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The Columbus Torah Academy
181 Noe Bixby Rd, Columbus OH 43213
614.864.0299

February 28, 2014

          28 Adar I 5774 

Pekudei
  Candlelighting 6:04 p.m.
This Week on E-Dateline
Headmaster's Message
Mark Milestones with a Tribute to CTA
Preview of the Week
Dates to Remember
Scrip Update - Places to Purchase Scrip
Give & Get Grapevine
News from the Lower School Judaic Studies Department
Say It In Hebrew
News from the Upper School Judaic Studies Dept.
Mazal Tov To
PTO Miss Chocolate Fundraiser
Lower School "Tacky" Day
Community News
Middle School Programming at the J
A Coffee & Dessert Reception
Could It Be? 100 Days of School?
Tzedakah
Purim is Coming!
Purim Festivities
Passover Camp
Camp Permission
Parsha Pekudei Quiz
A Riddle from Israel
Join Our Mailing List
HEADMASTER'S MESSAGE 

In this week's Torah portion of Pekudei we complete the recounting of the construction of the Mishkan. In the five preceding parshiot we learned about all of the vessels that were in the Tabernacle and about the set-up of the Mishkan itself. In all of these discussions, the only time silver was used was when it was donated to make the sockets that held up the walls of the entire structure. Why was sliver specifically used for this purpose? Rav Moshe Feinstein (zt"l) explains that silver was not usually used in those days for general purposes. It was reserved for adornment and decoration. Thus, it represents luxury, rather than necessity. By arranging for silver to be used for the foundation sockets, Hashem is telling us that if and when we are blessed with wealth to the point of being able to afford luxury items, we must still remember that the base of our lives revolves around thanking G-d for our blessings, and working to keep His commandments. 

 

Shabbat Shalom!   

Rabbi Kahn

MARK MILESTONES WITH A TRIBUTE TO CTA 

CTA encourages you to make donations to our school when you want to mark a meaningful tribute to those you love.  Tribute donations in honor of or in memory of love ones are the perfect way to recognize birthdays, anniversaries, special occasions and holidays, or to send get well wishes, extend sympathy or mark a yahrzeit.  Each donation is tax deductible and the recipient will receive a letter of your kind donation as well as a tax receipt to you.  Donations will be acknowledged in the weekly Dateline.

 

Not sure how to do it?  Donations can be made through the CTA website with a credit card (MC/Discover/Visa/Amex) at www.torahacademy.org or send a check in with a notation of who you are recognizing with your donation.  Or drop by the school with your donation, we would love to see you! 

Here are the available funds to support at CTA:

 

Annual Fund

Scholarship Fund

Athletic Fund

Special Projects

 

If you are looking for help deciding how to support CTA, contact any board member or Shari Herszage at [email protected] or 614-864-0299, ext 118.

PREVIEW OF THE WEEK 
Monday, March 3:  Macaroni & Cheese-Volunteer: Y. Levi
Lower School "Tacky" Day
Executive Board Meeting, 7:30pm
Tuesday, March 4:  Chicken Nuggets-Volunteer: L. Hoffman
Wednesday, March 5:  Lasagna-Volunteer: A. Kohn
Prospective Family Reception at Blumberg's, 7:30pm
Thursday, March 6:  Turkey Pastrami-Volunteer: O. Gerberg
JUMP Holocaust Memorial Event, 7:30pm
Friday, March 7:  Tuna-Volunteer: C. Wolt
DATES TO REMEMBER:
Sunday, March 9:  Daylight Savings Time Begins, turn clocks ahead 1 hour 
March 10-12 & 17-18:  OGT Exam, Grade 10
Friday, March 14:  Purim Festivities, Grades K-12
Friday, March 21:  End of 3rd Quarter
Tuesday, March 25:  7th Grade Magazine Sale Kick-Off for 8th Grade Washington Trip
April 14-23:  Passover Break
SCRIP UPDATE - PLACES TO PURCHASE SCRIP
CTA Scrip Office, 864-0299 ext. 112
Monday-Thursday- 7:30am-4pm
Friday-7:30am-2pm

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.  
GIVE & GET GRAPEVINE

Remember: Target Take Charge of Education Program; Box Tops for Education; Giant Eagle Apples for Students, Kroger card, and empty inkjet cartridges into the box at the front office. To view the vendors participating in the Scrip Program go to www.glscrip.com.

 

Call & Deliver Program for Scrip: email [email protected] or call 864-0299 to order scrip and have it delivered to your home!    

 

Help CTA to Win a Wireless Lab from Discovery Education and CDW-G.  Enter daily until May 1.  Go to:

http://cdwg.discoveryeducation.com/wawl/enter/index.cfm 

and be entered to receive daily reminders.  The more times you enter, the more times we have the chance to win!

 

iGive:  Do you and your family make a lot of purchases on the internet?  Have you registered for iGive?  More than 1400 stores are connected through iGive and when registered, a percentage of your purchases will benefit CTA.  We have been registered since 2011 and have earned close to $1000.  However, we only have 62 registered members.  Are you one of them?  To get connected, go to http://www.igive.com/HS49PpM and register today!

NEWS FROM THE LOWER SCHOOL JUDAIC STUDIES DEPARTMENT
By Dror Karavani, Lower School Judaic Studies Coordinator
Dror-new

What does Nurse Chris have to do with Tefilla?

At first glance it would seem as if our nurse would not be part of our tefilla program. However, another way of integrating tefilla with different aspects of our life is through health. This is where Nurse Chris comes in. This time when the students learned about the blessing of "zokaif kefufim" (straightening those who are bent), our nurse explained and demonstrated the importance of sitting correctly on the chair and having good posture. This is just one more way of making our tefilla more meaningful and relevant. We will apprise you of her next visit in the classrooms.

 

"Tacky Day"

This coming Monday, we will welcome in Rosh Chodesh Adar 2!  Traditionally, we make this day extra special by bringing in spirited songs and activities along with hamentashen.  It will be "Tacky Day," so please send your child in the appropriate clothing. 

SAY IT IN HEBREW 
By Galit Golan, Hebrew Language Coordinator

This year, CTA's Hebrew Department offers Hebrew enrichment to kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade students who are Hebrew speakers. Currently, five students are enjoying this program. Kindergarten student, Yair Cohen and first grade students, Maya Berger and Natan Martin, work with me every week, in addition to their regular Ivrit class with Morah Irit. They are enjoying Israeli TV shows, having discussions in Hebrew, and learning many new vocabulary words and grammar. Second grade students, Tomer Razer and Adira Martin, study with me twice a week, in addition to their regular Ivrit class with Morah Eva. Tomer and Adira also enjoy Israeli TV shows, discussions in Hebrew, and learn many new vocabulary words and grammar.  In addition, they are reading the first book from the Israeli series "Minheret Hazman" by the popular Israeli author, Galila Ron Feder. Below are the students from both groups.

ON THE UP & UP:
NEWS FROM THE UPPER SCHOOL JUDAIC STUDIES DEPT.
By Rabbi Zecharia Weitz 
Weitz

 Adar Fun!

Things are heating up in the Upper School! Some Adar showstoppers you don't want to miss:

 

Game Time! - Both IronMench tournaments will be this coming Thursday, March 6; High School, 8:30-10 and Junior High, 12:45-1:30. Fans are welcome! Pick-up your own IronMench headband (available in blue, pink, green or maroon) at the front desk - $5 while supplies last - and sport your CTA Mench spirit!

 

 

Carnival Update - This year promises to be one of the best 7th grade carnivals ever! With Purim themed booths and an all-star cast the Lower School students are in for a real treat! Stay tuned for details.

 

Table Talk: There are 4 special portions we will read between now and Pesach, the first of which, Shekalim, we read this Shabbat. Shekalim recounts the mitzva for every Jew to give a � shekel to the Mishkan/Beit HaMikdash. It is noteworthy that the reason given is "...to make atonement for your souls. (Shemot 30:14)". How does giving specifically a � shekel provide atonement?

MAZAL TOV TO:

Chaim Rosen (8th Grade Class of '67) on the marriage of his son, Moshe

  Dovid to Rivka Birmbaum

PTO MISS CHOCOLATE FUNDRAISER
PTO's Miss Chocolate fundraiser is coming to an end. All orders and money must be turned in to the front office by Monday, March 3.
LOWER SCHOOL "TACKY" DAY 

Tacky: adj.  Lacking style or good taste; mismatched attire

 

To celebrate Rosh Chodesh Adar 2, grades 2-6 are invited to participate in Tacky Day. This is a day to wear outrageous color and pattern combinations.  Dress to mismatch.  Wear two different socks.  Wear the plaid shirt with the striped pants and the checked tie.  Wear the floral print skirt with the polka dot sweater and the striped socks.  Dress to look like a "fashion don't".

 

HOWEVER...This is NOT a costume day. NO wigs, hats, or capes. NO sleeveless shirts, mini-skirts, leggings worn as pants, bathing suits, or flip-flops. All clothing must be school-appropriate.

 

We are looking forward to seeing your best, tackiest attire!

COMMUNITY NEWS

MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAMMING AT THE JCC for 4th-8th Graders: Mark your calendar for: Floating Movie, Sat., March 22; Board Game Night, Sat., April 12; Easton Video Scavenger Hunt, Sun., May 4; Canoe and Camp, Sun., Aug. 31; Hoover Camp Out, Sat., Sept. 20 and Columbus Crew Game, Sun., Oct. 26.

 

COLUMBUS CONFERENCE FOR JEWISH WOMEN: Keynote presenter:  Rivka Caroline, author of From Frazzled to Focus will be a part of this unique day of learning for women across the community on Sunday, March 9 at Franklin Park Conservatory.  Registration begins at 9:15 am followed by morning and afternoon breakout sessions and a keynote luncheon.  Early Bird reservations for $36 and $45 at the door.  For more information or to register, contact [email protected] or 614-237-7133.

MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAMMING

 

A COFFEE & DESSERT RECEPTION FOR PROSPECTIVE PARENTS

COULD IT BE? 100 DAYS OF SCHOOL?

Last week, the Kindergarten and 1st graders celebrated the 100th Day of School with special activities and bringing in 100 of their favorite items.  New this year, the 100th day of school actually needed to be rescheduled several times thanks to the calamity days in January and early February.  However, that didn't dampen the spirits of the students who were so excited!  (While this milestone wasn't marked in the upper school, they also reached 100 days of school.)

 

 

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:

Bob, Patti, Josh and Rachel Wolf wishing Rabbi Avrohom and Hope Drandoff a Mazel Tov on the birth of their beautiful son

 

Bob, Betsey, and Dani Lane in celebration of the birth of a baby boy to Hope and Rabbi Avrohom Drandoff

 

Steven and Smadar Import in honor of Jay & Jeanie Schottenstein and Joey & Lindsay Schottenstein for their generosity and help with the Varsity Girls Basketball Team's trip to Miami, to CTA Athletics Director Matt Bailey for all of his hard work and dedication to CTA, to Drs. Dan and Leslie Chase, to the coaches Eddie Karmia, Joey Nutis and Hillary Hoxworth and in memory of Gordon Zacks 

PURIM IS COMING!

PURIM FESTIVITIES

PASSOVER CAMP

 

CAMP PERMISSION

 

PARSHA PEKUDEI QUIZ

1.  Why is the word Mishkan stated twice in verse 38:21?

      a.   To allude to the Beit Hamikdash that would twice be taken as a "mashkon" (pledge) for the sins of the Jewish People until the nation repents.

 

2.    Why is the Mishkan called the "Mishkan of Testimony"?

      a.   It was testimony for the Jewish People that G-d forgave them for the golden calf and allowed His Shechina to dwell among them.

 

3.   Who was appointed to carry the vessels of the Mishkanin to the midbar?

      a.   The levi'im.

 

4.   Who was the officer in charge of the levi'im?

      a.  Itamar ben Aharon.

 

5.   What is the meaning of the name Betzalel?

     a.  "In the shadow of G-d."

 

6.  How many people contributed a half-shekel to the Mishkan? Who contributed?

     a.  603,550. Every man age twenty and over (except the levi'im).

 

7.  Which material used in the bigdei kehuna was not used in the coverings of the sacred vessels?

     a.  Linen (See Rashi 31:10).

 

8.  How were the gold threads made?

     a.  The gold was beaten into thin plates from which threads were cut. (See Rashi 28:6.) 

 

 

 (Parsha Pekudei Quiz appeared on the Ohr Somayach website)

A RIDDLE FROM ISRAEL

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 parasha?
(Hint: You need to read the words that are in the picture.)

 

  

 

The winner of last week's riddle is Lila Gisser.

 

Moreh Dror Karavani will collect all of the submitted answers, put them in a box, and save them for the big raffle! You will hear more about this very soon. Keep your answers coming. 

I hope you enjoy the electronic version of our Dateline. Please check out our website at www.torahacademy.org.