Summertime is a season of joy and sadness too; a time to celebrate the successful completion of a challenging school year, especially for our seniors, and also the time of year that calls for the observance of the Three Weeks and Tisha Be-Av.

We have posted graduation with its theme, Making A Connection. Please listen to the outstanding speeches made by the class speakers and to the beautifully performed cantata. Click here and celebrate with our seniors and glow in their achievements.

In certain ways, watching the imagery of  our Yom HaShoah program, listening to the speakers who presented most passionately on that day and to the chamber chorus and  choir sing,Vehi She-amdah, helps us to reflect on the historical relevance of this period of mourning as well. Visit the Yom HaShoah page and you will feel inspired by the presentations made by Philip Trencher (10), Mr. Mel Laytner, Rabbi Mayer Moskowitz, Dr. Edith Honig and Ms. Liesel Appel, daughter of a high ranking Nazi commandant.

The basketball championship photos are also posted, click here and you will surely smile seeing some shots of our varsity champs.

Wishing you all a healthy and relaxing summer break, shared with family and friends.

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Just a few minutes ago at Mincha services in the Upper School, I spoke to the entire student body about the crisis in Israel and its implications for all of us in America.

If you listen to the recording you will note that I essentially read to them an article written on the spur of the moment yesterday by Dr. Daniel Gordis. I believe it made a very big impact on the students. I hope it will have a similar impact on you. 

I just spoke with Malcolm Hoenlein, Executive Vice President of the Presidents Conference in order to ask him what we can do to help. He suggested that we all watch and listen to as much media as possible and alert the Presidents Conference if we hear or see Israel maligned or described unfairly. Examples of such treatment should be sent to info@conferenceofpresidents.org. They will immediately contact the media source to correct the information and the perspective.

Thank You,
Rabbi Haskel Lookstein

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We have posted our Yom Ha'Zikaron program, Remembering the Fallen. Memorializing our Tzahal soldiers is most difficult, to date, 22,000 men and women have fallen in defense of Medinat Yisrael.

Several alumni asked that we honor Dr. Tzachi Bentov z"l, their Israeli classmate, a commando navy seal who fell while serving in the elite unit, Shayetet Shelosh Esreh. There were different elements in the program and each one helped our students appreciate the magnitude of this day of national aveilut.

Click here to listen to the Israel Ambassador to the United Nations, Gabriela Shalev, Dr. Yoni Perk and Daniel Altman who spoke passionately about Tzachi. In addition, Rabbi Uzi Beer, a member of our Judaic Studies faculty, shared his personal experiences in Tzahal.

An inspiring visual montage (designed specifically for this program) Our Tzahal Soldiers: A Look From Within, as well as a montage of Tzachi, both gave us a glimpse into the lives of our courageous IDF soldiers.

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The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind was our selection for Book Day and it tells the story of William Kamkwamba, a young man from a Malawi village in Africa. William is motivated by an overwhelming drive to find a way to bring electricity to his family home when the sun goes down. 

Bryan Mealer writes the story together with William and it is humbling, inspiring and illuminates the life of a people quite unknown to us.  Many themes emerged from this passionate story which gave us the opportunity to invite a host of professionals, talented musicians and artists who shed light on diverse topics of interest.

Aside from the opening and closing programs, attended by the entire school, there were twenty four sessions offered, and students chose to attend the three that were of most interest to them.

Visit the Book Day 2010 page where we have posted the lectures, visual and musical presentations of:  Author and keynote speaker: Bryan Mealer, Jeremy Danneman, Parade of One, Claudine Mukamabano, Rwanda Orphans Project, Melissa Kushner, Goods for Good, Michael Granoff, Better Place and Rabbi Alexander Kaye, Why Jews Belong in Africa.

Battle of the Grades showed the spirit, enthusiasm, creativity and talents of our students. The competitions ran the full gamut of events, from text study and college bowl to sports drama, dance and song competitions. Spectacular photos of the events were taken  by Ms. Rachel Rabhan and are available for you to view.

Enjoy our happenings!

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The short film, To Reap and To Serve, captures some wonderful scenes of our students harvesting produce together with the Adamah staff, a great group of people who plant and reap in ways that respect the environment,  the earth and the precious bounty it yields. Watch our volunteers, the next day, at the Open Door, a local Connecticut soup kitchen, as they prepare the farm produce they collected for clients who depend on the Door for their meals.

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