Grade 7--GESHER: A very busy Tuesday!

PROZDOR ISRAEL SEMINAR:  It’s an amazing coincidence that many of the battles fought by the Maccabees and those fought by the Israelis in their 1948 War of Independence took place in the same regions.  Despite the 2000 years between these wars, in each case they fought for control of Jerusalem and strategically utilized the topography of the region. Students viewed fascinating slides, heard the story told and even practiced marching in formation.

PARASHAT HA-SHAVUA:  Our study of this week’s Torah portion, Vyeshev, focused on Hebrew as we recognized that the name of this parasha resembles the blessing that we say when we sit in a sukkah.  We examined chapter 37 verse 9 (Joseph tells about his dream in which the sun, moon and eleven stars bow down to him) learning the words for sun, moon and stars and exploring the idea of metaphor.  Could the sun, moon and 11 stars represent his father, mother and 11 brothers? The Torah continues explaining that “His father scolded him and said to him: “What kind of dream have you dreamt?  Do you really expect us to come—I and your mother and your brothers—to bow down to you?” (Genesis 37:10)  The commentator, Rashi, teaches that Jacob was scolding his son because it was cruel of him to tell this dream since his mother was dead.  Rashi defends Joseph by suggesting that the moon in his dream referred not to Rachel but to Bilhah the handmaid who raised Joseph.  Each parasha in our textbook is associated with a mitzvah.  Vyeshev connected us to the mitzvah of honoring one’s father and one’s mother.  Students were asked to think of ways that they could honor their parents at Hanukkah and every day.

LIFE CYCLE HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT:  Several weeks ago, Life-line survey handouts were distributed.  Students were asked to interview two people:  A parent or a person from one’s parent’s generation and a grandparent or a person from one’s grandparent’s generation.  Students will share their survey results in class on Sunday, December 13.

Survey Questions

List the 5 most important moments in your life.

List the 3 happiest moments.

List the 3 saddest moments.

List the 2 most embarrassing moments.

Add your own questions and record the information on the life lines (photo attached.)