Dear
Friends,
Electives for the 2010-2011 school year were introduced to the students on
May 4th and the buzz began. As with the previous inaugural year of electives,
there are a broad variety of choices. In response to students' and teachers'
evaluations of this past school year's elective program, some changes have been
made, including reduction of the elective distribution requirements.
Although the emphasis in our elective program is still on "learning for
learning's sake," the continuation of distribution requirements in grades 6
through 10 encourages experimentation in many areas that may be unfamiliar. We've added
new Judaic electives in the Middle School and in grades 9 and 10, such as
Foundations of Gemara, Judaism and Vegetarianism, Jewish Philosophy and
American Jewish History. There are also some new elective courses about
Psychology and a repeat of the very popular Relaxation Creates Success
elective. Students will also have the chance to read classical dramas, to
appreciate jazz, to create digital photographs, and to learn programming. Tenth
grade students who are heading to Muss in 2012 will have the opportunity to
take "Must 4 Muss," a creative review of Israeli culture and important
conversational Hebrew.
Due to the academic demands of their college preparatory program, juniors
and seniors continue to have fewer elective options than students in other
grades. However, juniors will have the chance to learn Arabic, Talmud, or take a
course about the Pirke Avot. Seniors still have the opportunity to study subjects
such as Astronomy and Economics, as well as Musical Theatre, and Painting.
Another new factor in this electives program is that students are now
registering online through our Parent Portal. Each student has a PIN and user
name that he or she uses to get into the grade-specific listing of electives. After
each student has met with his/her advisor and received the appropriate
signatures, including that of a parent, the student will go online to sign up
for his/her electives. This should be a more efficient way of elective
selection and will certainly require less paper!
We hope that this second year of the electives program will be as fulfilling
and exciting for students and faculty as this past year's program. In the
coming year, we will continue to evaluate the elective program so that
improvements can continue to be made in a logical and more data-driven fashion.
The new electives catalogue can be found online or on
the student homework site at www.jbha.org.
Sincerely,
Leslie Pugach
Upper School Director
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For Learning.
JLI
Spearheads Spirited
Yom Yerushalayim Events
|  Members of Barrack's Jewish Leadership Initiative,
JLI, organized and implemented Yom Yerushalayim festivities on Thursday, celebrating
the unification of Jerusalem after the Six Day War. Students were invited to
answer trivia questions about the holiday, wear Israeli colors of blue and
white and Yom Yerushalayim colors of gold and black, place notes in a replica
of the Kotel, and enjoy chocolate treats. Israeli music created a festive air.
Congratulations to JLI members and to Sarah Waxman,
club advisor.
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Jewish Studies Electives:
From Text to Timely News |
This trimester, electives in Jewish studies are
providing students opportunities to consider classic texts, classic films,
great ideas and important issues of our day. In the Middle School, Dr. Saundra
Epstein is teaching a course, "B'Tzelem Elokim," in
which students are considering how Jewish tradition teaches us to relate to one
another in the image of God, whether in relationships in the Bible, in war-torn
countries, across cultural divides, and in contemporary society. Rabbi Judd Levingston is teaching a class called, "Greatest Hits of the Mishnah," in which
students are being introduced to 40-50 pieces of Mishnah text, including
rabbinic perspectives on awe, laws for how we treat the poor, property law, and
passages of wisdom about maintaining our dignity and keeping the peace when
times are difficult.
Also in the Middle School, Rabbi Steven Razin is teaching a class on Jewish film, introducing our students to some classic
films on the big screen including The Great Dictators with Charlie Chaplin, Exodus, and The Chosen.
In Dr. Andrea Rock's Upper School elective in Israeli
current events, students look at newspapers on-line every day, identifying key
stories in the news and learning enough background information to understand
the broader context for what is taking place in Israel.
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| Animal Rights Club Members in Action |
Members of the Animal Rights Club spent the day
(during Lag B'Omer) volunteering at Ryers's Farm in Pottstown. It is a horse
sanctuary for retired carriage horses, police horses, and equines from animal
experiments. "We did work that most of us have never had the opportunity to do
before," reports Rabbi Steven Stroiman, club advisor.
Participants used pitch forks to lift and spread bales of straw as bedding in
the stalls (30 of them!) and feed the horses by hand. They also toured the 400
acre facility, including the new barn which was built by neighboring Amish
farmers. When asked afterward which part of the day was the highlight, everyone
agreed that feeding the horses was "really neat"--and less exhausting
than working in the stalls.
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For Leading.
Holocaust
Memorial Wall Dedication
and Ceremonies Set for May 24
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Barrack
students, faculty and staff, under the direction of art teacher Laura Lyn
Stern,
painted more than 350 4" x 4" ceramic tiles that will be formed into
a 4 foot by 24 foot Holocaust memorial wall that will be placed outside the
Barrack auditorium and dedicated on Monday, May 24 during a noon assembly
and ceremony.
"The
memorial and program were not only created to keep the memory alive of those
who perished in the Shoah, but also to communicate a call for tolerance and
justice so relevant to the world today," shares Arielle Belfer '10, granddaughter of a
Holocaust survivor and president of Barrack's Holocaust Education, Action and
Reflection Club (Hear). Included in the memorial wall are prints created by
Helga Weissova- Hoskova that she made as a child in the Theresienstadt
Concentration Camp, before she was sent to Auschwitz. Helga survived the
Holocaust and her prints, donated by the Honorary Consul of the Czech Republic
Peter A. Rafaeli, with help from Ms. Paula Rothman, tell the story of the
Holocaust from a child's point of view.
The memorial wall dedication and ceremonial program, spearheaded by Arielle
and members of the HEAR Club, also will include an assembly, the dedication of
a Memorial quilt handmade and presented to the school by Jane Schofer,
former school librarian, and the planting of a Horse Chestnut tree in memory of
Anne Frank. Senora Susan Schwartz is the HEAR Club
advisor.
HSA funded this important project.
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Dr. Karin Orenstein Tapped to Work
with the Philadelphia
Orchestra
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Dr. Karin Orenstein, Barrack's music teacher, was one
of eight teachers from the greater Philadelphia area chosen to work with the Philadelphia Orchestra to assist in
the development of their school concert programs. The topic that will be
explored this year is "Heroes and Music." Dr. Orenstein's writings
and lesson plans on the subject will be published in the Philadelphia Orchestra
School Concert Curriculum Guide, "Inside the Music," which has been
recognized by the Pennsylvania Department of Education as a model program in
alignment with the state's Standards Aligned System. In addition, there will be
public recognition at all the daytime school concerts, as well as select
evening concerts, where both Dr. Orenstein, as well as Jack M. Barrack Hebrew
Academy, will be honored for their contributions to developing a thriving music
scene in Philadelphia for all ages. Congratulations, Dr. O!
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Get Ready to "Get All Shook Up!"
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In the
middle of a square state
In the
middle of a square town
In the
middle of a square decade
LOVE
IS....
ALL SHOOK
UP!
The story
is all new and the songs are all Elvis.
Tickets
are now on sale for the 23rd Upper School musical.
PRE-SALE
ENDS MAY 21
Click here to order tickets.
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Human Rights Club Launches Website
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"The Human Rights Club has launched a new Website,"
announces Devra Goldstein '12, club president. Click here to access the site: https://sites.google.com/a/jbha.org/human-rights/home
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Mother/Daughter Softball Ball Game
and Brunch
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The Lady Cougars softball team hosted a
mother-daughter softball game on Sunday, May 9. Ten girls from the team and
their mothers had brunch and played a relaxed game in a fun-filled few hours. Ellen
Glassman, the mother of sophomore, Jenna Glassman,
says that "spending the morning with my daughter's teammates and their
moms was the BEST way to celebrate Mother's Day! The morning was filled with
love, friendship, delicious food and a ton of fun." Kathy
Saltz, a Barrack teacher and a mother of senior Sarah
Saltz, shares, "It was a nice opportunity for the girls and
their moms to be a part of one of the many Barrack communities. We all had
fun!" Susanna Manstein, mother of freshman Lila
Manstein, adds: "Coach Kim Gillio did a great job of changing a normal Sunday morning practice into a
mother/daughter sports event and brunch. My mother was there as well. Although
everyone encouraged her to play, she preferred to be a fan and cheer for both
sides. It was a great experience for all of us to meet under different
circumstances." All the students on the daughter team agreed! Congratulations to
the team and to Coach Gillio for planning and implementing this special
mother/daughter event and community building experience.
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Sports Updates
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Triple
Play Wins Game For
Girls'
Varsity Softball Team
On May 6,
the Barrack varsity girls' softball team ended the game with a triple
play, defeating Tri-County League opponent Westmont Christian
Academy, 17-4. The team's record is now 8-5 in league play and 9-7
overall. Sarah Saltz '10 went 3/4 with a triple. Lila Manstein '13 also went 3/4. The team
continued to excel offensively, with a total of 16 hits. Emily
Steiker-Epstein '10 pitched the complete game.
Boys' Varsity Tennis Update
The Barrack Cougars
defeated Perkiomen this week in both the singles and doubles matches.
Singles winners included Adam Wachs '10, Ezra Solway
'12 and Daniel Parmet '11.
Doubles winners included Tal Ben-Maimon '10
and Jon Foster '10, and Ben Batoff '12 and Evan Benedict '13.
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For Life.
Akiba-Barrack Alumni Reunion
Set for June 13
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Mark your calendars!
Akiba-Barrack alumni are invited to a reunion on Sunday, June 13,
1pm-3pm. Members of the Milestone Classes '0s and '05s will
receive special recognition. We will also wish l'histraot to Steve Stroiman,
a member of the Jewish Studies Department for 34
years. Festivities will include lunch and plenty of time to catch up with
former classmates and teachers. The cost: $25 per adult; $10 for children 5-18
years old. Children under five are free. RSVP to Susan Gordon,
Director of Alumni Relations: 610-922-2326/sgordon@jbha.org.
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Young Alumni Voices
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 "...I have found my Akiba-Barrack education prepared me extremely well for college on several fronts. Academically, it fostered great time management skills which are absolutely pivotal in college... I have also felt fully prepared for college level work, including thesis papers, research papers and lab work. With regard to extracurricular activities, it encouraged me to pursue a combination of intellectually based activities, such as the Bioethics Society, (for which I thank Mrs. August for introducing the topic of bioethics in 9th grade) and activities for creative outlets and community service."
David Carel '09
Yale University
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Parents' Corner
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Upper
School Awards Night
Parents
whose students will receive awards at the Upper School Awards Night assembly
set for Thursday, June 3 will be receiving invitations to this special recognition
event via an Evite. Students will also be informed through the Evite. Keep an eye on your email!
Senior
Parents: Graduation Dinner
Reminder
Invitations
to the dinner for Barrack seniors and their families that will be held directly
before graduation ceremonies on June 10 are in the mail. RSVPs are due by May
24. Click here for full details.
Senior
College Shirt Photos
Parents of
Barrack seniors, please remind your students that they should bring
their college/university t-shirts and sweatshirts to the graduation rehearsal
at Temple Adath Israel on Wednesday, June 9. Photos will be taken
directly after the breakfast sponsored by the Akiba-Barrack Alumni Association. Thank you!
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In the Spotlight:
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Lights! Camera! Action!
BMFI Speaker Addresses Film Elective Class
As part of
Barrack's relationship with the Bryn Mawr Film Institute, Dr. Andrew J. Douglas,
BMFI'S Director of Education, visited Thomas McLaughlin's Film: What Do You
Think? class,
a Barrack elective, to discuss the topic of cinematography. He showed clips from
various films and oriented students to the language of film, engaging them in a
lively discussion. Especially fascinating were scene studies of Goodfellas and Citizen Kane. He will be invited
to return in a few weeks when he will discuss either film technique or an
individual filmmaker, such as Alfred Hitchcock or Orson Welles. Throughout the elective,
students have watched, discussed, and written responses to classic and contemporary
films, such as The Triplets of Belleville, Casablanca and Notorious.
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Calendar
| Donor Recognition &
Plaque Dedication
Sunday, May 16, 10am
Barrack Dining Commons
Shavuot
Assembly & Presentation
to Jonah Stern '09
Monday,
May 17
Jr.
& Sr. Prom
Monday,
May 17
Electives
Sign-Up Deadline
Tuesday,
May 18
Shavout
School
closed
May 19
& 20
Holocaust Memorial Wall Dedication
Monday, May 24, noon
Barrack Auditorium
Upper
School Musical
All
Shook Up!
Sunday,
May 30-June 3
Bluett
Theatre, 7:30pm
St Joseph
University
Tickets:
$15 adults; $12 students
Click here to order tickets
Upper
School Awards Night
Thursday,
June 3, 7:30pm
Barrack
Auditorium
Senior College Shirt Photo
Wednesday, June 9
Temple Adath Israel
Directly after breakfast
Graduation:
Class of 2010
Thursday,
June 10, 7:30pm
Temple
Adath Israel
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For everything,
there is a season...
| Alumni Life Cycles
Mazel
tov to:
Rachel
Falkove '68 and husband Michael Masch who will be
honored at the annual concert by Germantown Jewish Centre.
Rachel has been a
member of Germantown Jewish Centre her entire life and served on the Board
as president. She is the Executive Director of the Interfaith Hospitality
Network of Northwest Philadelphia. Rachel and Michael are parents of alum Solomon
Masch '97.
Dr. Megan Pugach Gordon '95 on the publication of
Amelogenins: Multifaceted Proteins for Dental and Bone Formation and Repair, a chapter
in a textbook used by Dental and Medical Schools. The textbook was just
published! Megan is the daughter of Upper School Director, Leslie Pugach.
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Photo Gallery
Animal Rights Club
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Yom Yerushalayim
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Mother/Daughter Softball
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Submit to Benainu
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Please send Benainu information to our new email address benainu@jbha.org
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Get Connected
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Not on our mailing list? Join us today to get updates on what's happening at Barrack.
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