2 | The Jewish Press | January 10, 2020
News
Rebecca Erbelding
LOC AL | N AT I O N A L | WO R L D
Super-cool and awesome: Specials Classes at Friedel Jewish Academy
SARA KOHEN Director of Advancement, Friedel Jewish Academy Depending on the day, Friedel Jewish Academy students come home from school with stories about building robots, improving their stroke form during swimming lessons, creating a multimedia art project in the style of a famous artist, or learning how to play a sport with Coach Mason. At Friedel, students receive a well-rounded education that includes “specials” classes outside of the core academic subjects. These classes help them realize their potential and more fully appreciate the world around them. Specials classes—which all students attend weekly—are as follows: Art, Music, Innovation Learning, Library, Physical Education (Gym and Swimming each week and Friedel Fitness at recess once a week). In the words of one
first grader, “It’s super-cool and awesome, and I get to do it with my friends.” Friedel’s specials classes each seek to develop different components of a wellrounded student. For example, research shows that a fine arts education strengthens a student’s critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Children who have received instruction in music perform better on tests of spatial and arithmetic skills and tend to have a larger vocabulary and more advanced reading skills than their peers who do not participate in music lessons. Students who study art are four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement. Friedel’s innovation learning curriculum unleashes students’ to unique strengths and creativity in order to change their world and better prepare them for the interconnected society they live in.
In Innovations, students develop their problem-solving, collaboration and communication skills through engineering and robotics curricula. Bringing abstract concepts to life with a fun, hands-on approach ignites students’ natural desire to explore and discover. In addition, Friedel’s research-based, comprehensive wellness program helps improve students’ physical health, academic performance and classroom behavior. Friedel’s physical education program includes gym class, swimming lessons and Friedel Fitness, an optional, once-a-week fitness class offered at recess. Friedel’s physical education program is aimed at establishing a healthy foundation for our students’ success. Opportunities for physical fitness during the school day not only make students physically healthier, but also increase See FJA Specials Classes page 3
6 MERIT SCHOLARSHIPS - $10,000 each for 2020
For two Jewish students …who are college-bound high school seniors
Phil and Ruth Sokolof MERIT SCHOLARSHIP For two Jewish students …working toward a degree in health care, such as
MUSIC
Phil and Ruth Sokolof MERIT SCHOLARSHIP
HEALTH CARE
COLLEGE-BOUND
Spread the Word!
Karen Sokolof Javitch MUSIC SCHOLARSHIP Merit scholarship for Jewish students currently in college or graduate school majoring
medicine, nursing,
in or pursing a degree in
dentistry, occupational/
music performance,
physical therapy,
composition or music
or pharmacy.
education. Cantorial
Applicants must be from the Omaha metropolitan area.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: MARCH 2, 2020
students are eligible.
63 Omaha Jewish Students have received $680,000 since 2006
Applications online at
www.jfofoundation.org
Or contact Janet Henthorn, Jewish Federation Foundation 402-334-6551; jhenthorn@jewishomaha.org
Continued from page 1 camps, recruited spies, leaked news stories, laundered money, negotiated ransoms and funneled millions of dollars into Europe. They bought weapons for the French Resistance and sliced red tape to allow Jewish refugees to escape to Palestine. Altogether, the War Refugee Board saved tens of thousands of lives. What makes this evening even more special is that John Pehle was a graduate of the class of 1926 from Central High School and later from Creighton University. When I first approached Michele Roberts, Executive Director of the Central High School Foundation about having Ms. Erbelding speak at Central High School, Ms. Roberts was excited about the opportunity to share Mr. Pehle’s story with our community as well as the possibility Mr. Pehle could become a future inductee to the Central High School Hall of Fame. RESCUE BOARD is based on a decade of Dr. Erbelding’s research, including never-before-seen documents from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and new interviews with survivors and their families. Dr. Erbelding’s visit to Omaha is being sponsored by the Institute for Holocaust Education, the Central High School Foundation and the Jewish Book Council. Her talk is open to the public and is free of charge. After speaking, her book RESCUE BOARD will be available to purchase on site through The Bookworm and Dr. Erbelding will be signing copies. For more information, please contact, Scott Littky at 402.334.6575.