A Message From Dr. Prager

Hard to believe, but here we are – the last day of the 5769/2008-9 school year.  It was a year of “firsts” like the live 5th grade video conference with the Rambam School in Nahariya, the two major drama productions of the Middle School, the creation of a Sephardi minyan, the introduction of the Singapore Math approach to mathematics education, the expansion of our Hebrew Immersion program into the Third Grade, the Thurnauer School’s Chamber Music Express, the addition of a new Middle School student support program… It was a year filled with winning athletic championships, with math and science competition victories and with Chidon Tanach finalists.  And, as always, it was a year filled with academic, social, ethical and spiritual growth from Pre-K through 8th.

As they say, “It Takes A Village.”  In these remaining hours of the school year, I wish to express my personal and heartfelt gratitude to the many members of the Moriah “village” without whom we could never have reached the heights that we scaled this year – and every year.

First and foremost, we express our gratitude to the school’s number one partner in this sacred venture of educating our students – you, the parents.  We who work at Moriah every day want to say “thank you” for all the love, devotion, values, nurturing, time and financial sacrifice (!) which you have invested in these beautiful neshomos.  We thank you for the greatest gift you could ever give us.

My deepest thanks to a group of people who devote endless hours of their days and nights in a most thankless job – to the Board of Trustees who, under the leadership these past two years of Nathan Lindenbaum, Jay Goldberg and Jennifer Miller, has stood by our side through good times and not-so-good times to ensure that, come what may, Moriah will continue to be the premier yeshiva of excellence that it is.

And, side by side with the Board, and in just as thankless a role, where would we be without MAP whose steadfast devotion to and support of our children’s education is truly exemplary.  Thank you, Shira Jacobs, Shanna Wolf and our entire MAP team  for everything you do for us: for your spectacular events, for your gestures – large and small – of thoughtfulness and appreciation, for your gifts, for your endless hours of work.

To the members of the administrative team – to Rabbi Dr. Noam Weinberg, Tova Resnick Meyer, Robin Wexler, Odelia Danishefsky, Eva Lazar-Sultanik, Dr. Miriam Dreisinger, Lisa Fusco, Jordan Abowitz, Amy Vogel, Erik Kessler - no words can suffice to express my personal praise and hakarat ha’tov for your dynamic and talented leadership.  Our partnership is one of the great gifts which our staff, faculty – AND I – receive every day at Moriah.

And we all know that our Support Staff keep Moriah up and running (and healthy!) every single day of the year, yet we often fail to recognize them for the crucial role they play.  Kol ha’kavod and an abundance of thanks to Rivkie Rube, Robin Bodek Rosenbaum, Barbara Rotenberg, Tzivie Fisch, Linda Tibus, Marguret Wohlrab, Toby Eizik, Dawn Wohlrab, Debbi Krantzow and Sue Wohlrab.  Without all of you, we would be lost!

To the men and women who literally toil every day in the most unglamorous and dirtiest of jobs – the maintenance of our school – we are so very grateful for your meticulous and untiring dedication to keeping Moriah the beautiful, safe and clean home that it is. 

And, achron, achron chaviv… a school is only as good as its teachers.  My personal and our collective YISHAR KOACH and TODAH RABAH to all of our inspired educators who have shaped the lives of our students this year and in years past, teachers who have given to our children not only knowledge and skills, but emotional, spiritual and ethical love and support.  Ultimately, Moriah’s excellence – in every field – is the result of your phenomenal talent and dedication.  We are forever grateful for that greatest of gifts.

May we go מחיל אל חיל  -  from strength to strength!

To everyone in the Moriah community, my best wishes for a healthy, relaxing, enjoyable summer!

A Hidden Child

Ed Lessing, one of the surviving Hidden Children of the Holocaust, spent a morning this week with our Fifth Grade students. He spoke about the compelling story of his two and a half years in hiding. Mr. Lessing mesmerized the children as he discussed many inconceivable experiences as part of the Dutch resistance when he was a teenager in Holland.  Throughout his presentation, Mr. Lessing shared many pieces of his incredible artwork and brought in pictures of his family and friends from that very difficult time in his life. His story was both miraculous and astonishing. It is sure to be a morning the fifth graders will long remember

Fourth Grade Trip to Franklin Mines

     This week, our fourth graders ventured to the Franklin Mineral Museum in Franklin, New Jersey. The children viewed artifacts and historic mining equipment as they toured a two level replica of a mine. To enhance their study of our wonderful state, they also examined specimens of fossils, rocks and minerals found in this area of the world, including those that are fluorescent! The highlight of the trip was the rock quarry, where the children were able to “chip away” samples to be brought home as souvenirs. An informative and exciting time was had by all!!

Third Grade Studies The Planets

What an exciting way to end the school year!  The third grade busily researched and wrote non-fiction books about our solar system.  The children learned how to take notes from various resources.  Then they have used those notes to write a cohesive book about their particular topic.  The topics included the eight planets (in case you didn't know, Pluto has been demoted to being called a "dwarf planet"), the sun, earth's moon, and space exploration.  Each child not only was the author of his/her book, but also the illustrator.  This wonderful unit will concluded with a very special presentation at our "Planetary Party."

First and Second Grade Choir End on High Note

This past Monday, Moriah’s First and Second Grade Choir gave a fabulous final performance for the participants in the seniors programs at the JCC on the Palisades in Tenafly.  After sharing conversation and self-portraits that the children had made for the senior citizens, our choir sang 10 songs which were received with smiles and enthusiastic applause.  Earlier in our season, the children sang for family and friends in a joyful evening pre-Shavuot concert, and gave an abridged lunch-time performance for their friends.

We are very fortunate at Moriah to have choral opportunities for children in grades 1 through 8.  Our Third, Fourth and Fifth Grade Choir gave several beautiful performances for the Chanukah season, and our ‘Dinner Choir’ (grades 5-8) in addition to enhancing the Moriah Dinner, sang moving songs for our Yom HaShoah commemorations and for Yom Ha’atzmaut.

 You might be interested to know that the 2009 Chorus Impact Study recently released by Chorus America (the national advocacy organization for choruses and choral music), states that singing in a chorus strongly correlates with qualities associated with success throughout life, including greater civic involvement, discipline and teamwork.  In addition, more than 80% of educators surveyed – across multiple academic disciplines – agreed with parent assessments that choir participation enhanced numerous aspects of a child’s social development and academic success.  Educators also observed that children who sang were better participants in group activities, had better emotional expression and exhibited better emotional management.

On that ‘note’, please look out for news of Moriah’s choir sign-ups later in the summer.  We look forward to a great choir year!

First Grade Science

The first grade has spent the last four months exploring their five senses.  The culminating activities of this unit were to design a flip book (sight), make a shaker using various size beans (sound), and experimenting with tuning forks to see how sound vibration will move water and solid objects.  The excitement of the students matched the exciting experiments!

First Grade Authors

Morah Leah, Morah Davida and Morah Yehudit's first grade students became authors this month!  Using a lovely book from the Tal Am Ariot series as a sample, each student created his or her own book.  It was a real joy to see how each student wrote words which reflected the Hebrew vocabulary they have been learning.  The students also took great pride in illustrating their first books.  Sharing the books with their class gave each child a feeling of joy that they could produce something so unique and so special.  Lechu Me'chayil el Chayil.