Mah Chadash: Turning the Camera on Patty Bloom

The relationships our students have with Mirowitz faculty and staff impactful. They lead to self confidence and personal joy, connection and empowerment. We are so proud that the St. Louis Jewish community is recognizing two of our exemplary Mirowitz professionals this spring.

Every family at Mirowitz begins their journey here with Patty Bloom. It's likely that she was the first person you met here, and she considers her role as director of Admissions and Marketing to be more of a calling than a job.

She cares so deeply about each student and every family. And because she is so grateful that someone managed to convince her to send HER children to Mirowitz, she feels she is passing along that gift to every family she recruits to our school.

We are thrilled to announce that Patty will receive the Fred A. Goldstein Award for Outstanding Professional Leadership and Service to the Jewish Community from our Jewish Federation on April 10.

This honor recognizes outstanding professional leadership and is awarded to individuals who excel in their field, have a significant track record over time, have introduced important innovations, and are perceived as role models by other professionals and volunteers.

Patty is usually behind the camera...but watch our school family turn that camera around and shine it on Patty Bloom here!

Patty is a tenacious, hard-working leader who gives every ounce of her energy toward making sure that children have the opportunity to grow up in the environment she chose for her own spectacular kids, Rebecca and Matthew.

Surely you’ve heard her story about how she veered from her original plan to use public school. She's probably told you how she credits the school for helping her raise children who are thoughtful, compassionate and have strong Jewish identities.

She may have expressed her gratitude that Mirowitz helped them grow to be leaders who make good choices and whose Jewish values have guided them through the challenges in adolescence and young adult life. (Her daughter even followed in her footsteps, and is the assistant director of admissions and marketing at a similar Jewish day school in Chicago.) And she wants to make sure YOU have the opportunity to provide the same thing for your children. To her, Mirowitz is fulfillment of her dream that the future be filled with Mirowitz alumni.

We also are honoring Reb Scott Slarskey next week. Yesterday, during our first virtual learning day in almost two years, we saw the importance of the students’ relationship with Reb Scott, who will receive the JPro Visionary Award on Thursday afternoon in front of hundreds of Jewish professionals.

Need evidence of the power of relationships at Mirowitz? View yesterday’s virtual t’fillot with Reb Scott here.

Patty and Scott are among the many adults who love your children, and work tirelessly to ensure that your children have a child marked by meaningful Jewish learning, academic excellence and social responsibility. Both are recognized nationally for their excellence, and both are local treasures worth celebrating with great joy! Please show your gratitude to Patty and Scott, and to your child's teachers with a note, a tribute or a shout out on social media!

Shabbat Shalom,

Cheryl

Our sincere prayers go out to all those who are under attack in Ukraine, and the Jewish community of Russia who might become vulnerable in response to the strong Israeli position supporting Ukraine. We hold close in our hearts the many Mirowitz families who have relatives and friends there, and the 200,000 members of the Jewish community who live there.

Mirowitz joins the Jewish Federations of North America in the urgent work of rescue and relief. May the one who makes peace in the heavens, bring peace upon us, and upon all Israel and all the world.

Mirowitz students have a few more VERY important questions for Morah Raquel! Watch episode 2 below!

Meet Morah Raquel: Episode 2

Do YOU have a very important question for Morah Raquel? Let us know.

February 28: 2022-23 Enrollment Contracts Due (for returning students)

March 17: Purim

March 24: Parent Teacher Conferences - Noon dismissal

March 25: Parent Teacher Conferences - NO SCHOOL

March 28: Professional Development - NO SCHOOL

April 15-22: Passover Break - NO SCHOOL

April 25-May 11: 8th grade Israel trip

April 28: Yom HaShoah

May 1: Mirowitz Gala (at World's Fair Pavilion in Forest Park)

May 4: Yom HaZikaron

May 5: Yom Ha'atzmaut

May 19: Lag B'omer

May 26: 8th Grade Graduation

May 27: Last Day of School

Yes! It's time for us to plan for 22-23! That's why our board gives you a $500 incentive to sign your contracts by the end of February! (That's in just a few days!) If you have questions about what your child's experience will be like in the year ahead, please contact Patty.

If you want a preview of what your child will be like as a teenager, listen to these awesome Mirowitz alumni. (Video is from Middle School Open House.)

We welcome with love to the Mirowitz family:

Jacob S...who joined Morah Sallie's second grade class this week.

Moreh Ben Brotherton who will teach Morah Sarah's class when she goes on maternity leave. Ben began working alongside Sarah in the classroom last week, and will join our class community one day every week. He will be here daily beginning April 11.

Mary Jo McLaughlin, our new business manager. She

comes with many years of experience in the corporate world. She told us that with the new year of 2022, she is looking for a new chapter and is delighted to work for a mission based non-profit.

(In case you need a reminder...here's a top 5 list.)

1. Day school grads express an extraordinary sense of responsibility toward influencing social values, helping those in need and effecting social change. Alumni parents surveyed consistently say that Mirowitz prepared their child to be an advocate for others.

2. Day school graduates are more resistant to social pressures that lead to risky behaviors than their public and private school peers. (See Prizmah study)

3. Jewish day school students are equipped with Jewish literacy and a proficient knowledge of prayer. (Watch yesterday's Zoom t'fillah for a glimpse of what happens here daily.)

We love that community rabbis rely on our graduates to teach their religious school classes, to lead youth services and to serve as youth ambassadors to their boards.

4. Graduates of day schools are predisposed to use their leadership skills to strengthen their Jewish communities.

100 percent of alumni parents surveyed say their Mirowitz graduates are involved in Jewish studies and community organizations during high school.

5. Jewish day school students develop a profound commitment to Israel. Our alumni tell us they feel well informed about Israel and comfortable engaging in discussion about Israel on campus.

As St. Louis' only pluralistic Jewish day school, Mirowitz fosters a value of diversity and the ability to maintain relationships that preserve the diversity of our community.

Parents of our alumni say their childrens' foundation of responsibility, academic success and positive Jewish identity were shaped during the elementary grades and solidified in Middle School. Your investment in your children will pay dividends for the rest of their lives.

We had two nice wins on Tuesday on the basketball court. Our Middle School boys and 4th/5th grade boys both both earned wins at Andrews Academy of Lake St. Louis. The Middle School team won 35-17, and 4th/5th won 33-19. Both teams were sparked by second-half charges. The 4th/5th graders outscored their opponent 18-4 in the second half, while the Middle School team outscored Andrews 18-5 in the 4th quarter. Middle School improves to 6-3, and the 4th/5th graders are 2-0.

Last Sunday, our 3rd-grade boys earned their first win of the season, 14-13. Trailing by 6 late in the game, the team scored the final 7 points to win.

Baseball registration has ended. Teams, and practice days will be announced shortly.

We are hoping to take our annual gala off of your computer screen and into the outdoors. Join us for an evening of celebration, and let us “show you” all the ways Mirowitz adds to our St. Louis and our Jewish community.

Honoring

Randee and Dr. Myron Jacobs

Meyer and Marcelle Kranzberg Visionary Award

Dr. Arlene and Rabbi Jeffrey Stiffman,
Cheryl, Jon, Gabe and Ari Maayan
Community Service Award

And these teachers:

15 years Betti Blumoff

10 years AJ Moll

5 years Lee’at Koertel

5 years: Fran Milsk

Report cards should arrive to you soon, but it's already time to sign up for spring conferences (March 24 and 25). The app is not working... so please use this link to sign up on your desktop.

Sign in using your personal email and password

Select Conference Sign Up
Select 2022 Spring Conferences
Choose your child's classroom teacher and Hebrew teacher
Choose a time slot.

Your child's teacher will send out a Zoom link prior to conferences.

In Honor of

Laya R.

“Mazal Tov to our sweet granddaughter. Next week, you will be our first granddaughter to read Torah, and we couldn’t be prouder. Your love of learning shines within you.”

Love, Mimi, GP
and Mawmaw

In Honor of

Aiden R.

“Wishes for a beautiful birthday to our very special grandson whom we adore.”

Love, Mimi & GP

In Honor of

Maya K.

“In honor of Maya reading Torah so beautifully and having her ninth birthday in the same week”

Love, T-T

In Honor of

Maya K.

“Happy 9th birthday and Mazel tov of your awesome Torah reading last week!”

Love, Mom, Dad,
Max and Meira

Become a Shabbat Sponsor here!

Mirowitz alumni often say that one of their most defining childhood moments happened in 3rd grade when they chanted Torah for the first time.

Alas...President's Day and icy roads kept us from the Torah this week...but look who we caught practicing for next week!

We are so proud of Mirowitz Alumn Liad Lerner who was on the NBC team that coordinated the video stream for the Winter Olympics. Liad recently graduated from University of Missouri's School of Journalism.

Daniel Estrin,

Distinguished Mirowitz (SSDS) alumn and NPR's international correspondent in Jerusalem, recently wrote and recorded a story about his Ukranian relatives. Listen to or read it here.

So proud of our social activists! Shmaya wrote a letter to his city council about the bumpy streets in his neighborhood and received this response:

The 8th grade is hosting a fundraiser to honor the wonderful faculty at Mirowitz. We plan to give every teacher and staff member Mishloach Manot (a Purim gift basket). Proceeds will support the 8th grade Israel trip.

Please click the link below, select the individuals or groups of teachers you would like to honor, and complete the payment details at the bottom. Your name will be on the card given to the individuals you select.

The deadline to participate is March 11.

Click here to participate.

Buy GS 🍪 here!

Thanks Jackson Salasky and Lauren Abraham for helping us serve lunch this week.

If you are able, please sign up to volunteer next week by logging onto the Mirowitz App on your computer here.

If you would like for your child to participate in PCR testing at school when it is needed, click the link and fill out the parental consent form for children under age 18. Please complete a consent form for each child.

Questions? Contact Nurse Beca.

PCR Consent Forms

Access Code: MIROWITZJCS

Deborah Zorensky

Alice Handelman

The Mirowitz family prays for their speedy and complete recovery.

RSVP here!

Purchase tickets here.

Your loving kindness, envelop it in Your peace, and bestow Your light and truth upon its leaders, ministers, and advisors, and grace them with Your good counsel. Strengthen the hands of those who defend our holy land, grant them deliverance, and adorn them in a mantle of victory. Ordain peace in the land and grant its inhabitants eternal happiness.