Education – 1st and 2nd Grade (Kaufman)

10/19: Today in class, we worked on:

  1. Today was our boker b’yachad.  Not only did we have perfect attendance, but everyone had at least one adult with them!
  2. We started in the classroom, parents and students together. We shared “Chesed Happenings” which means Acts of Kindness and Love moments in their lives.  We also shared our favorite thing to do as a family on a rainy day.
  3. Then K – 2 parents, joined Gan – 3rd grade students in T’fillah, led by Rabbi Bellows and Morah Alexa. Rabbi Bellows told us of Noah’s wife, Nachama, and how she was responsible for gathering all the seeds of plants before the flood.
  4. The students worked on the Hebrew letters in the word SHABBAT- SHIN, TAV and BET and their “saying sounds”. We read in our pamphlets on the meaning of Shabbat, what items we use. We learned that we can celebrate it at home and in the synagogue.  Our parents spent time studying with Rabbi Bellows.
  5. Our parents came back and joined Gan – 3rd grade in Shira led by Morah Alexa.  We had a great time learning new songs and singing some of our favorites.  Many of our students even led the hand movements for two of the songs!
  6. We all went back to the classroom, with our parents, and created a set of candle sticks. The students also worked on a Shabbat worksheet and how their families are special and unique and How they can create new memories together.  This will be turned into a drip mat for the candlesticks.
  7. Lihitaot (good-bye)!  We had so much fun learning together this morning and it was wonderful being with you all. See you next week!

Homework to be completed by next class:

  1. Please remember tzedakah.

10/12: Today in class, we worked on:

  1. Students shared “Chesed Happenings” which means Acts of Kindness and Love moments in their lives.
  2. We enjoyed being together with Kitah 3rd grade and Rabbi Bellows with Morah Alexa for T’Fillah.  
  3. We read in our pamphlet on the Jewish holiday, Simchat Torah. The holiday we celebrate and appreciate the Torah.
  4. We then returned to class and learned of the ancient tradition of flags for Simchat Torah, how it is traditional to carry them on each hakafah (or circle) around the Torah. Students then joined in a global project to create Simchat Torah Flags that will be uploaded to their website in of the Torah, the Jewish people, and our next holiday of Simchat Torah (10/13- 10/14).
  5. We had a great time at Shira with 3rd grade. Morah Alexa taught us new songs and we sang some of our favorites.
  6. We started the lesson in Hebrew book Letter Nun with the “saying sound” N.
  7. We did some Hebrew Yoga with the Hebrew letters we have learned so far.
  8. Lihitaot (good-bye)! See you next week!

Homework to be completed by next class:

  1. Please remember tzedakah.

10/5: Today in class, we worked on:

  1. Today was Yom Sukkot in Religious School
  2. For this session, we met at the synagogue.  We began in the sanctuary for an all school t’fillah led by Rabbi Prass, Morah Alexa, and Luke K.  We lit a yahrtzeit candle for the 2nd anniversary of October 7th.  Then we joined together in making Havdalah. 
  3. After that we split into 4 Sukkot based rotations:
    • Making yellow paperchain to decorate the sukkah. We wrote the names of the remaining 48 hostages on each slip of paper.
    • We played charades with Sukkot and Simchat Torah themes/ideas.
    • We visited the sukkah with Rabbi Bellows, learned about the sukkah, lulav, and etrog.  We had the opportunity to shake the lulav & etrog.  We talked about what middot (values) we would invite into the sukkah this 5786 as our ushpizin (sukkot guests)
    • We did a sukkah ‘scavenger hunt’ to help us think about what we have/do at home that brings the sukkot lessons home.
  4. We came back together in the sanctuary for an all school shira led by Morah Alexa and 5th grader Luke K. 
  5. Then we celebrated the Auf Ruf of Morah Rachel (5th grade) and Moreh Aaron (6th grade) who are getting married next Sunday. 
  6. We ended with Sukkot trivia led by Rabbi Bellows.

Homework to be completed by next class:

  1. Please remember tzedakah.

9/28: Today in class, we worked on:

  1. Students shared “Chesed Happenings” which means Acts of Kindness and Love moments in their lives.
  2. The class enjoyed the book, Chicken Soup, Chicken Soup; by Pamela Mayer. 
  3. At Tefilla, Rabbi Prass and Morah Alexa led Gan – 3rd graders in t’fillah. Rabbi Prass taught us about the importance of second chances as we get ready for Yom Kippur.
  4. In class we learned another Hebrew letter  TAV. We learned that it has a “ tapping toe” in the front, it also can be with a dot or not in the middle. We located the letter from our flashcards  and learned the saying sound it has “T” and worked on the activities in our books.
  5. At Shira, Morah Alexa taught Gan – 3rd grade a song “Tap Your Heart” to get us ready for Yom Kippur.
  6. Read and did activities in our Sukkot pamphlets. (Next week we will meet at the Synagogue, not at JCYS).
  7. Played Hebrew 4- Corners.
  8. Lihitaot (good-bye)! See you next week!

Homework to be completed by next class:

  1. Please remember tzedakah.

9/21: Today in class, we worked on:

  1. Students shared “Chesed Happenings” which means Acts of Kindness and Love moments in their lives.
  2. The class and I went around and had a scavenger hunt at JCYS. We had to locate many key areas and met some important people along the way, and had fun while doing it. 
  3. We started with tefilot with Rabbi Bellows and Morah Alexa. We learned why we bow during the Barchu. Emmy Shorr, Luke Kanter, and Landon Gehrke were the students who had mastered blowing the Shofar and helped us fulfill the mitzvah of hearing the shofar during this month of Elul.
  4. In class we learned another Hebrew letter  BET. We learned that it has a “belly button” in the middle. We located the letter from our flashcards  and learned the saying sound it has “B” and worked on the activities in our books.
  5. K – 3rd grades joined for Shirah with Morah Alexa and sang fun songs, including one about a train in Hebrew!
  6. Read and did activities in our Yom Kippur pamphlets.
  7. Played Hebrew 4- Corners.
  8. Lihitaot (good-bye)! See you next week!

Homework to be completed by next class:

  1. Please remember tzedakah.

9/14: Today in class, we worked on:

  1. Students shared “Chesed Happenings” which means Acts of Kindness and Love moments in their lives.
  2. We made and decorated Rosh Hashanah cards for the College students. 
  3. K – 3rd grade started with tefilah with Rabbi Bellows and Morah Alexa and began to learn about tefillot and talked about Rosh Hashanah.
  4. In class I distributed the books and we started to look through them. We started to learn with the flashcards and Hebrew Letters and their “saying sounds”.
  5. K – 3rd grade then joined Morah Alexa for shira and learned and sang some fun songs, including ones for Rosh Hashahah, and heard Rabbi Prass blow the shofar for this Hebrew month of Elul.
  6. I read the book, The Hardest Word: A Yom Kippur Story, by Jacqueline Jules.
  7. Lihitaot (good-bye)! See you next week!

Homework to be completed by next class:

  1. Please remember tzedakah.

9/7: Today in class, we worked on:

  1. The whole school gathered to start off the year with a fun assembly which included prayer, hearing the shofar for Elul, minute to win it Jewish style, and confetti ‘canons’!  It was lovely to have so many parents join us!
  2. Then, K – 2nd grade parents joined me to learn what their students will be doing this year while the students stayed with Morah Alexa and the madrichim.
  3. In class with our parents to get an overview of the year in review.  Showing the books, pamphlets and Hebrew Letters we will be using in class.
  4. We had a great time at Shira with the other classrooms and Morah Alexa learning new songs and singing some of our favorites.
  5. Students shared “Chesed Happenings” which means Acts of Kindness and Love moments in their lives.
  6. I read the book, Sammy Spider’s New Friend, by Sylvia A. Rouss.
  7. Students received lollipops on their way out to celebrate the tradition that Jewish learning should be sweet
  8. Lihitaot (good-bye)! See you next week!

Homework to be completed by next class:

  1. Please remember tzedakah.