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Friday, April 3 Last Day Before Break Monday, April 6Pesach Break Begins Monday, April 20
Classes resume Friday, April 24
CHUSY Kinnus - No School
Monday, May 4
AP Exams Begin
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Community News and Events
Continuing Education at Melton
The Florence Melton Adult Mini-School is an outstanding two-year program which offers a comprehensive range of Jewish studies. Knowledge of Hebrew is not required. Melton students are a committed group of adult learners who represent a great diversity in background, prior level of learning, and affiliation, but are united by their desire to learn more about their Judaism.
Registration starts after Passover and fills up fast! For further information, click here, or call or email Keith Kanter at kkanter@cfje.org or 847-410-3900 ext. 25.
Melton has received rave reviews from the CJHS members who have taken it - let now be your turn!
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Sponsor Breakfast
What's better than a birthday celebration with friends? Celebrate your student's birthday or other milestone with a special breakfast at CJHS.
 For a donation of $162 (9x chai), bagels, cream cheese, and orange juice will be served to everyone. An announcement will be made in Tefillah and in the dining hall, and the occasion will also be listed in our weekly E-News.
If you have any questions, please call 847.324.3713 or email ialtman@cjhs.org. Order forms are available online here.
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You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown
 The CJHS spring musical, Clark Gesner's You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown, played to packed houses on Sunday and Monday, March 22-23. From wild optimism to utter despair, Charles Schulz's unforgettable characters race through the trials and tribulations of a single school day. Together with their friends, both human and non-human, they face their challenges, from bright uncertain morning to hopeful starlit evening. 
 Above: Aviva Schwartz as Patty, David Israel as Schroeder, Jordy Shapiro as Linus--blanket and all, Ari Eisenstadt as Charlie Brown, Lisa Wiznitzer as Lucy, and Miranda Borkan as an exuberant Snoopy. Right: Arianna Rozen and Chaya Moskovits of the Peanuts gang. Click here for a full cast list and program. |
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P2K Exchange Students
 CJHS juniors and seniors paced through the lobby, full of anticipation, last Wednesday afternoon while they awaited the arrival of students and teachers from Tichon Meir, our sister city in Kiryat Gat. As the Israelis got off the bus and dragged in their luggage, hugs and hellos were plentiful. CJHS students led icebreakers, and the students watched a video from their time together during the Senior Israel Experience two months ago. Everyone enjoyed a pizza dinner, and then students went to their host homes. The days the Israelis spent  at CJHS were full of interactive programs, including movies and discussion, an exploration of slang (in Hebrew and English), examining the study of Bible and Talmud, and more. Many thanks to the 16 different teachers who planned lessons that continued our mifgash (encounter/dialogue) experience in an interdisciplinary manner. Mant thanks to Brooke Mandrea and Elissa Polan in the JUF's Partnership 2000 office for making our exchange possible. |
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Va'ad Israel No-Cook Cook-Off
 Each year, Va'ad Israel creates a cook-off--actually a no-cook culinary event--that showcases delicious food and provides students with the opportunity to literally work for their dinner. Last week, with the assistance of our friends from Kiryat Gat, about 30 students had a fantastic time chopping vegetables for Israeli salad, steeping couscous and barley and then adding sliced fruits, veggies, and herbs, and preparing labneh and guacamole. With their hard work behind them, the students sat down to a delicious feast. The students then worked in teams to decorate cakes to determine  who could create the best Israeli-themed decorations. Kol Hakavod to LeeTal Gabel and Jaime Borkan for putting together this year's cook-off, and to all of Va'ad Israel for their assistance with recruitment and implementation of the activities. |
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 Last weekend, 90 students traveled to the Perlstein Resort and Conference Center at Camp Chi for the CJHS Spring All-School Shabbaton. Friday afternoon was spent sliding through the water at the Bay of Dreams water park in the Wisconsin Dells, which created a fun-filled beginning to the Shabbaton. Throughout the Shabbaton, we explored our connections with our Israeli friends while observing Shabbat together through tefillah, song, food, and a variety of exciting programs. From dancing at Kabbalat Shabbat to singing after meals, from basketball in the gym to playing Expert and discussing heroes, there was a little bit of something for everyone, including SNOW, which delighted all of our Israeli friends.  We returned home Saturday night (or very, very early Sunday morning) buzzing with enthusiasm over the Shabbaton experience and feeling stronger connections to the CJHS community. Although we arrived in Deerfield a little later than expected due to the weather, we were lucky to have extraordinary bus drivers who got us back here safely.
Yasher koach and thank you to the Shabbaton Committee: Noa Fleischacker, Jeremy Hipps, Steve Edelman, Chaya Moskovits, Leo Spornstarr, Aaron Weinberg, Ariel Stoltz, Aviva Schwartz, Rena Forester, Talia Stoehr, Jamie Levin, Sam Aisen, Daniel Warshawsky, Sarah Chiren, Noah Weinberg, Lisa Wiznitzer, Esther Lowe, Alex Krule, Joelle Swatez, Jill Merrick, and Claire Peaceman, for all of their hard work and planning. Yasher koach also to Va'ad Tefillah for their diligence in creating a beautiful tefillah experience at the Shabbaton. Thank you to the dozens of students who also assisted with leading groups, leading tefillah, reading Torah, planning programs, selecting food, and completing numerous other tasks in order to make the Shabbaton a success.
Thank you to Dr. Schorsch, Rabbi Ben-Avraham, Dr. Auslander, Mr. Cohen, Rabbi Barkan, Rabbi Goldberg, and Ms. Musin for staffing and contributing immensely to the Shabbaton.
Yasher koach to Ms. Musin for her visioning of the Shabbaton experience, for overseeing the entire planning process and implementation of the Shabbaton, and for her attention to the hundreds of tiny details that made the Shabbaton a success. Thank you to Dr. Scott Moses and Mrs. Linsey Cohen for adding to the richness of the Shabbaton. Thank you to Lawrence LeVine, Rachael Finkel, and everyone at the Perlstein Center for all of their assistance. |
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Youth United for Darfur
 Come join CJHS students at the Youth United for Darfur Rally! The rally will take place on April 19 at 1 pm in the Federal Plaza in Chicago. All students and adults are welcome to attend, and there will be music, speakers, petition-signing, and a very high energy level. Come represent CJHS' STAND chapter and show your support for the Darfuri refugees. CJHS students from CJHS' chapter of STAND are working with student leaders across Chicago to organize the rally. Forty student groups, including high schools, colleges, and youth groups, are collaborating with several major human rights organizations including the Save Darfur Coalition, STAND, and the Enough Project to show the world that teens won't stand for genocide. The rally aims to unite thousands of students in the Chicago area around this pressing issue, increase awareness, and raise a minimum of $10,000 for Illinois' new Sudanese Community Center and the Sister School Program, which supports education for victims of the genocide in refugee camps. If you would like to support the admirable efforts of these students or would like to sign up to attend the rally, please visit http://www.youthunitedfordarfur.com and click "donate." You can also support CJHS' fundraising initiative by buying a Save Darfur t-shirt. The t-shirts are $12 and the money is all going towards the Save Darfur Coalition and the Darfur Sister Schools Program. Sign up to attend the rally at http://www.savedarfur.org/page/
event/detail/rally/4vxr5#rsvp.
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Faculty Switch Day
 Tuesday morning found junior Mark Weiss down in the teacher's lounge drinking coffee and Mr. Bob Taylor lounging in the halls, talking with the girls, digging into his jeans and enjoying his morning Starbucks as the minutes ticked into second period. "I'm Victor today," he explained to the girls. "Um... aren't you supposed to be in class, Victor?" the sophomores wondered uncomfortably. Mr. Taylor checked his watch. " Eventually," he grinned.
So began the second annual CJHS faculty switch day, when scavenger hunt winners Victor Abecassis, Mark Weiss, Zach Spellman, and Brianna Wolin took over the classrooms as teachers for a day, while Mr. Bob Taylor, Mr. Roman Marchenko, Ms. Lynn Friedman, and Ms. Jackie Musleh assumed their identities in the student body. The four teachers were seen scurrying deteminedly to and from class under backpacks and piles of textbooks, while their neatly dressed student counterparts passed out lesson plans and coordinated group work.
"Don't embarrass me on the court!" read the note left by Victor Abecassis for biology teacher Bob Taylor before the teacher took his place in gym class. The note also detailed Victor's other daily duties, including being prompt to English class(le'havdiel...!), harassing Victor's sister, and peppering Victor's mother with unnecessary cell phone calls. Meanwhile, the senior boy was learning the hard way that teaching biology to twenty rowdy freshmen is harder than it looks, and not even the notoriously cool Mr. Taylor is allowed to "sass" department chair Ann Levinson.
"This has been the craziest day," grinned social studies teacher Roman Marchenko from his new place at the junior boys' lunch table. "I went to this really interesting religion class. I got picked on in chemistry and had to explain ionic bonding and stuff. And all this before Hebrew!"
Sophomore Zach Spellman reportedly did a bang-up job impersonating English teacher  Lynn Friedman, right down to her trademark wool beret. He prepared some truly phenomenal lesson plans, reporting on each class's progress with all the meticulousness of an English major. Ms. Friedman, spending the day as a sophomore boy, reported, "Going through the day as a student served to give me an eye-opening view of what our students face on a daily basis. Wow, what a long, exhausting eight-plus hours! My hat--black wool or baseball cap--is off to them!"
"Each teacher should have a chance to 'be' a student for a day!" she concluded. |
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Sole Searching
 Students from Mrs. Marla Snyder's Studio Art class at CJHS will have a special reception and exhibit at Princeton Frame & Art Gallery in Highland Park. The exhibit titled "Soul Searching" is a collection of pen and ink drawings and watercolors that students created with inspirations from their shoes. Students were instructed to tell something about themselves, what they like to do or what they are thinking about. Please join us at our opening reception at Princeton on Wednesday May 6 from 5:30 pm-7 pm.The exhibit will be in the windows of the gallery from May 6-13. Princeton Frame & Art Gallery is located at 1844 1st Street in Highland Park. Our students, faculty and staff thank owners Rich and Joan Schnadig for their encouragement and generous support. |
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 Mazel tov to sophomore Jessica Rubens and junior Aviva Schwartz who won their singles badminton matches against strong Stevenson High School opponents at home on Tuesday. This is the second year that both Jessica and Aviva have played badminton, and their experience shows. "I am very excited about  the way that I played. It gives me the confidence to play hard in my upcoming matches," said Jessica. The badminton team played at Glenbrook South last week and plays at Deerfield High School next Thursday.
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Tote Bags for Children's Memorial Va'ad Vogue's motto is Hiddur Mitzvah, "beautifying the commandments." Through the sale of canvas tote bags, Va'ad Vogue supports KIDDS for Kids, an organization that sponsors creative arts programs for hospitialized children at Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago. The colorful print on the tote was uniquely designed by CJHS senior, Yali Derman,Va'ad Vogue's founding president. The proceeds of the canvas tote will be directed towards the KIDDS for Kids art supply fund. Please join us as we beautify an act of lovingkindness.
If you are interested in purchasing the bag, click here for the flyer. Orders are due by Friday April 24.
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Garden Club
 Chicagoland Jewish community! Are you looking for a fun, free, enjoyable, outdoor opportunity this summer? The Garden Club needs you! This summer the Garden Club will need community help to keep our garden healthy and beautiful. If you are interested in coming once a week, once a month, or whenever you have time this summer to garden at CJHS, and fulfill the mitzvah of beautifying the earth, please email Ellie Honan at blondellie220@yahoo.com. |
Congratulations to junior Daniel Eisenberg, who qualified for the National Chemistry Olympiad (USNCO) national exam.
Congratulations to Avi Coven, class of '08, who ran in the Jerusalem Half-Marathon. He placed 129 of 700 participants and took 2nd in his age group with a time of 1:40:35. Way to go, Avi!
 Yasher Koach to Victor Abecassis, Sissa Abecassis, Max Abecassis, Jack Dreifuss, Alison Dreifuss, Eitan Delrahim, Yaakov Calamaro, and Alan Bukingolts for volunteering to pack Maot Chitim this past Sunday. You make us proud, too. |
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Hey, All You Junior Tigers!
What's that you say? You want to hear about the Junior Tigers, the new CJHS basketball feeder league? Well, we have 40 boys on 4 teams in the leagues from throughout the Chicago area. The teams practice on Thursdays and play games on Sundays. The league championship is on Sunday, May 17. The league is run by CJHS men's varsity head coach, Saul Shaoul, and 10 players from the CJHS varsity basketball team are assistant coaches.
Due to the phenomenal response to our boys' basketball feeder league, CJHS will now be starting a girls basketball feeder league as well. The league meets on five Sundays 3:00-5:00 PM and begins on April 19. The first hour will focus on skill development and instruction, and the second hour the girls will scrimmage. The program is open to any Jewish girl in grade 6, 7, or 8, from beginners to skilled players. The league will be directed by CJHS varsity girls basketball head coach Rob Davis, who will be assisted by several of our girls' varsity players. Click here for registration forms. |
CJHS is participating in the annual Bike The Drive in Chicago to raise money for Chai Lifeline. Lake Shore Drive is totally shut down to allow 20,000 riders to take every type of bike imaginable on the road without cars hindering the cyclists' pure enjoyment. It is totally exhilarating. Good exercise, good company, and you get to raise funds for Chai Lifeline. It is not a race. Go at your own leisure. You are assured to have a great time for a great charity. Kids of all ages ride as well. Click here for more information or talk to Esther Lowe, Ron Schrag, or Dr. Auslander for more information. |
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Lishma 2009: Proving the Exodus
On Wednesday night, CJHS was proud to host the latest installment in its LISHMA adult education lecture series. Professor James K. Hoffmeier, a biblical archaeologist and professor at Trinity International University's Divinity School, presented the latest archaeological findings on the Exodus from Egypt. A noted author and leader in his field, Professor Hoffmeier showcased myriad photos, maps, and other artifacts that sway even the non-believer to admit the probable accuracy of the Tanach's narrative of the Exodus. A response from Rabbi Elliot Goldberg and a lively question and answer session followed the presentation.
Thank you to Professor Hoffmeier for a fascinating evening of learning and to all of the people who worked so hard to produce this event--especially Rochelle Katz, LISHMA chair, and Harvey L. Miller, event chair.
CJHS is honored to work with the following partners on Lishma: The Florence Melton Adult Mini-School International Office, Hebrew University; American Friends of Hebrew University; Jewish Theological Seminary, Midwest Region; DePaul University College of Law - Center for Jewish Law and Judaic Studies; The Board of Jewish Education of Metropolitan Chicago; The Community Foundation for Jewish Education; Midwest Region, United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism; Solomon Schechter Day School of Metropolitan Chicago; and the Rabbinical Assembly of the Conservative Movement. |
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Annual Bowling Party
Members of the CJHS Class of 2013 were treated to a late afternoon of bowling and pizza hosted by CJHS freshmen and sophomores on March 31 at the Wilmette Bowling Alley. The event was a great opportunity for the incoming students to get to know each other and mingle with current CJHS students. Over 60 students attended the event. Thanks also to Margaret Cohn, Sara Coven, Jennifer Flink and Nina Harris, all CJHS Recruitment Committee members, for planning this terrific program. Applications are still coming in for the 2009-2010/5770 school year. There is still time to schedule a tour or shadowing opportunity for your incoming freshman or transfer student. Contact Rachel Spiro, Director of Admissions, for enrollment information, 847.324.3706 or rspiro@cjhs.org. |
Calendar NewsThe draft calendar for next year is now available at http://www.cjhs.org/pdf/5770draft.pdf. Please be aware that in the current year's Days That Deviate/Test Schedule Calendar, a minor error exists in the schedule for April 24, 27, and 28. The correct information is as follows: Friday, April 24 - Professional Day - No Classes due to CHUSY Kinnus. No Homework over weekend. Monday, April 27 - School is in session. No TQPE. Tuesday, April 28 - School is in session.
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Omission
 Maor Gordon-Gutterman's name was omitted from the list of Model U.N. participants in the March 13 E-News. We apologize for the error. |
Mazal Tov
 Mazal tov to Ms. Inez Altman Drazin, Director of Building Services, who married Jerry Drazin on Sunday, March 29. Kol Hakavod to the CJHS Jazz Ensemble, who played at their first wedding gig. |
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Five Questions For...
...Ron Schrag!
Senior Ron Schrag is captain of the CJHS Ultimate Frisbee team. The team competes on Sundays in the spring in the Chicago Ultimate Junior Organization (CUJO), a league comprised of approximately 30 Chicago area public and private schools. The team plays this Sunday in the Miller Woods Forest Preserve fields at 3:00 PM against St. Benedict and at 4:30 PM against Bartlett, rain or shine. Ron was also a starter on the CJHS varsity basketball team and plans to study architecture next year in college.
How did you first start playing Ultimate Frisbee?
I started playing Ultimate Frisbee where many young kids first encounter the game--at Camp Ramah in Wisconsin. I learned how to play the summer before 7th grade, but I was awful. With time and lots of practice though, I got better. Actually, that summer I broke my left wrist, so I had a cast on one arm and could not use both arms to catch. To this day I still catch with only one hand because I just can't break the habit. Coaches always tell me to catch with both hands, but I'm just used to it this way; this is how I learned to play.
What do you like about the game?
Out of all the professional sports, I like basketball the best because it is so fast paced, and something is always going on. For this reason, I dislike baseball, soccer, and football; the game moves much too slowly, and most of the time nothing ever happens on a possession. In Frisbee, however, something is always happening. The game is even more fast-paced than basketball, and you must be in extremely good shape to run up and down the field for 45 minutes non-stop. I like how if you screw up on one play, you have a chance to redeem yourself immediately. You don't have to wait till the next inning or the next defensive possesion.
What skills does a really good Ultimate player have?
To excel in Frisbee you must be patient. Athletic skills help, obviously, but even those who are not naturally athletic can excel at the game of Ultimate. You have ten seconds to throw the disc, and you have many receivers to whom you can throw. As long as you keep that in mind and make smart decisions, that's all you really need, in my opinion.
How does the CJHS team look this year? Any predictions?
I think we are looking good so far. We have high hopes for this season and we think we will play very well against many of the teams in CUJO. We lost two good players in Mikey and Kayce, but we also gained a couple of solid freshmen and the rest of our returning players have all gotten better and are ready to step up.
Any plans to continue to play Ultimate in college?
Nah, I wish I could, but I'm told you don't really have a social life when you major in architecture, so... |
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Birkat Ha-Chamah: The Blessing of the Sun
 On April 8, 2009, the Jewish world will celebrate a unique alignment of ritual moments. In addition to erev Pesah, and thus the siyyum of the Firstborn, April 8 is also the date of Birkat Ha-Chamah. In response to this unique moment, the Rabbinical Assembly is publishing two books:
MASSEKHET HA-HAMMAH: "TRACTATE OF THE SUN" Edited and translated by Abe Friedman Published in partnership with a broad coalition of Jewish environmental organizations, the Commission on Social Justice and Public Policy of the Leadership Council of the Conservative Movement (Leonard Gordon, chair), this study text draws on two millennia of Jewish thought on the awesome majesty of the sun and other celestial objects.
KOAH HA-BERAKHAH: A GUIDE TO BIRKAT HA-HAMMAH By Joseph H. Prouser and Gary H. Kitmacher This siddur features a Hebrew-English prayer service for Birkat Ha-Chamah by Rabbi Joseph Prouser, as well as scientific material prepared by Gary Kitmacher, Manager of Communications for NASA's International Space Station Program.
To order as printed books, click below: http://www.rabbinicalassembly.org/sun_blessing.html. |
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Religious Life
 Yasher koach to Shoshana Coven, Louis Shekhtman, Rena Forester, Eliana Fisher and Lisa Wiznitzer for leading davening this week; also to Ellie Cohn, Esther Lowe, Rachel Braun, and Alex Krule for reading Torah. |
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Shabbat Shalom
Candlelighting is 7:00 p.m. this Friday. Best wishes for a happy, meaningful, and kosher Pesach, and Shabbat Shalom. E-News will resume after Pesach break.
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