This Shabbat we continued to learn about Purim and the story of Queen Esther, and discussed why we dress up in costume on this holiday. In addition, we continued our discussion on personal hygiene, and the importance of washing our hands. Furthermore, we had a teamwork activity, and discussed how working together is the best tool to reach a common goal, like Queen Esther who worked together with Mordechai throughout the story to reach their common goal.
This Shabbat we had an unusual class. Samantha, our madricha, was leading as part of the training in Yachad’s madrichim program!
This week, our focus was on Tu Bishvat. We started class by saying “happy birthday” to the trees outside the classroom. Then we played an acting game in which students could choose a mask of an animal that relied on trees in some way,
This week, we started class by reading Maddie the Mitzvah Clown. We talked about a few different mitzvot in the story, and why it’s important to do mitzvot. Then, we played a quick game of Barvaz, Barvaz, Chatul. After Hebrew Through Movement, the students drew something that they wanted to do to make the world a better place.
This week, we talked about kesher, or connection. We started by reading One Little Chicken, a story about unexpected connections that formed after a chicken wandered into a backyard. Then, after Hebrew Through Movement, children could chose to play an art game, or decorate their name tags. The art game was a timed drawing activity–after a certain amount of time, everyone had to pass their artwork along so everyone had a chance to contribute to each drawing.
This Shabbat we started to learn about the Jewish calendar by discussing the differences between the Gregorian and
This Shabbat we continued talking about responsibility and analyzed the different roles of responsibility in the Maccabees’ stories. We then discussed mitzvot and common types of good deeds. (Tzachi’s Class)
This shabbat we continued talking about Hanukkah. Our lesson was focused on the Hebrew vocabulary of the most common Hanukkah words. In addition, we finished our day with the well earned Sufganiot (doughnuts for Hanukkah!). (Tzachi’s Class)
Last Shabbat we started to learn about the story of Chanukah! We discussed our favorite parts of the holiday and why the Chanukiyah has 8 candles. In HTM we learned the Hebrew meaning to Chanukah words and will continue our Chanukah exploration next week! (Tzachi’s Class)
This week we started talking about the Hanukkah story. We watched a video about why it was hard for the Jews to live under Greek rule, and we read a picture book that also described the Hanukkah story. The students had a lot of really great, thoughtful questions about the specifics of historical Jewish life. Then, after Hebrew Through Movement, we made hand chanukiyot, although some students preferred to draw their own!
This week we spoke about responsibility/achrayut to one’s country and a country’s responsibility. Parents explored biblical, Talmudic and liturgical texts about relationship to government, legislation, judgment and the priorities a government has for those who reside in the country. Parents also explored the question of the Jewish people as a nation and the prayer for our country found in students’ Mishkan Tefilah siddurim (prayer books). Students explored this theme at large through reading Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers’ Strike of 1909 and acting out a biblical story about sharing leadership in government.
1. Upcoming Closures: 12/21 – 1/1 Yachad Winter Break
2. RSVP: CBE Family Hanukkah Program, Friday, Dec 20, 5:30
Our ECC, After School and Yachad staff and families can’t wait to get ready for Hanukkah with you!
Please join us for Shabbat blessings and community latke dinner, followed by fun-filled Hanukkah activities. We’ll conclude with a Hanukkah family sing along lead by Debbie Brukman. Please RSVP by 12/18 @ 5pm so that we can ensure enough food and materials for all! Adults, $18; Children 2 and up, $7; Children 0-24 months, free.
3. NFTY NAR Winter Kallah: Hosting Opportunity 1/3 – 1/5
NFTY NAR and Congregation Beth Elohim are thrilled to have parents and their teens join us for Winter Kallah on January 3-5, 2020. This year, our annual home-hosted weekend experience is open to 8-12th Grade! NFTY NAR and CBE can’t wait to welcome everyone to the first ever Brooklyn Kallah and highlight this amazing part of our region. The theme for the weekend is “Real Talk,” an in-depth exploration of how we can actively create meaningful connections with each other and use the Jewish art of storytelling as a skill we can take home with us to engage our peers and communities. Of course, we’ll enjoy the timeless Kallah staples like Shabbat dinner and tefilah, the first Havdallah of 2020, and Saturday night Big Fun! Students can’t attend but want to help? Become a host family and take in a few teens from the New York area. More info? Contact Haley Breskin at hbreskin@cbebk.org
4. CAMBA Corps Holiday Gifts
As it gets colder people who are on the journey from homelessness to permanent housing need basic items. Everyone who stays in CAMBA shelters get generic gifts for the holidays which are always needed – socks, gloves, hats. Due to your generosity, all the participants in The CAMBA Gathering Place are being presented with a number of additional items and to choose from. It is hard to overstate how much getting a gift they chose means to the participants. Click here to sign up to buy a gift!
After talking about everyone’s week during circle time, we had choice time. Students could choose between listening to a story about how Abraham first realized that idolatry was wrong, or doing Aleph-Bet yoga.
This week, we went over two big concepts: kavod (respect) and achrayut (responsibility) and reviewed them by playing a matching/acting game. The students would read a card and decide if it was an example of someone acting responsibly/respectfully or not.
We started to learn about Abraham and Sarah this week. We talked about how Abraham was commanded to leave his homeland, and how he and his nephew, Lot, had to determine how they were using their new land in a way that respected the environment.
This week we learned about motivation and respect. We started class by playing Barvaz, Barvaz, Chatul. Then, after our Hebrew Through Movement lesson, we read a few books and talked about how they related to our themes for the week.
We started class this week by watching a video recapping the Noah story. Then, we learned about the Tower of Babel, and played a game of “Telephone” to replicate what happened when everyone started speaking new languages.
This week we had a fun review of all the holidays that we’ve celebrated so far this year, and talked about why we celebrate Simchat Torah!
We learned about Sukkot this week, and everyone got to build their own sukkah out of magnetic tiles at the start of class!
This week, we discussed Yom Kippur and how we can begin again when we make mistakes. We did a classroom tashlich, where the kids drew or wrote about an attitude or behavior that they wanted to leave behind in the old year, and then they tore up their paper and cast it away.
Students explored a story about the first Shabbat and the first night and found similarities between Rosh Hashanah and Havdallah (the ritual ceremony that marks the transition of Shabbat to the rest of the week). Through listening to the story, playing a game and reflecting on the comparisons students came away with ideas about how we enter into new beginnings and transitions. In Hebrew through Movement students played with the words challah, kita and shofar.
This week our first graders reviewed what they’ve learned this year!
Last Saturday our First Graders continued their unit on Israel, and learned about Yom Ha’atzmaut!
Last Saturday our First Graders continued their unit on Passover, and practiced the four questions which they had begun learning the week before!
Last Saturday our First Graders started their unit on Passover, and began to learn the four questions!
Last Saturday our First Graders finished learning about Purim, just in time for the Purim Carnival!
Last Saturday our First Graders finished up their unit on Israel and began learning about Purim!
Last Saturday our First Graders continued their unit on Israel.
Last Saturday our First Graders started learning about Israel.
Greetings, Yachad Lower School Families!
Last Saturday our First Graders finished their unit on Shabbat!
Last Saturday our First Graders continued learning about Shabbat!
Last Saturday our First Graders learned about Shabbat!
