DFRS Blog

Shabbat Shalom dear friends!

I am so excited to report that last Sunday, the Religious School Committee had their very first meeting of the year and the very first IN PERSON meeting since 2019!  Your grade level representative will be reaching out soon to set up a time for the parents to get together and make connections.  It is SUPER important to our synagogue and school that we connect, not only the kids, but the adults, too!  We can't wait to see you ALL soon.

I hope you have a restful Shabbat and enjoy this beautiful weekend.  We will see you all NEXT Sunday, 10/17 since there is NO SCHOOL this Sunday.

Mark your calendars:

• Sunday, 10/10

• Sunday, 10/17

• ​​​​​​​Sunday, 10/24

• Sunday, 11/7

• Friday, 12/3

• Sunday, 3/27
  -Practice Passover Seder (moved from Sunday, 4/10)​​​​​​​
  

Amazing things have been happening on Sunday mornings! We are working hard, learning a lot, and having SO MUCH KEF (fun)!

In PreK, K, 1, and 2, the students are having TONS of FUN!  Tefillah with Rabbi Rachael and Rabbi Max, music with Cantor Lauren, art with Morah Laura, Hebrew with Morah Evelyn, krav maga with Joe Corley, and fun on the playground fill our mornings!  In addition, there are studies of holidays and the grade level content.  PreK has been working on the shabbat blessings and the colors of the Israeli flag.  Kindergarten has been exploring the different things we do at temple.  1st grade is digging deep into mitzvot.  2nd grade has studied creation.  All of our primary grades have learned about Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, and Simchat Torah.

Our 3rd through 7th graders are learning Hebrew, practicing prayer, and advancing through our Kippah Levels.  We have found that the most effective strategy for learning is to practice 5 minute per day at home.  Links for practice can be found here:  https://templeemanuelatlanta.org/learn/diamond-family-religious-school/hebrew-skills/


Our upper grades are exploring holidays as well as their grade level content.  3rd grade most recently studied the story of Noah's Ark and learned about Gal Gadot, a contemporary Jewish hero.  4th grade's most recent explorations have been into empathy as well as taking a "tour-ah" (a tour of the torah).  Our 5th graders most recent topics were about simchat torah and how we begin and end again, along with our current week's parsha - Noach.  In 6th grade, the students have been focusing on the historical timeline surrounding the beginnings and groundwork of the Holocaust.  7th grade has explored texts that teach the importance of caring for other people.  This is in preparation for George Rishfeld coming to speak about his experiences during the Holocaust.  And our 8th graders have been doing a deep dive into leadership as they begin working with students and teachers as Madrichim-in-Training.

Please feel free to reach out with anything you need or any questions you have.  You can reach me by clicking HERE .

Thanks,

Beth Blick