Class Updates: Sun, Apr 16 & Wed, Apr 19
Camp Am Yisrael: Learn-By-Play (0-3 year olds)
We are very excited to see the Grandparents and Special Visitors at Camp Am Yisrael this Sunday. Parents are always welcome to join, in the case that a grandparent or special visitor is unable to attend. The joy that the 0-3 year olds bring to our building is phenomenal and we are thrilled that the adults in the room get this time to spend together as well. -Mr. Sherman
Gan (3-6 year olds)
I asked the children what their favorite part of the Seder was…..and no big surprise it was finding the Afikomen. We created a little workbook on the letter “Heh.” After doing that, we worked on some Hebrew letter recognition. Tefillah with Mr. Sherman and Mr. Marc was a big hit as always. -Morah Lynn
Aleph (1st Grade)
This week the Aleph students got back to some serious Hebrew review. We reviewed the alphabet we have learned so far and added two new letters “Koof” and “Tav.” We also learned words for sister (achot), brother (ach), grandma (safta), grandpa (sabba), and even dog (kelev). Students also learned about Tefillin and how we wrap it around our arms and hand so that we write the name of G-d on our hand in Hebrew letters. -Mrs. Berlow
Bet (2nd Grade)
Shalom,
This week we talked about events that followed after the Israelites crossed the Red Sea. Students learned about revelation at Sinai and the first prayer and first song that the Israelites recited after becoming free. We discussed why the Ten Commandments were given twice and the origins of the “Shema.” We learned how Moses passed on the leadership of the Israelites to Joshua, who then led the Israelite people to the Promised Land. -Morah Anna
Gimel (3rd Grade)
Shalom Parents,
This week we examined modern leaders and communicators through a Jewish lens, and how they create positive change in the world through the power of their words. Additionally, we centered our focus on how we can use the power of speech within our families to create Shalom Bayit, translated as peace in our home. As we have now completed the sixth out of seven units in this year’s ShalomLearning values curriculum, this lesson served as the perfect segue into our final unit entitled Shalom, peace.
Recap:
- Students learned that leaders throughout history have used speech to create real change.
- Students explored the importance of body language in the ways that we communicate.
- Students learned about the ways in which speech creates change in the modern world, and made personal connections to these stories.
- Students learned that our speech has a major impact on our ability to create peace at home with our family members.
- Students discussed how developing effective communication skills is a crucial component to this process.
- Students explored ways in which they can maintain open communication with their family members.
Table Talk: What do we tend to debate about in our family? Who usually wins those debates? Also, what can we do as a family to increase our communication so we can create Shalom Bayit (“Peace in the Home”)?
MyShalomLearning Activity for next week: 3.6.4 Koach HaDibur Week 4
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What is the Oseh Shalom prayer talking about? Write about a time you made peace somewhere (i.e. stopped an argument, compromised, did something for someone else even if you didn’t want to, etc.). Please upload a picture of you re-enacting making peace to My.ShalomLearning.org. Additionally, take the wrap-up questions for Koach HaDibbur and the kick-off questions for Shalom, Week 1. Take a picture of your “Guide to Koach HaDibbur” and and upload it to My.ShalomLearning.org and/or email it to your teacher.
Ivrit:
The yeladim learned about the counting of the omer, and read the blessings associated with the omer in addition to actually counting the omer. The yeladim also reviewed the following tefillot: V’Ahavta, Va’yomer, Mi Chamocha, Ahvat Olam, Hashkevaynu, and the Hatzi Kadish. The yeladim also participated in an “eye spy” game, finding and identifying Hebrew letters within each of these prayers.
Next week:
Next week we will review all of the previous lessons!
* A special note about “fidgets” in class. As an educator, I can see the great value a “fidget” can provide to a student in class, helping them to focus in class while providing their hand’s with a focused-distraction. These tools can serve as a very positive aid in the classroom setting. Additionally, I would be remiss to recognize the length of an SJS student’s day and just how busy their lives are at such a young age. With that stated, I have found over the past few months that the use of such tools in class have become more of a distraction rather than a useful learning tool. As a parent, you know your child best. I am asking for your assistance with the “fidgets”: if your child truly does need these tools to help them focus in class, please continue to allow your student to have them at SJS. If that is not the case, however, I am asking for your help in not sending these with them.
I have started a new policy in my classroom that those students who are becoming distracted with their “fidgets” or who are sharing them and playing with them and with their classmates are simply asked to put the “fidgets” on the side counter for the duration of class and they can retrieve them at the end of class.
I thank you for your cooperation with this. Please, if you have any questions/concerns/suggestions please do not hesitate to contact me.
B’Shalom,
Mrs. Sender & Morah Myra
Dalet (4th Grade)
Heh (5th Grade)
It was such a pleasure teaching Heh this past Sunday. We reviewed the four children and what each one is meant to symbolize. One of the kids commented that in actuality, we each have some characteristics of each of the four children in each one of us. I thought that was a very profound thought. -Mr. Arnet
Shalom, this week time flew faster then i hoped. students worked on a beautiful song ” Kol ha Olam kulo, Gesher tzar meod” (world is a very narrow bridge). We discussed the origins and the meanings of the song and practiced reading and singing it. -Morah Anna
This past week in Torah Trope the Heh class looked closely at the Torah reading for SFP this coming Shabbat. Please note that I will not be at SJS for the next two weeks. -Mr. Lerner
Vav (6th Grade)
We spent our class time with students coaching each other on various prayers from the SJS siddur. Our students are doing a great job at peer coaching, and the classroom is really shaping up as a learning community! With many bat and bar mitzvah celebrations coming up, that atmosphere is beginning to feel quite busy. -Hazzan Szenes-Strauss (Mr. S.)
The Vav students took a field trip to the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center this past Sunday. It was a culmination of a few months of study. Special thanks to Sandra Mieli Kamm for preparing the students for this experience and to the parents who chaperoned and drove carpool. -Mr. Sherman
Zayin (7th Grade)
We took a break from our usual curriculum to focus on the completion of everyone’s mitzvah project presentations. Students worked with biblical source sheets, a guide to the mitzvah project concept, and a detailed checklist to ensure that nothing is overlooked. Everyone is looking forward to seeing these completed and presented at the end of the month. -Hazzan Szenes-Strauss (Mr. S.)
Prozdor (8th Grade)
We reviewed the four children and what each one is meant to symbolize. One of the kids commented that in actuality, we each have some characteristics of each of the four children in each one of us. I thought that was a very profound thought. We also continued in our Israel unit and started to talk about proroms, what they were and how it effected the Jews. We will continue this topic on Sunday. -Mr. Arnet
Pardes & Tichon (9th-12th Grades)
Students in grades 9 thru 12 participated in an engaging presentation from the ADL. With the rise in antisemitism and nationalism both domestically and globally, students are likely to encounter sentiments that make them very uncomfortable. The ADL representative discussed these issues in detail and led an interactive program which guided students regarding appropriate reactions and responses. -Cantor Simon
Mr. Sherman’s Blog 