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!

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. 

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 announce our State of the School will be held on Thursday, February 6. Please join Head of School Gary Weisserman and the Board of Trustees for this informative evening. Be among the first to hear about enhancements to our academic program, the school's strategic priorities and financial outlook, and how Bernard Zell educates students in the 21st century. 

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. 

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.

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.