Mazal tov to the
Siegal and Henderson families on Maddy’s Bat Mitzvah (March 18) and Mikayla’s
Bat Mitzvah (March 25). Both girls were
spectacular! It was an honor and a
blessing to share their simchas.
In class, we continue to
study the weekly Torah portion with an emphasis on engaging our teens and
developing personal meanings. Recently,
some struggled with the idea of animal sacrifices and others suggested that we
must understand these events through the eyes of the ancients for whom animal
sacrifice was a natural method of worship.
Parashat Va-yikra presented
the five types of korbanot
(“sacrifices” though the Hebrew root means ‘to draw close’). The mincha
offering was an offering of flour, oil, salt and frankincense. We passed around a bottle of frankincense oil
and invited students to sniff. For some
it was a pleasing fragrance, others did not care for it. We wondered about the Biblical assumption
that frankincense is pleasing to God.
Our study of the Jewish
life cycle ventured into Jewish marriage and Jewish divorce. Students wondered why these ceremonies were
so highly gender specific and were able to ask the rabbi their questions when
Rabbi Liben joined us to share his expertise on the subject.
Pirkei Avot, The Ethics of the Sages, a tractate of the Mishna, has been a focus on Sunday mornings. Students learn verses from Pirkei Avot and some commentaries on
those verses, then they become movie producer-commentators as they create their
own short videos about what the verse means to them. Their videos are amazing and demonstrate
thought, creativity and deep understanding.
Two Opportunities to experience Prozdor:
- On April 4 (4:00-5:00)
at Temple Israel, Dan Brosgol, director of Prozdor will be teaching our 6th
and 7th grade students.
Parents are welcome to join the class: Shifting
Narratives—Retelling Passover and considering Alternatives and to get a
taste of the Prozdor experience.
- On April 30
(10:00-12:00), there will be an open house at Prozdor (located at Hebrew
College, 160 Herrick Road, Newton) especially for 7th grade
students. Parents and students will
have the opportunity to see the Prozdor campus,visit classes, meet with
instructors and to speak with students and staff.
We hope that every Gesher
family for the continued Jewish growth of their Gesher student. Prozdor
provides extraordinary opportunities for traditional and experiential learning
and to meet other Jewish teens.
This Sunday (April 2) our focus will
be the Prophet, Elijah. We have spoken
about him briefly because he is an honored guest at every brit milah. He has an
important place at our Passover seders as well and so, in preparation for
Passover, we will learn more about him and why he attends the brit milah and the seder. Since he is
also an important character in Jewish folklore, a proper study of Elijah must
include some stories.