In Search of Identity

As part of a unit on Jewish Identity during first semester, Seniors expressed what being Jewish means to them:

“There is no true definition of what it means to be a Jew. Ultimately just as you cannot define you who are using a single word, nor a set of label, being a Jew encompasses every part of who you are. As Thomas Friedman, writer for The New York Times wrote in his personal reflections on Judaism: “American Jew, Jewish American”, it doesn’t matter how you put it.  Being Jewish reflects all the parts of your identity that are important to you, whether that be that you enjoy baking or that you work as a doctor. One of the most incredible aspects of being a Jew is that your personal values and beliefs intertwine with those designated in the Torah. Judaism reflects a lifestyle and an identity, not a single trait or word.”   Daniella Wirtschafter

I personally relate to the view of Thomas Friedman. He said, “Although I value my Judaism very much, it is not the only part of my identity.” I also feel that my Judaism is a huge part of my life, but it is not the only part of my life. Like I stated in the previous paragraph, being a modern Jew is all about balancing tradition and modern values. In all, for me, being a Jew truly means being a part of a big family and supporting the Jewish homeland of Israel. Sam Glaun

In today's world, most people rush to confine to the expectations and the overall confinements of society. However, many Jews strive to remain different and distinct from the remainder of the population. In today’s world, a Jew is expected to look a certain way, dress a certain way, and practice their religion in a certain way. Yet in truth, being a Jew is simply someone who feels as if they are connected to the rest of the Jewish community and identifies with some or most of the traits that a Jew obtains. He is a person who typically strives to be a kind person or a good person and therefore cares about his fellow person.  Allison Siegel

I used to think that being Jewish was more an ethnicity than anything else. When I truly

thought about it, however, I discovered how wrong my view was. Hearing Warnick’s story only confirmed to be that being Jewish is about having the knowledge and the commitment to practice Judaism while also defending it. In the modern era, at least, that is truly what being Jewish means.  Jordan Nakdimon

Personally, I value being a Jew almost as much as I value anything in my life. I

am aware of my surroundings and am aware that I cannot display how proud I am of my

heritage in certain places and at certain times. Being Jewish, one has to be more self-

aware and self-conscious in order to be safe. That is just the harsh reality. On the other

hand, there are still numerous times where I can and have the responsibility to represent

the Jewish people the way we deserve to be represented. For example, I have to be a loud

and proud voice of our values in my community in order to show the world that the

Jewish people are a good people. David Abady

All Jews tend to have similar values. Being Jewish means that you share these morals with all others. Jews care for others and think of the greater picture. Being a modern Jew is being a good person to all others and accepting others for who they are. Also, Jews believe in the state of Israel and try to protect it. The practicing of Judaism is important to many, but being Jewish should be about acknowledging and wanting to support this great, worldwide community. Arielle Thornton

What it truly means to be a Jew is ultimately up to the individual person. Everybody has their own levels of observance of the laws and traditions, and since we have freedom of religion in most countries today, that decision cannot be made by any governing body. Rather, it’s up to each person and their families to decide how observant they want to be, and if they will teach their traditions and values to the next generation. While this may result in people “leaving” the faith or not practicing any Judaism at all, the world will continue to change everyday, and unless Judaism is willing to change with it, it will be left behind. We can’t erase our heritage, but we can choose how observant we are. Joseph Zilonka

AP Chem &AP Bio Students Design Experiments for Due Diligence Report for Investment Banker

The AP Chemistry and AP Biology classes presented to an Investment Banker a due diligence report on the claims made by the company that produces Alkaline88 Water.

The AP Chemistry students tested the Alkaline88 Water against tap, Dasani, and Aquafina to determine if the company’s claim of their water being alkaline and different from the pH of other brands was valid. Their findings indicated that the water did have the highest pH and was the most alkaline of the group tested. But, all of the waters tested were alkaline.  

The AP Bio students tested the effects of Alkaline88 water on the acids in the stomach and researched possible positive or negative health effects of drinking alkaline water.

Their findings indicated that the Alkaline88 water caused a small change in the pH of hydrochloric acid, the acid found  in the stomach. A change in the pH of the stomach acid could possibly be detrimental to the activity of the digestive enzymes in the stomach.

The research as to the  health effects of an alkaline water was inconclusive. No definite benefits were found and no negative effects were reported when ordinary amounts of alkaline water were consumed.

College Counseling Update

The world of College Counseling is always active and exciting! Our Seniors have completed their applications and are beginning to receive responses from their colleges. Decisions will continue to come in through the end of March and many Seniors are busy with scholarship applications in addition to keeping their grades up, as expected by colleges and universities. 

Juniors have begun the Mentor Group curriculum so that they are fully prepared for their own college process, starting with the Junior Survey self-assessment and using Naviance Family Connection, our exceedingly valuable web-based college advising database and program. 

Additionally, all Juniors and many Sophomores are participating in our college visit to both FAU and University of Miami on Wednesday, January 27th. This bus trip is one of several opportunities that students have to learn about some of our Florida colleges as well as to gain exposure to college life.

Standardized testing is still an important aspect of the college application process and we provided a full-length practice ACT for Juniors and Sophomores on Sunday, January 24th.  On February 25th, students and parents will learn how to compare these results with the results from the PSAT in order to choose the exam which offers the greatest opportunity for success.

Our freshmen are not left out of the activity! Many parents of ninth grade students attended the College Counseling 101 introductory program on January 14th, and all Freshmen will have a meeting scheduled in college counseling over the next few months. Sophomores too will benefit from individual meeting in college counseling. 

As always, if you have any questions about our four-year college counseling program, please contact Jackie Rockman at rockmanj@dkja.net!

Learning about the American Israel Alliance at Rosenblatt High School

The I-team Fellowship is a club that has been meeting throughout the year under the leadership of co-Chairs, Ezra Saragossi and Noam Tansman. This club has a committee of students that meets regularly to develop leadership in Israel advocacy. Students hear from a variety of speakers and gain insights into the history, politics, economy and culture of the State of Israel. This empowers the students to take leadership roles in local and national organizations that interest them.   

On Monday, January 18, 2016, at the Boca Raton Resort and Club, ten students from Rosenblatt High School at DKJA attended the South Palm Beach County Annual AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee) Event. This is a precursor to the AIPAC National Conference in Washington, DC. 

The honored guests speakers where Staff Sergeant Robert Bartlett, Iraqi War Veteran, and local area Rabbis, Rabbi David Baum, Rabbi Jessica Spitalnic Brockman and Rabbi Efrem Goldberg.   

AIPAC is the only American organization whose principal mission is to lobby the U.S. government about legislation that strengthens the relationship between the United States and Israel. AIPAC is not a political action committee. It does not rate, endorse, or contribute to candidates.

Students networked with community leaders, led Hatikva, and were inspired by the program.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Plotkin

Minimester: Digitizing Projects

When I explained to the students that the websites they were learning to build were like "shelves" on which they could place anything they wanted -- hobbies, school work, interests, etc. -- I had no idea how many remarkably talented kids we have. I hope you enjoy viewing their work as much as I have.

A number of students began the course admitting that they had little comfort, skill or knowledge with computers, and ended the course constructing the foundations for beautiful websites, showcasing their many talents. I was proud of them, but the real pleasure was seeing them have pride in their own work.  

I was impressed at how quickly the students picked up graphic design skills. They often watched me demonstrate something once and then be able to edit their layouts with ease. Most were students I do not have the pleasure of teaching in a class, and it was fun to share the enjoyment of digitizing work with them. 

They agreed to share their sites with you. Please remember these are just beginnings, the result of only hours of work and learning. We used Wix, an Israeli program, to build our sites.

http://moshegadisawesome.wix.com/mosbikes

http://rosez26.wix.com/zach-rose

http://brennerk6.wix.com/steak-house

http://supovitzm.wix.com/carmisdiner

http://zilonkajo.wix.com/sport-photography

http://englandery.wix.com/seasonal-desserts

Best Wishes,

Amanda Dawes   

Dean of Technology Integration

Are You Ready for the Second Semester: Keys to Success!

Now that the holidays are over, it's time to really focus on doing well in school! Here are several tips that might help you reach success!

1)  Use a calendar to note short-term and long-term assignments. Provide enough time to complete your assignments!

2)  Review your study methods. How do you learn best? Gather all necessary materials, designate a study space, review and reread all pertinent materials, and determine what areas require your attention. Do you rewrite your notes? Do you generate a study outline? Do you provide ample time to master your subject area?

3)  Set goals for success! You can set goals on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. What do you want to accomplish and how can you specify exactly what goals you want to reach?

4)  Make the time to attend extra-help. Your teachers are available to help you! Set an appointment!

5)  Have you thought of forming a study group? Many students benefit from collaborative reading and analysis.

Second semester success depends on YOU!  

- Claudia Marcus, 

English Department Chair

A Successful Minimester

Yesterday, we concluded our first Minimester program. From Monday through Wednesday, we ran over 40 different courses, many taught by our faculty and seven taught by outside professionals or members in the DKJA community who bring special talents and expertise to our High School.

As I walked around school this week, I witnessed students involved in classes which were brand new to them, learning from and with teachers whom they had never studied with before and exploring topics from a variety of perspectives.

Here is a sampling of some of what occurred in Rosenblatt High School this week:

• Students in “Physics in Comics/Superheroes” attempted a problem which asked how much energy Superman would need to prevent another planet from hitting the earth.
• Students in “Savings and Life” heard from three of their teachers about why attending lectures in college and getting to know your professors is extremely important.
• Students in “Sports Reporting and Fantasy Sports” conducted a mock NFL Draft after learning from a CBS Sports analyst about how to understand the value of players.
• Students in "Botany/Horticulture” tested the soil in the Donna Klein garden and completed their course by planting in the garden as well.
• Students in “3-D Printing” began building an actual 3-D printer.
• Students in “Jewish History and Genealogy” worked on a project about their own family’s history and story.  
• Students in “CPR Training and Certification” took the course which prepares them to test for CPR certification.

This is just a partial view of the program and we look forward to strengthening and expanding it in the future by continuing to introduce our students to new ideas and experiences via our talented faculty, university professors and professionals in the community.

Sincerely,

Rabbi Marshall Lesack

'Relating to the Other' JTS Day of Learning on Feb. 21st at B'nai Torah Congretation - Community Welcome

The community is invited to this informative program. Please RSVP at www.jtsa.edu/bocaraton2016