Religious School Update – Oct. 19, 2022
Hello Everyone!
We are now well within the month of holidays! With Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur now behind us, it is time for rejoicing in the form of Sukkot and Simchat Torah, which will be the themes for the next couple of weeks. The teachers and I wanted to extend our deepest thanks and gratitude to all the parents who stayed to help set up our Sukkah last week. In my opinion, all the families set a record this year for the fastest time ever putting up the Sukkah! Our next class will be this Sunday, October 16, starting at 9:30 a.m. Our regular Tefillah Service will be modified to include a service for Simchat Torah, which will last until 10:30 a.m. Please invite friends and family if you like.
And now for the recap. Rabbi Dean and Chase led us in our Tefillah service before the classes went to their separate activities. The younger kids had a fun time making drawings related to Sukkot, including lulavs, etrogs, harvest items, etc. They also made special leaves with patterns made from sparkles and glue. At the same time, the Bnai Mitzvah class helped to build the Sukkah and then practiced the prayers for Chase’s Bar Mitzvah. For the second half of class, all the kids helped decorate the Sukkah with paper chains, lights, their special leaves, and other colorful accouterments. The Sukkah will be up for the rest of Sukkot so we encourage everyone who has not seen it yet to come by the Temple and take a look.
And that about covers it for now. I look forward to seeing y’all next week for Simchat Torah. And please pencil in your calendars for Friday, October 21, which will be both the next Youth Shabbat and Chase’s Bar Mitzvah, at 6:15 and 7:30 respectively. See y’all soon!
Best,
David
Religious School Update – October 27, 2022
October 27, 2022 by tbhrich • Beit Midrash
Shalom Everyone!
I wanted to thank all the families for their support last Friday in welcoming our own Chase McCrary as a Bnai Mitzvah and the newest adult in our community. It was such a thrill to have that tradition in person again and the teachers and I were deeply grateful you all got to share it with us. Here’s to future Bnai Mitzvahs for all kids in the coming years! In the meantime, our next class will be this Sunday, October 30, at 9:30 a.m. Please remember to bring jars of peanut butter for the Food for Thought drive.
And now for the recap. Larry, the rock of our Religious School, led our Tefillah service while Rabbi Dean was out of town helping with refugees. The younger kids learned all about Noah’s Ark, which was the subject of the Torah portions for the last two weeks. For my class, I invited the middle grades to join us in learning about the ins and outs of the Hebrew months and how they compare and contrast with the secular year. They learned about the difference between a solar and lunar calendar, why the Jewish New Year occurs in the 7th month, why there is a 13th month every third year or so, and many more fun facts. For the second half of class, the kids all came up with a mnemonic story to remember the Hebrew months. They go so creative with their story, it captured the imagination! Parents can ask their kids to tell them about the adventures of Ms. Anne, her mule, and the trip to the vet. You’ll never forget the Hebrew months again either.
And that about covers it for now. We’ll see you all on Sunday!
Best,
David