ד סב reflections...oct 23, 2020 · reflections ד"סב learning torah, loving torah,...

Dear Parents,

The Yomim Noraim have come and gone. Our

Succahs have been dismantled and put away, but I

hope the beautiful memories of these precious days of

Kedusha will linger for a long time to come.

There is, however, one uninvited guest that has

lingered and despite many, many efforts, it has not

left. COVID continues to wander from community to

community, person to person moving in with some,

avoiding others. It just doesn’t want to leave. Even if

one is fortunate to have bypassed this treacherous

illness, we are all still affected by it.

Until recently, I didn’t want to believe that we were

not going to remove this undesirable “guest” any time

soon. Certainly, we complied with all the Department

of Health requirements. In the deep recesses of my

heart, I convinced myself that if everybody did what

was necessary, COVID-19 would leave. Wishful

thinking…

Unfortunately, COVID-19 is here, and despite our

desire to wish it away, it will continue to insinuate

itself in the way we conduct our lives. We do

whatever we can to adjust to the demands of this

virus. It has become more and more apparent to me

that not only do we need to make physical

adjustments, but we also need to make emotional and

mental adjustments. Recalibrating my perspectives

and re-setting the lens through which I see my

COVID-infused life has not been easy. I will not

serenade you with my songs of challenges, as we are

all orchestrating our own symphony of daily life.

During Sukkos though I was able to adjust my lens

as to the way I could view simcha. Social distancing

dictates very strict guidelines which have limited the

celebration of various simchas. Who would have

believed that we would have weddings of fifty

people? No Kiddushim in Shuls? Minimal Hakofos?

Wearing masks to a simcha? Who would have ever

believed that Bochurim dancing at a Bar-Mitzvah

would be limited to hand clapping?

A year ago, I would not have believed these

scenarios would play themselves out, and, most likely,

you wouldn’t have believed it either. But, here we are.

All the restrictions described above are not figments

of our imaginations; they comprise our reality.

I will confess that I initially found it hard to picture in

my mind’s eye that a simcha as we “used to” know it,

could be simulated and replicated to what simchas

look like today.

A drive-by Bas-Mitzvah taught me otherwise.

Unfortunately, my granddaughter and her family were

quarantined for Succos. If that was not disappointing

enough, it also coincided with my granddaughter’s

12th birthday – her Bas-Mitzvah. Due to COVID, any

type of event marking this auspicious milestone was

not given any consideration. Nothing of great

magnitude would have been planned, but even a small

gathering was not going to happen. Layer COVID

quarantining on top of current restrictions, and you

have the perfect illustration of “adding insult to

injury”.

Our family wanted to help her mark the occasion in

a joyful way, so when my son (her uncle) suggested

we do a drive by to wish her a Mazel Tov, we were

very enthused. It was not the traditional way to

celebrate such an occasion, but, then again,

“traditional” has been redefined.

That is why on a beautiful starlet Chol Hamoed

evening, a caravan of cars drove by the house of the

Bas-Mitzvah girl sending wishes of Brachas and

Mazel.

I stopped for a moment and drank in the scene

before me. My granddaughter and her family were

standing outside their house with scintillating smiles.

It was a moment in time that I wanted to capture, hold

on to it, and never let it go.

There was no decorated simcha hall; there was nomusic, no crowds of good wishes, but the simchacould not have been greater. How could it have been?

REFLECTIONS

ד"בס

FRIDAY, October 23, 2020 נח Candle lighting 5:49 PM

LEARNING TORAH, LOVING TORAH, LIVING TORAH

ד"בסREFLECTIONS


ד"בס

Continued

Standing before me (socially distanced, of course) was a young girl who was ready to take her place

among the women of Klal Yisroel. The centerpiece of her life would be crafted with mitzvos, chesed, and

Ahavas Yisroel.

She seemed to have grown older right before my eyes. Standing regally with her parents at her side, I

could only think of the mother that she would one day become IY”H. I pictured her davening next to

Shabbos licht; I pictured her preparing for Shabbos and Yom Tov; and I pictured her in a tableau of Jewish

women made up of our Imanos and Tzedkaniyos who have been our beacons of light.

Chassanim and Kallos will begin their lives under a Chupah of Kedusha. It doesn’t matter if it is in a

backyard or an ornate simcha hall. Boys will become Bar- Mitzvah; Klall Yisroel will become that much

greater; and B’nos Mitzvos will be the purveyors of our holy legacy through the future. The heart and the

neshama will bring the joy.

As we drove away from our” drive-by”, I looked up at the sky. To me it looked like the stars were shining

a little brighter; the trees were swaying to a melodic cadence. Hashem’s beautiful world was rejoicing

along with us.

Mazel Tov to all of our young women and men who have and will become Bar/Bas Mitzvah.

Good Shabbos,

Mrs. Katz

www.politzhebrewacademy.org

Our Girls Davening

http://www.politzhebrewacademy.org/

ד"בסREFLECTIONS


ד"בס




REFLECTIONS


ד"בס

Before Succos break, Rabbi Morgenbesser demonstrated to his First Grade Boys class how to perform the mitzvah of Lulav and Esrog.



REFLECTIONS


ד"בס


REFLECTIONS


ד"בס


OCTOBER, 2020TISHREI/CHESHVAN, 5781

29 Middle School Interims to be mailed home

NOVEMBER, 2020CHESHVAN/ KISLEV, 5781

2 Back to School Town Hall26 Thanksgiving Day –

Sunday Schedule – Boys 1-8. Girls – No classes

27 No Classes29 Sunday School Resumes

SCHOOL CALENDAR

To:

Dr. and Mrs. Avi Apfel (Parents) on the birth of a baby boy.

Rabbi and Mrs.Aryeh Ludzker (Parents) on the birth of a baby boy.

Mr. and Mrs. Yoni Newman (Alumnus) on the birth of a baby girl.

Mr. & Mrs. Menachem Schechter (Parents) on birth of baby girl.

Mr. and Mrs. Waslow (Faculty) on the birth of a baby girl.

Rabbi and Mrs. Ephraim Beshansky (Faculty, Parents) on Devorah Ita becoming a Bas Mitzvah.

Mr. and Mrs. Jared Nisenfeld (Faculty, Parents) onYosef becoming a Bar Mitzvah.

Mr. and Mrs. Mikhail Serovaysky (Parents) on Nathaniel becoming a Bar Mitzvah.

Rabbi and Mrs. Reuven Shmulevich (Parents) onTzvi becoming a Bar Mitzvah.

ברוך דיין האמת Our condolences to Mrs. Elisheva Meyerowitz and family on the passing of her mother.


ד"בס

REFLECTIONSLEARNING TORAH, LOVING TORAH, LIVING TORAH

ד"בס


This week the students at Politz Hebrew Academy

davened and learned

In HONOR of

Mrs. KatzYehuda EllenYaakov EllenAsher Ellen

and

In MEMORY of

Yisroel ben AvigdorSonia bas Feivish

Yita Ruchel bas Tzirel Leah

Parnes Hayom

Parnes Hayom (Daily Sponsor) is an opportunity to dedicate a day of davening andlearning at Politz Hebrew Academy. Your dedication can be made in honor of a birthday,special event or momentous occasion, or in memory of a loved one on or around aYahrtzeit, or in the merit of a Refuah Shelaima.

The sponsorship of the day will be announced at the beginning of each class by theRebbe/Mora thereby notifying the students that the z’chus of their learning is in honor of,or in memory of, the individual.

In addition, we will publish the sponsorship in our newsletter, Reflections.

Minimum donation is $50.

Please call Mrs. Wellerstein at 215-969-5960 x160 to have it arranged.

PARNES HAYOM – A DAY OF LEARNINGTo honor or remember a loved one.


ד"בסREFLECTIONS


ד"בס

water bottles for each day.



ד"בסREFLECTIONS


ד"בס



REFLECTIONS


ד"בס


Voting Reminders for the Politz Hebrew Academy community! Let's make it to 100% voter turnout!

Elected officials pay attention to communities that vote and they watch the numbers, neighborhood by neighborhood.. By voting, you not only make your selection for who governs, you also lend strength to our communal voicewhen we fight for our schools, neighborhoods and more!

Regardless of how you vote and who you vote for...help us get to 100% voter turnout!

1. Can I still request a mail-in-ballot?Yes! You have until Tues. October 27 at 5pm! Request it online, OR go to one of your county elections offices.

2. Where do I return my ballot?You can return a mail-in-ballot to a ballot drop box or Election Office, any day through Nov. 3!Click here to find your county's local drop boxes and election offices.

3. But...I want to vote in person on November 3...Is that ok?Yes! Polls will be open 7am-8pm! Find your polling place here.

Questions? Or if you want to help Get Out the Vote? Contact [email protected] or [email protected].


https://www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/OnlineAbsenteeApplication/#/OnlineAbsenteeBegin

https://www.votespa.com/Resources/Pages/Contact-Your-Election-Officials.aspx

https://www.votespa.com/Voting-in-PA/pages/drop-box.aspx

https://www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/pages/pollingplaceinfo.aspx

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

REFLECTIONS


ד"בס



REFLECTIONSLEARNING TORAH, LOVING TORAH, LIVING TORAH

ד"בס



ד סב reflections...oct 23, 2020 · reflections ד"סב learning torah, loving torah,...

Documents