Kitah Hey Update

May 12, 2017

Dear Parents,

Where has our school year gone?

We continued our Torah studies, discussing the Jewish values it teaches us through the stories it tells.

Abraham & Sarah became the father & mother of a great nation - Israel. They showed us how to live and advocate for Justice. They exemplified the meaning of Hospitality.  They opened their home to anyone who was in need. They lived a life of Shalom Bayit - Peace in the home - by compromising. The life they lived was authentic and a wonderful example for their children, family, servants and friends (all of which followed in Abraham & Sarah's teachings). They too became "team players", part of the Jewish people -עם ישראל. Believing and committed to the Covenant with God.

Our learners have discussed how they practice these values in their own life at home and in school. Being grateful, sensitive, happy, content and kind.

Have a happy Mother's Day and I look forward to our last few days with this bright & sensitive group of students. I also look forward to seeing you at our Torah celebration on our last day May 21.

It has been a privilege working with your children!

Shabbat Shalom

Cillia Kleiman

Kitah Gan Katan Update

May 10, 2017

Hello Parents, 

Sunday we had a really busy morning. We had both classes combined and the wall opened. We Learned  about the holiday of of Shavout. How the Jewish people  received the Torah.  God went to other nations and asked if they wanted His Torah and they each said, "NO!" Cause it's something that is forbidden and they want to do it then they can't.  When God  came to the Jews  and asked if we wanted His Torah we said together as a whole nation,  " we will do and we will listen." We received  the Ten Commandments, we the Jewish  people  have to follow.  We made our very own Ten commandments.  Each child told us what they thought was the right thing to do and what not. We talked about  if God listens to our prayers  and if He answers them.  I loved  hearing what they had to say.  

We also talked about a very special holiday that is coming  up this Sunday.  Mother's

Day.  Your child made something very special for you.  We told them to give it to you on Sunday. 

The children worked really hard on your gifts, we hope that you will love them as much as we loved making them for you. 

Happy Mother's  Day to all you special  Mama's!! Thank you for sharing  your wonderful  children with us!!

Kitah Gan Team!! 

Kitah Vav Update

May 9, 2017

And a final blog post from the 6^th grade!  It has been a lovely year with your crew!  We spent the week wrapping up our unit on Moses and leadership.  Ask your child about the attributes of an unlikely leader and what makes an unlikely leader a GOOD leader. 

Just a few things:  we do NOT have Sunday school on Mother’s Day.  We have 1 more Tuesday and the final Sunday on May 21^st.  PLEASE COME TO meet your child from 11-12 for our Have Torah, Will Travel Celebration.  It is expected that all children have an adult with them, as our teachers will be running the stations at our event.  Your child is welcome to be under the supervision of a friend’s parent; however, please be aware that the teachers CANNOT be responsible for the children during the 11-12 time frame.  Thank you for your help.

It has been a great year and I have enjoyed learning and laughing with your kids.  Looking forward to a few last hurrahs and then have a WONDERFUL summer.  Stay in touch!

Warmly,

Leah

Dear Parents,

It had been a long time since we have all been together, lots of vacations, holidays and absences, so it was great to all be together last Sunday.  We celebrated Yom Ha'atzmaut  with lots of fun activities. We made hummus and Israeli salad. In class we put together a  puzzle of the map of Israel and then your kids made a watercolor of Jerusalem. We created a memory/matching game of "Israel " words and we played that.

We are continuing with our Hebrew reading and will try to complete all the letter and vowels in the time remaining. We have class this Sunday, May 7, Tuesday, May 9, Tuesday, May 16 and our last day of class is Sunday May 21.

Wishing you all a Shabbat shalom,

Davida Robinson

Kitah Gan Katan Update

May 3, 2017

Happy Week to our Fabulous Parents:

Sunday, we reviewed about Mezuzahs for the kids that missed out last week. We went on another Mezuzah hunt through out the shul. We had a great time looking at all different types and shapes of Mezuzahs.  We finished our projects,  which are coming home Sunday. We hope that you will enjoy them as much as we learned and made them.

Have a wonderful rest of your week.

Morot Zoya and Alexis 

Kitah Hey Update

May 2, 2017

Dear Parents,

Our Torah study and Jewish Values continue with Jacob taking his mother Rivkah's advice and running away to Haran. He travels to his uncle Laban's house and on his way he finds himself on Mount Moriah, spending a night in the very same spot his grandfather Abraham connected with God and the spot the Holy Temple would be built in the future. Jacob declares this spot to be a holy spot where Jews can pray and bring sacrifices to God. God changes Jacobs name to Israel and he continues to journey to Haran and falls in love with Rachel. 

The story has many twists to it and Jacob ends up with two wives and works for Laban as a shepherd for 14 years. Rachel teaches us what a righteous person she is. She did not want to shame her sister Leah when her father tricked Jacob and how she compromised to avoid putting her embarrassing her sister Leah. The kids reviewed which of Jacob's names best fit each part of his life. We will continue the story and lessons we can learn on Sunday.

Your child has an opportunity to enter the Jeffrey Weinberg Memorial Creative Writing Contest. Please take a look at the letter brought home or on line. Their essays must be emailed by Wednesday. May 17. There are three categories to win.

Shabbat Shalom

Cillia Kleiman

Kitah Vav Update

May 2, 2017

Hi all –

We had a fantastic week this week.  The spring fever seemed to have subsided a bit. JOY!

On Sunday we had extended chugim for our Yom Ha’atzmaut celebrations to celebrate Israel’s 69^th birthday!  The kids made dead sea salt scrub, hamsas, and Israeli food.  Fun was had by all… and quite a mess. Whew! Clean up was brutal! J But, I hope your child had a great time!

In class, we did something a bit different to try and break things up.  I am trying to get the kids moving a bit to keep them engaged.  We discussed Jews in terms of being refugees since our unit on Moses leads us to the point where the Israelites are wandering for 40 years.  We spoke about why the Jewish people are always wandering (including some current Jewish pre-teens, who tend to wander the halls at CSZ J) and what makes them keep landing on their feet. We discussed how Jews are like a compass (the kind used in geometry, not a compass rose), and how one foot is fixed in Judaism and one foot – the one that moves – is your nationality.  That foot can move, but it always comes back to the fixed foot of Judaism.  Our true home is our religion, and this makes us portable and makes us suited and adaptable to move.  We then did an activity where we made a Jewish star with our bodies and then had to immediately move into a symbol that represented America.  The kids chose the 3 branches of government (I was impressed). The kids were really engaged and into the lesson.

On Tuesday we made our yads with Gail Kaplan. They are BEAUTIFUL!  I hope everyone uses them for their bar or bat mitzvah!

Have a wonderful week and only a few more weeks until our big Shavuot program on our last day of religious ed, May 21^st.  Please make sure to join your child from 11 – 12.  WE have lots of things for the older kids, including tying your own tzit tzit, writing with a sofer and much more!  It’s going to be great.

Have a good one,

Morah Leah