Students and faculty celebrated receiving the Torah in their communities on Shavuot. In addition to attending many different all-night study sessions throughout Chicagoland -- from Oak Park to Lakeview to Highland Park (and many places in between) -- many individuals taught sessions. This is only a partial list: at a tikkun with friends, Ruthie Eisenberg taught about the first chapter of Megillat Ruth, and Aliza Stein taught about Yehuda and Tamar. At the Lakeview Community Tikkun, Rabbi Fryer taught a session entitled "If Only Hebrew School Had Been Like This," highlighting halachot from Rambam's Hilchot Talmud Torah, notably about pedagogy and obligations for teachers and students. At the same tikkun, Ms. Jacobson-Maisels taught about "Walking in God's Footsteps: Rambam, Levinas, Megillat Ruth, and Ongoing Revelation." At Beth Hillel Congregation B'nai Emunah, Rabbi Barkan led a session on "Singing the Song of Torah: Rav Kook's Four-fold Song." At Congregation Beth Shalom, Jacob Shapiro taught about the akeidah, and Eli Miller led a session about giving food to the poor as you harvest your field. At North Suburban Synagogue Beth El, several students participated in all-night study, and Avram Pachter organized the sunrise minyan. Kol Hakavod to all of these CJHS community members (and the many not listed here!) for their diligence and dedication to studying Torah.

Students Study with Great Scholar

A group of students from Rabbi Barkan's ninth grade Tanach class organized a visit with preeminent Bible scholar Dr. Tikva Frymer-Kensky. The students held class in her living room, asking questions about what they studied in Tanach class: Was David a good king and a good person? Do you have to be a good person to be a good leader? Should David be a role model for us today? These questions led to questions about the nature of Torah: What was the cultural context of the Torah? Who wrote the Torah? What kinds of interpretations are authentic? These led to questions about God: Is God involved in our daily lives? Why is there evil in the world? How do you relate to God?

"This was an intense encounter and powerful exchange of ideas," Rabbi Barkan said. "The students are so eager to learn. It was amazing to see them sitting at the feet of such a great scholar. I really felt the powerful links in the chain of tradition."

Summer Reading List Available

The English department is thrilled to announce that the summer reading list is now available. The list is organized by grade and course, and students should come to school in the fall prepared to discuss their assigned readings.

Click here for the summer reading list.

New Va'ad Israel Leadership

Va'ad Israel welcomes its new committee heads: Aliza Stein, president; Aaron Magid and Eli Miller, political co-chairs; Shai Kamin and Lindsay Seidenberg, holiday co-chairs; Karen Avidar, cultural chair; and Abby Landis, senior liaison.

Yasher koach to the past year's leadership, including Abby Landis (president), Aliza Stein (vice president), and everyone else who was involved in programming ranging from AIPAC to Tu B'Shevat to the Walk With Israel to Yom HaAtzmaut at school and everything else. Every student is invited and strongly encouraged to be involved with Va'ad Israel. Please talk to Aliza if you have any questions.

USPC Elects New Board

Mazal tov to the U.S. Politics Club Board, which was elected last week. The new leadership includes Geoff Levin, president; Aliza Stein, social vice president; Aaron Weinberg, education vice president; and Danny Silver, communications vice president. Nat Sufrin, the club's founder and past president, will continue to participate in the club as a student advisor to the board. Yasher koach to the 2005-2006 USPC Board for a job well done! Look forward to another great year of political event and speakers brought to you by the USPC.

Va'ad Tefillah Announces New Leadership

Mazal tov to the following students, who have been appointed to next year's Va'ad Tefillah: Richard Kahn and Sandy Johnston, co-chairs; Aaron Weinberg, liaison; Vanessa Youshaei and Seth Berkman, education; Eli Miller, parashah summaries; Jeremy Hulkower, Torah readings; Elli Cohn and Avi Coven, daveners; Esther Lowe and Hannah Rosenbaum, aliyot; and Tova Goldberg and Adva Mir, general members.

Kol hakavod to the following individuals, who worked tirelessly this year to ensure an organized, meaningful tefillah experience for the entire CJHS community: Aaron Magid, Josh Warshawsky, David Weltman, Tova Goldberg, Vanessa Youshaei, Sandy Johnston, Aaron Weinberg, Richard Kahn, Hannah Rosenbaum, and Avi Coven.

The Va'ad Tefillah would like to give Ms. Jacobson-Maisels our heartfelt appreciation for all the hard work that she has put into the tefillah program at CJHS. We will miss her very much, we wish her the best in her future endeavors, and we hope she will return to visit us soon.

Backgammon Finalists Determined

The first ever backgammon (shesh-besh) tournament has been held at CJHS. Esther Lowe and Jeremy Hulkower will play in the championship round shortly after exams are over. Each student has played three matches against some very stiff competition and will now compete against the other to be named CJHS Backgammon Champion. Good luck to both Esther and Jeremy.

Save The Date for First Annual CJHS Bike Ride Along North Shore

All students, parents, and faculty are invited to do a 15-20 mile ride along Highland Park and Lake Forest's streets and bike paths on Sunday, September 17. Biking is a wonderful activity that is good for your mind and your body. It will be a great social event; we'll eat and then work off the calories. We will bike at a steady pace so that everyone can participate. If you cannot ride but are willing to help out by delivering food to a designated picnic area, please let us know. Contact Dr. Auslander or Esther Lowe for more information.

Rabbi Fryer Featured on Shebrew

Rabbi Fryer's article, entitled "Road to a Rabbi's Life," can be found on the Shebrew website this week.

Click here to read Rabbi Fryer’s article.

Don't Forget to Buy a Yearbook!

The yearbooks are here! 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.

Baruch Dayan HaEmet

The CJHS community sends our deepest condolences to our athletic director and history teacher, Mr. Tim Cohen, his wife Linsey, and their daughter, Rae, on the loss of Mr. Cohen's father, Joel Cohen. The funeral was held in Virginia. Mr. Cohen and his family will return to the Chicago community and observe shiva at their home, 3551 Dato Avenue in Highland Park, on Monday, June 12 between 6:00 and 9:00 p.m., with Ma'ariv at 7:30 p.m.

HaMakom yinachem etchem b'toch sha'ar aveilei Tzion v'Yerushalayim. May Mr. Cohen be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.

Religious Life at CJHS

Last week, Sandy Johnston, Eli Miller, Esther Lowe, Matthew Silverman, Jeremy Hulkower, Avi Coven, David Weltman, Seth Berkman, and Matthew Hass led tefillah. Seth Berkman and Richard Kahn read Torah.

The final e-news for the 2006-2007 year will be sent on Friday, June 16. The submission deadline is WEDNESDAY at noon. Please send all submissions to Ms. Musin at cmusin@cjhs.org.