Last week marked the third award ceremony for the Sylvia G. Gordon Award for Excellence in Children's Literature at Bernard Zell! Mrs. Gordon is a dear friend and supporter of our school who founded the Bernard Zell library more than 50 years ago and continues to support it to this day.

To ensure the health and safety of the Bernard Zell community, school leadership continues to take proactive measures to reduce the risk of coronavirus exposure. 

Frozen Jr., the 2020 Morton Reisman Operetta is fast approaching! Join us as we celebrate our first operetta in the Pritzker Pucker Performance Space for a truly magical and memorable production! Tickets will be available on Tuesday, March 17 for $10.

As Nursery students prepared for the upcoming celebratory holiday of Purim, there was much excitement and silliness to be had by all! The teachers transformed the atelier in the Nursery Suite into “Vashti’s Closet,” full of costumes, accessories and much more for the young learners to explore.

Fifth-grade scientists are learning about electricity by building paper circuits using coin cell batteries, copper tape and LEDs.

The Lower School classrooms were alive with the spirit of Purim today! After the 4th graders eloquently led us in our annual Megillah reading (yes, they read in English and in Hebrew), students explored festive stations in their rooms.

Click below to learn of exciting Yad B'Yad volunteer opportunities during the month of March. The Yad B'Yad Committee looks forward to having you join them!

We regret to inform you that due to circumstances beyond our control, the Young Family Program originally scheduled for this Sunday at 10:00 a.m. has been canceled.

Join us for a small group conversation for parents to discuss educational successes and opportunities for growth. The results of our community satisfaction survey will be presented with ample time for your questions. Coffee and light bites will be provided. We look forward to talking with you!

The Middle School is hosting a drive to collect as many travel-sized toiletries as possible to fill hygiene kits for the Night Ministry and the Period Collective, organizations that work with adults and youth who are currently struggling with poverty. 

Bernard Zell Parent-Teacher Conferences will be taking place for all grade levels on Wednesday, March 4 and Thursday, March 5. Please note that on Wednesday, March 4 there is no After-School programming and on Thursday, March 5 and Friday, March 6, there is no school for students.

Yesterday, the award-winning author, journalist, NPR Weekend Edition host and Bernard Zell alumnus, Scott Simon, took time to visit with 5th, 6th and 7th graders. The event was moderated by our Library Director, Rena Citrin, who offered her perspective not only as an expert on children's literature but also as Scott's former high school classmate. 

Grandparents and Special Friends' Day will be on Friday, May 8th and we don't want your family to miss out on the fun! Please login to BZ Connect to review the 2020 Grandparent/Special Friends' Profile form to make sure we have all the correct information for your family's Grandparents or Special Friends.

How do you feel when you enter a Beit Knesset/Shule/Synagogue and go into the sanctuary? I have been to many synagogues throughout the world. In each one, I have had a different feeling. There is a certain feeling of awe that is hard to describe. I do not feel it anywhere else, only when I enter into the sanctuary.

The debut of our annual Morton Reisman 8th-Grade Operetta is almost one month away and you can see that while we have gotten a solid start on costumes, there are still many empty slots to be filled! Click below to see items needed for this year's production.

Reminder: Due to scheduled maintenance in the entry vestibule, the new front entrance will be closed on the afternoon of Wednesday, March 4 through Friday, March 6. Normal drop-off for Wednesday morning remains unchanged. 

Growing up in Texas, Bernard Zell third grade teacher, Benje Casper developed a love for Dallas’ Camp Chai and still maintains a deep affection for his summer camp experiences—an institution he first attended as a camper, later as a counselor and eventually as a supervisory unit head.

The 2020 REadCYCLE Book Swap was a huge success. Over 6,000 books were swapped in our community in just two and a half days! There were even enough books leftover to send 20 boxes of books to Bernie's Book Bank. 

The Sylvia G. Gordon Award for Excellence in Children’s Literature was created and administered by the library and is a curricular collaboration between the library, the 6th-grade humanities teachers and middle school visual arts teachers.

The 3rd grade is busy investigating the perimeter and area of shapes. First, students made tetrominoes, which are shapes using only four cubes.

SK 110 celebrated 100 days of senior kindergarten! Students have been preparing for this day all year long. After months of exploring letters, numbers, authors, rainforests, and more, they finally reached this milestone day.

We are so proud and honored to announce that we received a grant from the Jewish Education Innovation Challenge to help us develop a curriculum about Wiesel that has the potential to be replicated at other Jewish Day Schools across the country.

We are incredibly grateful for all those who have already contributed to helping make our innovative and inspiring new space a reality, and are excited to have launched the community phase of our campaign with a new microsite celebrating our accomplishments thus far.

This week, our third graders transformed into teaching experts, as they showcased newly acquired expertise in the area of Chicago History. Their authentic audience, our very own SK class, was able to connect this teaching to their own Chicago learning and experience the benefits of this integration together. 

Spring conferences are around the corner and we’re already preparing for our time with you! In Middle School, spring conferences are student-led. As a Middle School, we are committed to helping students invest in their own learning and develop a growth mindset. We strive to ensure Bernard Zell graduates know they can develop their skills and talents through effort and diligence while being receptive to feedback.

In the spirit of Tu B'Shevat, 2nd graders invited their family and friends to showcase their learning about this holiday. For the past month, 2nd graders learned all about Tu B'Shevat (ט״ו בשבט), a Jewish holiday occurring on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Shevat.

Thank you to everyone who attended last week's State of the School program. We were thrilled to welcome back five BZ alumni, Andie Berman '16, Charlie Cohen '18, Blair Fischer '07, Jonah Moroh '12 and Molly Simon '05. Watch the full discussion below!

This past December, Rachel Vorwaller (Class of 2005) tied the knot in a ceremony at Chicago’s Theater on the Lake, just a couple miles south of Bernard Zell. Not only was Anshe Emet’s Rabbi Michael Siegel officiating, but Rachel’s maid of honor and several other members of her bridal party were fellow BZ classmates.

SK’s  שקדיה shkeidia (almond) tree has bloomed! The students sang the song השקדיה פורחת HaShkeidia Porachat for weeks, preparing to celebrate ט"ו בשבט Tu B’Shevat. This song tells us that when the almond tree blooms, Tu B’Shevat has arrived.

There are a few times in the Torah where God makes a formal agreement with mankind. The first, at the very start of the Jewish story, leads to the establishment of the Abrahamic covenant, in which God promises to Avram Avenu...

Anshe Emet Sisterhood presents a dynamic seminar led by professional family biographer and Bernard Zell parent Stacy Derby and will explore the importance of inter-generational communication. 

Congratulations to our coaches and student-athletes! All four of our teams won last night, putting them in the final four in the conference and guaranteeing themselves games both Wednesday and Thursday nights. Thank you to Dana Gradman, Matt Rieger, and Taty Sampson as well as Matt Tobias and his crew for being great hosts for day one of our tournament.

Your support at Who's Coming to Dinner? will make a direct impact on all of our students, faculty and our entire community! Whether you were at the event, or demonstrated your support through sponsorships and online bidding, we are so grateful for your generosity.

To help with your planning, click below to learn key dates for 2020-2021 school year!

We are excited to announce our State of the School will be held on Thursday, February 6. This year's program will feature an alumni panel, Head of School Gary Weisserman and the Board of Trustees.

The power of a good book to educate, enrich or transport its reader to another time and place is an essential lesson for any young student, and it’s one that Scott Simon—Bernard Zell alumnus, author and host of NPR’s Weekend Edition—knows better than almost anyone. 

Spirit Shabbat will take place Friday, February 7. Show your school spirit and wear any Bernard Zell gear! Purchase your spirit gear by Wednesday, January 29 and receive free delivery to school by Thursday, February 6. 

We are excited to announce that Bernard Zell will hold its first Mid-Winter Break Camp with the help of 3 Point Athletics! The camp will be offered for students in grades 1 through 8 and will take place during Mid-Winter Break, Tuesday, February 18 through Friday, February 21.

JoAnn Wexler World Read Aloud Day (WRAD) will take place throughout the school day on Wednesday, February 5. Dedicated to the memory of beloved 4th-grade teacher JoAnn Wexler, the day celebrates the importance of reading.

Join us for an unforgettable night of collaborative original Jewish music featuring local musical talent from the city and beyond! Hosted by Temple Sholom of Chicago and co-sponsored by local synagogues, day schools, camps and organizations.

Please join us for the 2020 Student Council Fun Fest on Wednesday, Feburary 5 at 3:45 p.m. All are invited for games, prizes and an inflatable obstacle course. $5 admission

Throughout the year, students in JK105 have been learning all about themselves. They have studied their faces while drawing self-portraits, learned their Hebrew name and have discovered many of their likes and dislikes through graphs and discussions.

This past week has been a fairly emotional one for me. On Monday, I was in New York with Jewish Day School Judaic directors from around the country where I attended a moving tefillah community service dedicated to the legacy of Martin Luther King

Enrichment, BZ Before and BZ Beyond programs will open for spring registration on Monday, February 3 at 9:00 a.m.

There’s no better way to combat the winter doldrums than with a good book. Our Annual Book Swap will take place from Monday, February 10 - Wednesday, February 12 in Blum. Students are encouraged to bring in gently used books to swap for “new-to-you” books. Book collection will take place in classrooms on February 5, 6 & 7. No adult books, please! 

Skating requires a balance of agility, power, speed, endurance & coordination. It’s a great fitness workout while also requiring students to be resilient and to step outside of their comfort zone. It’s been a great start to the most popular unit!

Middle-grade author Abby Cooper was in residence with the 5th grade this week to share her experience writing and revising books for young people. A former library assistant at our school, Cooper has had three magical realism novels published by major houses in the last four years.

It has been wonderful to be back at school with your children after our two-week winter break! The transition was seamless for students and teachers alike, and we were excited to get back to the very important work of exploring, learning and playing.

Students at every grade level are now entrenched in the act of reading and writing nonfiction as part of our Lucy Calkins Reading and Writing Curriculum. Lucy Calkins is the Founding Director of the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project at Columbia University in New York, and the author of the reading and writing Units of Study series, which have been an integral part of our literacy curriculum at BZ for many years.

Our new building has brought many opportunities for new learning experiences and kehilah! This past weekend our 8th graders participated in our first ever Shabbaton Lock-In! Students arrived at school Friday morning for a day full of learning and mitzvot.

In SK108, our students enjoy learning through researching and sharing their knowledge with their peers. They began conducting research in groups as they studied birds that live in the emergent layer of the rainforest.

The month of Shevat is almost here and that means that the holiday of Tu B’Shevat is around the corner. In 2nd grade, students have begun learning about this wonderful Jewish holiday which celebrates the trees and recognizes their importance to the world. 

The 8th grade celebrated Shabbat together by having the first ever lock-in and sleeping over at school. Last Friday, the students made challahs together and then departed for Cradles to Crayons for community service.

Our online auction is now live! Start bidding on Teacher Time and other exciting and fun experiences for kids and adults!

While still only in her second year at Bernard Zell, the Jewish Day School environment is certainly not unfamiliar to Lower School art teacher, Shana Ryback. Having grown up in Lincolnwood, Illinois, Shana attended Solomon Schecter Day School before moving on to Ida Crown Jewish Academy for her High School education. So when she started teaching at Bernard Zell in the fall of 2018, the community atmosphere, in many ways, felt like a homecoming.

Every year, students look forward to this friendly competition between faculty and students as the entire school cheers them on. After a close game filled with tons of ruach, students fell to faculty 30-33. Great game to both teams - until next year!

Last month, Dana Hirt shared personal anecdotes, words of Torah and her own framework for intentional parenting at our inaugural Zell Talk. A video of Dana's complete address, along with the question and answer session, is now available.

We are excited to present our 2018-2019 School Highlights and Donor Report to our community. We are also grateful for the opportunity to thank and recognize our many donors and volunteers. 

Hanukkiah making is in full swing in JK104! The students explored with loose parts and built their ideas before gluing them down to make their Hanukkiahs. The panning and tinkering phase is crucial as it allows students to “think with their hands” and form ideas about their final design.

On Friday, December 20, Bernard Zell will host its 22nd annual Eagle Classic Student vs. Faculty & Staff basketball game. If you are unfamiliar, this is an opportunity our 8th-grade basketball teams look forward to for years. Both the girls' and boys teams get an opportunity to try and keep up with the faculty and staff of Bernard Zell.

Eighth graders learned a contemporary Hebrew song by musician and songwriter Idan Amedi. The song is called "Helek M'hazman - חלק מהזמן" (part of the time). The students learned the Hebrew words, discussed the meaning of the song while looking at the metaphors in it, practiced the tune, and had lots and lots of fun creating the video.

Many Bernard Zell families turned off their devices and read during the designated "Be Unplugged" initiative last weekend. All readers received a fun pin (made in our Innovative Hub) to honor their participation. Click below to view pictures sent in of families enjoying reading together! 

Fifteen alumni from the Class of 1968 met for a weekend of reminiscences, fellowship, and prayer from November 15 -17, 2019. Many had not seen each other for over 50 years. Starting with a call between Paul Warshauer and Annette Glassman Siebert, the reunion took shape over a six month period with calls and emails around the country.

Our annual Hanukkah Book Fair will take place next week in Malkov from Wednesday, December 18 through Friday, December 20. The Book Fair is a convenient place to do your Hanukkah and vacation book shopping. Your purchases will benefit the Bernard Zell library, which in turn benefits our whole community!

A select group of 8th-graders were asked to design the cover of our official Bernard Zell Hanukkah card and the results were incredible! We narrowed the designs down to 6 finalists and ultimately chose one design. Mazel Tov to Julia J. for the winning design! See below for the other five finalists.

Memory will last a lifetime and beyond. Last Monday evening, 8th-grade parents and students participated in the 3rd annual parent/student book club. What made the book club so extraordinary was the presence of our artist-in-residence, Dr. Ariel Burger. The focus of the book club was Elie Wiesel's memoir Night and the first chapter of Burger's book entitled Witness.

Women of the Bernard Zell community are cordially invited to attend an intimate women's seder in honor of Tu B'Shevat, the Festival of Trees. The event will take place on Tuesday, January 21 from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m at the home of Hagit Lewis (address will be communicated upon receipt of RSVP.)

BinZ, Bernard Zell's first Lego League team is excited to share their innovation project with the Bernard Zell community. This season, 6th and 7th graders set a goal of making the city of Chicago cleaner! In order to accomplish this, they’ve built a website that includes a map that will locate nearby garbage cans. Please visit https://binz.now.sh/ to check it out and support our BZ Lego Team!

The son of a high school teacher and college professor, it’s no surprise Andrew Grabowski found a career path that led him back to the world of education. But if you ask Andrew—Bernard Zell’s Director of Technology—if he had ever envisioned himself working in a school, he’ll confidently tell you that his middle school self would have never believed he would become someone who spends his days working with teachers and students. 

Lower School students are busy preparing for next week's Hanukkah Music Program in music class. The students are thrilled about having class in the new music room. There is enough space to move, dance and play the instruments. They even have enough room to setup the risers so they can practice and prepare for next week.

We hope you are looking forward to a festive Hanukkah with family and friends! We're excited to continue our wonderful Bernard Zell tradition, the Leona Molotsky Hanukkah Music Festival on Friday, December 20 at 9:00 a.m. Click below to find important information about ticketing for the festival and other pertinent information. 

All Early Childhood Students, First and Second Graders, and Their Families: Join us as we gather for this pre-Hanukkah celebration featuring storytelling by playwright, actress, and Bernard Zell parent Sagit Sol! 

Please join us as we celebrate the completion of a Sefer Torah, made possible by the generosity of Margot and Tom Pritzker in honor of longtime Bernard Zell leader and educator, Tzivia Garfinkel. A reception will take place immediately following the ceremony.

This Shabbat is a very special one for me. Yes, this Shabbat’s Torah reading, VaYishlach, is my Bar Mitzvah portion. Since my Bar Mitzvah, I have been blessed to have read it from the Torah in synagogue nearly every year. It is also significant for me because of what happens in one of its narratives. 

Since the first day of school, the children in Early Childhood have been immersed in daily mindfulness exercises. This year, Early Childhood teachers are being guided by the Calm Classroom curriculum and implementing moments of mindfulness throughout the day. 

I would like to take this opportunity to share some exciting technology news with all of you. In the coming weeks, we will be upgrading our first and second grade iPad collection! We will now be able to offer the most up-to-date applications and curricular opportunities with the latest iPad models.

We are looking forward to welcoming you to Parent-Teacher Conferences on November 25th and 26th. Our teachers will be arriving with student work samples, up-to-date feedback and insight about how students are learning, growing and even engaging in good struggles. When meeting with teachers, we encourage you to share what you observe and hear at home.  

Raffle tickets are now on sale! Click to purchase tickets and win one of these amazing prizes:

Music Crew member Danny Goodman says, “I deeply believe the audience should expect a unique performance with transformational music, that allows you to truly feel immersed in the magical story of The Velveteen Rabbit.”  

For this multidisciplinary program, Judith Joseph will present the history of the Haggadah and ancient art and science (chemistry) of its creating with the entire Middle School in the Sanctuary.

For the last couple of weeks, Nursery B students have been creating self-portraits through a variety of methods (the 100 languages of learning). This self-portrait unit is in preparation for a deeper study of their families and the world around them.

Join us on Wednesday, December 4 for a new speaker series, Zell Talks, featuring Dana Hirt, founder of Dana Hirt Parenting, speaking on value-based and intentional parenting with a Jewish lens.

All Bernard Zell families are challenged to put down their screens (eReaders permitted) for one night to READ! Snap a photo of your family reading and send it to library@bernardzell.org to receive a fun, wearable prize!

After learning about the seven continents of the world and the five regions of the United States, 4th graders have chosen a state that they want to learn more about. In this final phase of their geography unit, students used text sources to learn about their chosen state’s history, landforms, tourist attractions, and more.

She is the smiling face you see upon entering Bernard Zell, the woman with all the answers and a fixture of our school community. And since her arrival in the role of receptionist more than 20 years ago, Ms. Kimberly Houston has been the go-to person for fielding any and all questions about BZ.

This year's Annual Campaign has officially launched! DO YOU KNOW? We are off to a great start having raised over $390,000 from our families so far. Please join the 79 families who have already their gift and help us reach 100% parent participation.

Progress reports for all divisions will be made available on Friday, November 22 by 2:00 p.m. via BZ Connect.

During the last few weeks, 8th-grade students have learned, practiced, and engaged in conversations in Hebrew about food.

Thank you to everyone who came to Wednesday's first PTC meeting in Makom Rina. In case you missed it, we heard from special guests Stephanie Bloom and Jenny Einberger and heard updates about PTC committees.

Cold weather? Snow worries. The warmth and camaraderie the sixth-grade class cultivated during their field trip to the Loyola University Retreat and Ecology Campus (LUREC) in Woodstock, Illinois were felt by students and teachers alike.

During their Torah service in Makom Rina, our new spiritual space, Early Childhood students learned all about Noah and his ark.

What neighborhood do you live in? Third graders are focusing on exploring Chicago’s neighborhoods this year in Social Studies. The students kicked off the unit by concentrating on Chicago's history.

We are off to a great start having raised over $341,000 from our families so far. Please join the 54 families who have already made their gift and help us reach 100% parent participation.

Join us for our Jane Herron Lecture on improving executive functioning skills featuring author Dr. Sharon Saline on Monday, November 11 at 7:00 p.m.

Volunteer for JCFS Project Winter Warmth on Sunday, November 24 from 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. Bernard Zell families will meet at the Target on Elston to shop for warm winter clothing for families in need.

The BZ Spirit Store is now open through November 17! Free delivery to your child's homeroom the week of December 8. Shop now!

True growth and positive change are only achieved through self-reflection. As the formative experience for Bernard Zell students and their families, the Early Childhood division felt that it was essential to participate in last spring’s inaugural Jewish Early Childhood Collaborative Parent Survey.

As educators, everywhere we turn, we hear and read about the importance of helping kids develop 21st-century skills, defined as the broad set of abilities, work habits and character traits that are necessary to succeed in today’s world and workforce.

In my first letter this year I shared a story of how teachers remarked that the new building called on them to elevate their practice. Just a few months into the school year and a symphony of teaching and learning play in classrooms across Middle School.

At a recent commemoration at the Illinois Holocaust Museum, 8th grade students were invited to the stage to tell the stories of Survivors.

What can you learn about from studying birds? Quite a lot, actually! During their year-long exploration of birds, 3rd graders learn to identify the different birds that call Chicago home as well as those that call it their summer retreat.

8th-graders visit Loyola University’s Museum of Art to view artist Ellen Rontal’s exhibit featuring charcoal portraits of Chicago’s homeless based on her volunteer work with the Chicago Help Initiative.

Help us spread the word! Our Admissions Open House is Sunday, October 27 beginning at 3:30 p.m.

Since the first day of school, students in Early Childhood have been immersed in daily mindfulness exercises. This year, Early Childhood teachers are being guided by the Calm Classroom curriculum and implementing moments of mindfulness throughout the day. 

We are looking forward to the first Likrat Shabbat celebration on October 18. Students in 2nd- 8th grade will gather in Blum from 12:15-1:00 p.m. to welcome Shabbat as one big Kehillah—community! 

What's the Big Idea!?: 6th Grade classes explore paper sculptures expressing universal themes. 

To prepare for Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, EC students developed a deeper understanding of the holiday symbols with various activities and projects.

On Thursday, October 31 and Friday, November 1, between 7:30 - 8:30 a.m., the BZ Yad B'Yad committee will be collecting gently used child and adult coats, gloves, hats and scarves which will be donated to Cradles to Crayons.

In 3rd and 4th grade, students were recently introduced to elections in Israel. They learned what democracy looks like in Israel, what the Knesset is and how Israeli citizens select the government and their Prime Minister. 

Today, fifth-graders experienced Tashlich at Lake Michigan and reflected on what they wanted to "throw away" for the new year.

While learning about Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and the importance of the ten days between these two holidays, 1st graders welcomed some very special visitors to their Hebrew class.

If you are anything like I was when my children were in preschool and kindergarten, you probably wish you could be a "fly on the wall" in our Bernard Zell classrooms...

With nineteen days of school under our belts, we are officially off and running! It has been an exciting beginning of the school year with our new indoor and outdoor learning spaces.

At the start of the year, a middle school teacher shared that the evolution of a new physical teaching space called on all of us to raise our teaching and to extend our own teaching beyond what we know as best practice.

The 2019-2020 Bernard Zell Parent Handbook is here!

JK 103 begins the year by creating a positive environment and spreading kindness!

Every year the 8th-grade teachers at Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School design year-long interdisciplinary projects for their students.

Last Tuesday, I had the privilege, along with some students and staff members, to attend the annual JUF luncheon.

Join us for a celebration of your Leadership Gift* to the Annual Campaign and meet special guest, CJ Jacobson, Chef Partner at Ēma and Aba restaurants and winner of Bravo TV's Top Chef Duels. 

The library commissioned a custom "Stick Together" pixelated mural of Mr. Weisserman.

Last Sunday, 52 parents and students practiced tikkun olam (repairing the world) when they cleaned up Montrose Beach in partnership with Alliance for the Great Lakes.

Thanks to the PTC, the Art Department received a class set of iPads funded through the TII grant.

Watch this year's Morton Reisman Eighth Grade Operetta reveal!

Thursday, September 12 is officially Bernard Zell Spirit Day! Our girls' volleyball team and soccer team will play in the Pritzker & Pucker Family Gymnasium and Performance Space and our new Field of Dreams.

Join us for a celebration of your Leadership Gift* to the Annual Campaign and meet special guest, CJ Jacobson, Chef Partner at Ēma and Aba restaurants and winner of Bravo TV's Top Chef Duels. 

The Nursery students have taken advantage of the beautiful weather while exploring the new outdoor play spaces.

First graders are exploring math manipulatives as part of their introduction to first-grade math. 

This week, fifth graders worked on creating identity maps that reflect who they are after exploring questions like, "what is important to me?", "what do I deeply care about?", "what makes me happy?" and "what connects to me?"

This past spring Bernard Zell Early Childhood Educators Hagit Lewis, Tami Mizrachi and Abby Aloni along with peers from three other area schools participated in a research project to understand how 3-and 4-year-olds think, feel and understand about Israel

Just like in a fancy restaurant, the tables in the Bernard Zell library were elegantly set with candles and placemats. Second, third and fourth-grade students were invited to participate in a tasting menu full of book delicacies.