January 24, 2013
Dear Parents,
An exciting new project is underway for the elementary and middle school students of MJDS. The
students, grades 1 thru 8, have been selected as key participants in a photography fundraising exhibit
that will showcase their original work of digital photography at a Gallery Event on May 5, 2013. Sales
from their photographs will go to Ve’ahavta, a Canadian humanitarian relief organization that supports
the homeless both here and abroad.
The fundraiser, initiated by Jaime and Alexandra’s Lemonade Stand, an annual event that raises funds
for Toronto’s homeless youth, will partner with MJDS to mount an exhibit of 50 select photographs
taken by the students of MJDS that embrace the theme of homelessness. The remaining submissions
will be included in a photography book that will be sold at the event and in select bookstores.
As a school dedicated to supporting the values and principals of tikkun olam, we at MJDS are excited to
be an integral part of this fundraiser and give our children a medium in which to explore the issues and
sensitivities of homelessness in a safe and caring environment.
We ask you to take a careful read of the submission package and review this project with your children.
Please take note of the important dates and submission guidelines. Included as well is information about
the various participants, sample photos, a parents section and select workshop notes for the students.
Your support and participation in this project is vital in helping our children achieve success. We look
forward to receiving the creative works of your children and celebrating together at the Open Gala on
May 5, 2013.
With warm regards,
Sharon Zohar, President of the Parents’ Association
Photography Committee: Robbie Freedman, Valerie Weiss, Ronit Broza, Sharon Zohar
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
Elementary students of MJDS may use iPhones, simple point and shoot cameras or any sophisticated
photography equipment they own and submit 5 of their best pictures to the Photography Fundraising
Committee on or before March 4, 2013.
All submissions require the following:
Five images. Each student must select 5 of their best images. Images must be at least 300dpi. (If
sending images from your iPhone simply click on the Actual Size button and it will ensure the proper
pixel sizing.)
Artist Write-up. Each photo must include a title, name and age of artist and a short description (max
50 words) that describes the image and its relationship to the theme. See examples below. Writeups can be sent as text in the body of the email.
Email files. Once you have selected your top five images please email them to [email protected]
on or before March 4, 2013. Files must be saved and sent under your last name and numbered by
image: eg Eckler-1, Eckler-2. The artist write-up should reference the image name.
Example 1:
Image – Eckler-1
Title: The Open Door
Artist: Jaime Eckler, Age 8
Description: I wanted a picture of me opening the door but with only half of me showing. I thought
people on the street might be scared to come in if they saw me standing right in front. Also, I
happen to be wearing a t-shirt that says Peace on it.
Example 2
Image – Eckler-2
Title: A Happy Ending
Artist: Alexandra Eckler, age 6
Description: I took this picture standing on a chair. The typewriter made me think of writing a new
story that would have a good ending for everyone.
SELECTION PROCESS
All images submitted by the March 4th deadline will be reviewed by the photography committee. The
top 50 images that best represent the theme of homelessness will be chosen for the exhibit. The
remaining images will be showcased in a photography book that will be sold at the event and at select
bookstores.
IMPORTANT DATES
Family weekend shoots
Feb 9 and 15.
While we encourage you to take pictures at any time, we suggest these two weekends as an
opportunity for you to get out as a family and take pictures keeping the photography theme in mind.
Pictures can be taken inside the home, in a park or wherever your child’s eye is drawn.
Submission deadline
On or before March 4
Please note submissions after this date will not be considered for the exhibit.
Opening exhibit
May 5, 2013
The exhibit will be held at Beth David synagogue. The event will be from 2-5pm and will include live
music, children activities and much more. Media and special guests will be in attendance.
Photography exhibit at MJDS
May 6-10
After the opening exhibit any unsold photographs will be moved to MJDS and mounted throughout
the hallways and classrooms. The school will be open after school hours for people wishing to view
and purchase the photography.
PARENT SECTION
Safety concerns
The children have been given an intensive 2 hour photography workshop both on the mechanics of
picture taking and on a fuller discussion on the issues of homelessness led by Avrum Rosensweig, the
Founder of Ve’ahavta. We have discussed in detail how to incorporate the themes of homelessness in
their work and have stressed that we do not expect or encourage children to go out and take pictures of
homeless people or their surroundings. We talked about the nature of privacy and security both for
them and the people on the street. We focused mainly on taking photographs of things that reminds
them of what it means to have a home, the feeling of security, the possibility for change, etc. Examples
can range from tattered shoes to a child swinging on a swing.
Promoting the event
The children’s photographs will be professionally developed and framed at a photography studio and
sold at the event. We hope to raise several thousand dollars from the sale of the photographs which will
go towards the important work Ve’ahavta is doing. We ask you to promote this event to your family,
friends, co-workers and community at large by talking about it on Facebook, Twitter or any other social
media you choose or through the traditional forms of face-to-face outings with people. The more people
know about this event the greater success we’ll have. Closer to the date we will be handing out
promotional flyers for you to take home and email to friends and family as reminders.
Sponsorship
While we have secured sponsorship from Pikto Gallery, a digital photography studio, that will be
developing the photographs and books for the exhibit, we are still looking for more donations to round
out the event.
If you or someone you know would like to sponsor a tent, photography booth, musician, balloon artist
or provide any donation or donations-in-kind to help support this event please contact Sharon Zohar at
[email protected]. She will be happy to discuss the sponsorship opportunities with you.
Join Us
If you would like to be involved in this project in any way please contact [email protected].
STUDENT WORKSHOP NOTES
1. Take lots of pictures. When you find something that grabs your attention - take a picture of it.
Even if you’re not sure how it fits into the theme, take a picture from several different angles
and look at it later to see how it might fit into the theme. It’s a good idea to keep an iPhone or
camera near you whenever you can.
2. Consider the theme of homelessness. Whether before, during or after you take a picture
consider how it might fit into the theme of homelessness. Look at the picture from that point of
view. For example you could have taken a picture of an ant carrying a leaf and realized only
afterwards that he was building a home. When you review your pictures and choose your best,
take time to think of a title and caption that fits into the theme and you’ll be surprised how
you’ll shape your thoughts around the image (see examples in the guideline section). It’s also
good to keep these questions in the back of your mind a) what does it mean to have a home, b)
what does it mean not to have a home, c) what are the basic necessities of life, d) what does a
house smell, taste, feel like, e) what wish do you have for people on the street.
3. Some ideas of what to take pictures of:
a. Objects in your home
b. Family/Community (Single/Group portraits)
c. Environment/Landscape/
d. Food/Drinks
e. Animals/Insects
f. Anything that grabs your attention
4. Technical reminders
a. How to compose a good picture - a few pointers to consider.
i. Vantage Point – take the same picture from a number of different angles. Stand
on a chair, lie on your back, move very close to the image, take one from far
away, etc
ii. Rule of Thirds - The rule of thirds involves mentally dividing up your image using
2 horizontal lines and 2 vertical lines, as shown below. You then position the
important elements in your scene along those lines, or at the points where they
meet. It helps with balancing the picture. On your iPhone you have the option of
adding these grids in. But remember, as with all rules (at least in photography),
the rule of thirds doesn't apply in every situation, and sometimes breaking it can
result in a much more eye-catching, interesting photo. Experiment and test out
different compositions even if they go against any "rules" you've learned.
iii. Candid vs Still – A candid picture is a picture that is taken in the moment. You
see something or someone you want to take a picture of and you simply click to
capture the spontaneity of that moment. Very likely most pictures you take will
be candid. Still pictures are pictures you set up and arrange ahead of time. They
are usually inanimate objects like a bowl of fruit or a group of people you want
to have stand or sit in a certain way.
b. Other things to consider:
i. Time of day – if you want natural light its best to take pictures outside during
the day. If you want a different effect use your flash and take pictures at night
or in the home if needed. Play around with taking pictures at different times of
the day, with and without a flash.
ii. Black and white or colour – every iPhone and most cameras allow you to play
around and see what the picture looks like in black and white or left in colour.
Black and white gives off a different effect/feeling than colour. It is the
photographer’s personal choice which one he/she chooses to submit in the end.
THE PARTICIPANTS
Elementary students of the Montessori Jewish Day School
MJDS students’ grades 1 thru 8 have been selected as key participants in the photography fundraiser.
They will be selling their photographs at a Photography Exhibit on May 5, 2013 offering up all the
proceeds to Ve’ahavta.
Jaime and Alexandra’s Lemonade Stand
Jaime and Alexandra Eckler (sisters in the lower elementary classroom of MJDS) have held an annual
lemonade stand in support of Toronto’s homeless for the past 4 years. They have raised in excess of
$13,000 for various homeless youth organizations including, Raising the Roof and Eva’s Initiative. This
year, Jaime and Alexandra’s 5th Annual Lemonade Stand will partner with MJDS to raise money for
Ve’ahavta.
Ve’ahavta
Ve'ahavta is a Canadian humanitarian and relief organization, motivated by the Jewish value of
Tzedakah (Justice), that assists the needy at home and abroad, through volunteerism, education, and
acts of kindness, while building bridges between Jews and other peoples.