Kitah Vav Update

After a long February break, it was great to have our kiddos back! We are moving on to our new unit, Shemot and Moses.  We begin with our unit on anti-Semitism.. Anti-Semitism>!  Moses>?  WHAT?!  Actually, the story of Exodus begins with anti-Semitism.  The Pharaoh is scared of the Jews.  He is worried that they are becoming to numerous and will overtake him, so he orders the death of the baby boys.  And so begins the story that we tell on Passover.  His hatred toward the Jews begins with fear. 

 We began the conversation of anti-Semitism by discussing Harry Potter and JK Rowling’s use of the word: Half Blood, Pure Blood, MudBlood and Muggles.  We discussed how this was similar to the discrimination and use of language used to describe African Americans during and after slavery and to describe people of Aryan decent during the Holocaust.  This comparison really speaks to the kids and it helps the “get it.”

 The kids shared a lot about some discriminatory issues that were going on in their schools. I was appalled to hear about how many antiemetic issues they were dealing with.  I know that the recent election and the political climate leading up to it has really amped up the hatred against Jews in the country.  It is so disheartening to hear that the children are being affected by this in such a personal way. 

Tuesday, our 7^th graders came in to discuss the Holocaust, which they had been learning about in depth and to talk about how antisemitism lead to this terrible tragedy.  We talked about how propaganda led to this tragedy and what the stereotypes were that brought about this propaganda. We also talked about how the story of Purim also hinges on a deep seated hatred of the Jews.

 

We live in trying times.  Sadly, it is so apropos to our children what they are learning in Hebrew school.  However, I am glad  that they are learning subjects that are relevant to their lives and their world and hopefully that they are prepared to face whatever unfortunate hatred comes their way.

 Til next time.

Leah

Kitah Gan Katan Update

 Hello Parents and Welcome Back! 

 Sunday was pretty  busy  for  us in Gan Katan.  We learned about giving  Tzedakah ( charity).  How some people in our communities don't have much, ex: food,  clothing,  toys, money and a roof over their heads. 

 We talked about  the mitzvah of giving  Tzedakah, how it's a commandment in the Torah to give tzedakah to those who are less fortunate  then us. 

 We talked about places where one could  donate their money to, example: (Yad Ezra is our local kosher  food pantry, animal shelter places  where you could donate  your gentle used clothes). 

 We made our very  own  Tzadekah  boxes for each families to take home next week.  Once your Tzadekah boxes fills up, you could decide  as a family where the money should go. 

In my family Yad Ezra  is very important.  Once our Tzedakah  box is full, we drive to Yad Ezra  and give them our money. It makes us feel better  knowing  that  people  in our communities  will have food  for their families. 

 Charitably, Yours

 Morot Zoya and Alexis 

7th grade class update

Dear 7th Grade Parents,

 This week, we continued our unit about the Holocaust.  Throughout our unit, we have found that our students have struggled to grasp the enormity of the number "6,000,000," so we read the stories of individuals who perished in the Holocaust.  The stories that we read were about people of varying ages, backgrounds, and experiences, which provided a way for the students to humanize the overwhelming horrors of the Shoah.  

 We continued by watching the movie "Paperclips," a film about Holocaust education, and then had 2 safety drills. We discussed the fact that each paperclip represents an extinguished life. We also talked about prejudice and discrimination. When we returned from the safety drills we talked about why we went to/plan to gather in  the lower level in the event of bomb threat and other questions that arose. 

Lastly, we learned about the ghettoization of Eastern European Jewry as an intermediary step towards the Final Solution.  We discussed how it would feel to be separated from the rest of a city and crammed into crowded living spaces.  The students were particularly struck by the overcrowding in the ghettos, as we learned that the Warsaw Ghetto held over 400,000 Jews in 1.3 square miles, which is the same area of Central Park.

 Please let us know if your child has an particular concerns or questions that you would like us to address.

We hope you can join us for our class visit to the Holocaust Memorial Center on Sunday, March 26 at 9:30 am. This is a parent and child together visit.

 

Best,

Morah Hollenberg and Moreh Fidel

Kitah Bet Update

Dear Parents,

We are continuing our Torah learning in the book of Shemot . Shemot is the book of the Torah that retells the exodus from Egypt. As we are learning of the Exodus I am connecting this to  Passover as a reference point to the holiday. We will have lots more Passover learning in the weeks to come.

In Hebrew, we are moving along learning our letters and vowels and decoding Hebrew words. As always , it is important for your kids to practice with you at home to reinforce what we are doing in class. I appreciate you partnering with me in doing this.  There should be parent-companion worksheets in your child's take-home folder.

Enjoy your mid-winter break. I will see everyone on Sunday, February 26.
Shabbat Shalom

Davida

Kitah Gan Katan Update

Good afternoon Parents:

 Sunday we learned  about  Tu B' Shevat ( the birthday  for the trees). I know it seems weird that here in Michigan it's very cold and the trees  are very bare. But in Israel  it's spring. The trees are blooming, fruits  are growing  and flowers too.

 We learned about what kind of fruits grow on tree, and so we made  our very own button trees. The children  did beautifully.  We also made our very own classroom friendship  tree. They put their hand  prints on the tree and formed their friendship  with their classmates.  You could check it out on our classroom bulletin board.  

 We read one of my favorite  books: The Giving Tree.  From Shel Silverstien.  

 Shabbat Boxes did go home with your child.  They worked really  hard  on them.  We hope  you will enjoy  them and use them every week. 

 Enjoy  your  break!

 Morot Zoya and Alexis 

Dear Parents,

Over the last week I  have introduced your children to the holiday of Tu B'Shevat.  We did lots of activities to learn about the holiday , but eating foods associated with the holiday was probably the most impactful and delicious. We ate several of the 7 species ( olives, dates, figs, & wheat-in the form of a cake!) We played a bingo game learning more about fruits and  trees that grow in Israel. We also compared Tu b'Shevat to Earth Day in America. It was a fun lesson. Tonight is the beginning of Tu b'Shevat. Ask your kids if they can tell you any of the 7 Species, ( barley, wheat, pomegranate , grapes, olives, wheat, figs, dates)  or about the book Honi and the Carob Tree.

We are continuing our Hebrew learning as well as our Torah learning. Please continue to read with your children the parent-companion sheets that your children bring home.

Shabbat Shalom and Happy Tu b'Shevat
(enjoy some fruit tonight in honor of the holiday)

Davida

7th grade class update

Dear 7th Grade Parents:

 

This week we continued learning about the Holocaust and how the Jewish spirit persevered despite the atrocities our people endured. We were surprised to learn that Jews managed to keep track of and celebrate holidays despite the fact that they were held captive in Nazi concentration and death camps.

We discovered that the Jews of the Theresienstadt Ghetto managed to smuggle a maple tree sapling into that ghetto in honor of Tu B'shevat the holiday we are celebrating this coming Shabbat. And we explored why this would be so important to the people living in that Ghetto at that time. 

We also had the privilege of hearing the story of survival of Linda Cohen's parents from Linda Cohen directly. She really brought her parents life journey to life for us. Just as we had been learning, her parents survived on faith and with the hep of Righteous Gentiles. They witnessed true miracles. 

 Lastly, we also learned about the history of World War II.  Students were taken aback by the speed and strength of the Nazi's conquest across Europe, and we discussed the role of the Holocaust within the greater context of the war. 

 Please continue to keep us informed if your child has an particular concerns or questions that you would like for us to address.

 Best,

 Morah Hollenberg and Moreh Fidel

Hebrew Highlights

Gan Katan Blog

Good Afternoon, 

 

We are finishing  up  our unit on Shabbat. We had a pretty  busy  Sunday  morning.  We decorated  with jewels our canvas frames and we put our Shabbat dictations  on them. 

Lastly  we painted our very own candle  sticks, that you could light with your child on Shabbat.  

 

We read two adorable  Shabbat books:

Bim and Bom A Shabbat Tale.

By Daniel J. Swartz

The Sundown Kid A Southwestern Shabbat

By Barbara  Bietz 

 

Have a great week!!

 Morot  Zoya and Alexis 

Kitah Hey Update

Dear Parents,

 Our Torah story continues.... The students were served Lentil soup, reminiscent of Jacobs soup that Esau traded his "birthright" for. It was delicious but only satisfying for a short period of time. We discussed how sometimes we do things at the spur of the moment when you should think for a while before making an important decision.

 When asked the question "what is so important to you that you would never sell" the kids spoke about their grandparents . They told us about how important  they are in their lives. They help them with all sorts of things and are always there for them.

 Our class took part in a Tu B'shvat Seder. It was inspired by Hazon. We spoke about the importance of trees and the fruits that they produce. We were served fruits of the "Seven species" that are written and described in the Torah. These fruits are grown in Israel. We are enjoyed and reviewed the blessings of gratitude for these fruits. Our program ended with a Birthday Cake in honor of the Holiday.

 Shabbat Shalom,

Cillia Kleiman

 

 

Morah Gawel Class Update

Hello All:

We had a fantastic week! I am pleased to announce that the kids were ROCK STARS during tefillah on Sunday!  The stars were in alignment!  It was a win for more than just the Patriots. Go team CSZ!

 We finished up our unit on Sodom and Gomorrah. We talked about the parental/child relationship between God and Abraham and how Abraham negotiates with God via flattery and guilt… sound familiar?!  Your kids knew EXACTLY what I was talking about when I said that Abraham used guilt and then flattery to get what he wanted from God.  Apparently there are some pros in the classroom. Trust me, my kids are among them.  “Mom, why won’t you go to my game? You always go to Sams?”  or “Gosh? Is that a new outfit?  It looks great.  Hey: any way I can…”  I can spot it a mile away… that “they want something statement.”  Well, Abraham wanted something… and God was going to let him play it out.  Abraham didn’t want God to destroy the cities. Abe’s concern was that there were righteous people mixed in with the wicked.  So, Abraham began trying to whittle down a number with God.  If I find 50 people, 25, 10…. And so on.  It doesn’t go so well for the folks of S and G, but we don’t really delve into that in class. Our point is to talk about Abraham’s actions. FIRST he literally STANDS with God, and then he CALLS GOD OUT on what he considers to be an unreasonable action and then he tries to persuade God to change his (sorry to genderize here… I am doing it for lack of the vocabulary needed to discuss God in a precise way.. I have to work on that ) mind. That takes COURAGE.. that takes CHUTZPAH.. and that takes, in the immortal words of some of my 6^th graders “balls.”  Alas, a few more gendered parts, but we were not going to get into a body parts talk today…

 The kids really connected with the story.  They LIKED that Abraham argued with God. They could understand what it must feel like for Abraham to not feel like he was being listened to.  It’s typical tween angst.  (Poor Abraham… being comparted to a tween). But it is a portal for them to really get into the story, so I like to introduce them to Abraham this way.  We then discussed the “how do you really know if the people in Sodom and Gomorrah were really wicked?”  We didn’t discuss what they did (it is some pretty heavy stuff); instead, we talked about is someone ALL bad or ALL good?  Can someone be half half?  Can someone be 80/20?  Can someone be all bad now, but then in later life be good?!  How do we know that the people in S and G were not going to be good people later on?!  I like to bring this up, because – and back to the tween thing – the kids are at a wonky age where being mean is kind of a thing L.  It’s tough to be in middle school.  The kids are insecure, and hence, they put on different hats and try out different friends.  They are also moody and lash out and say unkind things and then the next day, they don’t even remember it.  But I don’t have to tell you that. You live with a tween!

 So we played the game Bamboozled.  I LOVE this game.  It is a game by Jellybelly with jellybeans.  You spin a spinner and get a color. The color could be 2 flavors.  One is good and one is gross. Say: barf or peach ; toothpaste or blue raspberry; booger or vanilla; fart or chocolate pudding.  You get the picture. Typical 8 year old humor.  Anyway: the rules are as such: NOBODY is forced to play and NOBODY HAS to eat anything.  The last thing I want is someone barfing.  The kids can spit it out (I did), get a drink and “chase” it with another piece of candy.  The kids were all really good sports.  And the purpose is to show – two flavors look EXACTLY the same on the outside. You just don’t know.  It could be good and it could be bad.  In order to find the good, you have to give it a chance.  And sadly, sometimes you have to spit it out and try again.  But people are like this. We can’t tell always by how someone acts and looks like what they are REALLY like on the inside. We need to give them a chance.  It was a good lesson. I just wish I would stop getting rotten egg flavored jelly beans. 

 Tuesday we had our TubShvat Sedar.  The kids got to enjoy different kinds of fruits (ask them what classifications they were in) and say the prayers associated with each fruit.  The booklet we used is from Hazon, you can download it and use it at home. It’s a beautiful publication:

http://hazon.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/FamilySeder.pdf

 Finally, please consider donating any of your random “stuff” for our Maker’s Space!  We are also collecting gently used children’s toys for our programs.  Both donations are tax deductible. 

 Have a great week,

Leah

Kitah Bet Update

Dear Parents,

In Kitah Bet we are continuing with our Hebrew learning. Please  check your child's take-home folder for "homework" (parent/child reading) for you to do with your child.

In our Torah study, we have started the  book of Shemot with the rest of the world and  are creating a pictorial Torah. Stop by and see our work. I have been  connecting our Torah learning  to Pesach  as we travel from slavery to freedom.

This week we will learn about the holiday of Tu 'Shevat and do some  fun activities and food tasting!

Shabbat Shalom
Davida

Kitah Gan Katan

Hello to our Wonderful Families:

This pas Sunday we continued with our Shabbat unit. We decorated  our shabbat  boxes  and we made our very own shabbat  placements. We also did dictation  on "What we love about  Shabbat."

The kiddos  had really interesting  things  to say. You'll get the chance to see them,  once we are done. We also read: "Sammy Spider Celebrates Shabbat. "

Have a great week!! 

Morot Zoya and Alexis 

 

5th Grade Judaica Update

Dear Parents,

"People of the book". Have you heard the Jewish people called "the people of the book"? Our learners have, this expression is used to mean that we are a studious people with a great love of learning and respect for education. Even though Jews make up only a small part of the population, there are a very large number of scholars, doctors, and scientist among us. In fact, many Nobel Prize winners have been Jews. 

Our book is the Torah and we Jews are the people of the Torah. It is the Torah that binds us together as a people. Torah verses are contained in the prayers we chant at services.

Our learners studied the Shema in depth with Rabbi Dahlen this week. The Shema is found directly in the Torah. We spoke about "Holocaust Memorial Day" and why it was chosen in late January. Our learners spoke of their great grandparents and grandparents who were survivors and how Jewish education was important to them, just as you have made our religious school important to your families by sending your children here to be educated Jewishly.

Thank you for your commitment and devotion and letting me partner with you in your child's Jewish education.

 Shabbat Shalom,

Cillia Kleiman

6th Grade Update

HI All-

On Sunday we spent a good portion of our day discussing the Holocaust.  In honor of Holocaust Remembrance Day, we spent some time dissecting our feelings on the Holocaust.  We did not learn about it, but rather had a discussion session that centered around what our relationship is with the  Holocaust.  We had 2 students who are grandchildren of Holocaust survivors.  Many of the kids voiced feeling MAD about the Holocaust and SAD about it.  Many also said they felt like they SHOULD feel about it, but they felt too removed from it.  It did not seem to affect them where they are at.  A student brought up the current situation regarding refugees and he thought that the Holocaust was relevant because of what is going on in the world.  Another student remembered a few years ago hearing that there could be another Holocaust and that made him nervous.  We had a good class with lots of open dialogue.  It’s important to give the kids room to speak without feeling “taught” or “judged,” and I am glad that they felt comfortable sharing. Next year they will learn about the Holocaust in our 7^th grade curriculum; we have a fantastic unit specifically designed for the 7^th grade student.

We have finished our discussions on lying and laughter in Judaism and are moving on to discussing the role of the Jew in wrestling with God.  Our narrative brings us to the point where Abraham negotiates with God to try and save the people of Sodom. We are discussing the dynamic between God and Abraham as a parental one.  God is testing Abraham; Abraham is testing God = the two are “dancing” a bit to try and see just where the boundaries are and just how far each player can be pushed.  The kids are learning about the tricky role of trusting in God, all the while trying to negotiate with God.  As Jews, we are supposed to play an active role in our relationship with God.  It is not a blind, submissive relationship.  God blesses the biblical forefathers and foremothers who push back, who stand up, who try and help others.  We are going to be working on learning how we can take some of those lessons and apply them into our lives today.

Anyway, lots going on in Morah Leah’s 6^th grade! As always, we are moving forward and enjoying the chaos, the crazy and the world of being a 6^th grader.  These kiddos are all fantastic.  Their energy and drive are a win.  Here’s to a great late winter and early Spring.

Have a wonderful Shabbat,

Leah

7th Grade Class Update

Dear 7th Grade Parents:

 

This week, we continued learning about the history of WWII and context which lead to the Holocaust. We learned about the atrocities committed against Jews as well as the persecution of other non-Arians including various groups the Nazis discriminated against.   

Morah Hollenberg shared some of her grandmother's story of survival as she was a Hungarian victim of the Holocaust who was forced to spend time in both labor and concentration camps.

We also began a discussion about the current administration and it's executive orders which restrict immigration into the US.

Please continue to keep us informed if your child has an particular concerns or questions that you would like for us to address.

 

Best,

Morah Hollenberg and Moreh Fidel