a slice of chai - summer edition - jpps

Sept. 2014Issue No. 1

Building Jewish Leaders since 1914

Toutes les nouvelles que vous souhaitiez savoir!

Summer 2015Issue No. III

“Like” us on Facebook!https://www.facebook.com/JPPSBialikSchool

Follow us on Instagram!http://instagram.com/jppsbialik

Follow us on Twitter!https://twitter.com/JPPS_Bialik

1

Inside This Issue* The Grade 5 Trip to Old Jewish Montreal* The JPPS Science Fair* Multicultural Evening*JPPS Summer Field Trips*Kide Code Jeunesse

...And much, much more!

Contact:

Brittany WittCommunications and Marketing Coordinator Les Écoles juives populaires et les Écoles Peretz inc.(514) 731-3841 ext: 233 or [email protected]

SO, what are you looking for? News: pages 3-15Science & Technology: pages 16-18Arts: pages 19-25Sports: pages 26-27 Next Issue Sneak Peek: page 28

Table of Contents

© 2014-2015 Les Écoles juives populaires et les Écoles Peretz inc.

New to A Slice of Chai From JPPS-Bialik:The “Did You Know?”section!

See page 5 for this issue’s “Did You Know?”

Chai Lifeline Crohn’s & Colitis Canada

Dr. Shimshon Hamerman, Ph.D

2 A Slice of Chai From JPPS-Bialik

Appointments

JPPS-Bialik Board of Directors 2015-2016 President: Harley Eisman

Vice-President: Lee Wise ‘85Secretary: Etan JagermannTreasurer: Mitchell Laxer

Past President: Jamie RossBoard Liaison for the IBMYP Program:

Jane Siblin BrandmanPast President: Arnold Cohen ‘82

President of the Bialik Parent Council: Andrea Greenberg Kadanoff ‘89

David InzlichtSelina Itzkowitz

Ruth NajmanDavid PerlisSteven VictorKitry Znaty

Anat ToledanoCoordinator of Judaic Studies

Kindergarten-Secondary V

Lysie-Anne DesrochersCoordinatrice des études françaises pour

le primaire et le secondaire

This coming September, JPPS-Bialik will welcome Ms. Anat Toledano as the Coordinator of Judaic Studies for both JPPS and Bialik. Anat holds an under-graduate and a graduate degree in Judaic Studies from Concordia University. In 2006, she graduated from McGill University, where she attained her Bachelor of Education and her Brevet. Soon after, she earned a graduate certif-icate in Leadership and Education from McGill. During the 15 years she has taught at JPPS, Anat has worn many hats. She headed the Jewish Life Program in 2014. She met the challenge by organizing different activities and events that revolved around the Jewish calendar. During the past decade she taught French (Grades 3-4), and she also developed a French drama program and staged productions such as Le Prince d’Egypt and the Le Magicien d’Oz. We look forward to seeing what she has planned for our 2015-2016 academic year!

JPPS-Bialik is pleased to welcome Mme. Lysie-Anne Desrochers as our new Coordinatrice des études françaises pour le primaire et le secondaire. Lysie-Anne has been a French specialist at Bialik High School since 1983. Lysie-Anne attended l’École Secondaire Saint-Maxime in Chomedey, CEGEP de Saint-Jérôme, and Université de Montréal. She attained an under-graduate and a graduate degree in French Studies and linguistics, plus her Brevet. She has been a prime mover behind numerous initiatives at JPPS-Bialik, such as stage productions and cultural incentives that enable students to appreciate Quebec’s rich culture and engage with other communities that contribute to the country’s cultural mosaic. The 2015-2016 academic year is certainly off to a great start with all that Lysie-Anne has in store!

New to A Slice of Chai From JPPS-Bialik:The “Did You Know?”section!

See page 5 for this issue’s “Did You Know?”


The JPS Class of 1957 Reunion: Exploring Old Jewish Montreal On Saturday, May 16th, the JPS Class of 1957 enjoyed a different kind of class reunion. First, they were treated to a lovely reunion dinner, followed by a Sunday brunch in the cafeteria of the current JPPS campus. A tour of Old Jewish Montreal was next on the agenda, and was led by current JPPS teacher and JPS alumni, Sheila Witt ‘53. Enjoy these photographs of the “students” reconnecting with their classmates, old haunts and school.

A Slice of Chai From JPPS-Bialik 4 A Slice of Chai From JPPS-Bialik

Holocaust Survivors Visit JPPS


Maria Altman (Helen Mirren)

class of 1977

Did You Know?Do the three photos on the right look familiar to you? If so, you might have seen the 2015 film which featured them! In April of 2015, the film The Woman in Gold was released and it told a powerful true story. In 1999, Maria Alt-man (Helen Mirren) sought to regain a world famous painting of her aunt stolen by the Nazis during World War II. She did so not just to regain what was rightfully hers, but also to obtain some measure of justice for the death, destruction and massive art theft perpetrated by the Nazis. She does so with help from her lawyer, Randol (Randy) Schoenberg (Ryan Reynolds).

Did you know that a Bialik alumni named Michael Shuster ‘77, is the laywer involved in a similar case as the one told in this non-fictional drama? (See photo below). This story takes place in 2010, in what experts say is (still) the world’s largest unresolved Holocaust art claim! The heirs of Hungarian banker Baron Mor Lipot Herzog filed a lawsuit in United States District Court in Washington demanding the return of the art collection they say is right-fully theirs. The lawsuit was filed against Hungary and several museums that it oversees. David de Csepel, the great-grandson of Baron Herzog, has said he was speaking on behalf of about a dozen relatives, and explained that this lawsuit had come after decades of frustration with the Hungarian gov-ernment. Bialik’s very own Michael S. Shuster is the lawyer for the Herzog family, and has said that Hungary has been “one of the countries that has been the most recalcitrant” about returning looted art. The Herzogs believe that there may be many more artworks than those named in the suit, which are valued at a total of about $100 million. In 2013, the U.S. Court of Appeals ruled that the case against Hungary could proceed in its entirety. This deci-sion confirmed the Herzog heirs’ right to claim looted artworks, including eleven previously excluded pieces.

Randy Schoenberg (Ryan Reynolds)

Explorer le Quartier Juif du Vieux-Montréal

Bio of Michael Shuster ‘77 Taken From His Website


Au début du mois de mai, les élèves de cinquième année de l’école JPPS, accompagnés par leur enseignante Mme Sheila Witt, ont eu l’opportunité de connaître et d’explorer les racines des premiers immigrants juifs habitant dans le Vieux-Montréal. Durant cette sortie, ils ont visité la plus ancienne synagogue de Montréal, le premier campus de JPPS ainsi que plusieurs monuments. Chaque année, les grands-parents sont très heureux d’accompagner leurs petits-enfants pour ce voyage très apprécié de tous.

Explorer le Quartier Juif du Vieux-Montréal


A Bissel Of This and A Bissel Of That Michael Savelson Career and Hobbies Day: Stories of Struggle, Strength and Success!

On Tuesday, April 28th, the JPPS Home & School Association organized The Michael Savelson Career and Hobbies Day 2015. Michael’s long-standing devotion to JPPS was exemplified by his yearly presentations on Career Day. These presentations were anticipated and received with great enthusiasm (especially his tradition of giving out Tootsie Rolls!). The JPPS Home & School Association chose to proudly name this great event in his memory.

As always, the JPPS Career and Hobbies Day focuses on parents and grandparents who have amazing stories to share. Each grade gathered together to hear from three presenters. The presentations lasted approximately twenty minutes and were very interactive.

Bubbie and Zeydie Served Me Hot Lunch Today!For an entire week during the month of May, JPPS students had the pleasure of being served hot lunch by their grandparents! This is an annual tradition at JPPS, and the students simply love it!


The JPPS Grade 2 Students Receive a Special Visit From the Living Legacy Torah Factory!

As the holiday of Shavuot neared, the JPPS Grade 2 class spent a few hours in the Torah Factory Workshop, organized by The Living Legacy. The students learned all about the extraordinary process of making a Torah. They saw that it is a long, complex and detailed task. They viewed the process of making a Torah scroll, starting with the raw hide and continuing through tanning and sanding, until the parchment is complete. To make the experience interactive and fun, each student wrote their Hebrew name on a piece of parchment in the traditional script. Each student took home a scribe’s kit. The students had a lot of fun dipping their feathered “pens” into the black “ink” and writing their names.


(Shomrim Laboker)

(TBDJ)

Yom Hashoah: JPPS and Bialik RememberOn Wednesday, April 15th, 2015 at 7:30 p.m., a large audience gathered at Congregation Tifereth Beth David Jerusalem for the annual Montreal Holocaust Memorial Centre’s commemoration of the Holocaust. This year’s theme was “Remembering 1945: Liberation, Hope and Anguish.” Many leaders were present, including Premier Philippe Coillard, and Israeli Consul-General Ziv Nevo Kulman. Six Holocaust survivors shared their stories. The JPPS Grade 6 students were honoured to perform during the commemoration. Eli Eli and Makh Tsu Di Eygelkh were just two of the seven songs performed during the evening. The following day, the Bialik Yiddish Choir performed some of their most beautiful songs in a somber ceremony which included candle lighting and prayer reading. At Congregation Shomrim Laboker, the JPPS Grade 6 students invited their parents and grandparents to listen to them sing and speak about the Holocaust. During the ceremony, six students invited their grandparents, themselves Holocaust survivors, to light a candle in memory of the six million Jews who perished in the war.


(Shomrim Laboker)

(TBDJ)

Yom Hazikaron at JPPS and Bialik


Le 19 mai, les élèves de JPPS se sont joints à d’autres écoles juives afin de célébrer Yom Yerushalayim. Cet événe-ment a eu lieu au Centre Gelber de la Fédération CJA. Chaque enfant devait marcher dans le Centre en arborant la bannière de son école. Par la suite, les élèves ont reçu un billet d’avion symbolique pour Israël et ont écrit leur souhait sur le mur du Centre Gelber. Ce geste très significatif est toujours apprécié par les élèves et ce, année après année. Ils ont terminé cette rencontre en chantant et dansant tous ensemble avec le sentiment d’appartenir à cette belle communauté.

JPPS célèbre Yom Yerushalayim avec d’autres écoles juives!


JPPS Learns All There Is To Know About Mining!In late May 2015, the JPPS Grade 5 Science classes visited The Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM). The students had hands-on experiences which featured the latest in mining equipment, tools, technologies and services. The students met exhibitors, asked questions and learned all about the industry. The CIM Expo (the showcase attended by our stu-dents) is Canada’s premier mining show. Montreal hosted 500 exhibitor companies, who pulled out all the stops. A number of the exhibitors were grouped under regional and international pavillons. There were eight interactive pavillions exploring a wide range of activities representing the full mining cycle: from exploration, mining and processing to product fabrication, safety, sus-tainability, education, space and deep sea mining. The students were shown the importance of the mining industry in our daily lives, and told about some of the exciting career opportunities within the mining industry.


Mme. Joelle Elyhani: <<Notre objectif est de promouvoir et valoriser la culture québécoise. Nous voulons faire découvrir la vitalité et sensibiliser à la richesse québécoise. Voici un aperçu des différentes activités qui vous seront présentées pendant la semaine.>>

Lundi, 4 mai: Concours de dictée JPPS pour les élèves de la première année à la sixième. Chansons sur l’interphone tous les ma-tins. PowerPoint à l’entrée sur les films, écrivains, acteurs, les restaurants, chanteurs, peintres, inventeurs, créateurs, le sport et les grands sites touristiques.

Mardi, 5 mai: Parade des drapeaux de la francophonie. Raconter des histoires écrites par des auteurs québécois aux élèves du grade 1 au grade 3.

Mercredi, 6 mai: Dégustation de Poutine offerte par l’association des parents.

Jeudi, 7 mai: Remise des prix pour la dictée JPPS 2015.

Vendredi, 8 mai: Spectacle karaoké de chansons (F. Leclerc, C. Dion, R. Charlebois, Dégénération, Garou, etc.…).

Semaine de la Culture Québécoise de JPPS


JPPS Spirit Week (June 8th-12th) It was an Oscar-worthy performance by JPPS Principal Marnie Stein as she gathered the students of JPPS into the gym for a “serious lecture” on proper school behaviour and decorum, which led to the breaking of Spirit Week! This fun week was a combined effort of the JPPS Student Coun-cil and the Home & School Association. All students were told to bring in cans and bottles. These recyclable items would then be redeemed to raise money for the Montreal Children’s Hospital. Monday was Crazy Hat Day, Tuesday was Pajama Day, Wednesday there was a DJ Dance Party at lunch, Thursday was the last day to bring in cans and bottles to recycle and Friday was Sports Day!

OttawaOn Tuesday May 26th, the JPPS Grade 6 students, accompanied by five JPPS teachers and JPPS Principal Marnie Stein, boarded a bus for Ottawa. This trip represented the culmination of a year studying Canada’s democratic parliamentary system, and was eagerly anticipated by the JPPS graduating class. The day started at the Aviation and Space Museum. The students benefitted from a guided tour of this popular and educational attraction. Visiting Parliament was highlighted by an exclusive opportunity to eat lunch in the Senate Committee Room, where the students met Mr. Paul Calandra (Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister), The Honorable Leo Housakos (Speaker of the Senate) and Mr. Rob Anders (Member of Parliament for Calgary West). This visit was truly a gracious and memorable gesture by these gentlemen. Next, the group was able to “Discover the Hill.” This was an interactive tour that included the historic and important sites on Parliament Hill. The students were able to explore the grounds and learn about the rich history of Canada. They were given the challenge of assuming the role of an MP. This involved being asked to discuss and vote on a motion relative to students everywhere – lengthening recess. While they all had an opinion on the issue, they were led to understand that an MP represents his/her constituents and has an obligation to set aside personal views. As a result, the vote went against the motion and recess time was not lengthened. As the students boarded the bus home, no doubt they were left with special memories of a day filled with discovery, history and fun.

The JPPS Grade 6 Grad Trip to Ottawa and JPPS Spirit Week!


JPPS Chagigat Hasefer (Jr. Pre-K, Pre-K and Grade 1)

Jr. Pre-K & Pre-K

Grade 1

Every year, our students celebrate the culmination of their year of learning in English, French, Hebrew and Yiddish during their Chagigat Bereshit. This year, there were presentations in all four languages, and the audiences were delighted with everything their children had learned over the 2014-2015 academic year.


This year, JPPS ranked second in all of Québec in the March 2015 Canadian National Math League Competition, all thanks to the skills of the JPPS Grade 6 students. Individually, Jonathan Gotteiner (centre of photo, above) placed first in all of Quebec, Harley Eiley (left, bottom row) placed fourth in Quebec and Nathalie Nashen (right, bottom row) placed eighth in the prov-ince. Their teacher is Maria Dimitropoulos. For nearly 20 years, JPPS has always ranked in the top three positions within this competition.

JPPS Places 2nd in the Canadian National Math League Competition

The JPPS S.T.E.M. Program Produces Amazing ResultsHere, the Grade 5 class is making a maze and creating a code that they will need to travel through the maze (see page 26 for more photos)

Here, the Grade 4 class can be seen creating watermills! Behold the Grade 1 and 2 science experiment


The JPPS S.T.E.M. Program Continued...

The JPPS Grade 6 students worked together to make a Rube Goldberg Machine! A Rube Goldberg Machine is a contraption, invention, device or apparatus that is deliberately over-engineered or overdone to perform a very simple task in a very complicated fashion, which usually includes a chain reaction.


At JPPS, the Grade 5 students were treated to a presentation on fermentation from Teva Quebec. Teva Quebec is a Jewish Coa-lition for the Environment whose mission is to promote Jewish environmental education and action. The students were given the opportunity to pickle cucumbers in a mason jar. The pickling process is a type of fermentation, and the smells of pickling spices and garlic permeated the Science Room. In two weeks, the students had dill pickles, ready to bring home and share with their families.

Teva Quebec Visits JPPS

JPPS Parcipates in Kids Code JeunesseIn early April 2015, JPPS Grade 4 students began an 8-week pilot project presented by the Jewish Public Library called “KidsCODEjeunesse.” The program, which consisted of eight 1-hour sessions, was an introduction to ‘Scratch and Com-puter Science.’ The students learned about computers, the Internet, basic computational thinking and programming. The course developed the students’ ability to think computationally and actively participate in the digital world we live in. Over the course of the program, the students built an interactive project using Scratch.


JPPS Grade 6 Students Shine During the 2015 Science Fair

JPPS Grade 4 Classes Visit Le Centre des Sciences de Montréal!


Artwork that JPPS students created surronding the 2015 Music Festival

JPPS Presents the Bertha and Nathan Gillman Music Festival 2015A music festival: The ultimate way to welcome in Spring! This was not just an ordinary music festival. This was the Bertha and Nathan Gillman Music Festival, a concert that has been a JPPS tradition for over ten years! Students from Grades 1 to 6 were given the opportunity to perform a piece of music with the musical instrument of their choice: a guitar, drums, piano, violin or their own voice. The students were phenomenal. Fellow classmates, family members and teachers were all invited to watch and listen to the lovely sounds of our musically-talented JPPS students.


Early this Spring, the JPPS Home & School Association provided Grades 2-6 students with an art program presented by the 4Cats Art School. The 4Cats mission is to love what you do and make good art. Owners Joey & Darryl Simon were inspired by the fa-mous Els Quatre Gats cafe in Barcelona, Spain. The 4Cats Cafe was the gathering place of poets, actors, philosophers and great artists, including Pablo Picasso, who met to discuss art, create and enjoy life. At JPPS, students participated in specific art projects. The program was held in the Science/Art room and was taught in French. All students involved enjoyed the program and loved showing off their works of art!

4Cats Art School Brings Out JPPS’Artistic Side


It’s Time for the Ecomuseum! On June 2nd, the JPPS Grade 1 students visited the Ecomuseum in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue. The Ecomuseum is an indoor/out-door zoo housing animals indigenous to Quebec. Many of the animals had been injured in their natural habitat and were brought back to the zoo to be nursed back to health. The steady, misty rain on that day did not dampen the children’s enthusiasm! They enjoyed seeing the black bears, fish, reptiles and birds as they were led on a guided tour. Grade 1 students learned about their place in the community, and this trip helped them understand how these native animals adapt to their environment. What could be better than a day of learning and fun for Grade 1!

The JPPS Grade 2 Class Visit the Fur Trade Museum at the Lachine National Historic Site!Located to the west of the Island of Montréal along Lake Saint-Louis, the Fur Trade at Lachine National Historic Site testifies to the culmination of the fur industry in the Montréal region in the 18th and early 19th centuries. The old stone warehouse dates from 1803. Alexander Gordon, ex-clerk and stockholder of the North West Company had it built to store trading goods and furs. In 1833, the warehouse became the property of the Hudson’s Bay Company. Lachine occupied a strategic position on the fur route as a departure and arrival point for trading expeditions. Today, this unique warehouse houses an exhibition that enables visitors to relive the Montréal fur epic. The Grade 2 students have been eagerly learning about “our home and native land” throughout the school year. The Lachine Fur Trade Museum is an extension of that learning. The students took a journey back in time as they walked through the exhibition. Animal artifacts, canoes, maps, and historical information about the voyageurs and trappers line the walls of the museum. A short movie brought the images of days gone by to life. What a great way for the students to have a glimpse into the lives of our Canadian pioneers.


JPPS Lunctime Theatre Group Perform “A Bunch of Munsch”

The JPPS Kindergarten students eagerly boarded the school bus on June 3rd, headed for an ostrich farm! Nid d’Otruche is an ostrich farm in Ste-Eustache. Upon arrival, the children were delighted to see many animals as they wandered the grounds. Some students were asked to participate in a play, while others happily watched their friends perform. Beautiful weather made it possible for the children to enjoy an outdoor picnic lunch and then play in the park. What a wonderful way to end a great day of fun and adventure!

It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane...No Wait, It’s an Ostrich!

On June 9th, the JPPS Lunchtime Theatre Group (students from Grades 4-6) put on a wonderful performance for their fellow classmates and parents. Their performance was titled “A Bunch of Munsch,” and told four children’s stories based on the books of renowned children’s author, Robert Munsch!

JPPS Welcomes in Shavuot With a Fun-Filled Assembly Assembly led by JPPS teacher Ms. Anat Toledano Ice cream treats for all students!


Soirée Multiculturelle à JPPS

Chaque année, plusieurs mois sont consacrés à l’apprentissage de plusieurs cultures. En classe, les enseignants de différentes dis-ciplines travaillent avec les élèves afin de bien les orienter dans leur démarche. Des lectures, des projets, des travaux de recherche sont réalisés en classe. Cette année, les élèves de JPPS ont choisi La Russie, l’Afrique du Sud, le Japon, l’Inde ainsi qu’Israêl. Pour couronner le tout, une magnifique soirée a été organisée avec des chants, des danses, de la poésie et une très belle expo-sition d’œuvres d’art. Les parents, grands-parents , amis et collègues apprécient beaucoup cet événement. Cette initiative des enseignants de l’école JPPS est une occasion inoubliable pour les élèves de côtoyer et d’apprécier la richesse des autres cultures.

La préparation


JPPS School-Wide Project Exhibit It’s a HABS Life for Me!Grade 5 Family Tree Projects

Grade 6 Holocaust and Photo Essay projects

Projects from Kindergarten to Grade 4


It’s a HABS Life for Me!JPPS and Bialik students showed their love for their favourite hockey team, The Montreal Canadiens, during playoff season. Both schools welcomed a sea of red, white and blue as the students wore their HABS jerseys to support and send well-wishes to their team!


Keeping Up with the JPPS Pugs and Lady Pugs

The JPPS Pugs and Lady Pugs Banquet

On Sunday May 3rd 2015, the Trevor Williams Kids Foundation held its 11th annual Hoop Fest. The Trevor Williams Kids Foun-dation is a non-profit organization dedicated to teaching life skills to youth, helping them stay in school, keeping them off the streets, and encouraging them to become contributing members of their community. The funds raised through Hoop Fest were used to support the Foundation’s programs including learning through sports, basketball, anger management, social skills, read-ing/math and after school tutoring programs. They invited all students to participate in the Hoop Fest School Court Challenge.The only qualification was the willingness to play ball and raise money for underprivileged children. A few players from the JPPS Pugs and Lady Pugs formed their own Hoop Fest team, and played basketball throughout the course of the fundraiser. JPPS Lady Pugs coach Ofir Levy and Pugs coach Anton John, gave the JPPS students pointers throughout the day. The students played a few games of friendly basketball against players in their own category. In the spirit of helping underprivileged children in the community, Hoop Fest was an opportunity for students to get together for a fun and energetic day of playing basketball against other teams.


2015-2016 Producers of Bands On The Run and Coffe HouseJonah Saks

Samantha StermerDylan StermerNoah Zlotnik

Zara Fox

2015-2016 Play ProducersNikki Adler

Madison GoldSierra Gazin

Jeremy KormanShilat Dohan

Rebecca Turner

Dance and Runway Producers of the Bialik Fashion Show 2016

Dance producers: Alyssa Korman, Jillian Stoopler and Talia TehraniRunway producers: Carly Bruck and Shoshana Nuez

Save the Date!Bialik Open House: October 15thJPPS Open House: October 28th

Have a great summer vacation!

Next Year (2015-2016) at JPPS-Bialik!

a slice of chai - summer edition - jpps

Documents