Tuesday, December 4, 2012

What is in a Name? Yaakov and Yisrael


In the Shabbat Assembly this past week, I spoke to the students about the power of our Hebrew names. In Parshat Vayishlach, Hashem gives Yaakov a new name. Earlier in Sefer Bereshit, Hashem had changed Avraham and Sarah's names, too. 

What’s in a name?  The parsha got me thinking about our Hebrew names and it reminded me of a conversation I had with a 5th grade student last week. We were studying the story of Yael in Sefer Shoftim. A student said to me, "That is my story. My name is Yael." She was very excited about learning about her name sake. She told me that she was going to ace the test and she did. She felt connected to the Yael in Tanach and everything she taught us. I started to think about other friends and their Hebrew names. I had a friend, Michael, whose Hebrew name was Moshe, and he was a leader. He was the person who took charge and guided us. These were, of course, also characteristics of Moshe Rabeinu. Another friend, whose name was Aharon, was always looking to make peace among us. He was like Aharon HaKohen. I asked the students to discuss this at their Shabbat tables and see if they could find connections between their family members’ Hebrew names and the people for whom they were named.

I think you will be surprised by the connections you’ll find!!

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Devorah - The right Influence


At this weeks Shabbat Assembly we talked about the influence our parents, teachers, siblings, and friends have on on us. In last week's Parsha we had the meeting of Eliezer and Rivka at the well. Rivka did all the things that Eliezer was looking to find. She gave water to Eliezer and the animals she showed great chesed. Rav Soloveitchik asked a simple but powerful question. Where did Rivka learn these great Middot. She lived in Bethuel's house with Lavan. These people are not the best example of Chesed. The Rav answered that it was her nurse, Devorah, that influenced her the most. Later in Sefer Bereshit we see the description, "Devorah, the nurse of Rivka died".

We see that people learn from everyone they encounter.  You learn from you parents and siblings and they learn from you. In school the younger students teach and influence the younger students. As a school we influence each other.  In the Lunchroom when someone comes to the table and there are no more seats available what we do influences our school community. We should offer to find a seat with this person at another table. The same could be true of situations at recess. What do we do when someone want to play baseletball or football but the teams are full?  We should figure out a way to include everyone.

These decisions set a tone and a culture for the school community. They influence others in how to act in our school and in the world. The influences from child to child might be more powerful than from parent or a teacher.  So it is up to you, the students, the set the tone and have a good influence on each other. 

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Post Hurricane Sandy

The week after Hurricane Sandy swept through the tri state area, I shared with the children a Torah insight at the Shabbat Assembly.  I thought of this idea while sitting in shul on the upper east side of Manhattan, enjoying the warmth and power of the Hachnasot Orchim of my friends and of the entire community. 

At the end of Parshat Lech Lecha, God tells Avraham that Sarah will have a baby boy and that they should call him Yitzchak. The Parsha then ends and the next Parsha, Vayeira, starts with the three visitors to Avraham's tent. The visitors were sent by God to deliver a message to Sarah about the child she will give birth to in a year’s time. This is a very important message, one that Avraham and Sarah have been waiting to receive for a very long time. I would think that the new Parsha would open with a Pasuk telling this message to Avraham and Sarah. The Torah instead spends eight pasukim talking about the visitors and the provisions that were given to them. Avraham greets the visitors and welcomes them into his home. He washes their dirty feet. Sarah makes them food to eat and gives them water to drink.  Why do we need to wait so many Pasukim to hear the line " Sarah your wife will have a son"?

Looking at the eight pasukim, I realized that there might be a very important message hidden in them.  This message is a significant one for all generations to learn.  I think that what God is telling us is that sometimes there are presents, gifts, or good messages that are waiting and ready for us. God is holding them for us in his pocket, so to speak. However, we need to do something in order to receive these gifts or messages. The eight pasukim about how Avraham and Sarah engaged in Hachnasot Orchim show us that we need to do the right thing, to perform Mitzvot, and to act properly.  Then God will give us what we deserve. 

Over the last 2 weeks, people both inside and outside of the Jewish community have very generously participated in the Mitzvah of Hachnasot Orchim. I hope that all our prayers are accepted and that God’s gifts are bestowed upon all of us.

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Noach with a Twist

This week’s Shabbat assembly for Parshat Noach included a surprise skit performed by several 5th grade girls.  They called it, Tanach with a Twist. The girls wrote an adaptation of the Flood Story in Parshat Noach.  The main character was Noa, (a girl), and G-d told her to build an ark.  The five girls did a great job in telling the story in a fun and engaging manner for their young audience.  The first, second and  third graders were riveted by the performance.  The girls used many stuffed animals as props, and the person who played G-d was hidden, so that G-d’s commands seemed to come out of thin air.  One of the best lines of the play was when Noa thanked  G-d for saving them and asks for a place to eat.  G-d says,  “we have no restaurants.  I just destroyed the world.”  Noa responded, “I guess I can make one called Noa’s Ark.”


Observing these 5h graders prepare all week for this five minute skit and seeing the reaction they received from almost 250 students, I realized that despite all the technology and the media these children have at their finger tips, they still enjoy and love to watch other children perform.  It was a powerful lesson and reminder to me, as an educator and parent, about the power of children teaching other children.  Our children are our best and most precious resource for making Judaism and Torah alive and exciting.

Thank you to Efrat, Daniella S., Gittel, Miriam and Yael M. for your great performance.




Sunday, October 14, 2012

Gan Eden:Our Homes and Schools

At the Shabbat Assembly this past week,  I spoke about Adam in Gan Eden. We talked about how "man" was created last of all the creations. The sun and the moon were already in place for him. The trees and the grass were growing for him. Rivers and oceans were filled with water for him. Man, Adam, had everything he needed to be successful. Hashem had set up Adam's environment so that mankind could flourish and be successful. Adam was given the job, as the Torah states, "to work it and guard it" (Bereshit 2:15). Adam's job was to keep the great environment that was created for him running smoothly. He needed to take care of things in order for Gan Eden to be useful for mankind.

I connected this idea to our homes and then to our great school. I said that the children’s homes are their own Gan Edens that their parents have created for them and their families. Parents give their children the resources they need in order to grow emotionally and physically   In school, parents and teachers have created a wonderful environment for the students to grow academically, emotionally and physically. We have great classes in which they learn Math, Science, English, History, Chumash, Navi, and Ivrit, as well as Art and Music. We have amazing grounds for recess and PE classes. We can play in kickball leagues, on floor hockey teams, on basketballs teams, and be part of debate and stock market teams and much, much more. 

Our job as students is to "work and guard" our Gan Eden. We need to work at making our school a place that is good for everyone, one in which  all students and staff feel comfortable and thrive. We also need to take care of it physically, by cleaning up after ourselves and picking things up off the floor. It is, in its own way, our Gan Eden, of which we should be proud.

We need to support our school and keep our Gan Eden functioning. One way to show your support is to participate in the 5K run or in the 1 mile walk on November 11, 2012. Just being there to cheer on the runners is a statement that you care about your school.  Last year over 200 Yavneh students participated in the run. This year there is a new way that you can show your support. You can set up a webpage and obtain sponsors or donations for your participation in the event.
As people who benefit from our school we need to work for it and guard it for the future. Be like Adam and support your school, your Gan Eden!


For more information, check out our website at

Thursday, October 4, 2012

The Sukkot Team - Lulav, Etrog, Hadasim, and Aravot


This past Shabbat assembly I spoke with the students about the importance of a team.  Each player has his or her role, and every player is important to the group.  Teams that understand this are the most successful, both in sports and in other domains.  I shared with the students my own experience from way back in 1986, when  I was selected to play in the Maccabi Youth Games at York University in Canada.  (I did not know it at the time, but it was the last time the Maccabi Youth Games were international).  I was very excited to be chosen to play on our Metropolitan Yeshiva League team.

When the team gathered in Canada, I knew some of the players but not others.  One boy walked in and almost hit his head on the door frame.  He was really tall, around 6’8”.  Another player was built like a tank.  He was as wide as he was tall.  Once we started practicing, it was clear that one player had been selected for his speed.  He was as fast as lightning.  He dribbled right past and around all of us.  I was not the 6’8” kid, or the one built like a tank, or the super fast one, so why was I on the team?  The coach told us all at the first practice that on this team “each player had his role.”  We were chosen because each of us had something unique to contribute to the team!

Our roles became clear at our first game.  The tallest player and the “tank” were responsible for getting all of the rebounds and throwing them to “speedy” so he could score.  This plan worked out great and we won the first game by 70 points.  I got to play the last 10 minutes of this game.  Throughout the next game, the score was close.  “Speedy” was in foul trouble and fouled out.  I took his place.  I was nervous, but Coach told me I was ready for this because I had practiced hard.  I played the last five minutes and we won by five points.   After that, I played a total of five minutes in the remaining  six games.  I was annoyed that I had played so few minutes.  The coach understood that my minutes in the games were important to me, but he told me that the minutes in practice were important to the team.  When I practiced hard, it made the starters better and the team better, as a whole.  The sum of all the parts was greater than the whole.

This is the message of the Arba Minim.  The Etrog, Lulav, Hadasim, and Aravot represent the different types of people who comprise the Jewish People.  Each type of person in the Jewish People has his or her strengths and weaknesses.  We may not accomplish everything as individuals,  but when we are together, held together like the Arba Minim, we can succeed as one, as the Jewish People. This is the lesson from holding the Arba Minim together.  All types of people are important to the success of humankind,  and we need to be open to, and accepting of all people. 

Shabbat Shalom and  Chag Sameach 
Rabbi Steven Penn

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Having a Bad Day?! Don't worry you are still my son.


At this week’s  Shabbat Assembly I discussed the following aspect of Teshuva with the students: How can we ask Hashem for forgiveness if we know that we are human and are going to make mistakes and sin again? It sounds so disingenuous.

I told the children a story about a boy who was having a very bad day.  In the morning, he woke up late and missed the school  bus. His parents were very angry.  At school, the boy was doing a math problem and  he pushed too hard on his pencil, which broke.  When he looked in his backpack for another pencil, the backpack fell and all of its contents emptied  onto the floor, causing a commotion.  The teacher did not yell, but looked at the boy angrily.  His horrible day continued at lunch.  He took school lunch from the counter and was holding the tray with one hand when he lost his balance and all his food fell on the floor.  It was a big mess!  Recess should have been a safe place for the boy.  He scored a touchdown in his football game.  Great!! But when he went to spike the ball, it hit something and deflated.  All of his friends were angry with him.

When the boy returned home from school his Mom asked him about his day.  He told her how bad his day was and he began to cry.  His Mom said “I know you make mistakes and sometimes you are careless, but you are my son, always and forever.  I love you and always will.”  A smile appeared on the boy’s face and he started his homework.

This story is synonymous with our relationship to Hashem.  Hashem knows that we will make mistakes and do the wrong thing at times, but we are always His children.  Hashem will always love us.  Hashem will always hear our sincere words and our Teshuva.  As Rashi explains  in the story of the beracha from the angel to Yaakov, even if a member of Bnai Yisrael sins, he is still a part of Bnai Yisrael.  

This dvar Torah is based on an article I read in Ohel Avraham 5773.

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Shababt Nitzavim - New Beginings

The topic of this week’s Shabbat Assembly was “New Beginnings”.  Some new beginnings  that we discussed include the start of a new school year, being in a new class with new classmates, having a new teacher, and the new Jewish Year, Rosh Hashana, 5773.  This is a time when we can, and should, look back on all that we have accomplished over the past year.  I asked the students to think about two or three things that they accomplished during  the year, either at home or in school, of which they were proud.  I told them that they should  feel good about reaching their goals.  I then suggested that they think of two or three new  goals for this coming year.  At your Rosh Hashana table, ask your children about their goals, and listen to what they want for themselves this year. (It is a great exercise for adults, too).


I told the students that I would remind them on each  Rosh Chodesh throughout the year to think about the goals they selected for themselves.  Hopefully, this will encourage the children to remain on the path to fulfilling their aspirations.

I also introduced another “NEW” at Assembly.  The new Banot Sherut who are working at Yavneh  this year are Rany Zeman and Chen Yechye.  They shared a video about themselves with  the students.  We are excited that Rany and Chen are devoting  their year of service to our students and our school.   Please join me in welcoming them to the Yavneh family!

Shabbat Shalom and Shana Tova,

Rabbi Steven Penn
Here is the video that they showed the students  ( i know the sound does not work Sorry)


Sunday, September 9, 2012

Giving People the Benefit of the Doubt

 At the Shabbat Assembly for Parshat Ki Tavo we discussed the idea of giving people the benefit of the doubt. A student in one of the class in answering the teachers question "What does the sound of the shofar remind us?"  One student said it reminds him of "apple and honey", another student said it reminds him of the "white covering to the Aron Kodesh and the Shulchan".  The last student said it reminds me of what my mothers told me, that at this time of year we need to be "extra good". 
That is actually the Halacha. At this time of year Hashem tells us do things a little better than you have been doing. Give people the benefit of the doubt more.
I shared with the students my personal story from a few weeks ago.  When I was driving to Yavneh one day,  the car behind me starting honking their horn and I did not know what I was doing wrong. So I went a little faster. Still honking from behind. I went a little slower (ok a lot slower) and still honking. I was getting very annoyed at this driver, what was wrong with him.!!
I move over the far right lane to allow him to pass. He drove past me and slowed to talk to me through the window. Now I was nervous.  He said something about my trunk??. When I pulled into Yavneh a few minutes later I went to check and I saw that my trunk was ajar and a strap was hanging out. He was just trying to help me.   
I told the students that situation like this happen daily to each of us.  It could happen at school, at home, or at a friends house. It could happen with your brother, sister, your parents, your friends and your teachers. We need to remember to give everyone the benefit of the doubt דן לכף זכות.   Especially during the days of Elul and leading up to Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur.  
We also watched the great video from Aish Hatorah about How Beautiful Rosh Hashana can be.