Dear Kehillat Schechter,
In Tehillim 115 we learn: “The heavens are the Lord’s heavens, but the earth God has given to humanity.” The Tu B’shevat learning and experiences throughout Gross Schechter Day school this week not only taught but amplified this message. Students gained a deeper appreciation for the awe inspiring gift of our natural world as well as an increasing understanding of our responsibility to the earth and its well being. I am very proud of the students’ obvious joy in their Jewish learning and their eagerness to care for their world. Please enjoy here a snapshot of today’s non stop Tu B’shevat action.
In addition to celebrating the upcoming holiday, we are thrilled to celebrate Gross Schechter Day School teacher, Lauren Henkin. An outstanding educator, Lauren was announced as the 2021 recipient of the Jewish Education
Center’s Ratner-Goldberg Israel Fellowship. The Jewish Education Center will formally present Lauren with this well deserved award on Sunday, March 6 at their 28th Annual Celebration. We are extremely proud of our beloved Ms.Henkin every single day and we are delighted that she will be publicly recognized in our community for her excellence in teaching language arts education and her thoughtful leadership in our middle school and beyond. Mazal tov to Lauren.
Gross Schechter Day School will be closed on Monday in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Please see below for information on exciting programming that is being offered at the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage.
Shabbat Shalom,
IMPORTANT DATES:
- Monday January 17: Martin Luther King Jr Day, NO SCHOOL
How would you react to being free? In this parsha, the Jewish people cross the sea and are free from Egypt forever! Read the parsha
. But then, they immediately start complaining. They complain about water and food in a very disrespectful way. Hashem responds to their requests, giving them manna and quail, yet punishes them for their behavior. Do we agree with Hashem? Or do we sympathize with the newly freed Jewish people and their persistent slave mentality?
This week’s question:
This week is also called Shabbat Shira. Why?
Last week’s answer:
How do we know that the plague of darkness was more than just the normal darkness of night?
The wording of the Torah says, “a thick darkness”. The commentaries reason that the darkness wasn’t just a normal night darkness, but a darkness where people were physically stuck and unable to move.
Shabbat Shalom,
Maltz Museum Presents: Hear Our Voices
GSDS is pleased to partner with the Maltz Museum to honor the legacy of The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with an all-day celebration on January 17! Don’t miss in person and online programming including free Maltz Museum admission, virtual interactive family activities, a Stop the Hate Essay Writing Workshop for 6-12 graders, and a special online program on The Black Museum Movement in America featuring Dr. Khalid el-Hakim, founder of the Black History 101 Mobile Museum. Learn more and register at
GSDS Partners with ISACS 2022 Parent Series
ISACS (Independent Schools Association of the Central States) has announced their 2022 virtual seminar schedule and line up. There will be five, one hour sessions between January and May for parents in all stages of their child’s growth. The webinars will be offered via Zoom Webinar, 7:30 – 8:30 pm eastern. Sessions will be recorded to accommodate busy schedules.
which includes complete descriptions and speaker bios.
The next session, Smart But Scattered: How Parents Can Help Strengthen Executive Skills in Their Children, will take place on Wednesday, February 9 at 7:30 pm,.