Ma Hadash Blog from CSH

We're so proud of our young people and seeing them called up to the Torah as the next generation of Jewish leaders is a simcha (joy) for all of us to be part of - let's celebrate these wonderful milestones! Make sure to say "Mazel Tov" if you see them and their families around the Shir Hadash campus!

ABOUT SIMON: March 2, 2024

Simon is a thoughtful 8th grader and 3rd generation member of Shir Hadash. His Torah portion is Ki Tisa. He values this portion because it teaches a life lesson about not abandoning your religion even when you feel lost. He likes the culture of Shir Hadash, and enjoys time with his Havurah as well as meeting different people here.

Simon is passionate about rowing and physical fitness! He serves as a coxswain for the Los Gatos Rowing Club varsity team. This position involves providing steering and pacing commands, motivating the crew, assisting coaches, and developing race plans. He has participated extensively in rowing regattas including Youth Nationals and Head of the Charles, and hopes to continue high engagement with rowing throughout high school and college.

Simon is undertaking a special Mitzvah Project working with Abrahamic Alliance International. Working side by side AAI Jewish, Christian, and Muslim volunteers find parallels with each other, developing friendship and cooperation between faiths, as they provide services to food insecure members of the Silicon Valley community.

ABOUT MOLLY: Feb 17, 2024

Molly is an energetic 7th grader at University Preparatory Academy - she loves this small school for how the classwork is very interesting and always challenging her mind and giving her brain a workout. She enjoys drawing, particularly drawing portraits with a combination of an anime and standard style. She is very active in sports and plays soccer as a midfielder. Molly loves her two dogs Callie and Wicket. Her favorite part of Shir Hadash is doing electives such as art at Kulanu and JET. 

Molly's Torah portion is T'rumah, which includes details about the tabernacle - she finds it very interesting to think about how the tabernacle was the first temple after fleeing Egypt, and functioned as a small mobile synagogue.

ABOUT SOPHIE: Feb 17, 2024

Sophie's favorite part of school is "Innovation Hour" at the Campbell School of Innovation where she is able to be matched with community buddies (young children) and helps those buddies as a peer tutor in a T-K class. Sophie loves swimming and is a member of the Campbell WAVES swim team and a cabana summer competition team, the Los Ranchitos Sharks. One of Sophie's favorite memories is from attending the Taylor Swift Eras Tour concert, which she found to be an amazing experience!

When thinking about her Torah portion, T'rumah, Sophie appreciates the aspects of the portion that focus on giving and helping. A thoughtful and caring 7th grader, Sophie loves being around her friends who know her as a funny and humorous person.  

ABOUT DANIEL: Jan 6, 2024

Daniel is an energetic and spirited 7th grader and his Torah portion is Sh'mot. In this Torah portion the pharaoh keeps Jews in slavery and Daniel is appreciative that that time of slavery is not in our current time and that we are able to be free today.

His favorite thing about Shir Hadash is the friendly people. In his free time he enjoys playing video games such as Fortnight, Roblox, and Minecraft. In Minecraft his favorite undertaking is planning and building special traps to surprise his friends! One of his favorite movies is Spiderman 3, which he particularly likes because of the classic struggle between good and evil. 

ABOUT ADRIEL: Dec 2, 2023

Adriel is a 7th grader at Union Middle School and his Torah portion is Vayishlach. In this portion, Adriel particularly likes the complexity of the relationship between brothers Jacob and Esau. Adriel is passionate about sports: his favorites in P.E. are football and badminton, and he plays on baseball and football teams throughout the year.

Adriel plays the saxophone too! He's been playing saxophone for two years and due to his hard work and learning progress he was selected for Symphonic Band during his first time at try-outs! His ensemble will be performing the Star-Spangled Banner at two separate Santa Clara University basketball games this season. Adriel appreciates his family, which includes his pet dog, Jasmine. In his spare time, his favorite activities are spending time with friends and enjoying video games such as Roblox and Baseball 9.