The Book of Kohellet is closely connected with the upcoming holiday of Sukkot. In some ways, the two could not be more different – a holiday called “z’man simchateinu” (the time of our great happiness), versus the introspective and challenging world of Kohellet – “ein chadash tachat hashamash” (nothing’s new under the sun). And yet, every year our tradition asks us to meld these two opposite aspects of ourselves, and still find a way to continuously celebrate who we are and where we are going! The beginning of the school year has unfolded in exactly the same way.
Faced with the potential limitations of being physically distanced from each other, our students, families, and educators have brought their joy, their passion, their determination, and their desire to move forward, transmitting the essence of Jewish learning and living through each and every virtual interaction! Students have come to the task with purposeful direction, and are having remarkable experiences together in their Zoom classrooms. Kudos to parents for partnering with us in enabling their student’s successes in this unique and ongoing endeavor. And, kol hakavod to our educational staff for their creativity and knowledge, providing the constant fuel to keep our students on the path of joyfully connecting to who they are and where they are going!
L’shalom,
Hazzan Jeremy Lipton, Head of School
P.S. This year, “Curriculum Days” is going to be facilitated in a different way. Instead of inviting parents into the classroom as we have in the past, next week teachers will be sending out a synopsis of what they plan to accomplish with your students throughout the course of the year, and then provide you with the opportunity to respond with questions via email. We will also schedule group Zoom times for each grade level, for teachers to answer any additional questions you might have. Please look for their email and invitation in the coming week.