If you have trouble reading this and would prefer a text version, please contact [email protected]
Week of Oct. 29 – Nov. 12
17 Chesvan – 2 Kislev
Talmud Torah of
Minneapolis
The Heilicher Education
Center
Barry Family Campus
4330 South Cedar Lake
Road
St. Louis Park, MN 55416
P 952.381.3300 | F
952.381.3301
www.talmudtorahmpls.org
Shalom Talmud Torah Parents ,
November is Jewish Book Month and it’s very fitting as we are
The People of the Book.
If you know anything about me , you know that I am a passionate
reader and live my life surrounded by books. It occurred to me that a
good topic for our newsletter would be "What books do you think a basic
Jewish home library should contain?"
I want this to start a dialogue and for this to be interactive. So -read my
suggestions and then send me what Jewish books you would add to
that basic library so we can learn from each other. I will start the list
out with some invaluable books I love for a Jewish basic library:
All of Joseph Telushkin’s Books : “Jewish Literacy” Jewish Wisdom”
“The Ten Commandments of Jewish Character” and “The Code of
Jewish Ethics”. Even his book on Jewish humor is a wonderful
addition to a basic library.
On Jewish Parenting –Wendy Mogol’s “The Blessing of a Skinned
Knee” is invaluable and so is Danny Gordis’ book “Becoming a Jewish
Parent” and the “Hadassah Magazine Jewish Parenting Book”.
For home celebrations –anything by Noam Zion –his book on Shabbat
“A Day Apart” , his Hannukah books especially “A Different Light –the
Hanukah Book of Celebration”: and his Pesach Haggadah is one of
the best around for a family.
For adult understanding of how to live as a Jew –the best book for
the adult beginner is “The Jewish Way” by Irving “Yitz” Greenberg.
For understanding Jewish answers to BIG "Jewish Questions" belief in
God, Reward and Punishment etc.- For adults - Harold Schulweis "For
Those Who Can't Believe" and Harold Kushner's "When Bad Things
Happen to Good People".
For teens Ed Feinstein's "Tough Questions Jews Ask" and Danny Syme's
"Finding God" and "Where Do I Go After I Die?"
On how to run a Jewish household “How to run a Traditional Jewish
Household” by Blu Greenberg is a classic.
So now you know what books to have as your basic Jewish shelf bookof course there are a hundred more but this is minimal. Please write to
me at [email protected] and add your favorite books and
we will continue this dialogue in the coming issues.
Top Pictures: Rosh Chodesh Heshvan
Assemblies
Bottom Picture: Bet Shabbat
Hope you to hear your favorites soon!
Susie Chalom
Bet Classes Celebrate Shabbat Together
The Bet classes meet together as a community to celebrate
Kabbalat Shabbat every Wednesday and Thursday. The
students love singing Shabbat songs, giving tzedekah, and
reciting the blessings over the candles, wine and bread. An
added treat is the delicious challah, especially the home-made
challot that Carmella Chazin bakes. What a wonderful
celebration and a peaceful way to conclude our week!
Menchlekeit in Mekhina Bet
The Mekhina Bet students are discussing the importance of
being a mench. They are learning what makes a mench a
mench. They are also exploring their individual mench-like
behaviors in various environments; home, school,
Talmud Torah and synagogue.
The menches in Mekhina Bet are many!
Reading Literature Together in Israel and in Minnesota
CIS Hebrew 3011 students are reading a short story, Yad
VaShem, by Aharon Meged. Their Education Bridge partners in
Israel are also studying this story about the Holocaust, the
Sho’ah. This is a story of survivors and their offspring dealing
with their history and memory of the Sho’ah.
CIS Hebrew 3090 students are studying Robert Frost’s poem
The Road Not Taken in Hebrew translation. Their Israeli partners
study the poem in English. This well-known poem deals with the
topic of choices.
As a concluding activity, the students in Minneapolis and in Israel
will write their analyses and impressions of Yad VaShem and
The Road Not Taken. Their compositions will be posted on the
Talmud Torah website.
Minneapolis Federation Camp Scholarships
MA CHADASH WISH LIST
Big screen TVs
DVD/VCR Players
LCD projectors
Digital Cameras
Digital Camcorder
The Minneapolis Jewish Federation awards financial need-based
scholarships to children for Jewish summer residential and day camp
programs. To be eligible for scholarship funds, families must live in the
greater Minneapolis area. Synagogue members are asked to apply
also through their congregations for scholarship money, and, if
appropriate through other sources (Talmud Torah, JFCS, and the
camps themselves) for assistance.
The deadline for Summer 2008 applications is March 28, 2008. A
copy of the 2006 tax forms (or 2007 tax forms, if available) must be
submitted together with the application.
Application materials are available on the Federation's website at
www.jewishminnesota.org. Applications should be submitted to Norma
Kaplan at the Federation (13100 Wayzata Boulevard, Suite 200,
Minnetonka, MN, 55305). Any questions about the process can be
directed to Norma at 952-417-2335.
Questions or comments regarding the Ma Chadash? Email them to [email protected]
Talmud Torah is a beneficiary agency of the Minneapolis Jewish Federation