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Yesterday, Reb Scott was honored with the JPro Visionary Award, given to a Jewish professional whose innovation has an extraordinary impact on the community. The following are his remarks: |
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I wish y’all could have been there yesterday when third graders Jonah and Levi read their
Torah
aliyah for the first time loudly and proudly, and Jonah crouched down and exploded into the air, “That felt so good!”
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Or that you could have joined us last April for Matzah Madness, as the rain poured, the fire pits roared, and about a dozen teams of middle schoolers battled the clock to mix matzah dough and bake it crisp within 18 minutes–all to the heavy metal frenetics of AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck” as styled by the incomparable duo, 2Cellos.
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I have no doubt that you would have cheered right alongside our kindergarteners as they barrelled through a parted, blue and white sea of pompoms shaken by facing lines of their families–a make-shift Sea of Reeds framing the path to freedom.
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We would have loved to learn and play with you when our mixed multitude delighted to use Aramaic-English dictionaries to research words of a Talmud story with Public Enemy thumping in the background. I'm confident that when you found your word and rang the bell to celebrate your success, the students would have high-fived you. They would have celebrated your personally meaningful translation of the stories of Beruria–a brilliant, female Talmud scholar who employed her sharp wit and cutting humor to hold students and rabbis accountable. |
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Friends, in one of my favorite educational texts from the Babylonian Talmud–Avodah Zara 3B–the rabbis taught that The Holy Blessed One scheduled every single 12-hour divine day in the following fashion:
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For the first 3 hours of the day G*d studies Torah. (W
ho doesn’t love a good book?) G*d then takes 3 hours to judge the world and find it deserving of annihilation. (
This was 1500-2000 years ago. Maybe today it wouldn’t take so long.) Remarkably, G*d then shifts to the mercy seat and spends 3 hours feeding all the creatures of the world.
And during the final 3 hours, G*d
maybe dedicates time to playing with all G*d’s creatures, including Leviathan–the great and terrible sea monster. (
G*d’s house pet?)
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When Rabbi
Acha suggests that The Holy Blessed One could not possibly play with the creatures of the world, the Talmud affirms that. . . well. . . it must be that this final block of three hours is the time when G*d sits with young children to teach them Torah.
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Could it be that there is–in fact no material contradiction here between these positions? No practical difference between play and teaching children Torah?
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Could our rabbis be subtly suggesting that Torah teaching is analogous or at least parallel to playful engagement with all aspects of G*d’s creation? What if Torah teaching and learning requires play–the kind of empowering play that necessitates deep listening and observation, critical analysis, the gentle challenging of relationships, followed by adjustments to praxis synthesizing all of the above and feeding that learning back into our gamesmanship, all for the sake of elevating our teammates and our competitors, as the well as the very game itself.
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Can you feel it? The ebb and flow of purposeful wonder and humor characterized by the light touch and warm expectations of success all while embracing the brand of welcome failure which inevitably strengthens relationships, furthers inquiry, and perhaps even sparks laughter.
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I am delighted and honored to learn with you, to play with you, and to work shoulder to shoulder in the Jewish sandbox of St Louis.
Thank you so much for playing!
Shabbat Shalom,
Reb Scott
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As the war unfolds in Ukraine, our hearts are torn apart. We pray with renewed sincerity for peace and wholeness for all people. We feel more connected than ever watching President Zelensky, a fellow Jew, lead his country through the horrors of a war on democracy.
And we mourn with our Mirowitz families who have relatives in Ukraine, and who have already suffered losses. Our concern for the Jews in Ukraine, in Russia, and all over the world continues to rise as we are brought back to darker times of war and division.
May God who makes peace in the heavens bring peace upon us, upon all Israel and all the world.
Mirowitz joins the Jewish Federations of North America in the urgent work of rescue and relief. |
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Mirowitz students have a few more VERY important questions for Morah Raquel! Watch episode 3 below! |
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Do YOU have a very important question for Morah Raquel? Let us know. |
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March 17: Purim (Wear costumes to school. Please no pretend weapons.)
March 24: Parent Teacher Conferences - Noon dismissal
March 25: Parent Teacher Conferences - NO SCHOOL
March 28: Professional Development - NO SCHOOL
April 15-22: Passover Break - NO SCHOOL
April 25-May 11: 8th grade Israel trip
April 28: Yom HaShoah
May 1: Mirowitz Gala (at World's Fair Pavilion in Forest Park)
May 4: Yom HaZikaron
May 5: Yom Ha'atzmaut
May 19: Lag B'omer
May 26: 8th Grade Graduation
May 27: Last Day of School
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This year's Purim Carnival is themed "Games," so Vaad Chesed has organized a game drive. We will be collecting games the week before and the week of Purim, March 7-18. |
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We encourage you to bring new or gently used games that will be donated to kids in need.
We appreciate your support and generosity!
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AND...we're planning a great Purim Celebration, so start thinking about a costume to wear to school on March 17.
We can't wait to celebrate with your kids!
From,
Vaad Chesed (Lucas, Eliana, Ayden and Max) |
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The basketball season wrapped up the last two days for our two oldest teams. Our middle school boys won their season finale 30-20 over Al-Salam Day School. Jacob G led the team once again with another dominating performance, 21 points and 7 rebounds in the win. Head Coach Joey Mufson guided his team to a 7-3 record! |
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Our 4th-6th grade girls basketball team lost their season finale on Monday night, 11-8. The team struggled to score baskets, but played solid defense in the loss. The girls finished their season with a record of 3-3.
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Kudos to Alex G. for the great action shots! The apple does not fall far from the tree! |
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Our world is torn apart by division and strife. The way we speak is both the problem and the solution. Clean Speech St. Louis is a community-wide education and awareness campaign to unite us in the practice of Jewish mindful speech, to build a more positive, respectful, and peaceful world.
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| Every day in the month of March, you can receive a video in your inbox to learn how to clean up our conversations, one word at a time. |
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We are taking our annual gala off of your computer screen and into the outdoors. Join us for an evening of celebration, and let us “show you” all the ways Mirowitz adds to our St. Louis and our Jewish community.
Honoring
Randee and Dr. Myron Jacobs
Meyer and Marcelle Kranzberg Visionary Award
Dr. Arlene and Rabbi Jeffrey Stiffman,
Cheryl, Jon, Gabe and Ari Maayan
Community Service Award
And these teachers:
15 years Betti Blumoff
10 years AJ Moll
5 years Lee’at Koertel
5 years: Fran Milsk
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Report cards should arrive to you soon, but it's already time to sign up for spring conferences (March 24 and 25). The app is not working... so please use this link to sign up on your desktop.
Sign in using your personal email and password
- Select Conference Sign Up
- Select 2022 Spring Conferences
- Choose your child's classroom teacher and Hebrew teacher
- Choose a time slot.
Your child's teacher will send out a Zoom link prior to conferences.
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In Honor of
Reb Scott
“for receiving the JPro Visionary Award”
Love, Rabbi Tracy Nathan, Hanan, & Arlo
In Honor of
Gabe W
“Happy 11th Birthday! We love you!”
Love, Mom, Dad and Eliana
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In Honor of
Ayden N
“In honor of your bat mitzvah last weekend
Love, Softa and Zabba Nelson
In Honor of
Aaron N.
Honoring Aaron's Birthday (He's ten - double digits)
Love, Softa and Zabba Nelson
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Mirowitz alumni often say that one of their most defining childhood moments happened in 3rd grade when they chanted Torah for the first time.
Mazel tov to Laya, Samaria, Levi and Jonah who chanted Torah and led Torah study in the lower school this week. |
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And to Maya, Noam and Aiden to read Torah in the Middle School. |
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So proud of our social activists! Dan, 5th grade, and Ezra, 2nd grade, who testified in Jeff City with these awesome Mirowitz parents and role models, Rori Picker Neiss, Daniel and Karen Bogard and Amy Hammerman. |
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The 8th grade is hosting a fundraiser to honor the wonderful faculty at Mirowitz. We plan to give every teacher and staff member Mishloach Manot (a Purim gift basket). Proceeds will support the 8th grade Israel trip.
Please click the link below, select the individuals or groups of teachers you would like to honor, and complete the payment details at the bottom. Your name will be on the card given to the individuals you select.
The deadline to participate is March 11.
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Our hearts go out to the Belaygorod family who lost an uncle in Ukraine this week. Serge Zevlever (Yelena's mother's brother) was a hero to many families whom he helped to adopt children from Ukraine.
There is a beautiful story about on Fox2. Watch it here. |
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Thanks Janet Amitin-Roberts, Jayden Roberts, Yelena Podorozhansky, Fran Kaar and Sara Van Linn for helping us serve lunch this week.
If you are able, please sign up to volunteer next week by logging onto the Mirowitz App on your computer here. |
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If you would like for your child to participate in PCR testing at school when it is needed, click the link and fill out the parental consent form for children under age 18. Please complete a consent form for each child.
Questions? Contact Nurse Beca.
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Deborah Zorensky
Alice Handelman
The Mirowitz family prays for their speedy and complete recovery. |
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Your loving kindness, envelop it in Your peace, and bestow Your light and truth upon its leaders, ministers, and advisors, and grace them with Your good counsel. Strengthen the hands of those who defend our holy land, grant them deliverance, and adorn them in a mantle of victory. Ordain peace in the land and grant its inhabitants eternal happiness.
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