 |
Flu season is here!
Parents: If your child is exhibiting any signs of flu/illness, please keep him/her home and protect the rest of the school from contagion. Germs spread quickly. Help us stay healthy.
|
|
Dates to Remember
Light Shabbat candles at
4:34 p.m.;
Shabbat ends at 5:46 p.m.
Seussical RehearsalSunday, January 24, 1-5 p.m.
Tu B'Shevat (Israel's National Arbor Day) Monday, January 25
Yachad Assembly Monday, January 25, 10:30 am
Come to school dressed in green and brown (tree colours) for Tu B'Shevat
|
Community Calendar
Omnitsky Kosher is hiring front counter staff.
Read the job details here
The JCC is having a membership sale! Jan 11-29 Great deals! Details hereVancouver Academy of Music presents:
Renia Perel's Songs of the Wasteland: An Evening of Song Dedicated Holocaust RemembranceTuesday, January 26, 7:30 p.m. UBC Koerner Hall Buy tickets hereFiddler on the Roof is coming to the Massey Theatre, starring VTT parent, Warren Kimmel. Sunday, April 10 is Family Day: buy two tickets, get two child tickets FREE!Call the box office at 604.521.5050 If you are aged 9-19 and love to sing, dance, act and perform, Gotta Sing, Gotta Dance is auditioning for its summer program (July & Aug) Deadline to apply: April 1 Details here
|
DON'T FORGET TO RECORD YOUR PAC HOURS!
All families are required to complete 10 volunteer hours per academic year. New volunteer opportunities coming soon. Purim & Passover are big holidays for us with many jobs to fill! Curious to check your PAC hours to date?
|
|
|
We have a new Facebook group.
|
|
Support VTT through purchasing on Amazon.
|
|
|
TU B'SHEVAT IS THIS MONDAY, JAN 25
| |
Many activities will be held to mark Israel's National Arbour Day, A big emphasis is played on the centrality of trees in our lives, both in the day-to-day and in the grand scheme of our general existence. Conservation, preservation and our care-taking role in this world is a fundamental Jewish value (ba'al tash'hit).
All students are asked to come to school dressed in BROWN and GREEN to symbolize nature and the environment.
JNF Fundraising envelopes were sent home late last week. As is customary at this time of year, families are asked to contribute $18 for the continued greening of Israel and to support various environmental initiatives throughout the country.
|
ANNUAL GRADE 2 SOCK, TOOTHBRUSH & TOOTHPASTE DRIVE
It is a Grade 2 annual tradition to collect NEW socks, toothbrushes and toothpaste to help those less fortunate than us. The collection will be given to Jewish Women International and the Jewish Food Bank to be distributed through these organizations.
The drive runs from now until Monday, February 1st.
Last year 300 NEW PAIRS of socks were collected. Help second graders exceed this goal this year!
Special thanks to VTT parent and dentist, Dr. Sherri Wise and her daughter Eden, for getting us started with a substantial donation of dental hygiene products.
|
VTT STUDENT MAKES HIS MARK!
Last year, while in second grade, student Dylan Davidson submitted an entry to the Canadian National Creative Writing Contest for Young Writers. Much to his teacher's and parents' delight, he won second place in Canada for his age group! In addition to a certificate, Dylan received a copy of the published book with his submission and a cheque. Yishar Ko'ach and Kol Ha'Kavod!
|
|
|
|
UPDATE ON OUR BELOVED GREGORIA
The fundraising campaign to help Gregoria and visiting family members from the Philippines is still going strong. Over $12K has already been raised in a GoFundMe campaign. For those who don't personally know Gregoria, here is a more detailed picture of her and her life.
Gregoria is 50 years old and came to Canada in 2000, after being sponsored by a cousin. She worked for a VTT family for many years and has helped numerous other VTT families. She is responsible for bringing her "bestie" Rosie Ching Calumpiano to Canada. Like Rosie, Gregoria holds many jobs to support family back home, including a brother who is recovering from a stroke. Gregoria has been cooking for Jewcy Cuisine and serving the students of VTT for the last five years--always with a warm and welcoming smile!
Rosie & Gregoria are Apostolic Pentecostals and are very active in their church. Gregoria is described as an "amazing" person who is so "kind and generous." The prayers of both her community and the Jewish community seem to be making a difference. Despite an initial grim prognosis, Gregoria is making progress! Earlier this week, Rabbi Ilan Acoca dedicated his shiur (teaching) to Gregoria's healing. And many of our community rabbis are including Gregoria in their prayers.
Gregoria is defying the odds and fighting for her life. She's opening her eyes a bit and nodding yes and no to some questions. She squeezed a parent's hand today when asked. These are all positive signs that she is up for the fight. Drop off completed messages to Jennifer in the communications office.
|
WEEKLY TORAH PORTION: PARASHAT HA'SHAVUAH
Last Friday evening, friends and family gathered at Temple Sholom for an Oneg Shabbat service in celebration of Maya McNamara's Bat Mitzvah. Middle child of Sharon and Dave McNamara, Maya and family celebrated her coming of age ceremony in Israel during winter break. Below is the drash she delivered last Shabbat.
If it's true that love gives you strength, I stand here tonight soaking up the superhuman powers. I am so fortunate and grateful to have you all here and in my life. Becoming a Bat Mitzvah in Israel meant more than just a fabulous family vacation, which it was. It was very meaningful for me to mark my transition from childhood to adulthood in our homeland, a country that symbolizes growth, development, courage and collaboration. I walked on the same roads as King David did, I touched the walls the Israelites built with their bare hands and I was in the same sacred spaces that our ancestors built and our fathers and mothers fought for. What a privilege! My Bat Mitzvah took place 3 weeks ago in the beautiful biblical reserve of Neot Kedomim in Israel. It was a gorgeous day - the sun was shining, the views were spectacular, I was surrounded by my family taking everything in while in the background all you could hear were... loud, really loud automatic weapons passionately firing. These sounds piercing the air were coming from the military training facility down the hill. How symbolic! Welcome to Israel - the land of contrasts. People who hold most passion, love and patriotism for their country wish they could move away. The greatest fashions are available in a country that finds the most attractive people are in dirty green army uniform. The same people who want to kill each other over a mishap in a line up or a parking spot, in a second will save each other's life on the front lines. The most spiritual place in the world has turned so many people off religion. It is happy and sad, the safest and most vulnerable.
READ MORE ONLINE . . .
|
 |
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.
|
|
|
|
ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH YACHAD, VTT's social responsibility initiative?
This month's theme is BRIYUT: HEALTHY LIVING
You can read more here
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
