Friday Letter

Friday Letter Archive | Friday Letter Alerts

December 21, 2007

12 Tevet 5768

Candle Lighting: 4:16 pm
Havdalah: 5:03 pm
Parashat Vayechi

Dear Schechter Parents and Guardians,

Last Friday, December 14^th, we had another wonderful Kabbalat Shabbat celebration. With help from Rabbi Stanger and Cantor Karavani, Rabbi Schwartz taught the weekly parasha (Torah portion) and all Kindergarten-2^nd Grade children named Benjamin, Joshua, Dina, and/or Jacob enjoyed being part of the parasha.  We welcomed Shabbat with praying, singing and dancing, and a good time was had by all.  We will continue this new tradition in 2008, so please review the new schedule that was sent home on Monday.  All parents are encouraged to join us every Friday to share in this wonderful experience.

Rabbi Michael Katz, husband of our school librarian, Ms. Fran Katz, will continue another tradition in 2008.  Every Monday morning Rabbi Katz teaches the weekday prayers to our fourth grade students.  Through stories, explanations, and a question and answer format, Rabbi Katz instills in our students the importance and sanctity of prayer, and he helps our learners elevate their own personal participation with prayer.  With humor, anecdotal stories, and heartfelt memories, Rabbi Katz brings our fourth grade students to an interactive, engaging place.  It is a positive place that ensures Conservative Judaism has a future because our students can carry on our sacred traditions.

Cantor Gitlin, father of Tamara in grade 3 and Eitan in Kindergarten, will also participate in such an endeavor.  Beginning January, 2008 Cantor Gitlin hopes to come once a month to daven (pray) with our fifth grade students.  This will allow our students to extend the learning that they had as fourth graders.  It will deepen their understanding and their perspectives as they broaden their sense of community.  We are fortunate to have such a community – one that finds sharing with others a most worthy endeavor.

May you and yours always find yourself at home within the community where you daven.

Worthy of Mention

Information about two after school Hebrew Conversational Clubs was sent home recently to all 2^nd through 5^th grade families.  The club for 2^nd and 3^rd grade students will take place on Tuesdays from 3:30-4:30 pm. The club for 4^th and 5^th grade students will take place on Wednesdays from 3:30-4:30 pm.  In order to establish the clubs we need an enrollment of at least ten children.  Each club will be capped at twelve children.  If you are interested in having your child participate in either one of these clubs, please return your response to the office as soon as possible.

Todah Rabbah

Our annual Sports Night held Tuesday evening was a great success.  Chaired by Lewis Bartell and Lester Weiss, this fundraiser brought fun and enthusiasm to all the sports fans in our SSDS community.  Parents and students had the opportunity to meet NY Islander players Bill Guerin and Chris Campoli.  Participants had an opportunity to have their picture taken with the celebrities, bid in the silent auction, and win raffle prizes.  We send a hearty todah rabbah (thank you) to Lewis and Les and their committee for this outstanding event.

We also extend a hearty thank you to the kitchen staff that provides lunch for our children every day. We say a special thank you and good luck to Anthony Kendall and Sean Denice who are leaving us to pursue academic studies.  We gratefully welcome back Tess Dewil who was out for a while due to health issues and is now feeling fine.

Thank you for reading.  Shabbat Shalom and kol tuv,

Meisha Leibson
Principal, Elementary School

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