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

 May 15, 2015

        26 Iyar  5775

Behar-Bechukotai
  Candlelighting 8:22 p.m.
This Week on E-Dateline
Dvar Torah by Rabbi Yosef Hauser
Preview of the Week
Dates To Remember
Scrip Update
Give & Get
News from the Lower School Judaic Studies Department
News from the Upper School Judaic Studies Department
Mazal Tov To
Spring Fling Success!
Columbus Baseball Invitational Schedule & Concession Information
Save the Date-Upper School Awards Assembly
Slate of Officers
First Grade Celebrates Chag HaSiddur
Tennis
Go Little Lions Soccer!
Sale on Logo Items at Lands' End
Elementary School Achievement Fair
JCC Offer
The Main Event
Advertise in Dateline
Parshat Behar-Bechukotai Quiz
A Riddle From Israel
Join Our Mailing List
DVAR TORAH 
By Rabbi Yosef Hauser

In this week's double Parasha, sandwiched between the great Mitzvah of Shemittah - the Sabbatical Year, and the admonitions against abandoning the Torah, are two critical Mitzvot: "Don't hurt your fellow through money (Ona'at Mamon)", and "Don't hurt your fellow with words (Ona'at Devarim)". Of these two Mitzvot that admonish us against hurting our fellow Jews I would like to talk about "Ona'at Devarim" or hurtful speech. 

           

Our Rabbis give us many examples of the hurtful speech that the Torah admonishes us against. Rashi states that this Mitzvah refers to purposefully giving bad advice even if the person will never find out that this advice is bad. The Rambam states that it refers to reminding someone who has changed their ways for the better about their past sinful ways.

 

The Sefer HaChinuch categorizes this speech as "hurtful speech that a person has no power to protect himself against".  It is clear to me that one category of people this Mitzvah must include is our children. Our children are very vulnerable to hurtful speech, whether by their fellow students or by the responsible adults in their lives. As educators and parents we must be careful how we speak to our children. When we get angry or frustrated at our children's behavior, the Torah tells us to stop ourselves from using our children's weaknesses to hurt their feelings. Our children have no power to protect themselves from this kind of speech. They look up to us as role models about how to speak and we fail them when we use words to hurt them.

 

The Sefer HaChinuch states that the main reason for this Mitzvah is that it is an obligation for all of us to promote peace between each other; "Great is Peace that through it blessing is found in the world".  When we refrain from hurtful speech with our children and use productive words to help them grow, we promote peace between ourselves and our children. By our showing a good example to our children we can bring abundant blessings into our community and the world.

 

Shabbat Shalom!

PREVIEW OF THE WEEK

Sunday, May 17:  CBI begins

Junior CBI, Grades 2-6, 2:30-4pm

Monday, May 18:  Pizza Bagels-Volunteer: W. Almasanu

Tuesday, May 19: Chicken Nuggets-Volunteer: L. Hoffman

Wednesday, May 20:  Lasagna-Volunteer: L. Blumberg

Achievement Fair, Grades K-6, 6-7:30pm; Book Fair will be open

Thursday, May 21: Chicken Cutlets-Volunteer: R. Topolosky

Senior Exams

Friday, May 22: Fish Sticks

Senior Exams

DATES TO REMEMBER

Monday, May 25: Memorial Day/Shavuot - NO SCHOOL

May 26-28: Senior Trip to Put-n-Bay

Friday, May 29: Field Day, Grades K-8; Final Exams, Grades 9-11; 

2:00 p.m. Dismissal

Sunday, May 31: 12th Grade Graduation, 1:00pm

June 1-3: Final Exams, Grades 9-11

Wednesday, June 3: Last Day of School; Kindergarten Celebration, 10am; 12:00pm Dismissal; 8th Grade Commencement Dinner, 5:30pm; Upper School Awards, 7:30pm

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:lcaputo@torahacademy.org .  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.    

GIVE & GET 

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.

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

Dror-new

The Beauty of Shabbat

Throughout the year we have had so many different educational activities with our friends in Kfar Saba.  Just before the end of the year, we are excited to have one more to share.  The students from the Shilo school sent us drawings with Shabbat themes.  Those pictures were hung on the hall bulletin boards and our students voted on their favorite. The winners were chosen based  not only on the beauty of the picture but also how well it presented the themes and values of Shabbat. It was not easy to choose but here are the top four winners.  Our students will be drawing their own pictures on the theme of Shabbat and they will be sent to Kfar Saba for judging.  Shabbat Shalom!

 


 

 

NEWS FROM THE UPPER SCHOOL JUDAIC STUDIES DEPARTMENT
By Rabbi Zecharia Weitz, Upper School Judaic Studies Coordinator

Weitz

The students just finished their learning of Parshat Korach in Rabbi Savage's 7th and 8th grade Chumash class. The story of Korach, which began with a brutal argument between Moshe and Korach, ends with a beautiful miracle. After the earth opens its mouth to swallow Korach and his cohorts, Hashem commands Moshe to take a staff from each tribe, inscribe each leaders name on the staff, and place it in the Tent of Meeting. Moshe was commanded to inscribe Aharon's name on the staff of the tribe of Levi. When Moshe enters the Tent on the very next day a beautiful miracle occurs - Aharon's staff has blossomed flowers and has grown almonds. Rashi explains that it was a sign for all to see that Aharon is the true undisputed leader of the Leviim/Kohanim chosen by G-d Himself.

 

After learning about this amazing miracle, Rabbi Savage's class was "commanded" to put this learning into fruition with a project. The entire class went off into the CTA forest where they foraged for some staffs, flowers and almonds (flowers and staffs were easy, but Kroger helped out with the almonds!). The students put their learning and understanding of Rashi into perspective and applied it to their beautiful projects. The results were truly amazing! 

 

 

 

MAZAL TOV TO:

Phillip Needham (8th Grade Class of '91) on the graduation of his father

   Fred Needham from the OSU College of Arts & Sciences with a

   bachelor of fine arts degree.

Rabbi Nuri Klinger (Class of '05) on the birth of a son and to grandparents 

   Tzipora and Jiri Klinger

SPRING FLING SUCCESS!

Thank you to the parents, teachers, staff and supporters who volunteered to make the Spring Fling Family Festival a tremendous success!  It would be hard to thank everyone individually but know that the event wouldn't have happened without the volunteers.  Thanks to our sponsors, Joey and Lindsay Schottenstein and our food vendors:  Hillel Café, JCC Catering and Karan Tanenbaum and her staff at CTA.  Hopefully everyone enjoyed the rides, archery, animal show, talent show, bonfire and absolutely GORGEOUS weather!  Enjoy the pictures by clicking below: 

SPRING FLING 2015 - SLIDE SHOW
SPRING FLING 2015 - SLIDE SHOW
COLUMBUS BASEBALL INVITATIONAL SCHEDULE & CONCESSION INFORMATION

The Columbus Baseball Invitational (CBI) kicks off this Sunday, May 17 through Tuesday, May 19.  A detailed bracket can be viewed at:

www.columbusinvitational.com and up to date game information can be viewed on Facebook.

 

The CBI Concession stand will be selling grilled hotdogs from the world famous Romanian in Chicago.

 

 

 

Game Schedule is:

 

Sunday, May 17 - 4:30 pm and 7:00 pm

Monday, May 18 - 12:30 pm, 3:00 pm, 5:30 pm, and 8 pm

Tuesday, May 19 - 9 am and 11:30 am

 

All games held at the JCC on College Avenue.

 

To volunteer to help out, contact alisadk@hotmail.com

SAVE THE DATE - UPPER SCHOOL AWARDS ASSEMBLY

The community is invited to celebrate the achievements of CTA students in grades 7-12 at the Upper School Awards Assembly on Wednesday, June 3, at 7:30 pm in the Shul at CTA.  The assembly will feature the awarding of the 2015 Commendation Cups which are achievement awards in 11 different disciplines.  For 10 years, the Commendation Cups have been a sought after recognition and 11 new names will be added to the illustrious list of student achievements since 2005.  The Commendation Cups are on display in the front lobby at CTA.  For more information, contact info@torahacademy.org.

 

 

SLATE OF OFFICERS

Below is the proposed Slate of Officers for the 2015-2016 school year.  The Annual Meeting is scheduled for Monday, June 1.  Elections will take place.

 

Officers

President - Gary Blumberg

Vice Presidents - David Bernzweig and Bob Lane

Board Development Chair - Robin Garvin

Finance Chair - Victoria Ilin

Fundraising Chairs - Rachel Berger and Joey Schottenstein

Marketing Chair - Joel Greff

Secretary - Jeff Polster

Treasurer - Laura Nutis

 

Members of the Executive Board of Trustees

David Abromowitz

Al Dembe

David Ginsburg

Aliza Finegold

Marcia Hershfield

Leslie Hoffman

FIRST GRADE CELEBRATES CHAG HASIDDUR

 

First grade celebrated what they have been learning this year at their Siddur ceremony.  In kindergarten and first grade, our students use the Artscroll Children's Siddur (prayer book) for their morning tefilla (prayers).  By learning and practicing all of the blessings and prayers each morning, the children gain lifelong skills and gain the comfort of walking into any synagogue or temple and feeling confident to open a prayer book.  They also are building a relationship with Hashem (G-d) through prayer.

 

At their Chag HaSiddur celebration, the students had the chance to show parents, grandparents and friends what they have learned as they received their first "grown up siddur" which they will continue to use at school and beyond.  As they continue to pray daily, they will become more skillful and confident as they embrace the meaning of each prayer.

 

The first graders shined at Thursday's Siddur program with pride at what they have learned.  Enjoy this short video presentation of their 1st grade year at http://youtu.be/FU_hi89NZZw  

 

TENNIS


 

In the spirit of creating a CTA tennis team, if your child(ren) are interested in keeping up the skill they learned with coach Marc these last 2 sessions at CTA, there is an excellent and  fun option for Jr. Tennis at the JCC this summer, and we can keep our team going, (before we resume sessions in the Fall at CTA).  One of the coaches for the JCC summer tennis is Marc, who your kids know well, the other is Rob Postma, Capital University tennis coach. Both coaches have years of experience in coaching children. Lara Blumberg knows both coaches, and thinks highly of both of them. Click this link to view the brochure.  

http://columbusjcc.org/wpcontent/uploads/2015/04/

TennisBrochure_April_16.pdf

 

Tennis for kids at the JCC are Mondays and Wednesdays 6/15-7/24 on the newly surfaced JCC courts:

ages 3-6 : from 3:30-4:00 ($80 for the whole session)

ages 7-12: from 4:00-5:00 ($120 for the whole session).


 
There are private and semi-private lessons available too.  Let me know if you want to coordinate through parent volunteer, Lara Blumberg or otherwise sign up through the Jeanna Brownlee at the JCC.

GO LITTLE LIONS SOCCER!

 

Many CTA Kindergarteners are involved in after school soccer which participates in the local CESA league.  Their perserverance on and off the field comes through and they represent our school with great pride.  Their last two games of their Kindergarten career are this Sunday, May 17 and May 31 at 2:30 pm at the fields at Easton.  Come out and support them.  For rain delay information, check Facebook or text 282-4386.  Go Lions!

 

SALE ON LOGO ITEMS AT LANDS' END

 

Looking to order logo items?  For a special sale with FREE shipping and FREE logos at Land's End through May 19, check out this link: http://www.landsend.com/shop/school-uniforms

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.

THE MAIN EVENT

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 sherszage@torahacademy.org for more information. 

PARSHAT BEHAR-BECHUKOTAI QUIZ

Behar

1.   Why does the Torah specify that the laws of shemita were taught on Har Sinai?

a.  To teach us that just as shemita was taught in detail on Har Sinai, so too, all the mitzvot were taught in detail on Har Sinai.

 

2.   If one possesses shemita food after it is no longer available in the field, what must he do with it?

a.   Remove it from his property and declare it ownerless.

 

3.   The Torah commands, "You shall sanctify the fiftieth year." How is this done?

a.   At the beginning of the year the Beit Din declares, "This year is kadosh (sanctified).

 

4.   Which two "returns" are announced by the shofar during yovel?

a.   The return of the land to its original owner, and the "return" (freedom) of the slave from slavery.

 

Bechukotai

1.   To what do the words 'bechukotai telechu" (walk in My statues) refer?

a.   Laboring in Torah learning.

 

2.   When is rain "in its season"?

a.   At times when people are not outside (e.g., Shabbat nights).

 

3.   What is the blessing of "v'achaltem lachmechem l'sova" (and you shall eat your bread to satisfaction)?

a.   You will only require a little bread to be completely satisfied.

 

4.   What is meant by the verse "and a sword will not pass through your land"?

a.  No foreign army will travel through your land on their way to a different country.

 

(Parsha Behar-Bechukotai 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 25, Verse 4. 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.