The students continue to make excellent progress in Hebrew. Some have finished Ramah 1 and are starting to read basic Hebrew words in Ramah 2, the rest are almost ready to begin Ramah 2. Everyone has a good grasp of the Hebrew consonants and are beginning to learn the vowels. We have some tricks to help remember them!
At the end of class, we all gathered in the youth lounge to light the Hanukkah candles and sing the blessings. It was a beautiful sight. Then the children played dreidel with chocolate gelt.
Sunday is our Hanukkah Hoe Down for students and families--hope to see you all there!
Morah Debbie
Friday, December 11, 2015
Sunday, December 6, 2015
Sunday, 12/6 Family Ed. summary
Today was a day of learning, having fun, creating Hanukkah lanterns, doing a mitzvah, and eating! We had almost perfect attendance today in the third grade, and I enjoyed seeing so many of you. I'm sorry I couldn't experience all the stations with you, but I was in charge of the glue gun and helping to assemble the beautiful lanterns the students made.
I'd like to send out a special thank you to some very helpful and talented madrichim who helped us in the art activity today: Rebecca Rooks, Jade Leong, and Molly German who stapled all the lanterns together, and Camille Szottfried who accompanied the third graders to each activity. Couldn't have done it without you girls!!!
Coming up: the school will be lighting the hanukkiyah on Tuesday during religious school, and then we have a Hanukkah Hoe Down next Sunday.
Happy first night of Hanukkah tonight,
Morah Debbie
I'd like to send out a special thank you to some very helpful and talented madrichim who helped us in the art activity today: Rebecca Rooks, Jade Leong, and Molly German who stapled all the lanterns together, and Camille Szottfried who accompanied the third graders to each activity. Couldn't have done it without you girls!!!
Coming up: the school will be lighting the hanukkiyah on Tuesday during religious school, and then we have a Hanukkah Hoe Down next Sunday.
Happy first night of Hanukkah tonight,
Morah Debbie
Sunday, November 22, 2015
Summary for Sunday, 11/22
We practiced singing the Hanukkah blessings and tried to point to each Hebrew word as we sang it. We learned about saying the sheheheyanu on the first night of Hanukkah. I drew a hanukkiyah on the board and the children took turns drawing the lit candles, learning to put the candles starting on the right, and lighting each new candle first every night. I also taught them how to dance the Menorah Hora.
Our madrichim, Rebecca and Camille, read the story "The Miracle Jar" by Audrey Penn to the children. Then we went into the youth lounge for our elective--Yoga with Stacie. The children learned about the link between peace-shalom-namaste, and Stacie also did an amazing job of integrating our Hanukkah learning into the session. The children did familiar poses as well as learned some new ones, and learned how to listen to their breaths and acknowledge that special light within others by saying "namaste."
We have the next few classes off for Thanksgiving, and will meet next on Tuesday, Dec. 1. When we return, be sure to take a look at the school bulletin board and the beautiful Hanukkah creations your children made.
Happy and healthy Thanksgiving (maybe the kids will remember the link with Sukkot!),
Morah Debbie
Our madrichim, Rebecca and Camille, read the story "The Miracle Jar" by Audrey Penn to the children. Then we went into the youth lounge for our elective--Yoga with Stacie. The children learned about the link between peace-shalom-namaste, and Stacie also did an amazing job of integrating our Hanukkah learning into the session. The children did familiar poses as well as learned some new ones, and learned how to listen to their breaths and acknowledge that special light within others by saying "namaste."
We have the next few classes off for Thanksgiving, and will meet next on Tuesday, Dec. 1. When we return, be sure to take a look at the school bulletin board and the beautiful Hanukkah creations your children made.
Happy and healthy Thanksgiving (maybe the kids will remember the link with Sukkot!),
Morah Debbie
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
Tues. 11/17 summary
The children are making excellent progress in Hebrew, working hard to master their Hebrew letters and finish Ramah 1. A few have started Ramah 2. I was so proud during our prayer service when everyone in early session volunteered to help Morah Liz lead the Barchu prayer! Even though they're just beginning to learn Hebrew, they feel confident and comfortable enough to get up in front of the school and lead--great practice for our third grade Shabbat service this spring!
Enjoy your week,
Morah Debbie
Enjoy your week,
Morah Debbie
Sunday, November 15, 2015
Sunday 11/15 summary
Your children may be asking you for money for our tzedakah box. We're trying to collect as much as possible for the SMARTY Mitzvah Shopping for the Northeast ARC. Morah Liz explained that last year, the gifts we bought for the children weren't typical gifts--no toys were requested, rather necessities like diapers, gloves, hats and other warm clothes, etc.
You've probably seen the fliers, but here are the details again: Third through twelfth graders meet at the Vinnin Square Panera at 6 PM on Saturday, Dec. 5 for hot chocolate and cookies before shopping together at the local stores. It's a real feel-good mitzvah, and gives our children another way of looking at this holiday season.
We finished learning about Hanukkah today, finished our bulletin board creations, and played the dreidel game. We also dramatized the Hanukkah story.
Enjoy your week,
Morah Debbie
You've probably seen the fliers, but here are the details again: Third through twelfth graders meet at the Vinnin Square Panera at 6 PM on Saturday, Dec. 5 for hot chocolate and cookies before shopping together at the local stores. It's a real feel-good mitzvah, and gives our children another way of looking at this holiday season.
We finished learning about Hanukkah today, finished our bulletin board creations, and played the dreidel game. We also dramatized the Hanukkah story.
Enjoy your week,
Morah Debbie
Tuesday, November 10, 2015
11/10/15 Tuesday class summary
In early session, we reviewed our alef bet letters by playing Bingo--covering the whole board. Late session we played a new alef bet board game. Fortified by a little snack (choice of goldfish, cheese balls, cookies from Israel, or pretzels), the students worked hard in their Ramah 1 books. The room was quiet as they worked at their own pace, sometimes independently, other times with another student. They are making excellent progress!
Monday, November 9, 2015
Sunday 11/8/15 class summary
We finished learning about Simhat Torah yesterday. Ask your children about the brainteaser: Name two people in every Torah. Answer: Noah, Abraham, Moses, or anyone mentioned in the Torah, because every Torah is the same!
Next I invited the children to each list something on the board that they knew about Hanukkah. I was amazed that no one mentioned presents, but rather actual facts about the holiday! Happily, there were still some new things for them to discover about this winter holiday: menorah means lamp in Hebrew, and the accurate word for the Hanukkah menorah is hanukkiyah. They also learned the meaning of the letters on the dreidel: nes gadol hayah sham--a great miracle happened there. Ask your children how the dreidels in Israel are different!
Please help:
1. The tzedakah money we collect during the next few weeks will be used to buy gifts for children from needy families. Please try to remind your kids to bring in a few coins and get in the habit of the mitzvah of bringing in tzedakah money to class on Sundays or Tuesdays. We have a class tzedakah box.
2. Many children are doing their homework and bringing it back to school in their homework folders. I've asked them to try to spend just five minutes a day, five times a week with Hebrew. The homework is easy and fun, and will help them to learn their letters so they can read soon. I give a sticker for homework, but tomorrow--Tuesday--Morah Liz said students who bring in their homework may choose a prize from her famous prize basket! If that helps to motivate them, I'll see what I can do about having the prize basket make frequent appearances!
Thank you for your support,
Morah Debbie
Next I invited the children to each list something on the board that they knew about Hanukkah. I was amazed that no one mentioned presents, but rather actual facts about the holiday! Happily, there were still some new things for them to discover about this winter holiday: menorah means lamp in Hebrew, and the accurate word for the Hanukkah menorah is hanukkiyah. They also learned the meaning of the letters on the dreidel: nes gadol hayah sham--a great miracle happened there. Ask your children how the dreidels in Israel are different!
Please help:
1. The tzedakah money we collect during the next few weeks will be used to buy gifts for children from needy families. Please try to remind your kids to bring in a few coins and get in the habit of the mitzvah of bringing in tzedakah money to class on Sundays or Tuesdays. We have a class tzedakah box.
2. Many children are doing their homework and bringing it back to school in their homework folders. I've asked them to try to spend just five minutes a day, five times a week with Hebrew. The homework is easy and fun, and will help them to learn their letters so they can read soon. I give a sticker for homework, but tomorrow--Tuesday--Morah Liz said students who bring in their homework may choose a prize from her famous prize basket! If that helps to motivate them, I'll see what I can do about having the prize basket make frequent appearances!
Thank you for your support,
Morah Debbie
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