It is hard to believe that summer has come to a close. Most of your children have headed back to school or will be heading back over the next week. Here at Temple Sinai, we have been busy preparing for the year ahead. We refreshed the Noar curriculum, started planning for Opening Day, and organized some fun youth group kick offs. Stay tuned over the next few weeks to learn more. This week, I would like to introduce you to the Noar Leadership Team. After meeting many of you last year, I am excited to be returning as the Director of Youth and Teen Learning and Engagement. Your partnership and feedback last year has helped guide me as I spent the summer envisioning the year ahead.
We are starting off this school year with a full staff ready to care for the whole child. To this end, we applied for a grant through Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta to add a Student Care Specialist who will be joining us on Sundays. I am happy to introduce Miranda Barzey. A licensed counselor and play therapist, Miranda will help students who may need more support finding their place in the Noar setting. If you have let us know that your child has an IEP in school, you can be on the lookout for an invitation to connect with Miranda so we can set up a plan to help ease the transition back to Noar Sunday and Noar Hebrew.
Brandon Gabay is a new addition to the Youth and Teen Engagement Team. Brandon joins us from Jupiter, Florida where he was the Youth and Family Engagement Director at Temple Beth Am. Having attended Camp Coleman and Camp Jenny, Brandon is familiar with many Temple Sinai teens. On Sundays, Brandon will lead Madrichim-in-Training to prepare the future leaders of Noar.
Sigal Kahn continues as one of our Youth and Teen Engagement Managers. She will be able to spend more time focusing on the experiences of our K–6th grade populations this year. On Sunday mornings, Sigal will help ensure that our Junior and Senior Madrichim are in place and there to support the teaching team.
Jenny Mopper returns to Noar as the first person you encounter in the Noar office. She makes sure that students are signed in and out (before 11:30 am, please), takes care of any boo-boos, organizes pizza for Hebrew students, and takes care of many of the behind the scenes issues all year round.
With a strong team to support you and your children, we are ready to begin the Countdown to Noar, just a month away. Over the coming weeks, be on the lookout for your Thursday emails where we will share more details about Opening Day, help you prepare to return to Noar with information about procedures, and introduce you to your children’s teachers.
B’shalom, Shanna
See below for information about the Scrappy Petting Zoo kick off event.
Club23 will have a kick off in September. Details for this event will come out soon.
Club 45 will kick off their year with a Pool Party. See below for more details.
Club 6 is looking forward to Go-Karting, see below for details.
Kick Off Club 6 With Go-Karting Friday, August 23, 6:00 pm-8:50 pm, Andretti Racing Marietta Go head-to-head in a race with your Temple Sinai 6th grade friends! Energize yourself with pizza before you take on the track and head to the arcade as you cool off from your course. Drop-off and pick-up at Andretti in Marietta (1255 Roswell Rd, Marietta, GA 30062). Hard copy waiver must be filled out in advance. Must be at least 48”. Cost is $30 per child.
Club 45 Pool Party Kickoff Saturday, August 24, 6:00 pm-8:00 pm, MJCCA Pool Make a splash with your 4th and 5th grade friends! Enjoy a pizza dinner and post-swim sweet treat. Drop-off and pick-up will be at the MJCCA pool (5342 Tilly Mill Rd, Atlanta, GA 30338). Bring a towel, plastic bag for wet items, goggles if they wear them and apply sunscreen in advance. Cost is $25 per child.
SCRAPPY (K-1) Petting Zoo Sunday, September 15, 12:30 pm-1:45 pm Kick off the year with other Kindergarten and 1st graders at the SCRAPPY petting zoo. After a pizza lunch, enjoy farm animal encounters (including a pony ride!) on the Mercaz. Drop-off and pick-up are in the carpool line in the back parking lot. Note that Noar Sunday students will be brought from their classrooms to the event. Cost is $20 per child.
Ceramic Memorial Garden Project Help us create a ceramic flower garden at Temple Sinai to honor the memory of those lost in Israel since October 7th. Artist Robin Singer will lead us in 2 programs to make and glaze the flowers that will be installed on our grounds before the High Holy Days.
This event is open to all ages and you do not have to attend both dates to participate - we will work together so that everyone's flowers are completed.
Session #1 - Flower Making Sunday, August 25 from 3:00 pm-5:00 pm
Session #2 - Glazing Sunday, September 15 from 10:00 am-12:00 pm
Each flower costs $18 and all proceeds will be donated to the Tribe of Nova Foundation.
Family Shabbat Service & Dinner Friday, September 13, 5:45 pm-8:00 pm Start the new year with our new Family Shabbat! We invite families of elementary-aged children to come together for challah-making, a service geared toward families, and a Shabbat dinner. After dinner, we'll take the kids for a series of apple-themed activities while you win(e)d down with other parents! Cost is $18 for 16+, $12 for ages 3-15, and kids under 3 are free.
