Thank you to our awesome Maot Chitim volunteers from last Sunday, who are included in the brand new collage!  We hope that you will continue to sing along with our expanded repertoire of Pesach blessings and songs that we have been singing with the students at SJS: https://www.amyisrael.org/practicing-for-pesach.html.

Class Updates: Wed Apr 5 

Gimel (3rd Grade) 

Shalom Parents,

This week, we introduced the concept of Koach HaDibbur, translated as “The power of speech”. Students learned the meaning of this Jewish value and how it relates to the previous values we have studied so far this year. Using various street signs, students examined ways we communicate with limited speech and the power that each word or symbol holds. In addition, the students studied a very famous story of a Rabbi and a pile of feathers. This story emphasized the importance of what we say and how words are forever, as we are unable to take them back. Finally, the students had a chance to create their own brit, translated as “covenant or contract” for how to use their own speech.                             

Recap:

• Students learned that words have the power to do good in the world.
• Students explored how they can use the power of speech to do good things, and avoid causing harm with speech.
• Students learned the Jewish value of not speaking lashon horah, and made personal connections to understanding the negative impacts of gossip.

Table Talk: What does our family feel about gossip? When have we all encountered gossip?

MyShalomLearning Activity for next week: 3.6.2 Koach HaDibur Week 2 

Take a picture of the brit (covenant) you made in class and either upload it to My.ShalomLearning.org or email it to your teacher.  In addition, “Using speech to do good in the world”, Watch the Kid President video.

Write your own “pep talk” speech. What topic would you choose? Who would you give your speech to, and what would you say?

Ivrit:

This week the yeladim reviewed the Ma Nishtanah (the four questions found in the Haggadah) and the order of the Haggadah.  The yeladim learned that when a chet appears at the end of a word with an “ah” vowel below it, the vowel is pronounced first and then the letter (“ach” rather than “cha”).

Next week:

Next week, we will learn about textual representations of Koach HaDibbur in the Torah and in other Jewish texts.

Have a great week!

B’Shalom,

Mrs. Sender and Morah Myra

Dalet (4th Grade)

Heh (5th Grade)

This week we went over the Bible story focused on how we ended up becoming slaves in Egypt.  We discussed what happens when we recite a blessing with candles.  In addition, we discussed the words in the Kiddush for Passover that truly differentiates it from other Kiddushes:  Chag Hamatzot & Z’man Cherutenu.  We also learned that Ha Lachma Anya is not recited in Hebrew, rather in Aramaic.  This passages teaches us about our past and how in the future we hope to be in the land of Israel in Jerusalem.  The Ma Nishtana is really one big question with four answers.  At the end of the seder we thank G-d by singing Hallel, or praise.  -Mrs. Moustakis

Shalom, After Tefillah, where we sang many blessings and prayers associated with the Pesach seder, the students went over steps of the Passover seder and we continued to study about Pesach.  We did a close reading of the Ma Nishtanah and talked about the Four names of Pesach.   Chag Pesach Sameach, -Morah Anna 

Vav (6th Grade)

In preparation for Pesach, Vav and Zayin classes sat down for a much-anticipated candy seder! Each traditional symbolic food on the seder plate was replaced with a candy-based equivalent, and we read through a candy-themed haggadah (with occasional breaks for the traditional text of the seder). Fun was had by all. A special thank you to Morah Sandra for organizing everything! -Hazzan Szenes-Strauss (Mr. S.)

For the tremendous leadership roles that they all played during Purim and the students have been working diligently to prepare for their B’nai Mitzvah, the candy seder was our way of rewarding them in what was by far “the sweetest day” of the academic year.  Thank you to Morah Sandra and Mr. S. for facilitating.  We hope that all Vav students and parents who are able will all join Mr. Maurice Middleberg from the Free the Slaves program in the next session and will RSVP to me if you haven’t already.  -Mr. Sherman

Zayin (7th Grade)

We began a new curricular unit, koach hadibbur (the power of speech). This unit will focus on the ability of the spoken (or written, or texted) word to affect those around us, both for good and for ill. We kicked off the unit with a study of two quotations, one from Proverbs 18:21 and one from a modern author, about the ability of words to do both harm and good. -Hazzan Szenes-Strauss (Mr. S.)

In preparation for Pesach, Vav and Zayin classes sat down for a much-anticipated candy seder! Each traditional symbolic food on the seder plate was replaced with a candy-based equivalent, and we read through a candy-themed haggadah (with occasional breaks for the traditional text of the seder). Fun was had by all. A special thank you to Morah Sandra for organizing everything! -Hazzan Szenes-Strauss (Mr. S.)

For the tremendous leadership roles that they all played during Purim and the students have been working diligently to prepare for their B’nai Mitzvah, the candy seder was our way of rewarding them in what was by far “the sweetest day” of the academic year.  Thank you to Morah Sandra and Mr. S. for facilitating.  We hope that all Zayin students and parents who are able will all join Mr. Maurice Middleberg from the Free the Slaves program in the next session and will RSVP to me if you haven’t already.  -Mr. Sherman