Only 4 (!!!) more classes until our semester break. Students in Kippah Adom (red) through Kippah Katom (orange) should move up at least one kippah level before January.
The kids are encouraged to study their kippah level prayers, and ask to be tested when they are ready to move up a level. Additionally, the kids can attend office hours with their Hebrew teacher at 8:45 am on Sundays. Click HERE for Hebrew Skills practice pages.
Don't forget:
Snack Time: Students are welcome to bring a healthy snack with them on Sundays.
IMPORTANT: Please remember, if you need to check your child out early, notify the office as soon as possible. You will need to come to the office to sign your child out - teachers have been instructed not to let children leave the classroom unless someone from the office comes to pick them up. Please help us with this security measure.
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This week in...
Kindergarten We started to learn about the Torah. We learned that Moses wrote the Torah and that there are 5 books that make up the Torah (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy). We also learned what a Sofer is and how important their job is to Torah making. We then got a chance to practice being a Sofer by delicately coloring in Hebrew letters. Ask your child: Who wrote the torah? What does a Sofer do?
1st Grade We made mitzvah hands and talked about the good things we did to help others this week. We also made a list of ways that we can help our parents at home. Ask your child: What makes your parents proud? What good manners can you use at home?
2nd Grade This week we learned about the great flood. Noah built an ark and brought two of every animal onto it. It then rained for 40 days and 40 nights. After the flood, God gave us the rainbow as a promise. Ask your child: What did the dove do? What does the rainbow mean?
3rd Grade & 4th Grade had an amazing morning at the JCC ropes course.
5th Grade Judaics Today we began learning about Parshah Vayeira (Gen. 18:1-22:24)! We discussed the story of Abraham welcoming the three strangers into his home, and what Judaism teaches us about active hospitality. We will also talk about how we can be more hospitable and welcoming to strangers in our own personal lives. Ask your child: What is one time you [the child] were a stranger? How did those around you welcome you? Did they go out of their way to make you feel comfortable? What is one way we as a family can be more welcoming and hospitable to strangers and those we don’t know in our own schools/communities? Applied Hebrew We will continue learning about "Sh'lom Bayit" from last week. We had the pleasure to meet our Shinshinit Nicole. We are going to create our home with peace based on colors - every color symbolized "a state of mind." For exmaple, Red will be happiness and green will be calm. Based on the colors, every kid will create his "Drean Sh'lom Bayit" home. Ask your child: What was your favorite color and why? How can we build together your "Dream House"?
6th Grade This week we split into four groups and each group was assigned a person to study and present to the rest of the group. Please ask your children follow up questions about:
Primo Levi Elie Wiesel Anne Frank Adolf Hitler
Ask them where they were from, why they are famous, and anything interesting they remember about these historical figures. Please note, that for some of your children this was their first time hearing all or most of the Jewish names. We will continue to build on their knowledge from here and I know that many of the kids will read the stories of these Jewish people in years to come.
At the end of the prersentation period we reviewed quotes from those Jewish survivors and others about their relationship with God. We began to delve into how Jewish views of God changed in the generration immediately following the Holocaust and how that has trickled down to us today. We will delve into these issues more throughout the year. 7th Grade This week we learned about the importance of being a part of a Temple community, and how and why we take care of our Temple. Then, we undertook the responsibility to care for our Temple by ensuring every seat had a siddur underneath that had all the pages. We fixed those that needed to be fixed. It was great to be able to learn Jewish text and apply it in a meaningful way. Ask your child: How did you help the temple today? Why should we be a part of a temple community?
