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Upcoming Events
May 6
Celebrate Israel
Come March with our Hillel Kehilla and the entire community prior to the event and participate in the Celebrate Israel Event at discounted rate.
See Flyer for Details
May 8
Pre-1st Kaballat Siddur
9:30-10:30am
Lower Gym
May 10
Poker Tournament
Reserve your spot today!
See Flyer for Details
May 16
Trustee Dinner
May 19
Erev Shavuot
May 21
Shavout - School Closed
May 22
Pre-1st to 1st Grade Transition Meeting
Hosted by Bick-Katz Family
May 28
Memorial Day
School Closed
May 29
5th to 6th Grade
Transition Meeting
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TEACHER & STAFF APPRECIATION WEEK
Teacher and staff appreciation week is coming up in May. The PTA will be honoring and celebrating our teachers and faculty with a grand breakfast, and lots of fun treats and surprises during the week.
To contribute to the teacher appreciation fund and show your gratitude,
click here or send your contribution via Venmo to @Hillel-PTA and reference Teacher Appreciation.
Your birthday child will get to choose a new book for the library with a dedication to him or her inside, check that book out first, and have their picture proudly on display in the library. Kids love to see their names in the books! Excess funds will be used for recreational supplies like games, balls, hula hoops and jump ropes.
The next birthday celebration is tentatively scheduled for Thursday, May 17
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FRUIT CART
Give your children the gift of healthy food. A fun and enjoyable treat!
Fruit cart sign-up entitles your student to a bag of fresh fruit once a week during the entire school year.
Fruit cart is available for
Grades
Pre-1 to 8
on Wednesday
mornings.
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Parnas Hayom
Parnas
HaYom
is a beautiful way to honor a yarzheit, merit a refuah shelemah, or celebrate a simcha. Dedicating the Torah learning of students at Hillel to mark an occasion helps us to imbue both a love of learning and appreciation for the value of Torah scholarship.
*
4/30
Today's Parnas Hayom
is generously sponsored by the Wainberg family in honor of the Hillel Chidon Hatanch team who returned from the NY national competition!
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ISSUE NO. 028
Friday, May 4, 2018
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The Language of Children
By Rabbi Sufrin, Head of School
This week's
parasha
begins with Gd instructing Moshe: אמור אל הכוהנים בני אהרון -- "say to the priests, the children of Aharon..." It continues with Moshe instructing the כהנים -- priests, in regard to the laws of purity unique to them as servants of Gd. The question has been posed as to why, when Gd gave this important directive, did He use the gentler word אמור -- "say" rather than the more emphatic, and expected term צו -- "command."
Rashi offers an explanation that teaches us an invaluable lesson in
chinuch --
education; one that is a fundamental guiding value in Hillel's pedagogy. Rashi infers from the use of a double expression in this verse that there must be an additional meaning in Gd's directive for the Kohanim, beyond the literal. Rashi deduces that embedded in the commandment to the priests, is also a message Gd intended for all adults - the
mitzvah
to educate the children להזהיר גדולים על הקטנים; a message Gd believed would be better received and more effective if given using softer and more positive diction. We learn from Gd's word choice of the term אמור -- "say" rather than צו -- "command", that the most effective way to teach children and foster a lifelong love of learning, is through a kind and loving approach.
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Join us and the other 15,000 people expected at the Celebrate Israel Festival this Sunday on May 6, 2018 in Rancho Park.
Before the Festival, we will be participating as a school in the Community-Wide Walk in solidarity with Israel. Join us as we assemble at 10:30 a.m. in the Rancho Park parking lot. See you there!
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Tips on how to build self-confidence in children
As part of our mission to support and educate children, we like to share ideas and strategies on parenting. Please enjoy this article by Joanne Newfield, a licensed therapist about increasing self-confidence in children. Thank you to Dr. Ilana Jurkowitz our own Hillel parent and a licensed Clinical Psychologist for orchestrating this project and having this article written and submitted on our behalf.
When it comes to parenting our children, and helping them to be self-confident, there are so many different philosophies to choose from. We all want to see our children succeed and be happy, but in today's challenging times, it's easy for children to experience self-doubt if they don't have the right tools to make good choices. Through my years as a therapist working with children and families, many parents have asked me which is the best way to help improve their child's self-confidence, and help them overcome their fears. Below are some tips I recommend to help parents support their children so they can thrive in their environments.
Praise your child's effort, regardless of the outcome.
One of the best ways to build a child's confidence is through praise as it not only feels good to hear, but helps a child feel recognized for their participation. In addition, it helps encourage your child to continue to work towards goals, and be creative with their problem solving. I encourage parents to focus on praising their child's efforts regardless of the outcome, since they are empowering their child to try their best. They are providing them with the foundation to believe in themselves, and take on new challenges.
Avoid criticism as it leads to self-doubt and can trigger negative behaviors.
When it comes to criticizing children, most parents do it unintentionally as a way to teach their child what they are doing wrong. Unfortunately, criticism can be harmful to our children as it gets in the way of them initiating new tasks, and creates self-doubt and anxious behaviors. Instead of unintentionally criticizing, I encourage parents to provide their child with useful feedback and suggestions so they can learn from their mistakes in a positive manner. Children do their best when they are provided with constructive advice as it helps them to develop the assurance to take on new challenges, and manage disappointment when things don't go as planned.
Model for your child how to be confident.
Much of learning during childhood is acquired through observing and imitating adult behaviors. Since children look up to their parents to help guide them through their early years, it's important that parents model self-confidence, and help their child manage emotions when dealing with challenging tasks and disappointments. Even if parents have a hard time with this task as they may lack their own self-confidence, it's important that they try to set a good example and take on responsibilities with enthusiasm. When children watch their parent set a good example, they will then be more likely to have the courage to tackle whatever comes their way.
Set goals that are developmentally appropriate.
When a parent encourages their child to take on small challenges, it not only helps their child to build character, but it helps them to feel empowered to believe in themselves. As parents assign responsibility, it shows their child that they trust them. As a result, it will help their child feel more confident in their ability to complete their assignments. I encourage parents to assign developmentally appropriate tasks for their child as it's important that they set reasonable goals.
Children are able to understand and do more as they get older, so parents should recognize the limits of the younger ones.
Help your child find new interests and potential passions they can succeed in.
When children are curious about their surroundings, it creates a sense of wonder where they have the opportunity to believe in themselves. Children gain confidence when they succeed in goals that they are interested in and have a natural talent for. It's helpful for parents to introduce their child to many types of activities when they are young so they can find things they are passionate about. By doing so, children will not only be able to improve their skills, but they may be given the opportunity to make a difference, and feel good about their accomplishments.
Joanne Newfield is a licensed marriage and family therapist in Los Angeles. She works with children, adolescents, families, adults and maternal mental health. She uses a variety of therapies designed to meet the unique needs of her clients, and is committed to supporting them every step of the way. Visit her online at
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Enrollment is now open for Camp Hillel - Summer 2018!
For more information, contact Alexis Newman, Camp Hillel Director, at (310) 276-6135 or email
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By Daphne Orenshein
Associate Principal of Elementary School
With the summer just a few weeks away, parents can find it challenging to avoid the occasional talk about vacation plans or comments about sports and art camps. Such conversations are inevitable as paperwork, flights, phone calls, hotel reservations and general plans need to be arranged yesterday. At this time of year, what we need to remember as parents is how helpful routines are to children's development. Routine is predictable, true, but it is also comforting and safe.
Elementary-age students generally run their days according to the flow of in-school and after-school activities and routines, as opposed to using time to contextualize their days. When the summer break arrives and their regular routine changes, their feelings of safety can be thrown completely for a loop.
So, how do we keep our students feeling a sense of comfort while also exciting them for family-fun summer plans?
Routines can still exist within the context of summer fun, while also maintaining the learning growth from the school year. For instance, a set reading time each night is key! A set bedtime, which can occasionally be adjusted, is also helpful. Math game night(s) can provide reinforcement of mathematical concepts, as well as a fun factor! Engaging in community services endeavors (such as Tomchei Shabbos or visiting the Senior Center) can further students' character development. As parents, we can help to provide children with a fulfilling summer routine that builds up what they have already developed during the school year- and that can even take that learning to the next level. As a result, your children can return to school feeling rejuvenated, safe, and ready for a new exciting routine!
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Pre-1 Students as Independent Learners and Thinkers
Tracey Marion, Pre-1 General Studies Teacher
"My pen ran out of ink!"
"What do I do next?"
"She t
ook my crayon!"
These questions and statements can be expected from a 5 or 6 year old. However, in Pre-1, students learn to be independent learners and thinkers. They are taught to problem-solve both socially and academically as they work to solve issues on their own. As teachers, we give them the tools to develop these skills by asking them questions to develop their higher order questioning. We prompt with questions such as: How can we fix/solve this? Why do you t
hink that happened? How are these the same or different?
Pre-1 students are taught to be mindful and to be self-reliant. They build these skills through routine and clear expectations. In Writer's Workshop, if a student's pen runs out of ink, he or she does not raise a hand and wait for a new pen. No way! The student throws the pen away and grabs a new one. The students also use checklists and posters to check their work and remind themselves of recently learned skills. Although they are the youngest elementary students, they are capable of many strategies and skills that the rest of the elementary students are performing.
The next time you see a Pre-1 student, instead of asking "Can I help you?" instead ask, "How can we solve this?"
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The 7th graders had an extraordinary experience on the Seattle trip this week! The amount of growth and learning that took place was exceptional and irreplaceable. Kol Hakavod to the students for making this a memorial experience for everyone!
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Harkham Hillel Hebrew Academy accepts paid advertising if it conforms to the values of the school. However, the school and it's personnel with the Board of Directors do not accept liability or responsibility for advertisers' claims or kashrut of products advertised.
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