Mary’s Update
Dear Hey 1 & 2 (5th-grade) Parents,
It was a joy seeing so many of you at our Living Museum launch on March 7. I was uplifted and inspired by the stories and memories that were shared. Thank you, everyone! I hope that you have all had an opportunity to view our digital Living Museum. Once again, I am very proud of each and every one of our Hey students.
We have been keeping very busy in our class. In preparation for Purim we spoke about doing what is right, courage, speaking up, and the greater good. I am always impressed by the insights that my students share.
In addition to working in the Haggadah to prepare for Pesach, we have been speaking about freedom and what we have learned from our Jewish experiences. We know what it is like to be slaves. We know what it is like to be a minority. We know what it is to be denied rights. These things have influenced how we, as Jews, have empathy, become involved, and take action on behalf of others.
Our Torah studies have taken us to the difficult story of the Binding of Isaac. We see Avraham’s complete faith in God and we understand that he was being put to the test. We also encounter the word “Hineini” in the text, as Avraham responds to God calling out to him. This is how each student responds in class, when I take attendance. Please ask your child the difference between responding “Ani Po” or “Hineini”.
We continue to practice our Hebrew reading, continue our work on recognizing suffixes and adding to our basic Hebrew vocabulary.It is important to me that students are able to recognize keywords in t’fillot (prayers) which will add to their understanding of the prayers.
It is a pleasure to continue to engage with your children.
Chag HaPesach Kasher V’sameach,
Mary
Susie’s Update
Dear Kitah Hey (5th-grade) Parents,
It’s been two weeks since our Living Museum event, and we are still talking about how wonderful a morning that was! Thank you to all who came and shared very moving stories about memories and past holiday celebrations. I was moved to tears several times that morning and heard from many of you that you thought it was the best event for you as well. We are already planning opportunities to bring into the post-Covid times the lessons we learned about using Zoom and making these events even more intimate. The breakout rooms were successful and having grandparents share memories was also something we realized we should incorporate into future Living Museums. Thank you all for your sharing and participation.
In Torah class, we have finished discussing the Binding of Isaac (tough subject but the students rose to the occasion) and have found a wife for Isaac in Rebecca, whose generosity is emphasized by her gracious offer to water the camels as well as Abraham’s servant. Together, we figured out the following in class:
The servant had 10 Camels!
Each camel drinks around 25 gallons of water.
So that makes = 250 gallons for the camels.
if Rebecca’s jug held around 5 gallons - How many trips to the well would Rebecca have to make to water 10 camels?
250/5= 50 trips.
That was quite a generous deed! The students drew cartoons of the meeting at the well as an art project, and I am attaching a sample of the pictures here (remember it is not the art that counts...it is knowing the story and using one's imagination, and of course, HAVING FUN!).
We wish you a joyous Passover and wish you health as we count the days when life will get back to normal again.
I asked students (as an attendance question) to tell us what things they would want to do as soon as COVID restrictions are over, and most of them said -- hugging my grandparents, baby cousins who had been born this year, and other members of the family again!
Chag Kasher V’Sameach!
Susie Chalom
Hey 3 Update
Dear Hey 3 (5th-grade) Parents,
It was a joy seeing so many of you at our Living Museum launch on March 7. I was uplifted and inspired by the stories and memories that were shared. Thank you, everyone! I hope that you have all had an opportunity to view our digital Living Museum. Once again, I am very proud of each and every one of our Hey students.
We have been keeping very busy in our class. In preparation for Purim we spoke about doing what is right, courage, speaking up, and the greater good. I am always impressed by the insights that my students share.
In addition to working in the Haggadah to prepare for Pesach, we have been speaking about freedom and what we have learned from our Jewish experiences. We know what it is like to be slaves. We know what it is like to be a minority. We know what it is to be denied rights. These things have influenced how we, as Jews, have empathy, become involved, and take action on behalf of others.
Our Torah studies have taken us to the difficult story of the Binding of Isaac. We see Avraham’s complete faith in God and we understand that he was being put to the test. We also encounter the word “Hineini” in the text, as Avraham responds to God calling out to him. This is how each student responds in class, when I take attendance. Please ask your child the difference between responding “Ani Po” or “Hineini”.
We continue to practice our Hebrew reading, continue our work on recognizing suffixes and adding to our basic Hebrew vocabulary.It is important to me that students are able to recognize keywords in t’fillot (prayers) which will add to their understanding of the prayers.
It is a pleasure to continue to engage with your children.
Chag HaPesach Kasher V’sameach.
Mary
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