SIGNS OF THE FUTURE
 

In 2010, Vancouver Talmud Torah submitted to the City of Vancouver a rezoning application that will enable VTT to physically expand to accommodate the growth of the school and enable VTT to deliver new and innovative programming opportunities.

This week, the City of Vancouver installed a re-zoning sign on the site of Vancouver Talmud Torah along West 26^th  and a sign in front of Beth Israel along Oak Street.

These signs are standard procedure for rezoning applications and are meant to inform the public of the intention and purpose for rezoning the property.

"The rezoning process will result in approval from the City to redevelop the entire block into a comprehensive plan that will provide for our future needs. It will allow us greater height of our buildings, both new and old, along with a density increase. The next nine months will provide an opportunity to answer the City's needs as well as design develop the expanded VTT," describes Stanley Yasin, Chair of the Building Committee.

For VTT Board Co-Chair, Alan Shuster: "This represents another important milestone in our plan to ensure a strong future for VTT and to continue on our mission to deliver an excellent education for our children and generations to come."
 

More Volunteers Need for the Scholastic Book Fair!

Suzanne & Martin Ferera have graciously agreed to co-chair the Scholastic Book Fair, our library's biggest annual fundraiser. Last year's proceeds added $6000 worth of books to our collection.

The Book Fair will occur from Tuesday, February 1st to Thursday, February 3rd. MANY volunteers are needed for this event, including the day before on Monday, January 31st.

To manage and track volunteers, we are using a new program called VOLUNTEERSPOT. Click on this link to access the sign up form. You will be asked to enter your email. You will then receive a confirmation email with a direct link to the calendar and the many volunteer opportunities.

Questions? Contact Jennifer at info@talmudtorah.com

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR FIDDLER ON THE ROOF 

We need at least 6-8 able bodied men and women who can help us strike the set (take it down) after the last performance on March 23rd. The more volunteers, the quicker the work should be. The set is uncomplicated and we need to get it out

of the JCC's Norman Rothstein Theatre THAT NIGHT! With 6-8 people we should be done by 11 ish.

If you can help out, please contact Joe Ritchie, Drama Specialist, at jritchie@talmudtorah.com. 

FACULTY & STAFF PROFILES: NOW ONLINE!

Did you know that Morah Varda has volunteered as a fashion model for an Israeli design house?

Or that Morah Orly worked in a residential school in Israel for several years?

How about the fact that Joe Ritchie is a graduate of Studio 58's Professional Theatre Training Program?

Or that Ms. Weintraub's grandmother was author Irving Layton's English teacher?

And can you guess who is Talmud Torah's longest serving teachers? 

There's much more to learn about our wonderful faculty and staff! Click here to read all the profiles that have been written to date. 

When fifth grade student Tyler Gilman contacted the City of Abbotsford to research his BC Communities project, little did he know he'd end up receiving proofreading credit (circled in red above) in the upcoming publication of their revamped tourism brochure. Tyler is likely the youngest proofreader the city has ever had! 

Despite the 5:30 a.m. meeting time, grade 6 students from VTT and Richmond Jewish Day School showed plenty of energy and enthusiasm as they boarded the bus to join their Jewish day school peers in Seattle for a weekend Shabbaton. Sixth graders from Portland and Edmonton will be joining in as well.  

Whether in preschool or in grade 7, every class celebrates Shabbat every Friday. In the photo above, a K4 student places the perachim (flowers) on the Shabbat table while the students sing along in Hebrew to Ellen Wiesenthal's guitar about all the steps involved in creating a Shabbat table.

As part of their science curriculum studies, grade 5 students are working in groups and drawing the anatomy of the human body. 

Kindergarten students brought special stuffed friends to their Shabbat celebrations today.

 

The Rosengarten family and Phillipa and Eli Friedland gave a wonderful presentation about their mitzvah work with the Abayudaya Jewish community of Uganda to an enthusiastic audience last Wednesday at King David High School. In a mere six days, the eight volunteers managed to leave behind a playground (merry go rounds, slides, swing, soccer posts) and painted schoolhouses. Because the problems are so great and overwhelming on the continent, the presenters wisely suggested trying to make a small difference, in one community, rather than attempting to solve the complex problem of mass poverty, etc.

To learn more about the Abayudaya, click here.   

 

 

Thank you to the parents of students in 1C and 2C for getting their BINGO prizes in so quickly to earn their students BINGO popcorn parties, courtesy of the grade 7 BINGO committee.
 

The collection of images above represent the best photos our of yearbook committee (grades 6 & 7). The exercise is all part of their preparation for the rebirth of our school yearbook, under the tutelage of Mr. Kehrig. Watch for order envelopes in your children's backpacks in the coming weeks.
 

Photo courtsey of Geoffery Kehrig