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A Message from Our Menahel Dear Parents,

Chazal tell us that the parsha of the week impacts the occurances of the week. It doesn’t necessarily mean that the weather during the week of Parshas Noach will definitely have hurricane rains. However, if the Parsha is בא, there is some aspect of גאולה or freedom in the forecast. (Although not every winter vacation comes out on Parshas בא!)

We know that freedom, or חירות, really means

that the Jewish people transitioned from being slaves to פרעה to slaves of Hashem, which was a preparation for קבלת התורה. I would like to take the opportunity to discuss a Pesach topic during a

parsha that introduces the Yom Tov of Pesach. We all experience the challenge at the seder to eat the afikoman before חצות. Some are stringent to eat the afikoman before חצות, some are not, and then there are those who work it out by doing the trick (for lack of a better word) of the אבני נזר, which we won’t go into now.

Rav Pam, ל‘‘זצ , had an important point to make regarding this challenge. He would say ”Sometimes we may find people being very careful about per-forming mitzvos between man and Hashem , but not as sensitive to the circumstances between man and his or her friend.” A significant example is when it comes to afikoman. One may jump through hoops to rush through the meal in the quest of meeting the deadline of חצות. The women work so hard to clean the house for weeks before Pesach, and fi-nally, after spending so much time cooking and

preparing all kinds of delicacies for Shulchan Aruch, they can hardly wait to see the joy and pleasure as the entire family and guests enjoy the seudah. What happens? They start the meal twenty minutes be-fore חצות and the rush begins. “Bring out the soup quickly!” “How much time is left?” “Forget the des-sert!” By the time חצות arrives, who didn’t get a chance to eat more than a morsel of food? The tired, hungry and thirsty אשת חיל! After all her hard work, she has to watch everyone stuff it down in record time! The necessity of eating the afikoman before חצות is debatable. Besides, says Rav Pam, one can say the divrei Torah during or after the meal, so that there will be time to spare for the afikoman. Lack of appreciation, causing pain or em-barrassment to those working so hard to prepare a beautiful Yom Tov, is not debatable. It is imperative that Kavod Habrios and Hakoras Hatov always be displayed.

Let us all use the lessons of Parshas בא , and although we will be on vacation, we can improve our מידות from the important message Rav Pam has taught. We will be faced with many opportunities where sensitivity, Hakoras Hatov, כבוד אב ואם, respect and consideration for all people of all ages must be shown. If we work on these areas of our lives, we will surely see and welcome the end of this long גלות soon!

Rabbi Berel Leiner

Menahel

CALENDAR

WINTER VACATION SUNDAY JANUARY 20- SUNDAY JANUARY 27 SESSIONS RESUME ON MONDAY JANUARY 28

PICTURE DAY

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 6

YBHighlights

Parshas Bo

Hadlakas Neiros:4:39

Havdalah: 5:58 PM

13

I S S U E

Jan 18 2013

CONGRATULATIONS

to our

2012-2013

YBH raffle winners!!!

Mr. & Mrs.

Duvy & Cheryl Gross

GENERAL STUDIES UPDATE

Dear Parents,

It’s hard to believe that win-

ter vacation is here!

Winter vacation is an oppor-

tunity to refresh and enjoy a

well deserved break. For me

it’s also an opportunity to

reflect on the first segment

of the school year and to

prepare for the next one.

Looking back at what we

have accomplished, yomim

tovim, hurricane and all,

there’s a lot to be proud of.

The new reading program

has gotten off to a successful

start. What impressive lan-

guage is being used in the

classrooms – all sorts of

“amazing words”. More, the

level of thinking that is going

on as the children are com-

paring, contrasting, analyz-

ing and developing their

ideas. Weekly packets are

going home in most of the

classes offering you a

glimpse at the quality of the

work that is being produced,

not to mention the “Family

Ties” newsletter we recently

discovered as we sort

through the mass of new

resources available to us!

Our science and social stud-

ies programs have rocketed

forward with many new

units of study added to

greatly enrich the content

and to correlate the skills the

students use as they learn

with those they are develop-

ing in the language arts

classes. The math program is

moving along with focused

emphasis on true mastery

and meeting benchmarks to

ensure success as the stu-

dents continue to learn in

the coming years. We’ve

increased the use (both in

amount and in quality) of

the SmartBoards and have

worked overall to generate

greater consistency in the

learning and procedures

through the grades.

In short, it’s been a busy four

months.

I cannot express enough

how greatly I appreciate

those of you who have

reached out to me with

ideas, suggestions, and con-

cerns. Your feedback as we

endeavor to do best by the

children is invaluable. I have

learned from you, have

grown as an educator and

used your insights to take

our wonderful program and

make it better for each and

every child.

Over vacation, please feel free to share anything, large or small, that you feel will be helpful in making the second half of school as successful as it can be. As well, let me know what you feel is going well – I will pass that on and your encouragement will bolster the enthusiasm of the teachers! I will be check-ing my email regularly and will do my best to take your thoughts to heart. Please reach out directly to ehebel@ybhillel.org. Wishing you a fantastic vaca-

tion!

Mrs. Estee Hebel

Parnes Hayom

Learning was dedicated on the following days:

Sunday, 2 Shevat (1/13) In commemoration of the

yartzeit , l'iluy nishmas Yosef ben Yitzchak Yosef Halberstam

great-grandfather of Avigayil (7G) Atara (5G),

Elisheva (2G),& Baylee (N-R) Greenberger

sponsored by Eliezer and Shifra

Greenberger

Friday, 7 Shevat (1/18) In commemoration of the

yartzeit of Frayda bas

Harav Yisroel Boruch sponsored by the Glucksman

Family

Mrs. Buckweitz’s 2B present their oral biography book reports in

costume.

LIMUDEI KODESH UPDATE—BOYS

MAZAL TOV

To…… Mr. & Mrs. Moshe and

Tifarah Stareshefsky (Eli -KD)

on the birth of a son Mazal Tov as well to the

grandparents, Mr. Richie & Mrs. Helen Stareshefsky

Mr. Richie and Mrs. Helen

Stareshefsky on the birth of a granddaughter

(born to Mr. and Mrs. Spencer & Rochel Lewis)

PTA CORNER

THANK YOU TO ALL OUR GRANDMOTHER-MOTHER-

DAUGHTER BRUNCH

SPONSORS FOR YOUR HELP IN MAKING IT SUCH A

SUCCESS!

Dear Parents:

וירא מנוחה כי טוב

“VACATION!”

The mere mention of the word conjures up vivid im-ages in our minds. For chil-dren, the word elicits a warm emotional response with memories of great times and fun. For adults, well, it sure brings forth memories. Some good, like the fun activities done with the children, and then there are the memories best forgotten, like the nagging “are we there yet?” or “I’m soooo booored”. So what is this vacation thing all about and how can we make the best use of it? Considering that we’ll spend next week on vaca-tion, now is probably an opportune time to address the subject. In יעקב אבינו ,פרשת ויחי gave ברכות to each of his children in accordance with his life’s mission and strength. יששכר, who learns Torah, was com-pared to a donkey carrying a load and who only rests between the city bounda-ries. In that context, the pasuk relates וירא מנוחה כי and he saw that (the)-טובrest was good. I heard the following explanation at a siyum celebration. When one completes a he takes the ,מסכתopportunity to rest before

beginning anew. He looks back at all that he’s accom-plished and feels enthused and excited. The result of this rest is, as the pasuk concludes,ויט שכמו לסכול, and he lowers his shoulder (metaphorically) to carry on with his load. Reinvigo-rated, he gets back to work energetically. I believe the same can be said at a mid-year vacation. Just as nightly sleep re-freshes the body, a good vacation can refresh the mind and spirit. Looking back at what has been ac-complished in the first half of the school year should bring a sense of satisfac-tion and pride. Look at how much more you know and can now do than five months ago. Used well, the chance to unwind and take a breath will infuse new enthusiasm and determina-tion to put forth renewed effort into a great second half of the school year. That is, of course, provided that the vacation is a healthy one and not stress filled. Another important compo-nent is quality time with family. With everyone’s busy schedules and long days, spending positive time with those you love most doesn’t happen often enough. Using one’s vaca-tion to spend time to-gether doing pleasurable activities, instead of home-work, can strengthen the

bond between parents and children and between sib-lings. I hope we all get to appreciate and maximize this opportunity. As adults, we can put aside other ob-ligations to focus on our children. To the children I say, focus less on “where you go” or “what you do”. Focus more on who you’re going or doing things with and anything can be fun. Of course, we know that no vacation is a vacation from Torah; it’s a vacation with Torah. Our neshomos are hungry, too, so let’s feed them Torah. Remember, the Hasmadah Campaign marches on! I look forward to seeing all of you back refreshed and excited to learn (and to join the Hasmadah trip)! Have a wonderful vacation! Rabbi Binyomin Perlstein

BRONZE Mrs. Chani

Ledereich

Mrs. Sharon

Siegel

PLATINUM Mrs. Myra Berlin

Mrs. Barbara Giloni

Mrs. Barbara Kagan

Mrs. Judy Kar-funkel

Mrs. Kara Palley

Mrs. Lilly Schor

Mrs. Susie Schulder

DIAMOND Mrs. Rachel Cohen

Mrs. Coty

Finegold

Mrs. Rita Kuhn

Mrs. Kathy Novick

Mrs. Rhona Peck

Mrs. Naomi

Radinsky

Roseman/Levin Families

Mrs. Debbie

Rothberger

Mrs. Sandra

Teitelbaum

Mrs. EileenWinkler

GOLD Mrs. Paula Gold

SILVER Mrs. Phyllis Barax

Mrs. Linda

Brenner

Mrs. Rachel Glasser

Mrs. Sally Hoffman

Mrs. Chani Karpel

Mrs. Miriam Knecht

Mrs. Hedy Schulder

Mrs. Susan

Wohlgelernter

Mrs. Geula Zamist

RAFFLE SPONSORS

A-1 Nutrition Acme Markets

Amazing Savings Bagel Munch

Boutique Nails Canon Camera

Cosmetic Concepts CS Designs

Good Shabbos Catering Good Shabbos Flowers

Hosiery Planet Jerusalem Pizza King of Delancey

Kosher Konnection Main Ingredient

Mrs. Devorie Perlow Mrs. Dina Groll

Mrs. Malya Goldberg Neshoma Orchestra

Papaya Events Pink Orchid Prima Pizza

Shoppers Vineyard Shoprite of Nutley

Smackin’ Good The Linen Shop Tower Cleaners

VIP Cleaners Yochie’s Heimishe

Bakery Z. Berman

3B skit

Mrs. Kovel's Middle School Language Arts classes: The MS LA students are just finishing the final copies of their most recent writing assignment - personal narrative es-says. While many were reluctant at first, because they felt writing such an essay might be "too personal," they all have come through with excellent essays. This was their first writ-ing assignment that was to be completed totally in class, so they could learn and experience the writing process from start to finish. First the students brainstormed topics and com-pleted a graphic organizer to help sort out ideas and details. Next, they wrote a rough draft including a catchy introduction, detail paragraphs, and an interesting conclusion. Self and peer editing came next, graded against a rubric....not easy to grade yourself or a friend! Finally, Mrs. Kovel added her com-ments and corrections which led to the final copies being writ-ten. Students learned that there is more to writing than sit-ting down at a computer and having everything corrected for you. In the end, the students were proud of their work and their finished pieces.

Rabbi Rothberger’s kittah gimmel: Things are moving quickly for 3B. We learned both new vav hahipuch and avar songs, as well as started translating chu-mash verbs using the "SRiLV" method. We started learning Navi and have decorated the hallway with our comic strips describing Perek Alef. Most special, however was that we completed learning Parshas Vayeitzei. A beautiful skit enti-tled, "Those Talented People of Aram" was performed Thurs-day morning for the first and second grade boys. A big yasher koach” to all the boys of 3B, and may we continue growing in our learning and middos. Mrs. Buckweitz’s 2B: When does support from others help with a creative idea? This was the concept for a story the boys just read. After read-ing the story, the boys were enthusiastic to share their ideas and create an invention and write about it. They worked in pairs and used their lively imaginations and presented their projects and stories to the class. They also wrote entertaining animal fantasies and accompanied them with illustrations. Walk by our classroom and see their animal stories displayed in the hallway. We have discussed the parts of a friendly letter and the children have written to their grandparents or parents and addressed the envelope. They are looking forward to sur-prising their recipients.

Mr. Levin’s 8B math class:

The boys in 8B have been persistent and eager to learn new math concepts this year. In the past few weeks, we have been solving multi-step equations, inequalities, and proportions. We have also been working on using different problem solving strategies to solve algebraic reasoning type problems. As we continue to work on pre-algebra concepts, I look forward, in the near future, to starting algebra I. The boys have shown that they are ready and capable to take on these advanced concepts.

ECD HIGHLIGHTS

Morah Shoshanah’s Pre 1A M:

Pre 1 A children are music lovers. They enjoy singing and learning about different musical instruments. In honor of Serach’s harp in Parshas Vayigash, the children had a chance to strum the thirty-six strings of an autoharp. They observed that the vibrations of the strings produced different sounds. The length and thickness of the strings made a difference in how it sounds. The long, thick strings sounded deep, like the voice of a man. The short, thin strings sounded high, like the voice of a lady. Looking inside the piano pro-vided another example of how the length and thickness of strings produce the various musical sounds. The children sang and felt the two smallest muscles in their bodies, their vocal chords, vibrate. In honor of Parshas Beshalach, the children made percussion instru-ments - tambourines. They used the tambourines to accompany the new tefilla that they learned, Az Yshir.

A Peek Into Our Week: Rabbi Schonfeld Kitah Ches: A trip well deserved! Our 8th grade boys had a blast at Re-bounderz, a trampoline gymna-sium, this past Sunday. It was a treat for us finishing the first perek of makos. As midwinter vacation approaches, we have reached the halfway point of the mesechta. We're right on sched-ule to finish the mesechta for our graduation! Enjoy the nachas!

Rabbi Rajchgod’s kittah hay: We had a very busy and productive week. In Gemara, we began the famous topic of יאוש שלא מדעת. We know one is not permitted to keep a lost object he finds unless the owner gives up hope of ever finding it יאוש. What is the דין if you find an object before the owner realizes he lost it, but you know he will give up hope once he finds out it’s lost? That is a dispute between אביי and רבא . The boys are aware that is one of the most famous disputes in the entire פרק and are eager to see how theגמרא tries to prove who is correct. In חומש, we began the building of the משכן in פרשת תרומה. This is a very exciting topic, full of many intricacies and details. We hope to learn a great deal as we go through the פסוקים which detail Hashem’s instructions on how to build a place where ושכנתי בתוכם, His presence could dwell.