ZAYIN 1:
Dear Zayin 1 (7th-grade) Parents,
I hope that you all enjoyed a wonderful Pesach.
Our preparation for Pesach included discussing big questions such as: were we slaves in Egypt, and did our people help to build the pyramids? We also spoke about the definitions of slavery and freedom.
We preceded our study of the mitzvah of Shabbat with discussions about the importance of rest and the different kinds of rest: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.
Students researched the importance and benefits of rest for all of us, and I believe they realized that Shabbat is truly a gift to all of us.
Another mitzvah which we learned about is that of being happy. In the words of Rabbi Nachman: “It is a great mitzvah to be happy always.” We also discussed the fact that Israel ranks 9th of the happiest places in the world.
Our study of American Jewish History continued with changes in Jews and Judaism, the ongoing effort at becoming Americans, emerging Jewish leaders and the move West.
It’s hard to believe that our year is drawing to a close.
It continues to be a pleasure to work with your children.
L’hitraot,
Mary
ZAYIN 2:
Dear Zayin 2 (7th-grade) Families,
We discussed the Holocaust and the upcoming holiday Yom HaShoah in class, watching a short clip of a Holocaust survivor being interviewed about her experience and her life since the war. The video revealed that this woman is my grandmother and I was able to field some questions about her life and her viewpoint on modern antisemitism.
Family histories prompted some time for others to share about their families' experiences with the war and how it has impacted their lives, generations later.
The class was incredibly mature during this tough conversation and showed eagerness to discuss and learn more about the Holocaust in their 8th-grade year at TT.
We just returned from an amazing trip to New York where we enjoyed musicals, museum tours, and subway rides!
Avi Baron
Click here to see NYC Trip photos!