Like many of us, synagogues across the country are struggling. Shir Tikvah is no exception, and it is easy to ride the feeling of financial gloom. However, a bright light has appeared on the horizon -- one which makes it very difficult to feel the blues. In January, we received notification that our Family Education program has received a $16,650 grant from the Hermelin-Davidson Center for Congregation Excellence and the Federation’s Alliance for Jewish Education that directly impacts our students. Laptops, software and training for our faculty to utilize the new technology, are coming our way! Likewise, our classrooms will benefit from some interior decoration: beautiful, cabineted, white boards and framed posters of Israel, holidays, and Hebrew have been ordered! Finally, new children’s books, videos, and CD’s will grace the shelves of our library! By the time you read this article, the children will already be enjoying many of these new gifts. It’s a wonderful feeling to know that, with help, we are able to improve our learning and surroundings for our education program. No gloom here!!!
While it is absolutely wonderful to get financial gifts from outside our Shir Tikvah community, it is also wonderful to get gifts from within! Our faculty has been, in these past few months, truly giving of themselves. Judy Schreiber came to Monday Night School to give an incredible talk on the Holocaust; Larry Boocker worked hard at the Tzedekah Experience; and Gayle Hirsch and Pam Spitzer came together to create a beautiful Tu B’Shevat Seder for our Tuesday school. Looking forward, we have many exciting events planned. On March 7th, Rabbi Arnie will be taking 7th graders and their families to the Memorial Holocaust Center. Herschel Poger, our 8th grade teacher has designed a new elective: “You Tube, We Tube, We all Tube for Jew Tube! “ Finally, Rick May, Michael Phillips and the students, in MNS music and art electives are working hard to enrich our upcoming MNS/TATY service on March 5th.
I could go on, but, what does all this amount to? The community, at large and within, believe in CST and are working hard to strengthen our already flourishing programming. That’s what we are doing. What are you doing these days?
Wren
Family Shabbat Services
Celebrate Shabbat with other Shir Tikvah Families!
Tot Shabbat Service-PJ’s and Prayers
Preschool-2nd Grade
Friday, March 5, 2010 6:15 p.m.
Join other young families for an interactive service with prayers, stories, and songs. Milk and cookies will be served…
Don’t forget to wear your PJ’s
Simcha Sammy’s Mitzvah of the Month
Simcha Sammy had a great time on Purim! He got to enjoy time together with his Shir Tikvah family listening to the Megillah, making Mishloach Manot for others as part of the Great Purim Parcel Project, and playing games at the TATY Purim Carnival! He hopes you had as much fun as he did.
And now Simcha Sammy is getting ready for Passover. Sammy is really happy that he didn’t live in Egypt all those years ago. He wouldn’t have liked to be a slave or to have lived through the ten plagues. He’s glad he’s free, but knows that lots of other people in the world today aren’t.
Simcha Sammy challenges you to discuss the story of Passover and the ten plagues with your friends or family. Then, use what you learned to think about plagues that are happening in today’s world: the earthquake in Haiti; people losing their jobs and needing help; diseases like cancer. Choose one modern plague that you can help lessen and take the time to do something to ease what others are going through.
Take the time to learn from what happened in Egypt many years ago…and share your stories with Simcha Sammy. His new email address is simchasammy@shirtikvah.org .
Want to see what Simcha Sammy has been up to? Find out at http://www.simchasammy.blogspot.com/ .