Judaics Weekly Bulletin 1/29/10
We are all excited about our Tu BShvat party. Please have your child wear blue and white this Friday. Thanks!
What is Tu B'Shvat? It is the 15th day of the Jewish month of Shvat (Tu is really the number 15 in Hebrew.) In Israel at this time, the winter rains are beginning to taper off, and the sap that brings food to the limbs of the tree starts to rise. The Torah requires farmers to give a tithe (one tenth) of all crops grown during a given year to the priest of the Holy Temple - the Beit Hamikdash. Tu B''Shvat marked the beginning of the year for the tithing trees. Although we no longer have the Beit Hamikdash or priests, we still tithe produce of the land of Israel, because of the land's innate holiness!
Tu B'Shvat celebrates the Jewish people's love of trees, and of the land of Israel. It became a custom world-wide, to eat fruits that grow in the Israel- almonds, dates, olives, figs, carob, and pomegranates. The Kabbalists created a formal Tu B'Shvat celebration, modeled after the Passover Seder. Our celebration here on Friday will be a simplified version of the Tu'BShvat seder.
In modern times, Tu B'Shvat has taken on new meaning. When the early pioneers came to Palestine 100 years ago, the land was barren. They planted trees and made the land bloom again. In Israel today, Tu B'Shvat is often celebrated with the planting of new trees to beautify the land.
In school to celebrate Tu B'Shvat we did many things. We planted beans (some more successful than others). We made fruit kabobs which I am hopeful will arrive home in one piece for you to enjoy! Enjoy the tree picture we made- we had fun painting and gluing! We have been looking at various fruits to see their seeds, whether we eat the skin/peel, whether we eat the seed, and the size and shape of various seeds.
And we even did Parsha- the exciting story of the Jews leaving Mitzrayim, being chased by the Egyptians on chariots, the sea splitting, the Jews walking through, miraculously on dry land, and the Egyptians being drowned after chasing the Jews through the split sea, when Hashem returned the water to its natural state. The Jews ate Manna for 40 years as they wandered through the desert. It tasted like whatever they wanted it to taste like. We all chose what we wanted our manna to taste like.
Shabbat Shalom and enjoy Tu B'Shvat on Shabbat!
Miriam
Rimon Weekly bulletin 1/29/10
See the many activities we did this week relating to trees and fruits (described above.) We were also able to go outside more with the better weather.
D'vash Weekly Bulletin 1/29/10
This week the children will be bringing home their beans and other crafts in celebration of Tu B'Shvat. We look forward to the celebration on Friday.
One of the stories read this week has been about " Annie's chair" - a story about how Annie shared her precious chair with her dog.
Shabbat Shalom,
Morah Farhana and Moreh Efi
Gefen Weekly Bulletin 1/29/10
The Toddlers were very busy the last two weeks getting ready to celebrate Tu B'Shvat this Friday. First they painted the clay pots and planted seeds. They water them every morning and we hope they sprout a leaf or two. Next they did an art project. On a tracing of a tree they painted leaves with their fingers.The Toddlers enjoyed it very much.What better way to get messed up with all the paint and water.
We have been also singing Hebrew songs for Tu B'Shvat. On Friday we combined the Shabbat party and Tu B'shvat and had lots of yummy food to eat. We had dried fruits and vegetable salad with our usual challah and hummus and grape juice.We all had a wonderful time and wished that it was a party every day.
Congratulations to Be'eri on becoming a big brother to a new baby sister.
Shabbat Shalom,
Morah Sharmaleen & Morah Orna.
Judaics Weekly Bulletin 1/22/10
Well, we have been very busy preparing for Tu B'Shvat- we have learned about trees, and the seasons, and we have looked at many kinds of seeds- thank you to all the parents who sent in seeds! We have a tray to examine the seeds, and we have planted seeds in a pot- let's see what comes up! We have taken the opportunity, as well, to explain that the bracha for food that grows from the ground is "Ha-adama", and the bracha for food that grows from trees is "Ha-etz".
We are also learning the Parsha- this is the last of the 10 makot- plagues- that were inflicted upon the Egyptians when they wouldn't let the Jews leave Mitzrayim. I have explained why we speak of it now, because this is what we are up to in Parshat Hashavua- theweekly reading of the Torah in shul, but our celebration of these events will come at Pesach...a complicated idea. But, they absolutely love hearing the Parsha stories; it always keeps them enthralled and wanting more, always disappointing them when we have come to the end of the week's story.
Rimon Weekly bulletin 1/22/10
Some off the older children have taken their familiarity with the maps a step further. They have started learning about the flags of some European countries, and love to color our flag patterns in! Others are busy with our newest addition-mirror polishing- they love to put the soap on, make it very foggy, and then shine it up!
It has been so nice to have some warmer days so that we can go out to play- you can see the children soaking it up!
Be well.
Shabbat Shalom,
Morah Miriam and Morah Adi
D'vash Weekly Bulletin 1/22/10
Our bean seeds are growing!! Every child has taken complete resposiblity for watering their own seeds every morning. It was wonderful to see their expression when they saw long roots. In preparation for Tu B'Shvat we talked about trees.
Older children are tracing and writing sounds ( in cursive,) that are in their name. Our younger children continue to do the enjoyable activities of arranging flowers and polishing objects, among other things.
Indoor shoes are keeping our classroom floor clean now that it is wet outside.
Shabbat Shalom,Morah Farhana and Moreh Efi
Judaics Weekly Bulletin 1/15/10
We are beginning our unit on Tu B'shvat- coming in 3 weeks!
We are beginning a unit on trees, fruits and seeds in conjunction with our preparations for Tu B'shvat. PLEASE SAVE AND SEND IN, ANY SEEDS FROM FRUITS THAT YOU MAY BE EATING AT HOME- APPLES, AVOCADO, GRAPES, ORANGES, ETC. We would like to save and compare and talk about them. Thanks for your help!
Rimon Weekly bulletin 1/15/10
Be well.
Shabbat Shalom,
Morah Miriam and Morah Adi
D'vash Weekly Bulletin 1/15/10
Independence is embraced by the children, regardless of their age, in the daily activities in class. The youngest children will perform the routine of preparing their place for lunch, and cleaning up, with help only if it is necessary. Older children love to help others find or carry things. Continue this momentum at home by demonstarting to your child how to do something and allowing them to perform it thereafter.
Shabbat Shalom,Morah Farhana and Moreh Efi
Gefen Weekly Bulletin 1/15/10
Shabbat Shalom,
Morah Sharmaleen & Morah Orna.
Judaics Weekly Bulletin 1/8/10
This has been another exciting Parsha story! The Jews are now in Mitzrayim, and have lived there for approximately 200 years. A new and mean Paroh is now ruler. (Paroh was the generic name for the Kings dynasty in Egypt at the time). This new Paroh knows that the Jews are special, and he wants to be the most special, he tries to get rid of the Jews, by making them work hard and by getting rid of the baby boys. Against this background, Moshe is born to Yocheved. He is brought up by his mother for 2 years. Afraid of the decree to kill all the boys, Moshe is put in a basket on the river by his mother, and found by Paroh's daughter Batya. He ends up then in Paroh's palace. When he sees a Jew beaten by a Mitzri (an Egyptian) and helps a fellow Jew, he gets into trouble with Paroh and has to run away. He escapes to the desert and becomes a Shepperd. While taking care of sheep for a living, one day he sees a burning bush. Hashem talks to him from that bush - and tells him to return to Mitzrayim (Egypt) to take the Jews out out of Mizrayim. Moshe is hesitant, but convinced. He goes to Paroh with is brother Aharon, but Paroh refuses to let the Jews go... There are many other details that the children heard- see what they remember, with a little prompting!
(Ask your child about specific facts: where did Moshe live? what happened to him? what did he found in the desert?. Avoid general open question such as - What is this parasha about, or tell me what you learned in class).
We sang a Hebrew song with Morah Ety, "Moshe Batayvah"- a Pesach song, but perfect for the week's parsha!
We are beginning our unit on Tu B'shvat- coming in 3 weeks!
We are beginning a unit on trees, fruits and seeds in conjunction with our preparations for Tu B'shvat. PLEASE SAVE AND SEND IN, ANY SEEDS FROM FRUITS THAT YOU MAY BE EATING AT HOME- APPLES, AVOCADO, GRAPES, ORANGES, ETC. We would like to save and compare and talk about them. Thanks for your help!
Rimon Weekly bulletin 1/8/10
We have all gotten back into the rhythm of school- it is so exciting for both Adi and myself to see jumps in development, educational, social or emotional, in a child- and we have seen several this week! It was too cold to go outside this week, so we have been playing indoors each day- we all can't wait for warmer weather!
Be well.
Shabbat Shalom,
Morah Miriam and Morah Adi
D'vash Weekly Bulletin 1/8/10
This week we read the book " the little clam". The little clam was warned by other Sea side creatures that he would be eaten by a Gull, Sea Star and Conch. It was a great adventure in which the Little Clam used his defenses to save himself, and at the very end he fell asleep . This was a story that had the children say "Again!! Again!!"
Some of the older children are working with units, tens, hundreds and thousands. Younger children have been playing games to identify numbers. There is also always alot of polishing activities going on.
Shabbat Shalom,
Morah Farhana and Moreh Efi
Gefen Weekly Bulletin 1/8/10
It is good to see everyone back and happy. We were working with a lot of dough this week. We bake each time, and get to eat our cookies and muffins at snack time.
Shabbat Shalom,
Morah Sharmaleen & Morah Orna.