Friday Letter

COMING EVENTS

Chess Nuts is coming to the Upper School. We need an additional 3 students to get the program underway. Chess Nuts will take place on Fridays from 1:35 to 2:35 pm (please see link to registration form below).

Wednesday, October 8^th - Wednesday, October 15^th - Yom Kippur, Columbus Day, Sukkot - SCHOOL CLOSED

Wednesday, October 8^th

Erev Yom Kippur

Thursday, October 9^th

Yom Kippur

Monday, October 13^th

Erev Sukkot

Tuesday, October 14^th

Sukkot

Wednesday, October 15^th

Sukkot

Thursday, October 16^th

Hol HaMoed Sukkot - CLASSES RESUME- Gray Day

Monday, October 20^th

         Hoshana Rabbah.  EARLY DISMISSAL AT 1:30 pm

Tuesday, October 21^st 

         Shmini Atzeret - SCHOOL CLOSED

Wednesday, October 22^nd

Simchat Torah - SCHOOL CLOSED

Thursday, October 23^rd

Shop for Schechter at Bloomingdale's (please see link to informational flier below)

SAVE-THE-DATES

High School Open House - all 7^th and 8^th grade students are invited. Sunday, November 9, 2008 from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm.

Middle / High School Picture Day - Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Middle School Town Hall Meeting - Wednesday, November 12, 2008 @ 7:00 pm

Grandparent and Special Friend's Visiting Day will take place Tuesday, November 18, 2008 @ 8:30 am - 10:30 am (please see link to form below; complete the form and return to tlubin@ssdsnassau.org or to Lisa Eisner in the main office).

SPORTS ACTIVITIES

Monday, October 6

• Varsity Soccer Home Game vs. Our Saints at 4:30 pm
• Varsity Volleyball Practice from 4:00 - 6:00
• Varsity Tennis Practice at Stanco Park at 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
• Middle School Soccer Away Game at Lawrence Woodmere at 4:15

Tuesday, October 7

• Varsity Soccer Home Game vs. Waldorf at 4:15
• Varsity Volleyball Away Game at Knox at 4:15
• Varsity Tennis Home Game vs. Martin Luther HS at 4:15
• Middle School Soccer Away Game at Buckley at 4:15

INFORMATION

The Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth Academic Talent Search is underway.  Applications and information can be found on the website - http://www.cty.jhu.edu/.  I have a limited number of application and enrollment information materials in my office.

FRIDAY LETTER

Becky Friedman-Charry is a member of the Judaic Studies faculty of the Solomon Schechter High School of Long Island. She is also the coordinator of daily minyan for the 9^th grade.

            We call Sukkot z'man simchatenu, the time of our happiness, yet we read Kohelet, (Ecclesiastes) one of the most depressing books of the Bible, as part of our observance of the festival.  This apparent contradiction of moods has always troubled me.  Studying Kohelet with my 10^th grade students has put me on a path towards clarity.  This d'var Torah is dedicated to them.

            Kohelet's view that "all is futile," can certainly lead us into a sense of despondency.  Why should we bother with all that we do if it isn't going to amount to anything?  Things matter, but not to the extent that we often think they do.  While we strive to live our lives properly, we should maintain a sense of balance.

            Balance is the theme of the third chapter of Kohelet, made famous by Pete Seeger and, then, the Byrds in the 1960s.  "To every thing there is a season, and a time
to every purpose under the heaven."  There are circumstances which call for tears, and there are circumstances which call for laughter.  There are circumstances which call for speaking, and there are circumstances which call for silence.  We have the freedom, and the responsibility, to determine which actions are appropriate at any given time.

            On Yom Kippur, we were judged for how properly we lived our lives in the past year.  We reflect on how appropriate our actions were.  On Sukkot, it is quite fitting to joyously celebrate being written in the Book of Life for another year.  So, we should decorate our Sukkot and enjoy wonderful meals with family and friends.  We should sing Hallel with melodies which are uplifting and joyous.  We should pick a lulav and etrog that are fragrant, prolonging the smells of warm weather just a bit longer.  On yom tov afternoons, when the celebratory praying and eating are done, we should choose an enjoyable activity - playing with our children, reading a good book, taking a well-deserved nap - to lengthen this z'man simchatenu, the time of our happiness.

            The temporary nature of Sukkot's intense joy, coupled with Sukkot's timing as the conclusion of a month of holidays, cajoles us into remembering that life, "after the hagim," includes responsibilities, too.  Kohelet reminds us to embrace these responsibilities.  They are appropriate for their time.  Kohelet also reminds us to balance our responsibilities with the recognition of joy in our day-to-day lives.  May we all have moments when the intense joy of Sukkot seeps into the rest of our year.

Shabbat shalom.  Wishing you a meaningful Yom Kippur and a Chag Sameach.

Have a Shabbat shalom, a shanah tova, and an easy fast.

Allan Dalfen

Upper School Principal