Next meeting: Sunday, March 7, 10:30am in Cardin West.

REFLECTIONS FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

What’s Happening at Cardin?
As the first admission deadline approaches, I am reminded how every member of the Cardin community is involved in recruitment. Students appear at my office door to tell me about their friend who would be so happy at Cardin or about an awesome activity to do with middle school students. Parents call Anne Greenspoon with recruitment ideas. Trustees tell their friends to visit and faculty are constantly brainstorming new ways to introduce the community to Cardin. During this difficult economic time, when many families are questioning the value of an independent Jewish day school education, it is more important than ever for everyone to be involved. Think about who you know with children in middle or elementary school, call them and tell them about the phenomenal pluralistic program we offer at Cardin and explain the value of a Jewish high school education. Remember to tell them about the availability of generous tuition assistance. Then, give their names to Anne Greenspoon and she will take it from there. It is imperative that we continue to remind our friends and acquaintances how important it is for our children to receive a Jewish education at Cardin, one that reflects and prepares the next generation for the world. The first deadline for applications is January 29.

Text Talk on Parshat Va’eira
with Rubin Waranch, '11
On Monday, I noticed Rubin hanging out in the hall – where else – and I reminded him that we would be learning Va’eira together this week. As I handed my Chumash to Rubin, he became quite animated, turned to Mr. Whitfield and asked if he would be interested in looking at the parsha together with him before our learning date later in the week. As I walked down the hall, I heard Mr. Whitfield answer in the affirmative!

Va’eira takes us through the first seven plagues inflicted upon the Egyptians. The first two plagues, blood and frogs, were easily duplicated by Pharoah’s necromancers, lulling Pharoah into a false sense of complacency. Then, with the third plague, lice, Rubin pointed out that the sorcerers see the plague as real and tell Pharoah that the plague of lice is the “finger of God.” Here, the magicians are acknowledging God’s awesome power. Rubin immediately noticed while reading about the fourth plague, wild beasts, that the magicians had vanished. Suddenly, in the section about the sixth plague, boils, not only have the necromancers reappeared, but they are afflicted with the plague, and as Rubin noted, this is the first time that they are described as having suffered along with the rest of the Egyptians. While reading about the seventh plague, hail, Rubin wondered aloud why the Egyptians didn’t just go to Goshen since the hail didn’t fall there. Rubin made two more interesting points as our learning session drew to a close. First, Rubin asserted, Pharoah is rarely ever mentioned as suffering the plagues. If the ruler doesn’t feel his people’s pain, Rubin questioned, how can he possibly understand God’s power and the necessity of letting the Jewish people leave? Finally, when I asked Rubin why he thought the plagues were separated into two parshiyot, he wisely concluded that these seven plagues are just a build-up to the climax; therefore, the necessity of the separation. When you want to coerce someone to do something for you, Rubin pointed out, you increase the consequences, making each one more potent than the last in order for the person to comply. It was fun learning with Rubin and I look forward to further opportunities.

WHAT’S DEVELOPING AT CARDIN
The pace has picked up in the Development Office since our return from winter break. Thank you very much for your support of the Annual Fund Drive. As you know, we have set Groundhog Day, February 2, as the date to reach our goal of 100% parent participation. We have received generous contributions from the entire faculty and many parents. Our total parent participation has surpassed last year at this time, however, we still have a long way to go! Your tax deductible contribution helps to make up the difference between tuition and the actual cost of a Cardin education. Please consider a gift to the school today in whatever amount is comfortable for your family.

Our staff is very busy with a wide variety of activities and events planned for the coming weeks and months. Please read through this list and mark your calendars: 

Diamond Earring Raffle -  Win a pair of .60 carat blue diamond earrings set in white gold valued at $400.  $5 per ticket, $20 for a book of 5 tickets. The drawing will be held at the matinee performance of My Fair Lady on Sunday, January 24, 2010. Please send ticket stubs and money to Margi Hoffman by Thursday, January 21at 4pm. All proceeds benefit the Senior Class Israel experience.Every student received at least 1 book of raffle tickets.

February 2, 2010 - Dine Out for Cardin at either Accents Grill or Cocoaccino's. Coupons are available in the recent email attachment or in a letter that will arrive at your homes shortly. Please let your friends and neighbors know about this opportunity. Consider ordering a tray for your staff for breakfast, lunch or dinner. This is a great way to show your appreciation for their hard work and support the senior Israel experience at the same time. Tell your friends and neighbors! Mention that you are supporting Cardin when you order from any dine-in or carry-out menu at Accents or Cocoaccino's for February 2. A percentage of sales will be contributed to The Shoshana S. Cardin School. Trays can be delivered if ordered from select menus by 1/25/10. Call Margi Hoffman at 410-585-1400 x 220 for details and to place your order. 

Sunday, February 21, 2010. Save the Date - ELVIS IS EVERYWHERE. This is a great opportunity to introduce your friends and neighbors to Cardin while enjoying a truly entertaining and informative lecture about the cultural phenomenon that is and was Elvis! Dessert reception. Call Margi Hoffman for details.

Marjorie R. Hoffman

Director of Development and Marketing

JUDAICS.COMMUNICATIONS
Jewish Theological Seminary Professor Teaches Cardin Students
On Monday, January 11, students in Rabbi Zaiman and Rabbi Seltzer’s B Block Judaic Studies Seminar enjoyed a Talmud class taught by Dr. David Kraemer, professor of Talmud and Rabbinics at the Jewish Theological Seminary. He analyzed a Talmudic text in which a heavenly voice announces that the opinions of the disciples of Hillel and the disciples of Shammai are both the “living words” of God, but the law is in agreement with the rulings of Beit Hillel. Alumni, Nadav Klein, '08, and Daniel Eisenberg '08, faculty from Krieger Schechter Day School, faculty from Cardin and Leora Pushett, director of educational resources at the Center for Jewish Education also attended the class. After the lecture, Ms. Pushett commented that she had a wonderful time: “I was busting with comments but worked hard to stay quiet so the kids could have the interaction – they were so good. Cardin has a lot to be proud of!!” Rabbi Zaiman exclaimed that it was a joy to watch a scholar at work, to see the text through his eyes and to marvel at his ability to ask different kinds of questions. Daniel Solomon, ‘11 agreed that Dr. Kraemer helped him make connections that he would not have made on his own: “I now read the text in a new way.” Gabe Baraban, ‘11 said that it was interesting to learn why the Halacha was according to the School of Hillel: “They had the ability to see the merits of both sides. Imagine who we would be or where we would go if we could truly see an issue from both sides.” The Talmud could have been talking about the way we learn at Cardin. We examine all opinions without compromising the integrity of any of them. The Cardin students blew me away! I am looking forward to more of these testimonies to the dedication and learning of our students. A special thank you to Judy Meltzer and to Chizuk Amuno Congregation for providing us with this exciting learning opportunity.

Cake on Fridays, Speaker on Wednesdays
On Wednesdays, for the past three years, Cardin faculty and students have had the opportunity to meet and study with various members of the Baltimore Jewish community. The first year we heard personal stories on various aspects of change. The Book of Jonah was the focus of the second year. This year we are looking at chapter three, verses 1-8, of the Book of Ecclesiastes with the help of experts in various fields such as farming, hospice care, genetics, geology, scholarship and Judaism. We started during the week of Sukkot, when we traditionally read Ecclesiastes in the synagogue and we will conclude the first week of February. Though this poem was written thousands of years ago, and so much has changed since then, these verses resonate strongly with our modern lives. We have already met with the following speakers to discover the times of our lives as described in this poetic passage:

• Rabbi Gus Buchdahl (Rabbi Emeritus of Temple Emanuel and therapist):
  Kohelet: A Time for Everything
• Dr. Andrew Miller (Associate Professor at UMBC, Geography and Environmental Systems, Ph. D., Hopkins University): A Time for Throwing Stones and a Time for Gathering Stones
• Steve Luxenberg (Associate editor at the Washington Post and author of Annie’s Ghosts):
  A Time for Silence and a Time for Speaking
• Dr. Aaron Charles (Medical Director ACE Unit, serves on GBMC and Hospice of Baltimore Medical Staff): A Time for Dying
• Michael Wegier (Executive Director of Melitz, Master’s Degree in Contemporary Jewry):
  A Time for War and a Time for Peace
• Jakir Manela (Kayam Farm Director at the Pearlstone Conference and Retreat Center):
  A Time for Planting and a Time for Uprooting
• Dr. Joy Silberg (Coordinator of Trauma Disorder Services for Children at Sheppard Pratt Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland and an Associate Editor for The Journal of Trauma and Dissociation):
  A Time for Weeping and a time for Laughing
• Dr. Mimi Blitzer (Professor and Head, Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pediatric, University of Maryland School of Medicine): A Time for Being Born
• Alain Nu (renowned magician and illusionist, a headlining performer at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas and star of four hour-long television specials for TLC entitled The Mysterious World of Alain Nu): A Time for Seeking and a Time for Embracing
• Rabbi Steve Schwartz (Senior Rabbi of Beth El Congregation):
  A Time for Embracing and A Time for Shunning Embraces

In case you are wondering, verses 1-8, in chapter three of Ecclesiastes were the inspiration for the words written by Pete Seger in 1959:
 

To everything (turn, turn, turn)

There is a season (turn, turn, turn)

And a time for every purpose under heave

 

Rabbi Stuart Seltzer
Dean of Judaic Studies

CLASSES IN ACTION
Chemistry
Students had the opportunity to learn about the periodic table. Students learned how the groups (or columns) and periods (or rows) all tell information about each element. In class, student learned about three properties - atomic radius, ionization energy, and electro negativity. Each group of three had a list of the values for all of the representative elements for one property. Then, using a conversion factor, they cut straws to show the trends of each property as you go across a period or down a row.
Ms. Courtney Sims

Physics
Students produced trebuchets’ in their analysis of forces and Newton’s laws. The task was to produce a desktop sized machine that could hurl projectiles consistently at a target 15-20’ away. There some really incredible designs and some very successful siege machines.
Mr. Dean Whitfield

Hebrew VI
Before winter break, our class was learning about the golem. There were many stories in our book about the golem, but to fully understand this story we decided to take on a project of constructing our own golem. We spent a few days constructing a golem, with the help of Mrs. Brandes; the golem is made out of cardboard boxes, rubber gloves, tissue paper and pipe cleaners. This project let us have a better understanding of the story of the golem. –Adina Shanholtz ‘11 

This was a great project to work on as a Hebrew class, we really used what we learned in class to create our own Golem based on things we use and see in our everyday lives. It also improved our language skills by working on a project in a different language. –Emily Boling ‘10

By doing this project we were able to take the things we learned in our book and share them with the rest of the school through a creative art project. The few days we spent working on this project helped us get a better understand the words and the ideas from the book. –Zevi Lowenberg ‘11

The golem currently resides at the north end of the main hall. 
Morah Zohara Chaban and Mrs. Elaine Brandes

Biology
Students have begun learning about the cell, the basic unit of life. Over winter break, students were given the opportunity to better understand all the components of the cell by creating a 3D model of the plant cell. Then, they were asked to make a song or poem about their model. Students had a lot of fun with their projects and learned a lot about the properties of Jell-O!
Ms. Courtney Sims

 

Forensics
The Forensics class just finished their unit on fingerprinting. Students learned about various fingerprint minutiae, how to identify and match fingerprints, and different methods for taking fingerprints from crime scenes.
Mr. Dean Whitfield

 

BEYOND THE CLASSROOM
Homecoming
Cardin’s first Homecoming was a huge success. Last Thursday the boys and girls basketball teams played Sojourner for Homecoming. Both teams won in very exciting games. With a packed gym full of faculty, students, alumni, parents, and friends the girls came from a first quarter deficit to win convincingly 23-15. The boys made an even more impressive comeback from 11 points down in the second half to win. Following the game all of the students and alumni gathered in the Park Heights JCC auditorium for pizza, snacks, and raffle drawings. Overall, it was a great success and we look forward to continuing this new tradition for many years to come.
Foye C. Minton, Jr.
Dean of Students & Director of Athletics

COUNSELING CORNER
Attention parents! On Sunday, January 31, the JCS, Hadassah and the Orthodox Union are teaming up with the Center for Eating Disorders at Sheppard Pratt to present the program: Promoting Self Esteem and Positive Body Image for the Jewish Community. The event will consist of ten interactive workshops that are focused on positive relationships with food, recognizing eating disorders, self-esteem, and constructive parenting as well as other topics. Pre-registration is required at rsvp@sheppardpratt.org or 410-938-3157. Please contact Jackie Villet for location and scheduling information.

The Kennedy Krieger Schools are offering social skills groups for adolescents (ages 14-18 years) with significant social deficits. Group participants will include those diagnosed with Asperger’s Disorder, High Functioning Autism (HFA), High Functioning Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD – NOS), and other disabilities affecting social interactions and communication. Group members will focus on learning social skills and generalizing them into everyday life situtations. Content areas will include emotional regulation, communication, boundaries, and relationships. Please contact Jackie Villet for scheduling information or if you have any questions.

Jackie Villet

School Counselor

COMMUNITY EVENTS
The Jewish Theological Seminary presents the Baltimore Community-Wide Hereld Institute on Sunday, January 24, 2010 / 9 Shevat 5770 at Beth El Congregation, 8101 Park Heights Avenue. Click here for more information.

SUMMER OPPORTUNITIES
BIMA and Genesis at Brandeis University are two college level summer programs that offer talented high school students from across the globe an opportunity to become immersed in artistic study (BIMA) and intellectual discovery (Genesis). At BIMA and Genesis teens explore the relationship between their personal passions and their Jewish identity while forming life-long friendships.

BIMA 2010 Arts Majors:

Film

Music

Theater

Visual Arts

Writing

 

Genesis 2010 Courses:

Innovation and Revolution: The Relationship Between Technology and Society Journalism, Judaism, and Ethics Judaism and Justice World Religions.

 

There are a number of merit and needs based scholarships available to qualified students for this summer.

http://www.brandeis.edu/highschool/

 

 

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