From the Head of School

Shabbat Shalom

As we prepare for the upcoming Passover holiday, we have enjoyed an inspiring and heartwarming week on the Yavneh campus.

This past Sunday, we celebrated the magnificent teaching and mentorship of Rabbi Yaakov Tannenbaum, whom we fondly call Rabbi T "Senior," as we launched our first-ever scholarship fund to support Yavneh graduates during their gap-year study programs in Israel. It was a a wonderful outpouring of appreciation and support for the rabbi and the school, and I look forward to keeping you posted about the scholarship fund as it grows.

This coming Sunday, The Yavneh community shows its ardent support for the land and people of Israel through our students' annual Points for Peace three-on-three basketball tournament. This year's event is dedicated to raising awareness and funds for One Family Together and is a terrific opportunity for student leadership at its finest.

We are blessed by your support and friendship throughout the year. At this time of Pesach, let me extend, on behalf of our entire student body and faculty, best wishes for a meaningful and uplifting holiday.

Chag Kasher v Sameach!

Dr. David A. Portnoy, Head of School

Unfortunately, slander and talking ill of your friends are so commonplace today, that we almost pay no attention to it or to its negative consequences. However in the biblical period, the sin of Lashon Hara was immediately rewarded with an attack of Tzaraas, a skin disorder loosely associated with leprosy. The Metzora, as one afflicted with this Biblical malady was called, was also ostracized from the community and only eligible for return when he completed his sacrificial requirements.

The Torah tells us that the necessary ingredients for the Metzora's cleansing process were two living clean birds, cedar-wood, scarlet, and a hyssop. Once all of the ingredients were gathered together, the Kohen, the priest was commanded to sacrifice one of the birds in an earthen vessel over "Mayim Chaim, live running water." While all of the individual components of the sacrifice are quite remarkable and require an explanation, what is most remarkable is the necessity for the live water. No other sacrifice makes mention of live water, certainly there must be some message or metaphor of the live water.

Mark Your Calendars!

April

4-17		Points for Peace Tournament - JCC
4-18 & 4-19		Judaic Finals
4-20		Regular Classes
4-21 to 4-29		Pesach Break - No School

May

5-2		Classes Resume
5-5		Yom HaShoah - Regular School Schedule
5-11		Yom HaZikaron - Regular School Schedule
5-12		Yom HaAtzmaut - Regular School Schedule
5-17		Parent Coffee - 8:15 a.m. Yiddishe Kup
5-22		Graduation - 3:00 p.m. Schultz Family Gym
5-26		Lag BaOmer - Regular School Schedule

Click here to see more dates

Lunch Calendar

Remember, to hear more about the Parsha of the week, parents can join Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky in the Atrium Boardroom every Thursday morning from 8:15 a.m. to 8:45 a.m.

Honoree Rabbi Yaakov Tannenbaum with Yavneh Students Benji Zoller '16, Sammy Zoller '17, Amitai Abouzaglo '16, and Louis Cohen '17

Yavneh Establishes Israel GAP Year Scholarship Fund Honoring Rabbi Yaakov Tannenbaum

On April 10, close to one hundred guests attended Yavneh Academy's "High Tea Honoring Rabbi T," a silent art auction honoring Rabbi Yaakov Tannenbaum and establishing the school's first Israel GAP Year Scholarship Fund.

The event was the brainchild of Rabbi Tannenbaum and two of his long-time students, Carole and Joram Wolanow. The event featured the original artwork of the Wolanows, as well as local artists Helen Fogel and Raizy Rosenstock. Dina White Ravitsky designed postcards, posters and an auction catalog highlighting several key artistic pieces.

Next Parent Coffee: May 17th

In the spirit of building community at Yavneh, we are pleased to announce opportunities for Yavneh Parents to get together for coffee and conversation. Please join us on May 17th at 8:15 am at the Yiddishe Kup on campus. This is open to all parents and is a great way to get to know other parents at the school! Check the Etone for upcoming dates and locations. For more information, contact Elina Minkoff at elinaglenn@yahoo.com or Terri Greenspan at tetg@aol.com.

Bulldog Bytes

Click here to read BulldogBytes, a blog by Principal Rabbi Maury Grebenau.

SENIOR

William Naxon

Parents: Ella and Adam Naxon

Synagogue: Temple Emanu-El

Prior School: JJ Pearce High School

Favorite Class: History

Favorite Co-Curricular: Weight Lifting

Yavneh is....love, Yavneh is life.

Please Support Yavneh Academy

If you've not yet made your gift to Yavneh's Annual Fund, you will hear from us soon!

If you prefer not to be called, please click here to donate online today!

College Cues

College Acceptances for the Class of 2016

AP Information

Please take a few minutes to read the following so that you and your child are familiar with the 2016 AP schedule. Juniors and some seniors will take the regularly-scheduled test and those seniors who will have been on the March of the Living will follow the late-testing schedule. There are no make-up tests so students who are not present the day the test is scheduled will not have the opportunity to make up a test.

Students signed up for these tests in class at the beginning of March. Your account should show a charge for each test ordered.

The list of students taking each test is posted on the counselor bulletin board outside room 907. In addition, information about the day of testing and important information in the testing room can be found on the same bulletin board. Click here to see this information

Any student who has accommodations approved by College Board should bring a lunch to the classroom as he/she will not be able to attend the regularly-scheduled lunch. Those students will be able to eat during the breaks provided by College Board.

The most important thing to remember is check the time each test starts. That time means that each student should be in the testing room at that time ready to begin. Instructions are long and arduous and take time to complete before each test. Those who are late will not be allowed to enter the room.

Students are welcome to bring a snack for the short breaks. Snacks will stay on the cart until break.

Schedule for all Testing

Late-testing AP Schedule

There are many different start times to the late-testing AP schedule this year. This is partly due to the fact that some of our students are taking more than one exam each day. In addition, on Friday, May 20, seniors will need to practice for graduation at 4:00 p.m. Please look closely at the late-testing AP schedule for those who will be going on the March of the Living. Late testing begins on Wednesday, May 18 and ends on Friday, May 20. Those students testing on Thursday morning (Calculus AB/BC) and Friday morning (Literature and Composition) will start at 7:00 a.m. This will allow those who need to take two tests each of these days to have a brief break between the two tests.

Additional Information

City of Dallas Environmental Education Initiative Internship Opportunity