|
| |
 In this week's parsha (Torah portion) of Shoftim, we learn about many of the mitzvot that apply to the Jewish system of jurisprudence. For example, how to select judges, how the judges should relate to the litigants, rules of evidence and many other court procedures. The Torah places primary importance on the rule of law and emphasizes the vital need for every Jewish community to establish a Beit Din (Jewish court) so that disputes may be settled in accordance with Halacha (Jewish law). The Torah also stresses the importance of following the laws of one's country. This principle is called, "dina de'malchutah dina," which means, "The law of the land (in which a person resides) is the law." Thus, the Halacha obligates every Jew to obey the laws of his or her native country, in addition to observing the laws and values of Judaism. Thus, our goal is to be good Jews and good citizens.
Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi Zvi Kahn
|
|
BACK TO SCHOOL IS A SMOOTH TRANSITION
|
 And so, the first week of school has ended. Tired, but happy as we move into the weekend is how most of the faculty and students are feeling. And, perhaps many parents too.
The Opening Assembly gathered the community together - a beautiful sight. We would like to welcome the twenty new families who have joined our school. Be sure to greet these new faces when you have the chance. Our wonderful kindergarten class is full of 29 youngsters who are eager to learn and grow at CTA.
Senior and kindergartener buddies were paired up on Monday, matching our youngest with our "oldest". They enjoyed lunch and recess together. Watch for information about their apple picking trip.
The newly renovated kindergarten and first grade wing held a Mezuzah hanging ceremony led by Rabbi Howard Zack of Congregation Torat Emet. He shared special words about the uniqueness of the class of 2025. The class is comprised of 5 year olds who are the 55th Kindergarten class at CTA. They take on the special responsibility of studying at CTA and receiving a strong Jewish day school education, just like the classes before them. If you have not visited the new wing, please contact Shari Herszage at [email protected] for a tour. The playground is still to be completed.
Enjoy the weekend and the last few vestiges of summer fun, but remember, we are anxious to see you on Monday morning. Hurray for 2012-2013!
|
|
|
Monday, August 27: Macaroni & Cheese
Tuesday, August 28: Tacos
New Parent Social, Kahn Home, 7:30pm
Wednesday, August 29: Lasagna
Curriculum Night/Meet the Teachers, Grades 7-12, 7:30pm
Thursday, August 30: Chicken Cutlets
Friday, August 31: Fish Sticks
|
|
|
Monday, September 3: Labor Day - No School
Wednesday, September 5: School Pictures
Thursday, September 6: NOTE DATE CHANGE: 12th Grade College Night, 7:30pm
Wednesday, September 12: NOTE DATE CHANGE: Executive Board Meeting, 7:30pm
|
SCRIP UPDATE - PLACES TO PURCHASE SCRIP
|
CTA Scrip Office, 864-0299 ext. 112
Monday-Thursday- 7:30am-4pm; Friday- 7:30am-3pm
The Scrip Office keeps a variety of available scrip on hand. Special order scrip from hundreds of stores is available by sending your request to [email protected]. To see a complete selection of all of the Scrip choices, go to www.glscrip.com. To benefit CTA with online purchases, register at www.iGive.com.
|
|
|
The Give & Get (G&G) Commitment for 2012-2013 is $2000 per family. Give & Get (G&G) can be fulfilled through donations, Scrip purchases, solicitations and volunteering. The weekly G&G Grapevine will give you ideas of how to easily do your part. NEW!! Send a record of all G&G Volunteer hours to [email protected]
If you would like to volunteer, contact Volunteer Coordinator, Kim Abelman, at 855-5195 or [email protected] Volunteer time is worth $25 per hour towards Give & Get.
"I heard through the Grapevine..." HOT LUNCH needs volunteers! Offer to volunteer ONE day or more a MONTH from 10:45 am-12:45 pm. G&G Tip: If you volunteer 2 hrs/ month, or 18 hrs/ year, that's already $450...and your child(ren) LOVE that you're there helping out! Contact Karan at [email protected]
"L'chaim and Todah Rabah to ..." Jaime & Bernie, parents of Danielle Schubach in 1st grade. They purchased: Saturday's scrip for regular family haircuts (CTA gets 8%!!); gift cards to Wal-Mart, Giant Eagle, and Kroger, gas cards to show appreciation to Jaime's office staff, and a DVD player with a Best Buy gift card (CTA gets 3%)*. They also bought airline & hotel cards for Jaime's continuing medical education conferences; and Jaime just bought a table & chairs set for her new office on Amazon.com with Amazon scrip (CTA gets 4%!). Way to go! That's great CTA school support!
|
|
NEWS FROM THE LOWER SCHOOL JUDAICS DEPARTMENT
By Dror Karavani, Lower School Judaic Studies Coordinator
| |
We have excitedly started off the beginning of the school year bringing in the new month of Elul. The students recognized this by hearing the daily shofar sound and seeing the decorations throughout the hallways and classrooms. In the weeks to come, many of the things we will be focusing on revolve around the theme of Rosh Hashanah and the High Holidays. We will also be assessing the students to ensure their correct level of placement in the classroom learning environment. I would like to remind everyone to check our Jewish Studies teachers' blogs on a regular basis. There, you can find out what is going on in the classroom, including homework and tests. As always, I am happy to be of any assistance to you. Please contact me at [email protected] or 864-0299 ext. 116 with any questions. The Judaic teachers extend warm wishes for a healthy beginning to another great school year. Shabbat Shalom!
|
|
CTA WELCOMES NEW TEACHERS
|
Part of the excitement surrounding each new school year revolves around welcoming new teachers to CTA. This year we are proud to welcome four new faculty members.
Rabbi Yaakov Frankiel moved to Columbus from Israel this summer with his wife, Shira, and daughter, Shulamit. Rabbi Frankiel is teaching in the Upper School Judaic Studies department and is also directing NCSY youth activities for the community. Rabbi Frankiel received his BS degree from Excelsior University and his rabbinical ordination from Karlin-Stolin Institute in Jerusalem. He is also a certified Life Coach.
Rabbi Avrohom Drandoff is well-known in Columbus as a former member of the Columbus Community Kollel and, for the last four years, as its Director of Community Programs. At CTA, Rabbi Drandoff is teaching in the Upper School Judaic Studies department and is utilizing his community-building skills as the school's new Coordinator of Community Affairs. Rabbi Drandoff received his Bachelors in Talmudic Law and semicha from Ner Israel Rabbinical College, and a Masters in School Education from Johns Hopkins University.
James Moore is teaching three courses this year: American History, U.S. Government and Economics and AP Psychology. Mr. Moore received his BA and MA in Political Science from Ohio University. Mr. Moore is also an adjunct professor at Columbus State Community College.
Mr. Joshua Pollack, a CTA alum, is teaching Jewish History and World History this year. Mr. Pollack received a BA in History from Yeshiva University and a MA in Post-Secondary Social Studies Education from the City College of New York (CUNY).
We warmly welcome these four dynamic instructors to the school and are excited to benefit from their knowledge and expertise.
|
| MAZAL TOV TO: | |
Ian King (Class of '07) on his marriage to Elianna Groskin
Marni Rosen (Class of '01) on her marriage to Elie Saltzman
Ely Cole (Class of '01) on his marriage to Talia Kandel
Sara Cole (Class of '00) on her marriage to Ilan Pearlman
Rena Cole (Class of '04) on her marriage to Adam Gardin
|
|
CONDOLENCES TO:
| |
Alex and Susan Rosen, Marni (Class of '01), Avi (Class of '04) and Abi
(Class of '12) on the passing of father and grandfather, Herman Rosen
Rita and Evsey Neymotin, Ita (Neymotin) Kremenchuker (8th Grade Class
of '87), Florence Neymotin (Class of '98) and Benjy Neymotin (Class of
'03) upon the loss of father and grandfather, Solomon Aronov
Mark Margolies on the passing of his father, Joel Margolies
Silvia Wolfson on the passing of her father, Yaakov Taub
|
| THANK YOU ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL | |
Thank you to Chazzan Baruch Shifman for his rousing renditions of Star Spangled Banner and Hatikvah at the Opening Day Ceremonies on the first day of school. Thank you to Rabbi Howard Zack of Congregation Torat Emet who installed the first mezuzah in the newly renovated kindergarten and first grade wing.
|
| NEW PARENT SOCIAL |
New parents are invited to the home of Headmaster, Rabbi Zvi and Sara Beth Kahn, this Tuesday, August 28 at 7:30 pm for light refreshments. We will discuss school policies and communications. Please RSVP to [email protected].
|
| PICTURES |
If you want to see pictures of your adorable children during the school day at CTA, check out our Smug Mug website at:
www.torahacademy.smugmug.com.
Remember, if you purchase pictures, we get a big kickback! Great fundraiser!
|
| FROM THE NURSE |
Parents of new students (including kindergarten) and all 7th grade students need to provide a copy of their child's immunization record. Please send these records to the School Nurse.
|
| PIANO AND DRUM LESSONS |
CTA alumnus and accomplished musician, Daniel Zwelling, is offering piano and drum lessons either at his house or in the home. Contact Daniel for pricing and scheduling at [email protected] or by phone at (614) 260-0160.
|
|
PLAY AT CTA WELCOMES YOUNGEST LEARNERS
|
"Play at CTA" will be held on Thursday mornings from 9:30-11am beginning September 6. The weekly explorative play program is for children preschool age or younger with a parent or caregiver.
Each class of "Play at CTA" will include art, music, snack, a story, circle time for the students and some "food for thought" for the adults.
Instructor, Ayala Kohn, explained, "This is a chance for little developing minds to come play, learn, explore and make friends. It will also be a pleasant morning for their accompanying adult. I am looking forward to a great year."
The first Fall Session begins on September 6 and ends on September 27. Cost for the Fall session is $30 or an $8 drop in fee. To register, contact [email protected] or 864-0299, ext 118.
|
|
CTA STUDENTS' ACT SCORES FAR OUTSHINE THE STATE AVERAGES!
| |
ACT score trends have been released, and CTA has far out-shined the state! ACT, a standardized test used for college admissions, consists of four sections: English, Science, Math and Reading. While most colleges accept ACT and SAT, more and more colleges are starting to prefer the ACT, because it is curriculum based and may be a better measure of college readiness.
|
|
AMY NEIWIRTH TO EXHIBIT AT THE UPPER ARLINGTON LABOR DAY ARTS FESTIVAL
| |
CTA art teacher Amy Neiwirth has been selected to show and sell her handcrafted jewelry at the Upper Arlington Labor Day Arts Festival on Monday September 3, 2012. The festival, in its 46th year, is a juried event that showcases 200 fine art and fine craft artisans from across the country. At the festival, visitors will also be able to enjoy music and dance performances, hands-on art activities for all ages, refreshments and more - all in a free alfresco interactive art space!
Hosted by the City of Upper Arlington's Cultural Arts Division, this festival is held in Northam Park, 2070 Northam Road in Upper Arlington from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on September 3. Look for Ms. Neiwirth in booth #106!
|
|
UPPER ARLINGTON LABOR DAY ARTS FESTIVAL
| |
|
|
MID-SUMMER BLOOD DRIVE AT THE JCC, COLLEGE AVENUE
| |
The need for blood donors is never completely satisfied. New donors must be found when long time donors can no longer give. Please come Wednesday September 5, to the JCC between 12:00 pm and 6:30pm 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.redcrossblood.org sponsor code: tolifecolumbus.
|
|
| |
1. What is the role of Shoftim? What is the role of shotrim?
a. Shoftim are judges who pronounce judgment. Shotrim are officers who enforce it.
2. What qualifications should one look for when appointing a judge?
a. That he is expert in the law and that he is righteous.
3. May a judge accept a bribe if only for the purpose of judging fairly?
a. No, because it will sway his judgment.
4. What is the source for the concept "seek out a good beit din"?
a. "Tzedek tzedek tirdof..."
5. Although the Patriarchs built matzevot (personal altars), the Torah later forbade doing so. Why?
a. Because the Canaanites used them for idolatry.
6. "You will come to...the judge who will be in those days." It's impossible to visit a judge living at a different time, so why must the Torah add these apparently extra words?
a. To teach that although a judge may not be as eminent as judges of previous generations, we must obey him nevertheless.
7. What does Hashem promise a king who doesn't amass much gold, doesn't raise many horses and doesn't marry many wives?
a. That his kingdom will endure.
8. How many Torah scrolls must the king have?
a. Two. One stays in this treasury and one he keeps with him.
(Parsha Shoftim Quiz originally appeared on the
Ohr Somayach website, www.ohr.edu)
|
|
|
As part of our partnership with the Shiloh school in Israel, we will be receiving riddles each week relating to the Parasha. You will notice this each week on this back page. The goal is to have the parents and children discuss the parasha, while trying to figure out the connection between the picture and the parasha. All answered riddles should be given to the Judaic teacher on Monday. The names of the winners will be announced and sent to our friends in Israel.
What is the connection between the picture and the parasha? Look in Chapter 22, Verse 19. You will find the answer there.
Moreh Dror Karavani will collect all of the submitted answers, put them into a box, and save them for the big raffle! You will hear more about this very soon. Keep your answers coming.
|
|
