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Dear Parents,
Th upcoming Sunday, Feb. 23, 9:30, we will gather for a morning of creativity about the exodus Torah stories. This is a family activity, so parents are joined their students throughout the whole morning. It's an opportunity to spend some quality time with your child just by creating.
Right after this we will start getting ready for Purim!!!
The ETZravaganza is a big fun event open to the whole community.
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To make the ETZravaganza a success we want to reach out to as many people from the community as possible. Please share the above image, that includes details about the event, with your friends and on your social media groups.
Here are some more details about some of the ETZravaganza stations:
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Matanot Laevyonim
One of the stations in the ETZravagnaza will be collecting books for underprivileged children.
Bring new or gently used beginning readers and early chapter books to donate to local organizations. Please no PJ Library books. Bilingual English Spanish books are especially appreciated.
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EPA Annual Bake Sale
The Shushan Bakery Market Stall will sell treats to raise funds for our end of the year celebration. You can participate by bringing goodies to sell, (either baked or store bought), help with set up, staff the bakery during the sale, or help with clean up at the end. Please see the link for sign up opportunities. Thank you!
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The Beanie costumes challenge
During the ETZravaganza, original and fun costumes will win a beanie. Family costumes are especially encouraged.
Thank you, Barbara Marcum, for donating the Beanies!!!
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Future Date:
Wed, Feb 19 | No sessions
Fri, Feb 21, 7:30 | Sulam Shabat
Sat, Feb 22, 10:15 |Shabat Mishpacha
Sun, Feb 23, 9:30 | Family Kolbo Torah stories creativity Morning
Wed, Feb 26 | Shorashim service walk through and regular session for Hineni
Fri, Feb 28, 7:00 | Shorashim afternoon leading service. Oneg hosted by Bar/t mitzvah families.
Sat, Mar 1, 10:15 | Rimon leading service. Oneg hosted by Bar/t mitzvah families.
March 2, 9:30 - Midor, shorashim, Gefen
March 5, 4-8:30 - Shorashim, Gesher, Hineni
March 9, 9:30-noon - Purim ETZravaganza
March 13, Time TBD - Purim Shpiel
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EPA:
Head of EPA | Kristy Salinas
PN: 808-230- 5376
Email: kristyannrice@gmail.com
EPA Annual bake sale sign up sheet. Questions, please refer to our head of bake sale Dorothy Sacerdote.
Teacher's appreciation contribution | Andrea Klein Lacy paypal: @andrealacy
venmo: @Andrea-Lacy-5.
Suggested contribution - $36 per child - but whatever you feel comfortable with works as well!
EPA master signup sheet | Nut free Sunday snacks and other events sign up. Please check with your room parents regarding students with specific allergies in your class.
WhatsApp groups | Make sure both parents are in for all your children.
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Tu Bishvat Shabat Mishpacha
Saturday, February 22, 10:15 AM
Tu Bishvat is the festival of trees and evolved to a celebration our home - earth. Let's celebrate our home with songs, stories and fun family activities. Starting with group singing followed by activity time for kids 2-8 including a puppet show, yoga and art, while adults enjoy a relaxed and interactive service. Everyone comes together for an experiential Torah service. All are welcome!
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Bar/t Mitzvah 30th year celebration
February 28, 7:00 PM
March 1, 10:15
Join together for a celebration of 30 years of Bar & Bat Mitzvahs at Etz. This weekend will start with Shorashim afternoon students leading Kabalat Shabat with Rabbi Chaim on February 28, 7:00 PM and the Bart/t mitzvah families of the first 15 years hosting the Oneg. Will continue on Shabat with the Bar/t Mitzvah class of 2024 leading community prayer with Rabbi Chaim on March 1, 10:15 and the last 15 years Bar & Bat mitzvah families hosting the Oneg. This will be an amazing opportunity for reunions and get reconnecting.
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Bar/t Mitzvah Challenge: How many bar/t Mitzvah ceremonies have been celebrated by the Etz Chayim since the first one in 1996?
Submit your guess in the box in the hall by Vicky's office or send to abra@etzchayim.org. Be sure to include your name and the number you guess. Contest closes on Thursday February 27.
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Purim Shpiel
March 13, Time TBD
Join the entire ETZ community to celebrate Purim to the tune of the timeless musical Annie with a special performance of our religious school students. Mark your calendar and stay tuned for more details.
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Mishpatim (Laws) - Exodus 21:1-24:18
In this Torah portion, Moses details many of God’s laws to the Israelites. These include laws about worshiping other gods, kashrut, business ethics and treatment of animals. God outlines the details of three holidays: Passover, Shavuot and Sukkot. God provides an angel to protect the Israelites from their enemies and warns the Israelites not to worship other gods. Moses ascends Mount Sinai to get the tablets with the ten commandments. Eventually he stays there for 40 days and 40 nights, leaving Aaron and Hur in charge.
Why do you think it took 40 days and nights? Do you think it's an appropriate length of time transferring the tablets? Is it too long/too short?
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30 years-30 books
The Religious school students read library books and write about it.
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Book #5
Ellis Island / by Terry Allan Hicks
Recommended by: Bennet Ginzburg
This book is about the history of an island in New York Harbor, called Ellis Island. In the beginning of the book, it goes into an in-depth description of the conditions of the immigrant ships going to America in the late 1800s to early 1900s. Then the book explains that the reason why people were making the long and perilous voyage was for
the opportunity to find work. In the second and third parts, the book explains the early
use of Ellis Island during the War of 1812 as a gunpowder storage location and prison.
Later, the island was used as an immigration station and then WWIl prison. Finally,
today Elis Island is a museum and part of the Statue of Liberty monument.
I like that this book goes in-depth on some things, like the conditions of the living spaces
of the immigrants and the first immigrant to go through Ellis Island. But I wish there was
more details about the other parts of Ellis Island history. Like, why did they change it from
a prison to a gunpowder storage space? Was the prison during WWII a big one or a
small one? How secure was it? Where on the island did they keep the prisoners?
Details like these would have made it more informative about everything, not just the
immigration process.
Get the full recommendation booklet here. Updated as we go.
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Our librarian Liz Russel recommends
Linked / By Gordon Korman.
The Chokecherry Middle School is in an uproar. In this quiet and peaceful Colorado mountain town, someone has been painting swastikas in the school, even though the whole school had just studied a unit on tolerance. As the only known Jew in the school, Dana is worried, but soon she's joined by classmate Link, a popular jock, who's discovered he's biologically Jewish and wants to have a bar mitzvah. He also wants to honor his ancestors killed in the Holocaust with a paper chain of 6 million loops. The plot unfolds with a number of unexpected twists and turns. Will the kids actually create a paper chain 6 million loops long? Will Link's bar mitzvah happen? Will the swastika painter be found? Well worth a read to find out!
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February library highlights
The library committee set up the February shelf with excellent books about Tu Bishvat. You are very welcome to check them out.
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Your teen is navigating a world that looks very different than it did when you were their age—it's only natural not to have all the answers! The good news is that you don’t have to. Join us for this dynamic workshop series, led by expert parent educators from JFCS’ Center for Children and Youth. You'll gain practical tools for supporting and connecting with your teen and learn strategies for raising a self-assured teenager in today’s difficult environment. Each session combines professional expertise with interactive learning, come to one or all*—and leave feeling confident about raising your teen in 2025!
This 4-session Zoom workshop meets on Tuesdays, February 11 and 25, March 25 and Thursday, April 17 from 7:30 —8:45pm (PST).
Please note that February 11 workshop will start early at 6:45pm and will also be available to attend in person @ Temple Sinai in Oakland: 2808 Summit Street, Oakland, CA 94609.
*Registration provides access to all four workshops in the series
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50% Discount for JFCS workshops
The Center for Children and Youth/Parents Place is once again pleased to offer a 50% discount for their February online workshops. Apply the code FEDERATION in workshop registration page.
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Contact Information
Aliza Cohen-Savransky, Religious School Director
aliza@etzchayim.org
phone: 650-813-9094 ex.214
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