HEAD OF SCHOOL MESSAGE

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1 This weekly publication is ed to all of our subscribers. The newsletter recaps the week's events at Caskey Torah Academy and informs readers of upcoming programs and events. Happy reading and Good Shabbos!! Parshat T oldos Novem ber 9, 2018/1 Kislev 5779 Candle Lighting 4:30 PM This week s Kol Torah is sponsored by Ari and Diane Weintraub and Family On the occasion of the yahrtzeit of their beloved father and grandfather, Barry Weintraub z"l - אברהם דוב בן חיים אליעזר ז"ל If you would like to sponsor an issue of Kol Torah in honor or in memory of a loved one, contact Rachel Mazurek at rmazurek@taphila.org. HEAD OF SCHOOL MESSAGE We are coming up on the 50th Anniversary of one of the most impactful movements in the world of parenting and education. In 1969, Nathaniel Brandon wrote a paper titled The Psychology of Self-Esteem, in which he introduced self-esteem as the key to success in life. The "self-esteem" movement quickly followed, characterized by games with no winner or loser and report cards that shunned actual scores, opting instead for platitudes such loves reading and books! for students who had not become proficient in basic reading. A generation later, we have coined terms such as teacups and snowflakes for children whose self-esteem is so high that they cannot handle adversity, as well as helicopter parents and tiger moms for those that seek to protect them. Harvard Psychiatrist Dr. Dan Kindlon writes in Too Much of a Good Thing that parents who focus on making sure their children avoid pain and disappointment often fight their children's battles for them and insulate them from difficult experiences. In his private practice, he observes that these children feel less capable and are more likely to struggle in relationships and with challenges. While self-esteem has its place, we have clearly gone too far in protecting our

2 children from life's most powerful instructor - failure. א ל ה In this week s Parsha, Yaakov receives the bracha that he has been waiting and hoping for from his father, Yitzchak. The bracha reads as: ו י תּן ל ך ים ה And Hashem will give to you What is the meaning of the Vav - AND Hashem will give to you? The Slonimer Rebbe explains that the and refers to G-d giving, and giving more, no matter what a person has done wrong. The blessing assures Yaakov that he and his children will be under G-d s care and benevolence no matter what - even if they have sinned. All they need to do is rise back up and start anew. Failure is an expected part of life and G-d s love for us is eternal. Raising children to expect perfection exposes them to the pernicious idea that everything must be perfect and that WE must be perfect. By coming to terms with failure, we can use it as a tool to rise back to greatness. In fact, without the tool of failure, greatness will forever be beyond our reach. Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Isaac Entin RABBI ENTIN'S RECOMMENDED READING To read Rabbi Entin's recommended reading, CLICK HERE UPCOMING EVENTS Sunday, November 11 - Second Grade Messibat Chumash Sunday, November 11 - No Sunday School Sunday, November 18 - ECP Open House Tuesday, November 20 - Parent Teacher Conferences 6-9PM Wednesday, November 21 - No School, Parent Teacher Conferences, 8:30-3:30 Thursday-Friday, November No School, Thanksgiving Break Wednesday, November 28 - Move Up Night for 4Y and 5th Grade Click here to see our updated School Calendar INSIDE THE ECP Kindergarten A is progressing beautifully with our Kriah program, learning the letters and their sounds. We are so excited to be able to decode words with the letters we've already learned!

3 LOWER SCHOOL HAPPENINGS Beginning this week, the 2nd and 3rd graders took their Ivrit B Ivrit learning to the next level! The students were so excited to begin using ipads to play games, listen to stories and even record themselves...all in Ivrit! MIDDLE SCHOOL MOMENTS As we discussed the different personalities and characters in the story of the Meraglim, the 7G girls created a word splash about these people. The 8G girls had to write their own Mefarshim discussing important questions regarding the mission.

4 Spotlight on Changemakers With Mrs. Chaitoff- Grades 2-3 Help this cluster make some change! Participate in their coin drive to benefit Chai Lifeline by placing your coins in the specially designated pushkas around the school. Be on the lookout for our special pushkas around the community also! ENRICHMENT PROGRAM STUDENT DVAR TORAH - YEHUDA NADAV In Parshat Toldot, in the first aliyah, a major event in Jewish history takes place. Esav infamously sold his birthright for lentil soup. Esav came barging into the tent hungrily, saying, Hand over the soup! Only if you hand over the birthright, said Yaakov. Fine, said Esav. So on that day, Esav gave over the birthright to Yaakov. Now here is a question. Why was Esav so quick to give up the right of the firstborn? Being the firstborn was a pretty big deal, so why was he so quick to give it up? An answer Rav Moshe Feinstein suggests is that Esav feared the birthright because if he didn t perform his duties correctly, then he could be punished with death. If so, then he had a good reason to give the birthright away, right? This, however, is no justification. A sincere person must be ready to serve God, even if it will cause hardship, or even danger. Esav abandoned the birthright because it involved too much difficulty. He was lazy and didn t want to risk the humiliation of doing wrong. This is an important lesson for us - we need to learn to sacrifice our conveniences, comforts and our pride to serve God. Have a great Shabbat.

5 DERECH ERETZ CORNER Answers to the Derech Eretz in Action can be submitted in writing to the box in the office, or ed in to Feel free to use it as a conversation starter at home as well. Derech Eretz - It s What We Do Here! Question of the Week: Many children are entering the building at the same time. Please share some advice on how to enter the building carefully. NEW MUSIC ROOM! Through our Music, Drama, Arts and Athletics programs, CTA students pursue their particular passions. This week, our students were able to enjoy their music classes in our newly renovated music room! The class sitting on the carpet had the distinction of being the first ever class in our new music room! ROSH CHODESH KISLEV AT CTA In honor of Rosh Chodesh Kislev, Kindergarten and First Grade enjoyed learning about shemen (oil) with Rabbi Strassberg and his mobile olive press workshop!

6 Our Lower School had their monthly Rosh Chodesh Kumzits this week. Boys with their Rabbeim and girls with their teachers gathered to hear a Torah thought, an inspiring story, and to sing together. The Shir Hachodesh this month was Bilvavi Mishkan Evneh. EIGHTH GRADE FUNDRAISER

7 PTO NEWS Caskey Torah Academy PTO participates in multiple "free money" programs which generate funds for the PTO and school activities. These programs are available to you (as well as to grandparents, friends and associates) at no cost to you. We have earned thousands through the Box Tops for Education program. Please clip and submit these logos/ coupons found on many cereals, snack foods and household products. A green collection box is in the front lobby. Brown's Shoprite/ Fresh Grocer contribute funds based on receipts redeemed (must be current...up to 5 months old). These may also be left in the lobby collection box. Lastly, Giant A- Plus (school id # 23875) contributes to CTA each time you use a registered Bonus Card. Please register your bonus card through your Giant account, using the school id number. Each family can support up to 2 schools, and you need not be a school family to participate. For questions please contact jeisenberg345@gmail.com. Thank you for supporting PTO- every little bit counts!! UPCOMING PROGRAMS

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9 Host our B'not Sherut for a meal Click here to view and sign up for the meal train. CTA Text Messaging Stay informed with important CTA information such as emergency announcements, school closings and event reminders. To opt in - click here Kol Torah is for Grandparents too! W ould y our children's grandparents like to hav e a window into their grandc hildren's C askey To rah Ac ademy wo rld? To receiv e Kol Torah, please send addresses here.

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