What Now Seems Like Ancient History

I am a basketball fan. However, being from Chicago, and having experienced Michael and Scottie and Dennis bring the Larry O’Brien trophy to the Windy City FIVE TIMES… what can I say? I am happy for y’all and the Raptors. I hope Kawhi stays. But it’s been eleven days since the wild Game 6 win and eight days since the city shut down to celebrate. Eleven days.

…And it seems like so much has happened since then. Perhaps this is a side-effect of the frenetic news cycle that once, I’m told, used to move at a much more humane pace.

However, a lot has happened on the ADRABA front in the past two weeks… and it’s been a minute since I wrote an update-slash-newsletter. So here goes.

Update #1:
Since receiving our CRA status as a charitable non-profit, we have set up a micro donation page to process one-time or monthly donations to ADRABA. In the hundreds of interactions we’ve had since launching in September 2018, we’ve experienced a lot of support, encouragement and “buy-in” – but until now, it has all been figurative. We’ve never had the capability for motivated folks to buy-in literally… until now. Check out the support page at bit.ly/supportADRABA.

Update #2:
We submitted our Notice of Intention to the Ontario Ministry of Education. This is the necessary first step of getting accreditation. They received our documents and have slotted us in for an early fall inspection date. Did you know that ADRABA is not a single school, but actually (potentially) THREE schools in one?

Our home at the Hartman Beit Midrash (HBM) on the 2nd floor of Congregation Beth Torah is (on the official paperwork) ADRABA.

However, we also have a second location/campus in Hamilton (i.e., ADRABA Hamilton) based in the JHamiton on Main Street.  (You can read about ADRABA in the Hamilton Jewish News here.)

And, if the numbers can support it, we are also hoping to have a THIRD location “up north” (i.e., ADRABA North).

Update #3:
We have settled on a platform to connect the three sites! Adobe Connect is billed as “web conferencing software,” but can do a whole lot more than merely conference people across the Web. It’s a powerful platform for learning that can broadcast the face-to-face sessions to our many sites, enable interaction between all the participants as well as conduct surveys, design and take impromptu quizzes, share screens and presentation stacks.

Update #4:
Our PART-TIME PROGRAM is accepting applications!

Our course begins on October 28 and concludes in the first week of June.

Though comparing the values, traditions and theology of the three monotheistic religions, it will also be an intense, meaningful yet wild ride through 14 centuries of Jewish history. With primary sources as our guide, we will explore the evolution of rabbinic Judaism, Christianity and Islam as well as larger global trends.

Although the course is listed as a Grade 11 course in the Ontario curricular guidelines, it has no prerequisites. This means that any keen learner, be she in Grade 9 or 10 or 12, is welcome to sign up!

If you’re keen to apply or know a high schooler (or their parent) who might be interested in a little extra Jewish learning, the application can be found at adraba.ca/application.

And with that, I shall close… but not before wishing everyone a Start-of-Summer Sameakh!!