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Shevat 5778 -- January/February 2018
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We look outside and it is cold and covered in snow, but this month we think about trees and growth. This is the magic of Tu B'shevat, the birthday of the trees. Even in the midst of the dark winter, we anticipate the growth of spring.
On January 28 from 2-4:30 pm, we invite members of the community to come to the
GoJewish Fair at Nicolet High School. This will be an opportunity to learn about local Jewish schools (preschool, day school, and religious school), camps, youth groups, Israel trips and much more. There will also be three drawings where you could win $100 towards any Milwaukee Jewish educational experience or Jewish camp in 2018-19. Please plan to join us!
Tzipi
Jewish Education Community Planner
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This newsletter is published on the first day of every Jewish month. We welcome your feedback and invite you to join us as we explore the joys of Jewish learning in Milwaukee and beyond.
Share your feedback
here
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Exciting News for Milwaukee Jewish Youth Groups!
One of the recommendations of the Education Task Force was to create subsidies tha
t encourage
participation in intensive Jewish educational experiences. As a result, the Milwaukee Jewish Federation has set aside funds to provide subsidies to Milwaukee high school students attending Jewish youth group retreats/conventions/Shabbatonim. Each student will be eligible for one $50 subsidy for a program this winter or spring.
Parents of teens: please help us study the effectiveness of this pilot program by taking this very short survey. Thanks!
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Tu B'shevat
Tu B'Shevat (the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Shevat) is the birthday of the trees. This year it will be celebrated on Saturday, February 11. Tu B'Shevat has a practical and a spiritual side.
- On the practical side, it reconnects us to the importance of trees, the Land of Israel, and all of nature. Many people see Tu B'Shevat as an environmental holiday when we should re-examine how we, as Jews, can work to protect our world.
- On the spiritual side, Tu B'Shevat has been celebrated with a special seder that includes eating fruits and nuts that grow in Israel and drinking 4 different colors of wine or grape juice. Kabbalah (Jewish Mysticism) sees these foods as key to our spirituality. MyJewishLearning.com states that the Kabbalists believe that, "every piece of fruit-which can be considered the parent generation-holds the seed of the next generation, in other words, the potential for new life. If, when we eat the fruit, which releases the seed, we do so in a holy way-with proper blessing and gratitude-then we are helping God to renew nature, and the flow of life continues."
Check out this fun Tu B'shevat video about Honi the Circle Maker:
This infographic from Aish.com gives a great overview of the holiday.
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Sunday, March 11 from 3-4:30 pm
at the Harry & Rose Samson Family JCC
Join the community as we celebrate and honor the hard work of all our educators. Please plan to join us for this important event.
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LOMED Tu B'shevat Class
On January 7, fifteen educators gathered to learn about Tu B'shevat. Rabbi Cheski Edelman of The Shul in Bayside led us in text study. Then we explored two new "thinking routines;" ways of making thinking visible in the classroom.
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The GoJewish Fair will promote formal and informal educational opportunities throughout Milwaukee. Please visit GoJewishMKE to learn more. The site includes a Jewish Education Blog; sign up for the blog to get new articles as they are posted. |
LOMED: Learning Opportunities for Milwaukee Educators
(Formerly CSI-Congregational School Initiative)
LOMED classes are open to
all
Jewish educators in Milwaukee. The
$300
stipend for completing 9 hours of training is available to all teachers participating in the program.
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Dates and times may change. For more information, contact
Tzipi
.
On-line classes are also available through Gratz Next. CJL will cover the cost of the classes and you can earn 5 LOMED credits. See the list of classes
here.
LOMED: Mid-Winter In-service for Supplementary School Teachers
Sunday, February 18, 2018, 9:00 am-12:00 pm,
Congregation Sinai
LOMED: Presenting Pesach
Monday, March 19, 2018, 6:30-8:30 pm,
Harry & Rose Samson Family JCC
LOMED: Don't Forget Shavuot
Monday, May 7, 2018, 6:30-8:30 pm,
Harry & Rose Samson Family JCC
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LOMED Book Club
All book club meetings are open to the entire community. Please plan to read the books and join us.
Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us by Daniel Pink
Wednesday, January 17, 2018, 6:30-8:30 pm,
Harry & Rose Samson Family JCC
Israel: A Concise History of a Nation Reborn by Daniel Gordis
Monday, April 16, 2018, 6:30-8:30 pm,
Harry & Rose Samson Family JCC
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Looking for a Job in a Local Jewish School?
Want to be a substitute teacher at a local Jewish school? Please sign up for the sub list
here
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Upcoming Community Events
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ABOUT THE COALITION FOR JEWISH LEARNING
The Coalition for Jewish Learning, the Education Department of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation, promotes and advances Jewish education in the greater Milwaukee community, provides a support system for the community's institutions of Jewish learning, and forges coalitions to ensure excellence in Jewish education.
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1360 N. Prospect Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53202
p. 414.963.2718
f. 414.390.5747
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"Ben Zoma says: Who is the wise one? One who learns from all people, as it says, 'I have acquired understanding from my teachers.'"
- Pirkei Avot 4:1
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