A MESSAGE FROM RABBI KRAUSS. Chadashot September 21, Tishrei Mazal Tov

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1 Beverly Wolfer-Nerenberg Chadashot To: Fri, Sep 21, 2012 at 2:35 PM CHADASHOT Shabbat Parshat Vayeilech September 21, Tishrei 5773 Candle Lighting: 6:36 pm Havdalah: 7:39 pm Click here for PDF version of the Chadashot A MESSAGE FROM RABBI KRAUSS Dear Parents, In this week's parasha, Parashat Vyelech, Moshe, as he stands towards the end of his days overlooking the yarden, relays a final commandment to bnei yisrael. Not only should they pass down the Torah from generation to generation but each person should make it a shira (Kitvu lachem et hashira hazot). Though some commentaries believe shira refers to the poem in Mazal Tov To Gordie Kolb and Zack Bernstein on their upcoming Bar Mitzvahs.

2 next week's Parsha, Haazinu, others believe the word refers to the Torah itself. As we approach Yom Kippur, and experience Shabbat Shuva, the shabbat of return, as a community, and feel ourselves, in some ways, to be standing on the cusp of new beginnings, may we keep the torah a song. May we share it as a community, and fulfill our individual commandments to give it our unique melody and make the words our own. And may the beauty of each shira help bring us all a gmar chatima tova. Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Binyamin Krauss ACADEMY NEWS Aseret Y'mei Teshuvah Junior high school students spent the week preparing for Yom Kippur. On Wednesday, the 6 th grade met in the Shul with Rabbi Jonathan Kroll, Associate Principal at SAR high school. Rabbi Kroll spoke to the students about the concept of judgment in association with Aseret Y mei Teshuvah. Rabbi Kroll related two stories to illustrate how one should not rush to judgment. He explained that we should give each other the benfit of the doubt-- dan adam b kaf zchut. We should judge each other favorably, just as we want Hashem to judge us favorably. The 6 th grade aslo held a chevruta learning program where they tried to answer the question; What is the goal of Teshuvah?" Among other things, the students and their teachers discussed why it is difficult to say I m sorry and to think about situations where they knew they had been wrong, but felt uncomfortable apologizing. They also studied Rambam s Hilchot Teshuvah.

3 7 th and 8 th graders participated in a Lunch & Learn where Rabbi Motechin explained the tefillah of Vidduy. He explained that in order to do real Teshuvah, we need to admit that we were wrong and that we have sinned. He noted that in the very first line of Avinu Malkeinu we tell Hashem that we have sinned even before we say anything else. Once we admit to having done wrong, we can apologize and our tefillot can be heard. What can you make with 5773? Morah Beth Pepper posed this question to 4 th graders at lunch this week. The students took the numbers of the New Year, 5773, and came up with a myriad of mathematical equations. This week in the ELC ELC must stand for Everyone Loves Challah! Many of the ELC classes have been busy baking challah for Yom Tov. As the morot showed the children how to pour and measure, the children happily participated mixing, pouring,and tasting the

4 extra sugar that fell onto each table. QUESTION OF THE WEEK: In what way would you like to improve yourself in the New Year? picture of the week 4Y Making sukkah decorations in Mrs. Jaskoll's art class!

5 I want to learn Hebrew and math Shayna Semer 1Y DVAR TORAH Shabbat Shuva- by: Eva Ingber 7X This week s haftorah begins with the famous words Shuva Yisrael Ad Hashem Elokecha where the prophet Hosea instructs B nei Yisrael to do Teshuvah. This shabbat, Shabbat Shuva, is so named because of this beginning line. Hosea s message teaches us that Teshuvah has the power to bring us closer to Hashem. This is particularly relevant to us now during Aseret Y'mei Teshuvah as we prepare for Yom Kippur, the day when Hashem is closest and Teshuvah can be achieved more easily than any other time of year. What is Teshuvah? The second pasuk in the Haftorah gives us some insight into the Teshuvah process. Hosea says Kechu Imachem Dvarim, which means literally take for yourselves words. This is interpreted as Hosea telling B nei Yisrael that an important component of Teshuvah is the use of words to confess and acknowledge that we ve done something wrong. But are words alone enough? In order to do Teshuvah we have to combine our words with action and do good deeds in place of our sins. My favorite story for Aseret Y'mei Teshuvah is If Not Higher, by I.L. Peretz. In the story, the Jews in a particular shtetl believed that their Rebbe would say slichot on their

6 behalf before Hashem in shamayim. There was no other way to explain his absence from shul in the morning. A Litvak visited the shtetl, heard this story and disbelieving, wanted to prove the townsfolk wrong. So one night he hid under the Rebbe s bed to see where the Rebbe would go in the morning. At the crack of dawn, the Rebbe awoke, put on peasant clothing, placed an axe in his belt and headed into the forest. The Litvack followed and watched from a distance as the Rebbe chopped firewood while slowly saying slichot. The Rebbe then placed a large bundle of the firewood on his back and headed to the edge of the shtetl and stopped at the door of a small cottage. He knocked on the door and a small frail voice of an elderly Jewish woman called out Who s there? The Rebbe answered It is I, the firewood salesman. The woman replied I don t have enough money to buy any and I can t get out of bed. The Rebbe entered the house and while placing the logs into the fireplace and starting the fire responded, I know that you have a powerful G-d who will provide you with the funds necessary to pay me back. The Rebbe finished slichot as he left the elderly woman s cottage. The Litvak seeing this all went back to the townsmen and when asked if he now believes that the Rebbe ascends to shamayim to daven slichot responded Yes, if not higher. The Rebbe combined his words of slichot with actions and truly raised himself towards Hashem. We in the SAR community look out for one another like the Rebbe in Peretz s tale who was concerned about the elderly woman s well-being. I am sure that our tefillot and good deeds will reach Hashem and we as a community will be granted a g mar chatimah tovah. Shabbat Shalom. I d like to do more mitzvot Ben Stern 6Z DEVELOPMENT NEWS

7 The Live Auction Event, on November 17, is only 7 weeks away!!! We are off to a good start but we still have a lot of work to do! We would love to have 100% parent participation - you can solicit items or experiences from vendors, you can donate your own items, you can be a family sponsor or help out with the actual event. We are having an auction meeting on September 24 at 8pm and would love for you to attend! The meeting will be at SAR High School. Please let us know which meeting you can attend at spinner@saracademy.org. Thank you in advance for your participation. SAVE THE DATE!!! THIS YEAR'S AUCTION WILL BE A LIVE EVENT ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 17. THERE'S SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE - LIVE, SILENT AND CHINESE AUCTIONS, RAFFLE PRIZES, MUSICAL GUESTS, FOOD AND FUN. CLICK BELOW TO: DONATE ITEMS AND SERVICES or SOLICIT VENDORS BE A FAMILY SPONSOR BE A CORPORATE SPONSOR BE PART OF THIS EXCITING COMMITTEE!! For further information, visit or contact Mindy (mluxenberggrant@gmail.com) or Michal (michal.abehsera@gmail.com) SAR HS Driveway Gets a Facelift & New Outdoor Sports Facilities are Built! SAR High School students returned to school this fall to a newly paved driveway, and the nearly completed athletic-field and outdoor basketball court. The enhancements to the driveway have created more parking spaces, allowed for a more efficient arrival/dismissal process, and will also improve school safety with the addition of a new security gate. Anyone driving on this new road will truly appreciate the smoother driving experience, the wider roads and the convenient traffic circle.

8 Once completed at the end of September, the practice athletic field will allow for a higher quality (and much more convenient) outdoor training experience for our athletes on sports teams including baseball, soccer, basketball and others! Students will also be able to enjoy the field and court between classes for recreational purposes, and will soon also enjoy their lunches and outdoor programs on 10 picnic tables to be installed next month. These improvements are part of an ongoing effort at SAR to meet the changing needs of our student body. This project was generously funded by a group of current and former SAR parents. This inspirational gift coincides with a unique 50% matching period for the SAR Capital Campaign. Every gift made before December 31 st will have a lasting impact on our school. To make your gift today, or for more information about the Capital Campaign and Bendheim Challenge Grant, please visit (Newly installed along the driveway is a series of handprinted/handsigned concrete slabs from the very first SAR High School class!) UPCOMING EVENT!

9 Are you a new SAR parent? Do you have a child in grades 1-8? SAVE THE DATE: New Parent Breakfast October 23, 8 AM, SAR Ac ademy Information to follow To be nicer to others Tiferet Grossman 4Y PTC NEWS The SAR Open Kitchen Cookbook makes a great Yom Tov gift!

10 100% of the proceeds go to SAR! Over 1000 copies sold! Click here to order yours today! To work harder on my davening Rebecca Katzenstein 8Y MARK YOUR CALENDARS September 2012 Tuesday, September 25th Erev Yom Kippur No Sessions Wednesday, September 26th Yom Kippur No Sessions Sunday, September 30th Erev Sukkot To get better at making food Josh Haims 1Y COMMUNITY EVENTS On Sunday, September 23 rd, SAR High School students, Noam Lubofsky, Elliot David, Chanan Heisler and Ben Katzenstein will be participating in the Jarden Westchester Triathlon as members of Skippy s Team. They are racing in memory of Stephen (Skippy) Lubofsky (z l), father of Eliana AC 13, Daniel HS 16 and Noam HS 13, and are dedicated to raising money for blood cancers including, leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin s disease and myeloma --in his name. If you are interested in

11 donating to Skippy s team, please go to: wchtri12/nlubofsky Note: All Submissions to the Community Ev ents section are due to Chadashot@saracademy.org the Tuesday prior to publication in copy ready f ormat. The Chadashot reserv es the right to f urther edit submissions due to space constraints. SAR ACADEMY~Jesselson Campus~655 West 254th Street~Riverdale, NY ~ Unsubscribe from this enotice.