A Business Plan for Life by Rabbi Baruch Plotkin

In almost every job that I have ever had, I was asked at the beginning of the year to present a business plan on what I hoped to accomplish. My supervisor often reviewed it with me and then evaluated my progress quarterly. It was a useful tool to determine and clarify what my goals and objectives were and if I was achieving them. When we greet each other on Rosh Hashanah with the famous phrase, “may you be written into the book of life,” I always think about that business plan and I feel compelled to write and present my life-plan. I figure that if I have to justify my salary to my boss, maybe I need to justify my life to the Boss of the Bosses. Each year as I celebrate the creation of the world with my family and friends, I take the opportunity to start anew, to re-create and re-build my world. I reflect on my relationship with my wife and my children, and dream about how I can enrich those relationships making them more meaningful and fulfilled. I think about how I can participate and help in the community, and contribute to Klal Yisrael. I work out my Torah learning goals, financial strategies, some vacation ideas, and of course how I am going to take care of my health. I write these goals down and I take them with me during the holidays, and take it out from time to time during the year when I am praying. I find that it keeps me on track and lets me know if I am living up to the great blessing of my life and the people in it.

Whenever a great project is envisioned, a host of preparations must be made before the goal can be achieved. When we get to Rosh Hashanah, we are asked for our life-business plans. The ‘Books are opened’ and we present to the King why he should consider giving us life this year.  We blow the shofar to awaken ourselves to the incredible opportunity that we have; to dream our dreams, to formulate for ourselves our life mission statement, to consider family values and contemplate our unique purpose.  Are we achieving meaning and fulfillment in our life?  We must work out these questions before the ‘Book is Sealed’ on Yom Kippur.

This is the time to reflect on human potential and our ability to grow as human beings and as Jews.  The holidays challenge us to develop our unique capabilities, urge us to reflect on areas of stagnation, demand that we honestly confront our mistakes and insist that change is not only possible but is also in our hands.  If we do the work on these holidays, we will recognize that we have the ultimate partner in making the business of life profitable.

--
Rabbi Baruch Plotkin, MJEd. 

Rabbi in Residence, Donna Klein Jewish Academy

PlotkinB@dkja.net

561-929-9892

Chromebooks!

This year includes many positive changes, as well as continued practices in excellence. At Claire and Emanuel G. Rosenblatt High School at Donna Klein Jewish Academy, we pride ourselves on keeping current and embracing innovation. With excitement, I share the news that beginning this year, all Rosenblatt High School students and faculty are using Chromebooks. Chromebooks are the best fit technology for us, based on last year’s technology feedback, discussions, and surveys.  

Last year, our Chromebook pilot program was well received and lauded by both faculty and students.  Chromebooks excel in writing and collaborative work facilitated by Google Apps for Education (GAFE).  We were one of  the first GAFE schools to adopt the Google Classroom Learning Management System last year. This program enables students to receive most of their assignments digitally, as well as to turn in their assignments online, and receive their grade feedback notifications.  Google Classroom is linked to students’ school email addresses.  Outstanding and noteworthy features of Google Classroom include notifications and mobile apps, allowing students to have access to school work even on the “go.”  

In addition to Chromebooks, this year we are excited to announce our first year charter recognizing our National Technological Honor Society chapter.  Students will have to meet high standards for membership, by invitation.  Their contributions to our school include participating in our SWAT (Students Willing to Assist with Technology) Team.  We are proud of their academic and service work.

Yom Ofanayim (Bicycle Day) on Yom Kippur

As Yom Kippur approaches, I look back fondly upon my days in Jerusalem in the German Colony, celebrating the Chagim. Yom Kippur is one holiday in Jerusalem that stands out for its beauty, but not because of the prayers said in the beit knesset (the synagogue) or anything having to do with shul specifically. It is a beautiful Jerusalem holiday specifically because of what happens outside of shul on the evening of Kol Nidrei and the day of Yom Kippur itself.

In Jerusalem, Yom Kippur is also Yom Ofanayim (Bicycle Day). On this day, there are practically no cars on the street. Not a single one. And as such, children of all ages and all backgrounds take over the city, riding their bicycles through the streets, zooming past the adults and other shul-goers on their way to or from the beit knesset.

Secular Jews and observant Jews walk amongst one another. Ashkenazic Jews, Sephardic Jews, Ethiopian Jews, Moroccan Jews and all others wish each other a tzom kal, an easy fast. Jews dressed in white for the holiday walk past Jews dressed in everyday clothing. Restaurants, cafes and stores are all closed. And all along, children of various ages ride their bicycles through the crowds of people, who are walking on the street itself, making room for the children.

It is a picture of peace.

Yom Ofanayim is what I sometimes think about when I listen to the words of the prophet Isaiah, which we read on Yom Kippur morning during the haftarah. “Is this the fast I desire,” (Isaiah 58:6), the prophet declares in the name of God. No, it clearly is not, he answers. Instead of a fast and afflicting one’s soul through the abstention from eating, which often will not lead to any substantive change in a person, go out and make a difference in the world. Get rid of wickedness. Open the gates of justice. Let the oppressed go free. Feed the hungry. Clothe the naked. Don’t ignore your brother in need. Isaiah implores us to not stand idly by and focus on our own selfish needs by fasting, while others around us are suffering.

Building a peaceful world, both within the Jewish community and within the larger global community, is not a simple endeavor. Nor will it be achieved in a day. But if that day should ever come, I imagine that it will look something like Yom Ofanayim, when children on their bicycles take over the streets of Jerusalem and their sounds of joy and happiness ring loud through the city.

With warmest wishes for a meaningful fast,

Rabbi Lesack

WHAT ARE YOU READING? by Claudia Marcus

It's important that all students become critical readers. Those students who are college-bound will be asked to demonstrate their critical reading-based prowess on the ACT and SAT Examinations, and all high school classes expect students to engage in hands-on reading. What types of reading-based questions appear on classroom and standardized tests?

Reading passages contain a wealth of stated information that might include details, facts, statistical information and examples. A fine reader is able to both "locate and use" stated information to support an author's point of view or idea. In addition, critical readers are familiar with the vocabulary and language used by a particular writer, and understand how a word or phrase is used within a particular context. 

Critical thinkers and readers are often challenged to answer inference-based questions that pertain to a particular reading passage or selection. The fine reader is able to "read between the lines" to discover the nuances of language and meaning, and predict, conclude or analyze a writer's words.

How can you become a critical readers? The answer is quite simple! Pick up that textbook, novel, poetry volume, drama, magazine article or newspaper passage, and read! Read with purpose, focus and energy! Read to learn!

Order and Chaos: Rosh Hashanah and 9/11

Today we experienced a range of emotions in Rosenblatt High School.

In preparation for Rosh Hashanah, our day began (and continued through 3rd period) with celebration and joy. Led by Rabbi Plotkin, students were treated to a host of Rosh Hashanah foods representing the simanim (signs) that are part of Rosh Hashanah tradition. As we came together as a community, the sound of the shofar and the joyous voices of our students filled the halls while students snacked on the different foods and recited the various brachot (blessings) for each of them.

During Town Hall, in 4th period, our mood changed.

We assembled in Zinman Hall to honor those who lost their lives on September 11th. With participation by both faculty and students, I delivered a dvar Torah about the importance of seeing the “other” in a positive light. Students read a timeline of events on September 11th. We watched short videos about what happened that day and about how one father turned his grief into an opportunity for learning and healing. We uttered prayers for those who perished, for the United States of America and for the US Armed Forces. We concluded with the sounding of the shofar.

On one day, in just a few hours, we experienced a spectrum of emotions.

While the events and the horrors of September 11th are a unique moment in history, the ups and downs of our programs this morning are a reflection of this thing which we call “life.” In a single day, there can be good and bad, joy and sadness, love and hate. There can be lots of different experiences on a given day or in a singular moment with specific emotions that follow them, some of which complement each other and some of which conflict with each other. It may not always make sense and these experiences and emotions may not always fit nicely together. But they are, together, part of what it means to live in what can sometimes be our complicated world.

As we all enter into this period known as “The Chagim,” the Holidays, I pray that we find a way to make sense of the good and the bad, of the highs and the lows. I pray that we find a way to see light when there also exists darkness. I pray that we find a way to see positivity when we know there is negativity as well. I pray that we find a way to make order out of what sometimes might look to us like a completely chaotic world.

On Rosh Hashanah, we celebrate the birthday of the world. But even more than this, we celebrate that God was able to make order out of chaos by bringing competing elements together and figuring out a way for them to exist in harmony with one another: light and darkness, day and night, land and sea, animal and human being, and so on.

May we all have the strength and the ability to both see and to create this sense of order for us, for our children and for our communities in this upcoming year, working towards a day when joy, love, happiness and peace become the standard in the world in which we live.

Shana Tova...may you and your family have a joyous and sweet new year,

Rabbi Lesack

Introducing our new Director of Development

It is with GREAT ENTHUSIASM that we introduce the newest member of our Team! 

Welcome to the 2015-2016 school year from the Office of Institutional Advancement, the umbrella for Development, Events, Admissions, and Communications.

We are so proud to announce that Mr. Scott Ball is the newest member of our team.  Scott has served in many roles at DKJA and was a valued member of the Board of Trustees.  As a result of joining the DKJA staff, he has stepped down from the Board and his committee obligations to accept his new role as Director of Development.   

Scott brings a wealth of business experience to DKJA. His knowledge of the school and leadership in the community make him an excellent choice for this position.  Scott is no stranger to our family as he, and his wife Dana, have served as both Benefit Ball and Auction Chairs.  They are the parents of two students at DKJA; Madelyn and Olivia. Scott’s hard work and dedication to DKJA will be a tremendous asset.

INCREDIBLE BANG (Business & Networking Group) EVENT

Wow, what an incredible BANG event on Thursday night at the Meatball Room.  We had over 50 people attend this networking event.  Special thanks to Jonathan Galler, Esq., Senior Counsel of Fiduciary Litigation at Proskauer for sponsoring this awesome evening.  Can’t forgot our host Caryn Siperstein Klein!   Our next event is scheduled for October 20, 2015 at Caffe Martier in Delray Beach from 7-8pm.  Please RSVP to Cindy at GrayC@dkja.net as space will be limited.  Look forward to seeing everyone and please bring some friends.  Dinner afterwards?

In case you were wondering, what is BANG.  BANG is DKJA’s Business and Networking Group which gives you an opportunity to put something back into the community, where your children attend school, where you live and where you do business.  It’s a great way to meet valuable contacts, promote your business and be social in our community.  If you would like to officially join BANG or sponsor an event, please complete our advertising form at https://www.dkja.org/businessdir. 

See you on the Avenue in October!

Scott Ball

Director of Development