Yom Hashoah Assembly

Yom Hashoah Assembly

This past Monday we gathered to mark Yom Hashoa'a Ve-hagvurah- Holocaust Remembrance Day. We were honored to have with us several survivors who have become part of the fabric of our school's community.  The assembly was attended by middle school and high school students, teachers, parents and guests.  The assembly combined historical data with inspirational readings, prayers, music,poetry and song. 

Every grade was represented by our outstanding students, starting with the 6th graders who read a psalm, the 7th graders who read a poem and students from every grade in the high school who read poetry and sang. Thank you to Ms. Luel, our music teacher, who selected moving songs.

We closed the assembly with a special ritual of dropping rocks into a bowl in silence. Every rock made an audible sound that represented a lost life.  We trust that this assembly left a permanent mark on the heart and mind of our students.

2017 March of the Living - Abe Waserstein

2017 March of the Living

Abe Waserstein

Today, we visited the concentration/death camp of Majdanek.  Tears ran down my face as we saw the barracks, gas chambers execution pits, and the crematoriums.

While hearing the story of children digging to hide their most treasured possessions so that the Nazis would not strip it away from them, I clinched onto my necklace which holds the Chai given to me at birth and the Magen David given to me when I turned 18.  This has always been my beloved item and an object that encapsulates the sum of my Jewish passions, but now this chain means so much more.  What I wear around my neck is a symbol of the Jewish collective experience.  The same collective experience that gave my grandmother and grandfather the hope to survive as well as for many other Jews.

After seeing the crematorium and saying the mourner's Kaddish, I cried.  I then emotionally collapsed when I saw the pile of ashes of my ancestors, but I am grateful to have my fall suspended by the hands of those around me, the strangers and friends who have now become family.  I now truly understand what Jewish oneness and mishpacha means.

2017 March of the Living - Joseph Zeuner

2017 March of the Living

Joseph Zeuner

These past few days in Poland on the March of the Living we have visited many sites including Auschwitz, Birkenau, and Podgorze. Visiting these sites reminded me of how lucky I am to attend DKJA because I am currently seeing first hand the places and horrors I have learned about for so many years. 

While at the Krakow ghetto wall Jack Rosenbaum, the director of the trip, briefly touched on the story of Kuba and Hela Beck. When Jack started speaking I knew I had heard the story before. I realized that I had interviewed Kuba in 8th grade with Lior Chaham as part of the 8th grade Holocaust studies program. During the interview, Kuba shared with us the story of him and his wife Hela who were saved by the righteous gentile Oskar Shindler. From the ghetto wall we proceeded to Shindler's factory. We stood outside the factory and learned more about the great doings of Oscar Shindler. On the walls, many of the Shindler survivors were pictured. Jack pointed out Kuba's picture to me. It was amazing to see my interview with Kuba in 8th grade connect so intricately with my experiences here in Poland.

March of the Living - Blog 2

March of the Living 2017

Dana Lipson

"GOOD SHABBOS!! 

Last night, we began our first March of the Living Shabbat by walking through the streets of Krakow to a Jewish museum where we held our beautiful Kabbalat Shabbat service. The service was led by Rabbi Plotkin and Rabbi Brodie who both encouraged great amounts of student involvement. We shared stories, sang songs, danced, and overall had an incredible experience. The ruach (spirit) was so evident among the entire region, it was truly palpable. 

Following the service, we walked to dinner which was shared with a number of other regions on the march, including: Switzerland, Dallas, Miami-Dade, and BBYO. Throughout the night we continued to sing and dance with both our new friends and old friends, even though after seeing Auschwitz-Birkenau together, we all feel like family. 

This morning we had a number of different options for Tefilah that we could choose from. Of those options, there was one that involved traveling to the nearby Polish synagogue where services were being held for members of the community. About 25 students went with Rabbi Plotkin and Rabbi Broide to Isaac Synagogue, the Chabad of Krakow. Isaac Synagogue is a surviving synagogue from the Holocaust, with faded writing on the wall. We learned that the writings were actually the Tefilah prayers that the people used because they didn't all have siddurim, that we are so blessed to have today. 

The rest of the day consisted of our walking all around the old city of Krakow. We saw the remnants of the Krakow ghetto, seeing Schindler's factory, and then visited the Jewish quarter. All in all, it was an inspiring day. We got to feel what life was like in Krakow before and during the war. Seeing these sites in Krakow showed us how these innocent people, who were ripped from their familiar surroundings, separated from their loved ones, and systematically murdered, were real people. It personalized everything we've learned thus far about the Holocaust. This opportunity has made us feel proud of our heritage and has given us even more of a responsibility to ensure that we, and all of the world, never forget."

March of the Living 2017

March of the Living 2017

It is truly an honor to travel with 23 seniors from Rosenblatt High School at Donna Klein Jewish Academy.  We have joined with another 100 students from the Southeast Region which includes students from other local schools as well as students from New Zealand and Australia.  In addition to the students my own son is travelling with us. 

After a fun flight getting to know each other, we landed in Warsaw, then gathered into our various bus groups (red, blue, green and purple) and drove to Lodz the second largest Jewish community in Poland on the eve of the war.  We began at the Radegast Station “umschlagplatz” (deportation station) where the Jews of the Lodz Ghetto were liquidated.  As we stood at the station, the very place that families were separated from each other, I along with many other chaperones clutched our own children, as our Survivors Rosette Goldstein and Sam Ron shared their families stories and we heard testimonies from students who shared the stories of their families.    

After these moving and meaningful testimonies, we crowded into a cattle car (train) and prayed together.  With great emotion, we brought the Torah that was recently donated to our local March of the Living, and read it for the first time on a “March” on the very same cattle car, that transported Jews to Auschwitz.  It was a transformative experience for everyone.  We sang together and cried together and celebrated life as this is the March of the Living.  In just a short few hours of our being in Poland, it is clear to everyone that this is going to be an experience that will stay with us throughout our lives.  We look forward to Shabbat in Krakow and the March itself on Monday (Yom Hashoah).   It is a great blessing to be able to have this experience.  Shabbat Shalom!   

FAU Medical Open House

FAU Medical Open House

Tuesday night, DKJA parents, Administrators, Board members and community members were invited to the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University to learn about the university's affiliation with Claire and Emanuel G. Rosenblatt High School at Donna Klein Jewish Academy, and its Medical Studies Program.

 

Guests had the opportunity to meet faculty and learn about what students are learning while at FAU. Presentations were made by educators and administrators, as well as Rosenblatt High School students in the program.

Special thanks to Joanna L Drowos DO, MPH, MBA, Associate Chair of the Integrated Medical Science Department; Director of the Community and Preventive Medicine Clerkship; and Associate Professor of Integrated Medical Science, for being so instrumental in making this program possible. Dr. Drowos (also a DKJA parent), and the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at FAU have provided unique learning and programming to Medical Studies students through innovative, hands-on learning. Florida Atlantic University Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine.

Fireside Reading of Edgar Allen Poe

"Fireside" Reading of Edgar Allen Poe

Using a little technological ingenuity, Ms. Restivo’s 9th grade honors class was treated to a “fireside” reading of Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado.”   Via the classroom's Smartboard, students experienced the crackle of the fire and the glowing embers of the flames: a perfect setting for reading Poe and learning about the Dark Romanticism and Gothic genres.  Featured in the picture is freshman Sam Bernstein, who tried his hand at doing a dramatic reading of the story  - with a little coaching from Ms. Restivo. 

- Elizabeth Restivo

Spring Sports Update

Spring Sports Update

The Eagles and Lady Eagles Tennis Teams are primed for the district playoffs that will be taking place the week of April 3rd.  Both teams got off to great starts to the season but due to injuries, illness, trips, and tests, both teams struggled down the stretch.  #1 singles players Chad Friedman and Jessica Siegel only lost one singles match each the entire season and are both highly seeded for the district playoffs.  Other singles qualifiers are:  Moshe Gad, Ashley Klein, Chase Moed, Eden Leder, Aaron Brenner, Talya Kadish, Ben Zeuner and Elanit Berkower.  Good luck to them all!

The Eagles JV Baseball Team took to the field for the first time and there is a lot of positive signs moving forward.  Pitchers Chase Moed, Jesse Rosenblatt, and Zev Englander have improved each and every game.  Sam Bernstein behind the plate and Justin Goodis at third base have been outstanding on defense.  Ben Zedeck, Blayse Freedman, and Ira Kaplan have either driven in runs or played solid in the field.