Reminders:
Don't forget to order hot lunch by Sunday at noon for next week at www.gansinai.org/hotlunch.
The Book Fair is next week! Check out the schedule and join us at www.gansinai.org/bookfair.
This Friday, February 3 is Ms. Mini's PK2 Family Shabbat at 9:45am.
Early enrollment for Camp Sinai for current Gan students is now open at www.gansinai.org/camp!
Get all the latest info and links at www.gansinai.org/greatthings.
Find quick links and easy-to-access information at www.gansinai.org/families.
From Rabbi David
Kids love being first in line. It's a great honor we give to our Super Kids and Class Presidents. Being first in line helps them feel important and that they are real leaders. They get to count their friends and direct their journey through the hallways (with a little guidance from the teachers.)
As we get older, being first in line isn't just exciting and important - it can also be intimidating. As the Israelites reached the Reed Sea in this week's parsha, there is a midrash (Rabbinic story) that a man named Nachshon jumped to the front of the line to lead the Israelites through the water. The story tells us that he began walking in even before the sea had split. The farther he walked, the deeper he found himself in water until the water covered his mouth and nose and only then, did the sea split.
Being first in line for Nachshon was about blazing a path forward - showing the Israelites that they didn't have to be afraid and that faith could guide them. Sometimes the roads we walk are clear and straight; other times they are unknown and winding. The challenge for any leader is to be able to navigate both and have the courage to lead into the unknown.