Aleph (1st Grade)

Upcoming: Our next Aleph SJS is Sun, Feb 12 beginning in Room 3 on main level of SJS building at 9:15 a.m.  NOTE: We are moving our class to Room 3 for at least the next 8 weeks while the Camp Am Yisrael: Learn-By-Play class for 0-3 year olds meets in Room 2.  FINALLY: We will be calling up our Gan, Aleph and Bet students onto the bimah tonight, Fri, Feb 10 for our 6:00 p.m.-6:40 p.m. service.

Bet (2nd Grade)

Upcoming: Our next Bet SJS is Sun, Feb 5 beginning in Room 8 on upper level of SJS building at 9:15 a.m.  NOTE: Starting this week, Feb 12, we are moving our class to Room 8 (upstairs) for at least the next 8 weeks to make room for our new Camp Am Yisrael: Learn-By-Play class for 0-3 year olds.  FINALLY: We will be calling up our Gan, Aleph and Bet students onto the bimah tonight, Fri, Feb 10 for our 6:00 p.m.-6:40 p.m. service. 

Dalet (4th Grade)

Upcoming: Our next Dalet SJS is Sun, Feb 12 beginning in Room 7 on upper level of SJS building at 9:15 a.m.

Heh (5th Grade)

Upcoming: Our next Heh SJS is Sun, Feb 12 beginning in the Sanctuary in the synagogue building at 9:15 a.m.

In a special combined class between Dalet and Heh, we searched for connections between the two classes’ curricula. Dalet is currently studying deveikut, the cultivation of a personal relationship with God, and in particular the concept of Moses’ unique face-to-face relationship with God. Heh is studying the obligation to feed the hungry, and with it some of the details of food insecurity in the United States.  Confronted with the question “Do you know anyone who is or has been food insecure,” most of us said no. We considered that the real number may be higher because people who have trouble making ends meet are often uncomfortable advertising this fact, and because not all students are necessarily aware of their elderly relatives’ experiences with immigration, the Great Depression, and other hardships. Integrating the two concepts, students agreed that having a personal, face-to-face connection with someone experiencing food insecurity would likely change one’s approach to the problem, since it would result in increased empathy and greater awareness of the realities of the problem.-Hazzan Szenes-Strauss (Mr. S.)

In Torah trope this past week, we continued to work on Torah trope, including learning to read ST”aM font, that is used in a Sefer Torah. -Mr. Lerner

Vav (6th Grade)

Upcoming: Our next Vav SJS is Sun, Feb 12 beginning in the Sanctuary in the synagogue building at 9:15 a.m.  PLEASE NOTE: Our Vav, Zayin, Prozdor, Pardes and Tichon classes will all be attending the HIAS Chicago session this Sun, Feb 12 from 10:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. in the Sanctuary.

Zayin (7th Grade)

Upcoming: Our next Zayin SJS is Sun, Feb 12 beginning in the Sanctuary in the synagogue building at 9:15 a.m.  PLEASE NOTE: Our Vav, Zayin, Prozdor, Pardes and Tichon classes will all be attending the HIAS Chicago session this Sun, Feb 12 from 10:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. in the Sanctuary. 

This week we took a look at the  closing words of the Hagaddah, “Next Year in Jerusalem.” It is easy to understand why we would say those words, pre-1948 before Israel was re-established as a state. However, is there still a need to say those words today?  Ask your kids about the conversations that took place. -Mr. Arnet

We read and compared two poems, one written in the third person about young Israeli soldiers, and one written by a man to his Holocaust survivor wife on the occasion of their fiftieth anniversary. Students discussed the different ways in which gevurah (heroism) is treated in these two poems, and how that reflects on the diversity of heroism. We also watched a video about the Hanukkah story that presented yet another variety of heroism, and treated the military victory of Hanukkah almost as an aside.  In addition, Zayin students joined with the Vav class to work on personally targeted areas in Tefillah, with the goal of strengthening our Hebrew reading ability and knowledge of the Siddur. Working in the Sanctuary, we broke up into pairs or small groups led by Zayin students and progressed through a checklist of important prayers to work on. Anyone who felt confident they had mastered a particular text was able to ask a staff member to check them and mark their tracking paper as appropriate. -Hazzan Szenes-Strauss (Mr. S.)

Prozdor (8th Grade)

Upcoming: Our next Prozdor SJS is Sun, Feb 12 beginning in the Sanctuary in the synagogue building at 10:15 a.m.(fifteen minutes earlier than usual and one hour later than the majority of the classes in SJS).  PLEASE NOTE: Our Vav, Zayin, Prozdor, Pardes and Tichon classes will all be attending the HIAS Chicago session this Sun, Feb 12 from 10:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. in the Sanctuary. 

Pardes (9th-10th Grades)

Upcoming: Our next Pardes SJS is Feb 12 beginning in the Sanctuary in the synagogue building at 10:15 a.m.(fifteen minutes earlier than usual and one hour later than the majority of the classes in SJS).  PLEASE NOTE: Our Vav, Zayin, Prozdor, Pardes and Tichon classes will all be attending the HIAS Chicago session this Sun, Feb 12 from 10:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. in the Sanctuary. 

Last Sunday, we had an open and candid discussion about President Trump’s immigration ban.  We discussed participation in peaceful marches as a sign of unity with Muslims, and potential conflicts when sponsors of such marches may have philosophical beliefs that are diametrically opposed to our own.  The debated question was if we unite in our mutual interest – fighting injustice to immigrants – or opt not to participate due to unrelated issues of disagreement.       -Cantor Stuart Simon

III. Special Info for this weekend:

a) Mitzvah Opportunity: Please Help The Ark

The Ark is in need of items for its pantry.   Please bring in the following kosher items, knowing that these are only the suggested items, as sadly there is a great need of many additional items at all times.  We have a bin by the elevator off the synagogue lobby and there are additional bins in the school lobby to drop off these much needed items during regular business hours.  Thank you in advance.

-vegetarian baked beans

-pineapple slices

-soups (not broth) such as chicken noodle and mushroom barley

-crunchy peanut butter

-tea, both regular and herbal

-baby wipes

-dish soap

-adult diapers

-incontinence pads

b) Camp Am Yisrael 9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. meets in Room 2 of the SJS building

Several parents were interested in having a Sunday morning class introducing the kids to Shabbat, the holidays and with plenty of play.   Am Yisrael in Northfield is re-starting its Camp Am Yisrael initiative. The class will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Sunday mornings and will focus on kids ages 0-3. This is not a regular structured class, but rather a learn-by-play style class. A sample Sunday might look like this:

9:30 – 9:40       Families arrive, kids can play freely

9:40 – 9:50       Story about Shabbat

9:50 – 10:00     Play pretend Shabbat dinner (using a Shabbat playset to do candles, wine, motzi, etc.)

10:00 – 10:10   Songs with the Cantor

10:10 – 10: 20  Free play and snack

10:20 – 10:30   Tefillah (song-based as well)

The camp runs 9 weeks,  and focuses on one holiday for two weeks including an age-appropriate art project every other week. Kids will learn about Shabbat/Havdallah, Tu B’Shvat, Purim, and Passover. On the 9th week, the grandparents can come see what these kids have been up to.  Please let Mr. Sherman know if you are interested.    

c) Gan, Aleph and Bet help lead services Fri, Feb 10 6:00 p.m.-6:40 p.m.: Please RSVP to csherman@amyisrael.org so that we know how many people to expect.  Thank you.

d) HIAS Program: The Global Refugee Crisis and the Jewish Call to Action Sun, Feb 12 10:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.   We invite everyone to attend (parents and other relatives of our students).  Vav, Zayin, Prozdor and Pardes will attend this program.

FILM SCREENING: SALAM NEIGHBOR  Salam Neighbor is an award-winning film that connects viewers to refugees. Filmmakers Chris and Zach were the first to be registered and given a tent inside a refugee camp and through their lens, we can immerse ourselves into the life of a Syrian refugee.  Discussion will follow with Jessica Schaffer, Director of HIAS Chicago.

e) Chicago Community Tu Bishvat at Rochelle Zell Jewish High School 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

IV. Special Info for this weekend:

a) SJS is not in session on Sun, Feb 19.  SJS teachers will be attending a professional development seminar.

V. Hebrew Step-By-Step and Jewish Interactive Website and Ji Tap App

One of the most versatile tools we can provide our students to help them foster a connection to Judaism is the ability to decode (read) Hebrew words.  Above each packet are the Hebrew letters and vowels introduced within that packet. Letters and vowels are reinforced through the remaining packets once they are introduced.  Thank you to Rae Antonoff for teaming with us in this endeavor with the Hebrew Step-By-Step program.  While some of the activities are in theory meant for writing, we recommend that while accessing this material with a screen that you use this program for reading.  I can send you the PDF’s via email or printout for the writing exercises.

https://www.amyisrael.org/hebrew-step-by-step.html

In addition, there is an amazing relatively new website (can connect to the app with this website as well) that I can’t recommend highly enough.  More information will be shared on this, but in the meantime, please check it out:

http://www.jewishinteractive.org