Beit Rayim Hebrew School Newsletter November 2008 Cheshvan - Kislev 5769 CONTENT Shalom Parents 1 News 2 November Birthdays 2 Tu B’Shevat Contest 2 Youth Group 2 Upcoming Events 3 Shabbat Shorashim 3 Kabbalat Shabbat 3 School Council 3 Youth Program 3 November Calendar 4 Principal Rabbi David M. Eligberg Shalom Horim, An interesting twist of the calendar this year is the basic correspondence between the Jewish and secular month with Tishre and October and now Cheshvan and November running parallel to each other. This coincidence will disappear soon as each month on the Jewish calendar is one or two days shorter than the secular month, losing a total of eleven days over the course of a year. As a result the standard Jewish year consists of 354 days. This is why the rabbis created a unique leap year system adding an extra month seven times in a nineteen year cycle. These leap years were originally added based on direct observation of the growth of the crops, adding a month if the crops were not ready for the early harvest that began with the festival of Pesach. These periodic corrections insured that Pesach, the Spring festival would remain seasonally appropriate as would Sukkot, the Fall harvest festival. This process of intercalating the calendar to bring the lunar and solar years into “sync” is also what gives rise to the annual plaint, “The holidays are (a) late (b) early this year.” Without this corrective mechanism the Jewish holiday calendar would continue to loose 11 days each year and the holidays would move backwards in a manner observable today in the Islamic calendar. Whether a bit early or a bit late, the month of Cheshvan is always a period of seasonal change. In Israel it is a signal that the rainy season is arriving. In the GTA, the days are getting shorter and greyer; the air gets cooler and the weather begins to bluster. The squirrels are making the final additions to their winter stock piles; the birds have taken off for warmer climes, and skiers are waxing their skis and checking their boots. The smell of fireplaces in action wafts through the air and one can picture people curled up and cozy. All the foregoing makes the month of Cheshvan a perfect choice for Jewish Book Month; a time to stockpile some Jewish books for winter reading and Hannukah gift giving. For an excellent list of books and review for children of all ages check out www.jewishlibraries.org/ajlweb/awards/st_books.htm A wonderful resource about Jewish books for all ages is the Jewish Book Council http://www.jewishbookcouncil.org/ Enjoy a good book yourself and with your child(ren) B’vracha, Rabbi David M. Eligberg Upcoming Events Shabbat Shorashim November 1, 8 and 29 PD Day -No School November 9 Family Education Grade 6 November 16 Kabbalat Shabbat at Ree na Kita Alef November 21 School Council Meet i ng November 23 No School November 27 Family Education Grade 3 November 30 To Contact your Child’s Teacher: Please call or e-mail the school office at 905-889-0276 x 32 or [email protected]The message will be given to the teacher who will contact you.
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
Beit Rayim Hebrew School Newsletter
November 2008 Cheshvan - Kislev 5769
CONTENT
Sha lom Pa rents 1
News 2
November B i r thdays 2
Tu B ’Sheva t Contes t 2
Youth Group 2
Upcoming Events 3
Shabba t Shorash im 3
Kabba la t Shabba t 3
Schoo l Counc i l 3
Youth P rog ram 3
November Calendar 4
Principal Rabbi David M. Eligberg
Shalom Horim,
An interesting twist of the calendar this year is the basic correspondence between the Jewish and secular month with Tishre and October and now Cheshvan and November running parallel to each other. This coincidence will disappear soon as each month on the Jewish calendar is one or two days shorter than the secular month, losing a total of eleven days over the course of a year. As a result the standard Jewish year consists of 354 days. This is why the rabbis created a unique leap year system adding an extra month seven times in a nineteen year cycle. These leap years were originally added based on direct observation of the growth of the crops, adding a month if the crops were not ready for the early harvest that began with the festival of Pesach. These periodic corrections insured that Pesach, the Spring festival would remain seasonally appropriate as would Sukkot, the Fall harvest festival. This process of intercalating the calendar to bring the lunar and solar years into “sync” is also what gives rise to the annual plaint, “The holidays are (a) late (b) early this year.” Without this corrective mechanism the Jewish holiday calendar would continue to loose 11 days each year and the holidays would move backwards in a manner observable today in the Islamic calendar. Whether a bit early or a bit late, the month of Cheshvan is always a period of seasonal change. In Israel it is a signal that the rainy season is arriving. In the GTA, the days are getting shorter and greyer; the air gets cooler and the weather begins to bluster. The squirrels are making the final additions to their winter stock piles; the birds have taken off for warmer climes, and skiers are waxing their skis and checking their boots. The smell of fireplaces in action wafts through the air and one can picture people curled up and cozy. All the foregoing makes the month of Cheshvan a perfect choice for Jewish Book Month; a time to stockpile some Jewish books for winter reading and Hannukah gift giving. For an excellent list of books and review for children of all ages check out www.jewishlibraries.org/ajlweb/awards/st_books.htm A wonderful resource about Jewish books for all ages is the Jewish Book Council http://www.jewishbookcouncil.org/ Enjoy a good book yourself and with your child(ren)
B’vracha,
Rabbi David M. Eligberg
Upcoming Events
Shabbat Shorashim
November 1, 8 and 29
PD Day-No School
November 9
Family Education Grade
6
November 16
Kabbalat Shabbat at Ree
na
Kita Alef
November 21
School Council Meeting
November 23
No School
November 27
Family Education Grade
3
November 30
To Contact
your Child’s Teacher:
Please call or e-mail the school office at 905-889-0276 x 32
COLOR ISRAEL GREENCOLOR ISRAEL GREENCOLOR ISRAEL GREENCOLOR ISRAEL GREEN Tu B’Shevat Certificate Contest HOW TO ENTER:HOW TO ENTER:HOW TO ENTER:HOW TO ENTER: 1. This contest, to design the Tu B’Shevat in the Schools tree
certificate, is for students in Grades 3 through 8. 2. The 2009/5769 Tu B’Shevat theme is “Israel as a Global
Environmental Leader” • Visit www.jnf.org/goneutral to learn about Israel’s cutting edge technology and research in the areas of forestry, water, and alternative energy. • JNF is helping people offset their carbon emissions by planting trees in Israel through the JNF GoNeutral campaign. You can calculate how much carbon your family emits each year, and take steps to reduce your carbon footprint. • By making a difference in Israel you are making a positive impact on the entire world and doing your part to fight global warming.
3. “Color Israel Green!” enTREEs don’t have be green, they can be as many colors as you like, but should fill up an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper and illustrate the idea of Israel as a Global En-
vironmental Leader. Be sure to include your name, age, ad-dress, telephone number, email address and your parent’s name(s) so that you can be notified if you win.
4. All enTREEs will receive a special prize.
THE TOP FIVE DESIGNS THE TOP FIVE DESIGNS THE TOP FIVE DESIGNS THE TOP FIVE DESIGNS WILL ALSO APPEAR WILL ALSO APPEAR WILL ALSO APPEAR WILL ALSO APPEAR ONONONON----LINE AT LINE AT LINE AT LINE AT WWW.JNF.ORG/YOURPAGEWWW.JNF.ORG/YOURPAGEWWW.JNF.ORG/YOURPAGEWWW.JNF.ORG/YOURPAGE
The deadline for your enTREE is November 21, 2008. Winners will be notified by December 15, 2008. Send your enTREE to:
“Color Israel Green!” Jewish National Fund 42 East 69th Street New York, NY 10021
Questions? Contact Nina Woldin, [email protected] or 212-879-9305 x 268
We’re on the Web! www.beitrayim.org
NOVEMBER BIRTHDAYSNOVEMBER BIRTHDAYSNOVEMBER BIRTHDAYSNOVEMBER BIRTHDAYS Samantha Gabriel, November 3 Mia Moskovitz, November 4 Liza Gottlieb, November 14 Tyler Shea, November 17
Huntyr Andrews, November 18 Ethan Beard, November 19 Zoe Kane, November 22
Connor Nadel, November 23
Page 3 of 4 BRHS Newsletter UPCOMING EVENTS
SHABBAT SHORASHIM
Calling all families
with children 6 years old and younger!!! Join us for
a Shabbat morning full of songs, stories, prayer and snack once a month.
Shabbat Services are held at The Reena Battle Centre
927 Clark Avenue W. Thornhill
10:30 am -11:30 am
Please call the synagogue office for more information: 905-889-0276 x.31
2008-2009 SCHEDULE
November 1 November 8 November 29 December 13 January 10 February 21 March 7 April 4 May 2 June 6
Our school is NUT FREE and KOSHER.
School Council
Get involved in your child’s Hebrew School experience by joining the Beit Rayim School Council. For more information you can contact the school office or Harris Korn School Council Chair at 416-888-4344 or [email protected]. Monthly School Council meetings are on Sundays from 9:30 am to 11am. Our next meeting will be on November 23.
Beit Rayim
Youth journey
to the National
Film Board
Learn the Secrets of Animation with Clay.
Join
Kinder Kids, Yeladim, and Kadima
Sunday, November 23, 2008
12:30pm-4:45pm (Includes travel time to and from the National film board and 2 hours at the NFB) Cost: $10.00 members, $15.00 non-members
Drop-Off and Pick up: Ross Doan Public School (101 Weldrick Rd. West)
RSVP: No Later than November 16th
**Optional Lunch will be provided to those who request it for $5.00. This will only be provided if you RSVP for lunch. Otherwise please send your child with a packed lunch. To RSVP please call the synagogue office
(905)889-0276 ext. 25 or e-mail Rachel Hindel, Youth Director,