Abrams Extra March 24, 2017

 

 

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ABRAMS EXTRA

In This Issue
Candle Lighting
Budowsphere
Registration Opportunity
8th Grade Parent Meting
TASK Visit
TASK Visit
This is Hunger
Tal Brody
IDF Soldiers Visit
OSTC Referrals
Sefer Torah Project
EITC Advocacy
After School Art Club
After School High School Learning
EITC Update
Lunch Menu
Security Reminders
Car Pool Rules
Abrams Notes

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March 24, 2017/  26 Adar
Candle Lighting 7:00 pm/ Vayakhel-Pekude
 

Budowsphere
 
Rabbi Budow   

 

Dear Parents:
As you know, I am always looking for opportunities to expand and enhance the Abrams experience for our children. This year we hired a new music teacher, Aubrey Maks, who has brought her enthusiasm, creativity, and talent to our music curriculum. Ms. Maks is multi-talented, and I am happy to announce that starting in September she will offer individual music instruction to interested students at a very reasonable cost. These lessons will be taught by Ms. Maks during the regular school day.
Lessons will be offered in voice, guitar, piano and percussion instruments, and other instruments may be taught depending on interest from our students. The goal is for children to develop a love and appreciation for music in various forms, and of course, become proficient in the instrument they choose to learn.
Ms. Maks will be sending a letter home to parents with more details about the program shortly, but I wanted to be the first to announce this exciting addition to our course of study. Abrams is committed to providing the best well-rounded education to our students, and music is an important component of a complete curriculum. I am very pleased that Ms. Maks will be providing her expertise to our program and look forward to a great, musical 2017-18!

L’Shalom,

Rabbi Ira Budow

 

 

Registration Opportunity March 26, 2017

2017-18 Registration Opportunity
THIS Sunday, March 26, 2017
If you have not yet registered for 2017-18 we will be at Abrams on Sunday, March 26, 2017 from 10:00 am-12:30 pm to take your registration packets, help you fill out the financial aid forms on-line, and answer questions.
If you have not registered and cannot come on Sunday, please make an appointment to meet with Carol if you need assistance with the financial aid forms! 
 
**You must register before you apply for financial aid!!
If you come on Sunday, please make sure to bring:
Your completed registration form(s) with your $500 per child deposit;
Philadelphia parents:
Your check for $150 per child to reserve seats on the bus. * Please note- seating is limited! You will not be guaranteed space on the bus without a deposit.
If you cannot afford the entire deposit you can discuss that when you are here for your appointment.
Thank you for helping us and yourself by registering as early as possible!
_________________________________________
 

 

השנה חשוב שכולם ירשמו בהקדם האפשרי. הפדרציה היהודית של פילדלפיה דורשת מאיתנו להגיש מוקדם השנה את מספר התלמידים הנרשמים כדי שיוכלו לקבוע את הקצאות המימון.
אם אנו לא נפרסם את מספר התלמידים הנרשמים בזמן, דבר זה ישפיע על ההקצאה שלנו ועל הסיוע הכלכלי שלכם!
אם עדיין לא נרשמתם לשנת הלימודים 2017-18 נהיה באברמס ביום ראשון, 26 במרץ, בין 10-12:30 לקבל את טפסי ההרשמה שלכם, לעזור לכם למלא את טפסי הסיוע הכלכלי ולענות על שאלות.
בשבוע הבא, קרול תתקשר לאנשים בכדי לקבוע פגישות למי שזקוק לעזרה בבקשות לסיוע כלכלי, אנא, קבעו איתה במהרה אם אתם זקוקים לעזרה זו.
הקפידו להביא את טיפסי ההרשמה מלאים וחתומים עם $500 פיקדון לכל ילד.
הורי פילדלפיה:
אנא הביאו המחאה על סך $150 לכל ילד כדי לוודא את מקומו באוטובוס. * אנא שימו לב, מספר המקומות מוגבל! אתם לא תהיו מובטחים מקום באוטובוס ללא פיקדון.
אם אתם לא יכולים לתת את הפיקדונות במלואם, אנא שוחחו על כך בפגישתכם אתנו כאן.
תודה על שיתוף הפעולה!
______________________________________

 

Дорогие родители,
Пожалуйста примите к сведению что очень важно зарегистрировать ваших детей на следующий учебный год как можно скорее. Еврейская Федерация Филадельфии которая занимается распределением финансовой помощи местным еврейским школам требует сообщить количество учеников на следующий учебный год как можно быстрее.
Если мы не предоставим эти цифры вовремя, мы потеряем шанс на адекватную финансовую помощь от Еврейской Федерации что напрямую повлияет на получение финансовой помощи каждому из вас!
Если вы еще не зарегистрировались на 2017-1918 год, мы поможем вам с регистрацией в воскресенье, 26 март&#x043#x0430; с 10:00 до 12:30 утра в школе.  Наши работники помогут вам заполнить анкету на финансовую помощь и ответят на любые ваши вопросы.
На следующей неделе Carol позвонит каждой из наших семей чтобы назначить встречу с теми кто нуждается в помощи с оформлением документов.
Принесите пожалуйста с собой следующие документы:
  • заполненные регистрационные формы
  • $500 взнос за каждого ребенка
Семьи проживающие в Филадельфии:
  • $150 чтобы зарезервировать место в автобусе за каждого ребенка. *Обратите внимание что количество мест в автобусе ограничено! Мы не сможем гарантировать места в автобусе без депозита.
Если вы не можете внести полный депозит, мы будем рады обсудить это во время встречи.
Благодарим вас за понимание и помощь с регистрацией!

 

 

 

8th Grade Parent Meeting

Final Israel Trip
Meeting for 8th Grade Parents
Monday, March 27, 2017
7:00 pm
Every 8th grade parent and student must attend this important meeting. The itinerary will be discussed in detail, and we will also discuss the dedication of a Torah to the IDF; a long-standing tradition that we will continue this year.
After the Israel trip meeting we will hold a brief meeting for those of you who are interested in the after school high school starting in the fall.
Please- we are asking that ALL 8th grade parents and students attend this meeting-
NO EXCEPTIONS!
 
    

 Winning  Essay-Jeremy Brandspiegel

Jeremy Brandspiegel Writes 
Winning Essay
Congratulations to Jeremy Brandspiegel, whose essay was chosen the best of the Abrams submissions to the Better Together Writing Contest!
The 8th grade students participated in the writing contest as part of the Legacy Heritage Fund’s Better Together program. Students were asked to write essays that dealt with their relationships with seniors drawn from their experiences visiting the Abrams Residence each month or from other interactions, real or fictional, with elderly people.  Each participating school’s winner receives an award that will pay for 50% of the cost of a Jewish summer camp program, so Jeremy will receive funding from the Fund towards the cost of his summer camp. Each of our participants will also receive a recognition medallion from the Legacy Heritage Fund.
The participating entries were judged by a team of Abrams faculty and administrators who really found it difficult to choose the best essay from a field of well-written compositions. Abrams is very proud of all of its students and thank each of the participants for his/her essays. Thank you to Mr. Konopka and Ms. Abramowitz for their oversight and assistance with this project.
Jeremy’s essay will now be entered into competition with the other day schools’ winning essays, and the Legacy Heritage Fund will choose 1st, 2nd and 3d place winners from all of the participating schools. The winning schools will be awarded sizable donations to their scholarship funds.

 

Thanks to Legacy Heritage and the Better Together program for this great opportunity and 
Mazal Tov again to Jeremy!

 

   

 

TASK Visit

AHA 8th Grade students visited the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK) with Mrs. Abramowitz and Dr. P. The students volunteered their time to benefit the Trenton area residents and themselves by experiencing what it means not only to receive, but to perform acts of Chesed for others.

 

   

 

This is Hunger

This is Hunger
On Tuesday, March 21st, the 6th – 8th graders participated in a program run by MAZON (A Jewish Response to Hunger) and sponsored by Jewish Family & Children’s Service of Greater Mercer County.
Mrs. Kornsgold relates, “On Tuesday, March 21st, the 6th, 7th and 8th graders participated in an interactive exhibit that brought them face to face with hunger in America. The exhibit, hosted in a 53 foot trailer, was divided into two parts. First, we virtually met real people of all ages struggling with hunger. Then we participated in activities designed to make our students aware of the complexities of living in America with hunger.”
Abrams thanks MAZON (A Jewish Response to Hunger) for creating this wonderful exhibit and to Jewish Family & Children’s Service of Greater Mercer County for bringing it to our community and for making it possible for Abrams students to participate.

 

   

Tal Brody and “On the Map”

Tal Brody and “On the Map”
 
Tal Brody visited Abrams, talked with the students and AHA community, and gave commentary during the showing of the film “On the Map,” a documentary about the 1977 Maccabi Tel Aviv basketball team that defeated Soviet Union powerhouse CKSA in EuroCup semifinals and went on to win the 1977 EuroCup.
Tal Brody was the star of the team and after the win gave his now-famous quote, “We are on the map! And we are staying on the map-not only in sports, but in everything.”
Tal Brody is “Mr. Israel”  for Jews all over the world, and Abrams is honored to call him a friend.
    

IDF Soldiers Visit AHA

IDF Soldiers Visit AHA
 
Abrams welcomed a group of IDFsoldiers to the school and spent the morning getting to know them and hearing about their experiences in the Israeli army. It was especially nice to meet the young women soldiers who serve alongside their male counterparts defending their country.
    

OSTC Referrals and EITC for Nursery

PA Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit Program (OSTC)

 

Significant financial aid may be available to families who qualify for the PA Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit Program (OSTC).
Children who attend a state-designated underperforming school are eligible to receive scholarship funding from the OSTC program that allows children to attend Abrams Hebrew Academy  at a minimal cost.

 

**Refer a  NEW family who qualifies for funding from the OSTC program and enrolls a child or children for 2017-18;

 

**Receive a $1500 discount from your tuition bill for each NEW student who is enrolled! 
Know someone interested who qualifies? Call Rabbi Budow at 215-584-7919.

OSTC Qualifying Schools

** Nursery Parents:
You may qualify to receive EITC funding for Pre-K- call Rabbi Budow to discuss whether or not you can benefit from this program!
 
    

Sefer Torah Project
 
 
torah-scroll-sm.jpg
Abrams will participate in a special writing of a Sefer Torah whereby acts of chesed are used to acquire individual letters of the Torah.
This project is a joint initiative of The Afikim Foundation and Israel’s Ministry for Diaspora Affairs to write a Global Unity Sefer Torah celebrating the 50th Anniversary of a Reunited Jerusalem.
Jews everywhere can inscribe letters in the Torah, NOT with money, but with simple acts of chesed- everyday kindnesses that positively impact the lives of others.
Since groups may reserve blocks of letters, we’ve taken the opportunity to reserve a block of 1000 letters for Abrams Hebrew Academy. The custom link for our school’s block can be accessed by clicking on:
A digital file of all names and deeds will remain permanently with the Torah, which will be dedicated in Jerusalem on May 28, 2017, Yom Yerushalayim.  (There’s also a Drawing with 3 round-trip tickets to attend the dedication!)
The Torah is being donated to ZAKA in Jerusalem, an emergency response and recovery organization that helps set up houses of mourning whenever the unfortunate need arises.
Challenge yourself to commit many acts of kindness by May 28th – actions that are manageable and within your reach. There is no chesed too small!
Let’s complete the Abrams Hebrew Academy block in the Global Unity Torah and inspire goodness in the world in honor of Jerusalem! (All blue letters are available.)

 

Click below to find out more about this initiative:

 

EITC Advocacy

EITC and OSTC: Take Action
Email Your Representative Now!

 

Dear Teach PA Supporter,

House Bill 250, introduced by Speaker of the House Mike Turzai, aims to increase funding for the EITC (Educational Improvement Tax Credit) and OSTC (Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit) programs. These programs result in millions of dollars in scholarships for Jewish day school students throughout Pennsylvania.

HB 250 will increase tax credits available under EITC by $50 million (to $175 million) and the amount of tax credits available under OSTC by $25 million (to $75 million).

Please urge your representatives to support HB 250, to provide increased funding for these vital scholarship programs.

CLICK HERE, follow the quick instructions, and your letter will automatically be sent.

Thank you,

Arielle Frankston-Morris
Teach PA – A Project of the Orthodox Union

 

 
    

After School Art
 
 

Spring After School Art Club
Dates:          Monday Afternoons (8 classes)
March 27, April 3, 24, May 1, 8, 15, 22, June 5
Time:           3:30-5:00 pm
Place:          Abrams Hebrew Academy
Cost:            $100
Registration Form:

 

 

For more information contact Donna Moskowitz

    

After School Learning
 
After School High School Learning
 
The after school high school learning program will begin in 2017-18. The classes will meet twice a week to study Hebrew language and Jewish texts.
This program will consist of a high level, rigorous curriculum and be open to Abrams graduates and selected outside students who already have a strong foundation in Jewish studies and Hebrew language.
Please contact Rabbi Budow if you are interested in this exciting, new program!

 

    

EITC July 1, 2017 Date
 
EITC Date To Apply On-Line
The date for new business applications to the EITC program is July 1, 2017.
As you know, the business receives a tax credit in PA and a tax deduction on federal income taxes. 
 
If you or someone you know has a business that can take advantage of this opportunity and help Abrams to offer financial assistance to our qualifying families, please contact Rabbi Ira Budow at 215-584-7919. 
 
**We are starting now so that everyone is ready for he July 1, 2017 application date. The applications are ALL submitted on the same day, on a first-come, first-served basis, so timing is very critical. 
Thank you for your consideration.

 

    

Lunch Menu
LUNCH MENU
Monday-Thursday-
 
Food from Espresso Cafe:
Monday:
Penne with vegetables & Feta
 Israeli salad
Tuesday:
American cheese baguette
Caesar salad
Wednesday:
Fettuccine with marinara sauce
Greek salad
Thursday: 
Egg salad & tuna salad sandwiches
Friday:
Pizza
Available Every Day:
Bagels, butter & cream cheese
French Fries
Hash Browns
Egg
Lunch cost:  $5 per day

 

Safety and Security Reminders

 

padlock

Just a reminder of AHA security procedures:

  • All parents should use the front door to enter the school with key cards and not the back doors. Parent swipe cards only work at front door.
  • Please do not ask students to open any doors- parents must report to the front office and check-in before entering the school.
  • No student or other person should use the lunchroom doors other than for dismissal or emergency purposes.

These rules are for our children’s safety.

Thank you for your cooperation!

 

 

 

Car Pool Rules 

All Parents who Car Pool:

 

Please note that the car pool line is for grades N and K only. All other students are to be dropped off in the front of the building.

 

Parents who use the back for drop off should follow the directions of the teachers in the parking lot. They are there to assist students and maintain a safe environment.  

 

Under no circumstances are parents to park their cars in the middle of the line and leave them unattended to walk students into the building.  

 

** We ask that parents refrain from cellphone use in the parking areas while dropping off and picking up their children.

 

Abrams Notes
 

Birthday Celebrations at School
When sending birthday treats into school to celebrate that special day for your child, please consider sending in a healthy treat, such as frozen fruit bars, rice cakes, fruit salad or cups, sugar free pudding snacks, yogurt cake or pie, cheese sticks, light popcorn or air popped popcorn (when age appropriate), pretzels, carrots/celery (when age appropriate).Please avoid nuts because of allergies.

In order to maintain a consistent kashrut policy and to avoid confusion, ALL orders for birthday cakes/cupcakes MUST be ordered from Cramer’s Bakery, 16 E. Afton Avenue, Yardley. Cramer’s will deliver the order to the school at a discounted price.

Please call Kim Pierce at 215-321-5707 to place your cake/ cupcake order.

 

Celebrate Your Simcha at Abrams

 

Abrams Hebrew Academy is a perfect choice to host your family or social affair, business meeting or athletic event.  Whether you’re looking for an inviting space to celebrate a special occasion; a meeting area with state-of-the art technology; a fun, safe environment for a child’s birthday; or a gym or athletic field for a sporting event, Abrams can accommodate your needs and your budget.  For more information on room rentals at Abrams Hebrew Academy, call (215) 493-1800 or e-mail info@abramsonline.org.

Check Your Child’s Assignments with Homework Now

Parents- all homework will be posted on-line by all teachers grades K-8 by Sunday evening each week.

Instructions for use of homeworknow.com:

Click on homeworknow.com

Click on Parent and Student

Click on find school

Click on Pennsylvania

Click on Abrams Hebrew Academy

Click on your child’s teacher

View homework assignments

     

Share Abrams News With Others

Is there a family member (such as a grandparent) or friend who would be interested in hearing about everything going on at Abrams?  Sign them up for our e-mail list today!  Please contact the Main Office.

Information about the Extra

Please submit any information to be considered for inclusion in the Extra to Dale Sattin, Director of Development & Communications: dsattin@abramsonline.org. (215) 493-1800 ext. 22 by

Wednesday of the target week.

 

Abrams Hebrew Academy, 31 West College Avenue, Yardley, PA 19067
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