CROSSROADS Takes CJHS on a Spectacular Musical Journey

CJHS presented its annual Cabaret on October 28 and 29. The theme of the production was Crossroads, and the event kicked off with a performance by CJHS' jazz band, playing several songs from their repertoire.  The spirited cast opened the show with a hip-hop number, Mikhan Ad HaSof.  For the next hour, extraordinary talent filled the stage as CJHS students sang and danced to a wide range of songs, including classics, contemporary tunes, ballads, humorous numbers and even a bit of a cappella. The dance class and several CJHS student dancers performed throughout the evening.

Thank you to B'nai Joshua Beth Elohim, which hosted the Cabaret. Thank you to their outstanding professional and custodial staffs. Yasher koach to Rachel Braun and the Va'ad for managing food and drink sales, and to their cadre of waiters: Jeremy Hipps, Ari Eisenstadt, Rachel Binstock, Adam Rudolph, and Jeffrey Berger. The money raised from food and drink sales supports the Fine Arts Fund.

Kol Hakavod to the following individuals who helped make the show such a great success: Bruce Scher, Gail Gottlieb, Dori Robinson, Chris Forte, Laura Tobin, the Rozen family, Caroline Musin, Richard Neumann, and Igor Burda.

Click here and here to read the Cabaret program.

Keep your eyes peeled for the spring musical, The Pajama Game, which will be performed March 16 and 17. 

For more information about The Pajama Game, click here.

Junior Class attends Theatre Production

On Wednesday, October 31, the junior class attended the Steppenwolf production of The Crucible. For the last few weeks, both Mr. Griffith's and Dr. Miller's classes have been reading the play and discussing the essential themes including fear, hysteria, justice and the ethics of Puritan society. The students enjoyed the play and quickly made comparisons with the text. On the bus ride back to school, many students were engrossed in debate about the characters and their portrayal on stage.

On Friday, October 26, CJHS held a special program in conjunction with the Israeli-based Etgarim organization. Two Israeli soldiers who were badly injured in the war in Lebanon talked about their attempts to return to normal life. They also shared their stories of personal triumph and their return to society with the dedicated assistance of Etgarim, an organization that empowers social integration of individuals with special needs through the challenge of outdoor sports. Those who benefit from its programs include wounded soldiers, terror victims and other members with special needs. The program helped to illustrate another form of Tikkun Olam and provided CJHS students a firsthand encounter with a facet of Israeli life. CJHS thanks Joe Wein and Michelle Sackheim Wein for bringing these speakers to our school.

Commemoration for Israeli soldiers

On Tuesday, October 30, CJHS students joined a worldwide commemoration for the Israeli soldiers who are missing in action. Pictures of Gilad Shalit, Ehud Goldwasser, and Eldad Regev were posted throughout the school and continue to serve as a visual reinforcement of the presentations that members of Va'ad Israel gave during Tefillah that day.

Thank you to Ilana Lupovitch and LeeTal Gabel for preparing the materials; to Avra Shapiro, Lilli Flink, Rachel Garfinkel, Victoria Aron, Ron Schrag for presenting in their minyanim; and to Gvt. Moskovich for orchestrating the event.

Thomas French, winner of a Pulitzer Prize, spoke to students in Ms. Marcus's 9th Grade Honors Integrated Studies course. Students read a serial piece written by French entitled, "The Girl Whose Mother Lives In The Sky." The article, published in the St. Petersburg Times, tells the story of pre-school children who emigrated from Southeast Asia to the United States. Students spoke to Mr. French via phone conference and asked him about the article and writing creative non-fiction.

Read the article.

Read the article that won Mr. French the Pulitzer.

Homecoming Tickets on Sale

The homecoming dance, A Night on the Town, will be Saturday night, November 17 from 8:00-11:00 pm at CJHS. The evening will feature refreshments, dancing and lots of fun! Tickets are on sale now for $15 in advance or $20 at the door. See Hannah Kaplan to purchase your tickets. Guests of CJHS students must be registered in advance with Ms. Musin.

The PLAN test, originally scheduled for November 27, will be offered on Monday morning, November 19. We encourage all sophomores to take this standardized exam, which is a preliminary version of the ACT. The PLAN is administered free of charge.

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