Dr. Schneider's Column
May 11 2012
From The Headmaster - Shabbat Share (May 11, 2012)
It’s hard to believe, but 290 people from 73 Krieger Schechter families gathered together last Friday night to celebrate Shabbat together. The idea was presented by KSDS parent Ronit Rubin. Eighteen enthusiastic Parents Association volunteers served on the...
May 4 2012
From The Headmaster - Nachus For Next Year (May 4, 2012)
So, let me tell you what nachus is for a headmaster. This morning, during lunchtime, I gathered together the Middle School faculty for an important announcement. Now, we’ve done this a few times this year. Generally, the announcements are informative, but...
Apr 27 2012
From The Headmaster - The Power of Tears (April 27, 2012)
A story. There was once a child who caused his parents tremendous pain. They would get phone calls from a nearby store that their son had once again stolen a comic book. No matter what the consequences were, they seemed unable to stop this behavior. And...
Apr 20 2012
From the Headmaster - The Chicken & The Pig (April 20, 2012)
Knowing that the local church was planning their annual bacon and eggs breakfast, a chicken and a pig engaged in some conversation. The chicken seemed his usual jovial self, while the pig seemed quite depressed. “What gives with you?” asked the chicken. ...
Mar 30 2012
From the Headmaster
So, what’s the best word to describe this year’s 8th grade Hebrew musical, “Peter Pan?” Perhaps eser (10). Just like we use the number 10 to describe something of exceptional quality (It’s a 10!), so, too, one can use the Hebrew word for ten, eser, to describe...
Mar 23 2012
From the Headmaster - Fiddler On The Roof
And God spoke unto Debbie Steinig, KSDS mom and teacher, saying, "Speak again onto my servant, Paul Schneider, and tell him to play the fiddle on the roof as he promised, in appreciation of his students bringing in over $1,000 of Boxtops to benefit KSDS. I...
Mar 16 2012
From the Headmaster - Storytelling With ESOL Students
This Shabbat morning at Chizuk Amuno, Rabbi Joel Zaiman will be honored upon the 50th year since his ordination. When Rabbi Zaiman retired some 10 years ago, friends established an educational fund in his honor, the Zaiman Educational Alliance, to support...
Mar 9 2012
From the Headmaster
It’s a beautiful story, and I’ve been told that it is true. There was a Rabbi who moved to a new community with his children. He was recently divorced from his wife. The president of the congregation who hired him asked him if he had a place for Shabbat,...
Mar 2 2012
From the Headmaster
So much of our celebration of Purim relates to the act of giving! There is first and foremost, the tradition of exchanging gifts, Mishloah Manot. Then there is the Matanot l’Avyonim, gifts to the needy. And third, it is after the public reading of the Megillah...
Feb 24 2012
From the Headmaster
Now, that’s how to honor one’s father! I was leading a shiva minyan this week. There were many folks who had come to practice the mitzvah of nihum aveilim, comforting the mourners. Among the visitors was Stuart Blumenthal whom I hadn’t seen in ages. Stuart...
Feb 16 2012
From the Headmaster
What’s the Yiddish word of the day? One of our KSDS dads is enamored with Yiddish, and he knows that I know some Yiddish (enough to buy a coke in Ana-tefkah!), so every morning he asks me for a new Yiddish word. “Hi, Dr. Schneider. Nu? What’s today’s Yiddish...
Feb 10 2012
From the Headmaster
To hundreds of KSDS soccer and lacrosse players, they were the William and Irene Weinberg Athletic Fields. But to 150 Canadian geese, it's just a public rest room. Things were getting messy, and it was time for a man to bird talk. "Look, Morris," I said...
Feb 3 2012
From the Headmaster
It was a discussion in my Talmud class about proper parenting. We were about to begin a new unit examining the issue, "Does Jewish law permit a parent to claim a religious exemption from the state-mandated ruling that parents must have their children immunized...
Jan 20 2012
From the Headmaster
Next time that you enter the school building, I want you to check out the mural on the outside wall. This was the last mural that Jay Wolf Schlosberg Cohen orchestrated as part of our 30th Anniversary celebration. You will find five themes, each contained...
Jan 13 2012
From the Headmaster
There may be dozens of headmasters of Jewish day schools who stand outside in the morning to greet their families, but I know of only two for sure. One is me, and the other is Bil Zarch, a candidate for the KSDS headship who will be visiting with us next...
Jan 6 2012
From the Headmaster
I was in my junior year at Brandeis when I first heard Arthur Kurzweil speak on Jewish genealogy. I found it to be such a powerful talk, that I remember running, not walking, to the phone to call my father,z”l, and ask him for the name of the stetl where...
