REFLECTIONS FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

Text Talk on Parshat Tsav with Segev Goldberg, ’10  

Parshat Tzav is all about offerings.  Many, many pesukim of offerings, some of which we have already read about in prior parshiyot.   Segev Goldberg, ’10 and I spent an entire class period looking at the parsha and found nothing to discuss.  Basically, we read and said "uh huh, ok, uh huh," not the comments that make for interesting reading in the eNewsletter.  So we looked for commentaries about the parsha.  As you know, I always begin at aish.com when looking for ideas about parshiyot.  I read and printed five articles for us to review.  After reading through 28 pages without finding something to spark a discussion, we began to despair of finding anything that we could write about.  I went back to aish.com one last time and read an article entitled, "Thoughts of Sin" by Rabbi Ari Kahn and I knew I had a winner. This article is a commentary on the olah offering, described first in Tzav, which is totally consumed by fire.  The Sages explain that this sacrifice is brought for sinful thoughts. 

Knowing Segev pretty well, I was convinced that contained in this article were enough ideas that Segev would find to be contentious and that we would have plenty to discuss.  I put a copy on the student notice board for Segev to read and waited for our next opportunity to talk.

The next morning Segev came to school early so that we could have our text talk before first period and before I had to leave to take Brooke for her tonsillectomy.  Segev was quite bothered by the whole concept of thoughts of sin being more egregious than sin itself and requiring forgiveness.  Midrash Tanchuma Tzav explains the olah most clearly, “the olah is completely holy, because it was not brought for sins...rather for thoughts of the heart.”  Rashi understood this to mean that thoughts of sin are more difficult to control than committing the sin itself.  Segev took all kinds of offense to this.  He told me that his father always says that God gave humans two things, free will and control of our actions.  Therefore, when you actually commit a sin – what you do to other people – is much more damaging than the mere thought of the action.  So I asked Segev,” what about what you are doing to yourself by thinking of the sin? Isn’t it more difficult to control your thoughts or do we think it is ok for them to run amok?” In Pirkei Avot, it clearly states that “in accordance with the difficulty is the reward” (5:26) so shouldn’t the reward for controlling your thoughts be greater?  Segev did not have a problem with the reward issue, but he still argued that actually committing the sin is way more problematic than only thinking about the sin. 

We then moved on to look at Maimonides, who, in Guide for the Perplexed, differentiates between the animalistic side of a person and the God-like side of a person.  “A person will sin due to the animal side of himself.  But thoughts are the treasure of a person which follow his “form” (his image of God) and if a person sins with his thoughts, then he has sinned with his greatest asset…” (3:8) Segev had lots of difficulty with the concept of two distinct parts of man.  He stated that the animal and the God-like parts aren’t separate but in fact, need to work through and with each other.   

We ended by returning to the beginning of our discussion. Segev reiterated that even if a person thinks about sinning, the person is still showing restraint by not carrying out the sin.  In fact, Segev said, the olah, by being totally consumed in the flame and with nothing left to use, exemplifies the self-control of the person bringing the offering.  This person has symbolically transferred their sinful thought to the animal offering instead of actually committing the sin, an exercise in extreme restraint.

IN THE NEWS
Thanks to a great idea from our good friend, Dr. Paul Schneider, Head of the Krieger Schechter Day School, the CJE helped local day schools put a full page ad in the Jewish Times. In case you have not seen the ad, click here to see it.

GOOD & WELFARE
Our annual fund phone-a-thon was a great success thanks to Larry Conn, Barbara Conn, Kathy Lichtenstein, Ed Hershon, Emily Boling ‘10, Tara Lichtenstein ‘10, Amanda-Megan Levin ‘10, Kayla Reisman ‘10, Yoella Diamant-Cohen ‘10, and Beth Zaleon ’11, who all devoted several hours over two nights to make phone calls in behalf of Cardin. We couldn’t have done it without you – thank you so much!

JUDAICS.COMMUNICATIONS
Bonding and Gratitude

Praised are You, Lord our God, King of the universe
…who enables His creatures to distinguish between night and day
…who made me in His image
…who made me a Jew
…who made me free

Last week, our morning prayers took on new meaning when we said them because of our visit with our Turkish friends. Differences often separate people, but sometimes differences cause people to also recognize what they have in common.

When our Cardin students told their new Turkish friends about their experiences of being Jewish in America, the Turkish kids told us that they often had to hide their identities for fear of prejudice.

When our students showed their mastery of Hebrew in class, several of the Turkish students lamented that they know hardly any Hebrew at all. They pray in Turkish transliteration.

When the Turkish students saw how many choices the American students had to express their Judaism, they said they wish they had the chance to say “yes” or “no” to the numerous Jewish experiences and opportunities that our students take for granted.

When the Turkish kids talked about the restricted nature of their Judaism, our students admired them for their bravery and commitment for doing things that in America are taken for granted.

During their time together, the Cardin and Turkish students learned from, connected, danced and laughed with each other. In the end, they realized that they are all Jews, made in God’s image, and what’s more, teenagers, excited to spend time getting to know each other.

I want to thank the following families for hosting our Turkish friends:  the Barabans, the Golobs, the Liptons, the Reismans, the Schers, the Saltzbergs and the Waskows. A special thank you goes to Miriam Golob for helping to coordinate activities.

In addition, I would like to thank our families and sponsors for making this rewarding exchange program possible:  the Golob family, the Auerbach family, the Tasch family, the Foss family, the Hendler family, the Kanter family, the Chizuk Amuno Gemilut Chasadim Committee, Krieger Schechter Day School, Beth Israel, the Cardin School, the Center for Jewish Education, Fairlanes Bowling Alley, Superior Tours, and Accents Grill.

Rabbi Stuart Seltzer
Dean of Judaic Studies

CLASSES IN ACTION
Netivim 9 Art Project
The students in Netivim 9 have been learning about the divisions in Jewish society in ancient Israel. To apply the knowledge they acquired, they created masks for Saducees, Pharisees, Zealots and Essenes. Using symbolic colors, objects, and shapes they portrayed the essence of each of the groups.
Ms. Czopnik

BEYOND THE CLASSROOM
The 11th Grade Shabbaton/College Tour
On Friday morning, March 27th at 7:00am, the Superior Tour bus left the Cardin parking lot with Mrs. Prince, Rabbi Seltzer, Ms. Schein and Morah Chaban and the esteemed members of the class of 2010.  Our first destination was Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. For the majority of our students this marked the first of many college visits they will take in the process of applying to colleges.  The students felt immediately at home when Cardin alumni Chelsea Schein,‘07 and Johanna Schein, ‘07 welcomed them at the Klehr Center for Jewish life. Chelsea and Johanna spoke about their experiences with the F & M Hillel, gave them a tour of the building and showered them with candy. The students proceeded to meet with the college admissions dean and tour the campus.  For many of the students, this was the first time they could begin to see themselves as college students and to imagine what the experience might be like.

Our next stop was Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The admissions director welcomed us, we divided into small groups for tours of the campus, and we received a surprise visit by Cardin alumna Rebecca Weinstein, ‘08.  Ryan Winner told us that he could easily see himself at either of these schools:  “I feel as if I could have a place here. I like the campus. It feels homey and comfortable.” 

We arrived in New York City at 5:30pm, checked into the Hotel Newton, and prepared for Shabbat. As we walked to the Kraft Center of Columbia University and Barnard College (Hillel), Cory Hiken told me that he could see himself attending college in the city: “I really like cities because there is always so much happening.” We joined the students at the Conservative Koach minyan for Friday night services and ate Shabbat dinner at Barnard College. Barnard College was also hosting Shabbat Yachad, a Shabbaton event for young Orthodox adults with special needs. After Shabbat dinner, we attended a private concert of Tizmoret, the acapella singing group of Queens College Hillel led by Daniel Henkin. Our students made friends with the singers and joined them in song until we made them leave just before midnight.

On Shabbat morning, some of the students shul-hopped with Rabbi Seltzer and the rest went to Ramat Orah. Everyone joined the students at Barnard College for Shabbat lunch. We enjoyed the ruach of the remarkable Yachad advisors as they facilitated participation in the Shabbat lunch rituals. We spent Shabbat afternoon hanging out at the Albert List College’s undergraduate dormitory, playing board games, football and strolling in the park. We caught up with alumni Yoni Grossman-Boder, ‘07, and he introduced us to many of his new college friends who also spent time with us. We received a wonderful surprise visit from our Turkish friends who happened to be in New York. Ecstatic to see each other, we continued our intense conversation about Jewish identity and those things that matter most to us. 

Reflecting on the Shabbat experience on the Upper West Side, Adin Reisner said that “It was fun seeing a large number of college and graduate students observe Shabbat and be so involved in Jewish life. It was a nice change from what I am used to.”

We returned to the Columbia University Hillel for some “Jewish trivial pursuit,” minchah and seudah shlisheet.  Later, back at the hotel, we recited Havdalah. This incredible Shabbat experienceculminated with a Saturday night on the town at Chicago City Limits, New York City’s legendary comedy improv show. The majority of the students said that the comedy club was definitely a highlight of the trip.  The performers were not only clever and creative but they were able to improvise on some of the inside jokes suggested by members of the class. 

On Sunday morning, after a creative Shacharit service in the hotel, we walked from 94th Street to 123rd Street for an Open House at the Albert A. List College of Jewish Studies at the Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS), a joint program between JTS and Columbia or Barnard where students earn two undergraduate degrees. Students had the opportunity to sit in on a model class, tour the campuses, meet with current students, and admission directors from JTS, Barnard College and Columbia University. “The mock Bible class convinced me that continuing my Jewish studies in college was even more important to me,” Emily Boling said upon reflecting on the trip. “I can see myself being a student at JTS, Columbia, and/or Barnard.”

The bus picked us up at the Jewish Theological Seminary; we collected our luggage from the hotel, and enjoyed pizza from Jerusalem II. After walking so many New York City blocks and climbing so many steps in so many college buildings, we looked forward to the bus ride home, sitting still and reflecting on all that we had done. Rabbi Seltzer

SAVE THE DATE
Race for Cardin Athletics Fundraiser
On May 3, at 1pm, Cardin students and/or faculty will participate in The Shoshana S. Cardin School’s Race for Athletics. Each participant will raise money by asking sponsors to contribute a tax deductible amount based on the number of laps completed (i.e. $1.00 per lap, etc.) or a flat donation, if they prefer. Participants will walk or jog around a ¼ mile area as many times as they are able in one hour’s time. Prizes and awards for their efforts will also be given out during this event. Support your Cardin athletes!

JEREMY’S JOURNAL
As the year slowly begins to wind down, the SGA is hard at work planning for the rest of the year. Among the events that we are planning is movie night, Saturday, April 25 – a Cardin tradition. Movie night is one of the most popular Cardin events in the school's short history and everyone always seemed to enjoy it.  Students will receive more details about movie night when we get back from Spring Break. We hope to see all of the students there!!

On behalf of the Cardin SGA, I would like to wish everyone a Pesach Sameach and an amazing Spring Break!!!

Subscribe   Website   Archives