Beit Midrash

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

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

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

L’Shana Tova Everyone!
Can we believe the High Holy Days are now here? Soon we will reach Yom Kippur and get well into the Fall. It was great to see all the families who attended Rosh Hashana services this past Sunday and Monday. As I mentioned, I will try to secure child care for the Yom Kippur services so I will keep everyone updated. And our next class will be this Sunday, October, 2, starting at 9:30 a.m. with Tefillah.
And now for the recap. Rabbi Dean and Chase led us in our Tefillah service. The classes then adjourned to learn all about Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, and the values and symbolism expressed in those holidays. The kids watched videos, drew pictures, and learned the ins and outs of the High Holy Days. By far the most excitement came at the end of the day when all the kids were given mini Shofars by Heather and Jenny. Many a call was heard for the rest of the day!
For the Bnai Mitzvah class, we mainly worked on Chases’ preparation for his upcoming Bar Mitzvah in October. Along with practicing Torah portions and Haftorah reading, we also reflected on the past year and what to expect for the upcoming year. Our activity consisted of writing down our best memory of the year and then washing it away; throwing and drop kicking a rock and a pine cone to symbolize getting rid of an action we were ashamed or or regretted this past year; and finally making “5783” out of twigs, standing in the middle, and making a promise to ourselves to accomplish something we want to do for the new year.
And that about covers it for now. I look forward to seeing y’all for Yom Kippur.

Best,
David

Shalom Everyone!

It was great to see everyone again after a three week break for Labor Day and the Solano Stroll.  Thankfully, our schedule will now be a bit more predictable as we will have Religious School every Sunday between now and November.  Our next class will be this Sunday, September 25, starting at 9:30 a.m. with a Tefillah service.  

And now for the recap.  Rabbi Dean led us in our Tefillah Service with help from Chase, who is practicing for his Bar Mitzvah coming up on October 22.  It’s always so exciting to see one of our students make their transition into Jewish adulthood.  Afterward, the younger grades learned about Rosh Hashana, including picking out their own pomegranates, the symbolism of apples and honey, and enjoying a sweet home-made Challah snack.  The Bnai Mitzvah class mainly worked on Chase’s Torah Portion, simulated carrying a Torah, and thinking about the meaning of Genesis to prepare for his Dvar Torah.  

And that about covers it for now.  If any families would like to have child care at TBH during the High Holidays, please send me an email so we can try to accommodate.  I look forward to seeing everyone at the High Holiday service.  

Best,

David

Hello Everyone!

  And so we have made it!  Our final Religious School session will take place this Sunday, June 12, at our regular time of 9:30 a.m.  We plan to have an abbreviated session with just a short Tefillah Service and our traditional end of the year Mensch Award ceremony (first time in person in 3 years).  When that is done, all families will head out to the Contemporary Jewish Museum for our grand tour.  The tour begins at 12:00 p.m. so we should have plenty of time to get there.  We will all meet at the entrance.  They do not have parking at the museum but the director said there are three parking garages nearby.  The tour will last a little over an hour and then Religious School will be officially done for the year.  If anyone requires a carpool for their kids, please let me know and we can accommodate (I have extra space in our van).

  And now for the recap.  Rabbi Dean led us in our Tefillah service and gave insights into the holiday of Shavuot.  Afterwards, all the kids went with me for a combined class learning about Shavuot.  We learned the origins and symoblism of Shavuot, especially its connection to the giving of the Torah and the harvest season.  The kids then made special flowers and a fruit basket, sketched images of tractors and orchards, and listened to a story about how the fictional community of Chelm received 3 extra commandments thanks to Shavuot.

     For the second half of class, all the kids got to taste traditional treats that we eat on Shavuot, especially dairy treats.  They all tried labhneh cheese with graham crackers, bagels with ricotta cheese and tomatoes and basil, and focaccia bread.  So delicious! 

     And that about covers it.  On behalf of the teachers and staff, I would like to thank all the parents for such a wonderful year and to an even better one to come.  We’ll see everyone at the Temple at 9:30 on Sunday and then off to our special tour at CJM.  Please let me know if you have any questions.

Best,

David 

Hello Everyone!

We had such an exciting time this past Sunday!  I wanted to thank Larry, Jenny, and all the parents who helped make our Lag B’Omer festivities a success!  Just as a reminder, we will be on break next week for Memorial Day but resume our Religious School for the final two sessions on June 5 and June 12.  Also, on June 12 we will have our trip to the Contemporary Jewish Museum.  Please fill in how many members of your family would like to come on the sign up sheet below (it was not working before but I adjusted it so it should work now) so we can arrange transportation and give the museum guide an idea of the size of our group.  For Temple members who are not in religious school right now, we have a limited number of extra spaces so please fill in your family as well if you would like to join us.

And now for the recap.  Larry led our Tefillah Service today with his usual skill as a substitute for Rabbi Dean.  For the first hour of class, each class learned about the history and symbolism of Lag B’Omer.  The kids helped decorate and put together a bow and arrow set, made a wooden bonfire picture frame, and learned about the traditions of Lag B’Omer.  For the second half of class, all the kids got to enjoy s’mores over a fire, roasted baked potatoes, and best of all, practice their archery skills with three different bow and arrow sets.  With plenty of practice, the kids got to be pretty good shots, hitting the target multiple times.  Lag B’Omer is such a wonderful spring holiday!

 And that about covers it for now.  Everyone enjoy the long weekend and we’ll see y’all back in June!

Best,

David

Shalom Everyone!
Incredibly, the end of the school year is almost upon us. We have several exciting activities to finish out the year. First of all, next week on May 22 starting at 9:30 a.m. we will restart our annual Lag B’Omer celebration after Tefillah Service. We will be roasting potatoes and making smores so parents and Temple members are all welcome. Also, on June 12 we will have our trip to the Contemporary Jewish Museum. Please fill in how many members of your family would like to come on the sign up sheet below so we can arrange transportation and give the museum guide an idea of the size of our group. For Temple members who are not in religious school right now, we have a limited number of extra spaces so please fill in your family as well if you would like to join us.
And now for the recap. Rabbi Dean led us in our weekly Tefillah Service. The lower grades had a lot of fun with Jenny working on their personal mezuzahs. They also made homemade lemonade, which was delicious! All the kids were also preparing for the Lag B’Omer activities for next week, including setting up for an archery competition. We’ll see who has the straightest shot!
We’ll see everyone next week!

Best,
David

Hello Everyone,

Happy May!  This week I will give a briefer report because the Zimring/Lesch family was at the Youth Baseball Day at the Coliseum for the A’s game last Sunday.  All the kids got to walk on the field! (will show pictures at our next session).  Since Mother’s Day is coming up, we will not have Religious School on May 8 but will resume on May 15 at our usual time of 9:30 a.m. 

And now for the brief recap.  Jenny graciously handled most of the class work on Sunday.  The main theme was making presents for Mother’s Day for all the hardworking moms at Temple Beth Hillel.  When we return, all the classes will be celebrating Yom Haatzmauut and Lag B’Omer, the next big holidays on the calendar.

Everyone have a wonderful Mother’s Day!  See y’all back on the 15th.

Best,

David

Shalom Everyone!

Incredibly, the school year is fast winding down as we approach the month of May.  We will have our next Religious School this Sunday, May 1, at our usual time of 9:30 a.m.  We will then take the next week off in observance of Mother’s Day.

And now for the recap.  Rabbi Dean led us in our Tefillah Service to start off the day.  Then the younger grades all participated in an activity with Ms. Heather to learn about the Holocaust.  They watched a video about the children affected by the Holocaust and how one child made butterflies to remind her of the beauty of the world in the midst of suffering.  All the kids then made their own butterflies in commemoration of those who were lost in that tragic period.

For the Bnai Mitzvah class, we are preparing a combined Yom Hashoah/Yom Haatzmaut activity based on the theme of tragedy and rebirth.  We will learn about the hard decisions made by families during the Holocaust about hiding from the Nazis in Europe, fighting back, taking the risk of sheltering those in need, etc.  Afterwards, we will explore the creation of Israel as a symbol of rebirth in the world Jewish community and what was required to create the first majority Jewish state in thousands of years.

And that about covers it for now.  Please let me know if you would like to join us on our trip to the Contemporary Jewish Museum on June 12 and I will see how many extra tickets we have after accounting for kids, teachers, and parents.  Thanks everyone and we’ll see you in May!

Best,

David