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Daylight hours wane, the cold starts to settle in, and I am reminded of the story in Tractate Avodah Zarah of the Babylonian Talmud that our rabbis told of Adam, the first person ever created, who experienced this season for the first time:
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Because Adam, who was created on Rosh HaShanah, saw that each day
was getting shorter, they (Adam) said, “Oy for me!"
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"Maybe, since I have sinned, the world is becoming engulfed in darkness and it will all return to chaos and disorder, and this is the death which has been decreed upon
me from the Heavens!” They stood up in order to sit for 8 days in fasting and prayer.
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When they saw that it was Tevet (the new Jewish month, which always falls towards the end of Hanukkah) and they saw that days were getting longer they said, “It is the way of the world!” |
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They went and made an eight-day festival. The next year he observed both these (8 days of fasting) and these (eight days of celebration) as festivals.
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When Adam sees that daylight is in decline and fears that the world is slowly descending into a state of dissolution, they imagine that it must be because of their behavior, but are they right? Is it in fact his fasting and prayer that averts the disaster they fear and sets the world back on the desired track?
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Though it may be natural to imagine otherwise, in the universe of this story. . . maybe so!
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Check out this guide by Hazon, a Jewish organization dedicated to environmental sustainability, for some thoughts on “greening Hanukkah."
Hag urim same’a
h
! (Happy festival of lights) |
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Reb Scott Slarskey
Director of Jewish Life
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Sunday, December 4 at 4 p.m.: Keshet Sfarim: for children with at least one Hebrew-speaking parent
December 7 at 8:30 a.m.: Middle School Open House
December 8: 3:30 p.m.: Playdate on the Playground (PTO will provide burekas treats.)
December 9 at 1:45 p.m.: Chanukah Extravaganukah
December 18: First Night of Chanukah
December 19- January 1: Winter Break
January 2: School resumes
January 8: Mirowitz Art Gallery Opens at B'nai Amoona
January 13: Teacher Recording Day - NO SCHOOL
January 15: Financial Aid Applications Due
January 16: MLK Social Action Event -
NO SCHOOL: MLK Day
February 17: Professional Development - NO SCHOOL
February 20: Presidents' Day - NO SCHOOL
February 25: Trivia Night
March 7: Purim
March 16: Parent Teacher Conferences - Noon dismissal
March 17: Parent Teacher Conferences - NO SCHOOL
March 20: Professional Development - NO SCHOOL
April 5-14: Passover Break - NO SCHOOL
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Ready or not, your child will one day enter adolescence!
As you may remember from your own youth, middle school years are especially delicate ones. Adolescents undergo rapid physical, cognitive and social transformation. They begin to think abstractly, cement attitudes about learning, and look to their peers to shape their values and self-worth.
Mirowitz Middle School delivers top-tier academics, but also responds to the emotional, physical, spiritual and social needs of young teens. We created our program with these factors in mind:
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Independence: Middle school students are given course choices, opportunities to interact across grade-levels, and to show leadership.
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Power: We begin the year with a social justice trip with a rotating theme: hunger and poverty, civil rights and the environment. The lessons of each trip are carried forward through student-led projects. We light a fire in them to fix a global problem, and give them support to affect change. |
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Leadership: Middle School students serve on
Va'ad Chesed (our student council), on school committees, act as counselors on elementary overnights, and lead all parts of t'fillot regularly.
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Do you have a child in 4th or 5th grade, or a friend who is curious about Mirowitz for their child? We've planned a moment of exploration for parents and children on December 7 @ 8:30 a.m. Please join us!
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Hi Parents,
MLK Day is around the corner….again! For many of you, Small Hands, Big Difference (in person and drive thru) was your first exposure to our school and its commitment to tikkun olam. Will you help us plan a meaningful social action event for little ones?
Let Patty know if you can come (in person or on Zoom) to our brainstorming meeting: Thursday, December 8 @ 2:30 p.m.
Can't wait to work with you all!
Patty and Jen Baer (PJ Library)
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Each year, the children of Mirowitz explore their own passions and philanthropic priorities through the Chanukah Tamhui project. Our students learn about five
tzedakah organizations, each focusing on repairing our world in a different way — by eliminating poverty or disease, by helping animals or the earth, by caring for children or the elderly, by helping our Jewish community here or in Israel.
Your family is invited to contribute to our group Tamchui, or collective tzedakah box. This year, our 5th grade class will chose 5 organizations, and we will divide our group Tamhui collection based on the distribution of daily votes (pompom tokens) placed by your children.
Please send your cash or check (payable to Mirowitz) tamchui donations by December 15. Consider donating the amount you would spend on one night's Chanukah gifts for your child, and dedicating one night of Chanukah to helping others this year. |
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On Monday, you will receive an email inviting you to share your opinion about Mirowitz and the experiences your family is having this year.
Please take time to complete the survey no later than December 16. Contact Mary if you have any questions.
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Basketball season is officially underway. Our middle school boys dropped their season opener Wednesday, losing 20-12 to Living Water Academy. Sixth-grader Sammy led the way with 6 points.
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Our boys and girls teams have two games each next week. On Tuesday, they travel to Andrews Academy in Lake St. Louis, and on Thursday, they both play their home openers against Child of God Lutheran.
All youth teams have begun practices this week. Big thanks to our volunteer coaches: Danielle Block (Kindergarten), Mike Haiduc (1st Grade), Rabbi Scott Shafrin (2nd boys), Rabbi Karen Bogard (3rd girls), Anatoliy Belaygorod (3rd/4th boys) and Phil Waters (4th-6th).
Uniforms for youth teams will be distributed before winter break.
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Next week, you will receive some Greetings from Mirowitz...our annual appeal and an opportunity to make a year-end contribution to your favorite school. Your contribution allows us to stay on the forefront of educational practice, to remain financially accessible to a diversity of families, and helps us attract quality teachers for your children.
Your gift of any size matters! Please contact Marianne if you have questions. Thank you for your generosity!
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In order to give returning students and their siblings priority in the process, the deadline for completing your application for financial aid is January 15. Applications received after that date will not be included in the initial tuition assistance distribution, and will be considered along with new families who apply by January 31. (See more about how to apply here.)
To be considered, you must submit a financial statement form online.
The committee recognizes that the FACTS formula may not portray the whole picture of a family's financial situation. There is a text box on the site in which you may write a letter clarifying your family finances. The financial aid committee takes great care to read these notes.
If you have additional questions, contact Mary. |
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In Honor of
Samantha G.
You are our sunshine! Happy birthday!
We love you!
Love, Maw Maw and Papa & Riley Rose
In Honor of
Samantha G.
Happy Birthday! We love you to the beach and back!
Love, Mom, and Dad
In Honor of
Lev P.
Happy 8th birthday, Lev!
Love, Uncle David, Aunt Elyse, Stella, Isaac and Celia
In Honor of
Shauni K.
Happy Birthday, Shauni! You are such a great babysitter!
Love, The Berry Family
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In Honor of
Samantha G.
Happy 12th birthday. We are so proud of you and the person you are becoming.
Love, Gigi & Pop
In Honor of
Samantha G.
Happy Birthday Samantha! Hope you had a great day!
Love, Alex,
Moses and Esther
In Honor of
Marni R.
Happy 13th Birthday Marni! We love you!
Love, Mom & Dad
In Honor of
Celia P.
Happy 6th Birthday to our favorite little sister. We love you!
Love, Stella & Isaac P. |
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Do you have a simcha to celebrate or a person you would like to honor? A birthday, a first lost tooth, an academic accomplishment, a Torah chanting... any occasion will do!
$18 supports the PTO Challah Fund and your honoree will be announced at Kabbalat Shabbat and recognized in Kabbalat Shabbat. Orders placed by noon Thursday will be recognized the next day. |
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Morah Raquel shmoozed with Mirowitz 2nd and 3rd graders...and heard a favorite prayer tunes, a few jokes...and what they love most about Mirowitz. Watch it here. |
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Join us Friday, December 9
1:45 to 2:30 p.m.
In the sanctuary at B'nai Amoona
Come join the fun...or join us via livestream or Facebook Live.
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Mirowitz is the school I wish I would have gone to growing up. I love how much the school cares about each individual child and how it feels like one big family. Regardless of anyone's background, everyone truly cares for each other and is there for each other.
Rabbi Jeffrey Abraham
Mirowitz Dad |
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We chose Mirowitz for our kids, but we love the community we have found for ourselves. We know every child and all the parents by name in both 1st grade classes. We are in a way an extension of each other's families.
Scott Kaar
Mirowitz Dad |
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Being at Mirowitz felt like a safe space for our children and family, it just fit, and we knew we were in the right place.
Janet Amitin- Roberts
Mirowitz Mom
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Before we moved home to St. Louis, we wished there was a school like Mirowitz where we lived. So the first call we placed when we learned we were moving (after our parents, of course) was to learn how to apply to this wonderful school. Mirowitz is everything we ever wanted for our boys: a place that’s inclusive, warm and that gives our sons the tools to be menches.
Hannah Rubin-Schlansky
Mirowitz Mom
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To Chef Anya Corson and Brad Chotiner who were married on Thanksgiving! |
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and to Chef AJ Moll (our former chef) who will be taking over operations of Kohn's Deli! Read more in the Jewish Light here. |
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And to Rachel Yarkoni whose book
The Claimant, was recently published. You can read an excerpt and learn how to buy a copy here. |
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Our next book club will meet Wednesday,
December 6 at
Donelle Roberts' house. We'll be reading
The One Hundred Years of Leni and Margot by Marianne Cronin. |
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to 4th graders Kate and Suzy and Samantha and Jonah who read Torah and led the school in Torah study. |
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and to our Middle School Torah Readers
Josh, Noam and Hallel. |
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to our lunch volunteers:
Jen Goldenberg
Wambui Waruingi
Can you serve lunch next week? Sign up here or on our
new app.
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George Pepe
(Rachel Pepe's dad)
Deborah Zorensky
(Anya Corson's mom)
Felix Zwiebel
(Judy Weisenberg's Dad)
The Mirowitz family prays for their speedy and complete recovery. |
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Come watch your Mirowitz friends perform in Peter Pan Jr at the JCC.
Alex G
Ariella C
Avra A
Hannah B
Maya K
Michaella M
Susanna N |
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Jewish Community Blood Drive
Sunday, January 8
10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
at Young Israel
8101 Delmar |
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Our Parent In Heaven, Rock and Redeemer of Israel, bless the State of Israel, the start of the flowering of our redemption. Shield it with Your love. Spread over it the shelter of Your peace, Guide its leaders and advisors with Your light and Your truth. Establish for them Your good counsel. Strengthen the hands of the defenders of our Holy Land. Cause them to inherit, our God, deliverance. Place the crown of victory upon them. Give the land peace and everlasting joy to its inhabitants. |
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