March 4, 2010
18 Adar 5770
Dear Midrasha Families,
+ This is it. Finally. This Sunday at 10:30 we will be hosting Freedom Song. This is the musical performance from Beit T’shuvah in LA, a Jewish institution for people in recovery. It is an inspiring story, juxtaposing a seder with a 12 step meeting, discussing the quest for personal freedom.. We’re setting up for 400, so we’re counting on a lot of parents to be there. Bring your friends, bring anyone interested in Judaism, substance abuse, freedom, family dynamics, liberation, and recovery. It’s free. And you’ll have a great opening to have that difficult conversation with your kids.
+ The Seudah is now only ONE weeks away. It will be Sunday, March 14. There are still about 30 tickets left. We’d love one of them to be YOURS. This is a way that you can tell Midrasha how much you appreciate us,. The food will be spectacular. Frances Dinkelspiel’s story of early California Jewish history will have you spellbound. You’ll have a chance to shmooze with friends and make new ones. You’ll come away thanking us for giving you the opportunity to help Midrasha.
If you can come to the event, we love you.
If you can’t, we’ll still love you if……
You buy raffle tickets. See details below
Let me know if you can help cook, do dishes, do set up or clean up. We especially need more people on our clean-up crew.
Details on the help needed is below.
Please, please, please.
+Parents of 8th and 9th graders: Camp Tawonga asked me to tell you about an incredible opportunity this summer during their Session IV program (August 1-20. This will bring Ethiopian, Arab and Jewish Israeli teens to camp to join American teens for three weeks of leadership, dialogue, and coexistence. The teens will live together in cabins, forming friendships that span cultures and countries. While experiencing all the great parts of Jewish summer camp – like hiking, swimming, backpacking, singing, and more – the teens will share their realities of life in the US and Israel. It will be truly is a once in a lifetime fun and meaningful experience, For more information contact Ryley Katz, Camp Tawonga, (415) 543-2267 x114. www.tawonga.org
+Just in case you are an organized person, here is next year’s 2010-2011 Midrasha calendar. Write it down somewhere.
Sept 12: First day
Nov. 9 Brunch
Nov. 28 No school
Dec 19,26 Jan 2 No school
Feb 20 No school
April 3, 10 No school
May 22 Last day, graduation.
+ If any of you have children with learning disabilities, Temple Beth Hillel, 801 Park Centra in Richmond is presenting a talk: “Learning Disabilities and the SAT: Understanding the Connections.” With Paul Osborne, Ed.M., author of L.D. SAT Study Guide. Sunday, March 14 at 10 am. For more info and (recommended) registration: www.paulthetutor.com
info@paulthetutor.com 510-381-2425
-There are two current Holocaust writing / art contests, one for all students and one for 11th and 12th graders (which comes with a substantial prize.) Please encourage your teens to participate. Details are below. Deadline for one is this week.
+ Dates for Seniors and Their Parents:
Feb. 21st, 12:30 Senior meeting with students and parents
March 21 – first senior speech workshop during first hour
May 2 – second senior speech workshop ( during school, hour to be announced)
May 9 – senior speechs due
May 23 9:30 GRADUATION
CALENDAR
March 7 Freedom Song, 10:30 a.m.
March 14
Midrasha Seudah “Towers of Gold” 5-8 p.m.
Daylight Savings Time begins. Don’t be late
March 28, April 4, No Midrasha, Spring Break
April 23-25 Etgar (9th grade) and Gesharim (8th grade) Retreat
May 23 9:30 am GRADUATION
- Midrasha now takes donated cars. And we’ve already gotten three! Call the office and we’ll tell you what to do.
Shabbat Shalom,
Diane
diane@midrasha.org
www.midrasha.org
RAFFLE DETAILS
- We also need your raffle tickets. Prizes are: a year’s free Midrasha tuition (retreats not included), two nights at a Sea Ranch home , a plane ride above the Bay in a two-seat plane, a private pilates session, a set of major league baseball cards for Jewish players, fine wine, Market Hall gift certificates, great A’s tickets, Traveling Jewish Theatre tickets and more. Tickets are $5 each, 4 for $18, 9 for $36, 14 for $54, 30 for $108. If you’re lost your tickets, send us a check marked “raffle” and we’ll fill them out for you.
SEUDAH HELP NEEDED
-Let me know if you can help with food preparation either Friday, March 12 or Sunday, March 14. This is a (extremely delicious) self-catered event and we can’t do it without YOU. We need food choppers, hors d’ouevre assemblers, parchment packet wrappers and for those who just want to help and can’t cook DISHES DOERS.
-Let me know if you can join the set-up committee: anytime from12:30-5 on Sunday, March 14
-Let me know if you can join the clean-up committee . (For those not attending the Seudah but who want to contribute with your time, we need people to start cleaning up in the kitchen as soon as the event begins, so we’ll need cleanup any time from 5-10
HOLOCAUST CONTEST DETAILS
+ Holocaust Essay Contest for 11th and 12th grade Bay Area students. $1000 prize!
Morris Weiss Holocaust Contest. Deadline for entries is extended to March 9, 2010 (that’s next Tuesday!)
This year's essay topic asks students to discuss Losing Sight of One's Own Humanity during the Holocaust. Submitted essays must reflect a genuine engagement with the topic and constitute a thoughtful response. The entry will be judged on the quality of writing and research, as well as the author's ability to meaningfully connect the essay topic to the lessons of the Holocaust.
The student with the winning essay will receive a $1000 scholarship to be used towards post-secondary education. For more details and scholarship rules, please go to www.hcnc.org/scholarship.html
+ Isaac Sevi Holocaust Writing and Art Contest.
You can submit: Fiction, Poetry or Art that focuses on the theme of the Holocaust. Winning entries must be submitted to Midrasah by Sunday, March 21. Each entry must be accompanied by a title page which contains the following information:
Student’s name & telephone number
Student’s school and grade
Will be judged on originality, content and appearance
The awards will be announced at the Tuesday, April 13 Holocaust commemoration at Temple Sinai.
