Camp Am Yisrael: Learn-By-Play (0-3 year olds)

This week Rabbi Newman Kamin read a story to the class.  As usual, the kids had a wonderful opportunity to learn-by-play with their parents by their sides further developing their friendships.  Mr. Marc, the parents and kids sang Tefillah together as usual and a good time was had by all.  -Mr. Sherman

Gan (3-6 year olds) 

I asked the children how old Israel is.  The answer is on the window of the classroom.  We then went to the Sanctuary and listened to one of our Madrichim, Alexis Burton sing Hatkivah, which was a big hit since she spends time with us in class.  The children then made a blue/white collage which is also on display on the classroom window.  We were treated to a very musical Tefillah with Mr. Marc, which the children truly enjoyed.             -Morah Lynn

Aleph (1st Grade) 

Aleph students celebrated Israel this week. We watched as a siren sounded in Israel that brings the whole country to  stand still in respect of the soldiers who have died protecting it. We also learned that Israel will be turning 69 this year! The Aleph students also added the letter Ayin and started putting letters together in order to begin to learn to read.  -Mrs. Berlow

Bet (2nd Grade) 

Shalom,

Gimel (3rd Grade) 

The Gimel students learned about the mitzvah projects of SJS Zayin students along with the rest of the school.  We memorialized the Israeli soldiers who dedicated their lives to our Jewish homeland and celebrated Israel’s 69th birthday.  The students continued their Jewish values curriculum and reinforced their Hebrew and Tefillah skills through activities in the classroom and prayers in the Sanctuary. -Mr. Sherman

Dalet (4th Grade)

Heh (5th Grade)

Mazal Tov to our Heh students for joining Dalet on the bimah this past Friday evening to help Cantor Simon and the Shabbatones Band lead services.  In class we discussed Lag B’omer and the connection with Rabbi Akiva & Shimon Bar Yochi and about the importance of studying Torah.  We also reviewed three songs focused on Jewish values and sang them with Cantor Simon.  We look forward to performing them for the entire SJS community at an end of year assembly coming up soon. -Mrs. Moustakis

Shalom, the end of the year at SJS is approaching soon. This week students continued learning the lyrics in Hebrew and tunes of songs for the end of the year presentation. We had our first rehearsal with Cantor Simon.  -Morah Anna

The services this past Sunday at SJS were very moving. Having been in Israel on Yom Ha’atzmaut, listing to the siren on the video brought back so many memories. The transformation from a day of sorrow to a day of joy is so hard to comprehend unless you are there first hand to witness it.  The kids could truly feel joy and sorrow as if they were personally in Israel. The only thing missing were the patesheem (toy squeaky hammers) that everyone goes around bopping people on the head with when Yom Ha’atzmaot starts. Maybe next year 🙂   -Mr. Arnet

The Heh students had an opportunity to do a question and answer session with the Zayin students about their B’nai Mitzvah projects and brainstormed possibilities for future mitzvah projects based on the Heh students interests.  -Mr. Sherman

Vav (6th Grade)

The services this past Sunday at SJS were very moving. Having been in Israel on Yom Ha’atzmaut, listing to the siren on the video brought back so many memories. The transformation from a day of sorrow to a day of joy is so hard to comprehend unless you are there first hand to witness it.  The kids could truly feel joy and sorrow as if they were personally in Israel. The only thing missing were the patesheem (toy squeaky hammers) that everyone goes around bopping people on the head with when Yom Ha’atzmaut starts. Maybe next year 🙂   -Mr. Arnet

Zayin (7th Grade)

Mazal Tov to our Zayin students and their families for inspiring so many outstanding mitzvah projects on Sun, Apr 30.  The Zayin students presented their projects to the entire community and after the school-wide presentation, led a question and answer session about their projects with the Dalet, Heh and Vav students.  Special thanks to the students who presented on behalf of the few students who couldn’t attend and to the teachers, Morah Sandra, Mr. S. and Mr. Arnet for all of their support throughout this process.  The mitzvah project tri-folds can be found lining the hallway on the first floor of the SJS building. -Mr. Sherman

The services this past Sunday at SJS were very moving. Having been in Israel on Yom Ha’atzmaut, listing to the siren on the video brought back so many memories. The transformation from a day of sorrow to a day of joy is so hard to comprehend unless you are there first hand to witness it.  The kids could truly feel joy and sorrow as if they were personally in Israel. The only thing missing were the patesheem (toy squeaky hammers) that everyone goes around bopping people on the head with when Yom Ha’atzmaut starts. Maybe next year 🙂   -Mr. Arnet

Returning to our curricular unit on koach hadibbur, the power of speech, we drew free-associative “brain maps” centered around the word “Jew.” We then examined a very recent New York Times op-ed column on different connotations of that word. We determined that, while it is clearly a less-than-ideal term in many people’s minds (often rejected in favor of describing someone as “Jewish”), the young people in our classroom felt that no such hesitancy existed in their conversational lives. We then talked about the ways in which other terms can be harmful or helpful as descriptors, depending on context and history. –Hazzan Szenes-Strauss (Mr. S.)

Prozdor (8th Grade)

This week we took a moment to discuss some of the wars Israel fought to become the nation it is today. We read a famous article written by a general at West Point. Please ask your child about the article and what there thoughts are regarding what the general had to say.  -Mr. Arnet

Pardes (9th & 10th Grades)

The Pardes class visited the Church of the Holy Spirit Episcopalian Church of Lake Forest, witnessed a Sunday service and met with the same young people who visited Am Yisrael a couple of months ago.  It was an outstanding experience, promoting compassion and understanding, recognition of our commonalities and respect for our differences.  The youth minister of the church accommodated us by bringing in kosher food at the Highland Park Jewel so we would be comfortable.

-Cantor Simon