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Student
Organizations
CJHS
students are passionate about their
school and about making a difference in the broader community and the
world at large. Their leadership and involvement are integral to the
school culture. Student-run organizations build community among
students and provide social, leadership, and service opportunities.
Currently
there are four Va’adot
(school-sponsored student government committees) and a wide range of
clubs and organizations that are created – often based on
student initiative – to meet our students’ broad
range of interests.
Va'ad HaStudentim (Student Government)
Va'ad
Tefillah
Va'ad
Israel
U.S
Politics Club
Mathletes
Va'ad
Vogue
Peer
Helpers
Va'ad
Tikkun Olam Clubs
The
student government at CJHS, the Va'ad
HaStudentim (often
referred to simply as the "Va’ad"), serves both our students
and the
school at large. The Va'ad has three main goals: to improve student
life and morale, to communicate students' concerns and ideas to the
administration, and to brainstorm and delegate events to other active
organizations in the CJHS student body. Students elect the officers
each spring, and a ninth grade representative is elected in the fall.
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The Va’ad
Tefillah oversees daily
tefillah and works to maintain an atmosphere that promotes mindful
prayer as well as creativity and individual expression. Va’ad
Tefillah's responsibilities include recruiting students to lead
services, read Torah, serve as gabbaim, and receive aliyot.
Va’ad Tefillah also works with a Rabbi-in-Residence to
explore ways to enhance the spirituality and kavanah (proper
concentration) at each service.
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The Va’ad
Israel raises awareness of
and support for Israel. Va’ad Israel helps plan
Israel-related programs, including the annual Yom HaAtzmaut
celebration, the t-shirt design contest for the Walk With Israel, the
school-wide observance of Yom HaZikaron, and more. Va’ad
Israel also informs students about ways they can support Israel and
collects money for Israel-related causes.
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The
U.S. Politics Club plans
social, educational, and advocacy programs for CJHS students to
increase understanding of and involvement in the political process.
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Mathletes meet twice a month to participate in math contests, including the
Illinois Math League’s in-school competitions. This club also
sponsors an annual SET tournament for the entire student body.
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Va’ad
Vogue is the CJHS Fashion
Club. The group sponsors special dress days each month for Rosh Chodesh
and assists with the Purim costume contest. Last year, Va’ad
Vogue partnered with the Crocheting Club to produce hundreds of beaded
bracelets that were donated to Children’s Memorial Hospital.
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Peer
Helpers are upperclassmen
who receive specialized training to provide support and guidance to new
students, easing their transition to high school and CJHS.
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In
addition to the student organizations
discussed above, new activities and clubs may be instituted. Students
with particular interests and talents are encouraged to speak directly
to the Director of Student Activities. Yearly options are determined by
the level of student interest and the availability of a faculty
advisor.
Va'ad
Tikkun Olam
Clubs
The
Mission of Va'ad
Tikkun Olam is to
engage the CJHS students and the surrounding community, in local,
national, and
international issues and develop student leaders who promote education
and
advocacy.
VTO Co-Chairs: Ceren
Maeir and
Jill Merrick
VTO Advisor: Rabbi
Ruven Barkan, rabbibarkan@cjhs.org
Environmental Club --
Zachary Erlichman and Steven Sacks
Advisor: Ms.
Murphy, rmurphy@cjhs.org
The
Environmental Club facilitates CJHS recycling initiatives and educates
the
community about environmental matters through school-wide programs and
projects. Environmental Club contributes to the CJHS garden with the
help of
Mr. Taylor, rtaylor@cjhs.org.
Cafe ARK and ARK
Book Club -- Ada and Nathaniel Moses
Cafe ARK Advisor: Ms.
Musleh, jmusleh@cjhs.org
ARK Book Club Advisor:
Mr.
Marchenko, rmarchenko@cjhs.org
Once
a month,
students and members of the faculty bond while serving food to clients
of The
Ark, www.arkchicago.org.
After the meal, the students and ARK clients discuss relevant issues
from their
unique vantage points and life experience. These activities give
participants
the valuable opportunity to interact with ARK clients on a personal
level in
Jewish context.
STAND
2011-2012 STAND BOARD:
President- Claire
Peaceman
Treasurer- Lauren
Pliskin
Communications Vice
President-
Eliana Fisher
Education and Advocacy
Committee
Chair- Noah Weinberg
Shira Harris
Aitan Licht
Faculty Advisor: Dr.
Rebecca
Schorsch, drschorsch@cjhs.org
STAND
is the student-led division of the
Genocide Intervention Network. STAND has chapters in schools all over
the world
where students work to educate themselves on genocides and advocate for
victims
of genocide. The CJHS annual Darfur Sleep-In engages students in
all-night
programs where they learn about world conflicts. We watch
documentaries, hear
speakers, practice activism, and learn about the cultures of various
places
affected by genocides. The 2008 Darfur Sleep-In was written up in the
Chicago
Jewish News: http://www.chicagojewishnews.com/story.htm?sid=5&id=252368.
Human
Rights Week During the 2008-2009
school year, the CJHS STAND chapter instituted its first Darfur
Awareness and
Activism Week. Students watched the documentary The Devil Came on
Horseback and participated in discussions about humanitarian crisis,
sacrifice,
and their responsibility to help people across the world. They
also wrote
articles and letters, heard the Lost Boys of Sudan share their stories
during
tfilah, and learned about about humanitarian crises in an integrated
curriculum
during that week.
Youth
United for Darfur In April 2009,
students from schools across the Chicago area gathered together for the
Youth
United for Darfur Rally in Downtown Chicago. CJHS’ STAND
chapter is part
of the Youth United for Darfur group and will continue to help plan and
organize events along with representatives from other schools. www.youthunitedfordarfur.org
Abayudaya Pen Pals --
Benjy Forester
Advisor: Rabbi
Barkan, rabbibarkan@cjhs.org
CJHS
students
communicate through email with Jewish students from Semei Kukungulu
High School
in Nabugoye Hill, Uganda. Students learn from each other what it means
to be
Jewish in very different cultures. CJHS students also fundraise for the
Abayudaya community to help them achieve their educational
aspirations.
Waukegan Educational
Partnership -- Lauren Pliskin
Advisor: Dr.
Miller, drmiller@cjhs.org
CJHS
students
partner with Daniel Webster Middle School in Waukegan, Illinois to
celebrate
diversity and education. The partnership was inspired by Freedom
Writers, a
film about building understanding between different warring ethnic
groups in
High School through education.
Bikkur Gidwitz-
Alana Stoehr
Advisor: MS.
Averbuch, laverbuch@cjhs.org
Bikkur
Gidwitz
participants visit with the senior citizens at the Gidwitz Place
residence
located just down the street from CJHS. In past years, Gidwitz
residents also
came to CJHS to visit with students and study together in class.
Interfaith
Youth Core (IFYC)
Benji Fleischacker,
President
Max Geifman, Internal
Events
Coordinator
Eliana Fisher and
Miranda
Smerling, Publicity and Recruitment co-chairs
Aitan Licht and
Charlotte Kamin
Day-Of-Service (and
other yearly
events) coordinators
Maya Behn, Internal
Education
chair and VTO Liasion
Josh Swatez, Monthly
Event
coordinator and VTO Liaison
Advisor: Rabbi
Barkan, rabbibarkan@cjhs.org
IFYC
connects students
with kids of other
faiths through a partnership with Loyola Academy and Universal School,
a
Chicago-wide day of Service, a partnership with Holy Trinity and other
networks
and events. We strive to educate students about other religions and
religious
communities and foster an environment of mutual acceptance and respect
(if
disagreement) by providing students with the opportunity to serve the
general
community.
Youth
Philanthropy
Initiative (YPI)
2011-2012 YPI
Co-Chairs:
Rachel Rubinstein and Rachel Aaronson
Lauren Pliskin, Zoe
Goldhirsch,
Annie Schrayer: programming exec
Alana Spellman and Dana
Levin:
PR exec
Joe Kupferberg: Finance
exec
Ari Spellman:
Communications
exec
Advisor: Rabbi Marc
Belgrad, rabbibelgrad@cjhs.org
Youth
Philanthropy Initiative was
formed by a group of dedicated students in an effort to enhance the
ways in
which CJHS’s student body gives tzedakah by
educating the
community about worthy causes and organizations and developing
innovative and
fun fundraising activities. Also, as the organization has progressed
and
matured over time, YPI has extended its goal of becoming a fundraising
organization into a progressive goal of becoming a grant-making
organization
that will further be able to benefit the community.
Mission
Statement: Our
mission is to engage the CJHS community in conscientious philanthropy,
rooted
in Jewish values, in order to support worthy causes.
2011-2012
YPI Giving
Philosophy:
For
the 2011-2012
school year, YPI will
donate a sum of money yet to be determined to a charitable organization
whose
program will be enhanced by our gift. The YPI Board will choose the
organization and then present it to the CJHS student body prior to its
Adar
Fundraising Month. The remaining funds will be preserved in the
YPI
Philanthropic Fund to support future projects. Also, serving as a
transition
year, YPI will work on educating the board on what it means to
transform from
merely a fundraising organization into a grant-making organization. YPI
will
also begin to fundraise for the YPI Investment fund in hopes of
amassing money
that will eventually be used to grant grants to organizations that will
be
chosen at a later date. Lastly, YPI will begin to contact professional
philanthropists in order to learn from them and possibly establish a
partnership with them.
For
more information,
email YPI at ypi@cjhs.org or
contact the co-chairs
through CJHS.
Drives -- Annie
Schrayer
Advisor:
Ms. Wasserman, lwasserman@cjhs.org
The
CJHS drives
committee organizes drives every month.
Last year, our donations gave blankets to seriously ill or traumatized
children
through Project :omus, www.projectlinus.org,
school supplies to Daniel Webster Middle School, www.webstermiddle.org,
shoes to people in need, www.soles4souls.org,
and collected change to be donated to benefit The Leukemia &
Lymphoma
Society.
Chesed
Club -- Tamar
Meltzer and Lauren Steinberg
Advisor: Ms. Steinberg, nsteinberg@cjhs.org
Chesed
Club
works to enhance the community at CJHS. Leaders from each class bring
their
peers closer together through different activities and programs. The
students
on Chesed Club also celebrate, recognize, and support CJHS students
during
life-cycle events.
The Peace Corps Pen
Pals Club -- Ilana Lieberman
Advisor: Mr. Taylor, rtaylor@cjhs.org
Students
are in
contact with others serving in the Peace Corps and focus on values of
individual service initiative and interpersonal connection. Frequent
correspondence is reinforced with group discussion.
Keep
a Child Alive -- Tali Shapiro
and Nadav Sprauge
Advisor:
Mr. Danko, edanko@cjhs.org
Keep
a Child Alive, the
newest club
addition to VTO, is a nationally renowned organization that educates,
advocates, and fundraises for those affected by HIV/Aids in Africa and
India.
Through the organization, CJHS students learn about the AIDS epidemic
and how
it is affecting society. CJHS students also raise money for
antiretroviral
drugs to help those affected by the epidemic.
New
Initiatives
If
you would like to
establish a VTO club,
please bring your ideas to the VTO Co-Chairs, Jill Merrick and Ceren
Maeir, who
will work with you to develop a club.
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