January 23, 2015

Volume X, Issue 16

3 Shevat, 5775

VTT READS: WHICH BOOKS ARE YOUR CHILDREN'S FAVOURITES?

Student library monitors, as well as members of the Friday Lunch Time Book Club, had a sneak preview of the VTT Reads book selection at a specially organized "book tasting" last Friday. (Huge thank you to Mrs. Andersen for organizing.) See photos from the book launch here.

All the books are now available to borrow from the learning commons. Encourage your children to enter the many contests and incentives to get them reading all the titles! Winning books announced at a school-wide assembly on Friday, March 27th.

Caught your child in the act of reading one of the recommended titles? Send a selfie of them reading to vttreads@talmudtorah.com

STUDENT TORAH PORTION COMMENTARY

We are pleased to be able to share our students' divrei Torot (Torah commentaries) with our community. Last week seventh grader Jordana Gaerber celebrated her Bat Mitzvah at Congregation Beth Israel. She analyzed Parashat Bo and reflected on the power of taking responsibility for mistakes made.

Photo courtesy of Lando Images

Shabbat Shalom. I may think I'm the perfect child and I am pretty sure my parents think I'm the perfect child, but in reality I am not. Nor is anyone else. Perfection is a goal we nearly all aspire to achieve. Along with imperfections come mistakes. We have all made mistakes before and I'm sure we've all done or said things we wish we could take back, and I have learnt that there is only one way to be okay with what we have done. This is to accept and learn from them. Mistakes are always forgivable if one has the courage to admit them. Once we accept what we have done it will make things better.

This week we read Parashat Bo. This parasha includes the last three plagues of Pesach; locusts, darkness and the killing of the first born. Whenever pharaoh refuses to let the Jews go out of the land of Egypt, G-d sends another plague. Recently, I have learned a new theory about the plague of darkness. Maybe, it is a metaphor. In the commentary of the Eitz Hayim Chumash it states that the darkness was not a physical darkness but it was a state of depression that came over the Egyptians. Read more online . . .

SPRING INTO SPRING!
WEAR SPRING COLOURS FOR TU B'SHEVAT

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Suggested donation: $2

Strathcona fundraiser

"SHOE US" WHAT YOU'VE GOT!
A GRADE 6 CHESED PROJECT

In Haiti and the Dominican Republic, children cannot attend school if they don't have shoes. Grade 6 students plan to right this wrong!

Please bring gently used shoes until Friday, January 30th to give all students fair chance to receive an education and be able to look forward to a brighter future.

Donations should be in separate bags to avoid the shoes getting mixed up.

Read the students' presentation here

NEXT WEEK IS OUR FINAL TRIAL RUN OF THE PAC SHABBAT CHALLAH PROGRAM.

If we do not reach 50 orders, the program will be discontinued . . .

Submit your order by 10 a.m. on Thursday for a fresh, delicious and kosher challah delivered to VTT every Friday from Sabra Bakery. $6

SEEING IS BELIEVING: CAMPUS CONSTRUCTION & SECURITY UPDATE

We are pleased to host architects from Acton Ostry as well as Royston Cobourne, our security consultant, Principal of CKR Global, for a discussion on the status of the campus construction and security measures at Vancouver Talmud Torah.

The discussion will be held on Wednesday, February 4th at 7:30 p.m. at Talmud Torah.

Everyone is welcome to attend, though we do request that you RSVP. Click on the box below to RSVP. We are also asking people to submit their questions in advance to ensure a smooth flow to the evening.

GRADE 2 SOCK, TOOTHBRUSH AND TOOTHPASTE DRIVE

Grade 2 students will be collecting donations of NEW socks, toothbrushes and tubes of toothpaste as their Tzedakah project. The donated items will be delivered to Jewish Women International and distributed to people in need throughout Vancouver. Collection box is in the main hallway.

Bring your donations by Monday, January 26th.

Todah Rabah!

SCHOOL NEWS

Our Grade 2 students definitely impressed parents and grandparents will their skill in reciting the daily morning prayers (all in Hebrew, of course) at this week's Tefilah Breakfast. Students learn, above all, to express gratitude for the miracle of life each and every day.
See photos from the gatherings: 2A, 2B, and 2C

Wednesday's basketball game against Van Horne Elementary was a blowout for VTT. We won 80-17! Amazing accomplishment considering that Zevi and Ezra accidentally went to the wrong school and ran 20 blocks to make the game!

In This Issue

VTT Reads: Which Books Are Your Children's Favourites?

Student Torah Portion Commentary

Spring Into Spring: Non-Uniform Day

SHOE US WHAT YOU THINK!

Last Trial Run of PAC Shabbat Challah Program

Seeing is Believing: Campus & Security Update

Grade 2 Sock, Toothbrush & Toothpaste Drive

School News

Purchase on Amazon: Earn $$$ For VTT

Are You Familiar with Yachad?

Don't Forget to Pay for Your Recorder

Learning Commons Hours

Kudos Korner

PURCHASE ON AMAZON & EARN $$$ FOR TALMUD TORAH

talmudtorah.com/amazon

Did you know you can shop talmudtorah.com/amazon for all your online shopping needs? VTT receives a percentage of all sales (up to 8.5%) at no extra cost to you!

Don't forget to pass the link along to all your friends and relatives!

We have earned $25 in commissions so far. Every purchase helps!

NEED TO REACH THE OFFICE TEAM IN A JIFFY?

Send an email to office@talmudtorah.com to reach Debbie, Lihe, Natalie, Moran and Tammy in one fell swoop. Use this email for late notes, absent notes, bus requests, etc.

Record your PAC hours here

Need to contact our PAC?

vttpac@gmail.com

2014-15 School Calendar

DATES TO REMEMBER

Light Shabbat candles
4:36 p.m.

Shabbat ends at 5:47 p.m.

Maccabeedoodah DVDs are ready for pick up from Jennifer's office

Don't forget to return your Strathcona raffle ticket stubs. Draw is coming soon!

LAST CHANCE to order a PINK SHIRT for Pink Shirt Day on Wed, Feb 25

Friday, Jan 23

Email Jennifer to place your order (Youth or Adult, S, M, L or XL)

Grade 7 Tornadoes Basketball Practice

Friday, Jan 23, 7:30 a.m.

Little Mermaid Rehearsal

Sunday, Jan 25, 1-5 p.m.

Grade 7 Tornadoes Basketball Game

Wednesday, Jan 28, 3:30-5:00 p.m.

Yachad Assembly (led by Grade 2)

Wednesday, Jan 28, 2:30 p.m.

Deadline to order PAC Friday Shabbat challah

Thursday, Jan 29, 10 am
talmudtorah.com/challah
If we do not reach 50 orders this week, the program will be discontinued . . .

Little Mermaid Rehearsal

Sunday, Feb 1, 1-5 p.m.

ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH YACHAD, VTT's social responsibility initiative?

Please familiarize yourselves with this important initiative.
We would love to see these values expressed outside of school as well.

ATTENTION GRADE 3 & 4 FAMILIES

Don't forget to send $5 to the office to pay for a recorder for our music program.

DOES YOUR CHILD VISIT THE LEARNING COMMONS AFTER SCHOOL?

Hours of Operation:

Mondays - Thursdays:
Open until 4:30 p.m.

Fridays: CLOSED

Please pick up your children on time

KUDOS KORNER

Parents are always quietly helping out behind the scenes to support our many programming initiatives. This week we wish to acknowledge the Grade 2 parents who worked so hard (from 7:30 a.m.) to set up for our annual Tefilah Breakfast. Todah Rabah!

COMMUNITY EVENTS

Check out the new clubs at the JCC: for students in Grades 3-7

Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre presents the documentary "Numbered" to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz
Sunday, Jan 25, 7 pm, JCC

Family Tu B'Shevat at the JCC
Sunday, Jan 25, 10:30-noon

History of the Jewish Calendar
Mondays at the JCC, begins Jan 26, 7 pm

SAVE THE DATE: Schara Tzedeck presents "Shabbat Dinner with the Hollywood Rabbi"
Friday, Jan 30
Click here for more details

JNF presents Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations, H.E. Ron Prosor
Tuesday, Feb 3, 7:30 p.m.
Beth Israel
FREE! RSVP required
VTT's Glee Club will be performing at this event!
VTT's winning JNF artwork will be presented to the Ambassador at the gathering

Make Learning Hebrew your 2015 Resolution!
Mini Ulpan Aleph with Rahel Halabe at the JCC

5 Sundays, beginning Feb 8, 9:30-2:30
Click here for more info

Against the Grain: Orthodox Feminism in Israel
Free lecture!
Monday, Feb 23, 7 p.m. at Temple Sholom
Click here to register

SHONOT/ODDS 'N ENDS

Camp Miriam is offering FREE TUTORING to all VTT students at the JCC's libary every Tuesday and Wednesday from 4:30-6:00. All of the tutors are UBC or SFU students with a diverse range of backgrounds from biophysics, economics, engineering, microbiology & immunology to English literature to sociology and we are capable of helping with math, science, English and socials studies for any grade levels.

Check out the amazing chesed work that VTT alum Eze Blumenkrans (and son to Morah Judith Blumenkrans) is doing at UBC. Inspiring!

Watch the CITIZEN SHANE interview of Eze Blumenkrans here

MISSION STATEMENT

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.

Vancouver Talmud Torah gratefully acknowledges the ongoing support of the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver.