On Tuesday, we were Torah scholars exploring
the parashat ha-shavua, Pekudei,
through drama, Hebrew, the mitzvah of n’tilat
yadiim (ritual hand washing), and midrash:
What is the mishkan
like? A cave at the shore of the
sea. The sea comes up and fills the
cave, but the sea is no less full. Gesher students also develop Torah study
questions for other classes to discuss.
The following are a two of their discussion questions: 1. All the Israelites participated in some way in the building of the Mishkan.
Have you participated in building something special or important? What
did you build? What made it special or
important? How did you feel when you
completed that project? 2. The priests
had special clothes for their priestly duties.
What special clothes do you have?
(Uniforms, Shabbat clothes, costumes, etc.) When and why do you wear
these special clothes instead of the clothing that you wear on a daily basis?
While Tuesday is Torah day, Sundays include Meet
the Prophets, Jewish Life Cycle, and Pirkei
Avot. Today we learned about Jeremiah, a prophet who lived during the
Babylonian exile. While his book
contains much rebuking of sinful ways and hollow adherence to ritual, it ends
on a hopeful note encouraging the now Babylonian Jews to build robust lives for
themselves in their new home and the verses (often sung during Jewish weddings)
“Od yishama… b’arei Yehuda u-v’chutzot
Yerushalyim… kol sasson v’kol simcha, kol hattan v’kol kallah. So says the
Eternal: Yet there will be heard… in the cities of Judah and the streets of
Jerusalem… the voice of gladness and the voice of joy, the voice of the
bridegroom and the voice of the bride…”(Jeremiah 33: 10-11)
Have you ever been to a Jewish wedding? What do you remember? Every wedding is different, special and
beautiful. Some couples and officiants
(usually rabbis) are committed to certain traditions and/or rituals while
others choose to create their own ceremonies. Today we read a play, “Judi and
Stan Get Married” and noted the many Jewish traditions presented. Then we looked at the text of the Seven
benedictions, sheva brachot, recited
at many Jewish weddings. Finally,
students selected a blessing or two and illustrated what it meant to them.
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