PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE

 

Dear VTT Community,

 

For the last 60 years, Vancouver Talmud Torah has educated generations of Jewish children to be proud, caring, and responsible community and world citizens. As the needs and fabric of our community have changed, so has Talmud Torah. Today, VTT's outlook as an inclusive, pluralistic Jewish day school for the 21st century has never been more exciting. Our school supports a diverse population of learners, continues to make curriculum improvements, ensures access to the most innovative technology, and provides opportunities for excellence in the creative and performing arts. These are all signs of our commitment to providing a high quality of education to current and future generations of Jewish children who will be vital to a vibrant and enduring Jewish future.

 

Every year, Vancouver Talmud Torah aims to cover the discrepancy between tuition and the true cost of education through event-based fundraisers like the Gentlemen's Dinner and VTT Gala. Whether a family is full fee paying or receives a subsidy, EVERY student at VTT benefits from the additional revenue we generate from these events, which in recent years has been in excess $100K.

 

As much of our efforts have been focused on laying the groundwork for our upcoming capital campaign, we have decided to forego the traditional biennial gala this year and instead encourage our community to make a direct gift to the school.

 

Over the next couple of weeks, you will be receiving a special invitation to help make a meaningful contribution to the school that will benefit not only your children, but the entire student body and the community at large. No matter at what level you can give, we are striving for 100% participation by all our families and therefore everyone's support is very important and truly appreciated.

 

Parashat Ha'Shavuah/Weekly Torah Portion with Rabbi Matthew Bellas 

Shabbat Parashat M'tzora

K'dushat/Taharat HaMishpaha - The Laws of Family Holiness/Ritual Purity

What is Their Meaning in the Modern World? 

DISCLOSURE WARNING: This week's D'var Torah is rated PG-13.

 

Ritual purity and impurity are complicated topics in the Jewish tradition.  They are in no way related to personal hygiene or physical cleanliness; rather, they are descriptions of one's religious and spiritual status after having come into contact with situations or conditions that may cause a loss of faith in or spiritual connection to God (a corpse, menstruation, an illness...etc.).  This week's parasha deals with two of the main causes for an individual becoming ritually impure: the skin affliction called "tzara'at" in Hebrew, often (though incorrectly) translated as "leprosy" and individuals who have emissions (either blood or otherwise) from their sexual organs.  This second cause - resulting in the laws of k'dushat/taharat hamishpaha: the Laws of Family Holiness/Ritual Purity - is the source for this week's learning.

 

In the parasha this week, we read that it is forbidden for a husband and wife to participate in marital relations during a woman's menstrual period.  Again, this is not because this time is associated with physical uncleanliness.  Rather, menstrual blood is regarded as a contact with a "death" (the potential for a pregnancy in this monthly cycle just completed did not come to fruition), rendering a woman ritually impure and not in the proper state to engage in the mitzvah/commandment and sacred act of conjugal relations with her husband.  Therefore, the Torah mandates that a husband and wife physically separate themselves one from the other for a minimum period of seven days (or until the menstruation is over).  While this may all sound rather primitive, might we - living in the 21^st century - be able not only to rescue a kernel of meaning from this forced separation, but actually understand a way to embrace and incorporate it into our way of life?  The answer is "Yes."

 

Read more online...

Shabbat Shalom!

Rabbi Matthew Bellas
rabbibellas@talmudtorah.com

 

HELP US FIND THESE MISSING ALUMNI

CLASSES OF 1986 & 1987

Contact Audrey Moss if you have any leads

 

Azriel, Yaniv '86

Carmona, Yaron '86

Cohen, Daron '86

Corrin, Sarah '86

Davicioni, Elai '87

Efron, Asaf '87

Franks, Naomi '86

Fridman, Zvi '87

Frimer, Aaron '87

Goldman, Adina '86

Gringruz, Marina '87

Halabe, Chen '87

Heiman, Roy '87

Houta, Eli '87

Levy, Elizabeth '86

Levy, Linda '86

Levy, Samantha '86

Lipiner, Liat '87

Livan, Daniel '86

Mallek, Noa '86

Mindell, Michelle '86

Moskovsky, Ilan '86

Ranon, Barak '87

Robin, Freda '87

Rosenthal, Shulamit '87

Rosner, Hartley '86

Ruzansky, Gidon '86

Schneiderman, Jamie '86

Shapray, Jodi '87

Sheinin, Spencer '86

Stuart, Sheira '86

Thal, Todd '86

Wolpow, Monica '87

Yacht, David '87

Yacht, Steven '86

Yackness, David '86

Yahav, Micha '87

Yelchinko, Mariana '87

 

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

 

THE 2010-12 JEWISH DIRECTORY IS NOW ON SALE

 $23.50 (includes GST)

 Available at VTT's school office and various locations throughout the city. Check out the website here!