May 5, 2023 - 14th of Iyyar 5783 - Parashat Emor 5783 / פָּרָשַׁת אֱמוֹר
Dear Beit Rabban Community,
Last year our principal Ingrid started a special minhag on the faculty Whatsapp every Friday morning from 7-8 AM. This is SHOUT OUT hour when staff members appreciate each other for everything from brilliant and grand accomplishments (e.g., shout out to Miriam for completing her last graduate school class!) to small but noble acts (e.g., shout out to Marc for finding the sugar packets). It helps me enter the last day of my work week from a place of joy and appreciation, hearing about all the marvelous things my colleagues have done for our students and each other and feeling a general atmosphere of support and generosity. Plus, it is often hilarious: “Shout out to Nicole for incredible patience and perseverance through hours of meetings this week,” followed 10 seconds later by “and also to the rat who I just ran over while parking.”
The positive energy is contagious, and it spread to the Chativah hallway whiteboard this week. The whiteboard is now overflowing with shout-outs, some of which read...
to Aiden, the most joyful Torah reading
to Tzachi for being the best proctor
to Yaffa for numbering my jersey
to David for being unflappable
to Hope, I learn so much in her class
One of our security guards just passed by that whiteboard on her way to my office, and she gave me a fabulous compliment. She said she could feel the positive energy moving around our school and bouncing between people. I love that metaphor, and it inspired me to bounce the energy your way. Here are a few shout-outs from this week that will hopefully help you feel grounded in good vibes as you go into Shabbat:
Shout to a brother in a preschool class who lovingly hugged his twin sister when she cried, explaining that she missed “her” mom.
Shout out to the ultimate frisbee team for being undefeated and, more importantly, playing like mensches.
Shout out to parent volunteers who sat in our narrow entryway painstakingly preparing gifts for teacher appreciation week on their laps.
Shout out to the two students I overheard in chevrutah gently helping each other read the Torah portion with precision.
Shout out to the four teachers I saw simultaneously teaching different groups of students in the second-grade classroom, keeping everyone engaged and on task.
Shout out to the finance committee for carefully considering every line item on our budget projections.
Shout out to the colleague who brought me a delicious and healthy lunch on Monday because she wanted to ensure I was eating.
Shout out to the preschool teacher who explained to her students in multiple different ways how they would be receiving the Torah without actually climbing Mount Sinai as a class (this was a source of great confusion).
Shout out to the parent volunteer who worked with students this week to prepare class art for the gala raffle.
Shout out to the whole Gan for winning Eurovision last week! As one student exclaimed on behalf of her peers, “I am so surprised; I didn’t expect it!”
Shout out to the Chidon HaTanach team for making it to the nationals.
Shout out to our incredibly talented, passionate, loving, and fun staff as we head into Teacher Appreciation Week.
And a shout out to all of you for creating this marvelous community that generates all these (and so many more) acts of kindness and love that deserve shout-outs.
Wishing all a restful and rejuvenating Shabbat,
Stephanie
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