My Recipe for a Successful School

Banquet Address 2015

Those who know me well, know that I enjoy cooking.  Those who have ever asked me for a recipe know that I am happy to share, but a bit hesitant or reluctant to do so because I‘m actually not quite sure of the exact measurements of my concoctions.  I will spare you and me the embarrassment of the Yiddish phrases I use to describe exactly how much of an ingredient is needed.   I sense when it looks right or feels right.

My senses tell me that the MHA/FYOS is the

piece de resistance of the Memphis community, and perhaps it is time for me to share the recipe.  

Let us begin with the ingredients

Start with 183 eager students - more students enrich this recipe and improve it over time.  No upper limit yet established.

40 + faculty members ( please take into consideration possible substitutes for unforeseen events, maternity leave, etc. )

3 administrators who spend their waking moments worrying, planning, running, teaching, meeting, putting out fires - well you know how it goes

3 loyal, upbeat, selfless office workers ( well actually, 5 would be better )

6-man ( or woman ) maintenance crew ready, willing, and able to plunge toilets, repair leaks, catch rats ( oops, did I really say that? ), mop floors, maintain antiquated heating and air conditioning equipment, and paint, paint, paint

1 exceptional cook who also serves as chief psychologist, confidante, and mom away from home for all dormers

2 dorm supervisors willing to enforce the rules and deal with breakdowns, and for that matter, all manner of breaks

3 dorm counselors on call day and night, happily relinquishing privacy and a personal life

2 Bat Ami girls who hardly ever sleep and when they do, are dreaming up new ways to celebrate living a Jewish life.

3 administrators, one for each division, who gave up personal lives, family, and sleep years ago and who are expert jugglers

1 Dean - be sure to select the model that comes with the following attachments: wooden spoon, rotary beaters, and whisk.  Appropriate attachment to be used depending upon altitude, humidity, and any other man-made or natural disasters

an entire community who feeds, nurtures, and role models Jewish values

a board who is committed to the continued existence of this institution, who is invested in its mission statement and who raises much needed dollars on an unprecedented level.

Now that we have the ingredients, these are the steps to follow.

Have the dean and administrators welcome the students into the aging building each morning, hoping nothing major will go wrong during the course of the day, that the firewall is intact, and the computer system will not crash.

Add the faculty, one by one, to ensure that the students get the education they deserve.

Add in the office staff to keep things together.  By now the consistency should be smooth, but sticky,  because the office staff really is the glue that keeps the institution running smoothly

At this point, check to make sure that the administrators are juggling all of their balls.  Pick up any stray balls and return to the designated administrator.

Gently sprinkle in all other ingredients generously throughout. Mix carefully by hand to guarantee proper consistency

Daven 3 times a day, recite the appropriate psalms, and thank the Almighty for singling out Memphis for being the unique place that it is.

Don’t forget to give tzedakah and take the opportunity to perform an act of chesed.

When ready to serve, make certain that the school is at the center of the table, placed on your most elegant silver serving platter.  It should have a place of honor for all to admire, respect, and take pride in.  May all who come to dine at your table carry forth the message that this school excels in academic achievements, love of Yiddishkeit, support for Israel, nurturing children, graduating poised, positive, competent men and women - the leaders of the next generation.

May the school and community continue to thrive and be blessed for at least the next 120 years. Hopefully, there will be a new building by then.

My Last Hurrah

What a joy this year has been!!

Yesterday was a Celebration of Learning here at school – and what a celebration it was! When other schools are partying their last few days, we are going full steam ahead.  The learning just never stops.  On the contrary, it intensifies. Elementary school classes displayed examples of their work over the course of the entire year.  Students stood proudly in front of their projects as parents and visitors delightedly meandered among the tables.  Visitors were invited to lunch with the students after viewing the displays.  On display was every type of project – computer driven presentations, scale models of the Mishkan, posterboards of cities in Israel and states in America, research papers on varieties of topics, Agam-inspired art projects.  It was nothing short of wonderful.

Right after lunch the first grade parents were invited to a brief song and dance show performed with enthusiasm by their children.  But, the crowning achievement of it all was being in the presence of the first graders for davening, following their brief performance.  I was so emotionally wrapped up in their beautiful young voices praying with such fervent kavanah, that I just forgot to even snap a picture.  Each child conscientiously pointed to every word in each prayer.  If only we all shared their joy.  If  we could bottle and sell the enthusiasm, we would be set financially for life.

But these last few days have only been the icing on the cake.  The month of May has been filled with special programs and learning,

a.    from Yom Ha Shoah, to Yom Yerushalayim;

b.   from Yom Hazikaron to learning programs over Shavuot;

c.    from the third grade siyyum on two parshiyot to Yom Ha’atzmaut;

d.   from the high school girls’ play ( an original adaptation written and directed by Guyla Wanderman) to the sports banquet.

e.   Now that basketball season has ended, students have been actively involved in softball and golf.

f.        Kindergarteners have written their own books and 3rd and 4th graders have been competing     in sumdog math.

g.    Forty-five AP exams in ten different subject areas were taken by thirty different high school  students, among them ten were sophomores.  

h.   Fourth and seventh graders shared their state fair and worlds fair projects with the community.

i.        Sarah Broniscer, Noga Finkelstein , and Shani Braverman placed first, second, and third                              place respectively in the Federation Holocaust essay contest.

j.        Under Rabbi Baruch Harris’s direction we received a lucrative grant from the Legacy Heritage Foundation.

k.    Under Mrs. Talya Tsuna’s able leadership, we have been recognized as a partner school with Facing History and Ourselves in their Jewish Day School division.

l.        We have been selected to participate in a CASJE survey of excellence in leadership in Jewish Day Schools.

m. Fifth and sixth graders participated in Junior Achievement’s Biztown, while high school students ran a teach-in at Central High School.

n.   Eighth graders have advanced and the 17 seniors are already on their summer vacations preparing for college, Yeshiva, or seminary in Israel.

o.   We have taken communication to a whole new level with our Facebook pages and Alumni Newsletter.

On May 10, the day of our alumni Basketball game, 23 members of the 8th grade class of 1975 celebrated a 40th year reunion brunch in the lunchroom, their former kindergarten room.

There is so much to be proud of, so much to share with others.  Thank you MHA, for a fabulous year.

Just thrilled

Just thrilled:  to have been present last Thursday evening for The Cooper Yeshiva High School for Boys Night of learning.  Fifteen young men presented oral and written d’vrei Torah on topics that they have been learning lishma – on their own, outside of class, just to fulfill their yearning to learn Torah.  They learned with rabbis, community members, and members of the Yeshiva Gedola.  They brought scholarship and fresh ideas to their topics.  Their printed booklet and source sheets kept everyone involved.  It was a night to remember and to seek to replicate many times in the future.  click on the link below to see what  you missed!

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdm6fg2Ji6L6C_eWk1YWoJCCQhhccWA7O

Just thrilled:  to have been invited to the Early childhood’s Pesach party where children and their parents and extended family had the opportunity to color, do crafts projects, play games, snack, and generally interact in a wonderfully positive way. Kudos to the teachers who designed and monitored the activities.  This was in addition to the model seders these children had early in the day.

Just thrilled:  to have watched the second grade Pesach play performed entirely in Hebrew. The students were wonderful.  They enunciated their parts with dramatic flare, and danced and sung with delight.  They were beautifully attired in bright costumes, and the scenery visually recreated ancient Egypt.  All in all a delightful event.     

Just thrilled: to learn that Dovid Yehoshua Samuels has had his sixth poem published this year.  Here is the link  http://www.freshinkforteens.com/articles/passover-free-verse

Just thrilled:  to learn that Sarah Broniscer’s Holocaust essay has won first place in this year’s Jewish Federation contest.  You can find a copy of the essay at metzuyan.blogspot.com

Walking through the magillah

What a fabulous surprise I had this morning!  As I walked down the front hall of the school, I walked through the Magillah.  The walls were totally covered with the text and the most gorgeous illustrations of the Purim story. This was the ingenious creation of our Bat Ami girls - Moriya and Naomi, with the help of the Torah Metzion boys.  We cannot thank you enough for all of this!

The Joys of a K-12 School

There is so much going on all of the time in all of the divisions of our school.  Not only is it a pleasure to be here.  It is just plain fun!!

Every division celebrated the New Year of trees with a variety of activities.  Morah Hemda, Morah Talya and Moreh Shimshon prepared wonderful sedarim for their students  that included: songs, biographical sketches researched by students and delivered in Hebrew, and plates full of the fruits from the trees of Israel.  The pre-k 4 celebrated by visiting Home Depot and touring the nursery there.  They learned about how trees grow, what kind of soil is necessary and what kind of fertilizer works best.  The staff of Home Depot was so impressed with our students that they offered to adopt us as a school, promising to send out a tree specialist to canvas our grounds and determine the best place to plant trees.  You can see a tree sample outside of the pre-k 4 classroom full of beautiful blossoms. 

While 10 of our high school students were in Connecticut participating in Yeshiva University’s Model United Nations, another 12 high school students were competing downtown in District Court against local schools in Mock Trial. 

I returned from Connecticut in time to catch a Friday assembly run by the RiverKings Hockey organization who came to present David Finkelstein and the sixth grade with a check and free game tickets for an award-winning essay and also to answer students’ questions about hockey.

Our Facing History leadership committee has again been at work running workshops for 7^th, 8^th , and 9^th grade boys.  The theme this year is bullying.  They adeptly introduce scenarios, run discussions and leave students with important messages to take beyond the classroom. 

 Adar was ushered in with a school-wide song and breakfast fest.  High school students accompanied early childhood, elementary, and junior high students to the gym where our school band was playing Jewish music and everyone caught the beat and started dancing.  We were treated to some humorous renditions of popular songs by Rabbi Gersten, some great costumes ( especially Rabbi Baldinger’s ), and a delicious breakfast prepared by Sandra Osdoba, assisted by Tonya and Steve,  and made possible through the generosity of Michael Schneider ( brother of our very own Francie) in memory of his parents, David and Rita Schneider z"l  and the Graber Family in honor of Evelyn Graber’s birthday.

Bluma Zuckerbrodt Finkelstein did an instructive and entertaining presentation to the upper school on the upcoming elections in Israel, highlighting the major parties, their representatives, and their campaign advertising.  Students were able to ask penetrating questions and make important comparisons to our own government and elections.

Students have been arriving in costumes all week – animal costumes, creative and silly hats, career day costumes and a wonderful tribute to Dr. Seuss on his birthday.  Children have been bounding out of their cars in the morning at carpool, anxious to see what their friends are wearing and to show off their own creations.  The mood has been enhanced by activities and decorations produced by our Bat Ami girls:  Moriya Ben Hemo and Naomi Tenenbaum, and the hallways are filled with the mouthwatering smells of freshly baked hamentashen. The fun continues with chagigot for the upper school packed with Purim shtick and carnivals on Shushan Purim.  Not to be forgotten, there are reminders in all divisions to remember to give tzedaka before Purim begins.

While some high school students are away at AIPAC, the rest of the upper school students watched Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to Congress, via live streaming, and followed this up with meaningful analysis and discussion. 

Meanwhile the high school girls have been doing a series of follow up activities based on the Shabbos Project of last fall.  They provided an enjoyable learning experience for upper elementary  students.   Watch the youtube link below to capture the essence.  Many thanks to Mrs. Malkah Harris for directing and facilitating this activity.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rbriv0kyp2o

They are continuing to volunteer with Special Olympics Bowling on Mondays.  In their free time, they are planning and preparing for their upcoming shabbaton and winter trip to St. Louis, while squeezing in rehearsal time for an upcoming play, soon to be followed by their annual gala dinner. 

  

The third graders are busy preparing for their Purim play, this Friday, under the able direction of Anat Kampf.  The first graders have just completed their Siddur Presentation, a sparkling array of songs and dances prepared by Yehudit Soleman, Linda Schlesinger, Ricky Kampf, and Shimshon Soleman. Every Friday there is an assembly before dismissal featuring a d’var Torah by one class and a short presentation by another class.

Learning outside of the classroom continues for our high school boys.  There are mishmar nights twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays, where boys select what they want to learn in a beit midrash environment. There is additional learning  and Kiddush after davening on Shabbat mornings.

May we all be blessed to continue with all of these endeavors in the future. What a fine place to work!!

YUNMUN XXV

This is perhaps the twentieth time that I have accompanied students from the MHA to Yeshiva University’s Model UN.  I still have vivid memories of Howie Knopf representing Iraq in the Security Council when a fabricated crisis in February of 1990 had Iraq invading a neighboring state, a very prescient fabrication indeed.  This year 10 students, 5 high school boys and 5 high school girls have accompanied me to the twenty-fifth National Model UN conference.  The students represent Mexico and New Zealand and are placed on 10 different committees helping to resolve some of the world’s most serious crises.  They  have researched, written about, and now are speaking about their plans for the resolution of these major problems. It is a wonderful intellectual activity.  In so many ways, it gets to the heart of what twenty-first century learning is all about – comprehending the issues, collaborating, being able to communicate ideas in multiple venues, carrying out independent research.  More than that, it allows the students to do all of this in an Orthodox atmosphere where davening and benching, are just as important as writing a resolution, where there are opportunities to attend shiurim and to learn from outstanding international personalities, where there are 450 Orthodox young men and women from North America, South Africa and Brazil.

All of the participants had the very special opportunity to hear a speech by Rabbi Saul Berman, who seamlessly connected a d’var Torah about the attributes of Moshe Rabbeinu and chapter 3 of the Rambam's Moreh Nevuchim to his own personal experiences during the Civil Rights movement in Selma, Alabama. In Selma, Rabbi Berman was arrested twice in one week. He was first arrested on T’aanit Esther, and found himself reading Megillat Esther in prison, Because of his refusal to ride a bus on Shabbat, he unexpectedly found himself the leader of his own march of 350 people, all of whom marched with him in solidarity with his observance of Shabbat, from prison to a meeting room, through the heart of a White racist neighborhood bent on violence toward Civil Rights activists. He left all of us with the inspiring and uplifting message that like Moshe Rabbeinu, sometimes we have to stand up and fight; sometimes we have to intervene in a tough situation in order to iron things out; and sometimes we have to be an upstander, not just for klal Yisroel, but for others.

Learning to give

The school has always been steeped in the tradition of giving to others and helping the less fortunate.  For years the girls in the girls high school have helped serve free Thanksgiving lunches to the homeless.  Both high schools use Rosh Hodesh as days to spend time volunteering around the city – working with Alzheimers patients, head start students, recovering alcoholics or visiting with patients at the VA Hospital.  High School girls participate in Special Olympics Bowling every Monday afternoon.  Our boys high school has helped people victimized by tornadoes and storms restore their properties.  High school students have participated in Habitat for Humanity projects as character- building activities.  Over the years students have spearheaded tzedakah campaigns for food banks, shoes and coats for needy Israelis, and collecting money for various charitable causes, including our local Federation, as well as Israeli programs.  But what has become some of the most noteworthy and commendable efforts,  have been the activities initiated and guided by Mrs. Sandra Gersten, Elementary Principal.  Last Thanksgiving the students loaded tote bags with toiletries they collected and personal notes they inscribed for the homeless, as they have done for a number of years.  Additionally, they made and distributed colorful flannel blankets.  All of this was done as part of the school’s annual Thanksgiving Day celebration.  Last Thursday, the elementary school students, in conjunction with volunteers from Plough Towers, made over 400 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to distribute to an organization which feeds the needy.  The experience was significant for the students as well as the volunteers.  Students continue to bring in nonperishable food items for a MIFA food bank.  The administrators and teachers do an excellent job in transmitting to our students the importance of lending a helping hand in as many ways as possible, to as many people as possible, within and outside of our community. Kudos go to those people who have made this all possible and to our wonderful students who understand first- hand the importance of helping others.