This week in...
Kindergarten
We started off today doing a review of what we learned last week by playing a game of hangman. Then we learned about the rollers of the torah and how we properly dress the Torah. We even got a chance to dress our own torahs. Ask your child: What are the rollers of the Torah called? Can you name 2 parts of dressing the Torah?
1st Grade
We learned about Tzedakah. We talked about ways to give Tzedakah. We also read about non-money related Tzedakah. We also made a poster depicting ways of giving Tzedakah. Ask your child: What is Tzedakah? What are other ways to give Tzedakah besides money?
2nd Grade
This week we learned about Jacob and Esau, twins born of Isaac. As Esau was born first, he had a birthright. Esau gave his birthright to Jacob but refused to uphold his promise when the time came. With the help of Rebecca, Jacob was able to trick his father into getting it afterall. Ask your child: What is a birthright? How did Jacob trick Isaac?
3rd Grade
Judaics
Thanksgiving is a holiday signified by loved ones coming together to share a meal and give thanks for each other. In class, we had an opportunity to associate between Thanks Giving and our Jewish heritage. In class discussion, students came up with many ideas as to enjoy our blessing with others: Do Mitzvot (good deeds), T'zedaka by donating money for charity or food to CAC (an organization that fights hunger in our community), volunteering at a community thanksgiving dinner for the needy, deliver meals to suhut-ins. Ask your child: Why is Thanksgiving a special day? The Jewish way of enjoying our blessings is to share with others. Name one or two things you can do to share with others.
Applied Hebrew
During class, the students explored Abram and Sarai’s journey in depth and reflected on journeys they or their family have taken in their lives. We started the lesson by writing about a time the students tried something new and the challenges that were involved in doing so. We then had a class discussion about the difficult journey Abram and Sarai had from Haran. The students all gave their opinions and we concluded that Abram and Sarai showed tremendous faith in God as well as courage. Ask your child: What was the journey that Abraham and Sarah went on? How does having bitachon help shape the way you live your life?
4th Grade
Judaics
We visited Morah Laura today to work on the beginnings of our new art project.
Applied Hebrew
God said to Noah, “Because the earth is filled with wrongdoing and corruption and robbery I am going to destroy it. Make yourself an ark of wood with enclosures for animals and gather food for all aboard. I shall bring a flood through the water upon the earth and destroy all that has the spirit of life.” Noah did everything according to what God had commanded. And in seven days flood waters came upon the earth. All the fountains of the great deep were torn apart and the floodgates of the heavens were opened. On that very day Noah and his family came to the ark. And all living creatures, two by two, male and female, came to Noah. When they were all on the ark God shut the door on their behalf. Ask your child: Why God was bringing the flood on the world? What was the promised God made to the people?
5th Grade
Judaics
Today we talked more about Parshah Vayiera! We discussed the birth of Isaac and Sarah’s expulsion of Hagar from the household. We also discussed Maimonides’ Levels of Tzedakah, and students went home with a list of ways they and their family can give to tzedakah! Ask your child: What does it mean to do the right thing for the right reasons? How can we as a family do more to give to Tzedakah?
Applied Hebrew
we will learn the "Midah" honoring your father and mother" is one of the most important Mitzva in the Torah!! When you honor your parents you not only appreciate what they do for you but you are honoring yourself. we will look an cartoons when kids disrespect their parents and think together how we can solve some issues in a better way Ask your child: What was your idea to solve some conflict between parents and kids? How are you going to implement some of the ideas into our lives?
6th Grade
Sunday’s lesson focused on the value of redeeming the captive, building from the previous weeks in which we talked about the journey of the MS St. Louis. The students were introduced to Maimonides, a rabbinic thinker, sage, and doctor from the 12th century who said, "The redeeming of captives takes precedence over supporting the poor or clothing them. There is no greater mitzvah (commandment) than redeeming captives for the problems of the captive include being hungry, thirsty, unclothed, and they are in danger of their lives too.” Having just completed an activity where they had to rank particular values, this text led to a fruitful discussion about how we prioritize our time and the ways in which we give back.
In the name of redeeming captives, the students were introduced to two famous righteous gentiles who saved Jews during the Holocaust: Sir Nicholas Winston and of course Oskar Schindler. Ask your child what they remember learning about these two men. (Sir Nicholas saved children and they watched a brief clip about him being reunited with those he saved some 40 years later) and (Oskar Schindler turned from Nazi supporter to one who saved Jews through his financial power and factories.)
7th Grade
This week we learned about gratitude (hakarat haTov) in Judaism, and how to cultivate more gratitude in our own lives. Saying thank you is nice, but it is often routine, and many times goes unnoticed. But hakarat hatov - authentic, thoughtful, reflective gratitude - can be transformational for the giver as well as the receiver. To bring this idea to life the students created gratitude boards to bring into deeper focus the important aspects of their lives. Ask your child: How can real gratitude be transformational for the giver as well as the receiver? What can you gain from being reminded often about what you are grateful for?
