Weekly Newsletter- November 11, 2022 - King David High School

November 11, 2022 / Cheshvan 17, 5783

Shabbat Begins: 4:18 p.m. Shabbat Ends: 5:25 p.m.

KRISTALLNACHT COMMEMORATION

This year, in commemoration of Kristallnacht, the Holocaust Studies class, led by Anna-Mae Wiesenthal created an incredible display to bring the realism of this tragic event to life. Half of the class worked on the display and the other half prepared and led an assembly presentation to inform and remind us about the atrocities of this calamity.

During the Azoombly presentation, students learned how Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass, was a turning point that led to the Holocaust. During this night, hundreds of synagogues and Jewish businesses were destroyed, 30,000 people were taken to concentration camps and many died. The government then charged the Jewish citizens with causing the damage and fined them for the clean-up. Truly a horrible event in our history.

A special thank you to Morley Faber for donating the materials and constructing the display.

REMEMBRANCE DAY

In recognition of Remembrance Day, King David students took part in an assembly on Thursday to remember, appreciate, and acknowledge the millions of Canadians who gave up their lives and loved ones to serve in the Canadian Armed Forces. The assembly included an O Canada performance by music students, a reading of the poem, Flanders Fields, and playing The Last Post & Rouse with a moment of silence and remembrance. The assembly also included a tribute to Indigenous Veteran’s Day, which is commemorated on November 8 each year.

We hope your Remembrance Day is meaningful with opportunity for reflection and recognition.

A DAY OF BONDING OUTDOORS

On Tuesday, 51 Grade 8 students and 6 staff members braved the cold for a day outdoors at Seymour Demonstration Forest. Led by the Vancouver Outdoor School, our students took part in a full day of outdoor education activities. The day began with team building and Social Emotional Boundary breakers discussions. The group leader, Jeff, demonstrated how everyone in the class is “going through” something, so we should all be empathetic to each other. After the literal icebreakers, students went through two stations of activities, had lunch, did another two activities and concluded the day with a great review. The four stations were parkour, group problem-solving, knots and tarp building, and making natural lip balm. Students also played active forest games like Camouflage. With the students missing the retreat, this gave the Grade 8 class an amazing opportunity to bond within their TAG groups and grade as a whole.

Thank you to staff members Marie Vondracek, Lewis McGinn, Cale Macdonald, Lu Winters, Esther Mogyoros, Matt Dichter and the Vancouver Outdoor School for facilitating a fun and educational day in the natural classroom.

TEACHERS IN CONVERSATION ABOUT GENDER

During our Professional Morning on Tuesday, the King David staff had the opportunity to have a workshop with Alisa Farina, the Mental Health Worker at the Jewish Federation who focuses on emotional wellness for children, youth and young adults in our community. Alisa has 30+ years of Social Work experience with the Burnaby School Board and has recently accepted this position to address and support the Mental Health needs of our community. The topic that Alisa addressed with us was supporting students’ Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity. Here is some of what Alisa shared with us:

We need to support the needs of all students by modeling gender-inclusive language and honouring the self-identities students develop. We can work together to create safe spaces by listening to the needs of our LGBTQ+ students and committing to inclusive practices. We can support all students’ mental health and well-being by continuing to support youth resilience and belonging. Fostering and supporting resilience and belonging supports all students to feel positive about their place within a beneficial support system. Belonging is positively connected with feelings of happiness and self-worth. Together, we can move from safe classrooms to a safe school and community for ALL students.

RABBI SCHIFF ON JEWISH FUTURES

Last Friday, King David was fortunate to hear from Rabbi Naftali Schiff, who is the Founder and Chief Executive of Jewish Futures, a not-for-profit international organization, which creates, incubates and scales dynamic educational organizations and initiatives, propelling each forward to ensure vibrant Jewish futures.

Rabbi Schiff’s sense of responsibility for Jewish continuity has driven him to empower broad and inclusive organizations and leaders, to create successful educational organizations, engaging young Jews with their Judaism through a myriad of different opportunities.

Shabbat Shalom!

COMMUNITY EVENTS

The Chutzpah! Festival

November 3-24

The Lisa Nemetz Festival of International Jewish Performing Arts is an annual festival of world-renowned dance, music, theatre, and comedy, through a lens of Jewish experiences, stories, and values in all their richness and diversity, creating unforgettable and unique

experiences for audiences.

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The Comedy of Joel Chasnoff

Chutzpah! Festival

November 16, 8:00 p.m.

This is special evening for Jewish communal professionals at the Norman Rothstein Theatre. They have set aside 50 tickets at the discounted rate of $18 (regular price is $40).

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Jewish Camp Info Session

November 16, 8:00 p.m.

If you are confused about what’s available out there for this coming summer, you are not the only one. This is your chance to meet on Zoom with camp representatives and learn about the options.

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