Rashi Builds Jerusalem at it Celebrates Israel at ... - The Rashi School

Boston Area Reform Jewish Day School SPRING 2008
Rashi Builds Jerusalem at it Celebrates Israel at 60
When the Rashi community joins
together, the result is magical.
The recent “Rashi Builds Jerusalem”
event was a wonderful example, as
more than 230 students, parents, grandparents,
siblings, and teachers built Jerusalem
out of 60,000 LEGO blocks!
On a 20 x 20 vinyl map of the city, the Rashi
children and adults worked together to
build the city walls, the gates, Beit HaMikdash
(Temple), and other landmarks. The
project was directed by architect Stephen
Schwartz of Building Blocks Workshops.
The Rashi
“cafenasium”
was transformed
into a model of
Jerusalem, with all
the famous walls
and landmarks
created out of
LEGO blocks.
“Rashi Builds Jerusalem” was one of many
activities taking place at the school to celebrate
Israel’s 60th birthday. Photos of Rashi
families in Israel are on display. Children
have been walking all over the country
– on the large map of Israel installed on
the floor near the school’s main entrance.
Rashi parent Uri Feinberg, an educator and
Israeli tour guide, has been using the map
to help make Israel a tangible reality for
our younger students. He has also been
leading lively sessions for middle schoolers
on Israel’s history.
Israel programming will culminate in May
with activities in each classroom to commemorate
Yom Ha’atzmaut. Adult members
of the Rashi community will celebrate
Israel at 60 at the school’s Annual Dinner
(see below left).
Annual Dinner to Honor Marjorie & Bert Paley continued on page 4
Alan Dershowitz to Speak on May 20
This year’s Rashi Annual Dinner is a not-to-bemissed
event! Attendees will celebrate Israel’s
60 th anniversary and learn – through words and
images – why the school has a strong reputation
for “Developing Leaders with Jewish Values” and
providing a foundation for a lifetime of excellence.
These qualities are embodied by the Dinner
Dinner honorees Bert and Marjorie
honorees, Marjorie and Bert Paley who, for over
Paley with their granddaughter
Emily, a Rashi sixth grader.
fifty years, have been innovators, builders and
mentors in the local and national Jewish community and Israel.
Those attending the Dinner, to be held on Tuesday, May 20, at 6:00 pm at Congregation
Mishkan Tefila in Chestnut Hill, will also have the opportunity to hear Alan
Dershowitz, the noted Harvard Law professor and author who is the parent of a
Rashi alumna.
Marjorie and Bert Paley began their foray into a lifetime of Jewish community service
at CJP. Margie received the CJP Young Leadership Award and was an Officer of CJP
continued on page 3
On the Inside
On the Inside, the newsletter of the
Rashi community, is so named because
Rashi’s commentary is always on the
inside, closest to the heart.
New Computers
Page 2
Teacher Spotlight
Page 3
Tamchui Tzedakah
Page 5
Science Showcase
Page 6
www.rashi.org 1

LEARNING
New Computers Enhance Learning
From reseaching the history of gun control to writing reports
on Native Americans, the new system of networked computers
and traveling carts of laptops is in constant use at Rashi.
Thanks to Peerless Excellence funding, the school purchased
70 new computers for use in two computer labs and multiple
classrooms. This is a leap forward in technological capacity
for the school.
Computer labs on the second and third floors are each equipped
with fourteen flat-panel desktops, networked through a new
server. Also linked to the server are
four rolling carts, each carrying ten
laptops. Each machine is equipped
with an array of software that includes
PowerPoint, Word, and Mellel,
a Hebrew writing program. The
specially designed and equipped
cart also hosts a printer, LCD projector,
and wireless hub.
Using computers
leads to a rise in
student energy
and motivation.
This has vastly increased students’ access to computers. Students
can begin a project on one computer and later access it
from any other machine. The computers come to the students
in the classroom, where they can be utilized in many flexible
ways to maximize teaching time.
“It is amazing to have these great resources in our classrooms,”
said Middle School science teacher Ali Fine. Her students have
New computer
purchases are giving
students increased
access to technology
in their classrooms.
used the computers to research evolution topics, create
Power Point presentations on the kingdoms of living organisms,
and do pre-lab work on a worm dissection.
Other teachers have used the computers to enhance writing
workshops, visit websites with interactive lessons, access the
internet in Hebrew, and guide students in creating graphs
in Excel and assessing web-based sources of information.
Students are using their computer skills to process and
analyze information and to think critically.
“Students today automatically think about incorporating
technology in their learning,” stated Marshall Carter, Middle
School Director. “Using computers so fluidly at school results
in a rise in student engagement and increased motivation
to take projects to the next level. At Rashi, we have the
capacity to match our students’ computer literacy to our
educational goals.”
Awards for Rashi
CHESS TEAM WINS TROPHY
The Rashi Royals Chess team took third
place in the Massachusetts Chess Association
Holiday Team Challenge. Rashi competed
in the K-6 section, winning ten games
and ending in a draw (tie) with a tough opponent.
Second place was determined
by a computer tie-breaker between
Rashi and the Sage School.
The team’s accomplishment was even
more impressive because its highest
rated player was unable to attend the
tournament and a second grader, who
had only competed in one other tournament,
stepped up and and helped the team
earn critical points. Congratulations!
PEJE MARKETING AWARDS
Rashi was presented with three Marketing
Awards at this month’s national Assembly
for Jewish Education convened by PEJE, the
Partnership for Excellence in Jewish Education.
The PEJE awards were for:
Student Recruitment – Excellence in Integration
of Package and in Communication
of Mission in the Admissions Info Packet.
Fundraising – Overall Excellence for the
Annual Report.
Technology – Overall Excellence for the
website.
Rashi staff attended the Marketing Awards
Winners Showcase at the Assembly to
share their award-winning materials with
representatives of Jewish day schools from
throughout the country.
2 On the Inside – Spring 2008/Nisan 5768

Teacher Spotlight
Batshi Flint: Motivating Children to Love Hebrew
“Self-confidence is a key ingredient in learning Hebrew,” says
Batsheva (Batshi) Flint, who teaches Hebrew to Rashi students
in grades 1-3. “The best way for students to learn
Hebrew is to feel comfortable and safe to experiment
with the language. When learning is done
through games, songs, dramatic dialogs, puppets
and stories, students feel more motivated
to participate.”
Students in Batshi’s classes certainly feel comfortable
and motivated. One of Rashi’s most
beloved teachers, Batshi infuses each class
with enthusiasm, love for the subject, and
genuine caring for each student.
In her classes, Batshi emphasizes all four language skills – listening,
speaking, reading and writing – and adjusts activities to meet the
readiness and skill levels of different students.
“Batshi is an innovative and creative
teacher, who constantly looks for
different ways to make the learning
in her classroom exciting and
challenging,” says Shlomit Lipton,
Hebrew Coordinator. “Anyone entering
her classroom will witness her great
energy, her skillful teaching, and her
love for her students.”
“Batshi comes to the children and the language
with complete delight,” says parent
Deborah Freed. “She loves kids and teaching
and it shows. She uses Hebrew all the
time in class, and has a good sense of
how much to challenge each child.”
Deborah’s daughter Shoshana, a third grader, notes
that “Batshi is always there to help you and if you still don’t
understand something she’ll explain it until you do.”
Originally from Israel, Batshi came to Rashi three years ago, after
teaching in a synagogue supplementary school. She believes
that language acquisition starts from the moment the students
step into a classroom with a creative Hebrew environment that
includes interactive boards, a computer center, a reading station,
and Israeli music playing in the background.
“Students need to be exposed to authentic language as much
as possible,” she emphasizes, “as well as to the cultural aspects
of the language – songs and children’s literature, dialogs, etc.
– as they are used by native speakers.”
Lower School students love learning
Hebrew in Batshi Flint’s classroom.
“Batshi comes to the
children and the language
with complete delight.”
– Deborah Freed, parent
Batshi, in turn, is “truly honored” to teach at Rashi. “It is a wonderful
school with an outstanding staff of professionals who are passionate
about educating the next generation of Jews in creative and
innovative ways. There is a feeling of collaboration and support
among all the teachers – it’s just like a big family.”
The Rashi family is blessed to have Batshi as a member, an inspiring
teacher who every day accomplishes her own goal: that her
students “will love learning Hebrew and begin to see the relevance
of Hebrew to their own Jewish lives.”
ANNUAL DINNER continued from page 1
for many years. She was the national Chair of College Youth
and on the Women’s Division Board of United Jewish Appeal.
Bert was the Chairman of CJP’s Russian Resettlement
Program, President of the Jewish Vocational Service, Board
member of the Jewish Community Council, Fellow of Brandeis
University, and Chairman and National Commissioner of ADL.
The Paleys have transmitted their love of Judaism and civic
engagement to their four children and eleven grandchildren,
eight of whom attended Jewish Day Schools in Israel, New
York and at Rashi. The Paleys expect that the youngest, Henry,
will attend the new Rashi School campus in Dedham!
This year’s Dinner is being chaired by Dena and Michael Rashes
and Rhoda and Bill Sapers. Honorary Chairs are Barbara and
Malcolm L. Sherman. Proceeds of the evening, which will include
a live auction, will benefit Rashi’s Annual Appeal, providing
essential funds to bridge the gap between revenue and the
school’s operating expenses.
For more information about the Dinner, contact Karen Backner
at 617-969-7300 x 238 or kbackner@rashi.org, or go to www.
rashi.org/dinner.
www.rashi.org 3

Rashi Celebrates Israel
continued from page 1
But beyond learning about the history and
places of interest in the country, what makes
the connection to Israel so strong at Rashi
is the personal relationships between Rashi
students and Israelis. Rashi has an ongoing
partnership with the Leo Baeck School in
Haifa, through which several grades share
curricular activities.
Our eighth graders, who have been studying
and videoconferencing with Leo Baeck
students, are spending two weeks in Israel
with them this month. They will be touring,
praying, and studying together, and examining
the similarities and differences between
Israeli and American youth.
Students from the Leo Baeck School in Haifa visited Rashi this fall, participating in
classes, tikkun olam projects, and special school programs with our eighth graders.
The Israeli experience is the true culmination
of the Rashi education, as the previous
years of learning about the Jewish homeland
come alive for our students.
For the first time this summer, Rashi is sponsoring
a staff trip to Israel, to strengthen
participants’ undertanding of the country
and the important role it plays at Rashi. We
are sure that for staff, as for eighth graders,
it will be a trip they never forget!
Each Israeli visitor was partnered with a
Rashi class and exchanged emails with
younger students before their arrival.
Lower School students were excited
about meeting their “email-pals” and
eagerly questioned them about life in
Israel when they met them at Rashi.
When we say “we are one with Israel,”
we are serious! Israeli educator Uri
Feinberg transformed a student into
a living map of Israel, with important
landmarks highlighted.
CHALLENGE GRANT BOOSTS CAPITAL CAMPAIGN
Rashi’s new home in Dedham took a giant step closer to
reality with the announcement of a $5,000,000 challenge
grant from Dr. Miriam and Sheldon Adelson. The grant led
several Rashi Board members to double their original commitments
to the Capital Campaign, in the hopes of inspiring
others who have already supported the Campaign to join
them in increasing their
gifts. The Capital Campaign
total has now surpassed
$23 million, and Campaign
Co-chairs Jill Goldenberg
and Lisa Wallack are confident
that these gifts will
help propel the Campaign
to completion.
Rashi has also redesigned the building in partnership with
the firm of HMFH Architects, Inc. The revised plans are
for an 82,000 square foot building that incorporates a
dynamic design into a highly-efficient use of space. The
building now has a smaller footprint, providing efficiencies
in both construction and long-term maintenance
costs, while still ensuring
a school that will have top
quality academic, programmatic,
and athletic facilities to
enrich the Rashi experience.
For more information, go to:
www.rashi.org/campaign
Rashi expects to move into the
new building in the fall of 2010.
4 On the Inside – Spring 2008/Nisan 5768

JUSTICE
Young Philanthropists Describe Contributing to Tamchui as....
“Doing a Mitzvah Around the Whole World
In medieval times, a Tamchui
was a pool of tzedakah funds
established in every community
to provide for the urgent
needs of the moment. At Rashi,
Tamchui is a two-week schoolwide
philanthropy project that
engages students in meaningful
social justice learning and
action and helps them become
educated and empathetic
young philanthropists.
Students at all grade levels spend a week
learning about the work of five organizations
that benefit children and a second
week deciding which organization(s) will
receive their Tamchui “chips” (each chip
representing a portion of the total funds
that has been collected for the Tamchui).
Middle schoolers participate in a group
consensus process – a wonderful preparation
for the kinds of group decisions they’ll
make throughout life. They discuss, debate
and assess how well each organization
embodies Jewish values of tzedakah,
before deciding how their communal chips
will be allocated.
All students have the opportunity to help
create table murals on Donation Days,
responding to daily prompt questions that
enable them to express their connection
to and understanding of Tamchui. Their
powerful words (see box at right) convey
the true lasting impact of the Tamchui
experience, as they reflect our students’
deep commitment to doing mitzvah work
and to tikkun olam (repairing the world).
STUDENTS RESPOND:
How does it feel to help people
through Tamchui?
“It feels good because we are
making the world a better place....
It makes me feel important....
It feels awesome to help people
in need.... It feels wonderful....
I feel all funny inside, like I’m so
happy I feel almost sad.... If we
all come together, we can make a
change.... It makes me feel special....
I don’t think I ever had a
better feeling.... It feels like the
world is becoming more beautiful
.... You get to do a mitzvah around
the whole world.”
Rashi families raised more
than $8000 for these 2008
Tamchui organizations:
Bikes Not Bombs (Jamaica Plain)
www.bikesnotbombs.org
Mingguang Migrant Children’s
Vision Project (China)
www.indiana.edu/~emsoc/Mingguang
100 Friends (San Francisco)
www.100friends.com
Camel Book Drive (Kenya)
http://camelbookdrive.wordpress.com
Hettena School (Jerusalem)
http://hettena.jerusalem.muni.il
Admissions Update
Acceptance letters have been sent out, and members of
Rashi’s Class of 2016 – including Arianna Weiner (right)
– are eager to enter the school in the fall.
Arianna is looking forward to joining her older siblings
at the school. “She loves Rashi,” says her mother, “and
she feels very comfortable there. Everyone is always
warm and friendly to her every time she goes to Rashi.”
Susan Benett, Director of Recruitment and Admissions,
notes that there is a waiting list for Middle School for next
year, but there are limited spaces available at other grade
levels. Interested parents can contact her at sbenett@rashi.
org or 617-969-4444 x255.
www.rashi.org 5

Showcasing Science Throughout the School
Seventh graders wrote research papers and
created an electronic quiz board on topics
related to evolution. Kindergarten students
(below) examined fish to note how they were
similar to and different from people.
How do animals stay warm in winter?
What is the rock cycle? What is the Hebrew
word for hail? With clipboards and
pencils in hands, Rashi students examined
the Science Showcase displays to find the
answers to these and other “scavenger
hunt” questions. The showcase highlighted
the results of science learning in all grades,
from kindergarteners’ research on ocean
animals to eighth graders’ study of atoms.
Children studied the Grade 3 moon
display at the Science Showcase to
answer such questions as: What phase
is the moon in on Rosh Hashana?
The Science Showcase was held in conjunction
with the annual grade 5 Science Fair (left),
in which each fifth grader used the six-step
scientific method to answer a question (What
is the impact of music on concentration?
How are plants affected by light?) in an
area of science of personal interest.
Rashi students learn science content through inquiry. They combine
their powers of observation with thoughtful predicting, experimental
design, and data representation and analysis to acquire a deep and
lasting understanding of science concepts.
Mishnah Comes to Rashi
It’s Pizza Thursday, and the group of middle schoolers
in the third floor classroom is anxiously awaiting the
arrival of pizza. While they wait, they are chanting the
words of ancient rabbis and discussing how and when
to read the Shema.
This is Mishnah at Rashi. The study of rabbinics, or Oral
Torah – the conversations of the rabbis over centuries
that have led to many of our current religious practices
– has not been a part of the Rashi curriculum. But this
year, Jewish Studies Director Rabbi Ellen Pildis and Jewish Program
Coordinator Dan Brosgol are bringing Mishnah to Rashi
on an elective basis.
“Both students and parents are enthusiastic about the program,”
noted Rabbi Ellen, “ and we are considering expanding it for next
year.” She and Dan gave a presentation on The Introduction of
Mishnah Teaching in a Reform Jewish Day School at a recent
Conference on Teaching Rabbinic Literature held at Brandeis.
Two groups of students –
Middle Schoolers and fourth graders – have been
meeting on a regular basis during lunchtime,
chanting mishnayot and pondering the rabbis’
opinions on topics such as preparing for Passover.
Exposure to rabbinics will particularly benefit those students who
plan to attend a Jewish high school, but Rabbi Ellen explains that
is it important for each child. “To think as a Jew,” she says, “means
incorporating thinking from our past into our modern ideas.”
6 On the Inside – Spring 2008/Nisan 5768

Seventh Graders Become Powerful Communicators
From interpreting Shakespearean plays to debating controversial issues from a variety
of perspectives, Rashi seventh graders are rapidly progressing in their ability to become
powerful communicators. The seventh grade Language Arts curriculum presents students
with such overarching questions as: What happens in a community when a value is challenged?
How do decisions create both intended and unintended consequences? As they
address these issues, students strengthen their ability to relate ideas from literature to
their own experience and the world around them.
At Rashi, literature is also experienced through a
Jewish lens. In preparation for their study of Inherit
the Wind, seventh graders reviewed creation stories
from all over the world, Darwin’s theory of evolution,
and Jewish approaches to the idea of Intelligent
Design. Reflecting on the various concepts, they
shared their own theories. “I do believe in evolution,”
wrote one student, “but being a Jew has led
me to believe that maybe some higher life force
such as God could have caused evolution and the
creation to unfold.”
Language arts skills are honed in each grade at Rashi, so by
the time students graduate, they are able to express their own
voices confidently with knowledge, conviction, and poise.
Seventh graders identify with
the characters and situations in
“A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
They brought Shakespeare’s
language to life in their own
voices as they presented their
dramatizations of specific scenes.
Above: A quilt project was one way to explain a key
theme of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Students
had the option of demonstrating their understanding
through written or visual means. Some chose to
compare themes as depicted in film versions of the play.
Left: Rashi students staged their own debate after reading about the
Scopes trial in “Inherit the Wind”. Taking on the roles of such varied
individuals as an Orthodox Jew, a Chinese Buddhist, a biologist,
and a Civil Rights lawyer, among others, seventh graders debated
which theory – creationism, evolution, or intelligent design – should
be taught in schools. The students’ research and their impassioned
debating was impressive. They raised pertinent points and clearly
understood the many perspectives that were represented.
Alumni News
Rashi is proud of its growing numbers of alumni, who are in high
school, college, and beyond, taking with them the lessons and
the values they learned in our classrooms.
Class of 1999
Adam Miller graduated from MIT with a B.S. in Economics and
is working with several web technology-related companies, doing
business and website development as well as marketing and sales.
He is Director of Business Development for Southern California
technology consulting firm CPI Interactive and CTO for Abroad101,
a social-networking and user-generated-content website dealing
with study abroad programs.
Adam took his first trip to Israel last summer, travelling with Israel
Outdoors (a Birthright program). He writes that he is “always up
for helping out Rashi any way I can. I’ve attended every single
Rashi Annual Dinner and, if I have my way, I’ll never miss one!”
Micah Winograd is the Israel Education Initiatives Associate for
the Israel on Campus Coalition (ICC) in Washington, DC. He heads
a study abroad task force and the ICC’s portion of the Israel in
Academia initiative, helping to fund speaking engagements for
Israeli scholars at American universities.
Keep the Rashi connection strong!
Send alumni news to apuchkoff@rashi.org.
www.rashi.org 7

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Drama & Sports Help Develop Individual Talents
Rashi prides itself on its emphasis
on addressing the whole child
and encouraging the individual
strengths of each student. Two
ways in which Rashi students
are expressing their talents are
through participation in performing
arts and our expanded afterschool
athletics program.
The baseball/softball season is
now underway. Check out the
schedule at www.rashi.org (the
Athletics link is at the top of the
homepage) and come to a game!
This winter, our nine basketball teams brought
students in grades 1-8 to schools throughout Greater
Boston for more than 60 games, including the
first local Jewish Day School League Tournament.
Athletics Director Josh Horowicz noted that the
season was marked by tremendous improvement
of basketball skills, strong team camaraderie,
dedicated coaches and cheering families.
Since January, the Rashi
community has enjoyed wonderful
performances presented by:
Kindergarten – showcasing their
knowledge of Hebrew as well as
English; Grade 1 – related to their
curriculum unit on clothing;
Grade 3 – incorporating original
fables based on their study of
classic fables; and Grade 8 – an
all-Hebrew production of “Beauty
and the Beast” (above).