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Hamakor- the Source Friday, March 22, 2019/15 Adar II 5779

Stories of the Week:

we partied like it's...purim!

There is no better place to be than at Hillel on Purim. All the mitzvot related to the holiday - hearing the megillah, giving gifts of food to friends, tzedakah to the needy, and a festive meal (or in our case, treats all day long, including hamentaschen distributed by our awesome PTO) - come alive. In the early morning, fifth graders read Megillat Esther to their parents, and third and fourth graders, and then read it again for Jewish seniors at the Teitel Apartments in Oak Park, in a show of “Kol Yisrael Arevim Zeh Bazeh,” that all of Israel is responsible for one another.

Our seventh and eighth graders also participated in megillah reading that included master megillah reader Dr. Jeffrey Lupovitch (class of 1981), and then they ran exciting carnival games for ECC-fourth graders in the afternoon.

And of course, everyone at school dresses up, from princess in the ECC to eighth graders who dressed as one another to staff who adopted an animal theme this year, turning school into a quasi Hillel zoo!

There’s an element of controlled chaos to the day, but that spirited energy makes it extra special. We truly come together as a Jewish community celebrating a great triumph in our collective history, and our students, as our first graders showed in their phenomenal Purim play, demonstrate that they know our story well and will be able to transmit it to the next generation, once they become the parents in the audience drowning students in applause!

who will win our sukkah design challenge?

It may have been Purim on Thursday, but seventh graders were already looking ahead to Sukkot as they worked in the MakerSpace designing tabernacles for an upcoming contest to create Sukkot for use at school. The project-based learning involves math and critical thinking, and also allows students to take ownership of the custom to build a sukkah.

The students are working individually or in pairs, and will present models of approximately 28 designs to a panel of architects for feedback on May 1, followed by the sixth grade voting on May 24 to select two designs for construction.

Elliot Salama, graphing a 12’x4’ sukkah that he plans to make out wood, hopes his design will make the cut. “I’m hoping we can use this one at school.”

The eventual goal, says Rabbi David Fain, our Rav Beit Hasefer, "is to have a project tied to each holiday in our Jewish year."

professional development news: computer learning

Teachers Marnie Diem, Dana Friedman, Lori Rashty, and Kim Stern spent part of this week downtown at the Michigan Association for Computer Users in Learning conference for educators.

“Teachers are at the forefront of using all of the new educational technology that comes on the market, so it’s interesting to see what’s changing in the industry and how we can bring it back for our students’ benefit,” Mrs. Friedman said.

“What’s crucial is that technology support learning but not take it over,” said Mrs. Rashty and Mrs. Stern. “For instance, when students are using computers to learn, and are building computer skills, we want to promote student engagement and collaboration within that,” they said. “It’s about ‘getting centered,’ when working with our 21st century learners!”

in other news...

Take a break from Pesach preparation to volunteer on Friday, April 12 for Bookstock! Or help the PTO sort books on Wednesday, March 27. For more information, contact Lisa Keller. Remember, together we DO MORE!

The April lunch menu is here. (Enjoy chametz while you can!)

Your last chance to order a yearbook has arrived. Email abieniewicz@hillelday.org ASAP!

Advancement News

let's celebrate!

Celebrate our Annual Gala honorees by placing an ad in the Shulman Scholarship Journal distributed to all who attend the gala. This year's Dream Maker Award recipients are Joy and Allan Nachman, and our Rabbi Jacob E. Segal z"l Award honorees are Reneé and Craig Erlich. This year, we will also recognize our outgoing Head of School, Steve Freedman, for 16 years of service, and name him an Honorary Alumnus of Hillel Day School. We hope you will join us at the gala on Sunday, June 2. www.hillelday.org/shulmanjournal

pave the way to Hillel's future!

To help fund our ECC expansion, you are invited to leave a permanent mark at the school by purchasing a brick for a special pathway to be installed in front of the school. Honor a student, graduate, and/or family member by customizing a brick. Inscribe these decorative bricks as a gift for a favorite teacher or staff member. Help them become a permanent legacy of Hillel.

Bricks come in several sizes. All purchases and/or donations are tax deductible. Purchase a brick and/or learn more here, or contact Hillel’s Advancement Office at (248) 851-6950 by June 1, 2019.

annual fund update

Thank you to all who have participated in the Annual Fund:

Dvar Torah: parashat tzav

What is the fire and focus of your life? What is our fire and focus here at Hillel?

In this week’s parasha we are reminded to think about these questions. We read about the constant fire burning in the Tent of Meeting, the holy place where Bnai Yisrael, the people of Israel, in the desert would encounter God. The Torah says the

וְהָאֵ֨שׁ עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֤חַ תּֽוּקַד־בּוֹ֙ לֹ֣א תִכְבֶּ֔ה וּבִעֵ֨ר עָלֶ֧יהָ הַכֹּהֵ֛ן עֵצִ֖ים בַּבֹּ֣קֶר בַּבֹּ֑קֶר וְעָרַ֤ךְ עָלֶ֙יהָ֙ הָֽעֹלָ֔ה וְהִקְטִ֥יר עָלֶ֖יהָ חֶלְבֵ֥י הַשְּׁלָמִֽים׃ אֵ֗שׁ תָּמִ֛יד תּוּקַ֥ד עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ לֹ֥א תִכְבֶֽה׃

“The fire on the altar shall be kept burning, not to go out, every morning the priest shall feed wood to it, lay out the burnt offering on it and turn into smoke the fat parts of the offerings of well beings. A perpetual fire shall be kept burning on the altar not to go out (Leviticus 6:5-6)

The biblical commentators say this fire was so important that even when the people were traveling in the desert they had to keep this constant fire going with them. Imagine the challenge of moving in the desert and keeping a fire alive. What is the meaning behind this seemingly strange activity?

On first thought is that fire can be all consuming. Fire destroys whatever is in its way. However fire also gives off heat, light, and energy. Fire can be seen, felt, and heard from a far distance. It can be dangerous but also capture the eye and imagination. Fire in the temple both consumes and destroys the sacrifices, and also inspires the people to focus their attention. Fire is our reminder to focus what is important - God, Judaism, our core values, and our purpose in life.

So what’s our fire at Hillel? What are our central beliefs at HIllel? We see our fire, our purpose written, overhead, as we enter the building every morning: to inspire a passion for learning, responsibility to self and community, and devotion to Jewish living. Our fire comes alive through living out our core values, including Talmud Torah (Education), Derech Eretz (Honor and Respect), Ve-Ahavta (A Personal Relationship with God), Tikkun Olam (Perfecting the World), and K’lal Yisrael (Unity of the Jewish People). This Shabbat let us reflect on them, and how we bring them to life.

Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi David Fain, Rav Beit Hasefer

mazal tovs

Isabelle Geller was called to the Torah on the occasion of her bat mitzvah.

got ya caught ya being a mensch!

Erica Fischman, Asher Kaluzny, Shaun Linden, Rebecca Mills, Audrey North, Moses Schuchman, Harper Sollish, Frankie Weisberg

community news

“18 Under 18” The JCC and the Jewish News will select 18 Rising Stars: Teens Making a Difference to be recognized in a special issue of the Jewish News and on social media! We want to make sure Hillel sixth through eighth graders are nominated. For more info click here.

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GBURMAN@HILLELDAY.ORG

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