Are you looking for an excuse to tell knock-knock jokes at dinner or put googly eyes on the fruit in your fruit bowl? The Hebrew month of Adar, which arrived over mid-winter break, is your invitation to do just that. It’s a great opportunity to do silly things that increase joy. In Adar, we are supposed to increase our happiness because the holiday of Purim celebrates a time when the Jews were victorious over an enemy.  

One of the special mitzvot of Purim is Matanot l'evyonim מתנות לאביונים (gifts to the poor). We will celebrate Purim at Bernard Zell next Tuesday and all next week through mitzvot, and with Spirit Week led by our student council. See below for the list of items by grade to send with your child(ren) to give back, and for the Spirit Week schedule and what to wear!

To help us with the Purim mitzvah of Matanot l'evyonim, please send the following items with your child(ren) this week:

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Nursery - 4th Grades

Groggers for Good: Please send one box of pasta, rice, or mac and cheese that will be used as a grogger (noisemaker) during the megillah. The boxes will be donated to The Ark and Nourishing Hope.

5th Grade

This year for Purim, 5th graders will be packing toiletry bags for Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly. We'd love to get everything listed on this Amazon wishlist in the quantities noted so we can give 72 toiletry bags to the elders connected with Little Brothers. Thank you in advance for your support. 

We'd also like kids to bring in recyclables to use to build a Purim-inspired Shushan Palace. We'd love small boxes, toilet paper/paper towel rolls, magazines, and newspapers. Each advisory will build one so we'd love as many materials as possible!

6th Grade

On Tuesday, March 7, the 6th grade will visit a non-profit organization that offers many services including a food pantry, located in Lakeview. Before our visit we are hosting a food and toiletry drive from February 27 to March 6 at school. We are asking that students bring in items to donate to Nourishing Hope. Most needed items:

• Cooking oil

• Pasta

• Jams & jellies

• Canned beans

• Rice

• Diapers: baby and adult (especially larger sizes)

• Personal Hygiene products:

◦ shampoo/conditioner lotion, soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant

7th Grade

For this year’s 7th grade Purim service project, we will be collecting full or travel size personal care/ hygiene items for The Night Ministry. A full list of requested items (in full or travel size) can be found below:

• Disposable body wipes (bath wipes, not sanitizing wipes)

• Hair products for curly or textured hair

• Body wash/bar soap

• Conditioner

• Deodorant

• Toothpaste (must be unexpired)

• Mouthwash (must be unexpired)

• Lip balm

We cannot accept the following items:

• Menstrual products of any kind

• Makeup or perfumes

• Hair products like gel, hairspray, or hair dye

8th Grade

For this year's 8th Grade Purim service project, we will be assembling pad bags for The Period Collective. Please have your child bring in pads and individually wrapped liners.

Pad bags consist of 30 pads and 22 liners. In order to assemble these bags, we need each 8th grade family to bring in donations of pads and individually wrapped liners. The more pads and liners we have, the more pad bags we can make. The more pad bags we make, the more people we can help.

Monday, March 6: Pajama Day

Tuesday, March 7: Purim (wear your costume!)

Wednesday, March 8: College Day

Thursday, March 9:

• Middle School: Anything but a Backpack Day*

• Lower School and Early Childhood: Dress Like a Teacher Day 

Friday, March 10: Color Day

• Nursery = Tie Dye

• JK = Yellow

• SK = Purple

• 1st Grade = Green

• 2nd Grade = Orange

• 3rd Grade = Red

• 4th Grade = White

• 5th Grade = Grey

• 6th Grade = Pink

• 7th Grade = Blue

• 8th Grade = Black

*Student's choice of container must be portable on the stairs

Costume Guidelines: Please remember that students should be able to learn (and access the bathroom) in their costumes and should wear appropriate footwear for the school day and the weather. Costumes or spirit wear gear that promote the use of illegal substances or activities or are derogatory, disrespectful or depict violence are not allowed. Please leave weaponry accessories at home. Any questions should be directed to your student's Division Head.