Junior Tamar Abrahami Reads A Prayer for the IDF

On Thursday morning, we held a tekes (ceremony), for the 8th-12th grade, to honor and remember Shimon Peres z”l. The ceremony included speeches by faculty, videos, student readings of Shimon Peres’ own speeches, prayers for the State of Israel, and a dvar torah from Mr. Carmi.

You can access a short video on the life of Shimon Peres by clicking here and a longer one by clicking here. Both are from CNN. You can also access a funny video about him searching for a new job after his retirement from being President by clicking here.

Below is Mr. Carmi’s Dvar Torah from this morning:

In the Jewish tradition when we mention the name of a dead person we add two letters after his or her name,  ZL. These letters are the initials of the hebrew words Zichrono li-vracha, “may his memory be a blessing” or other times translated “of blessed memory.”

What does it mean to turn the memory of a person into a blessing?

What does it mean to turn the memory of Shimon Peres into a blessing?

What does this have to do with the High Holidays and the coming new year?

In the the Torah and in the High Holiday liturgy we come across the idea that we as Jews are connected across generations. You are familiar with this idea from the daily liturgy where we say: Le-dor va-dor nagid godlecha. From one generation to another generation we will speak about God’s greatness.

The theme of the High Holidays is judgement. We are praying together to be granted another year of life. In this situation we need someone who will speak on our behalf, a defense attorney who has clout with the Judge who can tip the balance in our favour.

Who can do that? Our ancestors.

We learn this from Moshe rabeinu, our teacher. When the people sinned and built the golden calf Moshe had to avert God’s judgment to destroy the people and create a new Jewish people from Moshe’s children.

Moshe  invoked the covenant that God made with Avraham, Yitzhak and Yaakov, and it worked. God forgave the people.

God made a promise to our ancestors that we will thrive and prosper and that ultimately we will live in peace and safety. Despite the shortcoming and small mindedness of every generation since then, it still works. We are here. Am Israel Chai.

We came to call this Zechut avot-the merit of our ancestors, which enables Jewish continuity.

Shimon Peres was a man with a great vision. He wanted our people to live in peace and safety in the land of Israel. He dedicated his life to this cause and earned lots of merit through his actions.

He was the last Israeli political leader who was there from the time before the founding of state of Israel. He lived through Israel’s wars and celebrated its peace accords.

He was there and he did a lot according to the best of his understanding.

Soon the High Holidays will be here and we will pray again עננו, please answer us. We will invoke the memories of all the times our ancestors were answered: The One who answered Abraham on Mount Moriah, answer us;

The One who answered Moshe in the burning bush, answer us; Some will add the One who answered Hanna and Devorah and Sarah,answer us.

Shimon Peres has now joined the list. The one who answered Shimon Peres with peace and security, answer our prayers for peace and security for our people.

May we be worthy to live to become the link in the chain of generations who will eventually manifest the promise you have given our ancestors for a world based on peace, justice and security for the Jewish people and for all the people of this world.

יהי זיכרו ברוך

Mr. Nachshon Carmi

8th Grade Students Join High School Students for a Pizza Lunch

8th Grade students came to Rosenblatt High School in small groups and enjoyed a pizza lunch with our students. In their groups, they learned more about our school, our academic and extra-curricular offerings, and the many reasons why our students feel so positive about going to school here. Students had the opportunity to ask questions and hear from our current students about the power of a Rosenblatt High School education.

This Rosh Hashanah should we pray in Hebrew or read the English translations?

Jewish law is clear that prayer and the Shema in particular should be recited in any language that is understood, not necessarily in Hebrew.  What has always been more important is understanding the intention of the prayers.   Regarding God, one must presume that if God is ubiquitous, he is therefore multi-lingual and can understand our prayers in any language. 

Regardless of these two realities, our rabbinic authorities throughout the ages insist on the use of Hebrew, and our schools strive for literacy in reading and comprehension.  The Rabbis understood, like Jewish leadership of today that Hebrew language is needed for the unity and cohesiveness of our people and the authenticity of Torah.  In other words, Hebrew language has a national element and a Torah element and its use in prayer has significant importance.                                       

Hebrew is used as a connection to Israel and its People.  Hebrew is the language of Israel our national homeland.  Prayer in Hebrew has been a bond of Jews from around the world, throughout time and memorial.  By having prayer in Hebrew, the people’s historical language, the peoples hope for a return to the national homeland was kept alive.  It unified people from around the world by giving them the ability to communicate with each other, in often the most sacred and personal aspects of their lives.  Today, with Hebrew as a spoken language in our national homeland, Hebrew stands as a bridge connecting diaspora Jewry with our homeland, our people and our culture.  Prayer in Hebrew serves as a tool to grasp the fundamentals of the Hebrew language. 

Beyond a connection to Israel, Hebrew is the key to unlocking the wisdom from our tradition and as the purist way to worship.  Not so that God can understand our words, but so that we can better understand Gods.   Hebrew is the language of the People of Israel and the Torah of Israel.  Jewish genius is best expressed and appreciated in its original language, Hebrew.  In Torah study and in public worship, Hebrew language remains the indispensable agent to share the cherished ideas and ideals of Judaism.    Hebrew was the language of God to His prophets and the service of the heart for the Jewish people to the Divine. 

The rabbis understood that one of the best ways to learn Hebrew is through prayer.  Because of the repetition on a daily basis, it would be an easy vehicle to reinforce Hebrew literacy.  Understanding Hebrew prayer can be a gateway to learning the mechanics of Hebrew language and a treasury of Hebrew vocabulary and expression.   The use of prayer in Hebrew was for the use of Hebrew itself, of guarding and fostering the Hebrew language, preserving the integrity and purity of the People and Torah.  In addition, it caused people to study Hebrew extensively and intensely in order to understand prayer.    

Jewish law requires “Kavana” intention, and therefore if you don’t know what you are saying, you are not accomplishing the goal of prayer.  So understanding the meanings of our prayers we are able to direct our thoughts in the proper direction.  However, each of us should endeavor this year to learn the Hebrew of prayer and its study should be considered important as it is more than something that a Jews uses to express themselves “Jewishly” or religiously.  Hebrew language strengthens Jewish unity, Jewish identity and the Jewish legacy and destiny.  It unifies us with Jews from around the world, Jewish culture and expression, and keeps alive our hope for our ultimate national redemption.  

Rabbi Baruch Plotkin, MJEd. 

Rabbi in Residence, Donna Klein Jewish Academy

FAU, Local Academy Affiliate for Medical Studies Program

Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine has entered into an agreement with the Donna Klein Jewish Academy (DKJA) to create a Medical Studies Program.

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BY KELSIE WEEKES | 9/27/2016

Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine has entered into an agreement with the Donna Klein Jewish Academy (DKJA) to permit DKJA high school students who are interested in the fields of medicine and science to participate in educational tours and visits to the University campus.

The DKJA Medical Studies Program, which began in August, is offered to students enrolled in a science-based curriculum at DKJA’s Claire and Emanuel G. Rosenblatt High School.  The affiliation with FAU’s College of Medicine will allow these students the opportunity to visit with medical school faculty, researchers and students during the school year.

“FAU is committed to providing opportunities for young people in our area to become exposed to the healthcare professions,” said Arthur J. Ross, III, M.D., M.B.A., interim dean and professor in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine. “We see this investment of our time as paying future dividends in terms of inspiring and retaining the next generation of healthcare providers for Palm Beach and Broward counties.”

Participants in the DKJA Medical Studies Program will be able to visit research laboratories, spend an afternoon in a clinical simulation laboratory, listen to a lecture on medical ethics, meet with an admissions officer and talk to current students about their experience in medical school. They are encouraged to pursue internships in the medical field and conduct independent research in the fields of medicine and science under the guidance of a DKJA faculty mentor.

To successfully complete the program, DKJA students also must take biology, chemistry, physics and an additional science course during their academic career at Rosenblatt High School. They also are required to participate in the school’s Pre-Med Club for at least two years. Those who meet the requirements of the program will be awarded a Certificate of Completion and Academic Excellence in the Medical Studies Program.

“This new affiliation will greatly enhance programming at Rosenblatt High School,” said Helena Levine, head of school at DKJA. “After completing the Medical Studies Program, our students will have a great advantage and be better prepared as they embark on their post-secondary education.”

-FAU-

High and Holy

Ahhh...the High Holy Days. These are the days that rabbis and cantors stress most about. After all - we will have our largest crowds and the most pomp and circumstance. But what is it that makes these days so high and so holy.

Truth be told, Rosh Hashanah isn’t nearly as intrinsically “high” or “holy” as Sukkot, Passover or even Shabbat. Yom Kippur is technically more sacred than Rosh Hashanah but mostly because it is a Shabbat - the Shabbat of all Shabbats. So if Rosh Hashanah is less “important” than Passover and Yom Kippur is merely a Shabbat, why is it that so much time and energy is spent on these “High Holy Days”? Why are we all going to flock to shul on these days? Why are we so stressed?!

Let’s begin our answer with a question. Why do we kiss the Torah when it comes around the sanctuary? Do we kiss the Torah because it is holy? Are we recognizing something intrinsic about this scroll that makes it worthy of our affection? Or is it actually our affection that imbues the Torah with holiness?

There are, of course, two answers. Some will argue that the Torah is holy in and unto itself. Others would say that the Torah, and in fact everything in life, only becomes holy when we make it holy. And the truth probably lies somewhere in between. But contemplate for a moment the immense power that we have just been given in this teaching - we have the power and capacity to create holiness. God has given us the power to bring holiness to space and time - and even to the Torah, simply by giving it a little kiss.

The same is true with the High Holy Days. These days may not have any unique intrinsic holiness but because we all come together to sing, celebrate and recreate ourselves on these days - we make them holy. We imbue these days with sanctity by our very presence. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are as important as they are because we make them important and that is something worth celebrating.

The real challenge comes after the final shofar blast is heard. When these holy days are gone and we are back to our everyday routines - that’s when our power to create holiness really becomes evident. It is easy to feel Jewish and holy when we are all together praying - it is far more challenging to bring holiness to every other day of the year.

Perhaps that is the lesson of these High Holy Days. If we can make these days sacred and special then we can make any day and every day sacred and special.

Rabbi David Paskin

"Linking our school community through Google Apps for Education"

 "Linking our school community through Google Apps for Education"

The school year is five weeks in, and everything is rolling along smoothly on Rosenblatt High School’s educational technology front.  This year we’re continuing the one-to-one Chromebook program that began in 2015; all the students in the high school have received their Chromebooks, and are using them to access and submit their assignments through Google Classroom, communicate with teachers, keep track of their work, read textbooks, and work with their peers through the Google Apps for Education.

Google Classroom, your child’s hub for each of their classes, has been steadily improving its features since last year.  In addition to allowing teachers to share resources with the students, it now enables them to schedule announcement postings so that students can see instructions at specific class times.  Teachers can now post questions to their students through an “Ask A Question” posting, which lets the students respond to each other as part of a group conversation.  The program is constantly rolling out features that will further the students’ abilities to interact with their teachers and peers, and to help keep them on track.

But Classroom isn’t all that’s offered through Google.  Students can keep themselves on track through several different organizing extensions offered through Google Chrome, such as Pocket, which allows them to save important web pages in an easily accessible folder.  They can also create Google Presentations as a way to help themselves prepare for a test, or easily create mini-quizzes for themselves and their friends through Google Forms.

All in all, the adoption of the Chromebook program has helped Rosenblatt High School to bring ourselves together as an academic community, and has moved us toward better organization and a unified communication standard.  It’s exciting to see think of how far it will take us.

Cory Laub

English Teacher, Technology Educator

DKJA Student Abraham Waserstein Meets With Israeli Author Etgar Keret

    Many inquire as to why the study of Hebrew beyond weekly Hebrew school classes is valuable. In addition to the religious and traditional rationales to teach Hebrew, Donna Klein Jewish Academy goes to great lengths to demonstrate how this ancient language can equip Jewish Americans with applicable aptitudes to truly understand and interact with the modern Israeli culture of today.

    This past summer, I was selected as one of 26 North American Jews who had the privilege of becoming part of the Bronfman Youth Fellowship. In this five week summer escapade in Israel, many of the lessons I received in Hebrew class in Boca Raton, Florida, showcased their applicability to real world situations. One of the many instances in which this occurred happened in the city of Jaffa when I met the author Etgar Keret.

    Keret is one of the most renowned writers in Israel for the myriad of fictional short stories, novels, and script writes for television he has contributed to the modern Israeli culture. As a child, Keret’s mother shared fictional narratives told to her during her youth in Warsaw while his father told him bedtime stories based upon adaptations of occurrences in his life. Keret cleverly explained the distinction between typical children books and the original stories he received as the difference between ordering pizza or having a homemade meal.

    The beauty to Keret’s writing is found in his usage of humor accompanied with his literary focus on uncovering the humanity in situations that most would characterize as despicable. Finding this peculiar, I asked him how he goes about to achieve this difficult literary aim. Keret stated that he utilizes fiction in order to foster a connection between the reader and the character in order to depict the similarities between both parties. This enables the reader to understand how he or she could become said character and create an opportunity to unearth insight into the underlying causes of a character’s apparent malignant action. Keret said that by trying to understand why someone may have acted in a certain fashion and putting oneself into their shoes, human beings, “work out their weak muscle of sympathy.” Keret humorously explained his goal by saying that if aliens were to come to earth and would see all the negativity and hatred man has against man they would destroy earth, but possibly if they would read his short stories and see the ability man has to humanize the negative they would spare the world.

    In Donna Klein, we were taught one of Keret’s short stories called Lishbor Et Ha-Chazir (Breaking the Pig). Having had this exposure to Keret’s writing helped me gain greater intuition from the information he shared about himself and his writing. It was truly incredible to experience the amalgamation of Hebrew learning at my school with what Keret was delivering to us in his discourse. Keret shared with us that when he wrote Lishbor Et Ha-Chazir, he intended that the pig would represent himself, not the boy. The reason for this was in order to parallel the silence he subjected himself to in order to not trouble his holocaust surviving parents who were scarred by the horrors they experienced in Poland. When I received this wisdom from Keret, the first thing that I thought of was how incredible it would be to share this information with my school and community. The applicability of knowledge truly has no barriers and could be found in all corners of the world from the suburbs of Boca Raton to the city of Jaffa.

Abraham Waserstein

    

    

A Jewish Philosophy

A Jewish Philosophy:  

The appreciation of one’s legacy is crucial for one’s dignified survival.  As a Jewish educator I prefer to point to Judaism as a priceless gift rather than a heavy burden.  I prefer to point out its benefits rather than focus on its requirements.  I believe we must offer the students at DKJA strong reasons to be inspired about Jewish life.  They should come to realize that Jewish life offers so much for our own benefit, our own spiritual enrichment and our own personal destiny.  Below are seven crucial factors for educating our children and building a vibrant DKJA Jewish community.    

1.       Sense of a shared destiny which subsumes Jewish self-esteem, pride in being human and pride in being Jewish.
2.       Sense of self-reliance which incorporates aiming for excellence and success.  We must cultivate an enterprising spirit; ingenuity, perseverance in coping with social and economic demands.
3.       Faithfulness to our community, that comprises loyalty, hope and a conviction of our peoples Divinely promised indestructibility and ultimate redemption.
4.       A sense of solidarity, community responsibility, based on the idea that all Jews are responsible for each other.
5.       An appreciation of Israel, Hebrew language and Hebrew culture.  Recognizing the gift of the State of Israel and its contributions, and its unique ability to offer the Jewish people the right to self-determination as a Nation and a People.   
6.       A sense of duty and commitment which includes dedication to Torah study and practice, respect for law and morality.
7.       An appreciation of Judaism as a gift; recognizing the joy and excitement of Jewish living, and realizing the contribution of Judaism, viewing it as a religion vital to the other nations of the world.

Shabbat Shalom and Good Shabbos!

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Rabbi Baruch Plotkin, MJEd. 

Rabbi in Residence, Donna Klein Jewish Academy

Welcome back to the DKJA HS Science Blog for the 2016 - 2017 Academic Year.

This post highlights our Seniors, and welcomes our newest member of the Science Department, William Bowman. Mr. Bowman teaches our Seniors AP Physics, Honors Physics, and Physics. He comes to us from a Private Preparatory school in Tampa FL. We are thrilled he has joined the Rosenblatt High School faculty.

The AP class has already been submerged into the world of Kinematic Physics, as they are challenged in an inquiry lab.  Senior Dana Lipson is carrying out the experiment.

                                    

Ask your AP Physics student to explain this lab to you.

We look forward to an exciting Science Year.

SENIOR YEAR EXPECTATIONS


The senior year expectations meeting, held on September 6th was an important beginning to the senior year for seniors and their parents. The program included presentations from Rabbi Lesack and Mrs. Joseph on the important dates for the senior year, senior privileges and the critical role that seniors play as the leaders and role models of the school.  Ms. Rockman discussed the important dates and deadlines of the college application process as well as specific information about Florida public colleges and changes in the financial aid programs and dates beginning this fall.  Finally, Jack Rosenbaum shared a moving video on the March of the Living and then talked about the meaningful experiences that our seniors will have when they take part in the March. 

I am My Generation’s and My Generation is Mine

This coming Sunday, when we commemorate the 15th anniversary of 9/11, will be the 8th day of the Hebrew month of Elul.

Elul is the month that immediately precedes Tishrei and the Jewish holidays. It is a time period for reflection, for introspection and for preparation for the Chagim and the year ahead.

In rabbinic thought, Elul is also an acronym that represents the relationship between God and the Jewish people. Written as אלול in Hebrew, it is understood to stand for the idea -

אני לדודי ודודי לו - I am my beloved’s and my beloved in mine. It is a word that represents the bond between God and the Jewish people, who were united first during the exodus from Egypt and then, more formally, during their union at Mount Sinai. It is an acronym that suggests a deep connection and a deep love for one another and a union that is everlasting.

In marking the 15th anniversary of 9/11, we are well aware that it was a day which began with disgust, with hatred and with evil. The events of the day took the lives of so many innocent people and changed our world, and the world of our children, forever.

Yet, for those of us who remember, there were many moments of coming together in the face of the horror of 9/11; coming together as individuals, as communities, as Americans. There were many moments of love, and of unity and of strength. There were stories of sacrifice, of selflessness and compassion, coupled with a strong desire to help and protect one’s neighbor.

In this month of אלול, coinciding with 9/11, I suggest we also consider the acronym to mean:  

אני לדורי ודורי לי - I am my generation’s and my generation is mine. There is a bond that was built among Americans as a result of 9/11. It was a bond that was formed as a result of hatred, but on account of it brought people together to defend, to protect and to support one another.

How can we learn from the horrors of those days?

We can look to the care that was shown to the bereaved, to the energy that was given to find survivors in the wreckage, to the many faith communities who came together in the aftermath to attempt to build a path forward together, to the respect that was given to our Policemen, Firefighters and Servicemen and women. We can remember how a generation of people came together to try to do good in the face of so much pain, loss and utter disbelief.

We are much stronger together than as individuals.

. אני לדורי ודורי לי - I am my generation’s and my generation is mine

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Lesack

 

We have had  a wonderful time yesterday at the University of Florida!  After our bus ride to Gainesville we enjoyed some time at the Bookstore – stocking up on Gator Gear. Afterwards we saw a “Gator” video and spoke with our admissions officer, Theos Rizos, who gave us the rundown on the application process, along with some tips and advice.  Our campus tour was beautiful and we met several of our DKJA alumni along the way.  The tour concluded at the famous ‘Swamp’, AKA the football stadium.  What a fun and energetic environment! 

On the last leg of the day, we walked over to the beautiful Hillel building and were hosted by CEO Rabbi Adam Grossman.  He shared a lot about the evolving mission of Hillel at UF, strongly focused on living a Jewish life post college with innumerable opportunities for internships and to connect with Israel.  We enjoyed a delicious BBQ dinner at Chabad and Rabbi Berl Goldman was an amazing host. He even gave us Gator gifts – kippot and t-shirts.  Several of our students had fun out on the basketball court with some UF students.

We ended the day with some snacks and conversation in the hotel lobby before some much needed rest.  We'll let you all know about our adventures at Florida State University tomorrow!

Mrs. Jackie Rockman

Welcome Back

WELCOME BACK!

A hearty welcome back to all students and parents! We are very excited to be back in the classroom this year where we are introducing new changes to the history curriculum that will continue to build on an a wonderful foundation of education already established at Rosenblatt High School. This year, we are adding a Human Geography component to all 9th grade history courses and an Economics piece to the 12th grade curriculum. With these additions, we hope to allow students to understand how humans interact with each other and learn valuable skills necessary to moving into a collegiate realm.

One of the exciting things we are incorporating in our classrooms this year is our new Idea Paint wall. This allows both the students and teachers to use an entire wall of the classroom as an interactive white board. The goal is to use this as a means of building group discussion and enhancing student interaction in the course material. It has already been a wonderful addition to my classroom and to the learning and collaboration experience of our students.

Nicholas Belotto