LOVELAND MAGAZINE

News and Events from the Loveland, Ohio Area

Without fear or favor
Since 2004

Tag: Hanukkah

  • But here I am at school everyday with 24 children who truly do believe in the magic of Christmas and Hanukkah [w/Photo Album]

    But here I am at school everyday with 24 children who truly do believe in the magic of Christmas and Hanukkah [w/Photo Album]

    by Jennifer Miller

    As Thanksgiving  Break draws to a close I lay awake that Sunday and wonder how I will make it to Winter Break. You see, I am a first-grade teacher (13-year Kindergarten teacher before that) and December is EXHAUSTING. Can I survive? Can I keep my students in routine to keep “unwanted” behaviors at bay? Can I mix in just the right amount of fun?

    Jennifer Miller teaches 1st graders at Loveland Primary

    And that’s just at work. At home, I am overcome with the anxiety of being a good mom and partner to my significant other through December? Will I be able to make social outings with my friends? When will I shop for my own family? It’s all too much! And I have gone through this cycle for 22 years now. 

    I dig deep. We get back from Thanksgiving Break and we dig back into our learning. The first week back is too soon for Holiday stuff so whew, we all survive. But we can all feel it building. Then there is that dreaded middle week of school. Not the first week back when you are fresh and not the last week before break – the middle one. Routine, routine, routine at school. Keep them in routine. Sprinkle in the fun. Go to bed early. Go to bed early. Don’t worry about getting Christmas ready at home. Self-care. Self-care. Be an OK mom. Let your significant other take care of you. That is my mantra.

    And then, it’s here. The week before winter break. I dig deep. Really deep. I can do this! Keep my eyes on the prize! Eyes on the prize!

    Routine again at school as much as possible. Eat a good breakfast. Consume LOTS of coffee. Self-talk. Self-talk. Self-talk. Believe that I am enough at school for my students and at home for my family. Oh – and sprinkle in the fun at school. Holidays around the world, a Fantasy Field Trip to the North Pole writing assignment, assist 24 little ones in making a gift for their parent, and oh – keep the peace in the classroom and pick my battles. And then, Mother Nature teases us with a possible delay or snow day. But no, it’s just wet and cold enough to cause days worth of inside recess! Inside recess in December- oh come on! I’m definitely being tested. I trudge along. 

    And then I remember that year after year I get to spend December with an incredible age group who never let me forget what the holidays are all about.

    But then something always snaps in me and my brain settles a bit and the anxiety begins to disappear.  Perhaps it’s because I am getting older and my own child is 15 and the holidays look and feel a little different now. Gone are the days of sitting on Santa’s lap and getting up early on Christmas morning to see what Santa left. Gone are the days of having our own elf on a shelf at home. Christmas wish lists are full of makeup and clothes and gift cards instead of American Girl Dolls and Barbies.

    But here I am at school every day with 24 children who truly do believe in the magic of Christmas and Hanukkah. 24 children who think every minute of this last week is amazing and awesome. 24 children who think their classmates and their teachers are awesome.

    But here I am at school every day with 24 children who truly do believe in the magic of Christmas and Hanukkah. 24 children who think every minute of this last week is amazing and awesome. 24 children who think their classmates and their teachers are awesome. And then I remember that year after year I get to spend December with an incredible age group who never let me forget what the holidays are all about. I get to see December through the eyes of a child year after year. I begin to move slower through the week. Observing and listening as I go. I slow down at home too. And I take it all in. And to me, that makes me the luckiest person out there. Maybe even luckier than Santa. 

    PS – I have to say thank you to my incredible family. To Olivia, my daughter, thank you for letting me be just an OK mom during the last few weeks! Thank you for knowing that I give my all to school every day. 

    To my significant other, Kyle – thank you for loving and supporting “teacher me” each day, and understanding this time of year like no one else can. Thank you for feeding me and tucking me in at 9 PM. And to my mom, dad, and sister – thank you for understanding my job and that in December those little people come first. Thank you for supporting me so that I can love and support my students.

    The photos below were taken in Ms. Miller’s classroom the day before the last day of school before Winter Break. The children were making holiday crafts and thank you cards for their custodian, Dave Constant. They got a surprise visit from their Recess Monitor, Mike Scherbenberg and Amy Reiss the building’ English as Second Language teacher. Donna Miller, Ms. Miller’s mom volunteered to help the children wrap the presents they were going to take home.

    Click on any photo to view it full size and flip through the entire gallery…

  • This 5-year Jewish Holiday Calendar can assist schools as they schedule exams, field trips, sporting events, and graduations

    This 5-year Jewish Holiday Calendar can assist schools as they schedule exams, field trips, sporting events, and graduations

     

  • 8th Night for Ethan – “Battle of the Schools”

    8th Night for Ethan – “Battle of the Schools”

    Hello everyone!

    Our names are Daniel Shapiro and Zack Berger. We are seniors at Wyoming High School and Sycamore High School, respectively. Our friendship started at Rockwern Academy,

    Please join us at Rockdale Temple on the 8th Night of Hanukkah, December 19th from 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm for a Hanukkah celebration, arts and crafts for younger kids, candle lighting and dessert.

    formerly Yavneh Day School, in 2005. Rockwern/Yavneh sparked many lasting friendships for our classmates. Four and a half years ago, our fellow classmate, Loveland resident, Ethan Kadish, was struck by lightning while at summer camp, resulting in traumatic brain damage. This tragic event has left Ethan and his family with extensive medical annual costs of over $100,000 after insurance.  

    Team Rockwern

    Every year since Ethan’s accident, we have celebrated the 8th night of Hanukkah in honor of him with both a fundraiser and Hanukkah celebration. Please consider donating what you would spend on gifts for your family’s 8th night celebration to Help Hope Live in Ethan’s honor. This event and your donation are crucial for helping alleviate the Kadish’s financial burden.

    As we are now seniors, our last year together before moving to the next chapter in our lives, we want to add a new element to this year’s events – a “Battle of the Schools.”

    If you would prefer to write a check, make it out to “Help Hope Live”, write Ethan Kadish in the memo section, and mail it to Daniel Shapiro, 165 Wyoming Woods Lane, Cincinnati, OH, 45215.

    With the goal of raising $40,000, each former Rockwern/Yavneh classmate will represent their respective high school and lead the fundraising efforts. For those able to donate but do not have an allegiance to one of the represented schools, please give to the Rockwern Academy team, because this is where our friendships started.  Please consider donating today.  For credit card donations, please visit www.helphopelive.org and search for Ethan Kadish, or click 8th Night Battle or call 800-642-8399. If you would prefer to write a check, make it out to “Help Hope Live”, write Ethan Kadish in the memo section, and mail it to Daniel Shapiro, 165 Wyoming Woods Lane, Cincinnati, OH, 45215.

    Also, please join us at Rockdale Temple on the 8th Night of Hanukkah, December 19th from 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm for a Hanukkah celebration, arts and crafts for younger kids, candle lighting and dessert. There will be an opportunity to donate at the event. Even though this is a “Battle of the Schools,” we are all fighting for our friend Ethan. 

    Let the games begin!                                       

    Thanks in advance for your donation,

    Daniel and Zack

    #8thnightbattle

     

     

  • Loveland School’s donations serve more than 200 Loveland families during the holiday season

    Loveland School’s donations serve more than 200 Loveland families during the holiday season

    Loveland Intermediate School and Loveland Middle School students walked donations from their buildings down the street to the L.I.F.E. Pantry during the 2017 Pass-it-On drive, an annual tradition. (Provided Photo)

    Tiger Family helps to ‘Pass-it-On’ during annual food drive

    Loveland, Ohio – A Holiday Box with all of the fixings – decorative holiday napkins included – with enough food to serve families for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Hanukkah. That was the gift to more than 200 Loveland families thanks to a community pulling together, and a 17-year partnership between the Loveland City School District and Loveland L.I.F.E. Pantry. The Tiger Family donated nearly 8,000 items during the November Pass-it-On donation drive.

    “Thanks to the enormous efforts of our team working with the school – the teachers and students, parents, and police officers, the L.I.F.E. Pantry was able to serve 207 area families,” said L.I.F.E. Pantry Director Linda Bergholz. “The blessings of this community are abundant, and we are both humbled and grateful for the outpouring of our school community.”

    Families picked up the Holiday Boxes from the pantry on Saturday, Nov. 18. The pantry provided families with additional fresh items, some donated from area businesses, as well as gift certificates for the main course for the two meals. This year, the pantry also provided recipe cards for each family so they could make traditional holiday foods, like green bean casserole, sweet potatoes with marshmallows, and even hot cocoa with marshmallows, too – and clients could taste-test the delicious recipes at box pick-up.  

    “Our Preschool through fourth graders collected over 2,500 items towards making winter holiday meal baskets for families right here in our own district,” said Stacy Fitzgibbon, LEPTA Pass-it-On chairperson.

    “Our Preschool through fourth graders collected over 2,500 items towards making winter holiday meal baskets for families right here in our own district,” said Stacy Fitzgibbon, LEPTA Pass-it-On chairperson. “This is my third year helping with Pass-it-On, and the generosity this community exhibits with its time and resources always amazes me.”

    “For the 17th year, Pass-it-On has been a great partnership between Loveland Schools and L.I.F.E. Food Pantry,” said Lauren Aiello, M/INT Pass-it-On Chairperson. “The fifth through eighth grades at Loveland Intermediate School and Loveland Middle School collected over 5,200 items toward the holiday baskets. That is twice what was requested! Loveland’s generosity to its neighbors is inspiring, and shows just one aspect of our wonderful community. We couldn’t do any of this without the families taking part, teachers supporting our efforts, and the volunteers who help pull all of this together.”