Monthly Dateline Newsletter                                                                                          October 2015
Columbus Torah Academy Monthly Dateline

Message from Head of School
by Rabbi Samuel J. Levine

There is an old Yiddish folk song that bemoans the end of the Yom Tov season. It is easy to imagine the sadness of shtetl Jews as they experienced the waning moments of Simchat Torah. The cold, dreary, winter would soon be upon them bringing with it freezing cold, muddy streets, poverty, the struggle to make a living and the ubiquitous anti-Semitism of their neighbors.  It is no wonder that feelings of depression could seep into the psyche of these European Jews.
 
Listening to this song, sung by Theodore Bikel, I could relate to the words expressing this sadness and sense of loss.  I wondered why that should be.  Life in Columbus is comfortable. Even more so, how often do we complain about the advent of yet another holiday? It seems that the holidays pose a constant interruption to our daily routines, distracting us from pressing and seemingly important matters, wreaking havoc on our gastrointestinal systems and in general upsetting our equilibrium.  And yet, here I sat, listening to a song, written in a different time and place, and totally identifying with the sentiments of the composer.  Read More
Scholarship Dinner to Honor Millens
Columbus Torah Academy will honor Rabbi Henoch and Rochelle L. Millen, Ph.D., at the Annual Scholarship Dinner scheduled for Sunday, December 13, 2015.

Esther Bernzweig, Lara Blumberg and Lindsay Schottenstein will co-chair this year's annual Scholarship Dinner which will be held, for the first time, at the Columbus Torah Academy.
Since 1974, Columbus Torah Academy has been situated on a beautiful 44 acre campus on Noe Bixby Road. Over the years, additions to the facility have created a stunning building and recent renovations have updated the state of the art facility.
The co-chairs have already begun planning and forming their committee of community and parent volunteers to plan an evening that honors worthy individuals and showcases CTA.  
Read More
Spotlight on Upper School Judaics

By Rabbi Weitz, US Judaic Studies Coordinator
Happy Days are Here Again!

In CTA Upper School Judaic Studies, Sukkot truly lives up to its epithet, "Z'man Simchatainu", "Our Time of Happiness".

Building the CTA's sukkah is always a fun and educational experience. The halachot that the students learn pertaining to sukka construction come to life when they ensure that the walls are erect before laying the s'chach, identify the minimal "2 and a fraction" walls and utilize an array of halachic concepts to create a kosher sukka for our school.



 

As part of The Amazing Race,  teams competed this week in Sukka Wars II: a video competition in which each team creates purchasing guides for Jews around the word. Following last year's Sukka Wars; an extensive focus on the laws of Sukkot, the content this year was devoted to a detailed analysis of the Dalet Minim, the 4 Species.  Read More 
 
Focus on Lower School Judaics
Dror Karavani, LS Judaic Studies Coordinator

The month of Tishrei is probably the busiest time in our school. Ending one holiday, we immediately dive into the next. Each holiday has many names and in the classrooms we've learned that each name teaches us a different aspect of the holiday.  One of the names for Succot is zaman simchateinu (the time of our rejoicing) and that was the atmosphere of our school during the days of Succot.   The students studied and ate in the succah, said the bracha on the lulav and etrog and celebrated the holiday in a rainbow of activities.  Read More 
Hebrew Highlights

By Kelly Adar, Hebrew and Israel Culture Coordinator
The second graders have been preparing for their "trip to Israel".  This is part of their year long study of Israeli culture and language.  In preparation, they created their own Israeli passports and worked on learning to write their first and last name as well as where they were born in Hebrew to write in their passports.  They also learned to converse in Hebrew, introducing themselves and the place they were born, "I was born in Columbus" or "I was born in New Jersey". Finally, each student had their picture taken and they placed them in their new passports!  Read More
CTA Awarded Gruen Grant

CTA has been awarded a grant from the Ronald and Ethel Gruen Endowed Fund for the Advancement of Secondary Jewish Education.  The grant will be applied to support needs based scholarships in the Upper School in the 2015-2016 school year.  The Gruens, concerned and visionary philanthropists, established the endowment for this grant program at Yeshiva University to support the advancement of Jewish education in guaranteeing the future of the Jewish people.  Through a lengthy application process, CTA was awarded the maximum amount of $18,000. 
 
This year, CTA welcomed six new students to the upper school with varying levels of Jewish education background.  
Seniors & Kindergarten Buddies Go Apple Picking
 
Seniors and Kindergarten buddies went apple picking right before Rosh Hashanah at Lynd's Fruit Farm in Pataskala.  The educational value of seeing the apple orchard and how the farm works was enlightening, but the fun that the students had together was memory making.  See adorable pictures here.
Faculty-Student Softball Game Hits a Home Run!

It was a great way to move into the weekend right before Rosh Hashanah!  The students, faculty, and alumni suited up to face off in the first annual CTA community softball game. Although the teachers put up a fight, they were no match for the opportunistic and clutch students. Way to go, CTA!    MVPs of the game go to Molly Cohen, 11th grade student and Rabbi Samuel Levine, Head of School.
 
Watch the awesome highlight video compiled by the Film Studies Class by clicking on picture below. 
Amazing Race Kicks Off the Year/Elects Student Leaders

In the Upper School, grades 7-12, a new year long program has been launched called "The Amazing Race". Earlier in September, the students that wanted to be a team leader for the Race prepared speeches that were presented to the entire Upper School faculty and student body about what it means to them to be a leader. The student body elected Rose Kalef, Yaakov Metz, Britain Pilott, Shahar Razker, Noah Ziv, Addison Horwitz, and  Avigail Rosenberg to be team leaders for the year.  The teams were formed by dividing the students into four teams with multiple grade levels on each team, with two captains per team. The teachers were assigned to each team as mentors, to guide each team in the right direction. Throughout the year we will have different events focusing on community service, fundraising, athletics, and Israel advocacy to give student leaders and teams a chance to shine in different areas.  This past Wednesday, the 1st day of Chol Hamoed Sukkot. Read More
Art In Action:  
Second Grade Project Update & Newsletter Preview

Russian artist Wassily Kandinsky loved both art and music and believed that the two were closely linked. His artwork, much of which was abstract (not realistic), reflected his love for classical music.
 
Second grade students are exploring the shapes, colors, and lines in Kandinsky's artwork and thinking about the connection art has to music. First, students created some warm-up drawings while listening to Beethoven's 6th Symphony. They imagined how the music would look if we could see it.
 
After looking at a few of Kandinsky's paintings, Ms. Neiwirth read the picture book The Noisy Paintbox by Barb Rosenstock to the class and through the beautiful illustrations, students imagined how Kandinsky felt when he saw colors in his mind that were inspired by music. The class also read an interesting piece in The Art Book For Children that helped us understand a bit more about Kandinsky's art-making process.  Read More
3rd Grade Fun with Science & More

Ms. Rahav reported from 3rd grade General Studies that there has been a lot of fun and a lot of learning since the start of the school year.  In science, the children were reading about various science tools they can use for different purposes.  Pictured are 
students learning to use measuring tools such as a thermometer, scale, measuring tape, yard stick, and a water gauge to measure items around the room.  They first estimated and then wrote their findings as part of the scientific
process. (Corresponds to Common Core State Standards in Math 3MD.A2 - measurement and estimation).  The children then chose a state and, looking at the weather map, estimated the high and low temperatures for that week and presented their weather forecast.
 
The students are writing personal narratives and focusing on how to use dialogue in their memoir.  They used expression to say what was written in the speech bubbles which they then transferred that information to their memoirs which we are doing in writing workshop. (CCS.ELA.Literacy.W.3.3B)
Busy Bees Abuzzing in Stem Classes

Mrs. Lerner integrated STEM with the holidays in the recent "Bees Matter, Honey!" unit.  The 3rd graders tasted honey with samplings brought in by Max Almasanu from his great-uncle, Loren G. Grossman, who is a beekeeper in University City, Missouri. Leora Hazan brought in local raw honey from Beechwood, Ohio.  The students, tasted and charted the data of their preferences and taste of the honey.                                              

 
Other bee investigations included the first graders making bee models and building a model of the inside of a bee hive. The third graders researched and designed bee brochures and also built model hives. The second graders tested their bee prototypes that can move pollen from flower to flower and finished their "bee book" project.   Read More
Tashlich Takes Students Onto Beautiful Grounds

Every year, students have the chance to practice the ritual of tashlich on the grounds of CTA.  The annual "ridding of our sins" is done by many at home or with the synagogues, but the ritual of throwing our bad deeds away can also be completed at CTA near the creek.  Pictured are students with Moreh Dror. 
5th & 6th Grades Share Torah Thoughts

Morah Elana's Judaic classes worked on divrei torah that they compiled into a booklet to send home for Rosh Hashanah.  The Torah thoughts that each student worked on are relevant not just for the advent of the new year, but throughout the year as the students researched subjects that they will be exploring throughout the year in the studies of Chumash, Navi, and Mishna.  Complete compilations from the class can be found online or by clicking here in the online version.
2nd Grade Shares Their Love Of...Pizza!

We know everyone loves a good slice of pizza, but did you have any idea how much you can learn from pizza???  Earlier this month in second grade, we've used the theme of "pizza" to incorporate numerous learning goals.  We practiced sequencing after we read "Pete's a Pizza."  We graphed favorite pizza toppings.  We used pizza models to compare common and proper nouns.  We created pizzas, then divided them into equal parts to introduce fractions.  We read the poem "A Pizza the Size of the Sun," then wrote pizza poems using our senses and focusing on expressive language.  We watched "The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza" and then had great discussions about cooperation and community.  All in all, it was a great few days of learning.  (Teacher note - next time, make sure the cafeteria is serving pizza on one of the days we do these lessons, because we all really had a taste for pizza at the end of this!) 
 
Enjoy these poems from two of our wonderful second graders...

Pizza Poem by Yossi Fineberg
I like pizza because it is yummy.
It tastes awesome!
It feels hot.
It smells like there is cheese on it.
It looks like a triangle.
Pizza is yummy.
 
Pizza by Yonah Liebesman
I like pizza because it tastes good.
It tastes amazing.
It feels like an explosion of flavor in my mouth.
It smells like something good.
It looks like cheese on top of bread.
Pizza tastes good.
Welcome to Goldish and Topolosky

Omitted from last month's survey of new faculty and staff at CTA.  Apologies to Betty Goldish and Rochelle Topolosky
 
Mrs. Betty Goldish (5th & 6th Grade Hebrew Language)
 
Mrs. Rochelle Topolosky (Kindergarten Teacher's Aide) has a Bachelor of Arts in History with an Education minor and has previously taught preschool at the JCC on College Avenue.  Rochelle has volunteered for many years at the Columbus Jewish Federation, Jewish National Fund and as a board member at Congregation Tifereth Israel.
Alumni in Israel

So nice to see this group share their encounter during Sukkot.  Once a CTA Lion always a CTA Lions, even when in Israel.  
Lightning Strikes Again

If you did not hear, CTA was struck by lightning.  The lightning strike hit one of the outside lights at the top of the wall on the K-1 wing.  Our electrician made this discovery when trying to track down the source of electrical issues since the strike.  He discovered that the outside light circuit had been improperly tied into part of our emergency lighting and exit sign circuitry.  The strike also killed the circuit breaker in the panel inside the building.  When the outside lights were installed someone took a short cut tying in to the emergency circuit instead of running a new circuit. Of course, this does not meet code. We split the outside lighting from the emergency circuit and will be running a new feed to the outside lighting.  Hopefully this will be safer and have less exposure for damage.
Condolences To:
Dr.  Matt Goldish, Esther Schwartz, Raquel Goldish (8th Grade Class of '08), Michalle Goldish (8th Grade Class of '10) on the passing of father, brother and grandfather
Mazel Tov To:
Kate Stubbe Levy (Class of '98) on the birth of a son and to grandmother, Laurie Alexander

Leah Epstein(Class of '09) on her engagement to Abe Korman and to grandparents Dr. Avrom and Marcia Epstein

Bruria and Yaacov Martin and family on the birth of a daughter

Ann and Ari Deshe on the birth of a grandson

Ariella Weisz Eltes (Class of '02) on the birth of a son and to grandparents Michael and Chanita Weisz and to great-grandmother Ruth Stavsky

Debbie Weinerman (Class of '04) on her engagement to Josh Grashin and to parents Drs. Phil and Julie Weinerman

Please share your special moments by submitting to Dateline at info@torahacademy.org
Thank You To:

The following people for their:

Help with the Rosh Hashanah holiday treats: Mara Friedman, Shulamit Ginsburg, Ayala Kohn, Yuriy Shevkin, Alina Galbmillion, Elaine Shindel, Karan Tannenebaum, Esther Wilhelm, and Norma Whitmyre

Help with Garden:  Jeanine Piatz, Rabbi Jon Savage, Sigal Import, Ioni Wolfson, Noah Ziv, Shmuel Metz, Daniel Levy (Noam and Raz)

Help burning Choir CDs:  Kim Binsky and Laura Clubok

Help with delivering Rosh Hashanah Baskets:  Ayala Kohn, Bernie Schubach and Jaime Goodman, Miriam Karp, Dotan Herszage

Help with recent mailing:  Miriam Karp, Ariella Rosenbaum, Ayala Kohn, Yuriy and Alina Shevkin, Mara Friedman 

Help at community Sukkah event:  Ariella and Aryeh Rosenbaum, Daniel Levy, Leah Savage, Alina and Yuriy Shevkin
Donations
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:
  • Evsey and Rita Neymotin in memory of Lindsay Schottenstein's father
  • Bob and Marcia Hershfield in memory of Lindsay Schottenstein's father, Sam Ciner, and in honor of Dora Kopp's recovery
  • Brigette Adams and his friends in the School of Social Sciences at Indiana University Southeast in memory of Morris Wilhelm
  • Dan and Leslie Chase in memory of Rick Cohen's mother
  • Rabbi Joel and Janice Epstein in honor of Perry and Yael Vernikoff and family
  • Joel Selker in memory of Morris Wilhelm
  • Joel and Diana Wolff and Family in honor of Sara Shatz and Rabbi Yosef Hauser
  • Chuck and Dora Kopp in memory of Moshe Wilhelm
  • Ericka Schneiderman and Family in memory of Dr. Morris Wilhelm
  • Joseph and Monica Calabrese and Family in memory of Moshe Wilhelm and Kristine Coyne
  • Bob and Marcia Hershfield in memory of Morris Wilhelm and in honor of Paul and Karan Tanenbaum's 40th Wedding Anniversary
  • David and Pat Gold in memory of Moshe Wilhelm
  • Jonathan and Agi Hartstein in honor of Paul and Karen Tanenbaum's 40th Wedding Anniversary and in memory or Rick Cohen's mother, Sandy Cohen
  • Bob and Marcia Hershfield in honor of Dr. Sam Portman's 80th birthday
  • Albert and Jaklin Keri in honor of Paul and Karan Tanenbaum's 40th Anniversary, thank you to Rabbi Ackerman for his service to the Columbus community, and thank you to Mrs. Delman for helping the kids get to the right place after High School!
To the Mrs. Kristine Coyne Book and Literacy Fund
  • David and Rochelle Weisfogel
  • Tamalynn Lerner
  • Jason and Mindy Duff
  • Bob and Marcia Hershfield
  • Rabbi Yosef and Tovah Hauser
  • Josh and Amy Greenberg
  • Stacy Leeman and Gary Liebesman
  • Charles Libicki and Penny Wenger
  • Rabbi Shaul and Sara Libby Epstein and Family
  • Warren and Marlene Sobol and Family
  • Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein, Joey and Lindsay, Jonathan, and Jeffrey
  • Gabi and Jillian Gliksberg
To the Sage Moreno Language Arts Award
  • Bob and Marcia Hershfield
  • Josh and Amy Greenberg in memory of Rabbi Ciner's brother
  • Barry and Susan Lubow and Family
Give Today
Upcoming Events


BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS:  Sunday, Oct. 18, at 2:30pm, Gallery Players at the JCC: If you would like to come for a discounted rate of $11.00 to Brighton Beach Memoirs, with 9th grader Neil Kalef, 5th/6th grade teacher Kate Willis, Stage Manager and alumus, Aaron Shatz, Assistant Stage Manager, please contact Norma Whitmyre at nwhitmyre@torahacademy.org. Tickets for other performances can be purchased at www.jccgalleryplayers.org.
 
STEAK DINNER NIGHT:  Support the 8th grade trip to Washington DC and the Lady Lions Basketball team at this fun night of a delicious steak dinner and enjoyable music on Sunday, October 25 from 6-8 pm at Beth Jacob Synagogue.  For more info or to make a reservation, contact Eddie Karmia or info@torahacademy.org
Flyer can be found here.
 
SCHOLASTIC BOOKFAIR:   A monster book fair is coming - because reading is so much fun, it'll give you goosebumps!  Mark your calendar for CTA's fall book fair on Nov. 6 - 13.  There'll be lots of great books for readers of all ages. Shop the online book fair Oct. 28 - Nov. 17 for even more great choices!  To learn more visit CTA's Fall Book Fair Homepage at http://bookfairs.com/homepage/cta
 
AFTER SCHOOL TENNIS: Get ready for after school tennis beginning November 4 for grades K-6.  Kindergarten is from 2:45-3:45 pm and Grades 1-6 is from 4-5.  For a flyer and more information, click here.
 
PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES: Save the Date of November 11 for NO SCHOOL and Parent Teacher conferences all day.  Sign ups will be coming soon to find the time that works for you and the teachers.
 
SCHOLARSHIP DINNER: Save the Date for Sunday, December 13 for the Annual Scholarship Dinner which will be held at CTA.  Distinguished honorees are Rabbi Henoch and Dr. Rochelle L. Millen.  Invitations are forthcoming. For more information or to get involved on the committee, contact adbook@torahacademy.org

Give & Get Info
More info can be found at here
 
Scholarship Dinner Ad Book:  Get started today.  Go to CTA Website for more information or contact Shari.

Tribute Donation:  Contact Lesa, Shari or submit donation on line at www.torahacademy.org for all in honor, in memory or milestone tributes to family and friends.

Kroger Rewards Card:  Go to www.kroger.com/communityrewards and register your rewards card.  Kroger will donate up to 1% of your purchases from 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 www.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:  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 their code # 2522449.

Shoparoo Download the app to your smartphone and start earning points by snapping pictures of your receipts.
Columbus Torah Academy | 181 Noe Bixby Road | Columbus, OH 43213 
614-864-0299 | info@torahacademy.org
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