Hopefully, you have heard about the exciting news about our prospective new home. Congratulations to the Board of Trustees for their hard work and quick turn-around in letting us in on the good news.

A HOME OF OUR OWN

Dear Cardin Community,

I am delighted to announce that an agreement has been reached with The Associated: Jewish Charities of Baltimore. On Monday evening I signed, as Chair of The Shoshana S. Cardin School Board of Trustees, a contract purchasing approximately 55 acres of land including a useable building at Rosewood. 
                                    
Importantly, The Shoshana S. Cardin School now has a home of its own!  While I am certain we will have some bumps in the process of moving to our new home, we are looking forward to the planning process and to the expansion of our extraordinary pluralistic Jewish and secular education programs.

This agreement is subject to ratification by the boards of The Associated.

Hag Sameach!

Dr. Arlene Bearman
Chair of the Board of Trustees

REFLECTIONS FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

Text Talk on Tractate Sukkot
with Gabe Baraban, ‘11

What better way to celebrate Cardin’s move from our temporary home to our permanent home than a discussion about the temporary homes that we build for the holiday of Sukkot?  Therefore, Gabe Baraban, ’11 and I decided to deviate a bit from our usual text talk and learn a little mishnayot to see just what requirements pertain to a sukkah. The mishnayot in Tractate Sukkah, Chapters 1 and 2, give us very clear instructions about dimensions, shapes, and materials, when the sukkah should be used and by whom.  It is a temporary structure used as a permanent home for the duration of the holiday (Mishnah Sukkah, 2:9). Interestingly enough, although the Gemara discusses the reason for the mitzvah of the sukkah, this dwelling where we spend so much time (one view being that it symbolizes the “clouds of glory” which Hashem protected the Jews with in the desert, and the other being that it commemorates the actual huts in which the Jews lived; Tractate Sukkah 11a),  Gabe and I found it curious that the Mishnah itself says nothing about the reason for the mitzvah, or about the widespread custom of why people spend a great deal of time thoughtfully decorating their sukkot. One of my first memories from religious school at Beth Israel was making decorations for the sukkah (although I have no memories of actually going into the sukkah). Chizuk Amuno Congregation has four sukkot, each with a different theme. I am sure that other Synagogue leaders spend much time planning the themes and decorations of their sukkot.

The first Mishnah which Gabe and I explored, as we sat down and randomly looked at different mishnayot and the explanations, was Mishnah  1:4, which explains that ivy, gourd or vine cannot be purposefully wrapped around the top of the sukkah to grow into schach.  Why?  The schach must be severed from the soil and the root and intentionally placed on the top of the sukkah to be valid schach.  Rambam says that these parts can be valid if they are picked up and replaced on the roof once they have been severed from the ground.  Interestingly, from 1:1, Yerushalmi you can validate a sukkah erected more than 30 days prior to the chag by moving and replacing a portion of the schach.  Gabe also looked at 1:5, where we are told that bundles of straw, wood and brushwood are not kosher schach but are valid if untied.  Rashi explains that when a person comes home from the field with a bundle of straw or twigs and puts them on the sukkah to dry, the intention is not to have them serve as schach.  However, since one might decide just to leave the bundles there, this would violate the principle that one should “make” the sukkah – with purposeful intentions; therefore, some affirmative action, such as untying the bundles, is necessary. Finally, Gabe found 1:9 interesting when it talks about building walls from the top down.  Building this way would be possible with flexible walls like fabric or vinyl that one would hang from the top.  However, one has to be careful that a baby lamb cannot enter the sukkah in the gap between the ground and the bottom of the sukkah.  I wish I had more time to spend learning with Gabe during Sukkot.  I hope we get to spend time learning together again soon.

Shabbat Shalom & Chag Sameach,
Barbie Prince

We Mourn the Passing of Rabbi Mark Loeb
It is with a deep sense of loss that we inform you that on Wednesday, October 7, Rabbi Mark Loeb, a very dear friend of the Cardin School passed away in Milan, Italy.  Rabbi Loeb was one of the founders of our Rabbinic Advisory Council and a strong proponent of our school.  We join the Beth El Congregation and the entire Baltimore community in mourning his loss and offer our deepest sympathies to his family.  May they be comforted amongst the other mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.

WHAT’S DEVELOPING AT CARDIN
Vision in Action Celebration
The Development and Marketing office is very busy preparing for the Vision in Action Celebration honoring Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum for their generosity and commitment to our school. It is our hope that many of our families will join us as we pay tribute to this very generous couple. More details can be found on our website. Please contact Margi Hoffman, mhoffman@shoshanascardin.org, with any questions. This is a first for the Cardin community and we look forward to a festive evening and a big crowd!

Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure
Please join The Shoshana S. Cardin team at the annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure to be held on Sunday, October 18. Go to www.komenmd.org and look for us under teams. So far we have 35 participants!  Consider the importance of this cause and go to your computer now. Questions? Call Margi Hoffman at extension 220.

Giant’s A+ BONUSBUCKS program
REMINDER: From October 9, 2009 through March 25, 2010, The Shoshana S. Cardin School has the opportunity to earn money through Giant’s A+ BONUSBUCKS program.

In order to participate in this program, please log on to https://www.giantfood.com/our_stores/bonus_bucks/designate_school.htm?execution=e1s6 to designate online. You can also call 1-877-366-2668 to designate over the phone. If you have previously designated Cardin, you must do so again in order to ensure that points are properly credited to us.

After you designate our School, each shopping trip to Giant using your BonusCard earns money for our School. Each month, the amount of cash awarded will be updated on the Giant website. Cardin will receive a check at the end of the program and the money will be put to our School’s educational needs.

We need your support. Please be sure to designate The Shoshana S. Cardin School using ID #04543. Also, please don’t forget to encourage your friends and relatives to do the same.

Thank you in advance for your designation and support!

Cardin Blog
You don’t have to wait for alternate Fridays to get your Cardin news.  Follow our Cardin blog.   We post new material every weekday.  Here is the link if you’ve forgotten:  www.CardinSchoolBlog.blogspot.com.

IN THE NEWS
Be sure to check out this week’s Jewish Times for more details of our new home.

JUDAICS.COMMUNICATIONS
Cardin Sukkah Shuk
On the Thursday before Sukkot, the Cardin office became a market for lulavim and etrogim. Students, parents, and faculty were seen inspecting the etrogim to ensure they picked out the right one for them. Since school was in session this year for all of the intermediate days of Sukkot, the Cardin school purchased 18 lulavim and etrogim for the entire school to use to bench lulav and etrog.

Stay (Just A Little Bit Longer)
This Shabbat is Shemini Atzeret. The midrash explains its significance poetically. When the children of Israel, after having spent a long holiday period in prayer and celebration, are about to resume their regular daily activities, God says to them:  “It is difficult for me to part with you.  Tarry a while longer.  Stay another day.”  Hence the name of Shemini Atzeret, for the word atzeret means “to tarry” or “to hold back.”
So I asked some of my colleagues and students at Cardin, what is there about the holidays that they would like to continue?
Honey crisp apples
The fragrance of the etrog
The blasts of the shofar
Late openings on Mondays and half days on Fridays
Relaxation
Sleep
The simplicity of the Sukkah
Good weather
Completing and Beginning in the same moment
Days off
Hamburger Soup
The changing of the leaves
Good food
A parade of Torah scrolls
Spending time with family and friends
Breaking the fast together

As Shemini Atseret approaches, I can’t help but think of the song “Stay Just A Little Bit Longer” made famous by the Chantels:
(Stay)
A-a-a-a-ah, just a little bit longer
(Please)
Please, please, please, please
Tell me you're going to

Oh, won't you stay
Just a little bit longer
Please let me hear
You say that you will
Say you will
It’s so hard to say farewell, but Chanukah is just around the corner!

Hag Sameach,
Rabbi Stuart Seltzer
Dean of Judaic Studies

CLASSES IN ACTION
Physics
Students are empirically measuring the acceleration due to gravity using a ‘ticker tape timer.’  This involves allowing a weight to drop will a ticker tape is threaded through an electo-magnet placing dots every 60th of a second.  Students will be taking this data to our computer lab tomorrow and plot position vs. time, velocity vs. time, and acceleration vs. time graphs of motion.
Mr. Dean Whitfield

Western Civilization
In conjunction with their study of early Mesopotamian civilizations, the students of Honors Western Civilization 9 are creating their own cuneiform clay tablets. The students had to research Ugaritic writing, and create develop a piece of writing: a receipt, a prayer, a poem, a letter, which they then translated or transliterated into Ugaritic cuneiform script. With the help of our art teacher, Ms. Brandes, the students have been inscribing their written work onto their tablets using improvised styli. This project has encouraged the students to consider the origins of writing and the complexities involved. They also were able to understand firsthand the effort that ancient scribes put into their work.
Mr. Mark Hotz

Studio Art
The 12th grade girls of Studio Art have been very busy since school started studying portraiture. We started by learning about the proportions of the face and head.  They then moved on to doing self-portrait sketches and sketches of each other. They also created “gray scales” for their own reference. A gray scale goes from black to white in however many steps you choose. In this case we chose ten steps and scales were created in a variety of ways: shading, pattern, and cross-hatching. Once the girls had a good grasp of grays they were ready to take a magazine portrait and convert it into grays with acrylic paint.  The girls are also working on papier-mache portrait busts.  We are having a great time in studio art!
Ms. Elaine Brandes

Chemistry
In the Honors Chemistry class, students had the opportunity to explore the terms substance and mixture in the Ink Lab. The lab uses an everyday utensil, an ink pen, and an important laboratory separation technique, chromatography. Chromatography is a technique separates the components of a mixture on the basis of the tendency of each component to travel or be drawn across the surface of another material.  As ink is a mixture of several dyes, the colors can be separated using chromatography and has interesting effects.  When ink is exposed to different solves the colors dissolve and then separate based on how they travel on the filter paper. Students exposed water soluble, Crayola marker, and non water soluble, Sharpie marker to two solvents - water and alcohol. Different ink pens use different types of ink, which became obvious as the colors changed and results were dissimilar in the two solvents. Students will have to determine if either marker was made of a mixture of dyes or not by measuring and describing their chromatographs. 
Ms. Courtney Sims

Netivim: Rabbinic Period
After joining our Forefather Avraham on his journey from Ur, through Haran to Canaan, learning about Jewish oppression in Egypt and discussing the relation between Biblical tradition and historical evidence, the 9th gr students have begun their work on a project that will take them whole year – their artistic vision of time line of the history of Jews and Judaism. They expressed their creativity and knowledge in creating pictures and collages of various periods in early Jewish history.
Ms. Rochel Czopnik

BEYOND THE CLASSROOM
9th and 10th grade Shabbaton
On Friday, September 25th, the bus departed the Cardin parking lot for the annual 9th and 10th grade Shabbaton at the Pearlstone Conference and Retreat Center. The theme was the environment and ecology “of speech.”  How can we use words to create a caring and supportive community?  How can we refrain from using hurtful and destructive language?  The famous children’s rhyme “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me” opened our pre-Shabbat study session. Students discussed whether they considered this expression a Jewish teaching and then explored Jewish texts on speech and language. Shachar Binyamin, ‘10, one of four student government officers who were invited to staff the weekend, then led everyone in a lively discussion on whether a 1995 resolution to designate one day out of the year as “National Speak No Evil Day” was possible and even beneficial. After lighting the Shabbat candles and a rousing Kabbalat Shabbat led by Eyal Goodman (one of three staff visiting Rabbi Seltzer from Israel), we enjoyed a sumptuous Friday night meal with plenty of ruach.  Everyone then had a great time playing rotation college bowl led by our student government officers. The 100 questions were all based on famous quotations that have endured throughout time. Hanging with school friends outside school during free time was a special treat for everyone.

A learners Shabbat morning service, complete with Torah reading, provided many of our students with opportunities for participation. Gabe Baraban, ‘11 read Torah and Shachar conferred a personal mishaberach upon each participant on the completion of their aliyah. After lunch and free time, we divided by gender for a lively discussion on scenarios dealing with kinds of speech that hurt. Later in the afternoon, our activities and discussions served as a prelude to Yom Kippur which more than any Jewish holiday compels us to consider how we use language. Students were paired up to read cases about individuals who committed a wrong. Students needed to propose a plan to the “Repentance and Reparation Court” to help these individuals rectify their wrongdoings.  After a traditional mechiza mincha service, Shabbat drew quickly to an end, with seudat shlishit and havdalah.  

What a great weekend!  Abe Stein, ‘13 remarked that “it was a good opportunity to meld with the sophomores.”  Mr. Hotz was extremely proud of Gabe, Beth Zaleon, ‘11, Emily Boling, ‘10 and Shachar:  “The addition of several 11th and 12th grade SGA members enhanced the mix and allowed the underclassmen to interact with students they might only see in passing during a school day. It was particularly rewarding to see these older students leading activities that were normally reserved for faculty.”  Cardin hosted three Israelis (Eyal, Yehuda, and Yair) and Mrs. Prince, Rabbi Seltzer, Rabbi Chaitovsky, Morah Czopnik, and Mr. Hotz, spent a beautiful Shabbat with our students!
Rabbi Stuart Seltzer

Kudos to the National Honor Society Members
Good morning, Adin (Reisner, 10), Daniel (Solomon, 11) and Tara (Lichtenstein, ’10),

You did a fantastic job decorating the succah on Friday.  Though we did not have many seniors join in with decorating, I understand that many residents did enjoy dessert in the succah on Fri. evening and throughout the weekend.  As always, thank you so much for the time you took to put a smile on the faces of our senior residents.

Cindy Zonies
Director of Service Coordination

Jewish Environmental Youth Organization
Last week, I had the wonderful opportunity to speak at the board meeting of the Associated. I spoke about a program that I helped to found, along with two other students in our Cardin community, Emily Boling, ‘10 and Kayla Reisman, ‘10. The group is called the Jewish Environmental Youth Organization (JEYO). JEYO's mission is to bring together different denominations of Jews for a common cause - the environment. I expressed this to the board, and told them how important the environment really is to us teens. We want to make a difference, even though sometimes we don't have the opportunity or time. Through this group we get the opportunity. We get money to initiate significant, environmentally sound projects and are recognized by the Baltimore Jewish Community. It was an amazing experience to be able to sit in the same room with all of the important Baltimore Jewish leaders, and I am so thankful that I had the opportunity.
Mollye Lipton, ‘10

COUNSELING CORNER
REMINDER – The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and Compassionate Touch Networks are presenting “MINDS INTERRUPTED: Stories of Lives Affected by Mental Illness.” The program includes dynamic monologues written and presented by seven Baltimore residents. Through heartfelt personal stories, family members and individuals diagnosed with chronic mental illness share the pain, anger, confusion, humor, and resilience of living with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression and anxiety disorders. Also, NAMI is excited that Denise Koch, the Channel 13 news anchor has agreed to be a part of this event. She will be introducing the monologues and sharing her own personal story. The event is scheduled for Monday, October 26, 8pm at Center Stage Theater. Tickets are $20 for the general public and $10 for NAMI members and students. For general information or to purchase more tickets, please call NAMI Metro Baltimore at 410-435-2600 or purchase tickets online at www.nami.org/sites/namimetrobaltimore.   

NAMI offers Free Support Groups for Relatives of Persons with Mental Illness where members can share group wisdom and learn coping skills. For more information, call 410-435-2600.

The Kennedy Krieger Schools are pleased to offer Social Skills Groups for adolescents aged 14-18 years with social deficits. Group members will focus on learning social skills and generalizing them into everyday life situations. Content areas will include emotional regulation, communication, boundaries, and relationships. If you are interested for your child or siblings of Cardin students, please call Alexandra Greif at 443-923-7875 for more information.

To discuss any of these programs, please contact Ms. Jackie Villet, jvillet@shoshanascardin.org.

COLLEGE SCENE
The PSAT/NMSQT exam will be given at Cardin on October 14th to all 10th and 11th graders.  

Getting your students ready for the PSAT/NMSQT

When students take the PSAT/NMSQT, they are not required to recall facts—even the math formulas needed are supplied to them. Instead, the PSAT/NMSQT measures reasoning skills—for instance, knowing when to choose one of those math formulas and how to use it to arrive at the correct answer.

Long-term preparation
It takes time to develop reasoning skills, and that's why the best preparation for the PSAT/NMSQT is long term:

• Taking the most challenging courses students can handle
• Reading widely
• Writing frequently
• Studying hard
• Getting involved in problem-solving activities through clubs, sports, hobbies, part-time jobs, etc.

This is the same preparation necessary for the SAT®—and for success in college-level course work.

Short-term preparation
Although the best preparation for the PSAT/NMSQT is long term—such as taking solid academic courses and reading widely—students will perform better on the test if they know what to expect on test day.

Short-term approaches and strategies

• Take the practice test in The Official Student Guide to the PSAT/NMSQT.
• Learn the directions for each type of math and critical reading question.
• Try sample questions from past tests.
• Earn as many points as they can on easy questions.
• Read all the answer choices before marking their answer sheets.
• Do the scratchwork in the test book.
• Skip test questions—they don't have to answer every question to do well.
• Work steadily without wasting time on hard questions—they can always go back to them later.
• Check their answer sheets regularly to make sure they're in the right place.
• Write answers to grid-ins in the boxes above the ovals.
• Try educated guessing when they can eliminate at least one answer to a multiple-choice question.
• Take a calculator on test day.

About guessing
Educated guessing means guessing an answer whenever one or more of the choices can be eliminated as definitely wrong. Encourage students to use educated guessing.

Because ¼ of a point is deducted for a wrong answer to multiple-choice questions, random guessing is not recommended. Advise students to leave that question blank and move on to the next one.

Students can earn an above-average score by getting only half the questions right and omitting answers for the rest of the questions.

Read on for information on short-term preparation for the PSAT/NMSQT:

• Test by Section: Take a closer look at the critical reading, mathematics, and writing skills sections of the tests.
• Approaches & Strategies: Tips on familiarizing your students with the PSAT/NMSQT before test day.
• Resources & Tools: Downloads to help you prepare your students for the PSAT/NMSQT.

SHACHAR'S SHTICK
Chag Sameach Ladies and Gentlemen,
I hope everyone has had a great Sukkot holiday. The SGA is active and running! Our weekly meetings have been very productive. The Clean Air Act of 2009 is being implemented as planned and the school now has a very pleasant aroma. The Committee for Simchot and Escapades has already begun planning our Winter Dance and would love to hear students’ input on the event. Have a happy rest of the holiday season! Click here for information on the Israel Gap Year Fair.
Shachar Binyamin
SGA President

ALUMNI UPDATE
Max Lifson, Cardin, ’07, Dartmouth, ‘11
We recently heard from Holly Lifson:
“I want you to know that Max continues to thrive at Dartmouth. He is now in his junior year studying Materials Science (Engineering) and loves his classes, his research and his activities.  He is a member of the World Percussion Ensemble, playing the drums in their performance each semester. He also is doing research with one of his professors on clean energy production through nanotechnology. He is also active in Hillel and Chabad on campus. The educational foundation and positive reinforcement he received at Cardin is in no small part a contributor to his success.  We are very grateful to the teachers and administrators at Cardin who so fully gave of themselves so that our son could achieve his full potential and grow into the fine young man (we think) he is now. Todah rabah!”

COMMUNITY EVENTS
Adult Education Hebrew Language Classes in Pikesville
Baltimore Hebrew Institute of Towson University presents:
Classes Forming Now. Learn Modern Hebrew or Biblical Hebrew. Enroll online at https://extendeded.towson.edu/wconnect/ace/HebrewHome.htm. For more information contact: Michelle Taylor, Assistant Director, BHI, mtaylor@towson.edu, 410-704-7118

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