Need a link for a class? ZOOM links are here.
3-19-2020
Shalom Gimel Families,
I hope you are all well and healthy and enjoying some family time during these very challenging times. We really miss being at Temple Israel and seeing the students’ smiling faces.
At home, we are working on putting together materials for students to continue their learning at home. I am having fun learning and playing with new technology. Just this week I learned how to host a Zoom meeting, and edit a link so that it is less wordy. Thank you very much for your patience and flexibility while we navigate the technology and our new normal.
Starting next week, I would like to host a Zoom meeting with the students on their regularly scheduled weekday. The first meeting will be a meeting to connect, chat and catch up. Zoom meetings will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday from 4-4:30pm. If you need help setting up Zoom, please feel free to email Robin.
Tuesday friends please click below to join the meeting
Wednesday friends, please click below to join the meeting
It would be great if students could continue to practice their reading and chanting of the Birkot Hashachar. Please click on the Birkot Hashachar link to access your activities, my Google Voice number and illustration pages.
Here is the link to the Elijah Packet that students have been working on during electives. There are some great stories and discussion questions that I am sure you will enjoy with your student. Here is the link to the Agamograph art project for students to work on. Have fun with this!
On Sunday morning we look forward to joining Anna, our songleader, for some virtual Tefillah. This will be from 10am - 10:30am. Here is the link to join:
Please feel free to email me with questions/concerns, and what is or isn’t working with our online learning.
Shalom
Elana
3-3-2020
Be happy, it’s Adar!
This week in Hebrew School students completed the Erev Shabbat Kiddush and have done a great job mastering it through whole group singing and reading, buddy reading and Hebrew Reading games. Next
we will work on Birkot Hashachar, the morning blessings. Students are already familiar with it through
our Sunday morning Tefillah.
In Hebrew Through Movement students learned the Hebrew words for leg, legs, eye, eyes and belly..
Students worked very hard on their Israel posters and can’t wait to share them with you at our Passport
to Israel program on March 29.
We have begun to talk about Purim where students used their journals to describe their favorite dress up
costumes. They also did a readers theater of the Purim story.
We look forward to the many exciting things happening in March:
Wishing everyone a great week!
Shalom
Elana
2-11-2020
celebrating Tu Bishvat in Hebrew School. Thank you to the Parent Association for the wonderful fruit
and grape juice. Students had a lot of funsampling these while discussing the importance of trees and why we should save them. Students also
had an opportunity to form trees out of their bodies and write songs about trees to the tune of Twinkle
Twinkle Little Star. Our Tu Bishvat program ended with each student writing their own blessing
related to Tu Bishvat, trees, nature and the environment. During the week students were introduced to the Hebrew words for candle, Kiddush cup and next to during Hebrew Through Movement.
They have also learned to chant the Erev Shabbat Kiddush up to line 11. Students continued their Israel research and are almost ready to do their final drafts.
After the vacation week they will begin to create their posters.
Wishing everyone a great vacation week.
Shalom
Elana
2-4-2020
In Hebrew, students learned the first 10 lines of the Friday Night Kiddush. Their reading was reinforced
with a game of musical chairs, Oy Vavoy and Connect 4.Students also learned that reciting the Friday
Night Kiddush is one way we welcome Shabbat into our home. During Hebrew Through Movement
students learned the Hebrew words for hands,candlesticks, touch, point to … and put ...on.
This week we will add more Shabbat vocabulary. February homework calendars were passed out to
students on Sunday. Last week students began researching different places in Israel with one or 2
classmates. This week they will start gathering and organizing their information. After February break
each group will create a poster highlighting their research. In honor of Tu Bishvat, students created
posters about saving the environment. Next week we will enjoy some fruits of Israel and some
Tu Bishvat activities.
Wishing everyone a great week!
Shalom
Elana
1-28-2020
Mazel Tov and Yasher Koach to the students on completing their study of the Mi Kamocha prayer.
Students have done a great job chanting and reading it, and reinforcing it through buddy reading and
Hebrew reading games.
In Hebrew Through Movement, students have learned the words for candlesticks, hand, lift up, put
down, touch and point. They always have fun demonstrating their knowledge through different
movement activities, and can also follow some classroom directions given in Hebrew!
This week students were introduced to our Israel unit. We began with a puzzle activity. Each student
was given 1 piece of a 2 piece puzzle. They walked around the room to find the person with the
matching piece. Once all the pieces were put together, each pair shared what they had - a place and
picture in Israel matched to a description of that place. This was followed up by a game of Kahoot -
always a favorite. In the coming weeks we look forward to researching different places in Israel and
creating posters to demonstrate our learning.
This week we enjoyed singing with Anna and a Tu Bishvat craft project with Yahav.
Wishing everyone a great week!
Elana
1-14-2020
Wishing everyone a great week.
Shalom
Elana
1-7-2020
12-18-19
12-10-19
Mazel Tov to the Gimel class on completing and mastering Ein Keloheinu! We are very
proud of their accomplishments. This week students were introduced to the prayer, Mi Kamocha,
after a brief review of the story where the Israelites crossed the Sea of Reeds and sang songs of praise to G-d. Before working on lines 1-3, Gimelites listened to Miriam’s Song by Debbie Friedman. Below is the link to the song to enjoy with your student at home.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=RDQZdSEsZ8bMo
Hard to believe it is already December - which means that Hanukah is around the corner.
In preparation students have done a Readers Theater of the Hanukah story, listened to the song
Candlelight by the Maccabeats, and played Kahoot to review the history and traditions of Hanukah.
We also began to talk about the idea of Religious Freedom. Through a journal activity and game
students shared some of their favorite Jewish activities -some examples are attending Jewish camp,
participating in Purim Carnival, going to Hebrew School, celebrating holidays, and eating yummy
foods like gelt, latkes and kugel. Students then learned that we have the freedom to enjoy all these
activities, while the Jews living under Syrian rule in Ancient Israel could not.
Wednesday students have completed their elective projects, while Tuesday students will complete
theirs this week.
Things to look forward to…
Shalom,
Elana
11-19-19
11-13-19
Shalom Gimel Families,
Last week was very exciting - Gimel students
began their first round of electives. Many interesting conversations about the sun, the story of Creation, and solar energy. Students are busy working hard in their electives.
In Hebrew students have learned up to line 8
of Ein Keloheinu and are doing a great job mastering the prayer.
They continue to practice their reading with buddy reading and Hebrew Reading games.
On Sunday students enjoyed a Veterans Day
Program run by some Temple members who have served in the military.
We thank them for their service, and for spending Sunday morning with the students. Students also spent time with Anna, our song leader, and Yahav, our Shinshin.
We look forward to another busy week in Hebrew School.
Shalom
Elana
11-5-19
Shalom Gimel Families,
This week in Hebrew School students completed the Erev Shabbat Kiddush and have done a great job mastering it through whole group singing and reading, buddy reading and Hebrew Reading games. Next
we will work on Birkot Hashachar, the morning blessings. Students are already familiar with it through
our Sunday morning Tefillah.
In Hebrew Through Movement students learned the Hebrew words for leg, legs, eye, eyes and belly..
Students worked very hard on their Israel posters and can’t wait to share them with you at our Passport
to Israel program on March 29.
We have begun to talk about Purim where students used their journals to describe their favorite dress up
costumes. They also did a readers theater of the Purim story.
We look forward to the many exciting things happening in March:
●
Purim Carnival on March 8.
●
Community Megillah Reading on
March 9
●
Our next elective series
●
Passport to Israel on March 29.
Wishing everyone a great week!
Shalom
Elana
2-11-2020
Shalom Gimel Families,
Happy Tu Bishvat! This past Sunday students had a great time
celebrating Tu Bishvat in Hebrew School. Thank you to the Parent Association for the wonderful fruit
and grape juice. Students had a lot of funsampling these while discussing the importance of trees and why we should save them. Students also
had an opportunity to form trees out of their bodies and write songs about trees to the tune of Twinkle
Twinkle Little Star. Our Tu Bishvat program ended with each student writing their own blessing
related to Tu Bishvat, trees, nature and the environment. During the week students were introduced to the Hebrew words for candle, Kiddush cup and next to during Hebrew Through Movement.
They have also learned to chant the Erev Shabbat Kiddush up to line 11. Students continued their Israel research and are almost ready to do their final drafts.
After the vacation week they will begin to create their posters.
Wishing everyone a great vacation week.
Shalom
Elana
2-4-2020
Shalom Gimel Families,
It was a busy week in Hebrew School!
In Hebrew, students learned the first 10 lines of the Friday Night Kiddush. Their reading was reinforced
with a game of musical chairs, Oy Vavoy and Connect 4.Students also learned that reciting the Friday
Night Kiddush is one way we welcome Shabbat into our home. During Hebrew Through Movement
students learned the Hebrew words for hands,candlesticks, touch, point to … and put ...on.
This week we will add more Shabbat vocabulary. February homework calendars were passed out to
students on Sunday. Last week students began researching different places in Israel with one or 2
classmates. This week they will start gathering and organizing their information. After February break
each group will create a poster highlighting their research. In honor of Tu Bishvat, students created
posters about saving the environment. Next week we will enjoy some fruits of Israel and some
Tu Bishvat activities.
Wishing everyone a great week!
Shalom
Elana
1-28-2020
Shalom Gimel Families,
Mazel Tov and Yasher Koach to the students on completing their study of the Mi Kamocha prayer.
Students have done a great job chanting and reading it, and reinforcing it through buddy reading and
Hebrew reading games.
In Hebrew Through Movement, students have learned the words for candlesticks, hand, lift up, put
down, touch and point. They always have fun demonstrating their knowledge through different
movement activities, and can also follow some classroom directions given in Hebrew!
This week students were introduced to our Israel unit. We began with a puzzle activity. Each student
was given 1 piece of a 2 piece puzzle. They walked around the room to find the person with the
matching piece. Once all the pieces were put together, each pair shared what they had - a place and
picture in Israel matched to a description of that place. This was followed up by a game of Kahoot -
always a favorite. In the coming weeks we look forward to researching different places in Israel and
creating posters to demonstrate our learning.
This week we enjoyed singing with Anna and a Tu Bishvat craft project with Yahav.
Wishing everyone a great week!
Elana
1-14-2020
Shalom Gimel Families,
We
had a very busy week in Hebrew School.
During
the week we did some Hebrew Through Movement and students learned the Hebrew
words for board, window and floor. A lot of fun was had jumping, running,
walking and spinning to these things. Not to mention standing and
sitting! In Hebrew reading students are mastering lines 1-9 of Mi
Kamocha.
This
week we continued our exploration of the concept of courage in the Exodus
story. Students read the story of the midwives in Egypt and role played
what they said, thought and felt before and after saving the Hebrew baby boys.
This week Yahav shared some Hebrew words with the
students through a game of charades.
Students
then had an opportunity to work with a group to create a song using the new
vocabulary.
Wishing everyone a great week.
Shalom
Elana
1-7-2020
Shalom Gimel Families,
Happy New Year and welcome back!
Students jumped right back into the swing of
things! After morning meeting and the
counting game, we reviewed the first 3 lines of Mi Kamocha. Students did a great job and learned 4 new
lines in a whole group setting. New and
old reading was reviewed with buddy
reading and Hebrew reading games.
After Tefillah with the 4th and 5th graders,
students wrote compliments to 2 classmates as part of our Chesed (kindness)
theme. Yahav, our shinshin, visited the
students and through some fun games they learned about different musical
instruments that are popular in Israel.
In
Torah we are using the book Jewish Values in Exodus. The first story is about the midwives
in Egypt saving the Jewish baby boys and the focus theme is Gevurah
(courage). As an introduction to this
unit students shared some of their thoughts about courage and completed a trust
fall activity with a partner, which was followed by a conversation about
courage and trust. During the week we
will read the story and explore the courage of the midwives through their
actions.
During the week we look forward to continuing
Mi Kamocha and doing Hebrew Through Movement.
Wishing everyone a great week.
Shalom
Elana
12-18-19
Shalom Gimel Families,
Happy Almost Hannukah!
Students have been very busy getting
ready. Last week during Tefillah, we had
an opportunity to practice singing the Hannukah blessings. In the classroom students have role played
the story of Hannukah, played a floor board game to review the story, and used
Kahoot to review both the story and Hannukah traditions.
Thank you to the Mens Club for serving us
delicious latkes on Sunday. Everyone
really enjoyed them!
A highlight this past Sunday was a yoga
program with the Bet Class. Students
learned different yoga poses connected to Hannukah vocabulary, and then played
a Hannukah Bingo game to review. Thank
you, Alison, for sharing!
In Hebrew students have learned to chant the
first 3 lines of Mi Kamocha. They also
learned some more Hebrew vocabulary in Hebrew Through Movement. Students are doing a great job retaining the
vocab.
Wishing everyone a great week and Happy
Hannukah!
Shalom
Elana
12-10-19
Shalom Gimel Families,
Mazel Tov to the Gimel class on completing and mastering Ein Keloheinu! We are very
proud of their accomplishments. This week students were introduced to the prayer, Mi Kamocha,
after a brief review of the story where the Israelites crossed the Sea of Reeds and sang songs of praise to G-d. Before working on lines 1-3, Gimelites listened to Miriam’s Song by Debbie Friedman. Below is the link to the song to enjoy with your student at home.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=RDQZdSEsZ8bMo
Hard to believe it is already December - which means that Hanukah is around the corner.
In preparation students have done a Readers Theater of the Hanukah story, listened to the song
Candlelight by the Maccabeats, and played Kahoot to review the history and traditions of Hanukah.
We also began to talk about the idea of Religious Freedom. Through a journal activity and game
students shared some of their favorite Jewish activities -some examples are attending Jewish camp,
participating in Purim Carnival, going to Hebrew School, celebrating holidays, and eating yummy
foods like gelt, latkes and kugel. Students then learned that we have the freedom to enjoy all these
activities, while the Jews living under Syrian rule in Ancient Israel could not.
Wednesday students have completed their elective projects, while Tuesday students will complete
theirs this week.
Things to look forward to…
- Next Sunday
the Men’s Club will serve latkes to the students.
- Gimel
students will join with Bet students for a yoga program.
- Students
will enjoy more Hannukah activities.
Shalom,
Elana
11-19-19
Shalom Gimel Families,
Students are doing a great job mastering Ein
Keloheinu and have learned up to line 10.
Next week we will learn the last 3 lines. To reinforce the reading students played Zip
Around, read with a partner and played a reading concentration game.
In Tefillah we met with Anna who led services
and taught us new songs. Todah Tabah
Anna!
On Sunday students listened to 2 stories about
kindness before writing compliments to their classmates.
Students were introduced to our Torah
curriculum Jewish Values in Exodus. This week we started the introductory
unit about community where students shared what they thought were good values
for a community to have. Next week they
will make a visual representation of their ideal community
This week we look forward to our 3rd week of
electives.
Shalom
Elana
11-13-19
Shalom Gimel Families,
Last week was very exciting - Gimel students
began their first round of electives. Many interesting conversations about the sun, the story of Creation, and solar energy. Students are busy working hard in their electives.
In Hebrew students have learned up to line 8
of Ein Keloheinu and are doing a great job mastering the prayer.
They continue to practice their reading with buddy reading and Hebrew Reading games.
On Sunday students enjoyed a Veterans Day
Program run by some Temple members who have served in the military.
We thank them for their service, and for spending Sunday morning with the students. Students also spent time with Anna, our song leader, and Yahav, our Shinshin.
We look forward to another busy week in Hebrew School.
Shalom
Elana
11-5-19
Shalom Gimel Families,
We had a very busy week at Hebrew School. It is great to be back on a regular schedule.
In Hebrew students are making great progress with Ein Keloheinu and are working on
mastering lines 1-6. Hebrew reading is reinforced with whole group reading,
Buddy reading and Hebrew reading games such as Zip Around, Memory and Roll and
Read. Students are also working on some conversational Hebrew through Hebrew
Through Movement, Sunday Morning Meeting and Closing Circle (siyum) at the end of the day.
mastering lines 1-6. Hebrew reading is reinforced with whole group reading,
Buddy reading and Hebrew reading games such as Zip Around, Memory and Roll and
Read. Students are also working on some conversational Hebrew through Hebrew
Through Movement, Sunday Morning Meeting and Closing Circle (siyum) at the end of the day.
In Jewish Values (middot) we continue to talk about kindness and responsibility.
During the week students made popsicle stick compliment boxes.
On Sunday they listened to the story Have You Filled a Bucket Today?
and talked about compliments that focus on recognizing each other’s actions such as
helping, being kind and being a good friend.
Each student was given 2 classmates to write compliments to.
Students also had an opportunity to journal about how it feels to give and receive compliments.
This Chesed (kindness) project will last all year with students writing
compliments to their friends each week.
During the week students made popsicle stick compliment boxes.
On Sunday they listened to the story Have You Filled a Bucket Today?
and talked about compliments that focus on recognizing each other’s actions such as
helping, being kind and being a good friend.
Each student was given 2 classmates to write compliments to.
Students also had an opportunity to journal about how it feels to give and receive compliments.
This Chesed (kindness) project will last all year with students writing
compliments to their friends each week.
Upcoming this week
Electives begin this week!
Students will learn the next 2 lines of Ein Keloheinu.
Wishing everyone a great week!
Shalom
Elana
10-29-19
Shalom Gimel Families,
It has been a busy and fun holiday season! During
Sukkot we did some fun Sukkot stations with the school, and enjoyed a visit to
the Korenstein/Mael sukkah. Students enjoyed snacks, stories and shaking
the Lulav. On the last day of Sukkot we
also had an opportunity to beat the willows on the ground.
This week we had a busy schedule. After Morning
Meeting, we were pleasantly surprised to receive a visit from Bar, our shinshin
from 2 years ago. Students had a blast playing Chinese Soccer with
him. We also had our lesson with Yahav
where students played a jeopardy game focusing on sports in Israel.
In Hebrew students started learning the Ein Keloheinu
prayer. We began with the first 2 lines and students practiced reading as
a whole group, with a buddy and through a game of Concentration. We also
played a reading game as a whole group called Zip Around.
In Tefillah we sang and prayed with our new song leader,
Anna.
Elana, Cheryl and Lisa
9-24-19
Shalom Gimel Families
Gimel students are settling well into the routine of Hebrew School. During the week students received their binders together with their first prayer, a homework calendar for September and a letter introducing the prayer curriculum. On Sunday students learned to chant the Barachu as a call and response prayer calling us to pray as a community. Students also learned the game Roll and Read, and had an opportunity to play it with a partner.
Last Tuesday and Wednesday students were introduced to our modern Hebrew curriculum, Hebrew Through Movement. They had so much fun following the Hebrew commands to stand, sit, walk and run. We look forward to adding the commands to jump and spin next week.
During our holiday class we reviewed the three themes of Rosh Hashanah - Tefillah, Teshuvah and Tzedakah. Students then worked in teams to sort cards into actions that relate to each of these 3 themes.
On Sunday we talked about the Jewish value of Chesed (kindness), Derech Eretz (good manners) and Gemilut Hasadim ( acts of kindness). Students learned, through a sorting activity in teams, that there are many acts of kindness we can do. Each student selected an act of kindness to illustrate.
We look forward to seeing everyone in school during the week and in Temple over the holidays.
Wishing you all a Shanah Tovah U’Metukah
Elana
9-19-19
Shalom Gimel Families,
Welcome back to Hebrew School and to the Gimel Class! We had an amazing first week.
This week we spent time getting to know each other with an ice breaker game. We also began to create our classroom community through conversations about the different communities we belong to and some of the rules that apply to those communities that make them work well. Students worked in teams to decide on good ways we can take care of ourselves, each other and the world around us. Their ideas are being used as our class brit.
On Sunday morning students were introduced to our morning meeting routine. They took turns to read the schedule, read a sentence about the weather, the Hebrew calendar, and days of the week. They also practiced greeting each other in Hebrew. At the end of meeting, students learned a new Hebrew counting game.
We reviewed some facts about Rosh Hashanah with a 4-in-a-row game, and then students completed an apple reflection journal activity where they identified a wonderful thing from last year, something they learned and something they will do to make next year even better. This coming week we will review the 3 main themes of Rosh Hashanah (Tefillah, Teshuvah and Tzedakah), and identify ways we can use each one to make this coming year a great year.
The Apple and Honey Olympics were a great highlight and a very sweet way to start the year. Students enjoyed many different games. Other highlights this week also included meeting our new Shinshin, Yahav, and our new song leader, Anna.
Upcoming this week
- Students will receive their new Hebrew binders during the week. More information to follow.
- Students will be introduced to our Hebrew Through Movement curriculum.
- On Sunday a volunteer from the Temple Sisterhood will visit the classroom to do a special project.
Wishing everyone a great week!
L’hitraot
Elana, Cheryl and Lisa
5-12-19
Shalom Gimel Families,
I hope everyone had a great Mother’s Day.
We had a busy Sunday morning. After morning work and meeting, our Madricha, Naomi, did a wonderful activity with the students. She read the book The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. As a follow up students were given a piece of paper to write and decorate their names. They then passed the paper around in a circle and wrote compliments to each classmate. Thank you Naomi for an awesome activity!
In Hebrew we reviewed the Birkot Hashachar with whole group singing and Hebrew games. During the week we did Hebrew Through Movement where students were introduced to the Hebrew words for shoulders, mouth, and blue. This week they will be introduced to the colors red, green, and yellow.
On Sunday we spent a few minutes talking about some of the mitzvot in this week’s parashah, Kedoshim after watching a brief video clip about it. We focused on the mitzvah of honoring parents, and students made cards for the special grown ups in their life.
We look forward to our final day celebration next week. Wow, this year really flew!
Shalom
Elana
5-5-19
Shalom Gimel Families,
Mazel Tov to the Gimel students for completing the Birkot Hashachar! They did a great job and are working hard to master the prayers. They continue to practice their Hebrew reading through buddy reading and games, and are working on a Birkot Hashachar illustration packet.
In other Hebrew news, students did some Hebrew Through Movement during the week. They have learned and internalized a lot of new vocabulary and some of the vocabulary is used in other aspects of their day. Students are able to follow many classroom directions in Hebrew!
During the week Nitzan visited us and talked more about Israeli start-ups and inventions. Students played a jeopardy game to demonstrate their new knowledge. As always, students were also introduced to 3 new Hebrew words.
This week we will continue to practice Birkot Hashachar and work on Hebrew Through Movement.
Wishing everyone a great week!
Shalom
Elana
4-28-19
Shalom Gimel Families,
I hope everyone had a wonderful Passover and relaxing April break. We are in the home stretch…
The students did a fabulous job with their Israel presentations on Sunday. They had a lot of fun working with their group to do the research, find pictures and make their slideshow. Demonstrating their learning to their families was definitely a highlight of the day.
In Hebrew we did morning meeting, a little bit of movement, the counting game and Hebrew reading. For stations students did buddy reading, Hebrew Reading games and worked on their Birkot Hashachar illustration packets. We have studied the Birkot Hashachar up to line 12.
For Middot (Jewish Values) students listened to the book The Only One Club and wrote compliments to two classmates. We ended our day with Closing Circle where each student shared, in Hebrew, something they liked about the day. This week most chose the special activity which was their Israel presentations.
During the week we met Nitzan’s mom. Nitzan talked about Israeli inventions through videos and some fun games.
Wishing everyone a great week.
Shalom
Elana
4-7-19
Shalom Gimel Families,
Welcome to the month of Nisan. Passover preparations begin in earnest…
In Hebrew students have worked on the Birkot Hashachar up to Line 10. To go along with buddy reading and Hebrew reading games, students also have an opportunity to illustrate each of the morning blessings during morning work time on Sundays. During the week, as part of our elective series, students are working on reading Kadesh (the order of the Seder), Ma Nishtana and The Four Children.
Electives are going well, and students are almost done creating their images of The Four Children. This week they will finish up, share their work, and bring their project home. We have all had a blast creating amazing art work!
Many students have completed their Israel slideshows and have done a great job! We can’t wait to share these on April 28! Finishing touches will be done on the weekdays following April vacation.
Wishing everyone a great week, a restful vacation and a meaningful Passover. Chag Sameach!
Elana
3-31-19
Shalom Gimel Families,
This past Sunday was a real treat doing Tefillah with our artist in residence, Josh Warshawsky. It was great getting together with the Gan, Alef, Bet and Gimel classes to enjoy singing, prayers and some new nigunim (melodies).
In the classroom, students have learned to chant the Birkot Hashachar up to Line 8. For morning work on a Sunday, they have the opportunity to illustrate what each blessing means to them. They continue to do buddy reading and reading games to reinforce their reading.
Students continued their Israel research and many of the groups have begun to work on their Google slideshow. We can’t wait to share these presentations at our Passport to Israel program on the 28th April.
Spring electives are under way and students are enjoying the different electives they are doing. As part of the elective they are also working on The Four questions and Order of the Seder. We look forward to seeing their finished artwork.
I hope everyone has a great week!
Shalom
Elana
3-24-19
Shalom Gimel Families,
We are super excited to start our new elective series this week. In addition to Hevruta study and elective, we will also spend time reviewing The Four Questions and learning to read about The Four Children in Hebrew from the Haggadah.
This week in Hebrew Through Movement students learned the Hebrew words for marker, books, pencil, ears and eyes. These words were reinforced through a variety of different movements. In Hebrew Reading students are making good progress with the Birkot Hashachar through whole group reading, buddy reading and Hebrew games.
This past week students started working on research projects about Israel. When their research is done they will make a Google slideshow to share at our Passport to Israel program on April 28.
We wish everyone a great week!
Shalom
Elana
3-17-19
Shalom Gimel Families,
Happy Purim! We look forward to celebrating on Wednesday night, March 20.
This week in Hebrew students were introduced new Hebrew vocabulary during Hebrew Through Movement. They are doing a great job understanding and following the Hebrew commands and enjoying the opportunities to move their bodies at the same time. In Hebrew reading students started working on the Birkot Hashachar and have learned the first blessing. To reinforce their reading, they did some buddy reading and played a reading game.
During Tefillah this week we enjoyed a guest drummer who worked with students on different drumming rhythms. Students had the opportunity to try out different drums and shakers.
Last Sunday students made popsicle stick boxes for Mishloach Manot. This week they filled the boxes with goodies, wrote a compliment and Happy Purim note to a classmate and exchanged boxes. Students were very excited to leave Hebrew School with these!
Wishing you all a Chag Purim Sameach and a great week!
Shalom
Elana
3-10-19
Shalom Gimel Families,
Mazel Tov and Yasher Koach to all the Gimel students on completing Mi Kamocha! We are now ready to move on to Birkot Hashachar.
Sunday morning was a regular day with morning meeting, whole group Hebrew where we completed Mi Kamocha, buddy reading and Hebrew reading games.
In honor of the snow and going on to daylight savings time, during Tefillah students learned a blessing and had an opportunity to write the words sheleg (snow) and sheesh (sun) in the snow!
During our holiday block we reviewed the Purim story and some Purim customs with a whole group 4 in a row game where students were divided into 2 teams to play. After this students made Mishloach Manot with a wood base, popsicle sticks and mosaics. Next week they will put items into the boxes and give it to a classmate with a note for Purim.
During the week we got together with the second grade to work with Nitzan. The theme this week was Israeli music. Students played a game and listened to some Israeli music. They also learned the Hebrew words for songs and singers.
I hope everyone has a great week!
Shalom
Elana
3-3-19
Shalom Gimel Families,
Welcome back from February break! Students are back into the swing of things and this week learned 3 new lines of Mi Kamocha. Their learning was reinforced with Hebrew Reading Games and buddy reading. In Hebrew Through Movement we reviewed vocabulary introduced before vacation. Ask your son/daughter to sing you the song they wrote as a class using the commands!
This week we combined with the second graders to work with Nitzan. After an ice breaker game where students learned something about each other, Nitzan introduced them to some new Hebrew vocabulary and shared some pictures from her recent trip to Israel.
We have started talking about the next fun holiday, Purim. Students were divided into 2 groups to do a Readers Theater of the Purim story and then played a 4 in a row game in pairs to review. Next week we will talk about some of the traditions and customs of Purim.
Wishing everyone a great week. Enjoy the snow!
Shalom
Elana
2-10-19
Shalom Gimel Families,
We had a busy Sunday in Hebrew School. After morning meeting students had an opportunity to do movement and stretching by listening to some of the commands they have learned in Hebrew Through Movement. In reading students have worked on the first 6 lines on Mi Kamocha. A few friends volunteered to lead it during Tefillah. Students also did buddy reading and a concentration game to reinforce their reading skills.
During the week students had fun making Hebrew Super Bowl/Patriots posters after the Pats won the Super Bowl!
During Nitzan’s lesson students learned about the Dead Sea through a decoding activity, a video and a true/false quiz game. Lots of fun had by all.
In Torah we have been exploring the idea of leadership in the Burning Bush story. After discussing why Moses was reluctant to be the leader, students looked at ways in which G-d convinced Moses to take on a leadership role. Next week we will look at a Midrash to identify the qualities that Moses possessed that made him a good leader.
Wishing everyone a good week and a restful and safe February vacation.
Shalom
Elana
2-3-19
Shalom Gimel Families,
This week students worked on the first 4 lines of Mi Kamocha and are doing a fabulous job! Our whole group mini lesson was followed by buddy reading and Hebrew reading games. For morning work students worked on a Roll and Read activity with the words from Mi Kamocha.
In our weekday Hebrew Through Movement lesson students have been introduced to the Hebrew words for next to, under (sitting under a table is loads of fun!), hands, head and put. They do a good job following a variety of different commands in Hebrew. Although the weekday afternoons are the more formal HTM lessons, these commands are being used in other parts of our day both during the week and on Sunday.
In Torah we are exploring the value of leadership in the Exodus. After completing a journal entry about their thoughts on leadership, we played a game of Indian Chief. Afterwards students discussed why they did or did not want to be the leader. Students then used a readers theater of Moses at the Burning Bush to start exploring why Moses was reluctant to be the leader at first. We will then explore ways in which G-d helped and convinced him that he was the right person to take on a leadership role.
I hope everyone has a great week.
Shalom
Elana
1-27-19
Shalom Gimel Families,
Mazel Tov to the Gimel Class on completing their study of the Friday Night Kiddush. They did a great job. This week we started working on the first two lines of the Mi Kamocha prayer. To reinforce students did partner reading and played two new reading games.
In our holiday block we completed the Tu Bishvat unit. Students explored the concepts of the environment, saving trees, how we celebrate trees, and the seven species. This past Sunday we met with the other grade levels for a Tu Bishvat Seder led by Nitzan.
During the week we continue to enjoy Nitzan’s visits and students have been learning some new Hebrew words and Israeli games. This past week students helped to make decorations for the Tu Bishvat Seder.
Over the next few weeks we will continue working on Mi Kamocha, and Hebrew Through Movement. We will also explore the concept of leadership through Torah stories from the Exodus. After February break we will begin to talk about Purim.
Wishing everyone a great week.
Shalom
Elana
1-13-19
Shalom Gimel Families,
Gimel students have done a great job learning the Erev Shabbat Kiddush and completed it on Sunday. They should continue to practice reading and/or singing it at home for a few minutes each day. In addition to reciting, students also practiced their reading through different Hebrew games and partner reading. Next we will study Mi Kamocha.
In our holiday block we started talking about Tu Bishvat, the birthday of trees, with a focus on saving trees and the environment. After listening to the story Gods World by Sylvia Rousses, students illustrated their ideal God’s World. They are using Google Slides to make a slideshow of their illustrations. This week students worked in pairs to research the history and celebration of Tu Bishvat. On Sunday, January 27, we look forward to celebrating Tu Bishvat with the other classes and led by Nitzan.
In the coming weeks we will begin to study Mi Kamocha, continue doing Hebrew Through Movement during the week, complete our Tu Bishvat projects and begin to talk about Purim.
I hope everyone has a great week and fun long weekend.
Shalom
Elana
1-6-19
Shalom Gimel Families,
Welcome back to Hebrew School! I hope everyone had a fun and relaxing winter break. I enjoyed time in Cape Town with my family celebrating my dad’s 80th birthday.
Students have been working on the Friday night Kiddush and have learned up to Line 13. They are working hard to master the prayer. Next Sunday we will work on the rest of it.
On Sunday we started talking about Tu Bishvat, the birthday of trees. Our focus is mainly on taking care of trees and the environment. Students paired up to discuss 2 proverbs relating to trees and also talked about what it means to repair the world (Tikkun Olam) and do not destroy (Baal Taschchit). They then listened to the book Gods World by Sylvia Rousses. The book focuses on the environment and how we are all obliged to take care of it. During the week students will work on an illustration representing their view of what God's World looks like.
I hope everyone has a great week!
Shalom
Elana
12-16-18
Shalom Gimel Families,
This last Shabbat the theme of our Synaplex was gratitude. I am grateful for many things in my life and am very grateful for the opportunity to work with your wonderful children this year. Yesterday during Tefillah with the 4th grade, students had the opportunity to express gratitude for the people and things in their lives through a game of pick up sticks. They also learned the song “Ve al zeh, ani modeh” meaning “for this I am thankful.
In Hebrew students worked on reciting the first 10 lines of the Friday Night Kiddush. They also did some buddy reading and Hebrew reading games to practice their reading.
In Torah students are focusing on the theme of courage through the Exodus story of the midwives in Egypt, and through role play, understand that it takes courage to stand up for what is right.
This week students will spend more time working on Friday Night Kiddush, will spend time with Nitzan, and further explore the theme of courage.
Wishing everyone a great week and restful December break.
Shalom,
Elana
12-9-18
Shalom Gimel Families,
I hope everyone had a wonderful Hannukah and enjoyed the time with loved ones.
In Hebrew students have worked on reciting the Friday Night Kiddush Lines 1-8. They are doing a great job mastering this through whole group reading, buddy reading and Hebrew Reading Games.
During the week we enjoyed celebrating Hannukah as a school with candle lighting, singing and Hannukah song videos. Thank you to the Men’s Club for the delicious latkes our students enjoyed on Sunday!
Electives are a lot of fun and, in addition to sharing some great insights during Hevruta study, Gimel students have enjoyed their time in either sign language, embroidery or storyboarding. This week will be our 4th and final week of fall electives.
Wishing everyone a great week,
Shalom
Elana
12-2-18
Shalom Gimel Families,
Happy Hannukah! Enjoy celebrating with your loved ones!
In Hebrew students have completed Ein Keloheinu and started working on the Friday Night Kiddush on Sunday. They got off to a good start and worked on lines 1-5. Activities included whole group reading, buddy reading and a Kiddush version of Connect 4. Students also received their December homework calendar.
Electives have been going well and students are enjoying their time in sign language, embroidery and storyboarding. We can’t wait to see their finished products! During Hevruta study students are sharing wonderful insights with their partners.
In our holiday block students have reviewed the Hannukah story through a Readers Theater and Hannukah story poster, and this week reviewed the blessings for lighting the Hannukah candles. On Sunday students made their own stained glass menorahs and dreidels.
This week we look forward to the third week of electives and lighting the Hannukiyah in Hebrew School.
Wishing everyone a great week of Hannukah!
Shalom
Elana
11-11-18
Shalom Gimel Families,
We had a fun and busy week in Hebrew School.
In Hebrew Through Movement students did a warm up activity to review the Hebrew words for stand, sit, walk, run, jump, spin, slow, fast and in place. New words this week included girls (Banot), boys (banim) and everyone (kulam). Students also suggested and had fun with combining verbs (example spin and jump). This week we will add some nouns and prepositions to our activities.
Yesterday students reviewed En Keloheinu and added lines 7 & 8. Review was done through whole group reading, Buddy reading and a class game of Zip Around. For morning work students worked on a Roll and Read containing the lines of Ein Keloheinu. This week’s magic number was seven (sheva) and students enjoyed the magic number game, and used the number to review some of the Hebrew Through Movement verbs (example jump to the count of 7).
The next holiday is Hannukah, and after watching a video of the Maccabeats song, Candlelight, students brainstormed and shared ideas about Hannukah. Journals from last week about favorite Jewish activities were shared and students understand that in America we have the freedom to enjoy these activities, such as going to Jewish summer camp, participating in USY and celebrating holidays. During the time of the Maccabees the Jews did not have this religious freedom.
Thank you to the Temple Israel Men’s Club for visiting us to talk about Veterans Day. Students asked many good questions.
This week we are super excited to start our electives!
Wishing everyone a great week.
Shalom,
Elana
11-4-18
Shalom Gimel Families,
Gimel students are making good progress with mastering the Ein Keloheinu prayer. They have
now learned the first 6 lines. On Sunday, during stations time, students had opportunities to practice their reading with a buddy and to play Hebrew reading games containing lines from Ein Keloheinu. At the end of morning meeting students were introduced to the game, Zip Around, to further practice reading the lines of Ein Keloheinu.
Following our trust
fall game that we did last week, students used sentence starters to share their feelings with their classmates about the trust falls. They also read the story of the midwives in Egypt showing courage by saving the Hebrew baby boys from being drowned in the Nile. During the week students will have an opportunity to role play a possible conversation between the 2 midwives, Shifra and Pua, before and after Israelite baby boys were saved.
Hannukah is around the corner and students accessed their backround knowledge about the holiday by listening and watching a video of 2 songs by the Maccabeats, Candlelight and Latke Recipe. They then worked with a partner to brainstorm ideas about Hannukah food and traditions.
Students also completed a journal activity about their favorite Jewish activity. Next week they will share their idea with their classmates and we will discuss the concept of religious freedom.
Looking forward to
1. Hebrew Through Movement during the week.
2. Conversation about the courage of the midwives in Egypt.
3. A Hannukah story readers theater and conversation about religious freedom.
4. On Sunday, the Temple’s Men’s Club will lead Tefillot in honor of the veterans in
our community.
Wishing everyone a
wonderful week!
Shalom,
Elana
10-29-18
Shalom Gimel Families,
Yesterday Gimel students began studying the prayer, Ein Keloheinu. Students listened to the prayer being sung during the week and then as a whole class learned lines 1 and 2. During stations students had opportunities to buddy read the lines learned, and played a game of reading memory/concentration containing lines from Ein Keloheinu. During small reading group time, which was one of the 3 stations, students also learned to read and sing lines 3 & 4. Students received their November homework calendars yesterday as well.
10-21-18
Shalom Gimel Students!
Yasher Koach to the Gimel Class for completing their study of Barachu, Yotzer Or, and Or Hadash. Students have done a great job mastering these prayers and are ready to move on to Ein Keloheinu next week. Keep up the good work!
We have started our Hebrew Through Movement curriculum and students are having a blast following commands given to them in Hebrew. Ask your son/daughter to “lalechet” (walk), “likpotz” (jump) or “larutz” (run). Some of the vocabulary learned during these weekday lessons are also being used in other aspects of the day. Students are doing a great job internalizing the vocabulary.
Yesterday for our Jewish Values lesson, students listened to the story What Does it Mean To Be Kind, and then wrote compliments to 2 classmates. The compliment notes were put into the students’ chesed boxes and brought home at the end of the day. We also began our Torah curriculum Jewish Values in Exodus with activities and conversations about important values a community should have to make it work, and students did an illustration of what their ideal community should look like. The next Jewish value to be explored is courage (gevurah). We will explore this in the context of community and through a study of the Exodus story of the midwives in Egypt who saved the Israelite babies from being drowned.
Looking forward to…
- Beginning our study of Ein Keloheinu.
- Students will receive a November homework calendar next Sunday
- More compliments!
- More Hebrew Through Movement
- Welcoming Nitzan back from Israel and doing fun activities with her.
Wishing everyone a great week!
L’hitraot
Elana Berelowitz
10-16-18
Shalom Gimel Families,
The first month of Hebrew School has been fun and exciting! Students have settled well into the routine of the Gimel Class.
Hebrew
We are studying both prayer and modern Hebrew. In prayer Hebrew, students have been working on Barachu, Yotzer Or and Or Hadash. They have done a great job mastering these in a variety of ways - whole group reading, buddy reading, Hebrew games (Roll and Read seems to be the favorite!), small group reading and practice at home. Next we will work on Ein Keloheinu.
Modern Hebrew is studied through our Sunday morning meeting, Sunday closing circle, and weekday Hebrew Through Movement curriculum. Students enjoy both of these, particularly the movement activities. Each week in Hebrew Through Movement we review vocabulary learned with a warm up, 2-3 new terms are introduced and then we do movements that combine both the old and new terms.
In closing circle students share, in Hebrew, their favorite part of the day.
Middot/Jewish Values
Over the past month we have been focusing on the values of Derech Eretz (good manners), chesed (kindness) and Gemilut Hasadim (acts of loving kindness), and this is an ongoing theme in the Gimel Class throughout the year. Through a variety of activities and conversations we have explored which actions are acts of kindness, how mean words can hurt, and how we can work to focus on the good in others. Students made popsicle stick pouches which are there “chesed boxes.” Each Sunday students are given the names of 2 classmates and their task is to write a compliment to these 2 classmates. Compliments are put into the chesed boxes to be taken home at the end of the day.
9-26-18
Shalom Gimel Parents,
We had a GREAT opening day! It was a pleasure to see/meet the children. They started their day by looking at the welcome goody bags and reading the poem explaining all the items that were in it.
This year students will be introduced to some modern Hebrew and this is presented through our Sunday morning meeting. Each week different students will have opportunities to take attendance (and answer “ani po”), greet each other in Hebrew, learn different parts of the schedule, days of the week, Hebrew calendar, weather and seasons. They will also practice counting in Hebrew with our magic number game which involves counting around the circle in Hebrew and sitting down if they land on the magic number.
On Sunday students received their Hebrew binders containing some prayer sheets, a homework calendar and a letter explaining the prayer curriculum and homework. Students will start working on the Barachu next Sunday.
We spent some time talking about the Jewish value of Derech Eretz (good manners) in the contexts of the various communities we belong to. Students did a great job sharing some of the rules they follow in these communities. In their table groups they talked about ways in which we take care of ourselves, each other and the world around us to ensure a successful year of learning. These ideas were the basis for our class contract (Brit) which was signed by both students and teachers.
The highlight of the day was making decorations for the Temple Sukkah. Thank you to the Temple Sisterhood for making this possible. Students were very creative and had a blast hanging their projects in the Sukkah.
We are thrilled to welcome Naomi Hoffman who will be working as a madricha in our room on Sundays.
Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions or concerns at
eberelowitz@gmail.com
Below is a copy of the welcome poem that the students received in their goody bags:
We are super excited for a fun year of learning and growing together.
eberelowitz@gmail.com
Below is a copy of the welcome poem that the students received in their goody bags:
We are super excited for a fun year of learning and growing together.
L’hitraot
Elana
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