D'var Torah

זכור את יום השבת לקדשו                         

CANDLE LIGHTING - 7:30 PM

HAVDALAH - 8:33 PM

SHABBAT PARSHAT ACHAREI MOT/KEDOSHIM (Vayikra - (16:1 - 20:27)

הסכום - Summary

• This double Torah portion begins with the recalling of the deaths Aaron's sons, Nadav and Avihu.
• Next it describes the rituals for the sin offerings.
• Kedoshim then continues with ceremonial and moral laws.
• This portion contains approximately fifty mitzvoth. Here is a cross-section of some of the more important ones:

1.  Reverence for one's mother and father
2.  Leaving and edge of one's field cut for the poor
3.  Not stealing or dealing falsely
4.  Not putting a stumbling block before the blind
5.  Not standing idly by the blood of one's neighbor
6.  Not taking vengeance or bearing a grudge
7.  Loving one's neighbor

SHABBAT SHALOM  שבת שלום -

Nachum Chasan

Head of School 

Inside the Classroom Kindergarten

It's April, and Kindergarten has been learning about spring. The daffodils and tulips we planted in the fall have bloomed, and we've had a lot of fun looking for other signs of spring. We even took a short walk to Mrs. Carpenter's garden to see what the plants and animals there were up to. Everyone wrote an informational essay about spring, including one opinion and at least three facts. Look for these impressive posters on the bulletin board across from the nurse's office.

Reading has been another exciting focus in our class this month, and students are discovering that they can read all kinds of books all by themselves! Some of our favorites involve wacky animal characters, such as Piggy and Elephant and a very messy little mouse. We are also learning to tell time to the hour and half hour, and everyone is busy writing number stories involving both addition and subtraction. Yes, Kindergarten is almost ready for 1st grade!

A visit from Senator Rob Teplitz

 Inside the Classroom- 6th Grade

In the sixth grade we are continuing to work in  groups. The beginners' group is finishing their 4th book of the "Friends in Hebrew" book. Our last topic in this book was "After School". We learned stories about the activities that Israeli kids take part in and got familiar with new vocabulary. In the conclusion, our students are going to write short stories about their favorite things to do after school and present them for discussion.

The advanced students were working on a very serious topic "Expulsion from Spain" in parallel to the story of Yetziat Mitzraim, or Leaving from Egypt. We read a chapter book in Hebrew about the life of Jewish people in Spain in the Middle Ages, learned a lot of historical facts about converted Jews in Spain, and discussed what helped Jewish people to keep up with their Jewish heritage.

Our last topic for this school year is "What is Homeland". We will learn about Eretz Israel - the Land of Israel and the State of Israel.  

With the coming holiday of Israeli Independence Day, the favorite of all six graders was preparation for the special ceremony in honor of theYom Ha'Azmaut in the school. Students learned the song "Ani noladati  l'shalom" (I was born for peace) and created an amazing dance, which we all enjoyed. 

Alumni Spotlight

Each week, The Silver Summary will feature one alumnus from our rich alumni network. 

Marla (Gras) Friedman 

Baltimore, MD

What years did you attend The Silver Academy?

I attended the Silver Academy from 1983-1994.

Where did you grow up in Harrisburg?

I grew up in uptown Harrisburg, on "Green Street"

Where did you go to school after The Silver Academy?

I went  to the Hebrew Academy of Greater Washington. I graduated from Towson University with a major in Deaf Studies and later earned a Masters of Science Degree from McDaniel College.

Where do you live now? 

I live in Baltimore, Maryland with my husband Kenny and our four children.

What do you do?

  I am a Vocational Rehabilitation supervisor  at Sinai Hospital. 

What was your favorite class at The Silver Academy?

Gym!

Who was your best friend at The Silver Academy?

I was very close with several of the girls in my grade and a couple of years younger. I am still very close with Faygie Tewner and Jill Flicker. With the help of Facebook, I have been able to stay in touch with Talia Rosen, Talia Fine, Daya Yablon, Yali Reuveni, and many more. Some of my fondest memories were with those ladies and others at the school.

What was your favorite school lunch?

Mr. Lowy's baked chicken and Sloppy Joe

How many times were you sent to the principal's office?

 At least once for being in a fight (I was defending someone in a younger grade), but I am sure more times since I was on Student Council.

What was your favorite memory and/or do you have any funny stories about The Silver Academy?

There are so many wonderful memories, but our trip to Israel was the best!

What was your favorite thing to do at the JCC? 

Play basketball with friends and watch TV as soon as the bell rang (usually Saved by the Bell and General Hospital).

Who was your role model in Harrisburg?

I had a lot of great teachers who I learned from including: Rabbi Gewirtz, Mrs. Nussbaum, Mrs. Kellogg (just kidding), Mrs. Feinberg, Mrs. Heit, and Mrs. Gold (just to name a few), but to answer the question, Lynn Wuestner. I was extremely close with her and she was a wonderful role model. I remember telling her that I hated one of my "best" friends. Her response to me was that hate was a very strong word that I should not use. To this day, I try not to use this word.