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Mark Your Calendar
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Monday, October 10th
*"Bring a Friend to School Day"
8:30am - 3:30pm
*"Welcome Back Alumni
Classes of 2008-2011
Wednesday, October 12th
*Early Dismissal
12:30pm for Early Childhood
1:00 pm for grades K-8
Thursday, October 13th and Friday, October 14th
*No School - Sukkot
Monday, October 17th
*Classes resume
Tuesday, October 18th
*Middle School Sukkah Sleepover
Wednesday, October 19th
*Early Dismissal
12:30pm for Early Childhood
1:00 pm for grades K-8
Thursday, October 20th and Friday, October 21st
* No School - Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah
Monday, October 24th
*Classes resume
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Coffee and Conversation
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Do you have a child who is new
to the SSDS Early Childhood program this year?
You are invited to join
Early Childhood Coordinator, Michelle Fontaine
School Counselor,
Jane Schachter
and
Admissions Director,
Sara Steiner
for
Coffee & Conversation.
Monday, October 17th
19 Tishrei
8:30-9:30am
In the Gershman Lounge
RSVP to Sara Steiner
ssteiner@ssds-hartford.org
by Wednesday October 12.
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Welcome Back
SSDS Alumni from the Classes of 2008-2011
 Please join us on Monday, October 10th 12 Tishrei 11:30 am-1:30 pm
*Meet our new Head of School
*Have lunch with us
*Reconnect with former teachers and classmates
Alumni Captains:
David Kaback 2011
Sophie Kruger 2010
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Lifecycle Events
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We extend heartfelt condolences to Dr. Jay Smith, and children Andria, Eric and Ira, and their families on the passing of
their beloved wife and mother, Dr. Rosalie Haiblum Smith.
The Smiths are a founding family of Solomon Schechter who established the Drs. Rosalie Smith & Jay Donald Smith Fund for Art.
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PTO News
Upcoming and Ongoing
Events and Programs:
Donation Drive - Keep it coming! We've already filled up Mr. C's truck a few times, so let's do it a few more times. On Tuesday and Wednesday mornings you can put your bags in the back of Mr. C's silver truck located in the parking lot.
Book Fair - Last year we had such a successful book fair in the Spring, we are going to be having two this year! The first one will be held from October 31st - November 4th. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Amy Mondschein at mondschein1@sbcglobal.net. The first planning meeting will be Monday, October 10th at
9:00 am.
Lyman Orchard Pies - Order forms went home this week with the students. These pies make great desserts for Thanksgiving or, keep them in the freezer for any time of the year. Orders will be due by October 25th and the delivery will be the Monday before Thanksgiving, November 21.
PTO Co-Presidents
Jodi Schwartz jaoschwartz@gmail.com
Danielle Weiss daniellefweiss@gmail.com
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Community News
YAD Sukkah Hop at the
Jewish Association for Community Living
Sun, Oct. 16th 2:00 - 4:00 pm
You and your family are welcome to join us for a Sukkah Hop at two of the Jewish Association for Community Living (JCL) homes!
Please come by to do a special holiday activity and enjoy a fall treat with the residents who are adults with special needs! You will have a special opportunity to meet the individuals who benefit from the programming that is made possible by your gift to the Jewish Federation's annual campaign. For more information contact Ilana Bernstein at ibernstein@jewishhartford.org or 860-727-6119.
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The Samuel Leonard Joseph Memorial Fund will be holding its second Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser on Sunday, October 16th, in Newington, CT from 5:00 - 8:00pm. The Fund primarily supports peer guidance programs that help middle school students.
Spaghetti Dinner
www.samjosephmemfund.com
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Beth David Synagogue
Sukkot Across America
Celebrate at the home of Rabbi and Mrs. Adler. For more information click here.
SAVE the DATE
SSDS parents,
Bruce and Roberta Singer
will be honored by
Beth David Synagogue on Sunday, November 13, 2011, more information to follow.
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Emanuel Synagogue
www.emanuelsynagogue.org
Sunday, October 9th 4:00-5:30 pm, Ozreinu (Hebrew for "Our Help") is a place for study, for sharing, and for support of parents of children with special needs. For more info. contact Judye Fox at
judyefox@emanuelsynagogue.org
Tuesday, Oct. 11th 7:30 pm
Emanuel Sisterhood presents
HealthRhythms a rhythm-making
experience; No drumming or musical experience needed.
Saturday, Nov. 5th 8:00 pm A vocal concert featuring Operatic Favorites and Broadway Hits with soprano Sarah Asmar and tenor Joshua Kohl. ~~~~~~~~~~
Beth El Temple
www.bethelwesthartford.org
October 14th 6:00 pm
Shabbat LIVE!
Under The Stars & Sukkah
October 16th 9:15 am
The Story of Jason Alster -
Hebrew American's Sojourn in the Land of Israel
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 Anxious but Auspicious: Benjamin Rosenblatt Elected President
"The lights were bright, and my blood was  pulsating through my veins", were student council president-elect Benjamin Rosenblatt's thoughts prior to taking the podium for his speech. Benji, along with many other members of the middle school student body went through a vigorous gauntlet of tasks in hopes of becoming part of the 2011-2012 Solomon Schechter Day School Student Council. Each student had to be nominated by a fellow member of the student body, come up with a catch phrase for posters (which beautified the middle school atrium and hallways), and finally write a speech encompassing all of their ideas as peers anxiously awaited their words. Songs were sung, paragraphs were rhymed, hands were shaking, and promises were made. There seemed to be one unifying idea throughout; "...to make our already wonderful school an even better place to grow and prosper". Rabbi Elliot Goldberg stated post speeches, "It was amazing that more than half of the Middle School ran for office. All of the candidates spoke eloquently; a testament to our school's commitment to train active and involved leaders."
Congratulations to the 2011-2012
Student Council Members:
- President: Benjamin Rosenblatt (8th grade)
- Vice President: Jonathan Kaback (7th grade)
- 2nd Vice President: Matthew Patchen (6th grade)
- Corresponding Secretary: Noah Sobel-Pressman (7th grade)
- Recording Secretary: Emily Gershman (8th grade)
- Treasurer: Abigail Selig (8th grade)
- Head of Safety: Alexandra van der Hulst (7th grade)
If you would like to contact student council members to congratulate them, to offer advice for their time in office, or to share thoughts and ideas, please e-mail them at StudentCouncil@ssds-hartford.org
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Solomon Schechter Day School Launches First Presidents' Council
 Front row: Rise Roth, Dr. Sidney Perlman, Arlene Neiditz, Robin Landau, Rabbi Elliot Goldberg - Head of School, Jane Rotter - Development Director
Back row: Jay Gershman, Neil Kochen, Bruce Stanger, Jim Schulwolf.
The first Presidents' Council of Solomon Schechter Day School gathered this week to discuss the past, present and future of the school. Eight past presidents, along with current President Robin Landau, joined Head of School Rabbi Elliot Goldberg and Development Director Jayne Rotter for this historic meeting. Arlene Neiditz, a founder of the school and past President, chaired the event. "My hope is that this Council will be an advocate for Jewish Day School education in general and for Solomon Schechter Day School of Greater Hartford in particular. The past Presidents offer perspective based on their history and experience as presidents of the school and can give encouragement for the future with our financial support and advocacy." said Neiditz. The school's First President, Dr. Sidney Perlman, remembered the early days fondly, "The vision and cooperation of the first parents who brought students to the basement of The Emanuel Synagogue, these parents are the heroes we ought to remember because they brought kids to an unknown school."
Current President Robin Landau talked about the direction moving forward, "We are really in a place with Rabbi Goldberg where we have the correct structure and professional team in place to where we can move forward." Rabbi Goldberg added, "It is a great moment of opportunity. Change is easy, transitions are hard, but our enrollment held steady and we feel optimistic about the future." The goal of the Council is to help reach out to the Greater Jewish Community and invite them into our school to see how the school is developing future Jewish leaders.
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Teshuvah and Tashlich
Teshuva (repentance) has been the topic of conversation and activity in school this week. In Judaic Studies classes, the 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students wrote their own private lists of behaviors that they would like to throw away in the coming year. In addition, the 3rd and 4th grades composed a special group Tashlich prayer as did the 5th grade. From the 3rd/4th grade tefillah: "Please give me the power to reverse the bad deeds in the past year...Please help me gather strength and courage to go through the next year... Please help me control my anger...Please help me get onto the right track again... Please soothe our souls and give us a sweet New Year. From the 5th grade: We're sorry for everything bad that we've done to plants and animals, friends and family and You...Thank you for all of the second chances that You have given us...Please have mercy on us...Please take our sins along with the bread.
Grade 6 watched some scenes from "Return of the Jedi" as they prepared to study several texts on teshuvah (repentance) so as to be able to better answer the question "Did Darth Vader Do Teshuvah?" Just as with many sixth grade classes before them, Rabbi Chatinover awaits this year's class responses to the central question of inquiry with anticipation.
As part of this most important process, every class participated in tashlich, the symbolic casting of bread into moving waters as a means of removing wrong doings from our hearts. During their own class periods, students walked to the brook flowing through the golf course across the street, recited their class prayers as a group and then privately read their lists of behaviors as they threw bread into the rain-swollen brook. To say the least, it was a powerful way to enter the New Year.
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"Texting" Detectives
Grade 7 began looking at several selihot (penitential prayers for the time just prior to the beginning of the High Holy Days), but with a twist. Rather than merely read the selihot in Hebrew, they had to mark off examples of anaphora ("the deliberate repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of several successive verses, clauses or paragraphs, for example, the words of Winston Churchill, "We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills." The words "Cool!" and "Oooh!" and the phrase "Oh, I get it!" were heard numerous times as students worked individually to uncover one facet of the artistry of these payyitanim (liturgical poets) of centuries gone by. One wonders how they'll do the next time they have to decipher a literary passage for Mr. Hershfield! Back to top |
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Something's Fishy in EC2!
In preparation for Yom Kippur, the Dubonim learned about Jonah and the BIG FISH! On Wednesday, the children had a delicious snack- they used a fish shaped cookie cutter to make FISHY GRILLED CHEESE sandwiches. What a perfect, hands-on activity for two year olds. They have been creating many special projects, and are learning to be good friends.
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Apples and Honey
for a Sweet New Year  
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Shabbat Shalom
Susan Kurtis, Editor
Solomon Schechter Day School of Greater Hartford
Deadline for submissions: Wednesday @3:30
All photos must be submitted in jpeg format
skurtis@ssds-hartford.org
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