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| HEADMASTER'S MESSAGE | |
This week we read a double-Parsha, Tazria-Metzora. Both Torah portions include material describing an ancient skin ailment called tzara'at. The Talmud states that people developed this malady as a punishment for speaking lashon hara, which is gossip and slander. The Talmud compares speaking lashon hara to shooting an arrow at someone. What is the meaning of this analogy? Rabbi Moshe Reis explains that when a person shoots an arrow he can injure another person who is far away and completely unaware of the fact that he is being attacked. So too, when we say unkind words about someone, we might harm that individual, even though he or she is blissfully unaware of our "attack" and has no chance to defend himself or herself. The Torah cautions us about how damaging and hurtful our words can be and urges us to use our power of speech only in positive, constructive ways.
Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi Zvi Kahn
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YOM HAZIKARON, YOM HA'ATZMAUT, LAG BAOMER
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This coming week will mark the commemoration of Yom Hazikaron, Israel's Memorial Day for fallen soldiers and the celebration of Yom Ha'atzmaut, Israel's Independence Day.
At CTA the students will be observing these special days with activities and programs in the Upper and Lower Schools. The community is invited to two events at CTA in recognition of these days. Yom Hazikaron will be observed during a ceremony on Monday, April 15 at 10 am in the CTA shul. Yom Ha'atzmaut will be celebrated throughout the day, but parents and friends should stop by on Tuesday, April 16 from 9:00-10:00 am for the Israel Wax Museum where 11th and 12th grade students will be the "wax figures" from the history of Israel.
In addition, CTA will be a part of the community-wide celebration of Yom Ha'atzmaut at IsraelFest 2013 on Tuesday, April 16 from 4:30 - 8:00 pm at the JCC on College Avenue.
CTA's very own Spring Fling Family Festival is scheduled for Lag Baomer, Sunday, April 28. See inside for the registration form for the 1-Mile Fun Run. The deadline is Monday to guarantee t-shirt size. Early bird registration of $5 will continue until April 26 and then will be $10 at the door. A detailed schedule of events on Spring Fling will be in next week's Dateline, but know that it includes a plethora of activities: carnival rides, face painting, Piccadilly, Tennis Clinic, pie throwing booth, bonfire, live music with The Daniel Zwelling Band, Talent Show, alumni softball game, PJ Library, and more.
Remember, our school is made up of dedicated and committed families, teachers, staff and supporters of Jewish day school education. We appreciate the families who have chosen CTA and we enjoy sharing milestones of Jewish learning, celebration and culture. Go CTA!
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Sunday, April 14: Steak Dinner, Beth Jacob, 5:30-7pm
Monday, April 15: Macaroni & Cheese-Volunteer: W. Almasanu
Executive Board Meeting, 7:30pm
Tuesday, April 16: Hamburgers-Volunteer: D. Koppes
Wednesday, April 17: Grilled Cheese-Volunteer: J. Topolosky
CTA Twirlers, Old Gym, 4-5pm
Thursday, April 18: Chicken Cutlets-Volunteer: O. Gerberg
Friday, April 19: Tuna - Volunteer: R. Berger
4:00pm Friday Dismissal Resumes
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Monday, April 22: 7:00 pm Writing Workshop Sharing Night for 2nd and 5th grade, 7:00pm
April 22-26: Ohio Achievement Assessments - Grades 3-8
Sunday, April 28: Lag BaOmer Spring Fling Family Festival, 1-7:30pm
April 29-May 3: Scholastic Bookfair-Online Book Fair open 4/16-5/6
Wednesday, May 1: Celebration of Achievement - Grades K-12
Yearbook Fundraising Dinner, 5:30-7:30pm
Thursday, May 2: 1st Grade Chag HaSiddur, 9:30am
Tuesday, May 7: PLEASE NOTE DATE CHANGE: 5th Grade Underground Railroad Plays
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It's Baseball and Softball Season!
Thursday, April 18
HOME Varsity Softball Game vs. OSD
5:30pm
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SCRIP UPDATE - PLACES TO PURCHASE SCRIP
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CTA Scrip Office, 864-0299 ext. 112
Monday-Thursday- 7:30am-4pm; Friday- 7:30am-1:30pm
The Scrip Office keeps a variety of available scrip on hand. Special order scrip from hundreds of stores is available by sending your request to [email protected]. To see a complete selection of all of the Scrip choices, go to www.glscrip.com. To benefit CTA with online purchases, register at www.iGive.com.
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You can save on gas when you shop with scrip! Walmart� is offering a savings of 10 cents a gallon on gas purchases made when using a Walmart gift card, effective through July 7, 2013. The discount is available on all fuel, gas and diesel, at over 1,000 participating Murphy USA and Walmart gas stations in 21 states. That's 7 cents more than their usual discount for gas purchases made with a gift card. Walmart gift cards are available at the front desk.
Call & Deliver Program for Scrip: email [email protected] or call 864-0299 to order scrip and have it delivered to your home!
Give & Get Opportunity: We need volunteers from 11am to 8pm to work Spring Fling! If you are interested in volunteering and getting Give & Get hours, which go towards your annual $2,000 family commitment, please email Kim Abelman at [email protected]
The $2,000 per family Give & Get commitment for 2012-2013 is fulfilled through donations, Scrip purchases, solicitations and volunteering. Send a record of all G&G volunteer hours to [email protected]. If you would like to volunteer, contact Volunteer Coordinator, Kim Abelman, at 855-5195 or [email protected]. Volunteer time is worth $25 per hour towards Give & Get.
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NEWS FROM THE LOWER SCHOOL JUDAIC STUDIES DEPARTMENT
By Dror Karavani, Lower School Judaic Studies Coordinator
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Yom HaShoah Ceremony: On Monday, our Sixth Graders led CTA's Yom Hashoah ceremony. Rabbi Kahn opened the program by setting the tone and talking about this topic and how it relates to our past and future. The Sixth Graders described the different stages leading up to and during the Holocaust period through personal diary entries recorded from that time, and the students viewed a documentary from Yad Vashem specifically about that. Presentations and discussions also took place in the various classrooms. Special thanks go to Mrs. Laurie Alexander and Rabbi Tzion Elbaz for organizing this meaningful and moving program.
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SAY IT IN HEBREW
By Galit Golan, Hebrew Language Coordinator |
 Israel education and nurturing love for Israel is a fundamental part of the Hebrew curriculum at CTA. Yom Hazikaron (the memorial day for the fallen IDF soldiers) and Yom Haatzmaut, (Israel Independence Day), which comes right after that, are a great opportunity to emphasize this important part of the curriculum, and expose the students to more information about Israel and Israel related activities.  This year, the 9th and 10th graders, under the guidance of Liat Shaked, the young shlicha, and the Hebrew teachers, have been working on פרוייקט הנצחה- a commemoration project in which they researched and wrote about fallen IDF solders from our twin city Kfar Saba, who gave their lives fighting for the State of Israel. The students worked in peers and researched different aspects in the life of the soldier assigned to them. For example, information about the soldier's family, hobbies, friends, school, dreams, army service and the story of his death. They wrote in English and in Hebrew and presented it before the class.
 Riki Shenkar and Ericka Schneiderman were assigned to write about Yosef Mari, a soldier who gave his life in battle during the Yom Kippur War. After excessive research on-line, Ericka and Riki could not find any pictures of Yosef. After discussing the situation, the students wrote an email to Yosef's brother, requesting more information about Yosef. Riki and Ericka were very excited and touched by the immediate response that they received from Yosef's sister, Zehava, who provided them with many pictures of Yosef and  original letters that he wrote to his family. The pictures are of the 9th and 10th grade students with the informative posters that they prepared as a part of this project. The posters will be displayed at the JCC until Monday and then will be displayed in CTA.
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ON THE UP & UP
NEWS FROM THE UPPER SCHOOL JUDAIC STUDIES DEPARTMENT
By Rabbi Zecharia Weitz, Upper School Judaic Studies Coordinator |
The Final Countdown
This term might call to mind different things to different people. For Jews in general we might be thinking Sefirat HaOmer (but then we might call it "the Final Countup").For students in other schools it might remind them of how close they are to the end of the school year. But for us in the CTA Upper School this means it's almost time for IronMench II and the all new IronMench Jr. Circuit (for our Jr. High)! After all of the fun, healthy competition and real learning that our first IronMentch competition generated, students have been regularly asking for the sequel. These upcoming competitions will incorporate essential information from a years' worth of Judaic courses in addition to other vital (and random) information. The tentative dates; IronMench II: Friday, 5/3 and IronMench Jr.: Friday, 5/10 - please come in and route for your mentches!
 Food for Thought: Overlapping the excited anticipation for Shavuot during the Sefirat HaOmer period is the quasi-mourning period marking the deaths of Rebbi Akiva's 24,000 students. An unimaginable catastrophe no doubt but why are we still mourning almost 2ooo years later?! What about this loss makes it so relevant even today?
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| TZEDAKAH |
It has been a time-honored Jewish tradition to give tzedakah in recognition of important events. Todah Rabah to the following for their donation to the Scholarship Fund:
Judith Catozza Gatti in memory of Dr. Irving Fried and Mrs. Annabelle Snyder (see beautiful note reprinted in Dateline)
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| IN MEMORY OF BELOVED CTA MENTORS |
Reprinted from a letter accompanying a donation from Judy Catozza Gatti, CTA teacher (1980-1988)
"Please accept this donation to Columbus Torah Academy in memory of Dr. Irving Fried and Mrs. Annabelle Snyder. The donation may be used wherever you see fit. As a young teacher, I worked with these two excellent educators. Needless to say, I learned a lot from them.
My initial interview for the teaching position at CTA was with Annabelle and Dr. Fried in 1980. They made me feel valuable as a young educator since at that time I had only three years of teaching experience from my alma mater, Catholic Central High School in Steubenville, Ohio. During this first interview, they were also warm and witty. As they talked, I could clearly see their love for CTA.
Fond memories I had of Annabelle Snyder were the chats we would have on playground duty. We talked about school related issues and myriad of other topics. I also remember her dedication in preparing students for their Bar and Bat Mitzvah.
With Dr. Fried, I discussed my teaching strategies, history and religion. He would come to my social studies class as a speaker. The classes and I enjoyed listening to the knowledge he possessed on any history topic.
After eight years, I left CTA to teach in Columbus City Schools. The experience I acquired from Annabelle, Dr. Fried and other staff members served as useful tools in making me a better educator. My donation is one way of expressing my gratitude to them and remembering fondly my years and Columbus Torah Academy."
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MAZAL TOV TO:
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Chanan Siegel (Class of '01) upon his engagement to Gisele De'Sousa
Rebecca (Weinerman) Lefkovitz (Class of 2000) upon the birth of twin sons
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Samuel Katz, Daniel Katz (Class of '95), Victor Katz (Class of '96), Juliana (Katz) Chaikin (Class of '97) and Andreana (Katz) Pikovsky (Class of '00) upon the loss of father and grandfather, Rudolf Katz
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| THANK YOU TO: |
Robert and Shayna Blum, Seth and Leslie Hoffman, Leon and Lena Margolin, Andrew and Tricia Rosenstein, and David and Miriam Portman for sponsoring this month's delicious Rosh Chodesh Faculty and Staff Appreciation Lunch!
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GIVE & GET OPPORTUNITY FOR SPRING FLING
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7TH GRADE FUNDRAISER FOR 8TH GRADE WASHINGTON TRIP
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The 7th graders have started the annual 8th grade Magazine Subscription Drive now! Please help them raise money for their 2013 8th grade Washington Trip. The subscription drive will run through the end of the year. Please see any 7th grader OR go on-line to www.gaschoolstore.com. In the upper right hand corner, enter CTA's code, $2522449. Thanks for your support!
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| COLUMBUS BASEBALL INVITATIONAL (CBI) RAFFLE |
Drawing will be held on Sunday, May 21, 2013 for the CBI Raffle. Raffle tickets cost $10 each or 6 for $50.00. Looking for adult volunteers to sell tickets. Sellers can earn $25 iTunes gift card incentives. Contact [email protected] to find out more or purchase tickets.
First Prize is a $500 gift card to American Eagle.
Second Prize is a $250.00 gift card to American Eagle
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| SUMMER READING COURSES |
Summer Reading Courses for every grade level K-12 and every ability - Remediation to Speed Reading - Miami University has two Columbus locations for their summer reading courses. For high school students, a speed reading course is a good idea to boost standardized test scores. For more information or to register, call 1-800-570-8936.
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| COLLEGE VISIT |
The University of Chicago is coming to Columbus to give an information session for prospective students and parents. Their admission representatives will be at Upper Arlington High School on Tuesday, April 23, at 7pm. RSVP online at http://prospects.uchicago.edu/uchicagovists/.
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| THE BOOK FAIR IS COMING! - Notes from the Library |
 The Spring Book Fair is almost here! Our theme - Story Laboratory - Reading Gives You Super Power is part of an exciting reading event bringing to school a wonderful selection of fun, engaging, and affordable books kids want to read. The spring book fair provides an opportunity for children to choose their own books to read now or to plan ahead for summer reading.
Join us in CTA's K - 8 Reading Library from April 29 - May3 for new fiction, favorite authors, interesting non-fiction and well-loved favorites! The book fair is open during the school day and during Celebration of Achievement on May 1 from 6 - 8 p.m.
On April 28, "Sample the Book Fair" at the Spring Fling Family Festival where a selection of great books will be available! Boys and girls, parents, grandparents and everyone who loves books is invited to browse and shop at CTA's Scholastic Book Fair!
Visit our Book Fair Homepage at:
http://bookfairs.scholastic.com/homepage/cta
for information about books and special features of our fair like All for Books, Classroom Wishlists, Online Ordering, and eBooks. Recent book fairs have helped CTA's library grow. We now have lots of quality books for kids to borrow. Your support keeps us current and provides hours of reading and learning for our children. Every book purchased supports our school.
Online ordering, from April 16 - May 6, is a great way to accommodate busy schedules, involve out of town relatives and find an even wider selection of books. Online orders are sent to school and delivered to your child after the fair closes. See the link on CTA's Book Fair Homepage for this option.
Want to know more? Contact Cheryl Miller [email protected]. Thanks and see you at the Book Fair!
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| COMMUNITY NEWS |
JCC'S KALEIDOSCOPE PROGRAM: Are you looking for after school child care? The JCC's Kaleidoscope program may be perfect for your family. The JCC will hold two information meetings about their Kaleidescope After School Program on April 18, 2013 at the JCC, 1125 College Avenue, Room 307 at 8:30 am and 4:30 pm. For more information and to RSVP, contact Kim Moore at [email protected] or 559-6253.
MOTHER/DAUGHTER "LIMITLESS TEA": Adolescence is hard for both teenagers and their parents. Teenagers are faced with pressures from social, academic, and parental settings, while their parents often have trouble relating to or communicating with the younger generation. Jewish Family Services and National Council of Jewish Women Columbus Section are trying to help open up these lines of communication with their upcoming workshop, "Limitless Tea." This event, held on Sunday, April 21, from 1-3 p.m. at the Berwick Party House, will provide an opportunity for mothers, grandmothers and daughters to discuss how we can help girls achieve their maximum potential. The conversation will be moderated by Lisa Hinkelman, author of Girls Without Limits: helping girls achieve healthy relationships, academic success, and interpersonal strength. Cost is $12 per person and includes light sandwiches, dessert and tea, with kosher options available. This event is geared for girls from 7-12th grade. Reserve a spot by April 17. Call 614-231-9241 or email [email protected] for more information and to register.
Are you searching for a little calm in the chaos? Join Rhonda Moskowitz, M.A. of Practical Solutions Parent Coaching for Screamfree Parenting and learn how to defuse the power struggles, be proactive, not reactive and connect more, scream less on Thursday, April 25, 7:00pm at the JCC. Cost is $10 per person. To RSVP or for more information, contact Shara Reiss at 231-2731 ext. 363 or [email protected].
MELTON CENTER OF JEWISH LEARNING: Do You...Have children who are getting ahead of you in their Hebrew learning? Go to synagogue but get frustrated when you can't read the prayers? Think of going to Israel but wish you could speak the language? The Melton School of Jewish Learning has hired both CTA teachers, David Adar & Kelly Adar to teach adults Beginning Hebrew Speaking and Beginning Hebrew Reading at the JCC on College Ave. You have the flexibility to sign up for one or both classes. Seven sessions will begin this Sunday, April 14-June 2 (no class May 26). Hebrew Reading, 10am-11am and Hebrew Speaking, 11:05am-12:05pm. CTA parents & teachers are being extended the JCC member pricing of $125 for one class or $200 for both classes. Sign up today - classes start Sunday.
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PARSHA TAZRIA-METZORA QUIZ
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Tazria
1. Who determines whether a person is a metzora tamei (person with ritually impure tzara'at) or is tahor?
a. A kohen.
2. If the kohen sees that the tzara'at has spread after one week, how does he rule?
a. The person is tamei (impure).
3. What disqualifies a kohen from being able to give a ruling in case of tzara'at?
a. Poor vision.
4. On which days is a kohen not permitted to give a ruling on tzara'at?
a. During the festivals; and ruling on a groom during the seven days of feasting after the marriage.
5. If the kohen intentionally or unintentionally pronounces a tamei person "tahor" (pure), what is that person's status?
a. He remains tamei.
Metzora
1. When may a metzora not be pronounced tahor?
a. At night.
2. In the midbar, where did a metzora dwell while he was tamei?
a. Outside the three camps.
3. Why does the metzora require birds in the purification process?
a. Tzara'at comes as a punishment for lashon hara. Therefore, the Torah requires the metzora to offer birds, who chatter constantly, to atone for his sin of chattering.
4. In the purification process of metzora, what does the cedar wood symbolize?
a. The cedar is a lofty tree. It alludes to the fact that tzara'at comes as a punishment for haughtiness.
5. What is unique about the chatat and the asham offered by the metzora?
a. They require n'sachim (drink offerings).
(Parsha Tazria-Metzora Quiz originally appeared on the
Ohr Somayach website, www.ohr.edu)
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As part of our partnership with the Shiloh school in Israel, we will be receiving riddles each week relating to the Parasha. You will notice this each week on this back page. The goal is to have the parents and children discuss the parasha, while trying to figure out the connection between the picture and the parasha. All answered riddles should be given to the Judaic teacher on Monday. The names As part of our partnership with the Shiloh school in Israel, we will be receiving riddles each week relating to the Parasha. You will notice this each week on this back page. The goal is to have the parents and children discuss the parasha, while trying to figure out the connection between the picture and the parasha. All answered riddles should be given to the Judaic teacher on Monday. The names of the winners will be announced and sent to our friends in Israel.
What is the connection between the picture and the first word of the parasha?
Moreh Dror Karavani will collect all of the submitted answers, put them into a box, and save them for the big raffle! You will hear more about this very soon. Keep your answers coming.
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I hope you enjoy the electronic version of our Dateline. Please check out our website at www.torahacademy.org.
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