Dear VTT Community, 

With less than a month to go before the end of school,  much is happening to recognize important milestones (Kindergarten graduation, Grade 7 graduation, Torah and Siddur celebrations) and to celebrate another successful conclusion to the school year (picnics in the park, talent shows, Splashdown Park, Strathcona Lodge, etc.) Please mark your calendars in order to stay on top of all the events. 

New this year is our Coffee in the Courtyard on Wednesday, June 22nd at 8:45 a.m. to express our thanks to all of you for the constant and substantial support our parents, grandparents, friends and caregivers give to VTT throughout the academic year. As a community school, we rely on your help to ensure the smooth execution of the plethora of programs and (Judaic) enrichment activities. This is part of what makes a Jewish day school a most unique enterprise. In an environment steeped in ritual and tradition, there are continuous opportunities for celebration, reflection and community-building. Our strong base of parent volunteers ensures the survival and flourishing of our sacred traditions. Hope to see many of you on the 22nd for coffee, muffins and scones.   

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

Shabbat Parashat Naso

Jerusalem--The Heart of the Jewish People 

This past week on Wednesday, we celebrated Yom Yerushalayim/ Jerusalem Day - the 44^th anniversary of the unification of Jerusalem - achieved as one of the successful military campaigns of the Six Day War in 1967.  This accomplishment was a monumental event in Jewish history.  After almost 2000 years of exile from Jerusalem's Old City, Jews could once again have access to our most holy sites, including the Kotel, the only remnant of our magnificent Temple Mount.  Also for the first time in generations, Jerusalem was opened up to the world.  People of all religions and backgrounds were welcome to visit this holy city, witness its beauty and glory, and soak up its majesty.  Jerusalem, the capital of the Jewish State in the Land of Israel, was once again whole and serving its rightful role as a center for all peoples and faiths that wished to make it so.

The Heart of the Jewish People

In recent weeks, debate over the borders of the State of Israel was in the news once again.  President Barak Obama suggested that, perhaps, a path toward peace between Israel and the Palestinians would be for Israel to accept a return to pre-1967 green line borders, the borders in which Jerusalem was a divided city.  From other sources, Israel was called upon to alter the status of Jerusalem and to convert it into something of an "international city," no longer serving as the capital of the State of Israel.  Leaders from around the world spoke out on these subjects (mostly in favor of the "suggestions"), including Prime Minister Stephen Harper who adamantly defended Israel's right to maintain its current, and more militarily defensible, borders.  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke before the U.S. Congress, explaining that Israel, as the only democratic and truly modern nation in its region, is not the problem in the Middle East and rejected the suggestion that a return the 1967 borders would be appropriate.  The fact is that if one looks at Jerusalem's 3000-year history, she has never been more of a welcoming and international city than she is today.  Prior to 1967, the nations and empires that controlled access to Jerusalem and her holy sites were exclusive.  Today, Israel is inclusive, opening up her doors and investing not only in the building and restoration of Jewish holy sites, but those of other religions as well.

Read more online...

Shabbat Shalom! 

INVITATION TO JOIN VANCOUVER TALMUD TORAH'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS

In addition to the ongoing efforts of our school's teaching

faculty and administration, many in our community

work together with a shared vision towards continually

improving the quality of education our school provides

to our children.

Vancouver Talmud Torah Association is accepting

nominations for the 2011-2012 Board of Directors for the

following portfolios:

Development, Finance, Admissions, Human Resources,

Alumni, Communications & Public Relations, Strategic

Planning, Judaics, Governance, and Parent Affairs.

If you believe you are able to help us make a difference

and wish to be considered for a position on our Board of

Directors or on one of our committees, please indicate

your interest and background prior to June 30, 2011 to

Mr. Danny Shugarman: dshugarman@wt.ca
Tel: 604-682-5466

CELEBRATE LEARNING.  

CELEBRATE EXCELLENCE.

Last week, all families received an important letter themed "Celebrate Learning. Celebrate Excellence." 

We encourage everyone to participate with this important request for funds as it will go towards our budget for programs and what we can offer our students.

It is the first time VTT has asked each and every family for support and we hope to get 100% participation.

Thank you in advance to our entire community!

SOME EASY PPP JOBS  

Need an easy way to fulfill PPP hours?

We need people to help with doing inventory for TaL Am. Parents need to do the work in the school and need only be able to read Hebrew, not be a Hebrew speaker. We also need someone to count Tal Am books in Morah's Lily's Grade 5 class.

Contact Rabbi Bellas for more info.

VTT COOKBOOK UPDATE   

The VTT Cookbook Committee is proud to announce the name of the upcoming cookbook - Together

Curious to find out how the testing and tasting events went?  Please check out pictures at cookbook.talmudtorah.com. Thank you to all who helped with this portion of the cookbook.

Now we're on to creating the manuscript!  Stay tuned for more updates!