Derech Emunah Newsletter Issue 7 December 5, 2018

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Issue 7 | December 5, 2018

Just Keep Walking

By Mrs. Jessica Hoffman, Humanities Teacher

Just keep walking. That is the message of Salva Dut, one of the “Lost Boys” of Sudan,” famously known for their journey by foot to seek safety in a refugee camp in Ethiopia and Kenya. This week in Humanities, the 9th and 10th graders began reading A Long Walk to Water, by Linda Sue Park, based on the true story of Salva Dut.

The book also highlights the story of a young girl who cannot attend school because she spends most of her day retrieving water. To better understand her difficulties, we arranged for our Derech Emunah students to carry heavy jugs of water across the BCMH synagogue parking lot. It was only a minute or two of walking, while randomly chased by a “lion,” played by Ellie Babani. The girls could not imagine doing it for hours in the heat with real, non-student lions on the prowl.

Nearly half of the people in South Sudan do not have access to clean water. In some rural areas, the average person uses perhaps four liters of water per day.

A Long Walk to Water fits into this year’s literature theme of books that are based on true stories or actual memoirs. As they read, students are asked to follow the educational, emotional, and persuasive nature of the book.

To delve deeper into the topic, we watched Salva Dut's TED Talk, “I Kept Walking” and discussed his message. What does “Just Keep Walking,” mean to you?

To learn more about Salva’s story and how he is helping people in South Sudan, visit https://www.waterforsouthsudan.org/.

Upcoming Dates and Events

December 5th

Chanukah Chagiga

December 7th

Chanukah - Early dismissal at 11:50 am

December 11th
Dr. David Luchins, Founding Dean, Professor, Chair, Political Science Department of Lander College for Women (TOURO) will be at DE to speak to our students

December 15th
Derech Emunah Shabbaton with Mrs. Mindy Lankry

Rebbetzin Lankry has served as Rebbetzin alongside her husband Rabbi Aaron Lankry in several synagogues around the world, including Hong Kong, Edmonton, Alberta (Canada), Aventura, Florida and Sephardic Synagogue of Fifth Ave, Manhattan, NY.

Mrs. Lankry is a certified life coach, gives various Torah lectures, as well as private classes on family purity.

The Rebbetzin now resides in Monsey where her husband is Rabbi of Congregation Ohr Chaim. They have eight children and several grandchildren.

December 18th

Fast of Asarah B’Tevet Early Dismissal, 12:10 pm
Special Asarah B’Tevet Program,. Video presentation - Strike on Heaven by Yizkereim, a non-profit educational project.

Yizkereim, The Rabbi Leib Geliebter Memoriql Foundation, is named after a Talmudic scholar who led spiritual resistance activities in the forced labor camp of Czenstchow, Poland and in the Buchenwald concentration camp.
Learn more: http://www.rlgfoundation.org/

December 19th
Ulpaniada Semi-Finals - An International problem-solving competition based on math skills and logical reasoning. All four of our Derech Emunah participants earned entry into the Semi-Finals

Read more about the Ulpaniada:
http://www.ulpaniada.michlalah.edu/english/

December 24th - January 1st

Winter break - No school

January 15th

Open House for prospective students - All Day

Date to be announced

A Musical Production

“THE REAL DEAL”

by Derech Emunah Students