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The Monthly Roar

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

PTO Letter…...…………...2

Development……………3-4

Important………………...5-8

AJA Athletics………………9

Month in Review…...10-11

Aladdin Thank You…...12

Looking Forward…..13-22

4 Shevat 5780

January 30, 2020

LETTER FROM OUR PRINCIPAL

Dear AJA Community, The end of the winter is a special time in schools. The calendar invites us to commemorate Dr. King, engage with Black history, and recount the legacies of US presidents. This week, Jewish communities the world over, accustomed to reflecting on the tragedies of the Holocaust at Yom HaShoah during the week following Passover, took note of International Holocaust Remembrance Day as it coincided with the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the death camp at Auschwitz. Last Friday, our middle school students and teachers wrestled with ideas about what it meant to be liberated from such horrors, the trauma from which has haunted its survivors and the larger Jewish community for generations. What can this mean for Jewish day school community? These corners of history are not ones we explore with our elementary school students even as we begin teaching about Holocaust history in fourth grade. We begin with ideas about inclusion and exclusion, about acting as an upstander rather than a bystander. We teach about the impact of our words. To prepare our children for lessons about this low point in Jewish history, our tradition first compels us to recognize the inherent human dignity of all people. And yet the work of liberation, of freedom, and of healing only begins when others see the injustice, name it, and engage with it in ways that are uncomfortable. In commemoration of the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., students explored the world that he knew and the steps he took to effect change. That change meant acknowledging the complicity of everyday people. King pushed back against an idea of normal, a normal packaged and legally re-packaged, that for centuries remained untenable to the African-Americans. The history of slavery, families split-up, and daily humiliation are harrowing to students of the Holocaust. Like all calls for cultural change, society met King’s work with resistance. The truth and uncertainty about what lies ahead can be too much for some folks. At AJA, we encourage students to synthesize information and ideas across disciplines. Students who will themselves effect change must be able to identify ideas that have been repackaged but which remain opposed to the liberation of people. Dr. King preached using the language of the Exodus narrative, which Jewish communities are currently reading in synagogues, that education and protest would guide his people from the house of bondage toward the Promised Land. Through our consideration of American history and Jewish history, we teach students to find connections among common themes. What inhibits the freedom of one people can often be found in the oppression of other people. In this cold season of somber commemorations, let us find our strength as a people and our resolve as scholars to make connections

among a diversity of ideas. Education as liberation is our tool to hoist each child above the news of the day and toward a hopeful world of abundance, innovation, and unbridled love. Shabbat shalom, Chris

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MESSAGE FROM THE PARENT

TEACHER ORGANIZATION

Our PTO RAISE CRAZE Fundraiser is well under way and we’ve raised $4280 and tallied 54 acts of kindness! We still have a week left to see both those numbers escalate and try to reach our $7500 goal! It’s not too late to sign up - go to my.raisecraze.com/A5KM5UV and start logging in those acts of kindness! No act is too small! Let’s raise some more money and spread the kindness!!!!

A big thank you to those that brought in books for the books swap. We sold a few books and are excited to be able to donate the rest to children’s hospitals or other organizations in need of great books.

Our next PTO meeting is on Wednesday, February 5, from 8-9 AM in AJA Room 227. Drop of your kids and join us for a cup of coffee and find out about all the upcoming school happenings and all the ways you can help! Hope to see you there!

If you have any questions, suggestions, or comments, please feel free to reach out to us at anytime!

Cheers,

Lillian Schwartz and Dana Nisenfeld

AJA PTO Co-chairs

PTO Meeting

February 5

8:00-9:00 a.m.

Rm. 227 (Maker’s Space)

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6%

Alumni

26%

Parent

68%

Board

2019-2020 Inspire Annual Campaign goal = $265,000

Please consider your donation to the

Inspire Annual Campaign.

HOW CAN YOU GIVE?

FROM THE DEVELOPMENT OFFICE

DONATIONS AND PLEDGES: To make a donation or pledge contact Susan Snyder, Business Manager, or go to https://

www.austinjewishacademy.org/donate/ Payments can also be made through FACTS, credit card, check, or your philanthropic fund. We offer monthly payments for your convenience.

TRIBUTES: Tributes are a great way to send Mazal Tov, condolence, appreciation, and speedy recovery wishes. When you

Students give tzedakah at Kabbalat Shabbat

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TRIBUTES

Alana Dugandzic

Sheri Lippman

Alisa and Jeff Marrow

Lauren and Steve Meyers

Aaron Rochlen

Julie Sanders

Alexandra Schmidt

Susan and Isaac Schmidt

Rosie and Sami Schmidt

In memory of Hilda Greb

Robin Littrell

In memory of Hilda Greb

Heather, and J.R. Middlemas, Isaac, Evin, Avner, Oscar, and Adara

In memory of Hilda Greb

Libby and Danny Ross and Family

In memory of Hilda Greb

Greg Sapire

Thank you Levy and Hensley families for organizing the 3rd annual sushi, beer and wine night.

Gabriel Morales

Mr. Aguero and all the staff members’ hard work towards making AJA a better school.

Yoshiko Goto

In memory of Hilda Greb

Douglas Coplin

Thank you, Chris Aguero, for helping me prepare for my Bar Mitzvah.

Ethan Steinfeld

Risa Ferdman for helping Matt prepare for his bar mitzvah

Heather Kantrowitz for Matt’s Bar Mitzvah guidance

Jerry Gilbert

ADAM SCHMIDT SCHOLARSHIP

FUND DONATIONS

Ariela Shandling

Melanie and Gary Susswein

Miriam and Dr. Isidoro Weiner

Alan Dugandzic

Susan Schmidt

Aaron Rochlen

Daniela Schmidt

Aaron Schmidt

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Raise Craze

Dates: Tuesday, January 21 -

Friday, February 7

Fourth grade Havdalah ceremony

Date: Saturday, February 1

Time: 7:30 - 8:00 p.m.

Location: Congregation Beth Israel

PTO Meeting

Date: Wednesday, February 5

Time: 8:00-9:00 a.m.

Location: Rm. 227 (Maker’s Space)

Tu B’shvat for AJA

Date: Wednesday, February 5

Time: 9:00-10:00 a.m.

Location: MPR

Gala

Date: Sunday, February 9

Time: 6:00 - 10:00 p.m.

Location: Hotel Van Zandt

Tu Bishvat with ECP

Date: Friday, February 14

Time: 9:00 a.m.

Location: AJA Greenhouse

Early release: Student-led conferences

Date: Monday, February 17

Time: 12:00 p.m.

IMPORTANT DATES!

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Kindergarten Round-up

For prospective kindergarteners

Date: Tuesday, February 25

Time: 8:30 a.m.

Location: AJA kindergarten classrooms

First grade Siddur Ceremony

Date: Thursday, February 27

Time: 8:15-9:00 a.m.

Location: CAA Social Hall

Early release: Purim

Date: Tuesday, March 10

Time: 12:00 pm

PSIA

Date: Friday, March 20

Time: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Location: Giddings, TX

Passover

Dates: Early release, Wednesday, April 8 - 12:00 p.m.

No school, Thursday, April 9 - Friday, April 17

PBL Expo

Date: Tuesday, May 5

Time: 8:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Location: JCC Community Hall

Graduation

Date: Wednesday, May 27

Time: 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Location: JCC Stage Side

IMPORTANT DATES!

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Layer Up!

The weather fluctuates more than we would like, so please send your students

to school with lots of layers, including coats, jackets, gloves, and hats. If the

temperature drops below 50 degrees, students without jackets will have to stay

inside. We love to see students get out and enjoy some fresh air, so help us

help them by making sure they are prepared for the cold!

Hot Lunch Orders

Lunch orders for March will be open from Monday, February 10 until Friday,

February 21 at 12:00 p.m. . Please get your orders in as soon as possible.

Central Texas Interfaith and the Texas Industrial Area Foundation

Your voice matters, whether you are old enough to vote or if you've been vot-ing so long that now you're telling your grandkids to register. Congregation Shir Ami, along with Congregation Beth Shalom, and the National Council of Jewish Women have all been signing postcards to our Senior Texas Senator, John Cornyn to prevent gun violence. Read more about why gun violence pre-vention is Jewish from Rabbi Rebecca Reice of Congregation Shir Ami here:

http://www.austininterfaith.org/2001_cti_rabbi_reice

You can stand up with our Texas siblings in El Paso, Odessa, and Sutherland Springs in the movement for safer gun policies simply by signing! 37 Texans died in mass shootings last year, a record high for at least the past decade. Join with Central Texas Interfaith and the Texas IAF to put 100,000 postcards on Senator John Cornyn’s desk this spring, urging him to act to prevent other un-necessary deaths in our state by passing new laws:

Two bills to enhance background checks have passed the House and are waiting to be considered by the Senate. Bills to restrict high-capacity magazines and to create a “red flag” or extreme risk protection order law to prevent dangerous individuals from pos-sessing firearms have also been introduced in the House.

Add your voice to the call on Senator Cornyn to advance this legislation! Please get your postcard after class or at pick up or drop off from the office. The front desk has the cards. Ask for your card, sign it and add it to the stack. Alternatively, you may sign and share this postcard online at http://www.austininterfaith.org/gunsafety or on social media. For questions, contact Central Texas Interfaith Organizer, Christina Leal at cleal.austininterfaith@gmail.com or Rabbi Rebecca Reice at rabbi@shir-

UPDATES & INFORMATION

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AJA Athletics Camaraderie, Teamwork, and Skill Building

Our 5/6 basketball teams have had an amazing season! The Blue

team is one win away from first place, and the White team is one

win from second. Blue team and White team have only lost

once! Fourth grade basketball also started this month.

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AJA Month in Review PROJECT-BASED LEARNING, SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING, AND JEWISH STUDIES

Kindergarten technology class Fifth graders learn about

Brighter Bites

Eighth graders at the

MLK Day march

Kindergarten earns $761 at their

Pancakes fundraiser!

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AJA Month in Review PROJECT-BASED LEARNING, SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING, AND JEWISH STUDIES

Fourth grade at the “Faces of the

Matriarchs” art installation Girls basketball practice

Third grade fireside mysteries

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On behalf of the staff at Austin

Jewish Academy, we would like

to wish you and your families a

Happy Hannukah!