Dear ,
Good news everyone! We met our deadline of raising $1,000,000 for the endowment by the end of December and now this will be matched by the Menorah Legacy Foundation and the Sosland Foundation. This has been a community effort, from students, parents, agencies and alumni. Our amazing Lower School students raised $547 and the Chicago branch of the Alumni Association raised $4807. We are so pleased with the efforts of this community to support HBHA.
Shabbat Shalom,
Howard Haas
Calendar Reminders
January 15 - Go Green Day
January 15 - Kindergarten Field Trip 8:30 am
January 17 - HBHA Harvester's Mitzvah Project 1:00-4:00 pm
January 18 - No School - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
January 20 - Taste of Kindergarten
January 20 - Deadline to order Tu B'Shevat trees
January 21 - Second Grade Poetry Cafe 7:55 am
January 21 - College Guidance Meeting for 11th Grade Students and Parents
January 22 - Lower School STUCO Speeches 1:30 pm
January 24 - SAT Exam
January 26 - Think First Safety Presentations
January 27 - Coffee and a Chat with the Head of School 8:00 am
January 27 - The Experts Speak- Your Child's Transition to Kindergarten
February 7-Driving Risk Awareness Training Sponsored by Jewish Family Services’ C.H.A.I. program from 10-Noon. This program is open to students in 9th & 10th grade and their parents. The workshop will be facilitated by Susie Hurst, Adolescent Specialist/C.H.A.I. and Captain Mark Terman of the Kansas City Police Department. Click here for more information.
HBHA News and Events
HBHA Art Work on Display
The art work of HBHA students and teachers is on display in the Jewish Community Campus Art Gallery. The art will be rotated throughout the months of January and February. Please visit the HBHA Art Gallery in the rotunda often.
HBHA at Harvesters: A 5th-12th grade Mitzvah Project 
Sunday, January 17 from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm.
3801 Topping Avenue, KC, MO 64129
A few spaces are still available. To RSVP go to: http://www.evite.com/app/publicUrl/HFRSKHQOJUTYZZHFARWI/harvesters
PLEASE NOTE: We have 70+ students, parents and faculty scheduled to attend, but we will not be taking the Mitzvah Bus. Please check the Evite RSVP list to arrange carpools.
 HBHA Blood Drive!
The Community Blood Center and Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy wishes to thank the many volunteers for supporting our community during the recent blood drive. Mobile blood drives account for more than 60% of the blood needed to keep our hospitals adequately supplied. Without your donations, it would be difficult to collect the 580 pints needed each day for our family, friends, and neighbors.
At our Tuesday, January 5 blood drive, the Community Blood Center staff registered 37 volunteers and collected 30 units of blood. There were 11 first time donors.
Thank you again for your commitment to the Community Blood Center and for helping to Save a Life. Right Here, Right Now.
Admissions Office News
Parents and Friends of HBHA: Help us spread the word about our wonderful school and upcoming admissions events:
Middle School & Upper School Preview Night-Note New Date
Wednesday, February 10 from 6:30-8:30 pm.
The program includes: Panel of Alumni and current students discussing their HBHA experience; Sample lessons facilitated by department heads in Math, English, Science and Hebrew; and a preview of the college guidance program for incoming Upper School parents.
It’s Kindergarten 2010-11 Application Time! 
Kindergarten Admission Events:
Taste of Kindergarten – Wednesday, January 20, 6:00-7:15 pm
Kindergarten Round-Up – Friday, February 5.
Click here for more information or contact Tamara Lawson Schuster, Director of Admissions, at 913.327.8135.
Contact Tamara Lawson Schuster: tschuster@hbha.edu or 913.327.8135
Ordering Subway for Lunch
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to provide lunch for your child(ren). We appreciate your support of Subway Kosher Deli.
Although the set-up of the Subway Cards got off to a slow start, we think that everything, for the most part, has smoothed out. We must ask you to remember to go on-line, to www.mysubwaycard.com, and check the card’s balance often. If you have trouble setting up or re-loading your card on-line, please call Ben, our Store Manager, between the hours of 9am and 4pm at (913)451-9993, and he will help you with this. Currently, we are spending hours each week trying to remind parents about insufficient funds on their cards. One remedy for this problem is to add a credit card to your account on mysubwaycard.com, and set it up for auto re-load. We would be happy to walk you through this if you need assistance.
Please remember to place your orders by 9pm the day prior to lunch by either calling the store (913)451-9993, or e-mailing your order to kcsubs80@yahoo.com. Another option is to place a standing order so there is no need to keep sending in the same order every week. Lastly, if your child will be absent please call us by 8am the day of lunch delivery in order to cancel.
Thank You,
Your friends at Subway Kosher Deli
Bridges of Understanding
by Alex Sher
On Friday, December 11, about twelve seventh and eighth grade Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy students went to St. Therese School for a Bridges of Understanding meeting. They discussed Catholicism and Judaism, comparing and contrasting the two. Meanwhile, they also had fun!
Every student found a religious object that they use and brought it with them. HBHA students tried to figure out what the objects the Catholic students brought were and the Catholic students tried to figure out what the HBHA students brought. Both groups learned a lot. The St Therese students learned about strange objects they’d never heard of before such as the mezuzah and tallit.
Another activity they did was visiting the sanctuary. Father Mike gave the Bridges group a tour of the sanctuary. They saw where they prayed, the various statues put up around the sanctuary, the holy water, and so much more. There were also diagrams of both Jewish and Catholic religious spaces to compare and contrast. Overall, the two were amazingly similar.
Since the program happened to be on the day Hannukkah started, the students played a few games of dreidel. The St Therese students were captivated by this new game. They played with M&Ms and everyone had fun, even though the HBHA students definitely had the advantage.
The students also walked around the school going from classroom to classroom. There, they shared the results of the Solar Cooker Ovens Fundraiser that was held earlier. They also talked about Bridges of Understanding and the HBHA students explained Hanukah. All in all, everyone at the program had a great time and learned a lot.
Can you Make a Half Court Shot? Come to the Basketball game on January 30 and give it a try. More information is listed in the athletic section of the web site.
Tu B'Shevat Tree Orders
Tu B’Shevat is right around the corner. We are ordering trees through Hadassah which gives us a substantial discount—only twelve dollars a tree! Please fill out the attached order form along with a check to Pat at the front office, and Hadassah will hand deliver your personalized certificates. Orders must be received by January 20th.
Chag HaIlanot Sameyach, (Happy Jewish Arbor Day!) |
Quick Links
HBHA calendar
The Academy Voice
2010-2011 Calendar
How to place articles in the Chai Lights
Boys and Girls basketball schedule
The Archived Chai Lights
Sign up to receive the Chai lights
Field Trip permission slips
Photo Gallery
Community Happenings
JCC Snow Days
When both Shawnee Mission and Blue Valley school districts are closed due to inclement weather, the JCC Children's Department will open for a Snow Day Program from 9:00 am until 3:30 pm. The cost is $20 members/ $30 non-members, payable at the Center Main Reception Office. Children must bring a dairy or parve sack lunch. Late Care until 6:00 pm may be available if weather conditions improve through the day, $5 member / $7.50 non-member. It is recommended that you call ahead to make sure there is a program, 913-327-8098, or check the Center's website, www.jcckc.org
Join Young Judaea and KI Synagogue for a festive Tu B'Shevat Seder and celebrate the new year of the trees. Free for all youth through grade 7. Sunday January 24 from 10:00 am untill noon. Contact Jennifer Kanter '03, Young Judaea City Director, at jkanter1@gmail.com for more information.
Two Community-wide Second Night of Passover Seders
In celebration of Passover, The Rabbinical Association of Greater Kansas City will sponsor “Passover Across Kansas City.” Two community second night of Passover Seders will be offered on Tuesday, March 30.
A traditional Seder will take place at Beth Israel Abraham Voliner (99th & Antioch) beginning at 8:00 p.m.
A contemporary/modern Seder will be held at The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah (124th and Nall) beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Space is limited for each Seder and reservations will be accepted on a first come basis. Advance reservations are mandatory and must be received by Wednesday, March 17. For information, to receive a reservation form, or to inquire about confidential financial assistance, contact Annette Fish, Administrator/Program Director, Rabbinical Association by email, afprogram@aol.com or call 913-327-4622.
Making the Ordinary Holy: A Conversation About Christianity and Judaism
Discover similarities and differences in these two major religions: what the holy is for each of us, how we make the ordinary holy, what drives our practices of faith, and what are the most understood and misunderstood aspects of each other's faith systems.
This interfaith dialogue between Rabbi Alan Cohen, Director of Interreligious Affairs for the JCRB/AJC, and Rev. Scott Myers of the Westport Presbyterian Church is presented by the Department of Adult Jewish Learning of the JCC in collaboration with the JCRB and the Presbyterian Urban Ministry Network of Heartland Presbytery. A question-and-answer session, moderated by Rev. Tamara Miller of the Linwood United Church, will follow. Sunday, February 14 at 3:00 pm.
Please submit questions and discussion topics in advance of the event to Jeff Goldenberg via email: jeffg@jewishkc.org.
Journeys of Inspiration: a 2010 Community Relations Series
Brought to you by the Women’s Division of the Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City
This 3-part series focuses on the lives of women in our community and their ability to confront and overcome obstacles. Their special stories will serve as an inspiration for us all. All programs take place at the Jewish Community Campus.
Parenting Children with Autism: An Inspirational Journey
Monday, February 8, 7:00 pm
Women and the US Military
Monday, March 22, 7:00 pm
Stories of Women’s Transitions—Navigating the Bumps in the Road
Thursday April 8, 10:00 am
Series Subscription $10 • Individual programs $5 each • Students Free
To register for the series, or an individual program, contact Nicole at 913-327-8111,
nicolef@jewishkc.org or visit our website at www.jewishkansascity.org.
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