Shmakhel

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Shmakhel is an assembly that takes place at Gann Academyon fridays. It occurs right after morning prayer. Many confuse Shmakhel with Hakhel, which happens on mondays. However, these two assemblies are actually very different. At Shmakhel rabbis from the community are invited to speak to the entire school about the torah portion of the week. Announcements, made by the students of the school about commities, upcoming events, and any clever limericks they feel like sharing with the group, are not allowed during Shmakhel. In contrast such announcements are allowed, in fact encouraged during Hakhel. However, on rare occasion the appointed student body president will make an announcement at the very beginning if he or she deems it important enough.

[edit] History

Shmakhel was originally given the name Shiur Clali (hebrew for... something?) However this name was adapted by the students to a more easy to remember--Shmakhel. It is disputed about the origin of this name, however the most commonly accepted opinion is that students got confused trying to remember the name of the three assemblies that took place over the weee--Hakhel, Limud Clali, and Shiur Clali. Instead of trying to keep them straight they simply combined the names of the two they could remember to make a new name for the one they kept forgetting and got--shmakhel, and it stuck.