News Archive

The Lower School music classes have been busy exploring the many aspects of music under the direction of our LS Music Specialist, Rocky Brown. The TVT Children’s Choir (volunteers) sang at Fashion Island for the first night of Hanukkah. As always, they were very entertaining, and we all had a great time! Some of the fourth and fifth-grade students paired up with a Holocaust survivor, in a very moving ceremony of passing the light of Hanukkah from generation to generation.

In addition to learning numerous Hanukkah songs, in each class, the students have also been learning a variety of musical instruments.

The 6th graders spent a day at the California Science Center for a cross-curricular educational experience that combined science, math, and history.  They were joined by their science, engineering, math, and history teachers.  Students became immersed in the history of ancient Egypt as they walked through rare artifacts from the tomb of King Tut. 

On Tuesday, Ms. White’s 11th-grade Jewish Studies: History of the Holocaust class attended an educational screening of “Schindler's List”, sponsored by the USC Shoah Foundation in honor of the film’s 25th-anniversary re-release. Students remarked that the film was impactful and inspiring, and reminded them that the Holocaust is not only Jewish history but human history.

Last week, our third-grade students started their first research project of the year, the Native American unit. Our previous unit, Geography, identified for us the different regions in which the North American Native Americans lived.  Now, it's time to dig deeper.

Attention Parents of Alumni:
TVT's annual Alumni Day is Wednesday, November 21.

Alumni are welcome to join us anytime between 8:45 a.m. and 12:00 noon to catch up with faculty and staff, shoot some hoops, nosh,
RIDE THE SLIDE (it's finally here!) and see the beautiful updates to our campus.

9:00  a.m. - 10:00  a.m.
Faculty/Staff vs. Students Basketball Game & Cheer Squad (Gym)

10:00  a.m.- 11:30  a.m.
Alumni Basketball Game (Gym)/Soccer Games (Lower School Soccer Field)

10:00  a.m. - 12:00 noon
Bagels & Coffee for Alumni

On Thursday, December 6th, the Jostens representative handed out packets to the senior class containing order forms for cap and gown, announcements as well as a plethora of other items associated with graduation.

For 160 middle school students representing various Jewish day schools, the lessons learned in Jewish studies classes have a real and demonstrable impact on their daily lives. In the first-ever Middle School Moot Bet Din – a mock court of Jewish law that challenges students to examine the ethical and moral dimensions of the law through creative engagement with contemporary situations - students tackled the issue of lashon hara (the term in Jewish Law for derogatory speech about another person) as it relates to Snapchat. 

The Engineers in Training (EIT’s) recently were introduced to the use of triangles in engineering due to their strength properties. The objective was to build structures that would reach a maximum height using only marshmallows($.05 per marshmallow) and spaghetti ($.10 per strand) for a total budget of $4.00. Lab assistant, Mr. Jay B. could advise for a $.02 consulting fee, which students began stating, “Mr. Wallace our team would like to buy a Jay, please.” The record height among the four classes was 38 inches, set by Mr. Cody G., Mr. Jared S., Mr. Elliot P., and Mr. Daniel B.

After doing some work on developing skills in identifying meaningful problems, the students went out into the school community (and in some cases, outside of school to family and friends) and interviewed dozens of students, faculty, staff members and members of the administration. They interviewed more than 60 constituents throughout the school and then did an assessment in class about the doability and desirability of each of the problems identified by the interviewees. They also assessed whether the solutions to the identified problems would require special materials or other, perhaps difficult to acquire, supports.

Twenty Four 7th graders braved the beautiful weather and suffered scrumptious food to make it through the first ever 7th grade Shabbaton without a scatch.  The 7th Grade Shabbaton is the brainchild of Middle School JS teacher, Keren Wolf, who wanted to make the study of Shabbat really come alive for her students. 

In memory of the 11 Jewish worshipers killed at the Tree of Life synagogue, Middle and Upper School students chose to fulfill one of the following actions during the next two weeks:

• Bringing Kindness into the world by committing to 11 acts of Kindness
• Exhibiting Jewish Pride by showing up for synagogue either on Friday night or Saturday morning this Shabbat.
• Showing support for the Tree of Life community by writing either a handwritten letter, commenting on the Tree of Life Bulletin Board or sending a picture via "Whatsapp" as a sign of support.
• Canvassing or phoning in favor of a pro-gun control candidate for the upcoming election
• Participating in a difficult communal conversation in a way that respectfully and peacefully acknowledges differences and dividing opinions.

Ask your child what he/she signed up for.  If students or family members are interested in doing more, contact Rabbi Light (slight@tarbut.com) and we'll send you all the follow-up information needed to start making a difference.

Thanksgiving in Kindergarten, expressing gratitude and being thankful, is something we appreciate.  Our Kindergarten children were involved in fun activities including making their very own Todah (thank you) placemat to use on their Thanksgiving table.  Holidays give us an excellent opportunity to share traditions and stories with the children.

TK through 6th-grade students learned the art of Potato Latke making from parent, Lisa Shatzkin, and the other amazing parent volunteers who joined in the fun:  Enormous thanks to Lisa and parents Julie Bautista, Christine Groner, Rachel and Payson Lederman, Shirin Levi and Nicole Schwartz  for peeling, cutting shredding, and frying 80 lbs of potatoes into hundreds of delicious, crispy latkes for everyone to enjoy. The children learned about Hanukkah before cooking and, of course, eating the holiday treat.

Happy Hanukkah!

This past week we had an incredible turnout for our Math Night.  Nearly 150 people showed up to learn more about Singapore Mathematics and our BEAST Math Program. Our students worked on a variety of math crafts by grade level while their parents experienced a math lesson just as your students do each day at TVT. 

Faith comes to TVT with a wealth knowledge of independent schools. Her father was the Head of School at several different independent schools.

“Hanukkah” literally means dedication. TVT children and many families celebrate Hanukkah, the victory of the Jewish people over the armies of Syria, and the subsequent liberation and rededication of the Jerusalem Temple.

The 4th Annual TVT Cares Turkey Trot set a record for attendance and proceeds raised to package meals for those in need. 

Click here to view the video.

In Transitional Kindergarten, the students have been busy learning all about animals. Our Big Day theme Awesome Animals, began by studying the different characteristics of animals, observing the way they look and move.

Turkey Trot 2019 planning is well underway, and this year TVT is looking for a Presenting Sponsor. If you own a business and would like to be our corporate sponsor, please contact Faith Cohen, director of development, at fcohen@tarbut.com. Presenting sponsors will have their company name and logo prominently displayed on all Turkey Trot promotional materials, t-shirts, TVT website, and more. We can’t wait to have the 2019 TVT Turkey Trot, presented by your company!

Former IDF Paratrooper and CAMERA representative, Yoni Michanie, spoke to the TVT Upper School this week about Anti-Israel media bias and his life as an Israeli Paratrooper. Students left the talk with more motivation to read and listen to multiple sources when it comes to news about Israel.

The varsity boys basketball team is 4-0 overall and 1-0 in league play to start the season. Led by the play of Kabir S. and Ben S, the Lions are prepared to compete for a league title and deep run in the CIF playoffs. 

Last Wednesday through Friday, Fifth Graders embarked on the most anticipated field trip of the year: AstroCamp! We were so lucky to have some of the best counselors at camp: Kyle, Hallie, and Hobbs. They took us through adventures of Zip Lining, a Sky Coaster that made us feel like flying squirrels, and even a pitch black maze! In respective science classes, we made windmills, launched rockets, and played games to foster teamwork. Who can ever forget our wonderful cabin mates and memories of Human Foosball?

The team went undefeated in the regular season.  For the second year in a row, our boys went to the finals of the Tri-way League Championships.  TVT lost 1 - 0, but it was a very competitive, close, hard-fought game.  Shown is the soccer team with their trophy after their game.

All Library Books Due on Friday, June 1, 2018.

Please check your classrooms, backpack, locker, car, or home
 for any misplaced books.

In first grade, we have been busy integrating learning across the curriculums. When students get excited about a topic, teachers can use it as a springboard to incorporate other subject areas, such as writing and art that can be incorporated into projects. To start our unit on the life cycles of different animals, we began by reading both fiction and nonfiction books within this theme. Students were fascinated to learn all about the chick’s, frog’s, and butterfly’s life cycle! We have then used this unit to begin our author study on Laura Numeroff. Laura Numeroff is known for writing circular stories. This is where a story ends the same way it starts, just like the life cycle! First-grade parents can ask their child to name their favorite Laura Numeroff book. Students are now busy writing their own circle story, and they are excited to share them out with their class!

On Wednesday, May 16, third grade brought their very own Wax Museum to TVT! Over the course of this last semester, the students carefully read and researched important historical characters. Using their research, they wrote a "Time Magazine" and created various art and multi-media pieces. All of their hard work and effort paid off during the big exhibition. Historical characters remained frozen in time waiting for an eager audience to press their buttons and bring them to life. Once brought to life, characters recited a speech before returning to their statue positions. Work well done third graders!

Last Wednesday, TVT's science club, led by its president, Avi Kister, and chaperone, Arnie Benn, went on a field trip to the San Onofre Nuclear Facility, currently in the long process of decommissioning, to learn up close and personal all about nuclear energy. The students learned not only about how nuclear energy has been harvested at the plant, but also about the environmental impacts of using nuclear energy, the actual process of decommissioning, and even the high-level security of the plant. Overall the students had a great time learning and experiencing! A big thank you to Arnie Benn as well as Pam Samuels and Ms. Quigley who made this learning experience possible!

Town Hall ended this Friday with three short plays about the upcoming Holiday of Shavuot.

Actresses Leah L., Emme F., Ella S., and Mila R. kept the lower school on the edges of their seats (even though they were sitting on the floor) as they creatively taught students the following ideas:

“We Like to be, Under the Sea…at TVT”

Click here to view the video.

We launched our Ocean Theme in February with a trip to the Ocean Institute. After weeks immersed in OCEAN projects, including research, dioramas, Eric Carle inspired bookmaking, artwork and clay sea creatures we “dove” into our final project.

The 4th-grade TVT Mathletes competed today in OC Math Field Day which includes  17 schools across Orange County. They placed in 4 of the 5 Math events. 

Second graders got a jump start on their end-of-year celebrations this week when they presented the culmination of their year of learning to parents and friends. This celebration covered all aspects of Hebrew and Jewish learning that students were engaged in during the year. The celebration exposed parents to the process of how a student learns to read Hebrew and showed parents the students' comfort level with regards to Hebrew conversations involving food, clothing and the weather. The celebration ended with a beautiful Shavuot play. All-in-all, students, and parents had a great time reinforcing 2nd-grade skills in a fun and creative way. Kudos to Morah Amit, Riva, and Shiela for a job well done.

Click here to watch the Hebrew 2A Celebration.

Click here to Hebrew 2A Celebration - Part 2.

The Fourth Grade service project this year is Hunger in Orange County. Students visited the Orange County Food Bank twice to help pack boxes of food for seniors who cannot afford to feed themselves. Between their two visits, they packed over 800 boxes of food. Way to go fourth grade!

Another successful Middle School Garage Band concert was held Thursday night in TVT's Lecture Hall. Thirty-four middle school students participated in the performance led by their teacher, Alex Segal. The repertoire included songs by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, AC\DC, Blink-182, Green Day, Journey, Imagine Dragons, and more.  For the remainder of the school year, these students will be recording and making music videos for some of these songs.

To our second-grade parent's delight, last Friday our second-grade students performed the play, CHARACTER MATTERS, stepping into the roles of the Fairy Tale Advice Council and the characters to whom they offer counsel. Led by Rapunzel, a Prince, and a Witch, the council, provided help with character-building to folktale and nursery rhyme characters. In the show, the Big Bad Wolf learns the Golden Rule, Cinderella gets help in managing her anger, and Jack and the Giant discover their differences are cool. Emphasizing the character building messages interwoven throughout the play, the students learned set design, character acting, team building, and most importantly, Character (does) Matter!

Click here to view the video.

Laguna was swarming with 6th graders and their families this past Wednesday night as we gathered to celebrate the 33rd Day of the Omer. Everyone enjoyed hot dogs, marshmallow roasting, frisbee golf and nerf archery.

Next Friday, May 18th, TVT will open her doors to Middle School scholars from across Southern California (and one from NYC) to duke it out in front of a Jewish Court of Law. The case itself deals with the appropriate use of Snapchat. The Jewish learning and prep work for this event began many weeks ago.  Thanks to our 8th-grade advisor, Keren Wolf, and 7th grade AI teacher, Rabbi Kirzner, TVT teams are ready to present their oral arguments.  What a great opportunity this is for our Middle School students to converse passionately with others about the Jewish perspective on the issue of internet privacy. Here's the schedule for the day:

9:00 am	Arrivals, Check-In and Kick Off
9:45 am	Round One of Competition
10:30 am	Break
10:45 am	“The Final Four”/Round Two of Competition (top four teams)
11:30 am	Lunch
12:30 pm	Celebration and Awards

May is the month for celebrating the Arts in Orange County! Congratulations to the TVT students who currently have their artwork hanging in the Imagination Celebration, “1,000 Pieces of Art” exhibit at South Coast Plaza, Crate, and Barrel Wing. A panel of judges has selected their artwork, and we are so proud to announce the lower school has 25 pieces in this show!

As always, the art room has been bustling with activity! From painting and drawing to printmaking and ceramics, students have been busy developing their creative skills. While I love teaching art in such a beautiful classroom setting, I also believe in giving students creative opportunities outside the classroom.

The 2018-2019 Middle School Student Council Elections took place this past Wednesday, May 2nd. All of the candidates were ready after a week of campaigning on campus. After hearing all of the enthusiastic speeches by the 5th, 6th, and 7th-grade candidates, all of their middle school students voted, and the ballots were counted. Congratulations to the new Student Council Members. I am looking forward to a spectacular 2018-2019 School Year!!!

On Sunday, April 29, over 300 parents, grandparents, and friends of TVT gathered for the 2018 TVT Annual Gala, “Innovation: Tomorrow’s Promise;” helping to raise $215,000 and paying tribute to TVT’s beloved Founder Irving “Papa” Gelman who passed away last month.

Last weekend, TVT's chapter of the Junior State of America attended their Spring State conference in Irvine. Delegates participated in debates on a wide variety of political issues, and they voted for next year's Junior State leadership. Sophomore Ethan W moderated a lively debate on the subject of moving the US embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Senior Adam C won a "best speaker" award in a debate, as well as a leadership award for his year of service as the Speaker of the Assembly. Congratulations to all delegates on a successful conference!

Last Thursday, the Kindergarteners got to celebrate Yom Ha-Atzmaut, Israel's Independence Day. We participated in many activities that highlight Israel's unique aspects. The children made hummus, Israeli salad, compared American pickles vs. Israeli in a taste test, face painted, got painted Henna on their hands, Israeli dancing, made pita bread and more!  It was a fun-filled day with so much pride celebrating Israel's 70th birthday together as a community. 

On Friday, April 27, the Fifth Grade Lemonade Stand raised money to fight childhood cancer. This mitzvah project taught fifth-grade students how to budget, make lemonade and run a storefront. Lemonade was available to students and faculty for a $1 contribution.

In honor of Earth Day 2018, TVT Lower School Students were treated to an entertaining and informative assembly by the Moon Rays vocal quartet, titled "Journey to Save the Planet Earth."  Through song and comedy, this sustainable living assembly explained how clean air, plus clean land, plus clean water equals clean living! The students and teachers were thoroughly amused by this group of funny guys as they blended four-part harmony to the doo-wop tunes of "Life Could Be a Dream," "Earth Angel," and "Under the Boardwalk."  They also learned about keeping the ocean clean by recycling and using environmentally safe cleaners.  The students were encouraged to ask themselves when they throw anything away, "Where will this end up?".

Tom F. didn't allow a single hit as TVT defeated Eastside Christian 12-0 on Thursday. TVT put up five runs in the fourth inning. Jacob W., Jared M., and Max S. each had RBIs in the frame.Tom F.’s was the winning pitcher for the Lions. He surrendered zero runs on zero hits over five innings, striking out seven and walking one. TVT collected six hits on the day. Jared M. and Max Ferry each managed multiple hits for the Lions including a two-run home run by Jared M. The Lions tore up the base paths, as four players stole at least two bases. Max Ferry led the way with three. Freshman, Eli F., saved the no-hitter in the 4th inning with a web gem worthy catch in right-center field.

Aidan F. didn't allow a single run as TVT defeated Eastside Christian 10-0 on Tuesday. Aidan F. allowed just two hits. TVT put up five runs in the fourth inning. Tom F., Max S., Jacob G., Aidan F., and Elli G. each drove in runs during the inning. Aidan earned the victory on the pitcher's mound for Lions. He went five innings, allowing zero runs on two hits and striking out ten. Jacob went 2-for-3 at the plate to lead TVT in hits.

On Monday, April 16th fifth grade students attended a field trip at Knott's Berry Farm where they learned about scientific concepts of momentum, mass, velocity, gravitational pull, and acceleration. Our knowledgeable docents made hypotheses with the students about the results when centrifugal, and applied centripetal force to specific rides. Of course, the students were more than willing to "test" the rides to see if their educational guesses were correct. The students were excited! For some students, it truly was a revolutionary experience for them to face their fears of feeling on "top of the world." It would be great if learning were always this fun!

Lower school students love dancing with Rabbi Light. Here students are getting ready for Yom Haatzmaut, Israel’s 70th birthday.

This Sunday, April 22, the National College Fair will take place at the Anaheim Convention Center, from 1:30-4: 30 pm. Close to 300 college admissions representatives are expected to attend. There is no cost to attend the fair itself, but the fee for parking is $16, so we encourage you to carpool and arrive early. 

This year for this the first time, four TVT 7th graders participated in the nation-wide Academic Pentathlon. Each year a topic is chosen, and students study five different subjects relating to the issue. Our theme for the 2017-2018 school year was Africa. The team had fun learning about things like Ancient Egypt, the empires of Mali and Ghana, human evolution, common diseases in Africa, music throughout the continent, and they read several poems and folk tales. On April 14, three of the team members, coached by LS faculty member Vanessa Paddy, competed against other Orange County middle schools in timed multiple choice tests and wrote a short essay. We’re all looking forward to participating next year and learning about the 1960s!

In correlation with our Social Studies curriculum and Project Based Learning, our 2nd graders assumed the role of entrepreneurs. Over the last few months, using the Engineering Design Process, each student developed his/her product, made 30-40 of them, set a product price, created a storefront complete with advertising, studied supply and demand, purchased a TVT "Business license" and later calculated their profit and loss. Engaging in both producer and consumer roles, the Marketplace opened last Friday at which time they sold to our 1st-grade consumers and later to their 2nd-grade consumer classmates!

On the Wednesday and Thursday, before Spring Break began, members of TVT’s Class of 2018 performed unique renditions of William Shakespeare’s Othello for the TVT community.

On Wednesday, March 21st, 2018, sixteen 4th and 5th graders represented TVT in the Battle of the Books (BOB) competition. The Battle of the Books is a literary competition among Orange County schools. Its purpose is to encourage students to read good literature, increase reading comprehension and have fun while competing with their peers.

Aaron G. signed a Letter of Intent to play basketball at Oxford College of Emory University. TVT wishes you the best of luck! Congratulations Aaron!

Before the break, Ulpan Or challenged 70 participating schools to submit a class project on the topic "There are 70 Reasons to Love Israel... Here is Mine".

TVT sailed to an easy victory over Fairmont Prep 12-1 on Tuesday. The Lions fired up the offense in the first inning. Max S. drove in one when he singled.

Becoming exceptional readers and writers takes daily practice and perseverance, both of which are being demonstrated by our determined students. The remarkable results of embracing reading and writing, for pleasure and purpose, is evident in our students’ skills accelerating by leaps and bounds! 

On Sunday, April 18, TVT served as the Southern California host site for the Diamond Challenge for High School Entrepreneurs, an international program put on by the Horn Entrepreneurship Center at the University of Delaware. Diamond Challenge offers students an opportunity to create a business concept or social innovation concept and pitch that concept to a panel of judges drawn from TVT faculty, board and the broader community.

"Mathematics is its own beautiful language! My passion for math impels me to make other people love it, connect with it, and understand its uses," explains Joy Berkowitz, TVT high school math teacher since 2009.

On Tuesday, March 20th, the 5th Graders took a field trip to the Nixon Library in Yorba Linda. The students were able to learn about Richard Nixon, our 37th President, and see firsthand his involvement in the Civil Rights Movement. The 5th Graders also learned how Nixon played a crucial role and supported Israel during the Yom Kippur War.

Last Friday, March 16, was an all-day festival of art, music, dance, and film created and performed by TVT students from 6-12th grade. The day began with an array of creative films made by the middle and upper school film classes. The art raffle and Papa Gelman pins, made by Reesa W., were a huge hit. The middle school dance class taught line dancing and the combined Tina Turner rendition of "Rolling on The River" with the MS Garage Band was amazing. The A.I. Band played "Roundabout" by Yes and a number of outstanding original compositions, all done in the backdrop of a surreal papier-mache forest created by the art students.

To see more of the VAPA Blowout please follow us on Instagram at tvt_arts. 

https://www.instagram.com/tvt_arts/?hl=en

Dear TVT Community,

At TVT, our mission includes teaching students “to work collaboratively” and preparing “students to be...compassionate citizens and courageous leaders in their community and in the world.”  On Wednesday, many of our students staged a 17-minute walkout to commemorate the 17 students killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, last month -- and our mission was on full display.  Sophomore Ephi L. and ASB President Dory V., worked collaboratively with Avi K., a senior who wanted to add a layer to the conversation that wasn’t just about guns.  Students at the walkout organized an event where multiple perspectives about how to make schools a safer place were shared. According to Ephi, “We honored the lives lost in Parkland and the heroes who sacrificed their lives for others. Together, we collectively pledged to continue our discussion over the next few months in an attempt to find common ground.”  

For middle and high school students who chose instead to participate in the normal programming of the day -- a Town Hall discussion -- those students discussed why they didn't walk out and how they felt we could make our schools as safe as possible. Their contributions and decisions to opt-into the the regular programming were both valuable and insightful.

TVT is so very proud of all of our students -- Ephi L., Dory V. and Avi K.for organizing the event, those who shared their stories and thoughts: students Ava G., Ellie G., Max S., and Mika B-E. as well as teachers Joy Berkowitz, Dr. Erin McNellis and Rabbi Micah Hyman, and those who participated in the town hall discussion -- for each and every student at TVT needed to define for themselves what their citizenry and leadership would look like on this day.  Kol hakavod to all!

Last week our 8th graders embarked on an urban adventure with Fulcrum, heading to downtown Los Angeles for team building and bonding.  Armed with a list of challenges and working in groups, they started off at Grand Park and went on their way.  Challenges ranged from visiting LA landmarks to finding out of state license plates.  Congratulations to the green team for coming in first and winning a pizza party!

They had so much fun working on their culture projects! In class, they learned about las molas de los indios cunas, las pintorescas carretas de Sarchí, México y sus mascaras, and los santeros de Nuevo Mexico. After learning about these arts, the students chose one to recreate. The students commented on how much fun they had and how lucky they are to have a space like the Makerspace available to them, here at TVT.

What happens when you gets cooks and eaters, shabbat makers and shabbat seekers together for an intimate shabbat experience in TVT homes around the city?  You get the strengthening of community and the spread of beautiful Jewish ritual and practice. 

TVT’s beloved founder, Irving (Yitzchok) Gelman, passed away on March 4, 2018. A Holocaust survivor who founded Tarbut V'Torah Community Day School, in loving memory of his daughter, Naomi Gelman Weiss, Irving became the "Papa" of many as he touched the community through his generosity, vision, tenacity and devout belief that every Jewish child deserves a stellar Jewish education. Irving believed that the key to the Jewish survival is lifelong learning. Since its opening in 1991, Tarbut has grown from 36 students to a flourishing TK-12 college preparatory school with over 530 students, making it one of the largest Jewish Day Schools in the nation. 

Congratulations to our two students, Ethan B. (4th Grade) and Mickey Y. (3rd Grade) for being our 2017-2018 Spelling Bee champions. A huge congratulations to our other students for all of their hard work in competing in our Lower School Spelling Bee. As excellent spellers, they were able to demonstrate their strong skills, all without the modern spellcheck! They all did a wonderful job! What an accomplishment to be proud of! Until next year’s Bee!

On Wednesday, March 7th, fifth graders attended a field trip to the International Printing Museum in Carson where they saw a presentation of Benjamin Franklin's historical inventions and a real-live demonstration of the Gutenberg Printing Press. This field trip was the perfect marriage of history and innovation since our students are always dabbling in STEAM curriculum and had recently finished a study of significant American historical characters (which included Ben Franklin).

Purim is the happiest and loudest holiday in Kindergarten! We have been learning about and dressing up as the main characters of the Purim story, we have also made “rashanim” groggers (noise makers), and the noise made by our Kindergarteners thundered when they heard Haman’s name.

Last weekend, TVT's chapter of the Junior State of America attended Winter Congress in Woodland Hills. Senior Adam C won a "best speaker" award in a debate about a bill to ban the trading and use of cryptocurrency in the US. Juniors Nick S and Max B presented a bill to the assembly that mandated state- and federally-funded sexual education programs in public schools, and their bill passed with an impressive margin of 28 to 3. Congratulations to all delegates on a successful conference!

TVT students will hold a walkout on Wednesday, March 14, at 10 A.M., for about 17 minutes to honor the 17 lives lost at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. The walkout will take place in the upper school entrance drop off area. Students will be able to pick up some posters, join in chants, and listen to a series of teachers and students speak about the victims of the Parkland shooting and about ways to create change in our society. Students will also be given the opportunity to write a postcard to their elected officials and will be given a call card with the phone numbers of these officials. Additionally, there will be a raffle to encourage students to register and pre-register to vote.

Second grade Beast Academy students put their measurement skills to practice in the Measurement Olympics. These students competed in various events, attempting to launch their craft puff the farthest. Measurement teams then recorded the distance in both customary and metric units. The students had to consider how to measure longer distances with a small measuring tape, which involved additional calculations to provide precise and accurate results. After each student participated in the measurement games, results were graphed to provide a big picture of classroom performance.

In order to properly observe the great practices of Purim, Lower School students received two zip lock baggies in their transmittal two weeks ago.  One zip lock should be filled with 10 dimes to use at the Wednesday Mitzvah Fair.  The other zip lock bag should be filled with goodies and will be given to a friend on Purim Day.  If you have not already done so, bring in these baggies on Monday.

You’ll often hear it said that your gift to the Lion’s Pride Annual Fund helps us carry out our mission and instill Jewish values in our students. But what does that really mean? One only need spend a short time on campus to see firsthand the words in action.

The IP program (designed for students with intellectual disabilities and/or delays) counts on Chesed Friends (a peer mentor program) to get the IP students as integrated as possible into the total life of the TVT community. Through participation in select general education classes and campus activities, this peer mentor program aids this path of inclusion.

Acceptances are mounting for TVT’s 43 seniors. In total, at this point, there have been 99 acceptances to 53 colleges and universities. Of those acceptances, 8 are in the top 50 US News National Universities. At this point, students have committed to attending: Chapman University, Emory University, George Washington University, Indiana University and Stanford University. Look for much more news next month.

One of TVT's more innovative and most rewarding programs is our Intensive Program (IP) for high school students. The program is designed for students with mild to moderate intellectual challenges who need a place where they get individualized instruction in a safe and positive learning environment to maximize their potential, as well as a chance to acquire good values and social opportunities. Students who join our Chesed Friends mentor program are given the opportunity to help IP students on their road to independence.

Thursday, March 1st is Purim Day and an official late start. 

Here are two ways that you can make the most of it:
1.  Head out to community Purim celebrations on Wednesday evening. Here are a few examples of what's happening around our community:

Avigdor V. has met all the requirements to be named as a National Merit Finalist. He is one of group of 15,000 Finalists, of which 7,500 will become scholarship winners. The competition originally started with over 1.6 million test takers in October of 2016.

In social studies, the fourth grade group has been learning about the California Gold Rush and the teachers are using project based learning to extend students’ knowledge on this topic.  Fourth grade teachers, Gail Peddie and Melissa Geoghegan posed a guiding question, How did the discovery of gold change life in California?, and had students research and investigate further.   The teachers collaborated with theirupper school colleagues and took the students on “field trips” to the  upper school to learn more about various topics.  Diallo Wallace, our upper school science and engineering  department chair, and Arnie Benn, an upper school science teacher, taught the fourth graders about the environmental damage done to California as a result of mining methods used during the Gold Rush.   Curtis Hartman, an upper school history teacher, taught students about the constitution of California and how California became the thirty-first state.

Rabbi Micah Hyman is in his third year teaching High School Jewish Studies at TVT. A proven innovator in Jewish life, he is a dedicated rabbi in service, learning, community engagement, inspiration and aspiration. Infused with infectious joy and passion, he is a dedicated professional and a compassionate human.

These students increased their geographical knowledge by attending meetings for the last month and studying on their own time in addition to their daily academics. We had a great time and enjoyed preparing for this competition, while learning so much about the world! On Friday, ten students, who passed the preliminary round, continued on as finalists in our final competition of the Bee.

The lower school will be participating in Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) week from February 12-15.  Performing an act of kindness has been scientifically proven to have multiple benefits for both the giver and the receiver as well as others who witness the act. 

Last week, the TK students put on their “scientist hats” and completed two surprising experiments. We started the lesson by talking about the properties of materials, such as color, texture, shape, size, smell, taste, and sound. First, students observed the properties of the mysterious substance (baking soda) in the muffin tin.

Chris Rhodes & Amit Nelik were nominated for Parenting OC's Top Teachers of Orange County 2018.

Merriam-Webster defines a “mensch” as "a person of integrity and honor." Borrowing from Leo Rosten’s, The Joys of Yiddish, explains, “A mensch is a someone to admire and emulate, someone of noble character. The key to being ‘a real mensch’ is nothing less than character, rectitude, dignity, a sense of what is right, responsible, decorous.” People emulate a mensch, because that person does the right things, does them selflessly and sets an example while doing so. February is a month associated with leadership, heart and rebirth. At TVT, students are learning about leadership in protecting the environment, heart in the food packing event that will keep people from going hungry and rebirth in all of the activities involving Tu B’Shvat. It is a great time to revisit the civility, citizenship and connection part of being a mensch.

In 1947, TVT founder, Irving “Papa” Gelman, immigrated to America on a donation of $5.60. In 1991, Papa Gelman founded TVT despite the odds of being told he could not raise enough funds. Opening with just 36 children, TVT has grown to over 520 students and over 580 Alumni. A donation of $5.60 has multiplied to impact so many. Imagine what your gift to the 2017-2018 Lion’s Pride Annual Fund can do!

If you were walking around TVT this week, here's the Tu B’Shevat love you would have experienced:

• Student-run Multiple Perspectives program on "Our Warming Earth" in the Middle and High School 
• Tu Bsvhat seders in every lower school grade
• 7th graders preparing to put the Oncler from the Lorax on trial for violating Jewish Law 
• Earth-friendly slam poetry at the garden celebration 
• Smoothies greeting our Middle and Upper School students
• Fully festooned Middle and Upper School forested corridors with hanging fruits and nuts and chocolate (sorry for the cleanup mess, facilities staff)

All-in-all, Tu B’Shevat was a great success.  Happy Birthday to the trees and Happy Birthday, mother earth.

It’s time for TVT’s third annual Super Bowl Sunday Food Packing event. 

TVT has partnered up once again with FFCC (Friends & Family Community Connections) to package 65,000 meals to help in the fight against hunger. Two-thirds of the meals will be shipped to Haiti, and one-third will remain in the local area to help those in need here at home.  FFCC's Fight Against Hunger meals are a highly nutritious, protein fortified, and non-perishable combination that will reverse the effects of malnutrition and starvation. Each package can feed six people and is made up of rice, soy protein, dried vegetables, and 21 essential vitamins and minerals. 

This exciting event will take place on Sunday, February 4, 2018, from 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM PST at Tarbut V'Torah Community Day School.  Any age can participate, but we do require that all children be supervised by an adult.  Space is limited, so register today at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tarbut-v-torah-fight-against-hunger-event-tickets-41669276929.

Click here to view flyer.

In a few weeks, the first graders will begin learning about American symbols. This study will be integrated across the curriculums using Project Based Learning. Students will explore this knowledge through language arts, STEAM, art and music.

How do you engage eight-year-olds to help them understand the meaning of equal rights, segregation, integration and jobs for all?  One powerful approach is through Project Based Learning (PBL), and experiential activities, that integrate all curriculum areas.

The 1st graders are having fun in Hebrew while welcoming the change of season.  They are learning new vocabulary words, singing songs and playing games about the cold weather!

My name is Velear Schrupp, TVT’s new Library Director and member of TVT’s Innovation team. With the library world continually evolving, I would like to give you a glimpse into TVT’s library world. In addition to overseeing the day-to-day operations of both the Lower and Upper School Libraries, I am building the Information Literacy curriculum taught during Library and LS Maker classes, and overseeing/working in both the Imagination Station and the Design Studio (Makerspaces).

The middle school girls basketball team, led by the Big 3, Brendeil, Beyla, and Sonya are undefeated in league play.  They have beaten North Tustin Fairmont 20 - 6, Orangewood 32 - 22 and won by 1 point against Heritage Christian 26 - 25.

The boys 6th grade DSL team (developmental sports league) is also undefeated.  They have beaten Anaheim Hills 46 - 20, North Tustin Fairmont 36 - 14, and New Horizon 52 - 22.

The boys middle school basketball team is also doing well, they have beaten Hebrew Academy 29 - 23, Anaheim Hills 38 - 23, and North Tustin Fairmont 41 - 34.  They recently lost  a very close game to Orangewood 34 - 30. 

We will see everyone back at school on January 2nd with practice.  
Have a great break.  GO LIONS!

What happens when 110 Middle School students go head to head against each other in a fierce multi-round dreidle competition?  Fun, laughs and bold betting.

For the first time this year, 3 students took the microphone from Rabbi Light and led our 3rd, 4th and 5th grade in Tuesday morning Tefillah. 

Congratulations to our following student-athletes selected to all-league teams within the Western Athletic Conference:
Valerie T.:  Tennis, 1st Team 
Sarah C.:  Tennis, 2nd Team
Amit D.:  Tennis, 2nd Team
Andre M.:  Cross Country, Honorable Mention 
Meskie T:  Volleyball, Honorable Mention

Seniors,
 
We are in the home stretch! At this point, there should be only a handful of schools (if any) left to which you still need to apply. And, for many of you, good news has already come. In fact, make sure you check the College Counseling Bulletin Board to view your peer’s acceptances. As I type this, we have had over 29 students admitted to 18 different colleges thus far. And, more news will be coming over the next few weeks! As we move into Winter Break, make sure you take some time to relax and reflect on all you have accomplished. This fall semester has not been easy and your hard work has not gone unnoticed. I sincerely appreciate you all and look forward to seeing you in the New Year rested and excited to start your final semester of high school.
 
Warmly,
Mr. Rastello

As we gear up for Hanukkah, KA is having so much fun learning all about the holiday, and enriching our knowledge through integrated curriculum across all subjects!   We are delving into the literature of Eric Kimmel, such as The Magic Dreidels, Hershel & the  Hanukkah Goblins, and The Chanukkah Guest. We made colorful clay menorahs in Art to use for our 8 Holy Nights.

The Lion’s Pride Annual Fund offers donors the opportunity to choose a focus of giving that reflects a personal philanthropic passion when making a gift.  This week we will take a closer look at how a donation to Innovation can change the life of a child and the world!

Mark Hendrickson serves as TVT’s math department chair. He teaches upper and middle school mathematics, as well as after-school cooking and poetry classes.

Every student on the TVT campus enjoyed fun and age-appropriate Hanukkah activities this week. Rabbi Stuart Light, TVT’s Director of Jewish Studies, created an engaging lineup of events , games and celebrations.