Save the Date
Sunday, May 24Prom Monday, May 25
Memorial Day (No School)
Tuesday, May 26 Physics Expo Wednesday, May 27Siyyum & Graduation Thursday, May 28Erev Shavuot (2:45 Dismissal) Friday, May 29Shavuot (No School) Sunday, May 31Dance Marathon Monday, June 8
Spring exams begin
Friday, June 12Year-End BBQ
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Community News and Events
New at the BJE: Hebrew Lessons One-On-One!
Hebrew at your own pace, on your own schedule, with no pressure... for travel, business or aliyah! $40 per session; minimum 7 sessions.
Contact Alicia Gejman here or at 847.291.7788x1301.
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 fills up fast! For further information, 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 it now be your turn! CFJE Ulpan: Summer and FallThe Community Foundation for Jewish Education of Metropolitan Chicago offers a first-class, exciting way for adult members of our community to learn Modern Hebrew. We are so pleased to now offer the Ulpan at four different sites. Click here for information about our summer and fall course offerings. JUF Teen ConnectionsJUF is planning a great deal of exciting events for teens in the near future. Click on http://www.juf.org/
teens/newsletter_web.aspx to read about all of the events. You can subscribe to the JUF Teen Connections newsletter via a link at the bottom of the website. Perlstein Family VacationsShare quality time with your family and get the benefits that only an all-inclusive Perlstein family vacation can provide. Vacation at JCC's Perlstein Resort & Conference Center in Lake Delton, WI, adjacent to Camp Chi and minutes from the Wisconsin Dells. August 17-23 & 24-30, 2009. · Day camp/day care for all age groups-infants to teens · Family activities and events · Nightly activities for adults and evening babysitting · Relax and leave all of the Shabbat preparation to us! · 3 Kosher meals a day with snacks Included Activities, no additional fee: waterskiing, sailing, swimming, boating, arts & crafts, outdoor & indoor play spaces, rock climbing, mountain biking, horseback riding, archery, sports, yoga, field trips and more! There's so much to do. For details visit www.gojcc.org/prcc, call 847.763.3603 or email prcc@gojcc.org. |
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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Arts Alive! Spotlights Donors
 Music rang from the school this past Sunday when CJHS unveiled its new donor wall and honored its supporters with Arts Alive!, a presentation of the school's fine and performing arts projects. "It is always a delight to see our students in action," says Cindy Pogrund, President of the Board of Directors, "and a pleasure to be able to share the experience with the donors who have made CJHS possible."  The afternoon began with the CJHS Jazz Ensemble performing a medley of Jewish melodies; on their heels came the CJHS choir, which opened the ceremony with renditions of the Star Spangled Banner and Hatikvah. Head of School Tony Frank addressed the audience to discuss the many accomplishments of CJHS in such a brief amount of time and thanked donors for their integral role in all of these accomplishments. Rabbi Elliot Goldberg, Director of Jewish Life, led participants in the Sh'hechiyanu, a blessing made when commemorating a milestone in one's life. 
Upon completion of the ceremony, participants streamed into the Beit Knesset for musical performances from the choir and highlights from this year's school musical, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown. Finally, attendees had a chance to see an exhibit of students' artwork and watch several movies produced by students in Graphic Design.
 One aspect of Arts Alive! that sets CJHS apart is its student-led nature. This Sunday's jazz ensemble was conducted not by a faculty member, but by senior Alan Bukingolts. "As a senior I have to be responsible," says Bukingolts. "When something this amazing happens, you have to step up and be a leader ... and I was really happy with the outcome."
On behalf of the entire CJHS community, we thank our donors for the role they have played in the creation of this incredible community we call CJHS. May you go from strength to strength.
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Bev Fox Memorial Garden
 This past Wednesday, the CJHS community gathered together to complete a project that's taken over four months of planning, working and fundraising: the Beverly Fox Memorial Garden. Designed by a professional landscaper and by Bob Taylor, Biology teacher and faculty advisor of the CJHS Garden Club, the garden will yield annuals, perennials and vegetables. "It was a long process," says Chesed Club president Elli Cohn. "We wanted Bev Fox to be the first person for whom we planted flowers, since she was such a vibrant member of our community and so many of us were affected by her loss. We can help the community get through it by planting in her memory."  The memorial garden, which was the joint work of the Chesed and Garden clubs, will be replanted every year--"a living memory" of people in the CJHS community. "It was really nice to see the whole idea come to fruition," says Mr. Taylor, who oversaw the whole project. "Hopefully, it'll be here for a long time to come."
Yasher koach to Ellie Honan, head of the Garden Club, for all of her hard work.
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Grandparents and Special Friends Day
Grandparents' and Special Friends' Day was a huge success this week at CJHS. Roughly 90 grandparents filed into the lobby, where student ambassadors were waiting to lead them on tours of the building. This was followed by lunch, punctuated by junior Sammy Simon's juggling, followed by a musical selection by the CJHS choir. Seniors Rachel Binstock and Brett Kopin spoke about the role CJHS has played in their lives. "At CJHS we are pushed and encouraged to make every class a thoughtful space," said Binstock. "It has helped me to be the thinker I am, the leader I am, the Jew that I am."
 
After lunch, guests were united with their respective grandchildren and accompanied them to their classes, where they received a glimpse of what happens here at CJHS. A photographer snapped protraits of each student with with his or her guests. Thank you to everyone who worked so hard to produce this event: Larry and Angie Adler, who sponsored lunch; the development office, the faculty, the students, and, of course, our grandparents and special friends, whose example continues to inspire us every day.
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Spring Sports Wrap-Up
 Congratulations to our women's soccer team for playing a great game against Ida Crown on Sunday. Despite a great effort by all team members--and several ESPN-worthy saves by goalie junior Hannah Miller--the injury-plagued team still came up short. This young team has a bright future and looks forward to a great season next year. Thank you to all of the players and to everyone's BFF, Coach Gina Cohen, for making this a memorable season.  The CJHS middle school basketball girls' and boys' feeder leagues have also come to an end with very exciting playoff games and an awards reception.
Congratulations to our winning team, MS Ashdod, who defeated Maccabi Tel Aviv in a closely contended final. In all, almost 65 Jewish middle schoolers from throughout the Chicago area participated in the league. We hope they join us again next year for an expanded league and come to CJHS for high school and play basketball! We could not have done this without our volunteer coaches: Lee Cohn, Rob Davis, David Eisenberg, Bruce Ogron, and Saul Shaoul; we also salute our  volunteer assistant coaches: Sam Botbol, Lauren Pliskin, Aaron Cohn, Shelby Cooper, Alison Dreifuss, Kevin Rahmanim, Adam Seidenberg, Zach Spellman, Max Abecassis, Danny Eisenberg, Jessica Rosenberg, Aviva Schwartz, Aliza Shapiro, David Silver, Karen Avidar, and Emily Pogrund; and our volunteer referees, Victor Abecassis and Alan Bukingolts, and our volunteer scorekeepers: Charles Brown, Harvey Gross, and Matt Levin.  Although CJHS sports are over for this year, planning is in full swing for next year. With almost 80% of the student body participating on at least one athletic team this year, there is a lot of work to do. Due to popular demand from students, two new teams will be added next year: men's soccer and women's volleyball. Practice for fall sports will begin Wednesday, August 12, so start getting ready now! |
Charlie Corpuscle Cheers at CJHS Blood Drive
 Kol hakavod to the 25 people (including 24 students and many first-time blood donors) who each gave a pint of blood on Tuesday at the Third Annual CJHS Blood Drive. The drive, coordinated by the Va'ad in cooperation with Heartland Blood Centers, was a resounding success. Thank you to the many students who volunteered at the registration desk and to Joel Pachefsky for chairing the drive. |
Open Mic Night
The Prints helped students ease into their final days of school with its annual open mic night, drawing nearly 40 students and faculty. The evening included a plethora of moving poetry recitations, musical and vocal performances, and an acting performance, giving students the opportunity to express themselves and share their work with other students and faculty. The night's events ran smoothly under the direction of Lauren Hines, The Prints advisor, and with the help of students in the Prints FPLA class.  Just a few weeks earlier, The Prints literary journal celebrated the release of its 7th volume, themed "identity." The editorial staff received a record number of poetry, prose, art, and photography submissions from a diverse and talented group of students. With hard work on the part of editors Noa Fleischacker, Jeremy Hipps, David Israel, Hannah Rosenbaum, Joelle Swatez, and editor-in-chief Lea Sarris, The Prints was able to take this year's publication to the next level. |
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Student Directing Project
Congratulations to student directors Lisa Wiznitzer and Sydni Cole and to drama teacher Melissa Estes on the success of This Is a Test, this year's student-directed one-act. Through Mrs. Estes's guidance, students had the opportunity to take on significant dramatic roles and develop them through the rehearsal process. Lisa and Sydni had the unique experience of learning how to direct and to take on those responsibilities. Yasher koach to the entire ensemble. |
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Puzzle Day
The CJHS math team finished off the year with a pizza/puzzle party this Tuesday. Students relaxed, played a highly competitive game of SET, and attempted to solve the many challenging puzzles provided by Ms. Gitlin and Dr. Yuen. Thanks to everyone who participated in math team events throughout the year. Congratulations to Jordan Shapiro and Ari Eisenstadt for being this year's school winners for the AMC 10/12 competition. Congratulations to Louis Shekhtman for getting the highest cumulative score on the Illinois Mathleage competitions. Thanks to Jonah Harris, Ari Eisenstadt, and Avra Shapiro for leading math team activities this year. |
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Va'ad Elections
Wednesday was Election Day at CJHS, as 9th, 10th, and 11th graders listened to nine candidates share their visions for next year's student government. A few of the themes that came up in speech after speech included commitment to fundraising to offset the cost of student programs, commitment to good food at Va'ad-sponsored events, and several delightful poems that captured the essence of the students' candidacies.
Yasher koach to the newly elected Va'ad, which was just announced this morning:
President: Sam Aisen
Finance Vice President: Natalie Salzman
Fundraising Vice President: Aliza Small
Programming Vice President: Sissa Abecassis
Communications Vice President: Maor Gordon-Guterman
A freshman representative will be elected in the fall. |
The first ever CJHS student-run newspaper is now online at http://cjhstimes.webs.com. Head on over to read this week's interviews, political commentary, and editorials, from Chaya Moskovits' piece on Barack Obama to Benjy Forester's take on the equally charismatic Mr. Roman Marchenko. Browse through the quintessential CJHS op-ed, Yaakov Calamaro's "What Grinds My Gesheft."
Editors-in-chief Claire Peaceman and Leo Spornstarr would like to thank the student journalists who contributed to this edition: Benjy Forester, Hannah Miller, Yaakov Calamaro, Chaya Moskovits, and Ariel Stoltz. Moreover, we would like to thank our advisor, Mr. Harvey Gross, for all the support and editing he has done. Stay tuned for many more interesting articles in the next edition!
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Senior Shabbaton
 CJHS's senior class spent last Shabbat together in Highland Park. The weekend included eating, davening, singing, a walk to the beach, reminiscing and relaxing, but most of all, it provided the Class of 5769 with an opportunity be together for one last Shabbat before graduation. Senior Nicole Wiznitzer says, "It was a reflective way to end my time at CJHS." "It was awesome!" added Alan Bukingolts. Thanks to Shabbaton committee chairs Esther Bier and Aaron Weinberg, Shabbaton staff Rabbi Elliot Goldberg, Dr. Rebecca Schorsch and Mr. Dale Griffith, the Shapiro and Kopin families for hosting, Chuck Kahalnik and the rest of North Suburban Congregation Beth El, Student Activities Director Caroline Musin and Taami Kosher Restaurant for making this event possible.
With Love From the Class of 2009
You know you love them, and you can't wait to live without them... the ever-fabulous seniors! The class of 2009 has been wrapping up this week with a senior minyan toga party, an impromptu drum session and dance party, a yearbook feeding frenzy, and of course, the usual batch of public prom proposals. We'll miss you, Class of 2009!
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Summer Torah Study
If you're in town this summer, why not do something with your Thursday nights? CJHS teacher Shira Eliaser and CJHS parent Dr. Elysa Barack Fisher are launching the LifeCenter Torah Network with the Summer Series 2009:
From Eve to Vashti:
Bad Girls Who Make Tanach Great
The series is composed of 8 independent shiurim on various Biblical characters and is open both to men and women. Advance registration is highly recommended so that we don't run out of chairs. Click here for details and registration. |
Schechter Welcomes New Torah
Don't miss the opportunity to join Solomon Schechter Day School in celebrating the first Torah written expressly for them at their Torah Dedication Ceremony. CJHS's A Capella group will be kicking off the event, which will feature a Sofer finishing the Torah, singing and dancing accompanying the Torah, refreshments, the Maxwell Street Klezmer Band, the SSDS choir, juggling, face painting, and much more.
When:
Sunday, May 31, 2:00 pm
Where:
Solomon Schechter Day School
Northbrook Campus
3210 Dundee Road
RSVP by May 26th. Please e-mail jennifer.flink@schechter.org.
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| Mazal Tov
 Mazal tov to CJHS band teacher and proud new daddy Chris Forte and his wife, Kristin, on the birth of their daughter Annabelle Sadie Forte, on May 17. Annabelle was 7 lbs. 12 oz., and 20.5 inches long. Mother and baby are both doing well. |
Breakfast Sponsors
 Happy birthday to Jacquie Zaluda and Nicole Wiznitzer. Many thanks to their families for sponsoring breakfast in her honor. |
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Don't Forget to Count the Omer
 Today is 43 days, which is six weeks and one day of the Omer. The kabbalistic feature of the day is Chesed b'Malchut, leadership with lovingkindness. In preparation for Shavuot, lead your community with kingly dignity, but also with love.
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Religious Life
 Yasher koach to Hannah Miller, Lisa Wiznitzer, Benjy Forester, Eliana Fisher, Jeremy Hulkower, and Aaron Weinberg for leading services this week; also to Aaron and Elli Cohn for reading Torah. An additional yasher koach to guest singer Rick Recht, who teamed up with CJHS guitar-slingers Jacquie Zaluda and Noah Weinberg for an unforgetable Shacharit experience on Monday.
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Shabbat Shalom
 Candlelighting is 7:52 p.m. this Friday. Happy Yom Yerushalayim and shabbat shalom!
Mo'adim l'simchah to all our readers as we finish counting up to the giving of the Torah. E-News will resume in two weeks after the Shavuot holiday. | |
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