Beit Rayim Hebrew School Newsletter

November 2008 Cheshvan - Kislev 5769

CONTENT

Sha lom Pa rents 1

News 2

November B i r thdays 2

Tu B ’Sheva t Contes t 2

Youth Group 2

Upcoming Events 3

Shabba t Shorash im 3

Kabba la t Shabba t 3

Schoo l Counc i l 3

Youth P rog ram 3

November Calendar 4

Principal Rabbi David M. Eligberg

Shalom Horim,

An interesting twist of the calendar this year is the basic correspondence between the Jewish and secular month with Tishre and October and now Cheshvan and November running parallel to each other. This coincidence will disappear soon as each month on the Jewish calendar is one or two days shorter than the secular month, losing a total of eleven days over the course of a year. As a result the standard Jewish year consists of 354 days. This is why the rabbis created a unique leap year system adding an extra month seven times in a nineteen year cycle. These leap years were originally added based on direct observation of the growth of the crops, adding a month if the crops were not ready for the early harvest that began with the festival of Pesach. These periodic corrections insured that Pesach, the Spring festival would remain seasonally appropriate as would Sukkot, the Fall harvest festival. This process of intercalating the calendar to bring the lunar and solar years into “sync” is also what gives rise to the annual plaint, “The holidays are (a) late (b) early this year.” Without this corrective mechanism the Jewish holiday calendar would continue to loose 11 days each year and the holidays would move backwards in a manner observable today in the Islamic calendar. Whether a bit early or a bit late, the month of Cheshvan is always a period of seasonal change. In Israel it is a signal that the rainy season is arriving. In the GTA, the days are getting shorter and greyer; the air gets cooler and the weather begins to bluster. The squirrels are making the final additions to their winter stock piles; the birds have taken off for warmer climes, and skiers are waxing their skis and checking their boots. The smell of fireplaces in action wafts through the air and one can picture people curled up and cozy. All the foregoing makes the month of Cheshvan a perfect choice for Jewish Book Month; a time to stockpile some Jewish books for winter reading and Hannukah gift giving. For an excellent list of books and review for children of all ages check out www.jewishlibraries.org/ajlweb/awards/st_books.htm A wonderful resource about Jewish books for all ages is the Jewish Book Council http://www.jewishbookcouncil.org/ Enjoy a good book yourself and with your child(ren)

B’vracha,

Rabbi David M. Eligberg

Upcoming Events

Shabbat Shorashim

November 1, 8 and 29

PD Day-No School

November 9

Family Education Grade

6

November 16

Kabbalat Shabbat at Ree

na

Kita Alef

November 21

School Council Meeting

November 23

No School

November 27

Family Education Grade

3

November 30

To Contact

your Child’s Teacher:

Please call or e-mail the school office at 905-889-0276 x 32

or school@beitrayim.org

The message will be given

to the teacher who will contact you.

Be part of the Beit Rayim Youth Group

Contact Rachel Hindel to find out about programs and becoming

a youth member to save on program fees!

youth.beitrayim@gmail.com Some of the programs are:

A visit to the National Film Board, Mad Science, apple picking

and graffiti designs.

Did you move? Did you change e-mail ?

Do you have a new phone number?

Please contact the school office to update your information.

school@beitrayim.org 905-889-0276 x.32

Our school is NUT FREE and KOSHER.

Page 2 of 4 BRHS Newsletter NEWS

Enter The Jewish National Fund’s Third Annual

COLOR ISRAEL GREENCOLOR ISRAEL GREENCOLOR ISRAEL GREENCOLOR ISRAEL GREEN Tu B’Shevat Certificate Contest HOW TO ENTER:HOW TO ENTER:HOW TO ENTER:HOW TO ENTER: 1. This contest, to design the Tu B’Shevat in the Schools tree

certificate, is for students in Grades 3 through 8. 2. The 2009/5769 Tu B’Shevat theme is “Israel as a Global

Environmental Leader” • Visit www.jnf.org/goneutral to learn about Israel’s cutting edge technology and research in the areas of forestry, water, and alternative energy. • JNF is helping people offset their carbon emissions by planting trees in Israel through the JNF GoNeutral campaign. You can calculate how much carbon your family emits each year, and take steps to reduce your carbon footprint. • By making a difference in Israel you are making a positive impact on the entire world and doing your part to fight global warming.

3. “Color Israel Green!” enTREEs don’t have be green, they can be as many colors as you like, but should fill up an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper and illustrate the idea of Israel as a Global En-

vironmental Leader. Be sure to include your name, age, ad-dress, telephone number, email address and your parent’s name(s) so that you can be notified if you win.

4. All enTREEs will receive a special prize.

THE TOP FIVE DESIGNS THE TOP FIVE DESIGNS THE TOP FIVE DESIGNS THE TOP FIVE DESIGNS WILL ALSO APPEAR WILL ALSO APPEAR WILL ALSO APPEAR WILL ALSO APPEAR ONONONON----LINE AT LINE AT LINE AT LINE AT WWW.JNF.ORG/YOURPAGEWWW.JNF.ORG/YOURPAGEWWW.JNF.ORG/YOURPAGEWWW.JNF.ORG/YOURPAGE

The deadline for your enTREE is November 21, 2008. Winners will be notified by December 15, 2008. Send your enTREE to:

“Color Israel Green!” Jewish National Fund 42 East 69th Street New York, NY 10021

Questions? Contact Nina Woldin, nwoldin@jnf.org or 212-879-9305 x 268

We’re on the Web! www.beitrayim.org

NOVEMBER BIRTHDAYSNOVEMBER BIRTHDAYSNOVEMBER BIRTHDAYSNOVEMBER BIRTHDAYS Samantha Gabriel, November 3 Mia Moskovitz, November 4 Liza Gottlieb, November 14 Tyler Shea, November 17

Huntyr Andrews, November 18 Ethan Beard, November 19 Zoe Kane, November 22

Connor Nadel, November 23

Page 3 of 4 BRHS Newsletter UPCOMING EVENTS

SHABBAT SHORASHIM

Calling all families

with children 6 years old and younger!!! Join us for

a Shabbat morning full of songs, stories, prayer and snack once a month.

Shabbat Services are held at The Reena Battle Centre

927 Clark Avenue W. Thornhill

10:30 am -11:30 am

Please call the synagogue office for more information: 905-889-0276 x.31

2008-2009 SCHEDULE

November 1 November 8 November 29 December 13 January 10 February 21 March 7 April 4 May 2 June 6

Our school is NUT FREE and KOSHER.

School Council

Get involved in your child’s Hebrew School experience by joining the Beit Rayim School Council. For more information you can contact the school office or Harris Korn School Council Chair at 416-888-4344 or harriskorn@vqinnovations.com. Monthly School Council meetings are on Sundays from 9:30 am to 11am. Our next meeting will be on November 23.

Beit Rayim

Youth journey

to the National

Film Board

Learn the Secrets of Animation with Clay.

Join

Kinder Kids, Yeladim, and Kadima

Sunday, November 23, 2008

12:30pm-4:45pm (Includes travel time to and from the National film board and 2 hours at the NFB) Cost: $10.00 members, $15.00 non-members

Drop-Off and Pick up: Ross Doan Public School (101 Weldrick Rd. West)

RSVP: No Later than November 16th

**Optional Lunch will be provided to those who request it for $5.00. This will only be provided if you RSVP for lunch. Otherwise please send your child with a packed lunch. To RSVP please call the synagogue office

(905)889-0276 ext. 25 or e-mail Rachel Hindel, Youth Director,

at youth.beitrayim@gmail.com

Kabbalat Shabbat 5768-5769

November 21

Our first Kabbalat Shabbat.

Save the date!

Interactive and participatory service for all ages!

Upcoming Kabbalat Shabbat Services 2008/2009 Schedule

November 21, Kita Alef

December 12, Kita Bet January 16, Kita Vav/Zayin February 20, Kita Dalet March 27, Kita Hay April 24, Kita Gimel May 15, JK/SK

Schmooze

and Snack 6:00 p.m.

Service 6:30 to 7:15 p.m.

at The Reena Battle Centre 927 Clark Ave. W.

Thornhill

Page 4 of 4 BRHS Newsletter CALENDAR

School Office: 209-1118 Centre St. Thornhill ON L4J 7R9

Phone: (905) 889-0276 x32 During School Hours: (647) 230-0597

Fax: (905)889-4113 e-mail: school@beitrayim.org www.beitrayim.org

Cheshvan - Kislev 5769 - November 2008 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 3 Cheshvan,

Parashat Noach Shabbat Shorashim

2 4 Cheshvan School

3 5 Cheshvan

4 6 Cheshvan

5 7 Cheshvan

6 8 Cheshvan School

7 9 Cheshvan

8 10 Cheshvan

Parashat Lech-Lecha Shabbat Shorashim

9 11 Cheshvan No School PD Day

10 12 Cheshvan

11 13 Cheshvan

12 14 Cheshvan

13 15 Cheshvan School

14 16 Cheshvan

15 17 Cheshvan

Parashat Vayera

16 18 Cheshvan

School Family Education: Kita Vav (Gr.6)

17 19 Cheshvan

18 20 Cheshvan

19 21 Cheshvan

20 22 Cheshvan School

21 23 Cheshvan Kabbalat Shabbat @ Reena Kita Alef

22 24 Cheshvan

Parashat Chayei Sara

23 25 Cheshvan School

School Council Meeting

24 26 Cheshvan

25 27 Cheshvan

26 28 Cheshvan

27 29 Cheshvan No School

28 1 Kislev

Rosh Chodesh

Kislev

29 2 Kislev

Parashat Toldot Shabbat Shorashim

30 3 Kislev School Family Education: Kita Gimel (Gr.3)