|
|
|
|
|
DVAR TORAH
By Rabbi Jon Savage
| |
 This week's Torah portion sets forth the standards of purity and perfection for a Kohen; specifies the physical requirements of sacrifices and what is to be done with blemished offerings, and proclaims as holidays Shabbat, Pesach, Shavuot, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Sukkot. The Jewish holidays, which are based off of the agricultural cycle of the Land of Israel, are a major theme of this week's Torah reading. In fact, many of the Jewish people in Biblical Eretz Yisrael were farmers and/or agriculturists. Furthermore, the first Seder (order) of the Oral Law/Mishna is completely dedicated to the intricate laws of farming/harvesting fruits throughout the year - and many of the laws of seder Zeraim (seeds and farming) are taken from the Torah portion of this week - Emor.
The Torah states: "And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corner of your field; and the gleanings of your harvest you shall not gather; for the poor and the stranger you shall leave them (the corners and the gleaning), I am the Lord your God" (Leviticus 23:22).
The question that begs to be asked is as follows: Why is the owner commanded to leave the corners and gleanings rather than being commanded to gather the produce and give it to the poor person himself? Clearly this mitzvah of charity should be done in person as it can potentially lead to the "wealthy man" establishing a relationship with the poor individual and thereby further continue to support/help out the poor? Why would the Torah, which proudly focuses on loving your neighbor and committing acts of kindness, make us not see who the recipient of the charity is?
Rabbi Zelig Pliskin offers a beautiful thought on the concept of true altruism, which will answer our question as well. He states that by not presenting the produce to the poor man directly, the poor man escapes the humiliation of being handed charity. Instead, he maintains his dignity as he feels that he is just taking what is his due by Torah law. The dignity and self worth of an individual is so much more important than any amount of grain or fruit or money. True wealth is established not just by the amount of physical items one can give - but more importantly to the amount of emotional support and love that one Jew can give to another. It is so important to give charity; however, the Torah teaches us that it is even more important to be sensitive to others.
Shabbat Shalom!
|
|
PREVIEW OF THE WEEK
| |
Monday, May 11: Pizza Bagels
Tuesday, May 12: Tacos
The BIG Give - begins at 10am
Wednesday, May 13: Grilled Cheese-Volunteer: P. Wolf
The BIG Give - ends at 10am
Thursday, May 14: Sloppy Joes-Volunteer: B. Martin
1st Grade Chag HaSiddur, 9:30am, Shul
Friday, May 15: Tuna
Lower School Dress Down Day
|
|
DATES TO REMEMBER
| |
May 14-20: Spring Scholastic Book Fair
May 17-19: Columbus Baseball Invitational
Wednesday, May 20: Achievement Fair, Grades K-6;
Book Fair will be open
May 21-22: Senior Exams
Monday, May 25: Memorial Day/Shavuot - NO SCHOOL
May 26-28: Senior Trip to Put-n-Bay
|
|
SPORTS
| |
Tuesday, May 12
HOME Basketball Game vs. Patriot Prep
at the JCC
5:30pm
Thursday, May 14
AWAY Baseball Game vs. Liberty Christian
5:00pm
|
SCRIP UPDATE - PLACES TO PURCHASE SCRIP
|
CTA Scrip Office, 864-0299 ext. 212
Monday-Thursday: 7:30am-4pm
Friday: 7:30am-4pm
There are limited quantities of gift cards in stock that can be purchased! Below is a list of what we have on-hand and in what denominations. Email your order request to:[email protected] . We are still able to place special orders, just email or call in your specifics. We will give you an approximate expectation for the order to arrive. 
|
|
|
Looking to help raise money for CTA? Here are a few ways to do it that will cost you NOTHING:
Kroger Rewards Card: Go to www.kroger.com/communityrewards and register your rewards card. Kroger will donated up to 1% of your Kroger or Turkey Hill stores.
OFFICE MAX: Max Perks card number is: 207285005
Target RED Card: Go to https://rcam.target.com/ to manage your red card and enroll your card in the Take Charge of Education program to choose CTA. Target will donate up to 1% of your REDcard purchases at Target stores in the U.S and at Target.com.
Amazon Smile: Go to smile.amazon.com and register to benefit CTA. When you make a purchase, CTA will receive 1% of that purchase as a donation to our school.
Remember, Mother's Day is May 10. Use the special AmazonSmile Mother's Day Link to make purchases: http://smile.amazon.com/gp/charity/homepage.html?orig=%2Fgp%2Fbrowse.html%3Fnode%3D502659011&ein=31-4428025
iGive: Register with iGive at www.igive.com and your Amazon purchases and online purchases at close to 1500 retailers will give a kickback to CTA. To date we have raised over $1000.
Apples for Students at Giant Eagle: If you are a Giant Eagle shopper, go to www.GiantEagle.com/AFTS to register for their donation program. You will need your Giant Eagle Advantage Card number and the CTA School Code which is #4389.
Magazine Sales: Help the 8th graders year round when you purchase magazines at www.gaschoolstore.com using code #2522449.
If you have trouble with any of these, contact Shari or come visit her in her office and she will walk you through it!
|
NEWS FROM THE LOWER SCHOOL JUDAIC STUDIES DEPARTMENT
By Dror Karavani, Lower School Judaic Studies Coordinator
| |
Tefillah in Nature: Spring is here. The flowers are blooming, the butterflies start visiting us and that is definitely the right time to develop and enjoy new aspects of our tefillah outside of the classroom. The early bird was the fourth graders with Morah Sharon who learned their tefillah in the school garden. So, when you come to school in the morning, peek in the backyard and join us.
 First Grade Learning About the Siddur: To prepare for the First Grade's Chag HaSiddur next Thursday, Morah Irit's students continued with their study of the tefillot, but also studied the elements of the prayer book from various perspectives (art, music, archaeology, math). For instance, students learned how a siddur is printed today versus long ago. The students had the opportunity to use type taken from a printing press in Israel. Each child used the metal letters to make their name impressions on clay.
|
|
NEWS FROM THE UPPER SCHOOL JUDAIC STUDIES DEPARTMENT
By Rabbi Zecharia Weitz, Upper School Judaic Studies Coordinator
|
8th Grade Adventure Team
I have written before about the fantastic efforts our 8th grade girls have invested in improving the Torah and Mitzvot of our entire school. For their grand finale, Team 8GG has developed a multifaceted program to help our school gear up for an extraordinary Shavuot. Working together, the 8th grade girls rolled-out several initiatives (in addition to the Sefirat HaOmer system I wrote about several weeks ago):
1. Colorful Shavuot and Torah themed artwork flanked with inspiring questions about the Holiday adorn the main hallway.
2. A list of thought-provoking questions with a box to submit your answers will be placed near the entrance. Each answer students submit gets them another chance to win the surprise raffle that will be drawn after Shavuot.
3. From coordinating with Moreh Dror, Mrs. Sapp, Mrs. Delman and myself, the class has organized a Torah game show for grades 1 and 2. The 8th grade girls are designing, planning and running the entire program!
Way to Go 8th Grade Girls!
|
|
MAZAL TOV TO:
|
Rabbi Samuel and Breindel Levine on the marriage of their daughter Yitty
to Bradley Garden
Dr. Jon and Elana Gisser on Benzion's bar mitzvah
Yeshayahu Ginsburg (Class of '07) on his 5th siyuum shas in the Gluck
Beit Medrash of Yeshiva University. He finished all of the Talmud Bavli
with approximately 150 men and 25 women in attendance, including
some of the Yeshiva's heads. Rav Hershel Shachter spoke and said that
most people do not do in a lifetime what Yeshayahu has accomplished
five times at age 26! CTA is probably one of the only, if not the only,
school to have a graduate with such a a major accomplishment!
|
|
CONDOLENCES TO:
| |
Mr Ed Mellman, Rabbi Ben Mellman (8th Grade Class of '76), Aaron Mellman (8th Grade Class of '77) , Nathan Mellman (8th Grade Class of '78) and Judy Mellman and families on the loss of mother, grandmother and great grandmother, Faye Mellman.
|
|
PRINCIPAL SEARCH UPDATE
|
With the help of Yeshiva University's placement services and Carney Sandoe and Associates, a Boston based recruitment and search organization, we have been conducting a robust search for both the principal positions that are currently open. We have interviewed several candidates, local and from out of town, and this initial screening process continues. The next step in our search will be to determine which candidates to bring before our Search Committee who will then make a recommendation to the Head of School. We will keep you informed as the status of the search.
|
|
TRACK PLACEMENT UPDATE
|
The administration is currently working on class placements for next year. Prior to the end of this school year, you will receive a notice of the school's recommended placement for your child(ren) for either the Blended or Intensive Language Track. Parents can accept the recommendation or choose to meet with the administration to discuss the school's recommendation. Parents will have the final decision regarding placement.
Search Committee who will then make a recommendation to the Head of School. We will keep you informed as the status of the search.
|
|
THE BIG GIVE
|
 CTA is excited to participate in The Big Give - an extraordinary 24-hour online giving event beginning on TUESDAY, MAY 12, 2015 at 10:00 am EST through WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, at 10:00 am EST. For more info, visit www.columbusfoundation.org.
DETAILS:
1) Make a minimum credit card gift of $20 using a major credit card (VISA, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express) designated to COLUMBUS TORAH ACADEMY. If you are a Columbus Foundation donor, you can make a grant to the nonprofit of your choice using your Donor Advised Fund or Supporting Foundation, with a minimum of $100.
2) A record $1.3 million will be added to all donations on a pro rata basis. Every gift will be amplified.
3) Everyone making a donation will receive an e-mail confirming receipt of their donation.
4) The bonus pool percentage ratio and preliminary results will be posted on www.columbusfoundation.org on Thursday, May 14.
Last year, CTA raised more than $50,000. To talk specifically about your gift and how to make it, contact Shari.
|
|
SPRING FUNDRAISER KICKS OFF ANNUAL CAMPAIGN
|
 Whil e the rains dampened the drive, it didn't diminish the inspiration and generosity exhibited last Monday night as more than 70 people came together at the home of Lindsay and Joey Schottenstein to celebrate CTA and kick off the school's annual campaign for 2015-2016. The Annual Fund supports the school's mission on an annual basis and is an essential part of the school's budget.
Thank you to the event's hosts, Lindsay and Joey, student speakers, Rachel Wolf and Neil Kalef, and the vision of our Board Fundraising Chair, Rachel Berger.
For more information about how to participate and support CTA with your annual gift, contact Rachel Berger or Shari Herszage.
|
|
JUNIOR CBI CLINIC
|
For boys and girls in grades 2-6, there will be a Baseball Clinic on Sunday, May 17, at 2:30-4 pm at the JCC led by staff from the Ron Golden Baseball School. This event is open to students enrolled in Jewish day school at CTA and CJDS.
Pre-registration is required and forms were sent home with your children and also via email. If you have any questions, contact Gary Liebesman.
|
|
VOLUNTEER FOR COLUMBUS BASEBALL INVITATIONAL
|
Looking to earn Give & Get? Mark your calendar for CBI on May 17-19 and check out these specific opportunities to volunteer.
Runners: Sunday, 2 pm-7:30 (on site), Monday, 10 am
Sunday Check In at Capital Dorms, 10-2 pm
Concession Stand Help: Sunday, 3:30-9:30 pm, Monday, 12 noon - 9 pm, Tuesday, 11:30am - 1pm,
Game Scorekeepers: Monday 12:30pm, 3:00pm, 5:30pm, 8pm and Tuesday 9 am, 11:30 am
Medical Tent: Tuesday, 9-2 am
Tuesday Check Out at Capital Dorms: 12-4 pm
To sign up for any of these time slots or portions of the time slots, contact Lisa Kaufman at [email protected].
|
|
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 Annual Giving Fund by:
Dan and Leslie Chase in memory of Lisa Stavsky's mother and in memory
of Helen Nutis
Martinelli and Co., LLC in memory of Helen Nutis
Herbert and Francine Greff in memory of Florence Mellman
|
|
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENT FAIR
| |
|
|
JCC OFFER
|
This offer has been extended. You can pick up a copy of this letter on the counter in the front office.
|
|
COMMUNITY NEWS
|
GALLERY PLAYERS AT THE JCC PRESENTS "THE FARNSWORTH INVENTION": Continues May 9-17. It's 1929. Two ambitious visionaries race against each other to invent a device called "television." Separated by two thousand miles, each knows that if he stops working, even for a moment, the other will gain the edge. Who will unlock the key to the greatest innovation of the 20th century: the ruthless media mogul, or the self-taught Idaho farm boy? The answer comes to compelling life in The Farnsworth Invention, the play from Aaron Sorkin, creator of The West Wing. If you would like to come for a discounted rate of $10 on Sunday, May 17, at 2:30 p.m. with a talk-back after the show with Steve McVoy, President of the Early Television Museum and Foundation, please contact Norma Whitmyre at [email protected]. Tickets for other performances can be purchase by calling the JCC at 614.231.2731 or by visiting www.jccgalleryplayers.org.
|
|
ADVERTISE IN DATELINE
|
By demand, the E-Dateline will now be offering advertising space in its weekly newsletter. Space is limited and rates are weekly as follows:
Weekly Dateline Sponsorship $150 (includes tribute line at top of newsletter)
Full Weekly E-Dateline Sponsorship: $150 - Name at top
Full Size Submission: $75 - size is 780 x 432 pixels/10 x 6"
Half Size Submission: $50 - size is 390x 216 pixels/5.4 x 3"
1/3 Size Submission: $30 - size is 260 x 144 pixels/3.6 x 2"
Rates are weekly and all submissions must be received by Wednesday at noon. At this time advertising is only available in the e-Dateline, not paper version. Advertising submissions are subject to content review. Contact [email protected] for more information.
|
|
PARSHAT EMOR QUIZ
| |
1. Which male descendants of Aharon are exempt fro the prohibition against coming into contact with a dead body?
a. Challalim - those disqualified from the priesthood because they are descended from a relationship forbidden to a kohen.
2. Does a kohen have an option regarding becoming tamei (ritually impure) defiled when his unmarried sister passes away?
a. No, he is required to do so.
3. How does one honor a kohen?
a. He is first in all matters of holiness. For example, a kohen reads from the Torah first, and is usually the one to lead the blessings before and after meals.
4. How does the Torah restrict the Kohen Gadol with regard to mourning?
a. He many not allow his hair to grow long, nor attend to his close relatives if they die, nor accompany a funeral procession.
5. The Torah states in verse 22:3 that one who "approaches holy objects" while in a state of tumah (impurity) is penalized with excision. What does the Torah mean by "approaches"?
a. Eats.
6. Who in the household of a kohen may eat terumah?
a. The kohen, his wife, his sons, and his unmarried daughters.
7. If the daughter of a kohen marries a "zar" she may no longer eat terumah. What is a zar?
a. A non-kohen.
8. What is the difference between a neder and a nedavah?
a. A neder is an obligation upon a person; a nedavah is an obligation placed upon an object.
(Parsha Emor Quiz originally appeared on the
Ohr Somayach website, www.ohr.edu)
|
|
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 name of the parasha? Look in Chapter 23, Verse 15. You will find the answer there.
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.
|
|
I hope you enjoy the electronic version of our Dateline. Please check out our website at www.torahacademy.org.
|
|
|
