This week in...
Kindergarten
Today we learned about who a Rabbi is. We learned about the important duties of a Rabbi. We learned about the 3 Rabbi's in our own temple and got to draw a picture of one. Ask your child: 1. What does the word Rabbi mean? 2. What are 2 duties of a Rabbi?
1st Grade
We made our mitzvah hands we examined a Torah. We visited the Sukkah and shook the lulav and strong We learned how important the Torah is and the special parts of it. Our Shinshin from Israel, Nicole, also visited us. Ask your child: 1. Why do we celebrate Sukkot and what is the lulav and etrog? 2. What did you learn from Nicole today?
2nd Grade
This week we expanded upon creation with the making of Adam and Eve. We learned about their life and trials in the garden and their struggle against temptation. We discussed the consequences that come from our actions and how we should learn to guide our behavior in the future. Ask your children: 1. What happened in the Garden? 2. What can we learn from this lesson?
3rd Grade
Judaics - This week the students learned about the story of Noah’s Ark, and explored the challenges Noah and his family had to overcome. The students learned about why it is important to stand up for what they believe in, even if other people do not support them. For one of our activities, the students were given an ark of their own to decorate. On each ark, the students had to draw one animal they would have saved and explain why they chose that animal. It was very interesting hearing which animals our students would have saved! Ask your children: 1. Which animal would you have saved and why? 2. What was the most difficult challenge Noah and his family had to face?
Hebrew Skills - Students brainstormed words to describe Hertzl's character and values. they will listen to the second part of the wonderful story "Hertzl and the CypressTree" and understand how Hertzl gave the hope of Israel to see a state. They will learn how Jews in Israel did not give up inspite the hard times during the first World War. Hertzl's dream continued to strengthen the Jewish hope. Ask your children: 1. In the story, Hertzl planted a cypress tree for the future of Israel. Hertzl did not live to see the fruits of this tree. Was there any point to planting his tree?
4th Grade
Judaics - This week’s lesson focused on the Middot Humility and Empathy. The students listened to the story of the Tortoise and the Hare. They discussed the characters and what they learned from the story. Miss Cheryl (the sub) had them ‘draw’ the story. She was amazed at the different approaches that the children took. Some did a pro and con list, some drew the characters, and some drew what it felt like to be different. Ask your children: 1. How does it feel to be ‘left out’? 2. Have they left out someone without even realizing it? 3. What did you do with your gratitude cards?
Hebrew Skills - One Parasha with lots of stories. G-d is busy creating the world in 6 days on the seventh, Sabbath, G-d rested. The story of Adam and Eve a in the garden of Eden, and finally the story of Cain and Able. Ask your child: 1. to tell you the stories in the Parasha, and 2. to tell you one new thing that they learn from the stories.
5th Grade
Judaics - Students finished their beautiful Tree of Life art pieces and brought them home this week. They were gorgeous!
Hebrew Skills - We will talk about Sh'lom Bayit (A peace in the house" ). What does it mean to have Shalom in the Bayit and how can we contribute to have a peace at home? Ask your child: 1. How can you contribute to the peace in the house?
6th Grade
Today we took another dive into the history of the Holocaust. We focused most closely on the 6 major stages that led to the Holocaust. Check in with your child, they should be able to tell you what the 6 stages were and the order in which they occurred (you may need to give them the stages, but they could tell you the order and what happened at each stage):
Stage 1. Definition: Jews are defined as the “other” through legalized discrimination.
Stage 2. Isolation: Once individuals are labeled as Jews, they are separated from mainstream society.
Stage 3. Emigration: Jews are encouraged to leave Germany. With the beginning of World War II in 1939, the Nazis apply their racial laws to the countries they invade and occupy. Thus, Jews in these territories also tried to emigrate outside of the Third Reich.
Stage 4. Ghettoization: Jews are forcibly removed to segregated sections of Eastern European cities called ghettos.
Stage 5. Deportation: Jews are transported from ghettos to concentration camps and death camps.
Stage 6. Mass murder: It is estimated that the Nazis murdered approximately 11 million innocent civilians during World War II. These are civilians killed not in the crossfire of armed combat but murdered for being an “enemy of the state” or for belonging to an undesirable group.
With the 81st anniverrsary of Kristallnacht (the Night of Broken Glass) just around the corner (November 9th) we watched and discussed the stories of survivors that appear in this 10 minute film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14NPBMgQBK8
Related to the stages leading up to the Holocaust, Kristallnacht, and survival, we also studied the story of the MS St. Louis. The ship that fled Europe for Cuba, was turned away from Cuba, then turned away from America, and ultimately sent back to Europe. Ask your children what they thought about the story of the MS St. Louis. What part was the most interesting? Do they find the story to still be relevant today?
7th Grade
This week we learned about the power of words. Specifically focusing on how we use them and what impact they have on us and others. Ask your child: 1. Which source resonated with them the most. 2. How can we use words to empower us and others?
