Jewish Studies

Tuesday/Wednesday Jewish Studies with Haley

It was an especially exciting week for 2nd Grade because it was Simchat Torah and 2nd grade curriculum is all about the torah! I was very excited to see so many 2nd Graders at our Simchat Torah event on Monday where new Yachad students got a mini torah and we danced and celebrated Simchat Torah.

I wanted to take some time to also share how meaningful Simchat Torah was to me. I grew up in Virginia, where big public Jewish celebrations weren’t common. After going to the Simchat Torah event in Grand Army Plaza, where Jews were proud to be themselves and proud to be part of this community, I felt very inspired. I wanted to share this enthusiasm and inspiration with my students, so, this week at Yachad we celebrated Simchat Torah together as a class. We learned from Julie Seltzer, a sofer, about how torahs are made. We made our own mini torahs which students proudly brought home. We also learned the hora, a traditional way of dancing on Simchat Torah and had a ton of fun dancing together to Jewish music.

Our 2nd graders are so excited about hebrew, torah and learning all about our shared Jewish story!

Questions to ask at home:

Why do we celebrate the torah on Simchat Torah?
What does the torah mean to us as a Jewish people?
What makes you excited to be Jewish?

Saturday Jewish Studies with Anat

This week, students explored the meaning and objects surrounding Sukkot. Unfortunately due to bad weather, only our Tuesday students got to go into the CBE Sukkah. However, every student learned all about the lulav and etrog and how we shake them. Each student also got the opportunity to shake an actual lulav and etrog and explore the reason why Jews practice this ritual. The second graders also made paper chains to decorate the sukkah with things they are grateful for and we talked as a class about being grateful for all of the joys in our life during the holiday season. Lastly, we read A Watermelon In The Sukkah and learned about using creativity and problem solving to make a sukkah special.

Questions to ask at home:

What is Sukkot and why do we celebrate it?
What is a Sukkah and what does it look like?
What are the lulav and etrog and show me how to shake them?
What is something you are grateful for this holiday season?

Saturday Jewish Studies with Ashley

This week, students learned about Sukkot! We made a beautiful Chain of Gratitude with which to decorate the Sukkah. Students wrote or drew on chain links about something or someone that they are thankful for, and when we connected them we had a super long chain! These students are awesome at brainstorming things they’re thankful for; ask your kid what they wrote on their chain links! It was a fantastic community-building activity, and the Rabbi even popped in to add something that she is thankful for. The students asked to keep adding to the chain every week, which I think is a wonderful idea.

Questions to ask at home:

What is Sukkot and why do we celebrate it?
What is a Sukkah and what does it look like?
What are the lulav and etrog and show me how to shake them?
What is something you are grateful for this holiday season?

Hebrew Through Movement

2nd graders were introduced to the adverbs – fast, slow, in place. Verbs – to draw. They were also introduced to different body parts – head, eyes, mouth, nose, ears, hands, belly and legs.

Shabbat Family Program

During this week’s family program parents and students explored the connections between environmentalism and Sukkot. Students heard a story and did a drawing craft to express the hopes and promises they have for our earth. Parents explored biblical and Talmudic texts about humans’ relationship toward the earth and brainstormed ways they already model their environmentalist values in their homes and shared tips as a group!

Announcements

Back to School Night, Tuesday Oct 29, 7-9pm

Mark your calendars for our K- 7th grade Back to School night! During the evening you will have a chance to meet with your child’s teacher or grade coordinator, get an overview of the year’s curriculum and shmooze with other parents/caregivers. Looking forward to connecting!