DFRS Blog

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Upcoming Dates
2/10 - AIAAS Town Hall (info below)
2/17 - No school
3/10 - No school
3/17 - Purim Shpiel & Carnival/Mitzvah Day (info below)
3/22 (Friday) - RS Shabbat Services & Dinner (info below)
3/24 - 7th & 8th Grade Field Trip ( register here )
3/31 - No School
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                                     Mitzvot Opportunities

• Please remember that we are collecting tzedakah each week that is being used to buy food for the CAC (Community Assistance Center) food pantry.  By sending in any amount of money with your student, you are helping them to do a mitzvah that aids the community.  
  If you would like more information about CAC, please click here.
  
  
• ​​​​​​​Please send in to the Religious School office any of the following items that will be used to create projects with The Packaged Good at our Purim Carnival/Mitzvah Day:
  pencils, pencil sharpeners, pens, erasers, highlighters, flair pens
  If you would like more information about The Packaged Good, please click here .
  

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                                              Sunday Synopses

This week in Art...
5th grade - Baal tashchit(do not waste or destroy)
Each student came up with a 6 word phrase that connected them to the concept of Baal tashchit. Then we took recycled pulp clay and created a sculpture that represented their phrase. Then each student gave their perspective on what theirs represented. They had great concepts.
Example
Phrase :Plastic is definitely not more fantastic.
Sculpture: plastic water bottle
Lastly we pushed parsley seeds into sculptures to germinate for Passover.  Thereby reusing, recycling, and giving back to nature.
 
2nd grade - crossing sea of reeds
We worked on a collage style accordion book to retell parts of the Exodus story. As they learn more, more scenes can be added.
 
1st grade - tza 'ar Ba'alei Chayim
As they drew their favorite animals on pet neckerchiefs we talked about how/why we can be kind to the animals. The neckerchiefs will be donated to one of the organizations that find homes for unwanted pets.
 
Kindergarten - 10 commandments
We worked on creating"commandments kid" sock puppets. We talked about the commandment to honor father and mother.  Then the puppets demonstrated examples of ways to follow this commandments. For example, cleaning room when asked.
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Kindergarten - Today we learned about the 10 Commandments. We learned how the 10 Commandments are guidelines we should follow to be a good person. We made our own version of writing the 10 commandments on "stone tablets" like they did way back in the day.

1st Grade - This week we talked about chesed. We made buckets and talked about being kind.  We practiced kindness and filling each other’s’ buckets.

2nd Grade - This week we saw pieces of The Prince of Egypt - specifically Moses being put into the basket and the river and being saved by the Queen.  We talked about how this visual was similar and different to the story we had already read.

3rd Judaics - We discussed Anne Frank- a modern day heroine. Students listened to her story and diary. They brainstormed thoughts of why she is considered a model and heroine to teenagers. In small groups lead by Madrichim, they discussed a question related to her story and presented it to the class.
3rd Applied Hebrew - This week, we began class with a fun game called Two Truths and a Lie. Every student had their turn and had to tell the rest of the class three things about themselves, two of which were true and one of which was false. The rest of the class then had to figure out which statement was false. After the game, we discussed how telling lies can be fun when they are part of a game, but can be hurtful if they are told in real life. That conversation transitioned us to reading the story of Jacob and Esau’s Blessing. The kids acted out the story, which can be found in Genesis 27. We will continue discussing the merits of being truthful next Sunday.

4th Judaics - This week the 4th grade got to spend time with Omer, our ShinShin.  We had A BLAST!!!!   Omer told us about the tv show Eurovision and shared music from many different Israeli artists.  The best part was WE GOT TO BE THE JUDGES!  We evaluated each act based on costumes, dancing, music and overall show.  It was so much fun hearing Israeli music from different generations.
4th Applied Hebrew - In last week's Parashah, after years of the Jews' enslavement and then all the ten plagues that G d heaped upon the Egyptians, Pharaoh had let the Jews out of Egypt. But in this week, Parasaht Beshalach,     בשלח no sooner are the Jews out of Egypt that Pharaoh changes his mind once again and begins chasing after them!
 
5th Judaics - Today we watched part of the Prince of Egypt! We discussed the discrepancies between the film and the Torah portions. We also talked about the traditions of Passover.
5th Applied Hebrew - "Bal Taschit" - Do not wait" needs to be part of our daily routine. Today, Morah Shoshana mades an art project related to this important value as a preparation for our next Hebrew class, where the students will learn how to make our planet a better, clean environment. 
 
6th Grade - This week, the entire 6th grade made aliyah to Israel! They were broken into groups and assigned a particular aliyah from history. Some groups made aliyah from Europe, and some from places like Ethiopia, Yemen, and Libya. Ask your child which aliyah they participated in and what they learned about the other instances when people left their homes to move to Israel. They’ll be able to tell you some “push” factors and the “pull” factors as well!

7th/8th Grade - We went to The Temple to learn about the history of Jewish Atlanta firsthand. We also observed Project Tolerance, a teen-led theater troupe that integrates lessons of the holocaust with modern social dilemmas along the lines of race, gender, sexuality and antisemitism.

                                 Procedure and Policy Reminders:

Early Pick-up
Parents who need to pick up their students early must provide a written note to the office with the time of pick.  This can be submitted prior to Sunday via email or on Sunday morning.  Please come in to the office to check out your child.  They will be brought to you.  Please do not pick your child up directly from their classroom as it results in a disruption of lessons. Notes should be directed to the Administrator, Candace McCullough, or the Principal, Beth Blick. 
 
Guests
As a policy, DFRS does not allow children on campus who are not enrolled in religious school. 

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Upcoming Dates
2/1 - Friday with Family (click here )
2/3 - 7th/8th Field Trip to The Temple, 3rd Grade Parent Meet-up (at TE)
2/10 - 1st Grade Parent Meet-up (@ Stars & Strikes)
2/17 - No School
2/24 - 7th Grade Parent Meet-up (@ Crema)
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                                                 Sunday Synopses

Kindergarten - Today we learned about Tu B'Shevat! We learned that Tu B'Shevat is the birthday of the trees. We learned how important trees are to us by all the fruits, shade and oxygen they give us. We even got a chance to go outside to do rubbings on tree bark! 

1st Grade - Today we spoke about Tu B'shevat. We spoke about why trees are important and made lists of what trees give us. It was a very important lesson in the mitzvah of taking care of the Earth and honoring nature.

2nd Grade - Our class learned all about Moses.  We learned about the burning bush and the ten plagues.  We were able to make a burning bush in a cup as well as a wheel of plagues.  The wheel of plagues will come in very handy at Passover Seder.

3rd Grade - This week in Judaics the focus of lesson will be on Dr. Amaram J. Cohen, a heart surgeon who built an organization called "Save a Child's Heart" that brought hundreds of children from developing countries to Israel for life saving cardiac operations.  Students hear the articles about Dr. Cohen and his project and in small groups discuss his famous words to new Doctors "There are no dollars and cents in it, but it's worth a fortune". In Applied Hebrew we began learning about Tu B’shvat, which is the celebration of the birthday of the trees. We learned about the Seven Minim (species) of the land of Israel: Wheat, barley, vines, fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey. These are the seven food groups that were consumed by the Jewish people in biblical times. Afterwards, we read a story called “The Giving Tree,” which led us to a having a conversation about taking care of the environment around you. 

4th Grade - In Judaics we continued exploring the Haggadah - specifically the 10 plagues.  We discussed how the 10 plagues impacted Egyptians during that time & created our own list- 10 modern plagues for our Social Justice Haggadah.   In Applied Hebrew, we reviewed last week's Parashah, after years of the Jews' enslavement and then all the ten plagues that God heaped upon the Egyptians, Pharaoh had let the Jews out of Egypt. But in this week, Parasaht Beshalach,   בשלח , no sooner are the Jews out of Egypt than Pharaoh changes his mind once again and begins chasing after them!

5th Grade - Today in Judaics we talked about the beginning of Exodus! We discussed the enslavement of the Jewish people and the early life of Moses. We talked about why we shouldn't be afraid of those who are different from us, and how to bridge cultural differences. In Applied Hebrew we learned about Tu B'shevat. Tu B'shevat is a holiday related to Israel. We honor the trees and the nature so we can enjoy the fruit. This week Ellie, our Madricha, taught about gratitude. 

6th Grade - Today we began exploring Israel.  We looked at the map of Israel, its borders, and what it means to have a state.  As we looked at the map, we also learned the Hebrew words for the cardinal directions (north, south, east, and west).  We ended class by viewing videos of different cities in Israel.

7th Grade - This week we prepared for our trip to The Temple by exploring Judaism and other religious ideas.  We are excited to see how Project Tolerance can be applied to our real lives.

8th Grade - Today we planned and made goals for our group, upcoming programming, and how we will include our 7th grade peers when they join us next week.  One of the things we are most excited about is planning a tefillah experience for the third through sixth graders: Jewpardy Tefillah!

Don't forget: No School THIS Sunday, 1/20/19!

See you on Sunday, 1/27/19.

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Mazel tov to all of the students who moved up a kippah level this week in Hebrew Skills! 

We are so proud of your hard work.

Don't forget to keep practicing! (5 minutes/day is THE best!)

All prayer packets and videos can be found HERE .
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                                              Sunday Synopses

Kindergarten
Today we learned about what a Cantor is and how a Cantor is different and similar to a Rabbi. We learned about our Cantor, Cantor Lauren at Temple Emanu-El. We also made portraits of Cantor Lauren from our workbook. Ask your student: 1. What is the Hebrew word for Cantor? (Answer: Hazan), 2. What are the jobs of a Cantor? 

1st Grade
Today we learned all about the holiday of Tu B'shevat.  We read stories about the holiday of the trees, made tree art, and learned all about planting trees.  Ask your student: What is Tu B'shevat? Why do we celebrate it?

2nd Grade
Tu B'shevat was on the menu today in class.  We read books, made trees out of paper, noodles, and beans, and learned why this holiday is so important.  Ask your student: Why is Tu B'shevat so important?

3rd Grade
This week in Judaics we focused on a different kind of hero - the tree as a hero.  This was the focus since Tu B'Shevat is coming up this week.  We read the story The Giving Tree and discussed how the tree is such an important part of life. Ask your student: How is a tree a hero? In Applied Hebrew we explored G'milut Hasadim, which is bettering the world by doing the work ourselves.  We read the story "A Visit to Heaven and Hell" to illustrate how we can do the good work ourselves. Ask your student: What made heaven a great place? What was the Rabbi's choice at the end of the story?

4th Grade
Today in Judaic Studies, the 4th grade began a project that will take a few weeks to complete. We will be creating our own Social Justice Haggadah!  We discussed the Haggadah & how we can incorporate social justice issues.  The 4th graders came up with AMAZING examples of how the lessons of Passover can apply to modern time. Ask your 4th grader what piece of the Haggadah s/he worked on today (answers will differ/ Tikkun Olam/ Repairing the World, Zehirut/ Awareness, Veshinantam Levanecha/ Teach Your Children, Pidyon Shvuyim/ Redeeming the Captive, Bal Taschit/ Care for Environment....)  In Applied Hebrew Through Moses and Aaron, God brings plagues on the Egyptians, and Pharaoh repeatedly refuses to allow the Israelites to leave. We talked about the the relation between Aaron, Moses and G-d. We also talked about Moses as a leader and a convincing man with Pharaoh.  We read a play and every student took a part in this activity. We had a conversation about the story in this Parasha and also about the main actors in this play.   בא  Pharashat Bo  - Pharaoh  still refuses to let the Jews leave Egypt, so G‑d brings more plagues on Egypt. We read the play and explained what is going on in this Parasha. We watched a short video that will explain the Parasha. Please ask your children about the discussion we had in class about Moses as a leader and his big mission to take the nation out of Egypt. 

5th Grade
Our Madricha lead a session about gratitude - Why do we have to remember always to say  "Thank you"? How can we change the world by using "Thank you" more often? At the end of the session the students wrote a "Thank you" note where they expressed their gratitude. Ask your student: 1. How can we, together as a family, appreciate our togetherness, happiness, and health? 2. In your opinion, who do you need to say thank you to and why? 

6th Grade
Our sixth graders got off to a great start. We began with a little class bonding and a great game of “the wind blows for…” (ask your kids how to play!). Next, our Israeli shinshin, Omer, taught the kids how to become a map of Israel with their bodies. Then the students became either “Israel” or a “tour guide” and had to place major Israeli cities onto the map. Finally, we ended our day with a delightful game of “Jewpardy” with questions related to Israeli government, culture, dates, technology, and people. I was so impressed with what the students already knew and the game offered the chance for them to be introduced to new terms and fun facts! We’ll get to finish the game at the start of our next class.

7th Grade
Today 7th grade explored various texts that all dealt with Tu B'shevat.  The students chose one of the texts to read, explore, and apply to themselves, the world, modern life, or another aspect of Judaism.  Ask your student what text they chose and how they applied it.

Temple Emanu-El and The Diamond Family Religious School are partnering with the ADL and JumpSpark for an Anti-Semitism Summit.

We would love for parents to take this opportunity to learn about how to handle anti-Semitism in our lives.

This Summit is recommended for children (6th grade and older) and parents.

Please join us as we discuss the realities of anti-Semitism in our community and how can navigate these challenges.

For more information, click here .

To register for this free event, click here .

We hope to see you there!

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What's Happening at DFRS?

• December 16 - Sunday School
• ​​​​​​​NO SCHOOL December 23, December 30, January 6
• ​​​​​​​January 6 - Teacher & Madrichim Training Day
• MARK YOUR CALENDARS:​​​​​​​
  • March 17 - Purim Carnival
  • March 22 - Religious School PURIM Shabbat Services at 6:30 PM - COME IN COSTUME & BYOB!!!
• ​​​​​​​Office Hours - Teachers are available for conferencing OR Hebrew tutoring starting at 8:40 each Sunday. 

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 HEBREW SKILLS - KIPPAH LEVELS

Has your student in grades 4-7 been practicing their Hebrew Skills prayers?

By the end of the 1st semester (December 16), it is the expectation for the following:
6th graders should be in PURPLE.
5th graders should be in YELLOW.
4th graders in pink should be in RED.

Remember, students can be tested and move WHENEVER they are ready!

​​​​​​​LINKS (Click the following to find prayer packets and videos):
Red 
Yellow  
Green 
Blue  
Purple
Orange  

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Sunday Synopses

Kindergarten - Today we had some Hanukkah fun!! We made menorahs out of our fingers(for the candles) and fingerprints (for the flames). We then broke up into groups and played some Hanukkah games including a fun twist on the classic dreidel game! Parents can ask their kiddos: 1. What is the helper candle called? 2. What is your favorite part about celebrating Hanukkah? 

First Grade - This week our machrichim taught about Hanukkah while talking about what is special about Hanukkah. Parents can ask what we eat on Hanukkah and how the hanukkiah is different than a menorah. 

Second Grade - Today we focused on practiced the Chanukah prayers, learning the rules of the dreidel game, and practicing how to light the menorah.  We had so much fun playing the dreidel game and eating gelt! Parents can ask which direction we light our candles and which letter they want to spin on the dreidel.

Third Grade Judaics - Students heard the story of Chanukah and are able to relate a few facts about the origin of Chaunkah.  We discussed the victory of Judah Maccabee and the miracles of Chanukah.  Students understood why Chanukah celebrates our right to practice our religion free of persecution. Parents can ask their childre what is the Miracle of Chanukah?  What is the meaning of the word Chanukah?  Third Grade Applied Hebrew - This week, we continued celebrating Hanukkah.  We lit the Chanukiya, chanted the blessings, and sang Hanukkah songs. We were involved in small and big group activities, such as singing, dancing, learning, and many other fun-filled activities. What a fun and productive week we have enjoyed together! Ask your children what does the word Chanukah mean? What is the ninth candle for?

Fourth Grade Judaics - Today our class learned about simcha (joy).  We learned about how we celebrate simchas and why this is so important in Judaism. Ask your children to share a simcha with you. Fourth Grade Applied Hebrew - We wrapped up our study of Chanukah by working on the blessings. We also explored this week's torah portion. 

Fifth Grade Judaics - Today we learned about Parshah Vayishlach and Parshah Vayeishev. We learned more about the family line of Isaac and Jacob. We also discussed the beginnings of Joseph's story and his enslavement in Egypt. Questions to ask your children: Q1) Why were Joseph's brothers jealous of him? Q2) How can you deal with sibling arguments or disagreements? Fifth Grade Applied Hebrew - We wrapped Hanukkah with a short animation movie that describe the story of Hanukkah. We told the story of the S'vivon (dreidel) and played with S'vivonim from Israel and America. We touched History with a special clay that I brought from Israel (Archaeological  digging) - singing some songs and enjoying that last day of Hanukkah together. Questions to ask your children: 1- How does it feel to touch History? 2 - Tell us something new you learned about Hanukkah?

Sixth - Twelfth Grade - Our students attended an AIPAC mini-conference where they heard from Yotam Polizer, the co-CEO of IsraAID. IsraAID is an Israeli-based humanitarian aid agency that responds to emergency crises and engages in international development around the world. Ask your students what the most memorable part of the program was.

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What's Happening at DFRS?

• December 2 - Sunday School & PreK Preview (Know someone with a PreK student - forward them the link!)
• ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​December 7 - Religious School Chanukah Dinner & Services
• ​​​​​​​December 9 - Sunday School, AIPAC Conference (6th-12th Grades) , & Governor's Mansion
• ​​​​​​​December 16 - Sunday School
• ​​​​​​​NO SCHOOL December 23, December 30, January 6!

Get excited for Chanukah Dinner & Services!!!
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2018

• Register HERE
• Wear your festive Chanukah gear!
• BYOB

**Zimria will meet Cantor Adesnik at 6:30 before dinner starts.**

Students will be LEADING parts of the Chanukah service on December 7:
Grades K-2
Nightlights: https://youtu.be/OTNLxNxfk0U & Shema
Grades 3-5
MIchamocha: https://youtu.be/RP2yN-_1p_w
Grades 6-8
Am I Awake/Barchu: https://youtu.be/4evjPk_LoT0

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HEBREW SKILLS - KIPPAH LEVELS
Has your student in grades 4-7 been practicing their Hebrew Skills prayers?

By the end of the 1st semester (December 16), it is the expectation for the following:

• 6th graders should be in PURPLE.
• 5th graders should be in YELLOW.
• 4th graders in pink should be in RED.

​​​​​​​LINKS (Click the following to find prayer packets and videos):
Red
Yellow
Green
Blue
Purple
Orange