Dear 7th grade families,
We had an exciting week of class at CSZ! Last Sunday, to
begin our unit on Shomrei Adamah, or guardians of the Earth, we took a
nature walk to a nearby park. Each student had a color swatch and tried to find
something in nature that matched their color. This exercise encouraged students
to truly look at the beauty in nature around us all the time. Back at CSZ, we
looked at four traditional t'fillot, or prayers, that we say in
appreciation of natural beauty. We then split into groups and explored verses
from the Torah that explain our responsibility to be "guardians of the
Earth." For example, one text tells us that just as we are commanded to
rest on the 7th day each week, so too we are required to allow our land to rest
- we are not allowed to work our fields - every 7 years!
On Tuesday, Scott Unger, owner of Beaverland Farms and a
leader in the urban gardening community in Detroit, came to speak to our 7th
graders. He told us how he became involved in urban farming, showed us pictures
of the work he has done in the Brightmoor neighborhood, and connected his
farming and community building work to Jewish values. Together, we planted
lettuce and shared jam made from strawberries on his farm. The students asked
wonderful questions and saw a true local example of Shomrei Adamah.
Scott's visit helped set the stage for our field trip this
coming Sunday, September 21, to Eden Gardens in Detroit. You all should have
received a permission slip email from Allison - please respond to it to confirm
that your child can come with us! At Eden Gardens our teens will work
alongside Detroit teens in the garden to put the Jewish value of Shomrei
Adamah, guardians of the Earth, into practice. We will also
begin learning about the partnership between Black and Jewish communities in
Detroit. Please send your child in clothes that are appropriate for
outdoor work in the garden.
Please
arrive promptly at 9:30 am this Sunday, September 21. The bus will leave
CSZ at 9:45 am to depart for Eden Gardens. We will return to CSZ
at 12:35 pm.
Again,
please email Allison (agutman@shaareyzedek.org) to
notify us that your 7th grader has permission to attend our field trip to Eden
Gardens in Detroit. This will be an incredibly valuable experience and we
really hope your child will attend!
Have
a wonderful weekend and a Shabbat Shalom!
Rachel
and David
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