The event is an opportunity to honor teachers, see a showcase of examples of student work over the years, and to create community.
“We’re excited to celebrate Talmud Torah’s past, present, and future, by showcasing how it has continued to adapt and stay relevant over the past 125 years,” said Talmud Torah co-president Sandy Sondell. “We will celebrate staff for making our school a place that students make connections and build pride and self-confidence in being Jewish.”
Talmud Torah board member Maggie Blehert said this is the first activity to kick off the 125th year of Talmud Torah. Most other activities are yet to be solidified, but a school-wide picnic to kick off the 2019-20 school year is planned.
One of the big items that Blehert is working on is a historical display of current-year and past artifacts, as well as a photo display.
“We’ve found a document from Talmud Torah’s 20th-year celebration, and we have some neat, framed photos that haven’t seen the light of day recently that were in our archives,” she said. “When you see the classrooms and the people in vintage dress and see how old-fashioned it looks, it gives an appreciation for how Talmud Torah has changed and how interactive it has become.”
With 125 years of history, it’s no surprise that there’s no shortage of photos to choose from.
“It was like picking needles out of a haystack deciding what to use,” Blehert said, adding that there will be a photo board of the 1980s and 90s. “There will be a lot of current parents who were probably in those.
Sondell said the event is a great opportunity to showcase the school for a community that might not know a lot about the program.
“We know about all of the exciting opportunities Talmud Torah offers our children – including experiential learning, supporting students with learning differences, and using effective technology – and we are looking forward to sharing that with everyone else.”
Note: The editor/author of this story is an outgoing member of the Talmud Torah board.
