|
Hadashot
Vancouver Talmud Torah's Weekly e-Newsletter
Volume VIII, Issue 32
May 17, 2013 8 sivan, 5773
|
JEWISH COMMUNITY FOUNDATION GIVES MAJOR BOOST TO VTT CAMPUS CAMPAIGN
The VTT Campus Campaign is thrilled to announce that the Jewish Community Foundation has committed $100,000 toward the expanded and revitalized Talmud Torah. The campaign is now just $1.5 million away from securing the campaign's last $5 million from the Gordon and Leslie Diamond Foundation.
VTT and the Campaign Leadership are extremely grateful for the Foundation's leadership and support.
Ron Rozen, Chair of the Foundation's Board of Trustees, had this to say about the gift, "The Foundation's Board of Trustees is very pleased to be supporting the renovation and expansion of Talmud Torah School. We recognize that an investment in VTT is really an investment in the future. The Foundation is proud to be a resource for helping ensure the stability and growth of VTT and so many other of our community's major institutions."
Campaign leadership thanks the Jewish Community Foundation and all the donors who have helped us reach this point.
We encourage all members of the community to follow in the footsteps of the Foundation and the hundreds of donors and families who have pledged their support for this essential community project.
|
WEEKLY TORAH PORTION WITH RABBI MATTHEW BELLAS
Shabbat Parashat Naso
Blessing our Children
In this week's parasha, we find one of the first blessing texts in Judaism. We are most familiar with brakhot beginning with the official formula Barukh Atah Adonai... (Blessed are You...). However, these words do not appear in the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) when blessings are being recited or passed between individuals. The blessing that appears in this week's Torah reading is called Birkat Kohanim, the Priestly Blessing. God and Moses instruct the Kohanim to bless the people with the following words (the full Hebrew, transliterated and translated text are below):
May God bless you and keep you;
May God shine God's face toward you and be gracious unto you;
May God show you favor and grant you peace.
With the destruction of the Temples and the end of almost all kohanite function in Jewish ritual life, this b'rakha made its way into Jewish liturgy - most notably into the Amidah (the central prayer of the shaharit (morning), minha (afternoon), and ma'ariv (evening) services) where the service leader recites the verses of the blessing and the congregation responds, "So may it be Your will." On special occasions (and in some communities, every Shabbat) such as the three Pilgrimage Festivals (Pesah, Shavu'ot, and Sukkot), the High Holy Days (Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur), and Simhat Torah, it is common for the kohanim of the congregation to go up to the bimah to fulfill their role as bless-ers of the children of Israel. The ceremony is elaborate and enriched by pomp and circumstance, making it a powerful experience for all involved.
Read more online...
Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi Matthew BellasVice Principal, Judaic Studies
|
CALLING ALL LIBRARY BOOKS
Over the next few weeks, students will receive notices of anything outstanding in their library accounts. All library materials must be returned by June 14, 2013. Please help your child(ren) find lost books, pay outstanding lost fees, or claim fees paid for recovered books. For any questions or concerns, see Natasha or Michal. Parents, please also ensure that your own accounts are up to date before June 14. Thank you! Natasha and Michal
|
SCHOOL NEWS
In honour of Yom Yerushalayim, K2 students build their own kotel (wailing wall).  Preschool 4 students had no hesitation adopting the splatter paint style of Jackson Pollock. In fact, the messier, the better for the two students pictured.  Check out Grade 3 students' amazing interpretations of a Koi Pond, displayed on the second floor near the finance office.  Grade 2 students sat in rapt attention during an "earthworks" presentation by the experts at High Tech, High Touch. The hands-on experiments, explained in layman's terms, allow every student to connect with the material.  Although fourth grader Maya McNamara's ramzor (traffic light) project was created entirely in Hebrew, it could have just as easily been done in general studies. The assignment: identify a problem, seek advice, find a solution and then offer your own take on the situation. It's hard to believe, but true! The above narrative was composed and written by a second grade student, thanks to Tal Am, our Hebrew immersion curriculum. For Mothers Day, kindergarten students thanked their moms with a Dr. Seuss play, "Are You My Mother." The student above was costumed as one of the lost birds.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dates to Remember
| Light candles at 8:33 p.m.
Shabbat ends at 9:52 p.m.
|
Victoria Day--No Sessions
Monday, May 20
Pro-D Day--No Sessions
Thursday, May 30
Cookies & Classrooms for Incoming Kindergarten Students
Thursday, May 30, 9-10 a.m.
Deadline to submit Scholastics order
Friday, May 31
|
Community Announcements
Do you need help packing healthy lunches for your kids?Join registered holistic nutritionist (and VTT parent) Heidi Seidman at Talmud Torah on Wednesday, May 22, from 7 p.m. for Project LunchboxFifth grade student Lyrie Murad will be performing in an intergenerational, amateur production of Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor DreamcoatMay 29-June 1 St. Mary's Kerrisdale Congregation Schara Tzedeck presents Senator Joe Lieberman (in honour of the 10-year anniversary of Rabbi Andrew and Cireille Rosenblatt) Sunday, June 2, 8 p.m. Did you serve in the IDF?
JNF wants to recognize YOU at the JNF Negev Dinner honouring the Israel Defense Forces with special guest of Avigdor KahalaniSunday, June 7, Schara Tzedeck Email liisa.king@jnf.ca if you know people who served in the IDF UBC Opera presents Carmen, with VTT's Prielle Laniado (Gr 4) performing in the chorus June 22-30 UBC Old Auditorium Beth Israel at the Chan Centre A spectacular high holyday venue Special memberships available Click here to learn more
|
SHONOT | ODDS 'N ENDZ
Mazal tov to Joey Hector and his family on the occasion of his Bar Mitzvah this weekend.
HELP BEAT CHILDHOOD CANCER
Join the VTT ChildRun TEAM and our very own SuperHero, third grader Celia Gustavsson, in the fight against childhood cancer. Click this link to either join or donate to the cause.
FRED COHEN'S RIDE TO CONQUER CANCER
Fred Cohen, VTT's Judaics coordinator and long-time faculty member (35 years strong) will be participating in the Ride to Conquer Cancer in memory of his good friend, Mr. Eric Lee. Mr. Lee taught math and science at Vancouver Talmud Torah for 39 years and was a much loved and respected member of our school community.
A message from Mr. Cohen: "Three years ago, Eric supported me on this ride to conquer cancer even before he knew he had this disease. In his blessed memory, I am committed to this cause and hope that you will consider supporting me.
To make donation or to get more information, please click here. WHAT'S THE SECRET TO SUCCESS? THE KEY IS GRIT
Listen to the inspiring TED Talk.
CHECK OUT THESE USEFUL TECH TIPS--GREAT TIME SAVERS
CLAIM YOUR ITEMS BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!
 Recognize anything? Our LOST & FOUND is AT CAPACITY. If items are not cleared soon, all unlabelled clothing, lunch bags and sundry items will be donated by the end of May. Please come check out all the valuable loot!
|
GIVING TO VANCOUVER TALMUD TORAH
Did you know that giving to VTT is easier than ever?
Click this link to access our secure online giving page
or feel free to email Tirzah Abraham in our development office. Please consider a minimum donation of $18 for tribute cards so that more funds can go towards our students.
Your contribution can be allocated to the following funds:
Alumni Fund
VTT Campus Campaign Fund
General Fund
Gita Kron (z"l) Fund for Special Education
Library Fund
The Lorne (z"l) & Sylvia Cristall Tikkun Olam Chair
Mitzvah of Valuing Philanthropy Fund
Performing Arts and Band Fund
Strathcona Fund
VTT Family Fund
To read more details about these funds, download our "Generosity" flyer. Beautiful tribute cards, designed by Jasmine Sasky, are sent by the school development office to mark any number of occasions, milestones and/or life cycle events.
|
|
GRANDPARENTS ARE VTT COMMUNITY MEMBERS TOO!
Bubbes & Zaydes, Sabas & Savtas, Grandmas & Grandpas are vital members of the VTT community. We'd like to include them in relevant school communications, including invitations to our annual Hanukkah concert and other events of interest. Kindly forward email address to Jennifer Shecter-Balin, our Director of Communications.
|
|
We are a community of faculty, staff, students, parents, grandparents, alumni, family and friends! Feel free to join us.
|
|
Vancouver Talmud Torah is a traditional Jewish community day school dedicated to excellence in an engaging and respectful learning environment in which Jewish children can become proud, caring, responsible, and dedicated members of the Jewish people and Canadian society.
|
|
|
