rcqb IN TOUCH WITH HAMC 146 Dover Chester Road, Randolph, NJ February 2010 Shevat/Adar 5770

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1 O ver the past few weeks, we have been glued to news coverage of the most devastating tragedy in many years, that of the earthquake in Haiti. Stories of lives saved by volunteer workers warm our hearts, and we cry with the people of the world as we learn more and more about the lives and homes that were lost. The people of this poor country have faced a horrible tragedy. BEKESHER rcqb IN TOUCH WITH HAMC 146 Dover Chester Road, Randolph, NJ February 2010 Shevat/Adar 5770 Teaching the Lessons of Tikkun Olam by Ricki Rubin, Director of the Lillie Brandt Early Childhood Center school. Our little ones join their upper school friends as they sing for the seniors at Lester Housing, and our newest Tikkun Olam venture invites our alumni to build at Habitat of Humanity in the spring. It is a value that is at the foundation of who we are as a people and one of the values that draws so many to our doors. Both you as parents and we at HAMC want children to know that it is their responsibility to heal, to protect, and to take care of others. Many news agencies have highlighted the assistance given by the little country of Israel the sheer precision with which they sprung into action, the complexity and size of the hospitals they brought with them, and their readiness to aid an already impoverished nation while other countries of larger size and magnitude remained silent. In an article in the Jerusalem Post, Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke of Israel's relationship to this tragedy by saying, "I think that this is in the best tradition of the Jewish People; this is the true covenant of the State of Israel and the Jewish people," stressing that it followed similar operations carried out in Kenya and Turkey. "Despite being a small country, we have responded with a big heart," continued the prime minister. "The fact is, I know, that this was an expression of our Jewish heritage and the Jewish ethic of helping one's fellow man. I hope that the team saves lives and that Haiti succeeds in recovering from this awful tragedy." Tikkun Olam, repairing and perfecting the world, is taught to our children the moment they enter our It has been suggested that for the time being only donations of money be sent to Haiti in response to this tragedy. We at HAMC would like to get a jump on donations of items that will be much needed as the next steps are taken to repair, rebuild, and refocus. Under the direction of Ellen Ezra and Jay Sweifach we have initiated a collection of much needed items and will be storing those items until we are directed to send them through a neighborhood agency. We are in need of someone to help store these items for us, so please call Ellen or Jay and offer to help. Take your child to the store to purchase the much needed items and have them place the items in the collection bins. These acts say to your child, I can make a difference, I can repair, I can help. Children will internalize the process and use it at a later time in life to reach out and care, to perform acts of Tikkun Olam. Our small school can make a big difference in the lives of the needy and instill in our next generation our responsibility to the world. Thank you for working with us to help secure this mission.

2 Marketing and Development Update Naomi Bacharach, 79, Director of Marketing & Development We are asking that each family make a meaningful gift to Shomrei Torah, the school's annual fundraising campaign. In addition to our parents contributing, many of our alumni parents, grandparents and friends in the community give generously to help enrich our school. Proceeds from Shomrei Torah help to: Give the gift of an HAMC education to every family who desires a Jewish Day School education for their children, regardless of their ability to pay Develop and implement a superior curriculum Promote teacher enrichment, technology enhancements, and arts and athletic programs The campaign has now raised $152, from 126 gifts. We are trying to achieve 100% parent participation at any level in the campaign and to meet our goal of $200,000. As of Feb 1 st, the Class Percentages are: KA 37% KB 45% 1 st grade 40% 2 nd grade 53% 3 rd grade 58% 4 th grade 54% 5 th grade 70% 6 th grade 22% 7 th grade 56% 8 th grade 80% Thank you to the following people who recently gave to Shomrei Torah: Parents: Bernie and Barbara Elbaum, Mike and Brenda Stepak, Damon Leavell and Ariel Ellman, Dora Zuker and Shimon Korish, Larry and Emily Golomb, Helene and Jon Weiman, Victoria Morrison and Barney Katchen, Jason and Allison Weiner. Grandparents: George and Janice Levine, Arthur and Dee Ginsburg, Midge and Lloyd Rauch. Alumni Parents: Lauren Cooper and Barry Ginsberg, Nancy and Howard Delman, Charles and Susan Joseph, Charles and Karen Brand, Rabbi Ellen Greenspan. Friends: MetroWest Day School Campaign, HAMC Parent Association A gift to Shomrei Torah allows the school to meet its goals and direct your money where it is needed most. Please join us today and support the school! Send a check to the school Development Office or visit the school website, and click on the donate button. Save the Dates Shomrei Torah Major Gifts Dinner, Sunday, March 21 st at the home of alumni parents Ken and Frayda Levy. Minimum gift of $1800 required to attend. Shomrei Torah Celebration, Thursday, June 3 rd. Minimum gift of $180 required to attend. Ongoing Fundraisers that anyone can do HAMC has a number of fundraisers that are ongoing throughout the school year. Most take no effort and offer our families and friends an easy way to participate in fundraising for the school. Acme Blue Register Tapes: Send in your blue register tapes from Acme super markets; Acme will give us a rebate on the total. Boxtops for Education: Clip the Box Tops symbols found on General Mills and Kleenex products and send them to the office. Cell Phone Donations: Go to for instructions for sending in your phone. Designate HAMC as your charity of choice, and they will send us a cash donation on your behalf. Genesis Art Prints: Available for purchase and displayed on the right wall of the administrative wing opposite the main office are works of art originally commissioned by HAMC based on Parshas from the Book of Genesis. Parents receive 30% or more Give or Get credit. Contact Jill Granik for info. Joe Corbi s Cookie Dough: Register at and they will send HAMC $4 for every tub of cookie dough you order. Lands End: Clothing purchased from the Lands End School Catalog earn 3% for HAMC. When ordering, please use the Preferred school number Catalogs available in the office. Recycle Ink Jet Cartridges: Send in your used ink jet cartridges (no laser, please!) in a baggie. We recycle and receive a rebate on each one. Schoolpop: Before you shop online, register at and then use this site for shopping. A percentage of your purchases will be rebated to HAMC.

3 GREEN is the new BLACK. The HAMC is Going Green! This year s ad journal will be an online publication. Please visit hamcdinnerjournal.org to purchase ads in honor of this year s honorees. This year s journal will be shown at the Gala celebration on May 6th at the Crystal Plaza and will be available on-line for a year. If you have any questions, please Naomi Bacharach at nbacharach@hamc.org or Robin Muskal at Adjournal@hamc.org. 85% give get credit will be given for all ads received by Feb 12th. 70% give get credit will be given for all ads received by April 9th. Final deadline for all ads is Tuesday, April 20th.

4 Brrrr from JK1 After learning all about penguins and polar bears, the JK1 children were so excited to talk about the information they had learned, and they enjoyed reading books to their own penguins. They were even able to add to their Word Tree with some new winter words. Pajama Day for Haiti Relief of the money will go to Haiti. Yasher Koach! Students and staff alike were given the privilege of wearing pajamas to school for a $5 donation. We raised about $750 for the UJC Haiti Earthquake Relief, where 100% Fifth Grade Monsters! After concluding a research project on real and fictional monsters, the 5th graders shared their findings. There were interviews with the monsters and advice for lonely monsters. Some students prepared advertising campaigns for their monsters and a PowerPoint presentation. Students also discussed whether they thought their monster was real. ט"ו בשבט הגיע חג לאילנות Tu B Shevat arrived at the HAMC on Friday, January 29 th. Each grade took turns celebrating in the gym with lots of activities and delicious food. The projects included fruit puppets, mini trees, seven species banners, and posters about the environment. Many wonderful parent volunteers came to help prepare delicious food for the children. The voices of the children singing with Morah Ruthi and musical instruments playing were heard throughout the day. Thanks Morah Edna and Morah Rachel for all the planning and organizing! A fun time was had by all. Animal Research The 2nd graders are researching their favorite animals using books and encyclopedias in our HAMC library and on the Internet. The students are studying the habitats, eating habits, motion, and other aspects of their animals and will share their reports this month. Rabbi's Visit Rabbi Adler of White Meadow Temple spoke recently with the 8th graders about the Jewish Conservative Movement. His visit is part of a program that brings community rabbis to the school to teach about different branches of Judaism.

5 HAMC'S Enrichment Programs Flourish Dance Caravan students danced their hearts out in front of a thoroughly charmed audience of family, friends, and staff members at their Winter Recital. Isshinryu Karate helps us to strengthen our bodies and coordination. Learning to work together is the goal of Friendship ABC's. Celebrating Tu B'Shevat with TEVA Every fall, our 6th graders attend a four-day environmental program at the TEVA Learning Center in Connecticut. In honor of Tu B'Shevat, two representatives from the Teva Learning Center recently visited the HAMC to present a program for the 5th and 6th graders. The students sang songs, learned ways to save the earth, and celebrated the trees, and the 6th grade students presented their TEVA Science Play. After School Care Is Such Fun! Mad Science makes it fun to explore the world around us. Building a house out of an empty box or taking apart a computer is not only fun but a learning experience. Kiddie Soccer is a perennial favorite. Artists, Artists Everywhere develops the artistic skills of the next Van Gogh!. Baby Music Time is great fun when mommies and babies do it together. Friends come in all sizes and shapes and teamwork makes the ball go down the field better. Staff Development News Mrs. Gilbert, Mrs. Delman, and Mrs. Eynisman were among 20 educators from the three MetroWest Jewish day schools (Kushner, Schechter, and HAMC) who participated recently in one of four trainings in Differentiated Instruction, made possible through the Day School Campaign of the UJC MetroWest. Dr. Karen Gazith presented topics related to meeting diverse needs in the classroom and improving on the existing skills of the educators present.

6 The HAMC Volleyball Team has been on a winning streak and are enjoying their fame! News Briefs The 7th and 8th graders learned about tefillin (phylacteries) at the Living Legacy workshop. 2nd graders enjoy choral reading and are learning the proper way to read poetry. Their fluency in Sushi for lunch was a big hit! Many thanks to Kathy Neibart, Emily Golomb, and Lynn Wolf for rolling a lot of sushi. The Middle School Winter Wonderland Dance was a huge success a DJ, dancing, raffles, food, and fun! The students and all their friends had a great time! What could be bad about playing with shaving cream in JK? The 5th graders created mobiles made from geometric shapes as part of their geometry unit. First Annual Shabbaton/Havdalah Service The 5th through 8th graders had a beautiful Shabbat experience at the school that included Kabbalat Shabbat, workshops, many meals, late-night hot chocolate, a lot of laughs, and not so much sleep! The program culminated on Saturday night with a community-wide family Havdalah service led by the students. An Israeli dinner was served, and everyone had a great time. Many thanks to HAMC alumni Jacob Scheer and Joey Stewart for coming to the Shabbaton and leading some of the sessions. Todah Rabbah to Naomi Bacharach for organizing the event, to Morah Nurit and Morah Luiza for cooking and chaperoning, to Shachar, our shaliach, for all his help, enthusiasm, and spirit! Stay tuned for next year's date! 4th Grade Boys' Shabbaton The 4th grade boys traveled to Monsey, NY, to spend Shabbat at Rabbi Hami's house for their 4th grade Shabbaton. The boys, as well as the Hami family had a wonderful experience together. The class was warmly welcomed in Monsey and showed very good Derech Eretz, reflecting the values they learn at the HAMC. Tefillot, Shul, Kiddush, Shabbat meals, games, lots of songs, stories, and fun activities were all part of the total Shabbat experience that ended with a beautiful Havdalah service. The 4th grade girls are waiting anxiously for their turn in the spring.

7 Kudos and Life Cycle Events Please send info for this column to If we don t know about it, we can t print it. Mazal tov to Marcella Rozenwasser and her family who will celebrate her becoming a Bat Mitzvah on February 14. Mazal tov to: Scott Lantzman ('86) who was elected to be President of the American Camp Association s New Jersey Section. Michael Rehaut ('87) on his upcoming marriage to Emily Friedman. Seth Wainer ('98) on his engagement to Rachel Patterson. Ilana Brafman on her recent marriage to Ronny Shmoel. Condolences to: Ruthi Cohen (HAMC music teacher) on the loss of her father. Mike Mora (HAMC custodian) on the loss of his brother. Lynn Cutler (HAMC parent) on the loss of her father. Sue Och (HAMC parent) on the loss of her mother. Ross Gnesin (HAMC parent) on the loss of his mother. May Hashem comfort the mourners among those of Zion and Yerushalayim. Mon, 2/1 Sat, 2/6 Wed, 2/10 Thu, 2/11 SCHOOL CALENDAR for February Executive Committee Mtg, 7:45 PM Parent Association Wine Tasting Party 1st-8th Grade Talent Show, 7:00 PM Board Meeting, 7:45 PM Mon-Fri, 2/15-2/19 Mid-Winter Break, SCHOOL CLOSED Fri, 2/26 Purim Carnival, 12:00 DISMISSAL SYNAGOGUE DIRECTORY The Hebrew Academy encourages all our families to participate in activities and events at our neighboring synagogues. Adat Israel Congregation, Boonton (C), Rabbi Gerald Chirnomas, Adath Shalom, Parsippany (C), Rabbi Mark Biller, Cantor Jack Korbman, Chabad House of NWNJ, Rockaway (O), Rabbi Asher Herson, Chabad Jewish Center of NWNJ, Flanders (O), Rabbi Yaacov Shusterman, Chabad House of Randolph (O): Rabbi Avraham Bechor, Congregation Ahavath Yisrael, Morristown (O): Rabbi Zelig Mandel, Congregation Beth Hatikvah, Chatham (RC): Rabbi Amy Small, Congregation Shaya Ahavat Torah, Parsippany (O): Rabbi Shalom Lubin, Jewish Center of Sussex County, Newton (I): Rabbi Cathy Felix, (973) Lake Hopatcong Jewish Center, Hopatcong: Rabbi Asher Krief (C), Rabbi Richard Kirsch (O), Morristown Jewish Center Beit Yisrael, Morristown (C): Rabbi David Joseph Nesson, Cantor Yadim Yucht, Mt. Freedom Jewish Center, Randolph (T): Rabbi Menashe East, Temple B nai Or, Morristown (R): Rabbi Donald B. Rosoff, Temple Shalom, Succasunna (R): Rabbi David Levy, Temple Hatikvah, Flanders (C): Rabbi Moshe Rudin, White Meadow Temple, Rockaway (C): Rabbi Benjamin Adler, Visit the HAMC website at hamc.org.