Need a link for a class? ZOOM links are here.
5-3-2020
4-26-2020
4-17-2020
4-12-2020
4-7-2020
4-5-2020
4-2-2020
3-29-2020
3-25-2020
3-23-20
3-22-20
3-22-20
3-20-20
3-5-2020
2-11-2020
2-4-2020
1-29-20
1/14/2020
1-7-2020
12/18/19
11-12-19
11-5-19
10-29-19
10-20-19
9-24-19
9-18-19
5-12-19
5-5-19
4-28-19
4-7-19
3-31-19
3-24-19
3-17-19
3-10-19
3-3-19
2-10-19
Sunday morning the 7th grade focused on Jewish weddings and specifically ketubot (Jewish marriage contracts). You can ask your 7th grader to share with you what a traditional Jewish marriage contract is and why it was required. We also compared the language used in a traditional ketubah with the language used in an egalitarian marriage contract. Check out the photos of the ketubot the students designed.
2-3-19
1-27-19
1-6-19
12-16-18
12-9-18
12-2-18
11-4-18
This coming Sunday, we’ll be taking our field trip to the Touro Synagogue in Newport, RI, after joining the Temple’s minyan for a Veterans Day memorial service. Please remember to pack a substantial lunch for your child.
10-28-18
Dear Parents,
10-21-18
5-12-2020
Hi everyone,
It was fun seeing you today. I look forward to Sunday – we’ll be doing a closing activity at 10:00 a.m., and our whole-school Siyyum will start at 11:00 a.m.
Today, we learned about the holiday of Lag Baomer, did a Lag Baomer Kahoot, and then made our own Kahoot with questions from each student on things we learned in the Religious School. For Lag Baomer, we watched these two videos to learn about it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
and
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
After Sunday, we’re planning on setting up some Zoom hangouts for you, for half an hour each week – there will be fun activities to hang out and do. We’ll announce the time and day after Sunday.
I look forward to seeing you all on Sunday. You can find both links here.
Have a great week!
5-10-2020
Hi everyone,
First, I’d like to thank everyone for the kind condolence wishes over the past week and a half. We were going through a sad time, and it was really good to hear from all of you.
This past week, Bryna substituted for me and led a two-part lesson on Choosing to Participate, and how to be an “Upstander” to help others and prevent history like the Holocaust from repeating itself in the future. We used the events in Billings, Montana a few years ago as a model – you can find the story in this video:
https://www.facinghistory.org/
I’ve also attached an article about Billings, and one about combatting racism in Memphis, Tennessee, as examples of how to be an “Upstander”.
Today, we moved on to our final lesson in Facing History, to learn about the 3500 year Jewish connection to the Land of Israel, the formation of the modern State of Israel, and how Israel is connected to the Holocaust. We first watched the first 10 minutes of this video on the Jewish connection to the land:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
After discussing it, we then watched and discussed this short video on the declaration of Israel’s independence:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
We then read the attached excerpt from a book called “Letters to Talia,” by Dov Indig, a soldier in the Yom Kippur War to a friend, about Judaism and his connection to the Land of Israel. Dov was sadly killed in the war, but left a trove of letters that have been published. The attached excerpt explains his connection to Israel and why it is important in light of the Holocaust.
This coming week, we’re going to have a special class on Tuesday at 4:00 p.m., which is the holiday of Lag Baomer, the 33rd day of counting the Omer. We’ll be learning a bit about the holiday, and having a virtual celebration with games and music. We’ll also take a few minutes to check in about our upcoming Siyyum next Sunday.
I look forward to seeing you all on Tuesday at 4:00 p.m., and Sunday at 11:10 a.m. You can find all the links for class on Tuesday, the Siyyim on Sunday, and for Tefilah at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, here.
Have a great week.
______________________________
Gerald S. Frim
(857)234-0725
gfrim@hotmail.com
5-3-2020
To Temple Israel Kitah Zayin/Seventh Grade Families:
Thank you for today’s flexibility with the Zoom account classroom scheduling.
During class this morning, we watched a YouTube Video about a small town in Montana and how they stood up to hate, and addressed anti-Semitism with solidarity as a community. We then discussed how to be an “upstander” and what ways in our own community we have seen this in action. One student was able to share a personal experience of how a neighborhood came together when a same-sex couple was the focus of hate crimes, and all hung rainbow flags, and happy to report that the neighbors’ actions all helped the couple feel safe and secure. We then read a section from our textbook, and while we ran out of time for the discussion today, my plan is to pick up with it on Tuesday. For a preview, if your student wants a “head-start”, here is the link:
Please feel free to reach out to me or Robin with any questions or feedback.
B’Shalom,
Morah Bryna (for Mr. Frim)
4-26-2020
Hi everyone,
It was great seeing you during “vacation” this past week – between Taboo, Israeli Trivia, and our Sunday Tefilah with Anna, I thought it was a fun week.
This coming week, we’re going to resume more substantive material.
I. On Tuesday, April 28, we’ll be meeting at 4:00 p.m. with a special class dedicated to Yom Hazikaron/Yom Haatzmaut, Israeli Remembrance Day and Israeli Independence Day, which are Monday and Tuesday this week. To prepare for class, we’ll be making our own Kahoot and learning about Israeli history and the founding of Israel. Please do the following by Tuesday morning:
1. View these two short videos:
and
2. Please prepare three Kahoot questions, based on information from either video. To do so, write down three questions, and for each question list four possible answers – one correct, and three incorrect. Please email them to me so I can prepare the Kahoot.
For class on Tuesday, in addition to your computer, you’ll need access to a smart phone in order to play, with the Kahoot app on the phone.
II. On Sunday, May 3, we’ll continue with our study of Facing History and Ourselves. Our lesson will be on the topic: “Choosing to Participate.” In preparation, please read the attached article entitled, “What Difference Can a Word Make?” After reading it, please answer the questions at the end and email your answers to me before Sunday. You can also find the article and the questions at: https://www.facinghistory.org/
In addition to the article, you can also find a short video describing what happened in Billings here:
I look forward to seeing you all on Tuesday at 4:00 p.m., and Sunday at 11:10 a.m. You can find all the links for class on Tuesday and Sunday, and for Tefilah at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, here.
Have a great week.
4-17-2020
Hi Everyone,
As Robin wrote in her email, we’ll be having special Religious School activities during the Spring “Vacation”. Here’s what’s going on for the Seventh Grade:
Sunday, April 19:
10:30 a.m. Tefilah/Music with Ana – Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/
11:00 a.m.- 12:00 noon: CJP Boston/Haifa Yom Hashoah/Holocaust Remebrance Day program. To register for the program, please complete the survey today at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/
You can get more information about this special event here: https://www.jewishboston.com/
Tuesday, April 21:
4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Hangout and Virtual Tour of Israel
Please join us for a series of 3 minute tours of different cities in Israel – we’ll also have a breakout room for hangouts, if you like.
Sunday, April 26:
10:30 a.m.: Tefilah/Music with Ana – Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/
11:10-12:00: Special Event -Games and hangout – test your skills and knowledge with a series of online games. Zoom link: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/
For some great material to read with your families on Shabbat this week, please check out: https://elmad.pardes.org/
I hope to see you all next week – PLEASE register for the Yom Hashoah program TODAY!
Thanks and Shabbat Shalom.
4-12-2020
HI everyone,
I hope everyone had a good holiday and fun Seders – I heard from some of the kids today about theirs. Once the Zoom glitches were ironed out, everyone’s seder seemed to work out well.
This morning, we finished our discussion of the Warsaw Ghetto archive, and why it’s important to be able to write our own history, through the lens of the Oyneg Shabbes heroes who preserved an amazing archive of testimony in the Warsaw Ghetto about what happened during the Holocaust. If you haven’t yet viewed the film on Oyneg Shabbes, I highly recommend you do. You can still find it at:
We then had a great Passover-themed game of Taboo.
This week on Tuesday, we’ll be moving on in our Facing History curriculum to discuss Rescue During the Holocaust. We’ll be watching some brief videos on individuals who, at great personal risk, went to great lengths to save Jews from the Nazis. In preparation for this lesson, please read the attached readings on rescuers, which we will briefly discuss before the videos. You can also find the readings here:
Also on Tuesday, please bring your ideas about what kind of end-of-year presentations you’d like to make – each student will prepare a project, which can be written, artwork or verbal (recorded), which he/she will present.
For the upcoming Shabbat, I’ve attached some materials on Parashat Hashavua – Shemini, about Aharon’s silence in the face of the death of his sons, that you can also find here: https://elmad.pardes.org/2019/
I’ve also attached some Pirkei Avot material to share on Shabbat, that you can also find here: http://learn.
Enjoy Passover – here are more videos I thought you’d enjoy:
For Passover and Covid-19: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
And two other great covers:
See you on Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. at: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/
Chag Same’ach!
4-7-2020
HI everyone,
I hope all are doing well at home. As I wrote last time, on Sunday we worked on our class Haggadah. You can find it here: https://www.haggadot.com/
I’ve also attached a copy if you’d like to print it out for your seders.
Today, we had a more serious class, and discussed the spiritual resistance to the Holocaust, followed by a viewing of the film, “Who Will Write Our History.” For those who couldn’t join us, please watch the film with your parents before Sunday – you can find it online here:
Here is the introduction we read about the film:
In November 1940, days after the Nazis sealed 450,000 Jews in the Warsaw ghetto, a secret band of journalists, scholars, and community leaders decided to fight back. Led by historian Emanuel Ringelblum and known by the code name Oyneg Shabes, this clandestine group vowed to defeat Nazi lies and propaganda not with guns or fists but with pen and paper. They described life in the ghetto from the Jewish perspective. They commissioned diaries, essays, jokes, poems, and songs. They documented Nazi atrocities with eyewitness accounts. They sent reports of mass murder to London via the Polish underground. Then, as trains deported them to the gas chambers of Treblinka and the ghetto burned to the ground, they buried 60,000 pages of documentation in the hope that the archive would survive the war, even if they themselves did not.
After watching the film, please consider the following questions to help process your thoughts and feelings, that we’ll be discussing on Sunday:
0. What did it take for the members of the Oyneg Shabes to create their archive? What obstacles did they have to overcome?
1. What risks did they take? What might have been the consequences if their project had been discovered by the Nazis?
2. Why, in a time of such desperation and struggle and at great personal risk, would the members of the Oyneg Shabes devote precious energy and resources to creating an archive?
For Shabbat this week, here is a link to materials on the Torah reading for the intermediate Shabbat of Passover, in Parashat Ki Tisa. Prior to the reading, we find the episode of the Golden Calf, and Moses’ acts in shattering the original Tablets. I’ve attached a discussion of this breakdown between God and the Jewish people from the Pardes website, which you can also find with a podcast here: https://elmad.pardes.org/2020/
Finally, I hope you all have great seders and enjoy Passover. Here are links to a couple of amazing Passover greetings that I thought you’d enjoy.
See you on Sunday – the link for class is: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/
Chag Same’ach!
4-5-2020
Hi everyone,
Here is the link to collaborate on the Haggadah. If you haven’t already, please add at least two clips – one in the “Maggid” section, and one somewhere else (you can add more than that if you like). On Tuesday, I’ll give everyone a link to the final edited version, and send a PDF copy to everyone and their parents, so you can use it at your seders if you like:
See you all on Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. Here is a copy of the Zoom meeting invitation (including password) for the Tuesday class:
Gerald Frim is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Kitah Zayin
Time: Apr 7, 2020 04:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 636 110 403
Password: 898143
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4-2-2020
Hi everyone,
I’m looking forward to seeing you on Sunday morning, after tefilah. Please sign in at 10:30 a.m. for Tefilah with Ana, at https://us04web.zoom.us/j/
Our class begins at 11:10 a.m., after Tefilah. The Zoom link is: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/
First, here are activities and materials to go over for this Shabbat, whose Torah portion is Tzav:
Parashat Hashavua/Weekly Torah Portion:
Please watch the Bim Bam video about Parashat Tzav here:
With your family, please read the attached sheet on Tzav, and discuss the questions at the end. It will help you understand what it means to be in a truly immersive environment. You can also find the sheet here:
Pirkei Avot/Ethics of the Fathers:
Also, on Shabbat, please read over Chapter 5, Mishna 7, in Pirkei Avot, which you’ll find here:
What do you learn from this Mishna about how to relate to others in a learning environment?
Sunday Morning – Passover Prep
For Sunday morning, instead of our usual Jewish Life Cycle material, we’ll be preparing for Passover. On Sunday, each of you will be assigned a part of the Seder for which to find some material. We’ll then use that material to compile a class Haggadah on Tuesday, that you can use for your Seder on Wednesday evening. In order to do this, we’ll be using the website: www.haggadot.com
Please sign up for an account at www.Haggadot.com. You can browse on your own, and on Sunday, we’ll discuss how to find material on the website (or how you can upload your own material) for us to include in the Haggadah. I’ll then insert all the material and email the Haggadah to you Tuesday evening. You are also welcome to create your own Haggadah, either on your own or with your family. The website has different templates, and thousands of texts, pictures, songs and videos that you can choose from for each part of the Seder.
If we have time, we’ll also be doing a Passover Kahoot, so please have your phones handy.
Tuesday - Facing History/Holocaust:
On Tuesday, we’ll be having a slightly longer class, so that we can view and discuss a very special video entitled “Who Will Write Our History?”, about the Warsaw Ghetto organization Oyneg Shabes and the amazing archives it left behind. In preparation for this film, please read the attached article entitled: “Voices from the Warsaw Ghetto”. Please email me a one-line response to each of the questions at the end.
You can also find the article here: https://www.facinghistory.org/
Finally, check these videos out – they’re great!:
Have a great weekend!
3-29-2020
Hi everyone,
I apologize for the technical glitches this morning – my microphone stopped working and I had to switch to another machine that was not set up for the lesson this morning.
We did begin discussing Jewish dating and relationships, and why choose to be Jewish. I’ve attached the article we read, and here are the links to the two videos that I’d like you to watch:
- Video – Jewish dating: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=mjAjkHB8F1M - Video – considering intermarriage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=_t4r4bKbNjk
The second video in particular asks some serious questions about what to consider when choosing a partner, after rejecting all the usual arguments against dating someone who’s not Jewish. Please write down a note about the video to discuss on Tuesday.
As I wrote last week, for Tuesday, we’ll also be finishing up our last lesson on Facing History/Holocaust. As I requested, please go over the reading and questions again at: https://drive.google.com/file/
After reading it, please email me a one line comment in response to each question at the end of the attached reading, “A Basic Feeling of Human Dignity”. You can also find the article at:
The Zoom link for Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. is: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/
I look forward to seeing all of you on Tuesday.
3-25-2020
Hi everyone,
Upcoming Zoom Sessions
Please note in your schedules – we will be having Zoom sessions as follows:
Sunday, March 29, at 11:10 a.m. – Jewish Life Cycle
Tuesday, March 31 at 4:00 p.m. – Facing History/Holocaust
The Zoom link for our class sessions is: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/
Each session is 40 minutes – please complete the Jewish Life Cycle work before Sunday, and the Facing History work before Tuesday.
(On Sunday, please participate in the Zoom Tefila with Anna before that at 10:30 a.m.– the Tefila login is https://us04web.zoom.us/j/
Independent Activities for Shabbat
- PARASHAT HASHAVUA/WEEKLY TORAH PORTION
For this week’s Parashat Hashavua materials on Vayikra/Leviticus, please review these two videos:
and
Then download this PDF on Vayikra, read it as a family and note your answers to the questions in a journal:
- PIRKEI AVOT/ETHICS OF THE FATHERS
On Shabbat, please read this commentary on Pirkei Avot/Ethics of the Fathers, Chapter 2, Mishna sixteen
In your journal, please note your answer to this question:
Rabbi Tarfon published the following statement:
“It is not your duty to finish the work, but neither are you at liberty to neglect it.”
What did this mean to Rabbi Tarfon, and what does it mean to you?
I hope to see you all on Sunday.
3-23-20
Hi Everyone,
As I wrote yesterday, we are planning a Zoom class tomorrow for your kids, Tuesday, March 24, 2020, at 4:00 p.m. The link to join the meeting is:
I look forward to seeing them then-
Thanks,
Gerry
3-22-20
Good morning,
Most of our class just had a great meeting on Zoom, at which we discussed what will be happening for Religious School over the next few weeks.
We are planning on having a Zoom meeting for 30-45 minutes twice a week –
- On Sundays (after Tefila) at about 11:15 a.m.
- On Tuesdays at 4:00 p.m.
In the interim, I’ll be sending home materials to review with some assignments.
Each week, I’ll be sending home links to materials on Parashat Hashavua/Weekly Torah Portion and Pirkei Avot/Ethics of the Fathers for you to share with your child on Shabbat. We generally will not be spending much time on those materials during our Zoom meetings.
For the Zoom meetings, we’ll be continuing with our study of Facing History/Holocaust and the Jewish Life Cycle. This week’s Facing History assignment is below. I’ll be sending some material on Jewish Life Cycle later today. This week’s topic is Relationships/Dating in Jewish Tradition.
In addition to emailing you, it would be great if I could send material to your child directly via email. Please let me know their address, if they have one. (I tried to collect them today, but there was a technical glitch.)
In addition to our regular material, we also started to discuss how to produce a virtual Siyum/Graduation for the Seventh Grade this year. We have a very creative group of students – it will be a very interesting event.
Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.
Thanks,
Gerry
3-22-20
Hi again,
This email contains a summary of our last Facing History/Holocaust class, and the next activity for the kids to complete in preparation for our next unit.
In our last class, we learned about the phases of the Holocaust itself, and first-hand experiences of those who were part of it. We first read and discussed a poem by a survivor, Sonia Weitz, about what is necessary to learn about the Holocaust. The poem reads as follows:
FOR YOM HASHOA (HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY)
Come, take this giant leap with me
into the other world . . . the other place
where language fails and imagery defies,
denies man’s consciousness . . . and dies
upon the altar of insanity.
into the other world . . . the other place
where language fails and imagery defies,
denies man’s consciousness . . . and dies
upon the altar of insanity.
Come, take this giant leap with me
into the other world . . . the other place
and trace the eclipse of humanity . . .
where children burned while mankind stood by
and the universe has yet to learn why
. . . has yet to learn why.
into the other world . . . the other place
and trace the eclipse of humanity . . .
where children burned while mankind stood by
and the universe has yet to learn why
. . . has yet to learn why.
We then watched a brief video that described the different phases of the holocaust, along with the attached handout. You can find the video here:
We then started reflecting on how to bear witness to stories and experiences during the holocaust. We first viewed a video of a survivor, Jack Arnel, describing his experience as a teenager when the Nazis seized Vilna. The video can be found here:
FOR OUR NEXT CLASS:
The students that were present at our last session participated in a “Gallery Walk” to view and read materials about different experiences. In preparation for our next virtual class (which we’ll schedule later in the week, after we discuss the schedule with the students tomorrow), please have your child do the following:
- As your child to spend 10 minutes to review the materials in the folder at this link:
For each one they view, ask them to do the following in a journal (either on paper or electronically):
- Record the name of the resource.
- If it is a text-based resource: Record a sentence, phrase, or detail you think is striking or significant.
- If it is an image: Describe a part of the image that provokes a question, observation, or emotional response.
- After recording notes on the each of the materials, please have him/her visit the “Graffiti Wall” at this Google Doc:
and write a response to one or more of the resources encountered. They might add one or more of the notes they took during the gallery walk to the Graffiti Board, or they might write a new thought, observation, or feeling they are experiencing after viewing the resources.
Students can return to the Graffiti Wall later, if they wish, and respond to comments made by their classmates. We’ll discuss their responses and reactions at our next class. Please do so in a different color or font.
Before our next class, please have your child read the handout “A Basic Feeling of Human Dignity,” which they can find here:
Please ask your child to write brief answers in his/her journal to the questions at the end of the reading, which we’ll be discussing at the next session later in the week.
I look forward to “seeing” everyone in the morning.
Thanks,
Gerry
__________
Dear Parents,
I hope that you are all home and safe with your families this Shabbat.
I’ll be sending a more comprehensive email after Shabbat, but in preparation, here are some activities for you to share with your kids.
Here is a link to materials you can read together about this week’s Torah Portion, Vayakhel/Pekudei:
I particularly recommend this article on that site to review with your child regarding Shabbat and sanctity during the rest of the week:
I also highly recommend the related videos on BimBam:
and
It’s also customary to study Pirkei Avot/Ethics of the Fathers on Shabbat afternoons. Here is a great site – I recommend starting with the sections in Chapter 2:
Please have your child review Chapter 2, Mishna 4: http://learn.
More to come tomorrow. In the meantime, please visit the Temple Israel website to get information about joining in virtual events and services.
Shabbat Shalom,
Gerry
3-5-2020
Dear Parents,
It was great seeing you this past week. I missed seeing
them on Tuesday and Wednesday before and after vacation – I was away on a
work/vacation trip to Israel. Ask the kids how they liked the Israeli chocolate.
This past Sunday, we learned about the Ketubah/Jewish
wedding contract. After viewing two brief BimBam videos about Jewish wedding
ceremonies and the Ketubah (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxQ87qN7E9o
and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clM1SEJfixo)
we then reviewed the attached source sheet and worksheet. After our Tefilah
break, we then created our own clauses for what should be included in a Jewish
wedding contract. The students had to focus on what kinds of things they would
want to have in a agreement with someone they would be sharing a home with.
During our last hour we returned to our Facing History
and Ourselves lesson on the Holocaust, specifically about how the Nazi Party
transformed German democracy into a dictatorship. After discussing the
characteristics of a democracy versus a dictatorship, we watched and reacted to
two brief videos, one outlining how the Nazi Party transformed Germany from
democracy to dictatorship, and one presenting an interview with a survivor who
lived through the transformation ( https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/video/hitlers-rise-power-1933-1934
and https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/video/democracy-dictatorship).
In small groups, we then examined brief readings (attached) that identified
various elements of the political system and society that were used by the Nazi
Party to eliminate democracy, and discussed what elements of a democracy need
to be protected to maintain a healthy democracy.
Next week, we will be creating a time line for the
events of the Holocaust, based upon first hand readings from diaries of those
confined in the Ghettos and Camps. In preparation, please view the following
video with your child: https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/video/step-step-phases-holocaust
Please be aware that in the video, Professor Bergen
explicitly discusses the Nazi program for exterminating the Jews, along with
some mildly graphic photographs of Jewish inmates in concentration camps and
“death marches”. During class, we will be reading and bearing witness to
stories from individuals who lived or perished during the Holocaust. If you
feel that the video is not appropriate for your child, please let me know, and
we will not view it as a group during class. The class itself will focus on
first hand accounts, without any graphic photographs or video footage.
Parents are always welcome
to join us in class from 11:00-12:00 on Sundays for our unit on Facing History
and Ourselves/Holocaust.
Please remind your kids that
cell phones are not to be used in the classroom. Phones may be brought to
school, but unless needed for an in-class academic project, the phone will be
collected first thing, and returned at the end of the class day. Also, please
send your child to school each day with a dairy or pareve, nut-free snack.
Have a great vacation,
Gerry
_________________________
Gerald S. Frim
(857)234-0725
2-11-2020
Dear Parents,
It was great seeing you this past week.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, as usual, we continued our
study of Parashat Hashavua and Pirkei Avot.
For Parashat Beshalach, we viewed the BimBam video here:
We then discussed the phenomenon of how the Israelites,
almost immediately after the revelation at Sinai, constantly complained to God,
about food, water, and how life was better in Egypt. We reviewed the attached
worksheet and discussed how it’s necessary to have gratitude for what we
receive, and how a positive attitude can help one in life.
For Pirkei Avot, we analyzed the attached text on
attitudes towards those in authority, and how that has changed since the time
of the Mishna. The students considered how to relate to those in authority,
whether they are politicians, teachers, law enforcement or others.
On Sunday, for the first hour, we had an introduction to
Jewish marriage and weddings. We first viewed two short clips from Fiddler on
the Roof, about how marriages were arranged and decided:
We then reviewed and discussed the attached article on
Jewish Marriage and Wedding Ceremonies and the accompanying questions to
consider how marriage is a covenant between the spouses, as well as between
them and God. This led to a discussion of how to elevate relationships in the
students’ own lives.
During the rest of the morning, the students and parents
participated in the second Family Program from Moving Traditions on Bar/Bat
Mitzvah teen issues.
This Tuesday and Wednesday, in my absence, Michelle Nelson
will be substituting on Tuesday, and Laura Bellows on Wednesday.
As I noted last week, at our next Facing History lesson
after February break, we’ll be learning about how the Nazis transformed the
democratic Weimar Republic into the Nazi dictatorship. In preparation,
please view the following video with your child, and help him/her complete the
attached Viewing guide. https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/video/hitlers-rise-power-1933-1934
Parents are always welcome to join us in class from
11:00-12:00 on Sundays for our unit on Facing History and Ourselves/Holocaust.
Please remind your kids that cell phones are not to be
used in the classroom. Phones may be brought to school, but unless needed for
an in-class academic project, the phone will be collected first thing, and
returned at the end of the class day. Also, please send your child to school
each day with a dairy or pareve, nut-free snack.
Have a great vacation,
Gerry
_________________________
Gerald S. Frim
(857)234-0725
2-4-2020
Dear Parents,
It was great seeing your kids this past week.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, we continued our study of
Parashat Hashavua and Pirkei Avot.
For Parashat Bo, we viewed the BimBam video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=nmY6LwbvSVM&feature=emb_logo)
about the last three plagues in Egypt, from the perspective of Aaron, Moses’
brother and interpreter. We learned how Aaron and Moses “came” to Pharoah at
God’s command, rather than “going” to Pharoah, teaching us that even an evil
monarch still has made a choice and has aspects of God in his personality. The
students then retold parts of the story from the perspective of a character in
Egypt. A copy of our Parsha summary and questions is attached.
For Pirkei Avot, we discussed the second Mishna in
Chapter 2 (attached), which discussed how simply learning Torah without also
having a worldly occupation will lead to sin, and how community leaders should
take on responsibility “for the sake of Heaven,” and not for personal gain or
aggrandizement. The students discussed how communal leaders must have
altruistic motivations, not greed or personal gain.
This past Sunday, we first continued our activities from
the Moving Traditions Bar/Bat Mitzvah curriculum, on developing friendship, and
different kinds of friends during the teen years. We identified different
levels of friends (extremely close, very close, close and others), and saw how
different people perceive friendship. We then reviewed the statement from
Maimonides that, “there are three types of friends: a friend for benefit, a
friend for fun, and a friend for virtue.” The students learned about different
approaches to friendship, and how it is important to support friends.
After Tefila with our song leader, Ana, we moved on to
our next unit from Facing History and Ourselves, on the topic of How the Nazi
Party Came to Power. We viewed the following video:
While watching the video, students took notes on the
attached Viewing Guide, which we discussed in small groups. We then discussed
what Nazi’s believed by reviewing the attached excerpts from the Nazi Party
platform, and the students’ answers to the attached Survey. We concluded by
reviewing the attached sheet summarizing Hitler’s Rise to Power, and discussed
why and how the Nazi’s were able to gain enough support in the government to do
so, and how it affected the Jews.
At our next lesson after February break, we’ll be
learning about how the Nazis transformed the democratic Weimar Republic into
the Nazi dictatorship. In preparation, please view the following video
with your child, and help him/her complete the attached Viewing guide. https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/video/hitlers-rise-power-1933-1934
Parents are always welcome to join us in class from
11:00-12:00 on Sundays for our unit on Facing History and Ourselves/Holocaust.
This coming Sunday, we have two special programs – at
9:00 a.m. we have a special guest to speak about hunger in our community, and
at 10:00 you are all invited to join the Family Program from Moving Traditions.
Please remind your kids that cell phones are not to be
used in the classroom. Phones may be brought to school, but unless needed for
an in-class academic project, the phone will be collected first thing, and
returned at the end of the class day. Also, please send your child to school
each day with a dairy or pareve, nut-free snack.
Best wishes,
Gerry
_________________________
Gerald S. Frim
(857)234-0725
1-29-20
Dear Parents,
I apologize for missing a week of updates, due to the
Martin Luther King weekend.
On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, we continued our study of
Parashat Hashavua and Pirkei Avot.
During the week of January 12, we discussed Parashat
Shemot, and the transition of the family of Jacob into the people of Israel in
Egypt. In particular, we discussed Moses’ speech disability, and how he
overcame it with the help of Aaron and his community. The students viewed the
BimBam video on Shemot (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvf2igu9_K4),
and completed the attached sourcesheet/worksheet.
This past week we continued our discussion of the book of
Shemot/Exodus, with the weekly Torah portion of Vaeira. After viewing the
BimBam video on Vaeira (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSSNno7BWSw),
we completed the attached summary/worksheet, and discussed how Moses’
confrontations with Pharoah and the resulting plagues on the Egyptians were
problematic. After discussing how the plagues cause us, as Jews, to be
sensitive to the suffering of others, the students identified the worst modern
plagues from which the world suffers.
For Mishna 18 (1:18), we read the attached sheet and
discussed what Rabban Gamaliel meant when he said that the world stands on
justice, on truth and on peace. In particular, we discussed why a just world is
important, when it is important to speak the truth, and how peace is a
necessary ingredient in order to accomplish all other pursuits in the world.
This past Wednesday, our class had a special treat. We
had a guest from Israel, Yuvi Tashome Katz, who is an Ethiopian Jew who made
Aliyah to Israel in 1983 as a small child. She shared the story of Ethiopian
Jews and their 2000 year history with the class.
This past Sunday, we first engaged in an activity from
the Moving Traditions Bar/Bat Mitzvah curriculum, on how and why it is
important to support one another. (Literally – we tried doing Yoga poses alone,
and then with the physical support of our neighbor.)
After Tefila with our song leader, Ana, we moved on to
our next unit from Facing History and Ourselves, on the topic of Jewish Life in
Eastern Europe before World War II. We viewed two videos:
and
– one on Shtetl/Village life in the Pale of Settlement,
and one on a Day in Warsaw, comparing how the mutually supportive Shtetl
environment had been transplanted to a large, urban setting. We viewed the
attached gallery of pictures of life in Eastern Europe in the 1930’s, and
analyzed how life was similar and different to the students’ lives here in
America. We also discussed the pros and cons of living in a more isolated, but
more supportive and intensely jewish, environment, like the Shtetl.
As a follow up to this lesson, please have your child
review the attached text on Separation and Stereotypes, and write down answers
to the questions on the sheet. This coming Sunday, we’ll be starting to learn
about What Brought the Nazis to Power in Germany.
Parents are always welcome to join us in class from
11:00-12:00 on Sundays for our unit on Facing History and Ourselves/Holocaust.
Please remind your kids that cell phones are not to be
used in the classroom. Phones may be brought to school, but unless needed for
an in-class academic project, the phone will be collected first thing, and
returned at the end of the class day. Also, please send your child to school
each day with a dairy or pareve, nut-free snack.
Best wishes,
Gerry
_________________________
Gerald S. Frim
(857)234-0725
1/14/2020
Dear
Parents,
We had a productive week.
Last Tuesday and Wednesday, after
Tefilah, we continued with our study of Pirkei Avot/Ethics of the Fathers and
the Weekly Torah Portion, Miketz.
For our Pirkei Avot lesson, we
reviewed the Mishnah describing the teachings of the sage Shammai, who was paired
with Hillel. Shammai was the stricter, more severe scholar. However, his
teachings present us with the opposite:
Shammai used to say:
make your [study of the] Torah a
fixed practice;
speak little, but do much;
and receive all men with a pleasant
countenance.
We
discussed how the students apply these ideas in their daily lives, but setting
aside times to study, acting on their convictions, and always giving with a
positive attitude. On Tuesday, part of the class recorded dramatic
presentations of each of these ideas.
For Parashat Miketz, we reviewed the
attached summary sheet and discussed how Joseph, after being exiled by his
brothers, maintained his Jewish identity and did not assimilate into Egyptian
society, despite being put in a position of power. After viewing the BimBam
video on Miketz (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APtaivO25H8), we answered
the questions on the sheet and discussed how the students’ respond to living in
a larger society that is not Jewish. The students then completed an art project
(see photo), creating flags to represent their Jewish and secular identities.
On Sunday, for the first hour, we
continued learning about Mitzvot and Bar/Bat Mitzvah. We reviewed the attached
source sheet on different perspectives on what is a “Mitzvah” – whether a good
deed or a commandment, and completed the attached worksheet. We then viewed a
short video by Mayyim Bialik of The Big Bang Theory, who is an Orthodox Jew,
describing her son’s Bar Mitzvah and its meaning. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNw9-dg64P0)
and discussed how “Mitzvah” fits into the celebration of becoming a bar/bat
mitzvah.
After
Tefilah, we continued our study of Facing History and Ourselves with a lesson
on the History of Anti-Semitism. After discussing the sheet I had emailed to
you, Overview of Anti-Judaism and Anti-Semitism, we viewed a short video on
Anti-Semitism From the Enlightenment to World War I (https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/video/antisemitism-enlightenment-world-war-i),
and discussed the questions of how stereotyping a minority group with “one
story”, and ascribing negative racial characteristics, can lead to
discrimination and oppression. We then read and discussed the attached texts by
contemporary American Jews on how myths and stereotypes affected their lives as
Jews, by answering these questions:
- How does the myth described
affect the writer? How does she respond when confronted with the fact that
another person believes a false myth or stereotype about Jews?
- How do you explain why people
might believe such myths and stereotypes about Jews? What might it take to
overcome these false anti-Semitic beliefs?
We will be discussing Jewish life in Eastern Europe before World War
II, and its relationship to identity and tolerance. Please view the following
video with your child, and have him/her write answers to the prompts below:
The
video is part of a documentary about one of the most renowned eastern European
Jewish writers from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Sholem Aleichem.
He was born and raised in one of hundreds of small, predominantly Jewish
villages, called shtetls, that once dotted the map of eastern Europe. His
stories and plays were often set in shtetls, and the clip students will watch
draws in part from his descriptions of the life and culture of these villages.
- Describe three
characteristics of Jewish life in a Shtetl before World War II.
- What are three positive
aspects you viewed?
- What are three negative
aspects?
- How was modernity and change
affecting the identity of Jews in the video?
Parents
are always welcome to join us in class from 11:00-12:00 on Sundays for our unit
on Facing History and Ourselves/Holocaust.
Please
remind your kids that cell phones are not to be used in the classroom. Phones
may be brought to school, but unless needed for an in-class academic project,
the phone will be collected first thing, and returned at the end of the class
day. Also, please send your child to school each day with a dairy or pareve,
nut-free snack.
Best
wishes,
Gerry
1-7-2020
Dear
Parents,
Happy
New Year – I hope everyone had a great vacation. It was great to see your kids
yesterday after the break.
On
Sunday, we had a productive morning.
For
the first hour, we starting learning about Mitzvot, and what it means to be a
Bar or Bat Mitzvah. The attached source sheet discusses different perspectives
on what is a “Mitzvah” – whether a good deed or a commandment. We viewed an
informative short video on the meaning of “Mitzvah” that you can find here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61O_-sG2zsE
After
discussing the different meanings of “Mitzvah”, we then viewed and discussed a
short video on what it means to become a Bar or Bat Mitzvah (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFAAZ5lIxno&t=2s)
and the idea that it is a gateway to starting to be an adult, by starting the
process of becoming responsible for one’s own actions and independent. The
consensus of the class was that they were not grown up yet (I.e., no one could
get a drivers’ license yet!).
After
Tefilah, we began our first unit on Facing History and Ourselves with a lesson
on identity and change, and how identity changes based on perception and
interaction with others. After each student created his/her own Identity Chart,
we discussed the context of Sholom Aleichem, the great Yiddish writer of the
late 19th/early20th century, who wrote stories that opened a window
on the changing Jewish identity of the Jewish community in Eastern Europe and
America. We watched a video describing such a story, “On Account of a
Hat,” that described how a poor Jewish merchant changed his identity by donning
the hat of a Russian official, and how he was treated on his train ride home
and by his neighbors. (The full story is attached and the video can be found
here: https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/video/sholem-aleichem-identity-changing-world)
The students then did a Big Paper Activity, writing answers to questions on a
poster and then commenting on each others’ ideas. The questions were:
Dan Miron says in the film that Sholem Aleichem “was
exploring one question: How to be Jews in a modern world—how to adapt to
modernity and yet not lose the continuity of a civilization that was Jewish.”
He, like many of his generation, wrestled with these questions: Is it possible
to adapt to modernity without losing touch with the past? How might these two
paths be reconciled? Are there other groups that must confront these questions?
Ruth Wisse says in the film that “if one has lost access to
Sholem Aleichem, then, in fact, one has lost access to that process of
modernization itself. If you cut it away, then what you cut away is such a
valuable understanding of one’s own transformation into who we are. . . . And
when that is lost, then one is empty of something—empty of something that is
really part of one’s self.” What does she mean by this? What is the “process”
of modernization? How does Sholem Aleichem allow us to access “that process of
modernization itself”? Does one need to have access to his or her group’s past
to be whole (or, at least, not empty)?
We
then focused on changes in the students own Jewish identity, by answering
questions and discussing the story, “I’m Not Really Jewish,” by Joey Goldman,
which I emailed to you last week. The full story, with the questions attached
this time, is attached.
Next
Sunday, we will begin our discussion of Anti-Semitism. I’ve attached a sheet
providing an overview of the History of Antisemitism. Please read it with your
child and have him/her answer the questions on the sheet. Parents are always
welcome to join us in class from 11:00-12:00 on Sundays for our unit on Facing
History and Ourselves/Holocaust.
Please
remind your kids that cell phones are not to be used in the classroom. Phones
may be brought to school, but unless needed for an in-class academic project,
the phone will be collected first thing, and returned at the end of the class
day. Also, please send your child to school each day with a dairy or pareve,
nut-free snack.
Best
wishes,
Gerry
12/18/19
Dear Parents,
This past Sunday we had a wonderful field trip and family program at the Mayyim Hayyim Community Mikvah. We learned about the purpose, building, and use of the Mikvah, and had a great tour.
Today the Wednesday group has a pre-Chanukah celebration with latkes, gelt, dreidels, and music.
Recent class discussions have been about the Torah portion Vayeshev, which is about Joseph, his relationship to his brothers, and the interpretation of dreams. We particular. We learned about the importance of dreams in Judaism, and how the rabbis of the Talmud regarded them.
We also continued with our study of Pirkei Avot and analyzed the famous saying:
"If I am not for myself, who will be for me?
When I am only for myself, what am I?
And if not now, when?"
I hope you and your children have a great winter break and a happy Chanukah.
Best wishes,
Gerry
12/10/19
Dear
Parents,
I
hope everyone enjoyed a great Thanksgiving holiday and survived the weather
last week.
This
past week was a bit disjointed because of the snow day on Tuesday.
On
Wednesday, we continued with our study of Pirkei Avot, with a Mishna section
introducing the famous pair of scholars, Hillel and Shammai. The text and
commentary is attached – we had a great discussion about what it means to
“pursue peace” and how it brings us closer to Torah. Our Tuesday class will
discuss this Misha this coming week.
We
then continued our study of Parashat Hashavua by extending our discussion of
Abraham and accepting strangers, and having a short debate about how that
applied to the State of Israel and its policies towards refugees and asylum
seekers from the Sudan. The Jewish texts that we reviewed on refugees are
attached.
On
Sunday, we had a lesson on Water in Judaism and how that relates to our modern
use of the Mikveh/Ritual Bath. We first viewed a short video about the Mikveh
at: https://www.y2mate.com/youtube/PGfvqBl-3Ao
We
then read the attached texts and completed the attached worksheet.
In
preparation for our field trip to the Mayyim Hayyim Community Mikveh this
Sunday, if your child was out on Sunday, please have him/her view the video and
review the materials on Water & Mikvah.
After
Tefila with Anna, for the last part of class we learned some background on how
Jews came to Europe two thousand years ago, and how Jewish communities
developed in Germany from antiquity through the Enlightenment. The material we
reviewed is attached. We then started to develop a timeline for German Jewish history.
This
coming week, in addition to beginning our preparations for Chanukah, we’ll be
continuing with our study of Pirkei Avot, Parashat Hashavua and modern Hebrew.
As I mentioned, on Sunday you are all invited to join us at the Mayyim Hayyim
Community Mikveh in Newton at 9:45 a.m. for a family program.
Please
remind your kids that cell phones are not to be used in the classroom. Phones
may be brought to school, but unless needed for an in-class academic project,
the phone will be collected first thing, and returned at the end of the class
day. Also, please send your child to school each day with a dairy or pareve,
nut-free snack.
Best
wishes,
Gerry
_________________________
Gerald S. Frim
(857)234-0725
11-19-19
Dear
Parents,
We
had another productive week to report on.
On
Tuesday and Wednesday, we continued with our study of the weekly Torah Portion
of Va’era, and Pirkei Avot/Ethics of the Fathers.
For
the Torah Portion, we learned the texts (attached) that show how Abraham
was, in his own way, an immigrant and a refugee, and started learning about
asylum seekers and refugees in the U.S. and Israel. We watched two short videos
– one on asylum seekers in the U.S., and one on Sudanese refugees in Israel, to
learn how these issues are relevant today. You can find them here:
This
week, we’ll be continuing this subject as part of our study of Parashat Chayei
Sarah.
For
Pirkei Avot, we discussed Chapter 1, Mishna 8, regarding the attitude of Judges
towards those who stand before them for Judgment. The text and questions are
attached. Our discussion included how our system is different, since Jewish
Courts in the time of the Mishna did not have lawyers or juries, and Judges had
extra responsibility to be impartial and investigate the truth.
On
Sunday, we first began our Life Cycle study of honoring and caring for elderly
in Jewish tradition, in preparation for our trip to Shillman House next Sunday.
We viewed a short video on elder care in America (https://youtu.be/oLKTThGrAxw);
and then reviewed the attached biblical and rabbinic texts on Jewish attitudes
towards the elderly.
For the remainder of Sunday morning, the students enjoyed the family
Bnei Mitzvah program with Moving Traditions, Rabbi Liben, and Cantor Ken.
This
coming week, on Tuesday/Wednesday, we’ll continue learning Parashat Hashavua
(Chayei Sarah) and Pirkei Avot, Chapter 1. On Sunday, after our Life Cycle
lesson and Tefillah, we’ll be going to Shillman House in Framingham for a “Tech
Café” Mitzvah Project, to help the residents learn how to use e-mail, skype,
Office programs and mobile phone apps.
Over
the coming weeks, we will be getting into our Jewish History/Holocaust unit on
Sundays in earnest. I’ll be providing an outline of dates and lesson topics –
the curriculum is cumulative, so it’s important that the kids try their best
not to miss any of those classes.
Please
remind your kids that cell phones are not to be used in the classroom. Phones
may be brought to school, but unless needed for an in-class academic project,
the phone will be collected first thing, and returned at the end of the class
day. Also, please send your child to school each day with a dairy or pareve,
nut-free snack.
Best
wishes,
Gerry
_________________________
Gerald S. Frim
(857)234-0725
11-12-19
Dear
Parents,
This
past week was a busy one
On
Tuesday and Wednesday, we continued with our study of the weekly Torah Portion
Noach, and Pirkei Avot/Ethics of the Fathers.
For
the Torah Portion, we reviewed the story of Noah and the flood, and considered
the question of what it meant that Noah was a “righteous man in his
generation,” with a discussion of how Noah, who walked “with God,” was
different from Abraham, who walked “before God.” The material we reviewed in
attached and you can see the videos we watched here:
For
Pirkei Avot, we discussed Chapter 1, Mishna 6&7, regarding the meaning of
friendship, and choosing friends and teachers wisely. The material we reviewed,
and questions discussed, are attached.
On
Sunday, we continued our Life Cycle unit on Jewish Birth Customs, and discussed
Brit Milah/Circumcision and baby namings. The students were asked to speak with
you about their own Birth Stories – our source material and the Birth Story
worksheet are attached.
After
Life Cycle, we had a moving program Veterans’ Day program with a panel of
Veterans. The students asked great questions, and heard what it was like to be
Jewish in the military. Picture is attached.
After
music/Tefilah with Anna, we continued with our Jewish History unit on Jewish
Identity, and how we relate to differences between people. We read three case
studies and discussed the various elements of a Jewish identity, and how Jews
relate differently to their heritage, whether through religion, culture, or
community. The material we reviewed is attached.
Before
dismissal, our Shinshin, Yahav, educated the kids about Israeli sports through
an awesome game of Israeli Jeopardy.
This
coming week, we’ll continue learning Parashat Hashavua (Lech Lecha) and Pirkei
Avot, Chapter 1 On Sunday, after our Life Cycle lesson, we have a special
Family Bnei Mitzvah Program with Moving Traditions, starting at 10:00 a.m. The
following Sunday, on November 24, we’ll be having class until 10:30 a.m., and
then leaving for a Tech Café Mitzvah Project at Shillman House on Framingham.
Over
the coming weeks, we will be getting into our Jewish History/Holocaust unit on
Sundays in earnest. I’ll be providing an outline of dates and lesson topics –
the curriculum is cumulative, so it’s important that the kids try their best
not to miss any of those classes.
Please
remind your kids that cell phones are not to be used in the classroom. Phones
may be brought to school, but unless needed for an in-class academic project,
the phone will be collected first thing, and returned at the end of the class
day. Also, please send your child to school each day with a dairy or pareve,
nut-free snack.
Best
wishes,
Gerry
_________________________
Gerald S. Frim
(857)234-0725
11-5-19
Dear
Parents,
It
was great seeing all your kids this past week.
On
Tuesday and Wednesday, we continued with our study of the weekly Torah Portion
Bereisheet/Genesis, and Pirkei Avot/Ethics of the Fathers.
For
the Torah Portion, we continued our study of Genesis/Bereisheet. We viewed Bim
Bam videos on Bereisheet, discussing the nature of light as goodness, and how
the Tower of Babel story teaches us about listening to one another with
compassion. You can find them here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4hEvag2MmY
For
Pirkei Avot, we finished reading the attached article about how Jewish learning
is different from general studies, and how it affects our Jewish lives. We then
discussed designing the “perfect” Jewish Religious School.
On
Sunday, we began our unit on Jewish Birth Rituals and customs. We viewed three
very short videos on Jewish birth customs, and baby naming, and discussed their
relationship to the covenant with God. You can find them here:
We
then had a surprise, when Bar, our Shin Shin from two years ago, came in for a
brief visit!
After
Tefilah, we began our Jewish History unit that will lead to our study of the
Holocaust. For this lesson, we began discussing what elements are part of a
person’s identity, and how tolerance means accepting differences. First, the
students received their Journal notebooks, and began to develop an Identity
Chart for themselves. Then the students read articles in four groups, and
explained to each other what characteristics and experiences shape identity.
For
the last part of the morning, our Shinshin Yahav taught the kids Israeli games
in the courtyard.
This
coming week, we’ll continue learning Parashat Hashavua (Noach) and Pirkei Avot,
Chapter 1, Mishnayot 6 & 7, about relatiohships and friendship. On Sunday,
we’ll continue to learn about Jewish birth customs, and continue our discussion
of Jewish identity.
Please remind
your kids that cell phones are not to be used in the classroom. Phones may be
brought to school, but unless needed for an in-class academic project, the
phone will be collected first thing, and returned at the end of the class day.
Also, please send your child to school each day with a dairy or pareve,
nut-free snack.
Best
wishes,
Gerry
_________________________
Gerald S. Frim
(857)234-072510-29-19
Dear Parents,
It was great seeing your kids after the
holidays this past week.
On Wednesday, we continued with our
study of the weekly Torah Portion and Pirkei Avot/Ethics of the Fathers. We
also conducted a brief review of the Jewish calendar, holidays and how it
differs from the secular Gregorian calendar.
For the Torah Portion, we began our
study of Genesis/Bereisheet. We started with viewing a Bim Bam video on
Bereisheet, which you can find here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ps96bsOOppo
We then spent some time reviewing a
brief summary of the Parasha, and answering some questions regarding its
content, which are attached. This coming week, we’ll continue talking about
Bereisheet, but a more serious discussion of some of the ethics involved in the
creation of the world.
For Pirkei Avot, we began to read the
attached article about how Jewish learning is different from general studies,
and how it affects our Jewish lives. We’ll continue with the article this week,
and then spend some time designing the “perfect” Jewish Religious School.
Today, we participated in the Jewish
Teen Initiative’s day of service learning at Temple Beth Am in Framingham. The
students did amazing work on a variety of projects, from building collection
boxes and benches, to coloring welcoming murals, and sorting clothes to prepare
school care packages for immigrant and indigent families. The attached photos
are from the program.
This coming Sunday, as Robin has
announced, we have a family program at the Mayyim Hayyim Community Mikvah in
Newton. We will be learning about the place of the Mikvah in Jewish tradition,
and why it is important. The program at Mayyim Hayyim is from 9:45 a.m. to
11:30 a.m. Please meet us at Mayyim Hayyim, 1838 Washington St, Auburndale, MA 02466.
For home questions,
please talk to your kids about what they learning at the service project this
morning, and ask how and why the Jewish community has responsibility to help
disadvantaged and immigrant families.
Please remind
your kids that cell phones are not to be used in the classroom. Phones may be
brought to school, but unless needed for an in-class academic project, the
phone will be collected first thing, and returned at the end of the class day.
Also, please send your child to school each day with a dairy or pareve,
nut-free snack.
Best wishes,
Gerry
_________________________
Gerald S. Frim
(857)234-0725
10-20-19
Dear Parents,
It’s been good seeing your kids during the holidays. We’ve enjoyed a great Tashlich event, our Sukkot Round Robin last Wednesday, and this morning’s Hallel service and visit to Rabbi Liben’s Sukkah.
A couple of notes on upcoming events:
- Last Sunday, the students worked with Cantor Ken to learn their parts for the Simchat Torah service tomorrow evening. It will be a lot of fun – please try to come with your kids.
- On Wednesday, we will be having school as usual. There is no class on Tuesday this week due to the Simchat Torah holiday.
- Next Sunday, October 27, 2019, grades 6 and 7, together with you, are invited to participate in the MetroWest Day of Service at Temple Beth Shalom in Framingham, beginning at 9:00 a.m. Robin has sent information in her weekly email. If you have not already done so, please register on the website in Robin’s email.
- On Sunday, November 3, 2019, you and your child are invited to a special program for the seventh grade class at the Mayyim Hayyim Mikvah in Newton. Please plan on meeting us at Mayyim Hayyim at 9:45 a.m. that morning.
- On Sunday, November 24, 2019, the seventh grade will be going to Shillman House mid-morning to present a “Tech Café” for residents, as a Mitzvah project. More information to follow.
Best wishes for a Chag Same’ach – happy holiday,
Gerry
9-24-19
Dear
Parents,
It was great having a full week of
classes with your kids.
This week we dove right into our
curricula for the year.
- On Tuesday and Wednesday:
- to start the afternoon, Robin
introduced the kids to quiet meditation, with a minute of reflection at
the beginning of our Tefillah session. We then retired to our classrooms.
- Our classroom studies included a
half-hour introduction to the sacred books of Judaism, including how the
first five books of the Torah are divided up into 54 separate weekly
Torah portions. We then spent some time learning about this past week’s
parasha of Ki Tavo, which includes the blessings and curses received by
the Israelites upon their entry into the Land of Canaan. You can see the
Bim Bam video we watched at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1_ymiQr34E
- We then moved on to our study of
Pirkei Avot/Ethics of the Fathers. We first had an introduction into how
it is a book in one of the six tractates of the Mishna, that provides a
guide for ethical behavior, rather than laws. The kids learned how the
Mishna is part of the “oral Torah” transmitted through the generations,
and is a commentary on the laws in the Pentateuch, just as the Gemara is
a commentary on the Mishna. As we will be doing this year, the students
then read the first Mishna in Pirkei Avot, and started developing their
own commentary on it. Our source sheet/worksheet is attached.
- Our final weekday segment was a
lesson on Modern Hebrew. We learned the many ways to greet people in
Hebrew, based on a podcast from “Streetwise Hebrew” (vocabulary list is
attached): https://tlv1.fm/streetwise-hebrew/2019/06/25/shalom-stranger/
- On Sunday, we continued our Life Cycle curriculum with
a lesson on Jewish life events as part of our covenant with God. We
discussed the nature of a “covenant” as a deal between God and the Jewish
people, and worked on finding the different covenants in the books of the
Torah. Our definition sheet and worksheet are attached. We then prepared
some Sukkah decorations with the Sisterhood, and had our weekly Tefilah.
Unfortunately, our Shin Shin, Yahav, was under the weather this week, but
we spent the last part of class on an introduction to our Jewish History
curriculum. We viewed a short video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGs75M5LpPc)
on what is included in Jewish
history, and then worked with the attached timeline and worksheet to
identify the dates of significant Jewish events:
This coming week, on
Tuesday Wednesday we’ll be continuing our study of Parashat Hashavua/Weekly
Torah portion, Pirkei Avot/Ethics of the Fathers, and Modern Hebrew.
For home questions,
please talk to your kids about what they’ve learned about the Torah, both
written and oral, and asked them how to say “hello” to a stranger in Hebrew.
This Sunday, we do not
have class, and we’ll be missing Tuesday next week for Rosh Hashana. The
following Sunday is our annual off-site Tashlikh program (details to follow
from Robin).
Please remind
your kids that cell phones are not to be used in the classroom. Phones may be
brought to school, but unless needed for an in-class academic project, the
phone will be collected first thing, and returned at the end of the class day.
Also, please send your child to school with a dairy or pareve, nut-free snack.
Shana tova –
best wishes for a sweet and happy New Year,
Gerry
_________________________
Gerald S. Frim
(857)234-0725
9-18-19
Dear Parents,
It was great meeting your kids this past week - I’m looking forward to a great year.
Our programs this past week served as a great introduction to school this year.
- On Tuesday and Wednesday, after a brief introduction from Robin, the sixth and seventh graders prepared the booth activities for our annual kickoff Apple and Honey Olympics. The kids got to do a variety of games and crafts using their apples, earning coins they could contribute to a Tzedakah/Charity that they chose. The recipients included both local and national organizations, such as Jewish National Fund, Metrowest Jewish Family Service, Maccabi USA, and others.
- On Sunday, we had our first time together as a whole class. We first reviewed our Class Brit/Rules (attached), and related Rabbinic texts regarding mutual respect and good behavior. We then began our discussion of the Jewish Life Cycle by starting to review texts from Genesis on the birth of the world, and how it relates to Rosh Hashana and also the human life cycle. The texts are attached. We then had a great Tefillah session with our new songleader, Anna, and then returned to the classroom to meet our new ShinShin/Israeli emissary, Yahav.
This coming week, on Tuesday Wednesday we’ll be starting to learn about the weekly Torah portion, Pirkei Avot/Ethics of the Fathers, and some modern Hebrew. As an introduction, the class will begin learning their way around the actual texts in the Torah, and how they are interpreted. We’ll also be learning about how Pirkei Avot is part of the Mishna and Talmud, and how commentary on them has developed. On Sunday, we’ll be starting our study of the Jewish Life Cycle and Jewish History in earnest.
For home questions, please talk to your kids about their Jewish birth stories, and ask them how they think that connects them to being part of the Jewish “story”.
Please remind your kids that cell phones are not to be used in the classroom. Phones may be brought to school, but unless needed for an in-class academic project, the phone will be collected first thing, and returned at the end of the class day. Also, please send your child to school with a dairy or pareve, nut-free snack.
Thanks,
Gerry
5-12-19
Dear parents,
This past
Sunday was our last full morning together, with the Siyyum coming up this week.
On Sunday, we
spent the first part of the morning preparing out Tefilah service for the
Siyyum, and finishing up presentations.
After Tefilah,
we had a great session with Nitzan, with an art activity on what the students
would like to see when in Israel.
During the last
part of the morning, we reviewed what we learned this year in a game of
"Jewish Life Cycle Jeopardy."
I look forward
to seeing you on Sunday.
Best wishes,
Gerry
5-5-19
Dear Parents,
As we prepare for our end-of-year
events, we had an active Sunday morning this week:
- We spent the first and last parts of the morning reviewing
each student’s part in the Tefilah/Service at our Siyum on May 19. I’ll be
sending out the assignments in a separate email.
- We then had a special extended Tefillah Drumming
Circle with Josef Kottler. The students learned how the drum rhythms can
enhance the words of the prayers, including “halleluyah,” “modeh ani,” and
“v’ahavta.”
- After Tefillah we continued with our Life Cycle
curriculum, to learn about the Kaddish prayer, and how it serves as a link
for generations, and a way to elevate the memories of loved ones we have
lost. The Kaddish has no reference to death or dying, but only speaks to
exalting God’s name. We read a Rabbinic Midrash about Rabbi Akiva, and a
letter from Henrietta Szold on why she insisted on fulfilling the
obligation of Kaddish herself for her mother, instead of delegating the
responsibility to a man. The readings are attached.
For
next week, please encourage your kids to review their parts in the Tefillah
service. We’ll be spending time preparing during the morning on Sunday.\
As always,
please remind your kids that cell phones are not to be used in the classroom.
Phones may be brought to school, but unless needed for an in-class academic
project, the phone will be collected first thing, and returned at the end of
the class day. Also, please send your child to school with a dairy or pareve,
nut-free snack.
Happy Yom Ha’atzma’ut!
Thanks,
Gerry
4-28-19
Dear Parents,
I hope you all had a great Passover holiday. It was great seeing your kids again
after the Spring Break. On Sunday morning, we spent the first 90 minutes at the
Temple:
1. We
discussed our visit to Shillman House and what to expect.
2. We
then began preparing our Tefillah Service for the Siyum Program on May 17. It
should be great – I hope we’ll see you all there. For those kids who were not
present this past week, we’ll finish assigning parts of the service this coming
Sunday.
3. During
Tefillah, we began practicing our assigned parts of the service.
4. At
10:30 a.m., we left for Shillman House. The kids first met with Jennifer Rich,
the Resident Program Director, who gave them tips on connecting with older
adults. The kids then enjoyed bagels and cream cheese, while playing board
games with a number of the residents. They got some great stories – ask you
kids to share some of the things they learned about the people they met!
This coming
Sunday, we’ll be continuing our Jewish Life Cycle study of the Kaddish prayer,
as well as continuing our preparation for the Siyum, and having a special
Tefillah Drum Circle.
As always,
please remind your kids that cell phones are not to be used in the classroom.
Phones may be brought to school, but unless needed for an in-class academic
project, the phone will be collected first thing, and returned at the end of
the class day. Also, please send your child to school with a dairy or pareve,
nut-free snack.
Thanks,
Gerry
4-7-19
Dear Parents,
Sunday this week was a busy day.
- We first discussed our upcoming trip to Shillman House on April 28. We will have our first hour of class that morning, and then carpool to Shillman House at 10:30 a.m. We will be participating in their game cafe, and the students have discussed how to ask the residents to share their histories and stories.
- Robin then joined us to present the requirements for our Siyum/Closing Program on May 19. The students will be leading a special Tefillah at 10:30 a.m., followed by each student’s presentation of what they have learned at TI, and how they plan on continuing their Involvement in the Jewish community. Robin has sent the rubric for the presentations in a separate email, and we will be sharing a template with the students as a Google Doc. Please contact Robin or me if you have any questions.
- Before Tefillah, we had a brief discussion of the Mourner’s Kaddish as part of our Life Cycle Curriculum. We will continue this discussion after vacation.
- At 10:00 a.m. we had Tefillah, and discussed Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel and his view of social activism as prayer. The students discussed how it is not enough to just pray for change, but we must also act to achieve it.
- After Tefillah, we had a very special program on Leadership and Advocacy with Mayor Yvonne Spicer of Framingham, the Chairman of the Framingham School Committee, and a Natick Town Meeting member. It was a fascinating discussion with Mayor Spicer and the other guests regarding leadership, and how the students’ voices can be heard and how they can make a difference. Please ask your child to describe some of the things they heard from our guests.
As always, please remind your kids that cell phones are not
to be used in the classroom. Phones may be brought to school, but unless needed
for an in-class academic project, the phone will be collected first thing, and
returned at the end of the class day. Also, please send your child to school
with a dairy or pareve, nut-free snack.
Best wishes for a Chag Same’ach/happy Passover.
Thanks,
Gerry
Dear Parents,
We had a great day of special programs
this past Sunday.
- We first discussed our upcoming trip to Shillman House, and what we’ll be doing with the senior citizens that we’ll be meeting there. I’m encouraging the kids to ask a lot of questions – they can learn a lot while they play games with residents.
- We then took some time to discuss Jewish cemeteries and gravestones. In addition to learning about what goes on a headstone, and when an unveiling occurs, we also talked about how Jewish cemeteries are a window into the history of our Jewish community.
- At 10:00 a.m. we had a special Tefillah session with Josh Warshawsky. Josh taught new melodies for Tefilot/prayers, and got the kids actively engaged in the rhythms and music of his songs. Please ask your kids to share what they did – it was a lot of fun!
- After Josh, we returned to class for a special program with Dan Brosgol, the Principal of Prozdor Hebrew High School. Dan gave a great lesson on the Creation story in Genesis, and how it relates to other legends and traditions in the ancient Middle East, along with maps, photos and some great stories. Dan then gave a presentation on Prozdor, and the exciting options available for the kids next year on Sunday mornings. Please contact Robin or me if you’d like more information.
UPCOMING EVENT: On Sunday, April 28, 2019 the 7th
grade will be visiting Shillman House in Framingham, a campus of 2 Life
Communities (formerly Jewish Community Housing for the Elderly). We’ll be
getting to know some of the residents and conducting a game activity, as part
of our study of Respecting Elders and Inclusion. We’ll be leaving Temple Israel
at 10:30 a.m., and pick-up will be at Shillman House at 12:00 noon. Please
contact Robin if you can help with a carpool at 10:30.
As always,
please remind your kids that cell phones are not to be used in the classroom.
Phones may be brought to school, but unless needed for an in-class academic
project, the phone will be collected first thing, and returned at the end of
the class day. Also, please send your child to school with a dairy or pareve,
nut-free snack.
Thanks,
Gerry
3-24-19
Dear Parents,
We had another interesting day this past
Sunday.
- We first began a lesson on Eulogies in Jewish
tradition. We reviewed the background and history of eulogies, and how the
first recorded eulogy was that of Abraham for Sarah, and how he came to
“eulogize and cry for her.” Then we went over the requirements for a
Eulogy, in the attached source sheet. As examples of eulogies, we watched
two videos – one from the film “Angels in America” with Meryl Streep, and
a poignant Jewish eulogy given by Archie Bunker in an episode of All in
the Family. You can find the videos here:
Meryl Streep Eulogy in Angels in
America:
Archie Bunker Jewish Eulogy:
- At 10:00 a.m. we had a fascinating program with Gary
Alpert of Gateways, on inclusion and preventing bullying of disabled
individuals. Gary spoke about his experiences as a deaf person, and also
about how other disabled people encounter obstacles and discrimination.
The students had great questions and insights – please ask them to share
some of what they heard from Gary.
- After the Gateways program, we returned to class, and
the students tried their hand at creating their own eulogies for a person
of their choice (real or fictional, alive or deceased). Some of the
eulogies were quite poignant (we even had one for Barney the dinosaur,
which was quite interesting!). Please ask your children about their
“eulogy”, and how they would like to memorialize a lost loved one.
UPCOMING EVENT: On Sunday, April 28, 2019 the 7th
grade will be visiting Shillman House in Framingham, a campus of 2 Life
Communities (formerly Jewish Community Housing for the Elderly). We’ll be
getting to know some of the residents and conducting a game activity, as part
of our study of Respecting Elders and Inclusion. More details will follow.
As always,
please remind your kids that cell phones are not to be used in the classroom.
Phones may be brought to school, but unless needed for an in-class academic
project, the phone will be collected first thing, and returned at the end of
the class day. Also, please send your child to school with a dairy or pareve,
nut-free snack.
Thanks,
Gerry
3-17-19
Dear Parents,
It was great seeing your kids on Sunday, in our
pre-Purim mode.
During our class this week we began our unit on
Death and Bereavement in Judaism.
1. We first viewed an introductory video from Bimbam.com (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyHvRFkqzmw) on bereavement customs in Judaism, and discussed some of
the students’ experiences.
2. We then read together and discussed the attached story, “A
Synagogue for Stevie.” The kids had some really insightful comments on this
story about a 13-year-old who had suffered a loss, and how, despite the
difficulties of suddenly losing a parent, such experiences can lead to personal
growth and strengthening a community.
3. This week with Nitzan we learned about Purim in Israel, and
how it is different from our celebration here.
4. During the last part of the day, we had a drumming and
Tefila workshop with Josef Kottler, who taught the students about Drumming
Circles and helped them experience one focused on Jewish prayer.
This coming Sunday, we
have our second workshop with Gary Alpert of Gateways on Standing up to Bullies
for the first part of the morning. Then, during class, we’ll be discussing
Jewish Funeral customs and eulogies. For home questions, please ask your kids
to describe how they would publicly honor the memory of a loved one who is
gone.
As always,
please remind your kids that cell phones are not to be used in the classroom.
Phones may be brought to school, but unless needed for an in-class academic
project, the phone will be collected first thing, and returned at the end of
the class day. Also, please send your child to school with a dairy or pareve,
nut-free snack.
Happy
Purim!
Thanks,
Gerry
3-10-19
Dear Parents,
It was great seeing your kids on Sunday, even
if everyone was a bit bleary-eyed due to the time change.
During our class this week we learned about
issues related to aging and respect for elders in Judaism.
1. We first learned a bit about aging in America, and Jewish
attitudes towards aging, including the Jewish focus on experience and wisdom,
as opposed to modern trends that value youth and new things. We viewed a short
video on Aging in America that you can find here: https://youtu.be/oLKTThGrAxw,
and the attached article on The Mitzvah to Honor the Elderly: How Is America Doing?
2. After Tefillah, we continued our study of honoring the
elderly. We reviewed sources from the Torah and Rabbinic literature on honoring
and caring for elderly, and completed a worksheet on the sources. The texts are
attached. We then discussed how to properly honor and care for our elders. We
watched a video on the important work of the American Jewish Joint Distribution
Committee, and how it cares for elderly Jews throughout the world. https://youtu.be/6O52Z0FIe4U
3. We then discussed ways students could appropriately honor
and care for Jewish elderly. We are exploring the possibility of a class
project, to visit a senior living facility and assist residents in learning how
to use computers, the internet, and email.
4. Finally, we read and discussed the attached poem on what it
feels like to be elderly, and how to relate to our elders. The text is
attached.
This coming Sunday,
we’ll start a unit on death and bereavement in Jewish tradition. If anyone has
any specific concerns, please feel free to call or email me. We will also have
the pleasure of a special Tefilla experience with Josef Kottler, who will share
his drumming and music with the students.
For home questions,
please ask your kids how they feel we should appropriately honor and care for
elderly, and how they have benefitted from relationships with older relatives.
As always,
please remind your kids that cell phones are not to be used in the classroom.
Phones may be brought to school, but unless needed for an in-class academic
project, the phone will be collected first thing, and returned at the end of
the class day. Also, please send your child to school with a dairy or pareve,
nut-free snack.
Thanks,
Gerry
3-3-19
Dear Parents,
It was great seeing your kids on Sunday after a
three-week hiatus. I saw the Ketubah projects that the kids did the week I was
out before vacation – they came out great.
This week, after the kids enjoyed some of the
chocolate that I brought back from Israel, we continued with our regular Life
Cycle curriculum. During the morning, we finished up our unit on Jewish
Marriage and Wedding Ceremonies.
1. After reviewing how modern wedding ceremonies are more
egalitarian than traditional ones, we had a great discussion on how the
emphasis has changed from an ancient model of “acquiring” a wife to one of
mutual commitment between spouses, with particular protections for wives in
traditional wedding contracts. Some of our background materials are attached.
2. We then moved on to a discussion of how Jewish dating has
evolved over the millenia, from Shadchan/Matchmakers to romantic connections
and mutual interests. As a trigger for the discussion, we viewed this video on
the evolution of Jewish dating: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjAjkHB8F1M
3. During Tefillah, the kids were great at leading parts of the
service, and picking creative tunes for Adon Olam!
4. After our session with Nitzan on Israeli music, we continued
our discussion of Jewish dating and marriage. We had a very serious discussion
on intermarriage and dating, and what arguments there are for and against. The
kids had some amazing insights, and came away understanding that it is a choice
that can be complicated. I’ve attached one article we read from
InterfaithFamily.com proffering positive arguments, and here is a link to a
video we watched describing many of the issues involved from a perspective
opposing intermarriage. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_t4r4bKbNjk
This coming Sunday,
we’ll start a unit on aging and respect for elders. In the coming weeks, we’ll
be moving on to units regarding death and bereavement in Jewish tradition.
As homework for this
week, the kids were asked to speak with you and come next week with a story
about how their parents met.
As always,
please remind your kids that cell phones are not to be used in the classroom.
Phones may be brought to school, but unless needed for an in-class academic
project, the phone will be collected first thing, and returned at the end of
the class day. Also, please send your child to school with a dairy or pareve,
nut-free snack.
Thanks,
Gerry
2-10-19
Sunday morning the 7th grade focused on Jewish weddings and specifically ketubot (Jewish marriage contracts). You can ask your 7th grader to share with you what a traditional Jewish marriage contract is and why it was required. We also compared the language used in a traditional ketubah with the language used in an egalitarian marriage contract. Check out the photos of the ketubot the students designed.
2-3-19
Dear Parents,
We had a productive morning yesterday, and
began our unit on Jewish Weddings and Marriage.
1. We reviewed the elements of a Jewish wedding
(see the attached sheet), and then discussed two aspects of Jewish marriage:
romantic love vs. an arranged obligation. The kids viewed two scenes from
Fiddler on the Roof (links here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6A2MBneb7lc;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59Hj7bp38f8)
and then discussed whether marriage is a personal choice, or also a reflection
of God’s relationship to the Jewish people.
2. During Tefillah, the kids took turns leading
parts of the service, and we learned what tunes are used at different summer
camps.
3. Nitzan led a great program on Israeli foods,
including Falafel, Bamba, Shakshuka, Shokolad, and many others. Next time,
hopefully, we’ll have samples!
4. For the last part of class, we learned about the
elements of traditional and contemporary Ketubot, Jewish marriage contracts,
and how they describe traditional and modern obligations in a Jewish marriage.
Next week, before the special program with Dan Brosgol of Prozdor, the class
will be writing and illuminating their own sample Ketubot.
Next Sunday, I will be
away in Israel, but Val will be teaching the class and helping the kids with their
Ketubot. After Tefillah, we’ll be having a special class with Dan Brosgol of
Prozdor, with a family program at 11:30 a.m. to learn more about options for
next year.
Please
remind your kids that cell phones do not belong in the classroom. Because of distractions
and disruptions from inappropriate cell phone use, from now on, all cell
phones will be checked in to a basket at the beginning of school, and returned
on the way out at 12:00 noon. If it is necessary to get a message to your
child during school, please call the school office and it will be brought to
the classroom. Please share this with your kids so that there are no
surprises on Sunday.
Also,
please send your child to school with a dairy or pareve, nut-free snack.
Thanks,
Gerry
1-27-19
Dear Parents,
It was great seeing your kids on Sunday
after the Martin Luther King, Jr. break. Yesterday consisted of two special
programs:
1.
We had a great program from Gateways, about Disabilities and the
Media. The kids did a great job discussing stereotyping, media portrayals, issues
regarding portrayal of disabled individuals by non-disabled, and how to bring
more fairness to such portrayals. Please ask your kids to share some of the
insights they gained from the discussion and media materials.
2.
After a short break, we joined the upper grades of the Religious
School for a Tu Bishvat Seder, including fruit, grape juice and song. The kids
heard about and discussed how Judaism sees the environment, and what we can do
to help fulfill our duty to act as stewards for the Earth.
When we meet again this
coming Sunday, we'll be continuing our life cycle curriculum with a new unit on
Jewish weddings and marriage. In particular, please ask your kids to begin
thinking about what’s “Jewish” about a Jewish wedding.
As always,
please remind your kids that cell phones do not belong in the classroom. If a
phone comes to school, unless needed for an in-class academic project, the
phone will be checked into a pocket on the classroom wall until the end of the
class day. Also, please send your child to school with a dairy or pareve,
nut-free snack.
Thanks,
Gerry
1-6-19
Dear
Parents,
It was
great seeing your kids again after our winter break. We got right back into the
swing of things with our study of Bar/Bat Mitzvah customs, with a review of
Tefillin.
- During
the first part of the morning we viewed two short videos on how Tefillin
are made, and how to wrap tefillin, which you can find here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJD6cD0zG3E
Videos on how to lay tefillin:
We then reviewed the attached sheet on the background and
traditions related to Tefillin, and how it is our way of connecting with God
and committing to love God, as set forth in the Shema.
2. During Tefillah, we talked about the Shema, and how it is a
central prayer and principle in Judaism. We also read the attached story about
how the Shema was used to find lost Jewish orphans in post-World War II Europe.
3. After Tefillah, Nitzan had a great lesson with us on Shabbat in
Israel.
4. For the last part of class, we had a team competition on “Name
that Mitzvah”, to help the students understand that becoming a Bar/Bat Mitzvah
means that they are now responsible for the extent and consequences of their
own individual religious observance of Mitzvot, whether they see Mitzvot as commandments,
good deed, or both.
Next week,
we’ll continue our discussion of Bar/Bat Mitzvah and Mitzvot, along with a
special art project on life, hardships and renewal. For discussion, please ask
your kids to describe the difference between customs that are good deeds, and
Mitzvot that are observances or behavior required by the text of the Torah.
As always, please remind
your kids that cell phones do not belong in the classroom. If a phone comes to
school, unless needed for an in-class academic project, the phone will be
checked into a pocket on the classroom wall until the end of the class day.
Also, please send your child to school with a dairy or pareve, nut-free snack.
Thanks,
Gerry
12-16-18
Dear
Parents,
It was
great seeing your kids again this morning. We had an interesting day as we
started our unit on Bar and Bat Mitzvah.
1.
During the first part of
the morning we discussed why one becomes a Bar/Bat Mitzvah at age 13/12. We
reviewed and discussed the attached sources, and then viewed a video on a very
special program run by the Conservative Movement in Israel to provide Bar/Bat
Mitzvah celebrations for children with special needs. You can find the video
here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSc-or7Qqss
2.
During Tefillah, we
talked about “Tzitzit,” the fringes on a Tallit, and how they can be attached
to any garment with four corners (even a sports jersey!), and how the
traditional blue “techelet” color mentioned in the Shema and included as one
thread of the Tzitzit comes from a snail.
3.
After Tefillah, since
Nitzan was out sick, we had a brief video and discussion about the origin of
modern Hebrew, and how it was made possible by the work of Eliezer Ben Yehuda.
4.
We then reviewed the
attached sources on the question of “What is a Mitzvah”, and discussed the
different types of Mitzvot, between people and God, and between one person and
another. The kids asked great questions about the timing of a Bar/Bat Mitzvah,
and how they become responsible for their own observance of Mitzvot, whether as
commandments or good deeds, when they reach Bar/Bat Mitzvah age.
When we meet again after vacation, we'll
be continuing our discussion of Bar/Bat Mitzvah issues. Please ask your kids to
describe their favorite three Mitzvot, which we’ll be discussing at our next
class.
As always, please remind
your kids that cell phones do not belong in the classroom. If a phone comes to
school, unless needed for an in-class academic project, the phone will be
checked into a pocket on the classroom wall until the end of the class day. Also,
please send your child to school with a dairy or pareve, nut-free snack.
Thanks,
Gerry
12-9-18
Dear Parents,
Happy
Chanukah! I hope you and your kids have enjoyed a great week. At the Religious
School, we had a great morning, both in class, and in our school Chanukah
celebration:
- During the
first part of the morning we concluded our Life Cycle unit on birth
customs, with study and discussion of adoption in Jewish tradition. We
viewed the following video: https://www.bimbam.com/jewish-questions-on-adoption-surrogacy/,
and read together the attached article on adoption in Judaism. The students had an
amazing discussion about the issues involved with raising adopted children
as Jews, especially those children that came from non-Jewish birth parents
and required conversion to Judaism.
- After
Tefillah, Nitzan gave a fun lesson on how Shabbat in Israel is different
from Shabbat observance in the U.S.
- We then had a great Chanukah celebration, including
candle-lighting, singing with Cantor Ken, Latkes, and Dreidel games.
- At the end of the morning, we began our discussion of
what is a "bar/bat mitzvah" and "what is a Mitzvah".
When we
meet again on Sunday, we'll be continuing our discussion of Bar/Bat Mitzvah
issues. Please ask your kids to discuss the definition of "what is a
Mitzvah?" (It isn't just a good deed.)
As
always, please remind your kids that cell phones do not belong in the
classroom. If a phone comes to school, unless needed for an in-class academic
project, the phone will be checked into a pocket on the classroom wall until
the end of the class day. Also, please send your child to school with a dairy
or pareve, nut-free snack.
Thanks,
Gerry
12-2-18
Dear Parents,
It was great
to see your kids again after the Thanksgiving break.
This week we had a couple of special programs.
- During the
first part of the morning we had a special program with Dr. Jennifer
Novick, who is a practicing Mohelet. Jennifer shared with the class texts
and explanations about brit milah/circumcision, and the ceremonies
associated with birth and Brit Milah. The kids had a lot of great
questions and the discussion was great.
- Nitzan gave
a fun lesson on Hebrew words through a "Super Heroes" game.
- During the
last part of class, we switched our focus to customs and ceremonies
surrounding death and mourning. In part, this was to help the kids
understand what happens at funerals and shiva/condolence visits, since
many of the students were then going to attend the funeral for Karen Berk.
I was very proud of the students - Robin came to discuss the situation
with them, and then we shared some BimBam videos on Jewish mourning
customs, which you can find here:
---Intro to Jewish Mourning Rituals: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyHvRFkqzmw&t=7s
--Funerals:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zz0QZXMkrsg
The kids had really good questions, and were
very sensitive about the subject, and how to visit with Sarah. We then wrote
condolence cards to Sarah, which Robin brought to her during Shiva. All of your
kids were wonderful, and handled the discussion really well. I don't have the
words to tell you how moving it was.
If you would like to share additional
information with your children, or further discuss the topic with them, I've
attached a summary of Jewish mourning customs for reference by you and the
kids.
When we meet
again on Sunday, we'll be having some special activities for Chanukah, as well
as continuing our Life Cycle curriculum. This week, we'll be concluding our
lessons on topics related to birth, and moving on to Bar/Bat Mitzvah.
As
always, please remind your kids that cell phones do not belong in the
classroom. If a phone comes to school, unless needed for an in-class academic
project, the phone will be checked into a pocket on the classroom wall until
the end of the class day. Also, please send your child to school with a dairy
or pareve, nut-free snack.
Thanks -
Chag Urim Same'ach,
Gerry
11-4-18
Dear Parents,
This past Sunday we continued with our usual routine:
1.
As part of our Life
Cycle curriculum, we continued our discussion of our birth stories, and the
origins and meanings of our names. We then began our discussion of the next
milestone after birth, which is the beginning of a child’s Jewish education. We
learned the material in the attached source sheet and answered the questions on
the attached worksheet.
2.
At Tefillah, we focused
on the Amidah, as the part of our prayers in which we ask God to provide for us
and answer our requests.
3.
When we returned to
class, we had a lesson with Nitzan about Israeli gestures, and how Israelis
“talk” with their hands.
4.
We then continued our
discussion of Jewish education, and our project was to design the perfect
Hebrew School. The kids had some great suggestions!
This coming Sunday, we’ll be taking our field trip to the Touro Synagogue in Newport, RI, after joining the Temple’s minyan for a Veterans Day memorial service. Please remember to pack a substantial lunch for your child.
Thanks,
Gerry
10-28-18
Dear Parents,
After
last Sunday's program at the Brophy School, we got back to our regular routine
today.
- As part of our Life Cycle curriculum, we reviewed Jewish rituals and traditions connected with birth. We then talked about each student's birth story, and what happened in each of your families. I've attached the materials and worksheet that we worked on today - please talk with your child about the events and rituals surrounding their birth, so they can complete the questions on the sheet.
- We then had Tefila, in which we focused on the Shema, and how we are commanded to acknowledge God. As an activity, each student wrote a "Six-Word Story" in response to the prompt: Meeting God for the first time. The responses were wonderful - I'll try to post some of them this week.
- When we returned to class, we had a lesson with Nitzan about Hebrew slang, and learned the words Sababa (great!), Achla (good!), and Horais (cool looking).
- We then learned about sources of Jewish names, and discussed the meaning and origin of the student's names. Please talk with your child to help him/her complete the attached worksheet on their names, which we started in class today.
As
always, please remind your kids that cell phones do not belong in the
classroom. If a phone comes to school, unless needed for an in-class academic
project, the phone will be checked into a pocket on the classroom wall until
the end of the class day. Also, please send your child to school with a dairy
or pareve, nut-free snack.
Thanks,
Gerry
10-21-18
Dear Parents,
Many of your kids were with Hilary at the Brophy School on Sunday,
but for those kids who chose to attend classes at Temple Israel on Sunday, we
had an interesting morning. Instead of our regular Life Cycle curriculum, we
focused on refugees and strangers in Jewish tradition.
1.
We first reviewed
several biblical texts about Abraham and his wanderings, and how they make us
sensitive to refugees and asylum seekers. You can see the texts and questions
that the kids answered in the attached worksheet.
2.
We then had Tefila, in
which we focused on the Ahava Rabba blessing immediately before the Shema, and
how it shows God’s love for the Jewish people, and our response through
learning and doing Mitzvot.
3.
When we returned to
class, we reviewed Jewish Rabbinic texts on treatment of strangers and those
seeking protection, as well as several videos and sources regarding asylum
seekers both in the U.S. and Israel. We watched the first segment of each of
these videos:
[Refugees and Passover: African
Aylum seekers comemmorate Passover in
detention]
This led to a formal debate on
Sudanese asylum-seekers in Israel, and whether they should be accepted or sent
home. As the attached sheets, videos, and debate showed, this is a complicated
issue!
When we meet again this Sunday, we’ll begin our study of Jewish
birth traditions. In particular, we will be engaging in the following
activities:
1.
Jewish Names – a lesson
on their origins, meanings, and how newborns get them.
2.
Nitzan, our Shinshin,
will be back from Israel, and we’ll have an activity with her.
To prepare for Sunday, please discuss the following question with
our kids:
Where did your Jewish name come from, and what does it mean?
As always, please remind your kids that cell phones do not belong
in the classroom. If a phone comes to school, unless needed for an in-class
academic project, the phone will be checked into a pocket on the classroom wall
until the end of the class day. Also, please send your child to school with a
dairy or pareve, nut-free snack.
Thanks,
Gerry
10-14-18
Dear Parents,
It was good seeing your
kids after the Columbus Day break.
This past Sunday, we
continued with our Life Cycle curriculum:
- We continued our discussion of covenants and biblical sources for them. In particular, after reviewing the structure of the Tanakh, we spent much of the morning learning how to find the relevant chapters and verses in the Torah, and read about the different covenants between God and Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Moses. I’ve attached a copy of the worksheet we used.
- During Tefila, we focused on our morning blessings, and in particular the first regarding the rooster’s ability to discern between night and day. We explained this through the attached Rabbinic story, of how people can similarly discern between good and evil, and how we should live our lives with a true understanding heart.
- After Tefila, we continued our work on covenants, and then reviewed the Rabbinic “map” of the Jewish life cycle in the Mishna-Pirkei Avot/Ethics of the Fathers chapter 5, Mishna 23. A copy is attached. The class discussed why the Rabbis chose these milestones, and how they are different from life cycle norms today (for example, the kids decided that 18 was a bit too young to get married!).
- We joined the Temple's morning minyan for holiday services for the Hoshana Raba holiday, including a festive Hallel service. The Religious School students then remained in the Sukkah to take Willow branches and perform the Hoshanot ceremony of striking them on the ground, to welcome the rainy season in Israel.
- After Hoshanot, we returned to the classroom to review the students' parts in the Simchat Torah service on Monday evening with Cantor Ken. The kids learned their verses from the Ata Horeita with the holiday tune.
- The remainder of the morning we had a brief program with our Shinshinit, Nitzan, and then we discussed the idea of the Covenant between God and the Jewish people, and how it relates to all of our life cycle ceremonies, starting with Abraham and the birth and Brit Milah of his son Isaac.
- We'll continue our study of covenants between God the Jewish people, and the biblical sources of these covenants.
- What significant events are included in our Jewish life cycle.
- Class Rules – we learned about respect for each other and for adults, as well as proper behavior, based on Jewish sources. A copy of our class rules is attached.
- Introduction to the Jewish Life Cycle – we discussed sources relating to the birth of the world, and how it relates to the beginning of the Jewish life cycle. A copy of the sources is attached
- The remainder of the morning, before Tefillah/Prayers, we learned about Ushpizin/Ushpizot – the traditional guests we invite into our Sukkah. Later in the morning, after meeting our new ‘Shinshinit’, Nitzan, we also prepared decorations for the synagogue’s Sukkah. Information about our study of Ushpizin/Ushpizot is also attached. At the end of class, we reviewed Sukkot with a viewing of the “Sukkot Lego Movie,” athttps://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=SRHkgWGyn4Y
- Hoshana Raba – for the first part of the morning, we will be joining the Temple’s morning minyan for the Hoshanot parade, with Lulav and Etrog.
- After our time with Nitzan on Sunday, we will be learning about the beginning of the Jewish life cycle, and how it is the beginning of God’s covenant with the Jewish people.
When we meet again this
Sunday, students will either be attending the service project at the Brophy
School, or at the Religious School learning about refugees and asylum seekers
in Jewish tradition, and how that relates to those in the U.S. and Israel. For
those spending the morning at school, we’ll be learning Jewish texts, and
preparing a debate on asylum seekers in Israel.
To prepare for Sunday,
please ask your kids the following question for discussion:
What is our obligation,
as Jews, to help strangers in need?
As always, please remind
your kids that cell phones do not belong in the classroom. If a phone comes to
school, unless needed for an in-class academic project, the phone will be
checked into a pocket on the classroom wall until the end of the class day.
Also, please send your child to school with a dairy or pareve, nut-free snack.
Thanks,
Gerry
9-30-18
Dear Parents,
I hope you all enjoyed the Sukkot/Simchat Torah holiday.
This past Sunday, we had a number of special programs, and continued with our Life Cycle curriculum:
When we meet again a week from Sunday, we'll be focusing on the following:
To prepare for Sunday, please aske your kids the following question for discussion:
What Jewish events are part of our life cycle?
Finally, some housekeeping matters. Please remind your kids that cell phones do not belong in the classroom. If a phone comes to school, unless needed for an in-class academic project, the phone will be checked into a pocket on the classroom wall until the end of the class day. Also, please send your child to school with a dairy or pareve, nut-free snack.
Thanks,
Gerry
9-23-18
Dear Parents,
It was a pleasure meeting all of your children on Sunday. We’re looking forward to a great year.
This past week, after introductions and sharing our wishes for the New Year, we covered the following:
This coming Sunday, we’ll be focusing on the following:
To prepare for Sunday, please aske your kids the following question for discussion:
Where did your Jewish name come from, and why?
Finally, some housekeeping matters. Please remind your kids that cell phones do not belong in the classroom. If a phone comes to school, unless needed for an in-class academic project, the phone will be checked into a pocket on the classroom wall until the end of the class day. Also, please send your child to school with a dairy or pareve, nut-free snack.
Thanks, and Shabbat Shalom,
Gerry
As always, please remind your kids that cell phones do not belong in the classroom. If a phone comes to school, unless needed for an in-class academic project, the phone will be checked into a pocket on the classroom wall until the end of the class day
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