Kitah Hey- Diana's Update

Dear Kitah Hey Parents,

Your students have been busy at work over the past week at Temple Israel. Last Sunday, the fifth graders spent the first half of class practicing their Hebrew decoding skills. The students participated in a number of exercises which aided them in reading the words in the Vayehi Binsoa prayer which we are currently studying. After getting the words down pat, they learned the full tune for the prayer and sang it beautifully. I'm so proud of them!

On Tuesday, Dan Brosgol from Prozdor came to the temple to teach the fifth grade a little about Israel and the differences between the Israeli and American government and their election processes. The class also learned about Israel's "Right of Return". They worked in groups to think critically about exceptions they felt should be in place in regard to this right. Their ideas were very interesting and were very similar to the exceptions laid out in the Constitution of Israel.

The students ideas:
1. Only adults, or children with guardians, should be able to take part in this right
2. People with a criminal record should not be allowed to take part
3. Only Jews and new converts who are sincere about their Judaism should be able to take part

In Hebrew class on Wednesday, we read a tale about a brilliant rabbi. One day, the ark in the rabbi's synagogue spoke to him and told the rabbi that he would be granted one wish. The rabbi explained that there wasn't anything he needed to wish for because he was happy with his life. The ark began to cry, saying that the rabbi could have ended world hunger or stopped all suffering if he hadn't been so selfish. After reading this story, the fifth graders worked independently and then shared their ideas about the lesson this story teaches. One student explained that the story teaches that everyone's well-being matters just as much as our own and that, in order to be righteous, wishes should be used to benefit all people. Another student explained that the story teaches us to point our hearts in the direction of those in need. The fifth graders were also asked the question, " Why do most Hebrew prayers use the words 'we' and 'our' instead of 'my' and 'I'?"  One student explained that this is because the Jewish people consider themselves a community and that "we are one". Such beautiful responses.


Best,
Diana