Tichon Class Update 5-6-18
Please note that our final day of SJS for this school year is Sun, May 20. We hope you will all join us. There is also a catered Shavuot kiddush lunch. Please be sure to RSVP if you would like to join us: http://evite.me/6NP7Pm3eVY
Tichon has been assigned to bring crackers for the end of the year Am Yisrael SJS Food Drive to support the clients of the Ark. Please note that you are welcome to bring any item, we have just found that assigning specific items helps with the variety of foods that we receive for these food drives.
Due to special programming, we did not have our regular Tichon session this week. Cantor Simon looks forward to teaching Tichon this Sun, May 13. Written Fri, May 11, 2018
Mr. Charlie Sherman
Head of School
csherman@amyisrael.org
Tichon Class Update 4-29-18
Please note that our final day of SJS for this school year is Sun, May 20. We hope you will all join us. There is also a catered Shavuot kiddush lunch. Please be sure to RSVP if you would like to join us: http://evite.me/6NP7Pm3eVY
Tichon has been assigned to bring crackers for the end of the year Am Yisrael SJS Food Drive to support the clients of the Ark. Please note that you are welcome to bring any item, we have just found that assigning specific items helps with the variety of foods that we receive for these food drives.
With the mounting pressure in Israel with Iran having troops so close to the border and the current threat with their nuclear capabilities, is it a good idea for Israel to do a preemptive strive or wait and see approach? The kids had some very definite thoughts on the matter. Please ask your son/daughter his/her thoughts.
We also went over the law of return in the Israeli constitution and what it means. The law clearly says says that every Jew has a right to live in Israel but what it does not do is, define who is a Jew? This led to a very interesting case of a young man born a Jew but became a monk and wanted to move to Israel using the law of return. Please ask your son/daughter about this most fascinating case. Shabbat Shalom! Written Fri, May 4, 2018
Mr. Allan Arnet
aarnet@amyisrael.org
Tichon Class Update 4-15-18
The Yom Hashoah program commemorated the 75th anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising, the single most important act of Jewish physical resistance during the Holocaust and the first urban rebellion anywhere in Nazi occupied Europe. The program emphasized the motivation of the ghetto fighters and the some 50,000 civilian residents still alive in the ghetto to go to their deaths resisting-to die with dignity. Since the Prozdor and Pardes classes are engaged in a unit of study focused on Jewish heroes, the program included information about two notable ones connected with the uprising. The first was Barbara Steiner who worked making weapons and tending the wounded during the rebellion. She was captured and miraculously survived Majdanek concentration camp and two slave labor camps. Mrs. Steiner and her family ultimately came to Chicago where she and other survivors founded the Holocaust Memorial Foundation of Illinois, the forerunner of the current museum. The second hero was Mordechai Anielewicz, the Zionist leader of the uprising who sought to uphold the honor of the Jewish people but perished along with many others in the rebellion. He was the heart and soul of this act of courage. Students did a very fine job summarizing Mordechai’s short life and achievements during the commemoration, which also included a presentation by Dr. Lefkovitz, musical renditions by Cantor Simon and thoughts from Rabbi Newman Kamin. Written by Dr. Elliot Lefkovitz Thu, Apr 19, 2018
Tichon Class Updates 4-8-18
We watched a short video about the Streits matzah factory and how matzah is made. We all found it fascinating and here is the link if you would like to watch https://www.facebook.com/daniel.hechtman.7/posts/1614827375299638. We also discussed the difference between a peaceful demonstration and a non-peaceful demonstration. Specifically as it pertains to the current Palestinian demonstration’s taking place on the Israel/Gaza border. Finally, we began a discussion about how two people looking at the same picture can see different things.
Mr. Allan Arnet
aarnet@amyisrael.org
Tichon Class Updates 3-11-18 & 3-18-18
This Week:
We started off class reading the passage at the beginning of the Haggadah that says “All Who Are Hungry Come And Eat” and ends off saying “This Year We Are Slaves Next Year May We Be Free”. I asked the teens to explain why the Haggadah is saying “We Are Slaves” and what that means. Before we could answer that question, we had to define what a slave is. Please ask student about the discussion and his/her opinion.
Last Week:
We had a great class with only three students in attendance each eager to learn. We started off the class with a lesson in “pay it forward”. Watch the link below and be inspired. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUBTAdI7zuY We then started our unit on Passover by reviewing how Joseph ended up in Egypt, how he became second in command and why when his family came to Egypt did he move them to Goshen instead of Egypt. We spoke about assimilation and our quest to fit in and belong. We will continue with the hagadah next week.
Shabbat Shalom!
Mr. Allan Arnet
aarnet@amyisrael.org
Tichon Class Update 3-4-18
We had a great class with only three students in attendance each eager to learn. We started off the class with a lesson in “pay it forward”. Watch the link below and be inspired. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUBTAdI7zuY We then started our unit on Passover by reviewing how Joseph ended up in Egypt, how he became second in command and why when his family came to Egypt did he move them to Goshen instead of Egypt. We spoke about assimilation and our quest to fit in and belong. We will continue with the hagadah next week.
Shabbat Shalom!
Mr. Allan Arnet
aarnet@amyisrael.org
Tichon Class Update 2-11-18
We spent some time talking about Vashti from the Purim story. Was she a hero or a villain? It is very interesting to hear the students talk about the different points of view. Please ask your Tichon student what their feeling is as well as telling them yours. We started to review the Knesset in Israel and how it differs from our election system in the United States. We also discussed how in Israel we vote for a set of ideals as opposed to an individual person. Please ask your Tichon student how many people make up the Knesset.
Shabbat Shalom!
Mr. Allan Arnet
Tichon Class Update 2-4-18
I asked the students to name something they felt passionate towards. I then went on to explain about the Ayalon institute, a place I visited when I was just in Israel. It happens to tie in nicely with our Israel unit. Please watch the video below, I think you will also be very inspired.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQNw5MA3DII
Mr. Allan Arnet
Tichon Class Update 1-28-18
In Tichon on January 28, among the various current events topics, we discussed the President’s pronouncement that Jerusalem is recognized as the capital of Israel. We discussed the motivation behind the decision, looking at the Jewish donors to his camoaign and the Evangelical Christians who could have prompted this bold move.
Cantor Stuart Simon
Tichon Class Update 1-14-18
On Sunday, January 14, Tichon students listened to a presentation by representatives of A Wider Bridge. A Wider Bridge is the North American LGBTQ organization building support for Israel and its LGBTQ community. Students were attentive and mature, and were pleased that the same efforts toward inclusiveness and understanding that we experience in the United States are also being made in our Jewish homeland.
Cantor Stuart Simon
Tichon Class Update 12-10-17
In class we discussed why we celebrate Chanukah for 8 days if the actual miracle was seven days. The oil was supposed to burn one day so that does not factor into the miracle. Please ask your child and see if they remember. We learned about America recognizing Jerusalem as the capital and what that could mean. We discussed if it was a good idea or not and what the ramifications might be. Chanukah Sameach!
Mr. Allan Arnet
Tichon Class Update 12-3-17
This week in class I showed the kids a video about making a difference in the world and how at any age, you have the power to make change. Here is the video I showed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuKqMoWHt54. We delved into the different forms of Zionism and why we felt they may or may not work. We spoke about assimilation and the need to maintain our Jewish identity. We spoke about the kibbutz system and how ideologically it sounds good but practically it had no chance. Ask your child why.
Mr. Allan Arnet
Tichon Class Updates Week of Oct 29, 2017
The students were really into the discussion regarding the power of one. Please ask your student about it. The Tichon students were also fascinated with Avraham and how he stood up for what he believed in. Even if it meant disagreeing with G-d and challenging Him or Her. Standing up for what we know is right is not always a simple and easy task. Just ask your student. However, it is important that we constantly strive to do what is right and be the voice for those who need.
Mr. Allan Arnet
Tichon Class Updates Week of Oct 15, 2017
We had a very special guest speaker address the class. The sofer, Rabbi Salazar, came to discuss how he will be writing the Torah for Am Yisrael and everything that goes into writing a Torah, as well as how to become a sofer as well. Very fascinating!
Mr. Allan Arnet
Tichon Class Updates Week of Oct 8, 2017
The 11/12 Tichon class discussed gun control, especially given the horrific massacre which just took place in Las Vegas.
Cantor Stuart Simon
This Sun, Oct 8 was my first Sunday with the 9/10 Tichon class for 2017-2018. It was so nice to be in the classroom with your children on Sunday. I am so happy to be back. We started off by watching a short video on Zionism and the history of Israel going all the way back to the promise G-D made to the Jewish people. We also spoke about Abraham being the father of 2 nations to try and understand on a superficial level what the conflict over the land is about. Lastly, we started talking about B’Talim Alokim (In G-D’s image). What it means to be created in G-d’s image and is there an added responsibility because of it. We will continue with the discussion next week. Please ask your child what they feel it means to be created in G-d’s image.
Chag Sameach!
Mr. Allan Arnet
Mr. Sherman’s Blog 