Hello Everyone!
We hope all the kids had a wonderful time on Halloween night this year. It really felt like a return to pre-pandemic times, with so many kids in great costumes and not needing to wear masks outside. As we enter November, I would like to remind you that we have our next Religious School class this Sunday, November 6, at 9:30 a.m. That day is also Daylight Saving Time so remember to switch your clocks before arriving. We will then have a week off on November 13 and return on November 20. Please also remember to bring jars of peanut butter for the Food for Thought Drive. Finally, mark your calendars for April 16, when our school will have a special time at Urban Adamah in Berkeley.
And now for the recap. Larry once again helped us out by leading the Tefillah service while Rabbi Dean was out of town. In the younger kids’ classes, Heather led a lesson on Anti-Bullying. First they learned what bullying means and then found out that once you say something, the words are out and you can’t take them back. Words have meaning and they can hurt. The kids then came up with Anti-Bullying Slogans, including:
“Say NO to BULLYING”
“Be Nice”
“Don’t be a BULLY”
“Don’t Laugh at Me”
and many more. It was a great lesson and all the kids were so creative with it.
In the B’nai Mitzvah class, we started our curriculum on the Jewish Life Cycle. For the next few weeks we will learn about the major events in a Jewish Life Time, what they symbolize, and how they still have value in the modern world.
And that about covers it for now. Everyone enjoy their extra hour on Saturday night before the early darkness reappears for us until the Spring. See y’all on Sunday!
Best,
David
Religious School Update – January 26, 2023
January 26, 2023 by tbhrich • Beit Midrash
Hello Everyone!
And welcome back once again after a short break. We will now be able to have a more regular schedule now that the major holidays are done. We will have Religious School for the next three weeks until mid-February for the school break. Just as importantly, a huge thank you to all the parents who assisted in putting in the new sand and wood chips for the playground last Sunday. We could not have done it without you. Our next Religious School will take place on Sunday, January 29, starting at 9:30 a.m. And in two weeks on February 5, we will have our TuB’shvat celebration (more details to come).
And now for the recap. Rabbi Dean and Cantor Marney led our Tefillah service, with Cantor Marney teaching us new TuB’shvat songs to sing in the next few weeks. While the younger grades were starting to learn about TuB’shvat, the B’nai Mitzvah class continued our multi-week project about what it means to live a Jewish life. For the first hour, we continued our studies of the Hebrew language. The kids can now ask basic questions, make simple statements, and engage in brief conversations all in Hebrew. For the second hour, we discussed the value of having to do something you may not want to do but will benefit you in the future. All the kids wrote down activities in their lives that they liked to do or had to do, why it was a good idea to still do things they may not like, and what that means for their future. We ended by looking at two texts from the Midrash about observing Torah and doing the right thing as often as possible, even if it is for the wrong reason, in order to build habits of a good life. We will continue this lesson next week before shifting to TuB’shvat.
And that about covers it for now. Please remember to sign up to bring snacks for the kids on the sign-in sheet in the main hallway of the classroom building. Thanks everyone!
Best,
David