REFLECTIONS FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

Text Talk – Chaya Sarah
This week, I sat down with Alyssa Miller, ’09, to look at Chaya Sarah.  Little did I know that we would also have a third participant!  Earlier in the day, Alyssa, diligently preparing for our learning session, was spotted by Morah Leslie Rosen who exclaimed, “Chaya Sara? That is one of my favorite parshas!  Every time I read it I wonder why the first pasuk begins with the words Sarah’s lifetime and then she dies in pasuk 2.  When Alyssa shared this insight with me, we discussed the dilemma pointed out by Morah Rosen.  Indeed, we agreed, one would assume from the title of the parsha, Chaya Sarah, (Sarah’s life) and the first three words, vayihyu chaya sarah, (and there were in Sarah’s life), that this parsha would be about Sarah Immanu (our mother).  Nope. By the end of perek 23, Abraham has purchased Ma’arat Hamachpelah from the Hittites and entombed Sarah within.  Alyssa pointed out that the parsha is really about Sarah’s legacy and the transition of matriarchs from Sarah to Rebecca.  Indeed, Alyssa continued, the parsha is about the transition of patriarchs as well, since Abraham’s death marks the conclusion of the parsha.

Alyssa and I then moved on to discuss partnerships, appropriate since the 63 pasukim of perek 25 tell of Eliezar’s charge from Abraham to find a partner for Isaac.  Alyssa actually described this parsha as being one of checks and balances between two sets of partners – Abraham and Sarah, whose deaths begin and end the parsha, and then Isaac and Rebecca.  Indeed, after sending Eliezar to find a wife for Isaac, Abraham becomes a supporting player.  On Aish.com, Rabbi Ari Kahn writes that Rabbi Yosef Dov Solovietchik said that without Sarah, “Abraham takes leave of the world stage,” an indication of the power of Abraham’s partnership with Sarah.

Shabbat Shalom,
Barbie Prince

GOOD & WELFARE
Mazal Tov to Morah Miller!
We wish a hardy mazal tov to Morah Huppit Miller (nee BarTov) and Mr. David Miller on their marriage last week in Eretz Yisrael.  The students and faculty had breakfast and sheva brachot in their honor on Wednesday morning.

Mazal Tov to Mr. Cantor! 
On November 14, Mr. Cantor was honored at the University of Maryland as part of the Philip Merrill Presidential Scholar Award ceremony. As part of the application process, Jessica Moorefield had to choose a teacher from her K-12 career who had the most impact on her life. As part of the award, a $1000 scholarship has been established in Mr. Cantor’s name for a Cardin senior who will be attending the University of Maryland in the fall. Ms. Moorefield had the following to say about Mr. Cantor, “Mr. Bob Cantor, my high school AP Psychology teacher, provided me with a solid understanding of psychology and helped me to determine my learning style. He encouraged students to embrace diversity and to view the world from the perspectives of others. He helped us to reflect on who we were and who we could become. Mr. Cantor urged me to think outside the box. He helped me to develop critical thinking skills and to increase my confidence outside of my comfort zone.” Mr. Cantor is very honored by this recognition.

New Cardin Website
Thank you to Ms. Beabout, Ms. Parker,and Ms. Pote-Marino for a terrific job with our new website. Check out all of the new features (including possible weather updates) at www.shoshanascardin.org. 

IN THE NEWS
Cardin Receives Our First Torah
Read an online account of the event from the Owings Mills Times at http://explorebaltimorecounty.com/education/5009/symbol-jewish-resilience/

Tax-Free Gifts from IRA Accounts Re-authorized
Congress has re-authorized legislation that allows certain donors who are age 70½ or older to make charitable gifts from their IRA accounts during tax years 2008 and 2009 without incurring income tax on the withdrawal.  This provision may be a great way to structure a gift to The Shoshana S. Cardin School.  Check with your tax advisor to see if you qualify.

JUDAICS.COMMUNICATIONS
Seven Fruits and Seven Blessings
This past Wednesday morning, the Cardin community celebrated the wedding of Morah Bartov and David Miller with a traditional Sheva Brachot celebration. (Their wedding took place in Baltimore’s sister city of Ashkelon.)  We had a festive bagel breakfast, complete with wedding cake and Hershey kisses.  Rabbi Chaitovsky led us in the 7 traditional wedding blessings after the Birkat HaMazon and the entire school “rejoiced” the couple with song and a special juggling act performed by our very own Adin Reisner, ‘10 and Ze’ev Beleck, ‘11. On behalf of the entire Cardin family, I presented Huppit and David with a challah cover of the 7 species of Israel designed especially for them by artist Elaine Brandes.  I explained the 7 species as God’s seven fruits of marriage and created a blessing in connection with each fruit: “Olives were used to make oil for the light of the menorah.  May your lives be filled with light, and informed by Torah, wisdom, knowledge, and awareness.  Barley was used for counting the Omer.  May you count all your days, to your next anniversary, in joy and commitment, in a covenant to each other and to God…Dates – marriages usually start with a date.  May your marriage be a date which gets sweeter and sweeter.”
Rabbi Stuart Seltzer, Dean of Judaic Studies

The Cardin School Hosts Uganda’s New Chief Rabbi
On Wednesday afternoon, the Cardin community welcomed Rabbi Gershom Sizomu, the charismatic leader of the Abayudaya Jews in Uganda.  After receiving his ordination last year from the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies of the University of Judaism in Los Angeles, Rabbi Sizomu returned to Uganda to lead the Jewish community and establish a yeshiva to train Jews from ancient and emerging communities throughout Africa.  After showing a brief video of the Abayudayan community, he presented the history of his people, the formative experiences that compelled him to become a rabbi, and his aspirations for the future of the Abayudayan community.  After a brief question and answer period, Rabbi Sizomu played Abayudayan melodies for well known Jewish songs with the help of his percussionist “Kakungulu,” Ben Jacobson, ‘09.  One of our students compared Rabbi Sizomu to Abraham who had the vision to see beyond the reality of the present and to see the blessing of future multitudes in each and every Jew.

CLASSES IN ACTION
Art in Physics – part 1
For the next two weeks, both Physics classes will work on Beautiful Bridges, a project integrating art and physics under the direction of Mr. Whitfield and Ms. Wittner. As in years past, the students will build bridges to see whose design can hold the most weight. However, this year, the students will also be learning about aesthetics in color and shape and utilizing colored toothpicks to design functional and beautiful bridges. Next week, we will have photos of the bridges and more information about the challenges faced by our budding architects. Thanks to Ben Jacobson, ’09, for an added twist to the project.

Hebrew 4
Every Tuesday afternoon the students learning Hebrew independently get together for some conversation and fun.  In the past few weeks the students reviewed terms for clothing by dressing according to the Hebrew instructions of their classmates. Additionally, students reviewed the food terms learned by making an Israeli breakfast which included Israeli salad, omelets, Hummus and Tehina.
Morah Chaban

COLLEGE SCENE
Seniors
December 1st is quickly approaching!  Thanksgiving break is a great time to finish up your December and January applications!!  

Here is a selection from The Admissions Game college planning blog about how to reduce stress when completing your applications:

Six tips for reducing the stress as you complete your applications:

1. Work ahead of deadlines. Allow time for the unexpected. You never know what might come up at the last minute that could interfere with your preparations.
2. Make sure you and your college advisor are on the same wavelength with regard to what needs to be submitted, by whom and when.
3. Check to make sure you have submitted the appropriate standardized test results to each school. If you are applying test optional to any school, remind your college advisor to remove the scores from the transcripts that will be sent to those schools.
4. If you are preparing an online application, print out a copy of the form with the work you have completed at the end of each entry session. It’s always good to have a hard copy on file. Besides, you might find it easier to edit the hardcopy.
5. Print out the final drafts of your applications and put them away for several days. Then, read through the hard copies. Are they saying what you want them to say? The extra time you take in editing will give you a perspective you may not have had as you worked through the documents initially.
6. If you are preparing tapes, DVDs, CDs or portfolios, submit them in duplicate so one copy goes to the admission office and the other goes directly to the program directors who will be evaluating them.

JEREMY’S JOURNAL
The Student Government continues to be hard at work as the year progresses.  Our next fundraiser is a silent auction!  We are the grateful recipients of 4 Ravens tickets (thank you Winner family!) for the December 28th game vs. the Jacksonville Jaguars.  The tickets are located in section 153, row 39 and have a face value of $110 each.  The following are details on how the auction will work:

SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Below is a list of some well-known writing contests and scholarships for students in grades 9-12:
Anti-Defamation League Contest   
Concord Review/ National Writing Board – History Papers 
Society of Professional Journalists  
Voice of Democracy (audio)  
Ayn Rand Foundation 
National Council of Teachers of English
American Foreign Service Contest

ALUMNI UPDATE
Mazal Tov to Ben Verovsky!
On October 30, 2008, Cardin alum Benjamin Verovsky, ’08 was honored at the 5th Annual Neighborhood Excellence Initiative Awards celebration at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of African American History and Culture in recognition of his passion and efforts to better the community. Ben was a Student Leader who participated in a paid summer internship with The Boys and Girls Club of Metropolitan Baltimore. He also attended a week-long Student Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C., to develop his understanding of how government, nonprofit organizations and the private sector partner to create positive change. See The Baltimore Jewish Times, November 14, 2008, page 66 for a great picture of Ben and his mom, Ilene at the event.

COMMUNITY UPDATE
Young Judaea’s National Midwinter Convention
This President's Day Weekend, February 13-16, Young Judaea will be hosting their annual National Midwinter Convention.  This year's venue will be Malibu, California where it's sure to provide beautifully sunny haven from your winter!  You even have the opportunity to spend an extra day in Hollywood.  But National Midwinter Convention isn't only about the weather and the famous sights of Hollywood.  In the classic spirit of Young Judaea, you'll be able to have fun, make new friends, and of course -most importantly- enrich your Zionism with carefully planned 'peulot,' or activities. Contact Young Judaea for more information http://www.camptelyehudah.org/index.php?id=46,0,0,1,0,0

Summer Programs

One Summer…Two Choices! Spend Summer 2009 on PanimWorks: An Activist’s Adventure!

PanimWorks: Southwest is a cultural exchange and community service program on the Navajo Reservation in the American Southwest. You will earn up to 45 community service-learning hours, make new friends, and live and work in an entirely new culture, while participating in fun outdoor recreational activities!  Three sessions will be offered for students currently in grades 9-12. For more information or to apply visit www.panimworks.org
Contact: Hershel Cohen 301-770-5070, x209 or panimworks@panim.org   

PanimWorks: DC JAM, on the campus of The George Washington University, is a leadership training program for teens passionate about politics, community service, activism and Judaism. You will meet experts, participate in hands-on service projects and develop skills to pioneer change and impact the issues you care about. Two 2-week sessions or a four week session (including a bonus opportunity of a placement in a DC agency) will be offered for students currently in grades 10-12. For more information or to apply visit www.dcjam.org
Contact: Reisa Shanaman 301-770-5070, x217 or dcjam@panim.org

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