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Good Things Happen Every Day
at The Silver Academy
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Rachel Zilbering, Principal
 Welcome back everyone! We had such a busy summer at The Silver Academy preparing for this school year. During the summer, we accomplished many tasks in the upkeep and beautification of the school. A little paint, renovation and reorganization and has made some of our rooms look brand new!
 What's new inside the updated classrooms? We are starting our school year with a new academic theme..."Making Mensches: A Periodic Table". Over the course of the year, we will look at many positive character traits (middot) that we strive for as children and adults. On Monday morning, we started our study with element 1, wisdom, and in Hebrew (חכמה). Rabbi Gewirtz challenged us to think about where we get our wisdom, which is knowledge learned from others. Of course the answer is that wisdom is like a spiderweb, it comes and goes in all directions. I look forward to sharing our next elements with you and telling anecdotes about our students displaying these traits.
The Silver Summary will also offer something new. Our "Student D'var Torah" section will be written by middle school students under the guidance of Rabbi Gewirtz. Please take a few minutes to read our first d'var torah by sixth grader, Elez Bell.
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Student D'var Torah
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Most people think that grammar is not so important. As long as you get your point across, there is no use for caring how you say it. However,the first word of this week's Torah portion, Re'eh, proves that grammar can be very important.
The first verse (pasuk) of Re'eh is the following:
רְאֵה אָנֹכִי נֹתֵן לִפְנֵיכֶם הַיּוֹם בְּרָכָה וּקְלָלָה:
"See, I am giving before you today a blessing and a curse."
Moshe goes on to tell the Jewish People that if they do mitzvot (follow the Torah) Hashem will give them blessings so that they can continue doing mitzvot. If they don't follow the Torah, Hashem will give them curses to motivate them to do mitzvot.
In his commentary, Kli Yakar, Rabbi Shlomo Ephraim Luntschitz, 16th century Czech Rabbi, asks a grammar question about the first word of the Parsha.
In Hebrew, there are singular and plural verbs. Moshe's first word, "See" is singular, רְאֵה, but all the other verbs in the next few verses are plural. You might say that he is talking to each individual person separately, but if so why isn't Moshe consistent? Why does he switch to speaking to everyone as a whole?
Rabbi Shlomo quotes the Talmud in Kiddushin, which says that a person should see world as if it is exactly balanced between mitzvot and sins. This means that you should feel that one mitzvah that you do can tip the scale for good and bring blessings to the world, and one sin that you do can tip the scale to the sin side and bring destruction.
There seems to be a problem with this commentary. What are the chances that the world is exactly in the middle between mitzvot and sins? Of course it isn't! The Talmud means that if everyone has the attitude that they each can't make a difference because they are only individuals, then everything will get worse. If each individual does mitzvot, then as a whole, everyone will make a big difference and tip the scale.
This is what the Kli Yakar says Moshe means. Moshe is saying to each individual of the Jewish people that they CAN tip the scale if they each do mitzvot and follow the Torah. This is why Moshe began with "Re'eh", singular, and continues with plural as he speaks to the entire Jewish people.
This is important in every aspect of life, including school. If every student does their part, then as a class and as a school, they can go far.
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Inside the Classroom
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Ganienu
Morah Tamara (Tammy Reid)
Rosh Hashana may be a month away, but Ganeinu is getting ready. Students had a chance to see a variety of shofars up close and personal. Some were the traditional rams horn variety, but we also had one of the long twisted versions from the kudu. The kids enjoyed exploring them and were even able to make noise with them!
Kindergarten Judaics
Morah Sara (Sally Jo Bronner)
Kindergarten celebrated it's first Shabbat last week! Fourth grade joined us and helped prepare our shabbat table with challah, candles and wine. They also led us in reciting the blessings. We were also fortunate to have Rabbi Pell join our celebration. She treated us to songs and a story. Rabbi Pell will be joining us for every Chagigat Shabbat to help us learn what makes shabbat special and share her wisdom.
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New Faces at The Silver Academy
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Meet Our Physical Education Teacher
 We offer a warm welcome to Robyn Shoemaker, our new Physical Education Teacher. Robyn comes with a strong background in sports. She attended Millersville University where she competed on the Woman's Track and Field Team as a thrower and played intramural volleyball and basketball. Currently, Robyn is a coach for the Cedar Cliff youth girl's basketball program. She has also assisted with coaching her daughter's softball team.
On a personal note, Robyn and her husband Sean have two children, Carson (15 years old) and Carli (10 years old). Outside of school and sport activities, Robyn and her family enjoy trips to the beach and hiking in the mountains. She says, "We are a very active family and are always looking for an outdoor adventure."
Morah Alla Returns!
Alla Fligelman is not a stranger to our school, as she is returning from a six-month stay in Sydney, Australia, where her family moved for her husband Ilya's sabbatical. Prior to her leave, Alla taught Hebrew at The Silver Academy for eight years. Alla's children also call our school home...Samuel (7th), Benjamin (5th), Rafael (Early Learning Center), and Dalia (2016 graduate).
Morah Alla is teaching 1st and 2nd grade Judaic Studies, and 6th, 7th and 8th grade Hebrew this year. She is happy to be back in the classroom and looking forward to a wonderful year with the students!
Our Summer Intern
 If you spent any time at The Silver Academy this summer, you probably met our very helpful summer intern, Dezmyn Edmond. Dezmynis from Tom's River, NJ, and has been working with Shari Dym in our Development Office and will be finishing his internship mid September. This is his final requirement to graduate from Central Penn College with a degree in Accounting. Dezmyn has truly appreciated his experience here. He says it has been a valuable learning experience working with Shari, and becoming familiar with the program Raiser's Edge. He also enjoyed getting to know our staff. On a personal note, Dezmyn writes poetry and participates in a creative writing club at Central Penn. The club is hosting a poetry slam contest on Sept 7th at 7:00 pm, in the Capital Blue Cross Theater on the campus of Central Penn College. Dezmyn would love to see you there!
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School Notes and Reminders
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Sunday, September 18, at 2:00 PM
Harrisburg JCC, Mary Sachs Auditorium
General Admission - $10
Movie and Kosher Dessert Reception - $25
Proceeds from this event will be used for scholarships for
The Silver Academy Israeli Trip
For tickets and sponsorship information, please contact The Silver Academy at 717-238-8775, or email Shari Dym at [email protected]
Offers Weekly Order and Delivery To Students and Teachers
- Order your challah at this website: challahwithatwist.com
- Place your order by Thursday.
- Challah will be delivered to our school on Fridays for students to bring home.
- Send check to school, payable to Challah with a Twist
- Questions? Please call Varda Gewirtz at 717-919-1358.
 | "Challah With a Twist", (a.k.a. Varda Challah), has been providing home baked challah for the Harrisburg community for over 20 years. |
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Community News
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Introducing Rabbi Elisha Friedman, at Kesher Israel Congregation
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Ongoing Fundraisers
| Boxtops 4 Education
Clip BoxTops 4 Education symbols on General Mills, Pillsbury, Betty Crocker, Nestle Juicy Juice, Progresso soups and others. Each is worth 10� and can be redeemed by The Silver Academy for cash! Please visit the Box Tops 4 Education website for more details. | 
| Giant Gift Cards
Purchase these dollar for dollar in the school's office, and then spend them the same as cash. The Silver Academy earns 5% - that's $50 earned for every $1,000 sold! You may also purchase by calling Susan at 717-608-0190.
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| Shoporoo
This is how it works...Download the free Shoparoo App on your phone and use the code VuG13074. You will then complete a profile and pick The Rabbi David L. Silver Yeshiva Academy. Then after you complete a shopping trip, take a picture of the receipt using the camera on your phone with the app open. It is that easy! Once a year, Shoparoo sends the school a check from the percentages!
Finally, if you are unable to scan the receipts and want us to take care of them, send your receipts to Bonni Roseman at school and she will take care of them for you!
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Silver Summary is for Grandparents too!
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