Shalom Kitah Vav (6th-grade) Families & Happy Hanukkah 5781!!!
In our studies of the Prophets (Neviim), we are presently studying selected narratives from the Book of Judges which exemplify this turbulent time of settling in the Promised Land. Joshua has died and the Israelite Tribes have now reached their designated tribal lands. There is unrest due to the fact that many Canaanite peoples are negatively influencing the Israelites. This leads to a Cycle in the Book of Judges (Shoftim) of the following:
Israelites Sin by following Canaanite practices.
God utilizes enemy rulers to oppress and rule over the Israelites.
The Israelites begin a return to God and truly repent.
God sends a “Judge” (Shofet) who leads the Israelites in a military resistance against the foreign oppressor, and the Israelites gain independence.
There is peace for a period of time.
The Israelites again succumb to the ways of the Canaanite people and the cycle is repeated again and again during some two-hundred plus years, until eventually there is an outcry from the Israelites to unify the Tribes under an Israelite King (this will be our next course of study, the beginning of the Israelite Monarchy).
We have most recently been observing Hanukkah in class with a review of traditions and overview of the narrative of the Maccabean Revolt, including the peaceful arrival of the Greeks with Alexander the Great and then the subsequent division within the Greek Empire between the Ptolemic/Egypt and Seleucid/Syrian powers following Alexander’s death and positive influence in Judea. We discuss how the Seleucid/Syrian-Greeks eventually gained the upper hand and that became the power, Antiochus Epiphanes, who oppressed the Israelites and led to the Maccabean Revolt.
Our Yad LaTorah Program will be on Thursday, February 18th, 2021. The Yad order has been placed and please look for upcoming communication/emails regarding details.
It was a pleasure meeting with many of you during parent-student-teacher conferences to celebrate learning and to set goals for continued learning. Thank you for your partnership and support!
We are delighted to have David (Duvidl) Liss back working with our Kitah Vav Students in support of Bar/Bat Mitzvah skills! Have a great Winter Break, and here’s looking forward to a Good, Happy, Peaceful & Healthy 2021!!!
All My Best to You,
Danny
Rabbi Daniel Ettedgui
dettedgui@talmudtorahmpls.org