The first annual CJHS Physics Expo was a roaring success, drawing almost fifty students, teachers, parents, and community members! Ten teams of students showcased their creations, demonstrating their ability to apply their knowledge of physics to a variety of gadgets, sports, activities, and phenomena. Highlights of the evening included a specially choreographed performance by the "Physics of Dance" group, demonstrating the manner in which physics principles allowed them to control the motion of their bodies; a six-foot model roller coaster set up to model the science of amusement parks, and an original film about the trials and tribulations of Schrodinger's cat. Three enterprising seniors used a spherical flask of water to create an actual rainbow on the wall of the classroom in order to explain the dispersion of light in raindrops; two aspiring inventors designed a set of four propulsion systems to power model carts, comparing their model racers in terms of speed, safety, and eco-friendliness. Students also presented on the science of color, how CDs work, the physics of baseball, and rainbows, haloes, and glories. Juniors Leore Avidar and Brian Pogrund were named "Best of Show" for their PowerPoint/film analyzing the mathematics of a football tackle--and the padded safety gear that allows a player to walk away from such a maneuver! Congratulations to all 28 physics students who participated and to Mrs. Eliaser for developing the Physics Expo.

Commencement

CJHS is proud to announce that its third commencement ceremony will take place on Wednesday, May 31, at 5:30 p.m. The community is invited. Please call 847-423-5979 to reserve your seat.

Earlier that day, graduates and their parents will be at school for tefillah, a Siyum, and breakfast. Parents and family of the graduates, faculty, and all juniors are invited. Reservations are necessary for breakfast. Please call 847-423-5979 by 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, May 30.

Visit & Volunteer at the CJHS Booth at the Greater Chicago Jewish Festival

CJHS is sponsoring a booth at the Greater Chicago Jewish Festival from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 11. Located at the Cook County Forest Preserve at Oakton Street (west of Lehigh), this event will attract 30,000–40,000 people. CJHS needs students, parents, and board members to help market the school. Please help by volunteering for one hour this day. It's a great opportunity to meet people and help promote CJHS to the community.

Contact Rachel Spiro, Director of Admissions, if you can help (rspiro@cjhs.org or 847-324-3706). Please let her know who will be coming and what time you’re available.

Applications Continue to Arrive!

Now is the time to schedule a tour or submit an application for the 2006 – 2007 academic year. Become a part of our CJHS family. Contact Rachel Spiro to learn more about CJHS.

CJHS Students Direct and Perform One-Act Plays

Our students' behind-the-scenes talents, as well as their on-stage talents, were showcased during Monday evening's student-directed one-act plays. The audience was treated to seven different performances written by a variety of playwrights, including Wendy Wasserstein, Tennessee Williams, and our very own Renana Fox.

Yasher koach to all of the directors: Lindsay Seidenberg, Yael Kiken, Renana Fox, Abby Landis, Jimmy Casen, and Jenn Hipps. The actors included Linda Levin, Leore Avidar, Sydni Cole, Matthew Silverman, Rachel Binstock, Shayna Flink, Nat Sufrin, Yoni Solomon, Lilli Flink, Karen Avidar, Jeremy Cogan, Seth Berkman, Ari Glasser, Esther Bier, Geoff Levin, Jenn Hipps, Sofi Petchersky, Donna Abisdris, and Tova Goldberg. This evening of student-directed plays was under the direction of Mr. Ron Ben-Joseph and sound technician Richard Neumann.

The Fine and Performing Arts Department thanks everyone who attended the student-directed one-acts, as well as Cabaret Night and Little Shop of Horrors; it has been a fantastic year of drama at CJHS!

CJHS Students Commemorate Memorial Day

In honor of Memorial Day, which is Monday, May 29, CJHS students held a ceremony after tefillah on Wednesday to commemorate the soldiers who have died in foreign wars and to honor their mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, husbands, wives, sons, daughters, and friends. Sophomore Ari Glasser began the ceremony by reading about the true meaning of Memorial Day. Junior Jenn Hipps then read a poem written by a Vietnam Veteran lamenting the fact the Memorial Day has become about barbeques and shopping at the mall. Sophomore Michael Shapiro read the obituary of a soldier from Naperville who died in the conflict in Iraq this month. The students then each received a page of soldiers who have fallen during the Iraq conflict, with their names, their ages, their units, and how they died. The ceremony ended with the traditional words of Taps read by Hannah Rosenbaum. After the readings, students stood while sophomore Shai Kamin played Taps on the horn. Many thanks to Ms. Marcus for planning the ceremony.

Check out this website about Memorial Day.

Prints Staff Celebrates Release with Open Mike Event

The CJHS student lounge was darkened to create a coffeehouse atmosphere on Tuesday evening. Students and faculty members sat on the stage reading their poetry and prose and signing original music. In the corner, the Prints staff sold pop, coffee, tea, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, vegetable wraps, cookies, and brownies to raise money for Free Street Theater, a Chicago organization that helps inner city kids, some homeless and some with disabilities, write and produce plays. Congratulations to the Prints Staff for hosting a terrific event and for publishing a beautifully crafted literary journal.

Eleven Students Sign Up for Peer Helper Program

We are excited to announce that eleven students who will be Juniors and Seniors next year have signed up to be in the first group of Peer Helpers at CJHS; the group includes Sarah Kaufman, Hannah Berkowicz, Ruthie Eisenberg, Rachel Karp, Seth Berkman, Dakota Miller, Aliza Stein, Sandy Johnston, Lindsay Seidenberg, Josh Warshawsky, and Sofi Petchersky. There is still room for more students to sign up.

Peer Helpers will provide support to freshmen and transfer students. The program will coordinated by Dr. Auslander, School Social Worker, with the volunteer help of Nina Harris, Social Worker and Board Member, as well as Dr. Penina Frankel, psychologist.

Do You Have a Poem in Your Pocket?

The TRC sponsored Pocket Poetry Day on Tuesday. CJHS students and faculty placed poems in their pockets (or memorized them), and teachers were seen all over school stopping students and asking them to recite their poems. Each student who recited a poem received a ticket redeemable for candy in the TRC. Many teachers, including math and science teachers, shared their favorite poems in their classrooms!

Changing of the (Va'ad) Guard

Mazal tov to the recently elected 2006-2007 Va'ad HaStudentim! The new Va'ad includes President Matthew Silverman, Vice President Ari Glasser, Treasurer Geoff Levin, and Secretary Rachel Braun. A freshman representative will be elected in the fall.

Kol Hakavod to the outgoing Va'ad, including President Benji Derman, Vice President Shayna Flink, Treasurer Sandy Johnston, Secretary Matthew Silverman, Sophomore Representative Michael Brunwasser, and Freshman Representative Rachel Braun.

Students Elected to Youth Group Boards

Mazal tov to Jeremy Cogan and Rachel Garfinkel, who were recently elected to the regional BBYO boards. Mazal tov also to our many, many students who have been elected to their USY chapter boards.

A Summer Opportunity at The Art Center of Highland Park

If you are interested in taking a metalworking class to design and sculpt your own doorpost mezuzah, please contact Mrs. Snyder at msnyder@cjhs.org. Classes are limited to six people and the time will be flexible; however, each class needs a three-hour commitment for at least five sessions. Classes will be on Sunday and in the evening. Bring a friend, your spouse or a parent...it's hard work but a lot of fun.

Don't Forget to Buy a Yearbook!

The yearbooks are here! Kol Hakavod to the Yachad staff for creating an excellent book of memories. Many thanks to each individual and business who purchased an ad in the sponsorship book. If you haven't bought your yearbook yet, please complete the form below and submit it to Ms. Musin, along with $35.

Click here for a yearbook order form.

Breakfast Sponsorships

Thank you to the Wiznitzer family for sponsoring breakfast on Monday, May 22, in honor of Nicole's 15th birthday.

Thank you to the Handelsman/Bier family, the Fox family, and the Forst/Kiken family, all of the Egalitarian Minyan of West Rogers Park, for sponsoring breakfast on Wednesday, May 24, in honor of Daniel, Renana, and Yael’s graduation.

Thank you to the Lobl/Eisenberg family for sponsoring breakfast on Friday, May 26, in honor of Ruthie's 17th birthday.

If you would like to sponsor breakfast in honor of a student's birthday (or any occasion), please contact Joan Waxman at jwaxman@cjhs.org or Sara Coven at penguinema@napcoltd.net. The students love the recognition, and the bagels are great, too!

It's a Boy!

Mazal tov to freshman Eden Noy and her family on the birth last week of her brother, Yaakov Israel. Several of our students and staff attended Wednesday's brit milah, including Nicole Wiznitzer, Hannah Rosenbaum, David Weltman, Jeremy Hulkower, Esther Bier, Rachel Braun, Rachel Binstock, Elli Cohn, Francesca Hirschfeld, Rabbi Fryer, and Rabbi Barkan. Eden's mother, Mindy, is doing well.

Religious Life at CJHS

This week, Benji Derman, Avram Pachter, Aaron Magid, Yael Kiken, Jason Wiznitzer, David Weltman, Daniel Peaceman, and Rabbi Fryer led tefillah. Richard Kahn and Avram Pachter read Torah.

Yasher koach to Jimmy Casen for delivering a Dvar Torah this morning.

This week's parashah is Bamidbar. Candlelighting is at 7:56 p.m.

Due to Shavuot, the e-news will be sent next Thursday. The submission deadline is Wednesday at noon.

Read the parashah, haftarah, and a JTS commentary.