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May 15, 2015
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Volume X, Issue 30
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26 Iyar, 5775
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THE 2015-16 SCHOOL CALENDAR IS READY!
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Dates to Remember
Light Shabbat candles at 8:31, Shabbat ends at 9:50 p.m.
Yom YerushalayimSunday, May 17 Festival Ha'Rikud Youth PerformanceSunday, May 17, 1 p.m. Many family activities going on. Check out the entire program! Don't forget to bring non-perishable food donations for the Jewish Food Bank (11-3)Victoria Day--No Sessions
Monday, May 18 Pro-D Day--No Sessions
Tuesday, May 19 Cookies & Classrooms for Incoming K Students
Tuesday, May 19, 10-11 a.m. VTT Band Performs at Kiwanis Festival
Thursday, May 21 Deadline to order Shabbat challah
Thursday, May 21, 11 a.m.
talmudtorah.com/challahRunning Club
Friday, May 22, 7:30-8:20 a.m. Erev Shavuot
Saturday, May 23 1st Day Shavuot
Sunday, May 24 2nd Day Shavuot--No Sessions
Monday, May 25 Band Performs at Louis Brier Wednesday, May 27 VTT Running Club Track Meet
Wednesday, May 27
VTT Blood Drive: SAVE A LIFE!
Wednesday & Thursday,
May 27 & 28
Sign up hereSaleema Noon at VTT (Gr 4-7)Friday, May 29
Uniform Pants BLOWOUT SALEFriday, May 29, 3:20-4:00 p.m.
Small Gym
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SHONOT / ODDS 'N ENDS
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Morah Myra's Grade 4 Shorashim students raised $500 to help a VTT alum who recently had a double lung transplant. Thank you to all who supported this campaign. Kudos to Max Switzer-Caplan for editing the video below. SAVE A LIFE! GIVE BLOOD!
Join VTT's annual blood drive, organized by Jen Chelin and Debra Miller. Click this link to sign up for either Wednesday or Thursday, May 27 or 28.DID YOU KNOW THAT VTT HAS TEAM PARTICIPATING IN CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL'S ANNUAL CHILD RUN TO BENEFIT CHILDHOOD CANCERS?We welcome EVERYONE to join our team--to either participate in the 1K or 5K run. Every year we run in support of VTT student, Celia Gustavsson, who survived leukemia as a young child.
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WE NEED SOME HELP WITH USED UNIFORMS
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Laureen Teperson, our used uniform coordinator, is seeking volunteers for two upcoming sales. Our PANTS BLOWOUT SALE on Friday, May 29th (4 volunteers needed from 1-4:30) and our SKORTS BLOWOUT SALE (4 volunteers needed from 1:30-4) on Friday, June 5th. Please contact Laureen Teperson if you can help. Eligible for PAC hours. If you have uniform items in GOOD CONDITION (no rips or stains) to donate, please drop them off at the front office.
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NEED TO REVIEW YOUR PAC HOURS TO DATE (April 15, 2015)?
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Support VTT through purchasing on Amazon.
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SPRING FUNDRAISER ON NOW!
Thank you to all the families that have already donated to the VTT Spring Fundraiser! We need everyone's support to help us improve security and safety at VTT and reach our goals of $72,000 and 100% participation from VTT families. If you haven't yet donated, please consider doing so now by visiting https://www.talmudtorah.com/security/ or by filling out a donation card. Help us show our VTT school spirit and our collective support for the fundraiser by having your student colour in the flower sent home and return it to the office. When we return to school on Wednesday, look for your flower in the "bouquet" display!
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PARASHAT HASHAVUAH--WEEKLY TORAH PORTION COMMENTARY
We are pleased to be able to share our students'
divrei Torot (Torah commentaries) with our community. Last Saturday, Ella Pekarsky (daughter of Josh Pekarsky and Marla Guralnick) celebrated her Bat Mitzvah at Congregation Beth Israel. She tied her mitzvah work at VTT to parashat Emor.
A few months ago I had the opportunity to go to the downtown east side with my classmates and grade seven students from a local christian school and a muslim school. We spent the morning giving out sandwiches and hot coffee to homeless people living on the streets. I had never done anything like this before. Seeing the line of people in need going around the corner inspired me to consider what it must be like to not have enough money even to eat.
The experience helped me see the need to consider the circumstance of others. I now know that there is always someone with less and you can never give them too much. My trip to the downtown east side helped me apply what I've learned in school to my own life. The need for helping others is clear in this week's Torah portion.
A few Sundays ago, grade six twin sisters Indiana and Jasmine Layton (daughters of Renaty and Jonathan Layton of Australia) celebrated ther B'Not Mitzvah at Schara Tzedeck. Below is each of their interpretations of parashat Kedoshim.
Jasmine's D'Var Torah This week's parasha, Kedoshim, also teaches us what it means to be a good friend. The Torah tells us that if a friend, or any other Jew does something wrong we should "reprove" them. This means that we should not remain silent, but instead offer them constructive criticism. There are two reasons we should do this. Firstly, if it is a friend of yours who does something wrong to you and you stay silent, you will end up bearing a grudge and then your sin will be as great as theirs. For example, if someone excludes you from their party and you do not communicate that the exclusion was hurtful, then your sin of hatred becomes your problem, not theirs. Read more online . . . Indy's D'var Torah This week's parasha, Kedoshim, talks about the important role that followers play. I found this very interesting because at school we are always learning about being good leaders, but people don't often talk about the importance of a follower. Kedoshim tells us that in Judaism it is important for followers to not just accept authority without question. We should not just accept things the way they are. A follower should not be afraid to question their leaders. The reason we should do this is because as Jews we should care for each other and we are all responsible for making each other better people. One interesting story in the Torah that demonstrates the importance of followers, is the story about King David and the prophet Nathan. The story goes like this . . . Read more online . . .
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PANTS & SKORTS BLOWOUT SALE!
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Two huge sales are coming up.
Pants Blowout on Friday, May 29 and Skirts / Skorts on Friday, June 5.
Both sales run from 3:20 - 4pm
Amazing prices:
1 item = $5
2 or 3 items = $10
4 or 5 items = $15
6 or 7 items = $20
No, the math does not make sense.
But the more you buy, the cheaper each piece becomes. Stock up for next year and beyond.
Donations are welcome for our upcoming "everything else" used uniform sale.
Sweaters, vests, cardigans, school shirts, gym strip and tunics. Only saleable items please - no rips, stains or bleached out logos.
Please don't throw out unwearable clothing. It can be recycled!
The Salvation Army Thrift Stores will accept these donations and divert them from local landfills by selling them to cloth graders. The cloth graders re-sort the materials; turning some into rags, selling other parts for the fibre content used to make things such as upholstery stuffing and carpet padding, or resells the items in foreign markets.
These can be dropped off at any of the Salvation Army Thrift Stores or any Clothing Donation Drop Bins. Any donations made for the purpose of recycling should be labeled "recycling" on the box or bag.
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Grade 4 students convey the importance of environmental stewardship at this month's Yachad assembly. Don't forget your three R's: REDUCE, REUSE, RECYLE.
Every year our Grade 5 students take the ferry to BC's capital, Victoria, to complement their social studies curriculum which focuses on government and democracy. In addition to visiting the legislature, the students also spend time at the local synagogue and enjoy the magnificent Royal BC Museum.
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A Talmud Torah First!
Ya'ara in Grade 2 chose to personify VTT parent, Jazmin Sasky, for her biography project. It was a rewarding experience for both student and artist!
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Artists in our Midst
It's not only our parents who have talent! Seventh grader Eva Dobrovolska created this life size image of Moses receiving the 10 commandments for our Shavuot display.
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Marking Yom Yerushalayim
Thanks to representatives from the JNF, Grade 5-7 students participated in a scavenger hunt today using iPads and clues scattered throughout the playground.
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Earlier this week, Yossi, Rafi, Becca and Emma from Camp Miriam came to speak with our Grade 7 students about Israel, Yitzhak Rabin and the peace process.
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What's a ShinShin?
VTT will welcome one in the new year. Ophir Golombek, left, from Israel will spend one year at Talmud Torah infusing our school with a sense of Israel ru'ach (spirit) and culture. We are looking for families to host Ophir for a three-month period. Contact Cathy Lowenstein, Head of School, if you're interested.
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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.
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Vancouver Talmud Torah gratefully acknowledges the ongoing support of the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver.
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ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH YACHAD, VTT's social responsibility initiative?
This month's theme is environmental stewardship. You can read more here.
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