February 2, 2012
9 Shevat 5772
Dear Midrasha Families,
+ Remember, this is a retreat weekend and the vast majority of students will be on the retreat so there are no classes on campus. The Berkeley and Oakland buses leave at 2:30 and the Contra Costa bus leaves at 2:00. Return buses will leave camp around 12:15, arriving around 2:00. All bus and packing details are at the end of this e-mail.
-The retreat parent handbook is posted on our website http://www.midrasha.org/
Please read it carefully.
+The Midra-Shabang is happening in just five weeks and this is when we need your help:
-Invitations went in the mail yesterday. When yours arrives, mark the date on your calendar (March 11), by a ticket to come (very affordable $36), then buy some raffle tickets (don’t you want free tuition next year?) and then invite ten friends to come with you. We saved 200 invitations for just that purpose so just e-mail me and tell me where to send them.
-Figure out what you can donate to the auction. Do you quilt or make jewelry? Do you own a business? Could you cook someone a Shabbat dinner or bake your special cake? Are you an author with boxes of extra books in your basement? Do you own a vacation home? Or the next time you are out for dinner, just buy a gift certificate from that restaurant and send it to us.
We’re really looking forward to seeing you at the event.
+ Thanks to the following hard workers who put the invitations together so they could be mailed to you:
Keith Dubinsky, Rona Teitleman, Laura Natkins, Bonnie Roditti and Bernie Riff.
+ I send out a separate e-mail about next week’s”Parenting your Teen” all day event in San Francisco.
MIDRASHA IS A SPONSOR OF THE FOLLOWING EVENT: The Bureau of Jewish Education's Jewish Teen Alliance Presents Parenting Your Teen In Partnership with Jewish Community High School of the Bay SUNDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2012 · 9:30 AM - 3 PM
Jewish Community High School of the Bay -1835 Ellis Street, San Francisco
REGISTER TODAY Go to http://parentingyourteen.eventbrite.com
COST: $18/ Kosher lunch provided / no one turned away for lack of funds
+Parents of 8th and 9th graders, remember to save all morning on February 26 for two special annual programs: 8th grade: Parent –Teen Communication Workshop, 9th grade: Building Healthy Relationships.
+Parents of Seniors: Our class meeting for you and your teens to plan graduation will be February 26, right after school. Save the date on your calendars.
+MACCABI APPLICATIONS ARE READY.
For the last two weeks I’ve been advertising the SFJCC team for the Maccabi Games and Art Fest. But there will also be a team from the East Bay! Here is their information:
The JCC East Bay is excited to be participating in the 2012 JCC Maccabi Games. For the first time, we will be sending a delegation of athletes to Houston, TX on Aug 5-10, 2012. This summer, almost four thousand Jewish teens from all over the US, Canada, Israel, Mexico, Hungary, and Great Britain will share in the fun of competing and the pride of being part of a world-famous Olympic-style event filled with Jewish content and values.
The JCC Maccabi Games have been offering a life and personality shaping experience to Jewish teenagers since 1982. At the Jewish mini-Olympiad, each athlete has the chance to participate in one of the many sporting events, creating memories that will last a life time. This year, our delegation will include a boys Basketball team, a boys Soccer team, and the following individual sports of Swimming, Tennis, or Table Tennis (for both boys and girls).
The JCC Maccabi Games can be called the Olympics for Jewish Teens, but they serve a larger purpose than athletic competition. The games also promote community involvement, teamwork, and pride in being Jewish. For example, athletes visiting host communities stay with local Jewish families. This 'Home Hospitality' is vital tothe experience, representing the extended Jewish family and the value of welcoming a stranger. Also, every set of games has a volunteer program called Days of Caring and Sharing, when athletes join with local community organizations to work on social-action projects. Past Days of Caring and Sharing have included building homes for the poor, cleaning parks, holding carnivals for handicapped children, and packaging food to be given to the hungry. The purpose is to teach Tikkum Olamby example, so that these young people incorporate these values into their daily lives once they return home.
We will be holding an Information Night at our Oakland branch (5811 Racine St, 94609) on Sunday, Feb 12 at 6pm. Tryout schedule and team coaches will be announced at that time. Please find the attached flyer and post to your communities. For more information, please contact our Delegation Head, Michele Levine, at 510.848.0237 ext 130 or Michelel@jcceastbay.org.
We are excited to be sending our first delegation and look forward to sharing the successes of our athletes.
+ Do your teens like to backpack? Have they never backpacked before but might like the challenge of trying something new? Save the weekend of April 27-29. Midrasha and Netiovt Shalom are organizing a joint teen backpack trip. Details will be coming in early March. For now, just block out the dates on your calendar.
+On Febrary 14th at 7:15 the movie Race To Nowhere is showing at Temple Sinai during Midrasha hours. Race to Nowhere is an award-winning documentary that highlights the unintended consequences of our pressure-cooker culture and education system. An eye-opening call to action, the film challenges current assumptions about how to best prepare young people for the future. Come see this thought-provoking film and engage in a rich discussion after. Tickets are $10 at http://rtntemplesinai.eventbrite.com or $15 at the door. Teens are free. Contact Sue Bojdak for more information at sue@oaklandsinai.org. Temple Sinai is at 2808 Summit in Oakland.
-I e-mail out announcements to parents and students each Thursday. I also put them on our website: www.midrasha.org. Yours will be under Parent Announcements. We also have a page on Facebook. Go look for Midrasha in Berkeley and “like” us. We love to be liked. We’ll post some of the (student) announcements there each week, plus a link to the whole announcements on the website.
MIDRASHA CALENDAR:
February 3-5 MIDRASHA RETREAT. No regular campus classes
February 12 – Jewish Teen Alliance’s “Parenting Your Teen” at JCHS in San Francisco
February 19 - No School, Presidents’ Weekend
February 26 Special Family programs for 8th and 9th graders (8th grade: Parent –Teen Communication Workshop, 9th grade: Building Healthy Relationships.
February 26 Meeting for Seniors and Parents at 12:30
March 11 Midra-shabang 5-8 pm at Congregation Beth El. Silent Auction and Buffet Supper (Adult event)
April 27-29 Midrasha/ Netivot Shalom Backpacking trip
Shabbat Shalom,
Diane
diane@midrasha.org
www.midrasha.org
- Midrasha now takes donated cars. Call the office and we’ll tell you what to do. (We’ve already gotten 7 this year and it really helps to balance our budget!)
-And of course, if you are no long a part of the Midrasha community and want to get off this list, let me know.
Midrasha Retreat Bus Times for Friday, February 3
Contra Costa bus- 2:00pm
This bus will make a stop in Oakland and then proceed to Camp
Congregation B’nai Shalom
74 Eckley Lane_Walnut Creek, CA 94596
Berkeley bus- 2:30pm
An overflow bus will be arriving from TV/TC at around 2:30 and then will proceed to Camp
Temple Beth El
1301 Oxford St
Berkeley CA 94709
Oakland bus- 2:30pm
This bus will be arriving from Walnut Creek and then proceed to Camp
Temple Sinai
2808 Summit Street
Oakland, CA 94609
TV-TC bus- 1:50pm
This bus will make a stop in Berkely and then proceed to Camp
Congregation Beth Emek
3400 Nevada Ct.
Pleasanton, CA 94566
NOTE: Buses will leave camp at 12:15pm on Sunday (2/5), usually arriving at the bus stops between 2-2:30pm
2011/2012 PACKING LIST
A typical retreat weekend requires the following items:
White clothing for Friday evening (encouraged)
Closed-toes shoes for the entire weekend
Clothing that can get dirty: warm clothing for evenings, light clothing for daytime,
Rain gear
Long pants for optional hiking
Socks and undergarments
Pajamas
Sleeping bag
Water bottle
Towel and toiletries (toothbrush, bathing items, soap, shower/bathroom shoes)
Flashlight (head lamps are great)
For safety purposes, we require all students to wear closed-toed shoes during all
programs on the retreat. The terrain is uneven and it is easy to lose your footing.
Additionally, students may be asked to take a hike as part of an activity.
Sandals, however, may be appropriate to bring as students may have to travel out of his
or her bunk for the bathroom/shower.
TO LEAVE AT HOME
Valuable items
Inappropriate clothing (revealing or which references, through slogans or imagery,
drugs, alcohol, sex or violence)
Please note that electronics and cell phones are inappropriate to use due to
observance of Shabbat. Camp Newman has ABSOLUTELY NO cell phone
service.
All food and drink
