e-news: rochelle zell jewish high school lights up
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Rochelle Zell Jewish High School, Rochelle Zell, RZJHS, RZJHS.orgTRANSCRIPT
29 Kislev, 5776
December 11, 2015
This Week at RZJHS
Happy ChanukahEgg Drop 2015Mazal TovSacred SpaceHillel Director SpeaksDrivers' EdVentra Cards for StudentsArt ShowStudents in the NewsApply By December 15A Taste of Torah
Class ScheduleMonday, December 14BB -‐ extended tefillah
Tuesday, December 15C
Wednesday, December 16A
Rochelle Zell Lights Up
Week of Chanukah Cheer
The joyous spirit of Chanukah is palpable! On Monday, studentstook to the senior hallway to decorate the large windows facinginto the gym. Teams worked by grade, and created beau?fulChanukah-‐themed decora?ons. Thursday's lunch was a fun-‐filled affair with cookie decora?ng, sponsored by Holla forChallah, and a special Chanukah movie sponsored by Film Club.And throughout the week, DEAP has been collec?ng new andlightly used children's books to donate to Bernie's Book Bank.The collec?on bins are filling up, so bring in whatever books
Thursday, December 17B
Friday, December 18CC
Quick Links
CJHS.orgCalendarsLunch MenuEdlineGive Now
Save The Date
December 13ACT at CJHS
December 7-‐16Chanukah
December 20 -‐ January 3Winter Break
January 3 -‐ January 22Senior Israel Experience
January 4Classes Resume
January 5Freshman Parent Mee?ng
January 11 -‐ January 15Final Exams
January 18MLK Jr. Day
January 19Semester 2 Begins
you have so we can pile them over the top!
Eggs AhoyKaraoke Friday Enhances Annual Physics Compe\\on
Sophomore/Parents Mee?ng
January 25Classes Resume for SeniorsTu Bishvat
January 27Junior/Senior Parent Mee?ng
February 7ACT at CJHS
February 15President's Day
March 2-‐6Model UN Conference
March 18-‐19All School Shabbaton
March 182:15 pm Friday DismissalBegins
STEM Corner
Illinois Ins?tute of Technologyinvites high schoolsophomores, juniors andseniors toa\end NxtGen Tech Programin the summer of 2016.Students will learntechnologies and tools andget a glimpse of the future ofthe Internet, compu?ng, andthe next wave of emergingtechnologies. To learn more,click here.
Dozens of enthusias?c underclassmen filled the upstairs hall onTuesday to watch the fiaeen excited teams of physics students test weeks' worth of careful designs for the annual egg drop. Mrs. Eliaser’s 11th and 12th grade physics classes applied theirknowledge of impulse, momentum and collisions as theytossed raw eggs over the school balcony in collision-‐proofstructures of their own design. Each team had four sheets ofpaper and 20 straws to keep their egg from eggsploding! In amomentous honor roll, fully nine out of the fiaeen teamsemerged triumphant, holding up unbroken eggs with shouts oftriumph.
The 2015 egg drop also featuredthe first ever all-‐class karaokeparty, as groups explained theirdesign principles in catchy,crea?ve art forms. The weekkicked off with a sly tribute to airresistance with "It's Physics,Baby" by Melissa Levin, HanaLieber, and Celia Pivo, while YoniMaltsman, Akiva Stein, andDavid Weisskopf shook theirgroove thang with "Drop It LikeIt’s Hot." We got "FreshPrince of the Egg Drop" from
rocketeers Sara Behn, Felix Rosen, and Dave Vayngart,whose finned nose cone dented by a good two inches,leaving their egg unscratched. Jonah Karoll, ZevMishell, and Henry Wolle worked out a complete set ofphysics choreography to "We're Gone!" while ArielleSmall and Gabe Chasin beat-‐boxed an original rapabout increased impact ?me. Congratula?ons to allforty egg engineers!
Mazal Tov, Joe Steiner!Rochelle Zell EMT Completes His Conversion
This morning, we had the privilege of celebra?ng theconversion to Judaism of our beloved security guardand EMT, Joe Steiner. Joe fell in love Judaism whilehe was working security on Friday evenings at B'neiJoshua Beth Elohim (BJBE), the congrega?on acrossthe way. Aaer a few weeks, Joe began a\endingeven on Friday nights when he wasn't working. Forthe first ?me, he felt a part of a religious community.While at Rochelle Zell Jewish High School, Joe has
found another Jewish community to embrace as well. He said that aaer our fall Shabbaton, heknew that he was ready officially to become Jewish. He was cap?vated by the spirit of services, thestudy of Torah, and the rituals which transform a simple meal into an act of community andworship.
Joe's conversion ceremony took place at BJBE on Monday, where he took the Hebrew nameBinyamin Chanan, a name he took in honor of his dear friend and mentor, Mr. Bruce Scher. Whena few staff and students wished to dash across the street to support their beloved guard, Joegraciously invited the en?re senior Bible class to take ?me off from their study of Megillat Ruthand join him for the official ceremony. Presiding, Rabbi Brian Stoller passed him the Torah scroll,and Joe chanted the Shema for the first ?me as a Jew. The seniors were able to hear firsthandabout Joe's desire to become a Jew, the inspira?on he received from his mentors, and thelengthy process that made his dream a reality.
This morning, resplendent in a new tallit, Joe was called to the Torah as a member of our people. He shared with the en?re group the story of his Jewish journey along with his touching insights onwho your real friends are and the process of adop?ng an observant lifestyle. "Keeping kosher wasa bit tough at first," Joe explained candidly, "but Rabbi Stoller explained it to me. If you were aguest in G-‐d's house, and He asked you not to eat something, then out of respect for Him, youwouldn't eat it." Rabbi Silver presented Joe with a mezuzah in honor of Joe's entrance into theJewish people, a sign of the covenant between God and his treasured ones. Mazal tov, Joe! Asyou have entered our covenant, so may you experience the joys of Torah study, Jewish family life,and a life of mitzvot!
Sacred SpaceSophomore Class Explores Houses of Worship
On Monday the sophomore class hit the road in order toapply insights they have gleaned in their study of “SacredSpace” in their Bible and Talmud classes. In visi?ng andmee?ng with clergy at Anshe Emet, Temple Sholom, theBaha'i Temple, North Shore Congrega?on Israel and B’neiJehoshua Beth Elohim (BJBE), students enhanced theirunderstanding of how sacred spaces are designed and howthey func?on – and, some?me, don’t func?on so wellanymore. Two themes emerged: one, that we are in a
period of ?me when the older, grander models of sanctuaries no longer fully serve theneeds of their congrega?ons as well as they once did and, two, that the sanc?ty of aspace can depend, in varying degrees, on both the design and inten?on of the spaceitself and the community that inhabits it. The trip was led by Ms. Frankel, RabbiGreenberg and Rabbi Belgrad.
White House, Gold MenorahRochelle Zell Sophomore Attends Presidential Lighting
Happy Chanukah from the White House, where EliNasa\r and his family were invited to the annualChanukah party to light the menorah with theObamas. Eli writes from Washington, "The WhiteHouse Chanukah celebra?on was an incredibleexperience. The mee?ngs showed me that whileIsrael and the USA's rela?onship is some?mes foggy,the USA-‐Jewish rela?on is unques?onably strong."
ConJew Students Learn About Israel on CampusRabbi Winberg Addresses Sophomores
Last Friday, Rabbi Seth Winberg, the Execu?ve Director of Metro Chicago Hillel, visitedContemporary Judaism class to speak about his experiences encountering the Boyco\,Divestment, and Sanc?ons movement on college campuses. He gave a broad picture of the climateon several campuses, no?ng the challenges that students might face. Rabbi Winberg noted thatthis BDS movement is a feature on most campuses and being aware of some of the rhetoric is animportant first step in represen?ng Israel. He encouraged students to con?nue being nuanced intheir thinking about Israel, even in the midst of these challenging ?mes. We look forward tohearing from students in the coming weeks about their experiences.
Driver's EdSign-Up Forms Coming for Freshmen and Sophomores
Please be on the lookout for the Driver's Ed email for the Spring Semester. Adams School ofDriving will be holding classes at Rochelle Zell Jewish High School beginning on Thursday, January21, 2016 from 4:10 p.m. to 5:10 p.m. and on select dates. In order to enroll in these classes yourstudent must have been born on or before May 16, 2001. If you have any ques?ons regarding theclasses, please call Adams School of Driving at 847.965.6565 or email Janice Dla\ atjdla\@cjhs.org.
Alumni Trivia
Happy Chanukah from Anthony Goldstein, Luna Lovegood, and therest of the Harry Po\er fans! ...And has anyone seen my calculator?Which of our Po\errific alumni played "Luna" almost every year inthe class Purim spiels, performing a hilarious sendup of herself andher lost possessions? And where is she now?
Studio Art Show Heller Nature Center | 2821 Ridge Rd., Highland Park
Ms. Snyder’s pain?ng class has been studying textures and color play in the common pineapple aspart of their ongoing study of mindful living, and taking ?me to focus on what ma\ersin all aspects of life. As Ms. Snyder says, “The pineapple reminds us that life can be colorful,sweet, tart and some?mes prickly.” The studio art class will hosted the opening recep?on of theirexhibit "MINDFUL DESIGN" last weekend at the Heller Nature Center in Highland Park, so come onby to view the pain?ngs! The exhibit will be up for all of December.
Renew Your Ventra Pass Today!Reduced Fare For Public Transportation
Students who use Ventra cards must RENEW REDUCED FARE RIDING PRIVILEGES EVERY SCHOOLYEAR. Fill out this form and email it to [email protected] for the school to place its official seal onthe form and send to Ventra Chicago.
Don't Delay! Apply Today!
Save $500: Apply to Rochelle Zell By December 15, 2015All incoming freshmen and transfer students can save $500 ontui?on when they submit their applica?on for admission byDecember 15, 2015. Click here to begin your applica?on today!
Happy Chanukah from the Parent Organization
Thank you to Mar?ne Gorstein for organizing the Faculty/StaffChanukah fund. Thanks, too, to all of the families who contributedin support of our amazing faculty and staff. On Monday,December 14, the P.O. will provide students with a meat lunch incelebra?on of Chanukah. Come enjoy hot dogs, burgers, latkes,
and sufganiyot. Happy Chanukah!
Sponsored Breakfast
Thank you to Oliver Friedman's family for sponsoring breakfastlast week in honor of the staff. (And apologies for last week's errorin repor?ng!) If you would like to sponsor breakfast in honor ofyour favorite Tiger, contact Diane Zidman at [email protected].
Community News and Events
Alumni Trivia
Madeleine Mynae ('13), our resident ar?ste and coiffeusewhose lost calculator achieved comedic propor?ons, isstudying crea?ve wri?ng, musical composi?on, and digitalmedia design at Lake Forest College, as well as being asecond chair violinist in the college orchestra. Maddie isalso a designer at the Lake Forest Costume Shop for thetheatre. Maddie reports, "I also recently co-‐hosted and
researched as an official Digital Research Assistant for the Andrew. J. MellonFounda?on Conference here at Lake Forest. I’m also planning to study abroad at theRothberg Interna?onal School at Hebrew University next fall." Good for you, Maddie!
A Taste of Torah: Mikketz
Parashat Miketz features Joseph as the prince of Egypt, a man who was pulled up from a pit to bePharaoh’s dream interpreter and confidante. Materially he has everything. Or does he? In the middle of this week’s parasha, his brothers sojourn down to Egypt to search for food,because there is a famine in the Land of Israel. Joseph recognizes them, but they do not recognizehim. They bow down to him, and in turn, Joseph speaks harshly to them. Seemingly, Joseph hastransformed so quickly and drama?cally to look and speak like an Egyp?an, he is unrecognizable asthe Hebrew that he is. Oddly, Joseph asks the brothers to go back to Canaan and bring theiryoungest brother with them. He takes Simeon as collateral to ensure that they will return. He willdo this again. Upon the brothers’ return, Joseph has a minister place a goblet in Benjamin’s sackand subsequently accuses the brothers of stealing from him. Naturally, Joseph discovers this“stolen item” in Benjamin’s bag and says that Benjamin must go to jail. The ques?on is why does he go through this process? Why torture his brothers in this fashion?Rabbi Jonathan Sacks notes that one might think that this is out of spite, a measure-‐for-‐measureenactment of revenge, a reversal of power dynamics, and an anonymous one, at that (Not in God’sName). But Joseph cries privately in each of three situa?ons: when he first sees the brothers;when the brothers return; and aaer Judah’s passionate speech to save Benjamin, where he offershimself instead of his youngest brother. As Rabbi Sacks notes, “there is no malice here” (152). Infact, each of these situa?ons tears him apart emo?onally to the point that he needs to step asideand not let his brothers see him distraught. During each of these interac?ons, Joseph brings his brothers through the process of teshuva. AsRabbi Sacks suggests, “Joseph has constructed a controlled experiment in [Maimonides’ defini?onof] ‘perfect repentance.’” He puts the brothers in a series of situa?ons where they experienceprecisely the same situa?ons as vic?ms as the ones that they afflicted Joseph with. Finally, in nextweek’s parasha, Judah is willing to sacrifice his life for that of his brother, and the trial is over. Of utmost importance, Joseph forgives them at the end of this narra?ve. But the brothers do notask for it in words. Their true teshuva illustrates more than words ever could. And it is this “moralgrowth, on which the biblical vision depends” (156).
Rabbi Zachary Silver
From All of Us at SchoolShabbat Shalom and Chag Chanukah Sameach fromall of us here at Rochelle Zell Jewish High School!May your days be full of peace and your homes befull of light.
1095 Lake Cook Road Deerfield, IL 60015 | [email protected] | 847.470.6700