Zoom Links for TI of Natick

Thursday, December 8, 2016

Grade 6: Update 11/20/16

Dear Kitah Vav Parents,
      First, I want to thank all the families that contributed both food and funds to the food drive that the Gesher class organized with the help of their teacher, Morah Margalit. The students understood that even in Natick there are families who cannot afford a nice Thanksgiving meal, and that we, and our Temple, can help.

      Our class has been thinking about the four individual blessings we were assigned as our part of the school community ART PROJECT.  The big topic is Birchot haShahar, all the Morning Blessings that happen before Pesukey D’zimra (passages of song that warm the spirit before the Call to Prayer).  Kitah Vav students were divided into groups of three to collaborate in expressing their interpretation of the assigned blessing.  Tova Speter, the artist who is advising us, was really impressed with the insightful and creative understandings that the students demonstrated in their art.  Tova went to each group to hear about their ideas and to help students carry out the design in a clear and bold way.  I think that the “resist” technique we are using will create a batik-like effect.  The art will be installed on the rectangular panels of the room dividers in the Social Hall.  It will be the school’s gift to T.I.  
     
      And speaking of gifts, I am attaching a “family blessing worksheet”  for each family to fill out together. Based on your thoughts as a family, each student will be creating something special to give to you as a Hanukkah gift.  It’s supposed to be a surprise, so I don’t want to say much more.  Please either print it out, fill in your responses, and send it back to school with your student, or fill it out and return to me by email, and I’ll do the printing.  Thanks so much for responding to your family assignment!

      I wish all a warm and happy Thanksgiving.  Did you know that Governor Bradford of the Massachusetts Bay Colony was a serious reader of Bible?  He read about celebrating the harvest in joyous gratitude for all that the people had been given.  In fact, he was reading about our harvest festival of Sukkot, and it resonated for him.  Thus he instituted the idea of a day of thanksgiving, acknowledging G-D’s grace, along with the kindness shown to the pilgrims by the Native Americans.  At that hard time, and with winter approaching, just to survive must have seemed like a blessing.
     
      Enjoy!
      Rav Elana

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