Kitah Hey Class Update

Dear Parents,

 Hope you had a Happy Purim!  It was great seeing some of you at CSZ Purim celebration. We all enjoyed and had lots of Fun!

 Our class took some time this week to review the Mitzvot of Purim. We called them the four M's. They are hearing the Megillah, Mishloach Manot,( gifts of food to our friends or family), Matanot Levyonim,( charity to two poor people or families)  & Mishteh ( festive meal). Our class combined two Mitzvot this past week. We prepared Mishloach Manot, one for themselves to take home to share  & one to donate to Yad Ezra. We reviewed the Purim story & discussed Esther's decision to take a risk & help the Jews of Persia. We talked about being an "activist" &  stand up for what's right & just.  The kids are learning how our Patriarchs & Matriarchs valued truth, justice and the land of Israel. 

Shabbat Shalom

Cillia Kleiman

7th Grade Class Update

Dear Parents,

We had a very busy week this week...

As you know Myles and myself (Morah Hollenberg) introduced/taught the7th graders the Torah perspective on the environment. Myles prepared the text of Bereishit which raised the issue of whether or not Man was created for the land or the land was created for man and which  describes the contents of the Garden of Eden. We also studied the text describing the Torah prohibition of destroying fruit bearing trees even in times of war. Through this textual study we learned the Torah perspective on the environment.

Following that textual exploration Shira Shapiro (CSZ Executive Director) did an output audit of CSZ with the class. She discussed the monthly trash output and the major factors that contribute to the amount of garbage CSZ puts out and how much of what we produce is segregated for recycling (ie: large kiddush lunches, monthly game days etc.). We spoke about the benefits and costs associated with segregating out recycling and ways we could consider reducing trash output and how our output effects the environment.

I then spoke with the class about how we want to improve upon what CSZ is already doing to make the world a better place by reducing/modifying our output, building something for the community's future, or changing the way something is done in the Hebrew School in light of the Torah we learned and how we currently do things.

As a class, we have decided to make use of the stipend Hazon has offered us by taking a closer look at what snacks are sold before Tuesday classes; considering the CSZ food policy, and after  reviewing the Hazon website's food values and policies. In light of all of these considerations, we spent some time Sunday deciding what snacks we can offer students which would align with the CSZ school food policies and meet our values.

This Sunday we reviewed what we had discussed with the class in our previous 2 sessions on Judaism and the environment. Following that discussion we learned the CSZ Hebrew School food policy and studied Hazon's food values and policies. Then we considered which of these principles we most value and how we can ensure we adhere to them in light of our other considerations (acceptable heckshers, food allergies, cost etc).

We crated a list of 10 items the kids would like to order for the April 12th snacks (and onward). We decided to come up with a variety of options in case something is not available, etc.

On Tuesday we visited the Holocaust Memorial Center, in West Bloomfield, for a meaningful conclusion to our unit on the Holocaust. It was very special and moving to learn about this dark chapter in our history together with Rabbi Starr, guest speaker Fred Findling, and our parents. Thank you all for participating in this important unit.

Best,
Morot Hollenberg and Rice

6th Grade Judaica Update

Hi All!

 We had a great week this week!  So much fun.  On Sunday, our kiddos learned about the traits that make an “unlikely leader.”  They studied the characteristics of: Woody, Shrek, Katniss and Harry Potter.  All of these characters from popular culture were thrown in – if you will – to leadership positions.  The kids found that all of these characters had the following: an unwavering belief in a higher power, bravery, a fatal flaw, a clear idea of what they wanted, the ability to sacrifice, and perseverance.  We then related these characteristics to our leader in our text, Moses. The kids studied text from the Torah in parsha Shemot where Moses articulates that he is less than what we assume a leader should be.  These texts all can be described as showing a leader who is: scared, uncertain, angry, and at times he does not claim responsibility. This is one of my favorite lessons of the year.  Because the kids see all of these examples of Moses as the opposite of what one would expect a leader to be like.  And yet, it is inarguable that Moses was one of the greatest leaders in Jewish history. Without him, we would never have been delivered from slavery in Egypt. So, why is this lesson so great for kids?  Because this DEEPLY FLAWED man… this scared, frusterated, uncertain man, rose to the occasion – with God’s help – and got the job done.  Time and time again he cried out to God that HE WAS NOT THE RIGHT GUY FOR THE JOB… and time and time again, God basically said “tough luck, pal.  You are it, and I’ve got your back.”  And indeed, God did.  I think that this lesson shows the kids that they too can be leaders.  Leaders are not all born with charisma, talent and a penchant for rhetoric.   For many of us, it is the simple act of getting up time and time again and rising to the occasion. We can all be like Moses.

 

On Tuesday we furthered this lesson with a quick review of the parsha so far, and then the kids watched a clip from Frozen, and related the character of Moses to that of Elsa and Anna.  We discussed how Moses was a man of ACTION.  There is this great section in the Torah where the Egyptians are at our backs and closing in, and the Sea of Reeds is in front of us and the Israelites are complaining (we do this often. We do this well).  Moses prays to God and God basically says “Moses… enough! DO Something!”  Ok, it doesn’t go exactly like that, but God tells Moses to hold up his rod and yadi yadi yadi…. This text shows us that there is a time for praying and a time for doing.  Jews are people who DO things.  We are a religion of action.  We do not fall on our knees. We do not prostrate ourselves and submit.  We wrestle with God. We DO things. I relayed the midrash of the story of Nachson, the first Jews who walked into the sea.  Ask your child to tell you that story. It is a great one.  I also recounted a great quote I heard from a rabbi.  He said “pray to God AND swim to shore.”  To be Jewish is to DO ALL WE CAN DO and when we have exhausted ourselves of every ounce of our being in the doing, God will meet us and help us with the rest.  One of our little Rabbis in class took this to heart. Rabbi Giles said “wait! So it is  like school. We can’t just pray to do well on a math test. WE have to study a lot and then pray that God will help us remember it.”  J Wise words indeed.

 

My favorite activity was when the kids had to rewrite the Let it Go song with lyrics that they wrote to highlight the learning we have done the last few months.  A small sampling of this…

 

“the thornbush, is burning well tonight! (Moses’ point of view)

Not a shoe to be seen.   (I personally love this line, since Moses took his shoes off at this point in the text)

All the Jews have been captured,

And it’s all up to me!

 

The bush is burning like  God is inside,

Don’t let them in, don’t let them go  (note to reader, this is now from Pharaoh’s point of view)

Be a mean Pharaoh

Conceal, don’t feel don’t let them go!

Please no!”

 

And with that gem, I wish you a good Shabbos.

Be well,

Morah Leah

Hebrew Update (Grades 4-6)

Dear Parents,

 It was really nice to see so many of you at the Purim celebration at Shaarey Zedek. It was a great evening enjoyed by all.

 Now that Pesach is just a few weeks away, we are using our Hebrew time together with the 4th, 5th and 6th grades to read and review the meanings of  key Hebrew words that are related to the holiday. We are playing games, using word find sheets and reading those words every session.

 We are also focusing on the "Ma Nishtana", ("The Four Questions") . Hopefully all the students will be asking them at the Seder this Pesach.

Please use the link this linkand scroll to the bottom of the page to help your children practice singing them.

 As you all know we are on spring break right now and we will be returning on Tuesday, April 12.

 Enjoy the week off and encourage your children to practice the "Ma Nishtana".

 Shabbat Shalom,

 Morah Schlussel

Morah Levinson

 

Kitah Bet Update

Dear Parents,

We have begun our Pesach learning. On Sunday your children made Miriam cups for your seder table. I shared with them the book

"Miriam's Cup". This story explains the importance of Miriam in the Pesach  story. Ask your children who Miriam was, and why she was important  to the Pesach holiday.

On Tuesday we continued our learning and played the memory game that we made on Sunday. Your children may have brought this game home. If they did , please play it with them. 

There is an app available to learn the "Mah Nishtanah". It has games and chants as well as records as you sing  . It is a fun way to learn the Mahnishtana..

Here is the link.

iMahNishtanah on the App Store

We used it in class on Tuesday and the kids enjoyed it.

iMahNishtanah on the App Store Read reviews, compare customer ratings, see screenshots, and learn more about iMahNishtanah. Download iMahNishta...

 

This week begins our spring break. We return to class on Tuesday , April 12.

Enjoy your break. See  you after break.

 

Davida