Dvar Torah on Parashat Va’era, by Rachel Anisfeld Why so many miracles? Why so many plagues that defy the normal order of the universe? Training. These plagues were a kind of miracle-seeing training. This is a people whose ultimate job is to see God in the world, to bring out those divine sparks in every part of creation. But here they are, slaves in Egypt -- classically seen as the land of greatest defilement -- on the lowest rung of impurity, far from able to do any such thing. So what God does is make things clear to them. No subtle, disputable miracles here. Those are too hard to see at the beginning. You start by training the eyes, teaching them with large shows of power—bloody seas and frogs on every nose -- to see God in the world. It’s easier to see things writ

large. These are beginner miracles. The parsha starts by pointing out that God appeared differently to the patriarchs, who were more advanced miracle students. To them He was El Shaddai, which, as one midrash reads it, means – the God who said to the world dai, “enough,” the God who put limits on the world, created an order, the rules of nature. The patriarchs experienced God within this ordered framework and were able to see God’s hand without fantastic eye-popping sights like the splitting of the Sea. The Israelites in Egypt, though, had sunk so low, that they were beginners, in need of the full sound and light show to be sure of God’s presence in the world. For their sake – and for ours – God broke the rules of nature, to show that those very rules – what normally keeps the frogs and lice and wild animals from overgrowing like a cancer – are themselves miracles, daily miracles of perfect order and balance. By breaking the rules, He showed that He also created and controls the rules, the daily working of the universe. It is such daily miracles that it is our task to learn to celebrate. Those out of bounds miracles were a stepping stone for our people, a way to begin the process of a life devoted to perceiving the divine in the world around us. Tradition offers us further forms of constant miracle-seeing training, the practice of saying simple daily prayers and blessings, meant to increase one’s awareness of the miraculous nature of every moment -- the daily rising and setting of the sun, the return of life to our slumbering bodies in the morning, the perfect bal-ance of a body which takes in food and lets out waste. As we say in the Amidah prayer, we feel thankful “for Your miracles which are with us every day,” al nisekha shebekhol yom imanu. Every day, every breath is a miracle. It is partly our ancestors’ experience of the unnatural kind of miracle that paved the way for our ap-preciation of the natural kind.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Candle Lighting times for January

Friday January 20th — Light 4:34 Saturday January 21st —- End 5:39 Friday January 27th —Light 4:43 Saturday January 28th —- End 5:47

January 20th — School Wide ONEG January 22nd— Dance Festival 10:30 @ Temple Israel February 20th-24th Mid– Winter Recess No School!

Bet Shraga Hebrew Academy Of The Capital District Receives

Substantial Support From

January 20, 2012Issue Issue Number 46, Volume Number III

Ethan Katz wins Geography Bee

Do you know where Cologne Cathedral, the largest Gothic Church in north-ern Europe, is located? Eighth grader Ethan Katz knew, and that is how he won the annual National Geographic Geography Bee at Bet Shraga on Janu-ary 12th! Eighth grader Reed Drucker held on for eleven rounds before Ethan won in the twelfth round of questions. Fifth grade student Medad Lytton made quite an impression on the audience, lasting eight rounds. Others who earned their way into the bee this year included fourth graders Hannah Kaminer and David Lapiner, fifth grader Kira Gold, sixth grader Matan Adler, and seventh graders Matt Laniado and Ariel Levi. They are all to be congratulated for qualifying and appearing on stage in front of the audience of students, teachers, and parents. Next, Ethan Katz has to take a tough written test to determine if he qualifies for the regional geography bee this spring.

COACHES UPDATE!!!

Playing shorthanded for the 2nd straight week and against the

4-1 St. Matt's team, the Lions went on the road and won 41-34. Congrats to the team on a hard fought win. Up 14 at the

half, St. Matt's played hard in the 2nd half and didn't give up, cutting our lead to 4 w 350 to play. A great feed from Matt to

Reed and clutching free throw shooting down the stretch put the game away. Reed and Ethan had 16 apiece. Ari Levy played fero-

cious defense, particularly down the stretch.

Coach Rich Drucker

Practice Schedule

7/8 Boys Sunday- 9-11

Thursday- 4:30-6 Fridays - 2:30 – 4:00

4/5 Coed

Tuesdays - 3:15 – 4:30 Sundays – TBD (to be determined)

2/3 Coed

Thursdays 3:15 – 4:30 Sundays - TBD

Upcoming Games

January 26th HACD vs. East Greenbush

7pm

BOOK FAIR VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9TH!

This year’s HACD Book Fair will be held on Thursday, February 9th.

The HACD Book Fair offers a selection of Scholastic Books as well as a number of Judaic titles for both children and adults, and benefits our school

library program. The students really look forward to this fun event!

If you can come and help for a couple of hours (or more!), please con-tact Jane Shurin at jshurin@gmail.com or 783-5744.

PLEASE! The Book Fair depends on adult volunteers to help set up be-

fore the fair and to help students select and purchase books during the fair. We need help on:

Thursday, February 10, 2010 – Purchase day, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Thank You!!!!

.

Save the Date!!

8th grade basketball fundraiser

on

March 10th beginning at 7:30 pm

Save The Date! Grandparents

and Special Friends Day will

be held on the afternoon of

Friday ~

May 18, 2012 12:00-3:00 PM

Shabbat Sponsorship

It’s with thanks that we acknowledge the Rosen Family for their

Shabbat Sponsorship For Friday January 20th, 2012.

In Celebration Of

Of Ella’s 9th birthday & Celia’s 10 1/2

Birthday! Happy Birthday!

Bat Mitzvah Club meeting!

Next BMC meeting will take place on Sat. Jan. 21, 2012 at 7:00 pm. at the Laber home, 2155 13th St. Troy, NY 12180

Theme: Sara & Rivkah's Legacy

Challah Braiding- A Whole new Twist with Nechama Laber (learn many different ways of shaping challah)

Candle Making - with Rabbi Laber (learn how tea lights are made)

Mothers are welcome to join and learn the art of challah braiding & candlemaking. Desserts and Fruit will be served!

Looking forward to seeing you!

Nechama Laber --

Register Today www.jewishgirlsretreat.net for the Jewish Girls Summer Retreat.

July 2012 "Where every Girl is Family!"

Nechama Laber

2155 13th St.

Hebrew Academy is now offering tutoring for adults in Hebrew Language.

If you are interested,

please call Sharon Strosberg 377-2510.

SHOMRAY TORAH ANNUAL CAMPAIGN DONORS 2011-2012

Todah Rabah to our extended family for your support. We’re over halfway to our goal for the fall campaign! Help us add more names to our list of supporters by sending in your pledge.

Grandparents Elizabeth and Moshe Anisfeld Irene Ashery Mirian Biskin Malka and Eitan Evan Sandra and Jerome Goldberg Felice and David Gordis Herbert Horwitz Sedell and Bernard Kamenir Leo Koppel Rainy and Stu Kovach Barbara and Howard Levine Norma Rosen Evelyn Segel Florence and Harvey Sharfstein Valerie and Spike Solomon Margo and James Strosberg Ruth and Herbert Swift Barbara and Harry Ungerman Diana Yanklowitz Cydney Yerushalmi Dora and Mikhail Zelman

Alumni Rachel and Jeremy Arcus-Goldberg Ellen and Jonathan Berkowitz Annette Kriegel Davidoff and Ravin Davidoff H.M. Dollinger Deborah and Hershel Ellenbogen Tamar Silton and Jeremy Epstein David Farber Sarah Farber Aaron Friedman Harry Friedman Sophie Friedman Mindy Greene Huber and Josh Huber Lea and David Kamen Nadine and Raphael Kieval Jenny Kovach Maya Kovach Nancy Kriegel Aviva and Jay Leberman Sarah Magidson David Phaff Wendy Phaff Helena Rosenstruch Paul Rosenstrauch Gina C.R. Fiss and Joshua M.F. Rubenfeld Aliza and Daniel Scher Ariella Segal Benjamin Segal Samuel Segal Talia Segal Lee Setzen Ruth and Joel Simon Wendy and Steven Susswein Nehama and Lawrence Teitelman

Alumni Parents Rochelle and Sheldon Abelson Ellen and Richard Ancowitz Les Apple Rabbi Moshe Bomzer Sally Bratspis Nanette and Arthur Brenner Barbara and Karl Brodsky Sharona Wachs and Rabbi Donald Cashman Stacy and David Cohen Marilyn and Herbert Cohen Morris Cohen Arlene and Sol Daum Martha and Jeffrey Farber Deborah Biskin Flancbaum and Louis Flancbaum Judith and Daniel Flax Deborah Moskowitz Fleischner and Arthur Fleischner Sherry and Marvin Freedman Beverly and Warren Geisler Elana and Ephraim Glinert Harriet and Neil Gold Judy and Martin Goldman Sally and Matthew Greenblatt Nancy and Elliott Greene Kimberly Hacker Meridith Englander and Joshua Heller Abbey Farbstein Herd and Joseph Herd Linda and Daniel Hershberg Jennifer and Richard Honen Charlotte and Stanley Isser Laura and Edward Jacobs Rosalind and Gary Judd Shelley and Stephen Justa Lisa and Joseph Kay Rabbi Rena and Shalom Kieval Gail Kendall Marta and Mark Koblenz Sheila and Paul Koppel Ida Leberman David Levine Nancy and Norman Levine Estate of Hannah Lorch Rabbi Beverly and Richard Magidson Phyllis and Lewis Morrison Barbara and Edward Orris Andrea and Neal Packer Rona and Louis-Jack Pozner Anita and Ken Rabinoff-Goldman Ruth and Steven Rich Joan and Jack Rosenblum Claudia and Mark Rosenholz Pearl and Harris Sanders Joan and James Savitt Barbara and Michael Scher Ellen and Eric Schwartz Stanley Segel Nancia and Kenneth Segel Roberta and Richard Seiden Amy and Ron Sohn

Barbara and Les Stein Lisa and Beno Sternlicht Joyce Teitelman Joyce and Melvin Toub Barbara Wachs Nini Wu and Ira Zackon

Current Parents Karen and Mordecai Bienstock Ana Sobel and George Bizer Shelly L. Goldman Black and Johnny Black, Jr. Amy Gingold-Horwitz Deborah and Tsvi Gold Jill and Howard Goldberg Michele Levy and Daniel Greenblatt Elana and Steven Kamenir Ilana and Robert Kovach Carolyn and Jim Levine Rachel Anisfeld and Timothy Lytton Suzanna Randall and Rabbi Naomi Manon Jerald O’Brien Marian Alexander and Rabbi Dan Ornstein Rachel and I. Paul Rappaport Anna and Jonathan Rosen Tatyana and Benjamin Schwartz Laura and Hilton Segal Jane and Arkady Shurin Sirafima Rits and Vladimir Vitkin Tammy and Joel Weingarten Chava and Adam Weisstuch

Community Helene S. Ainspan The Sidney & Beatrice Albert Foundation Martin Barr Evalyn and Joseph Basloe Amy Bloom Joyce and Sanford Bookstein Dorice Brickman Sidney Cohen Toby and Arnold Elman Evelyn and Laurence Farbstein Joanna and Eric Fried Selma Goldberg Neil, Jane, William & Estelle Golub Family Foundation, Inc. Cindy and Neil Greenstein Karen and Gerald Hausler Michael Kupferschmid Megan Levine Karen and Alan Lobel Carol Ann and Rodney Margolis Shirley and Irving Mennen Kathleen and Ryan Miller Jerald O’Brien Pardus Family Philanthropic Fund Lois and Richard Rubin Phyllis Silverman

Linda Woodward and Frederick Stein Gene and Howard Tarler Philip Ziffer

Names listed reflect those whose

payments have been received.

8th Grade Trip to Israel Fundraiser!