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The
BOXHOLDER
THE RANCHO SANTA FE NEWS
.com
MAKING WAVES IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD
VOL. 10, N0. 26
DEC. 26, 2014
From left: Marti Ritto as RSF School Board clerk, Superintendent Lindy Delaney serving another term as secretary, and Todd Frank serving as president take their oaths during a recent school board meeting. Photo by Christina Macone-Greene
Frank and Ritto get sworn in By Christina Macone-Greene
Rabbi Levi Raskin, lighting the Menorah, tells the “miracle” of Hanukkah at the Rancho Santa Fe Library. Photo by Christina Macone-Greene
Rabbi tells about the ‘miracle’ of Hanukkah By Christina Macone-Greene
RANCHO SANTA FE — In the children’s section of the RSF Library, Rabbi Levi Raskin prudently prepared a table for his presentation. Resting on the table were an olive press, Menorahs and other necessities for the afternoon. Raskin had an authentic olive press with California olives. He and the children made olive oil. The miracle of Hanukkah (which began on Tuesday) was the miracle of oil lasting for eight days, Raskin explained. In modern times, he said, his religious culture lights candles. But today, he and the children would
be lighting extra virgin olive oil. The kids each had an opportunity to handpick an olive, place it in the press and squeeze out the oil. According to Raskin, the process of making a small sample would take around 45 minutes. He felt teaching the children this tradition was important and the best way to learn is hand-on. “Not many people have probably ever made olive oil and that’s something to remember,” he said. Raskin continued, “Since the holidays are coming around, and it’s a holiday season, the library’s open to teaching everyone. There are many Jewish
kids in Rancho Santa Fe, and they deserve to learn as well so that’s why we did this.” Raskin went on to say that the idea of teaching them about the olive oil is about teaching the holiday. Its understanding why is the holiday is important, celebrating a heritage, celebrating who one is, and something which is important to the Jewish community. “America is a country of freedom. And it also it makes people better people,” he said. And the message of Hanukkah is that one small light could last for many days. “You just have to try
to light it, and a little light dispels much darkness. So every time someone does a good deed, they light a candle,” he said. Raskin continued, “In Hebrew it would be when you do a Mitzvah, you make this world a better place. And that’s the message of Hanukkah. Celebrate who you are, light that candle, be proud, and don’t be scared.” Raskin also shared it’s important to enjoy those eight crazy nights. He also wanted everyone to know that the reason they eat latkes and jelly donuts during Hanukkah, is because it’s made in oil. “The idea of Hanukkah is to celebrate the miracle of oil,” he said.
RANCHO SANTA FE — At a recent RSF School Board meeting, Todd Frank and Marti Ritto recited their oaths as Superintendent Lindy Delaney administered the Oath of Allegiance to the trustees. Delaney explained that every two years, seats on the board are vacant and those who have already served such as Frank and Ritto, fulfill those seats once again for another term if they win a reelection. Following the oaths, next on the agenda were the elections. Todd Frank replaced Richard Burdge as President, Tyler Seltzer replaced Todd Frank as Vice President, and Marti Ritto replaced Tyler Seltzer as Clerk. Next, the board of trustees unanimously appointed Superintendent Lindy Delaney as Secretary to the Board of Trustees.
Likewise, Seltzer was selected as the Education Foundation Ex-officio Representative. Also approved were the adoption of dates and times of the 2015 regular meetings of the Board of Trustees. While majority of these board meeting were scheduled for the first Thursday of each month, three meetings were scheduled on different dates. Those included the following: Jan. 8, Aug. 20 and Dec. 10. Looking ahead into 2015, some of these meeting times are a blend of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. It was the hope of the board that the morning hours would be more convenient for parents to attend. For RSF School Board updates and meeting schedules visit rsfschool.net or call (858) 756-1141.