MY BODY—Grade 1 February 28, 2016
Dear families:
It was wonderful having all 22
smiling faces in class today. After
breakfast, we joined the other students for tefillah, led by Robin and Cantor
Ken. They explained the tefillin they were wearing. Our students are becoming more familiar with
the new prayerbook. Their challenge was
to locate the bets ב and shins שin the prayers.
Today we read a book called MY
BODY IS SPECIAL--IT'S JEWISH! about all the Jewish things we do. We can smell the bisomim box, put tefillin on
our head and arm, taste the matzah, plant a seed with our hands, etc. Some holiday
actions are--see the Torah decorated with silver ornaments, taste the apples and
honey, hear the shofar, eat the latkes, wear a Purim costume, and smell the
fresh round challah.
Each student decorated a hamsa,
or hand. This has long been a symbol in
Judaism. The word means “five.” There are many interpretations—the hand of
G-d, the Hand of Miriam (sister of Moses), etc.
Many Jews believe that the five fingers of the hamsa remind the wearer
to use all five senses to praise G-d. It
can be used with the fingers facing up or down
.
Our Hebrew letter today was ק “koof”. Some words beginning with ק are “keshet” (rainbow, as in the Noah story) , kiddush,
and“kof” (monkey).
Our Torah lesson today was about Rebecca. We began with a discussion about
kindness. Abraham sent his servant
Eliezar to find a kind woman from his homeland, who would be a suitable wife
for his son Isaac. She drew water for
Eliezar and also for his 10 camels. In a
land with no hotels, she invited him to dine and stay at her family’s home. She agrees to accompany him to Canaan. More next week. . . .
Judy and Cheryl (Esther
and Tzipporah)
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