Rudy and Linda Slucker Religious School

2011-03-01T10:14:00.001-05:00

Dear Families,

Think you know the inspiration behind this year's Purim Shpiel production?!!! Come see your clergy and temple

senior staff perform on Sunday, March 20th during our annual Purim Extravaganza at 9:00 am. Wear a costume, enjoy the shpiel, play games and win prizes...it'll be a crazy, fun time for all!

In preparation for this joyous holiday that celebrates the Jewish victory over the evil Haman, our 8th graders will be presenting their own Purim Shpiel on Tuesday, March 15th for the residents of the Village Apartments. Students will meet at TSTI at 7:00 pm and walk over to the home together. Parents interested in volunteering to chaperone should call the office at 973-763-3793.

We are looking forward to seeing all 5th graders and their parents at the much anticipated Prophets program on Sunday March 6th. Your child has been working diligently on their report. Students should come dressed as their Prophet.

Friday March 11th is our 3rd grade Shabbat service and dinner. Please RSVP as soon as possible. All families should bring a side dish or dessert. Students have been

working with Cantor Finn in preparation for the service and their art work will be on exhibit for this special occasion.

See ya'll soon.

Pia

Carmel Forest

2011-03-01T10:13:00.008-05:00

The Linda & Rudy Slucker Religious School is thrilled

to announce that our students together with the help of two anonymous "angels" raised a total of $720.00 which will go towards the All Fired Up for Carmel Forestcampaign. This will enable Israeli firefighters to purchase new equipment.

Thank you TSTI students & our anonymous donors!

OUR MARCH B'NAI MITZVAH

2011-03-01T10:13:00.005-05:00

3/5 Ryan Davis

3/12 Michael Garawitz

3/19 Eliza Stone
3/26 Joshua Bergman

5TH GRADE PROPHETS PROGRAM

2011-03-01T10:13:00.003-05:00

Please join us

SUNDAY, MARCH 6, 2011

9:00 am - 11:30 am

in the ballroom

coffee & bagels too!

3RD GRADE SHABBAT SERVICES & DINNER

2011-03-01T10:12:00.006-05:00

We cordially invite our 3rd grade families

to join together to welcome Shabbat

with services and dinner

Friday, March 11, 2011

Services will begin at 6:00 p.m.

Don't forget to bring a side dish

or a dessert!

The cost per family is $18.00

Please RSVP to dwolkoff@tstinj.org

PURIM EXTRAVAGANZA

2011-03-01T10:12:00.002-05:00

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Join us for crafts, games & hamantaschen!

Open to the community, please bring your friends!

PURIMSHPIEL 9:00 am

PURIM EXTRAVAGANZA 10:00 am-12:00 pm

$10.00 for the first child

$7.00 for each additional child

All proceeds go to youth programming.

We're looking for volunteers to help with Purim.

If you're interested, please contact Debi Wolkoff

dwolkoff@tstinj.org

BRING ONE

Please bring a box of pasta to use as your grogger

then afterwards please drop it in the bin outside of the Religious School office. We'll donate the pasta to The Interfaith Food Pantry of the Oranges.

BRING ONE

2011-03-01T10:11:00.002-05:00

BRING ONE

We are asking families to

bring one non perishable food item

EACH TIME YOU COME TO THE TEMPLE

to be donated to the

Interfaith Food Pantry of the Oranges located just a few miles away in Orange.

2011-02-03T11:30:00.001-05:00

4TH GRADE

LIFECYCLE PROGRAM

Please join us

Sunday, February 13, 2011

9:00 am in the Ballroom for a Family Education program, coffee & bagels too!

This event will be educational,
entertaining & fun!

2011-02-03T11:27:00.000-05:00

Yishar Koach

(way to go!) Madricha, Sarah Bernstein!

Thank you Sarah for transforming our Carmel Forest video, music & photos into an amazing youtube montage

video!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb6xQXpfx1A

Ms. Miller Travels to Israel

2010-10-25T11:35:00.004-04:00

Dear Students and Parents,

I came into school today to re-aquaint myself with my work, to see what my students had accomplished in my absence, and to plan for the future. I soon realized my view of my curriculum would never be the same. My first glimpse of Israel years ago was Paul Newman, in "Exodus." It was love at first sight for both! I have always wondered how Israel would really look and feel. I had experienced Israel through the pages of text, film, personal accounts of friends and students, and through photographs. Now however, my lens will be different. After many years of wanting to see Israel first hand, my husband and I finally decided to make the journey.

Our trip began in Tel Aviv at Independence Hall where Ben Gurion proclaimed statehood on May 14, 1948. It was a very emotional experience. My family members from Ranana met us for dinner by the Mediterranean Sea. Each day my husband Clark and I looked at each other and said, "Do you believe we are in Israel?" The days were full with us up at 6:00 am and out the door by 7:30 am, and not back to the hotel until 10:00 every night. Each day felt like a week- a hectic pace, to say the least. We traveled north to the Golan Heights where we could see Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan. Israel is green! The land beyond the Israeli border is not.

My curriculum came alive. From the date palms to the sand dunes, to Bedouin herds of goats and sheep, wild horses, caves, folded earth as a result of thousands of years of pressure, still evident. Volcanic "stones" in the north more solid as we went south, an amazing tour guide who pointed out the smallest detail including groves of etrogs and bananas. It was like a college course, but even more amazing. It was real, still happening and alive! References to Torah, examples from the Prophets and of course, visits to Yad Vashem, the Kotel, the tunnel tour, Hebrew Union College, Masada, etc. An entire country of Jews! And still so much more to do there.

After Shabbat services at the small Reform synagogue we were taken home for dinner by Israelis who shared their internal challenges and struggles . Reform Judaism is still a step child there. Hopefully one day Reform Judaism will be accepted by all.

People were lovely and welcoming in Israel. We hope to return again someday. Israel is our home- a place from which we all came. We are so grateful to have had the opportunity to return.

Shalom,

Fran

2010-10-04T13:31:00.004-04:00

RELIGIOUS SCHOOL

CALENDAR

10/1 New Member & New Student Consecration & Simchat Torah

10/17 4th Grade Parent Meeting

10/19 First Night of Hebrew High

Starbucks Night

10/22 5th Grade Shabbat

10/24 Reschedule K-2 Open House & Prayer Garden Dedication

10/26 7th Grade Public Speaking Workshop

10/31 3rd - 6th Grade Open House

2nd Grade Calendar Program

2010-04-01T15:05:00.000-04:00

On Sunday April 25th

9:00 - 11:30 am

in the New Chapel

Parents please join us for a

Family Education program titled

Jewish Calendar in a Day.

This event will be educational,

entertaining and fun.

THE LINDA & RUDY SLUCKER RELIGIOUS SCHOOL HELPS HAITI!

2010-04-01T15:04:00.002-04:00

UPDATE:

We are currently at $703.76.
We're almost there!
Remember our goal is $1,000.00.

Thank you for helping us help the people of Haiti.

Pia Kutten Religious School Director

TODAH RABAH (thank you very much), Tsipi Kaplan!

2010-04-01T15:02:00.000-04:00

Our 6th grade students recently participated in a Passover cooking class with Hebrew teacher/Chef Tsipi Kaplan. Students were taught how to make matzoh balls & made scrumptious Passover desserts. Just ask your children for the yummy recipes!

Tsipi recently received a diploma in the Culinary Arts program from The Institute of Culinary Education in NYC. She has always loved cooking, flavors, and being in the kitchen. Tsipi is from Israel, she loves the Mediterranean and the Middle Eastern flavors. Since her family came to Israel from Eastern Europe (Russia and Austria), she finds a lot of comfort in making a good old Eastern European meal.

5th Grade Prophets Program

2010-02-10T12:17:00.003-05:00

Kindergarten Tu Bshvat Project

2010-01-27T12:53:00.001-05:00

TSTI SLOGANS

2010-01-27T12:37:00.002-05:00

In January our students worked together to try to articulate, in the form of a class slogan, what exactly being a part of the TSTI community means to them. The responses were inspiring and very creative. Students really enjoyed the group activity and getting to know one another better through the exchange. Below of are some of the slogans.

TSTI: Learning & loving & caring.

Good times, good fun & good learning @ TSTI.

Come to TSTI and get fed. Come to TSTI and get food.

God’s the best but no one beat’s the rest

TSTI- Learn Hebrew, have fun. Hebrew.

Learn Hebrew @ TSTI.

Israel, here we come to study the Torah and have lots of fun.

Together, Super, Trust, Israel

TSTI- stands outside the box!

Don’t be a fool- go to TSTI for Hebrew school!

TSTI- Judaism at it’s best!

TSTI- Where Mitzvot Happen!

Where the heart is- TSTI.

Learning Hebrew is fun, almost as fun as playing in the sun!

TSTI- come in, it’s warm!

Learning Jewish studies helps us make buddies!

Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel runs on Jews.

Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel: It’s the best Hebrew School!

TSTI follows you forever, and you should follow it!

History is in your hands, here at TSTI.

Do the honor because we love the Torah!

Our congregation is a Jewish sensation!

Jewish National Fund Speaker!

2010-01-24T18:30:00.004-05:00

The 7th & 8th grade students explored the issue of global warming with a Jewish National Fund speaker, Nina Wolin. The JNF is a global environmental leader having planted 240 million trees in the past 107 years. In addition, it has built over 200 reservoirs and dams, developed over 250,000 acres of land, created more than 1,000 parks, provided the infrastructure for over 1,000 communities, and has continued to educate students around the world about Israel and the environment. Students at TSTI also learned new ways to reuse and recycle common household items. Activities included making homeopathic solutions for beauty care, creating ovens out of pizza boxes, and lunch bags out of used packaging materials.

The Hebrew Olympics!

2010-01-24T18:15:00.001-05:00

On Sunday January 24^th, the 1^st graders and their families participated in the Hebrew Olympics. This family education program consists of multiple relay races aimed at reinforcing the lessons from the classroom in fun and exciting ways as well as bringing families together in learning. Lead by the religious school teen staff along side Tracy Horwitz, this event, with over 30 students,was a great experience for everyone involved!

February Mench of the Month

2010-01-24T18:14:00.000-05:00

Our Mensch of the Month award goes to Cailee Olitt. Cailee is in Ellen Hirschorn's 3rd grade class at Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel. When asked to describe Cailee, Ellen Hirschorn stated, "Cailee is always willing to help others. She is highly respectful and a very inquisitive and studious young gal."

The First Junior Youth Group Event!

2010-01-24T18:12:00.001-05:00

Tuesday, January 19^th our 7^th and 8^th graders united for the first junior youth group event of the year. Led by the Hebrew High seniors, the 70+ in attendance participated in an obstacle course style event, complete with dinner and ice cream buffet The event gave the soon to be Hebrew High students a taste of what TSTI’s senior youth group, STISY, has to offer! There will be one more junior youth group event, followed by a junior youth group trip! If your 7^th or 8^th grader has suggestions for an exciting excursion, please email thorwitz@tsti.org.

Special 4th Grade Program!

2010-01-24T18:09:00.002-05:00

On Sunday, January 10th, the 4th grade parents and students studied the Jewish life-cycle with Rabbi Miller and Pia Kutten, our Religious School Director. During this event, parents and students learned about Jewish life cycle events found in the Torah, and later life cycle events that have developed in more recent years. Following the program, Cantor Aronson hung the Religious School Mezuzah for all to witness and he led the group in the appropriate blessings.

TSTI Religious School DECEMBER NEWSLETTER

2009-12-09T12:24:00.000-05:00

Dear Parents,

I'm thrilled that the Linda and Rudy Slucker Religious School will now be communicating with you through our new Constant Contact messaging. We hope that this will serve as an additional means to keep you tuned in to all of the exciting activities and learning happening each month.

Tuesday, December 15th during Hebrew High, all students will have the opportunity to hear from a representative from the Alexander Muss program in Israel, NFTY summer program in Israel and Kutz Camp. The presentations will be followed by a special Chanukah celebration.

We are going GREEN during the month of January in honor of Tu B'shvat. Every Jewish studies class will be participating in a special environmental lesson designed by our JNF (Jewish National Fund) Ambassadors Karen Lilienfeld and Lisa Imberman.

Religious School will be closed for the winter break December 22nd - January 3rd. Classes will resume Tuesday, January 5th. If you are looking for fun ways to help others during this holiday season, be sure to check out the list below of giving opportunities composed by parent volunteer Lisa Ozer.

See you at ChanukahMania!

Pia Kutten
Religious School Director

Religious School Calendar
DECEMBER 2009

Sun Dec 6
Religious School
6th Grade Mtg and Open House

Tues Dec 8
Religious School

Fri Dec 11
Chanukah begins at Sundown
Parent Volunteers Set Up for Chanukah Mania

Sun Dec 13
ChanukahMania!

Tues Dec 15
Religious School

Sun Dec 20
Religious School

Tues Dec 22
No Religious School

Sun Dec 27
No Religious School

Tues Dec 29
No Religious School

Quick Links
Religious School Website

TSTI Bar/Bat Mitzvah Interactive Learning Center

Inclement Weather Plan
Winter has arrived! In the event that Religious School is canceled due to inclement weather, you will receive a phone message from One Call Now advising you of the situation. School closings will also be posted on our website and on our voice mail in the Religious School office.

ChanukahMania!
Dec 13, 9-11:30am

This Sunday, December 13th is our annual ChanukahMania celebration that will include art, music, delicious Chanukah treats and an oil press demonstration presented by the Living Legacy. There will also be a Blood Drive so you can give someone else a great Chanukah gift! We look forward to seeing you there! ChanukahMania will run from 9:00-11:30 and is in lieu of regularly scheduled classes. Bring the whole family for a morning of fun!

Parents, there is no carpool pick-up after ChanukahMania. You can park in the temple lot to join your child for the festivities!

7th & 8th Grade
Mitzvah Project

December 1st was Mitzvah Night for our 7th and 8th graders. All students assembled craft bags and goody bags to distribute to bedridden children. The gifts provide all kinds of activities for children who are fighting serious illnesses. All items made were donated to St. Barnabas Child Life Center and Goryeb Children's Center at Morristown Memorial Hospital. Chandler Simon, who raised almost $500 to train seeing eye dogs, shared his experience with our students as well. Chandler was accompanied by a representative of the organization and by a four-legged friend, too.

Chanukah Tikkun Olam
(here's a great idea that comes to us from the Ozer Family!)

Eight nights of Chanukah too often equates with eight nights of presents. Why not set aside at least one night of Chanukah for your family to jointly do an act of kindness towards others? Here are ten family-friendly suggestions to get you started.

1. Donuts are a traditional Chanukah food in Israel. A donation to www.Pizzaidf.org will send donuts (or pizza) to Israeli soldiers.

2. Clean your bookshelves for a great cause. Gently used children's books will be given to school children in Orange through the Children's Book Pantry of Orange at the Y. Books can be left for 321 N. Wyoming Ave, Unit 2D, South Orange. For further information, email crlukoff@aol.com.

3. Clean your coat closets. Gently used coats can be donated to Jersey Cares Coat Drive for at-risk men, women, and children. Drop-off locations and other information can be found at http://jerseycares.org/AboutUs/index.php/CoatDrive2009.html. But hurry - this year's drive ends December 15.

4. Color a picture for the homebound, ill, or elderly to brighten their day. www.colorasmile.org.

5. Bake cookies. Deliver them to your local police precinct, fire station or rescue squad to say thanks for all they do!

6. Grocery shop together. Donate non-perishable groceries to our neighbors in need. Groceries can be dropped off at: Bobrow Kosher Food Pantry at Oheb Shalom Congregation, 170 Scotland Road, South Orange; Our Lady of Sorrows Food Pantry, 217 Prospect Street, South Orange; or the Community FoodBank of NJ, 31 Evans Terminal Road, Hillside, NJ (www.njfoodbank.org).

7. Pet lover? Donate pet items to the South Orange-Maplewood pet shelter: Jersey Animal Coalition (www.jaconline.org), 298 Walton Ave, South Orange.

8. Computer savvy kids? Click away to provide free mammograms (www.thebreastcancersite.com), pet supplies (www.theanimalrescuesite.com), hunger relief (www.thehungersite.com), protect the rainforest (www.therainforestsite.com), free books (www.theliteracysite.com), and support child health (www.childhealthsite.com)

9. Play basketball together. Then donate $10 to Nothing but Nets, a campaign to stop the spread of malaria through the use of bed nets. www.urj.org/socialaction/issues/nets

10. Eat latkes! Play dreidle! Then pool your change at the end of the game and donate it to: Mazon, a Jewish Response to Hunger, 10495 Santa Monica Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90025 (www.mazon.org).

December
MENSCH of the Month

Zachary Burd, a 3rd grader at Temple Sharey Tefilo - Israel received the Mensch of the Month award for the kindness that he continuously shows towards his classmates. He has a highly inquisitive mind and loves learning. His favorite things are detective stories, Star Wars and any board games that involve strategy. He is an avid sports fan and especially loves baseball and the Yankees. He is very close to his little sister, Emma, a former TSTI pre-schooler, and is helping her learn to read.

Religious School @ Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel | 432 Scotland Road | South Orange | NJ | 07079

Mensch of the Month

2009-11-19T15:26:00.001-05:00

Shana Mindlin, 6th grader at Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel, received the Mensch of the Month award for raising $1500 for the Friendship Circle fundraiser.

Religious School Torah Fest

2009-11-18T18:08:00.000-05:00

According to Pirkei Avot, “The world rests on three things: Torah, worship and acts of loving kindness.” In keeping with the spirti of this passage, our students met with a Torah scribe, studied the parsha, worshiped, and helped to feed the hungry by assembling a Thanksgiving bagged lunch during Torah Fest on Sunday, November 15th. Our 5th grade students, pictured above, created warm scarfs to be dontated with the lunches.