Hey – Fifth Year – Wednesday (Pearlman)

10/22: Today in class, we worked on:

  1. The entire school gathered in the sanctuary for t’fillah led by Rabbi Pras, and this week three of our 7th graders/hey students helped lead. Rabbi Prass talked about the end of this month of Tishrei, and how on Thursday night we begin the new month of Cheshvan, and how that brings new opportunities.
  2. Thank you to the students/parents who brought in current news from Israel.  We started our class with information sharing from the students.
  3. We then moved to a class team competition with questions generated by the students on what they have learned about Israel thus far. I am so proud!!
  4. This was followed by a short video bringing the student to modern times about the controversies over the land.  Students took notes (and asked questions). I stopped the clip every few minutes to make sure that the students caught the important information.
  5. We then moved to the topic of Innovation and Technology, and the students took a short pre- unit questionnaire.  At the end of class I handed out replication of a post October 7th painting (I did not tell them of the dating) and asked the students to tell me what they saw.  Their interpretations were profound and insightful.
  6. If students have a laptop or tablet and are able to bring it to class next week it would be appreciated.

Homework to be completed by next class:

  1. Find out another item that was discovered/created in Israel.

10/15: Today in class, we worked on:

  1. We joined the rest of the school and Rabbi Prass for tefillot.  We reviewed the recent holidays thru by looking at the symbols of the shofar, white Torah mantel, lulav, and etrog. We heard how the dried lulav sounds like rain, since the rainy season in Israel has now begun and some of the prayers we say ask for bountiful rain. We also spoke of the recent release of several hostages from Hamas and answered students’ questions.  We concluded with singing Hatikvah.
  2. As a follow up to our previous session on who initially had a vested interested in “the land” the students read original sources of three documents to resolve the issue.
  3. The class was divided into groups each with a different document: the Balfour Declaration, the Sykes-Picot agreement, the Feisel-McMahon agreement and the agreement supported by the Leagues of Nations. Each was represented by parties other than those with a direct interest and none of these promises were kept.
  4. As the examination developed I hope that the students began to understand the complexity of the history and the need for resolution and the rights of all.

Homework to be completed by next class:

  1. I asked the students to bring in a sample of some news about Israel that they heard or read during the week.

10/8: Today in class, we worked on:

  1. The entire school started our session with tefillah led by Rabbi Prass.  We had a short ceremony to mark the 2nd anniversary of the October 7th attack.  We lit a yahrzeit candle, observed a moment of silence.  Then Rabbi Prass asked what we knew about October 7th and what questions we had.  We concluded joining in singing Hatikvah, Israel’s national anthem. 
  2. Celebrated Sukkot outside in the sukkah. Kitah Hey went with Rabbi Prass to the Sukkah.  We reviewed what makes the sukkah unique building and what makes up the lulav/etrog.  Then we each got to shake the lulav and etrog. Students were very interested and asked Rabbi many questions. It was a great experience.
  3. We began our unit on Israel in earnest as we anticipated the marking of October 7th, the 2nd anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel. We began with a short video giving a perspective on the importance of “the land” to both Jews and Arabs. We then explored the difference between nationalism and patriotism. Students shared their own perspectives.
  4. This is a great class willing to share their own ideas as well as take in what is presented.
  5. Before they left for the day I asked each student what they learned and I was so excited to hear that they learned so much and they were so willing to share! Kudos to you, the parents, for raising such great kids!

Homework to be completed by next class:

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9/17: Today in class, we worked on:

  1. Our session began with Tefillah where Rabbi Prass reviewed how our services are structured. We discussed why we are wearing kippot during Hebrew School t’fillot. We then prayed the avot v’imahot and sang the Israeli National Anthem.
  2. This week we spent the beginning of the session looking at the Avinu Malkeinu prayer.  I asked the students to select the most meaningful statement from the prayer and then find someone else in the class who also selected the same statement.  The students then shared why they selected that statement. Most of the students had never read this prayer most likely because this would be the first year they would join the adult service.  Then the students were asked to create their own statement to add what they would add to this prayer.  Each student shared his/her own statement.  These statements were very well throughout and meaningful.
  3. After a short break we moved to the Israel segment of our curriculum. Students were asked to write an identity statement. I was impressed that the students took this seriously and spent time thinking before they wrote their thoughts.  This was followed by a chart of a number of Jewish values. After reviewing them I asked each student to select 4 they thought were the most important for them and then look at their identity page and see which were included in their statement.  Next session I will give the students an opportunity to revise their statements with these values in mind.
  4. Please be sure to have your student bring Tzedakah.
  5. Shanah Tovah, Fran Pearlman

Homework to be completed by next class:

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9/10: Today in class, we worked on:

  1. We had a great class!
  2. We started with some ice breakers on birthdays and Bar/Bat Mitzvah dates followed by some administrative tasks.
  3. As an introduction to this semester’s topic- Israel- the students viewed 15 different photos and tried to identify them. Many of the students labeled them with generic terms such as “beach”, a building, etc. Everyone got the Israeli and American flag correct! I then asked the students to write down three things they knew about Israel and three things they wanted to know.
  4. We will be using an up to the minute program called Israellink. You can view it by clicking here www.israellink.org
  5. Please have your students bring Tzedakah every Wednesday as well as his/her water bottle.
  6. If you have any concerns or questions please feel free to email me at Pearlsedr@gmail.com
  7. I wish each of you a Shanah Tovah- a Happy, Healthy and Peaceful New Year! Morah Fran

Homework to be completed by next class:

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