses recited?
a) Bikkurimare brought from Shavuot until Chanukah. The verses are recited only until Succot.
8. Someone declaring that he separated terumah and ma'aser says: "And I didn't forget." What didn't he forget?
a) To bless G-d.
9. What were the Jewish People to do with the 12 stones on Mt. Eval?
a) Build an altar.
10. Six tribes stood on Mt. Eval and six on Mt. Gerizim. Who and what were positioned in the middle?
a) Kohanim, levi'im and the Holy Ark.
Parsha Ki Tavo Quiz originally appeared on the Ohr Somayach
|
|
I hope you enjoy the electronic version of our Dateline. Please check out our website at www.torahacademy.org. |
|
|
