Board of Education Update February 2018

We are back from Winter Break, back to school and back to shule! We eased back into Sunday School on January 7th with our Teen Class and Seedlings. Junior Congregation met on the 7th also.

Classroom lessons included a wide variety of topics. Our Teen Class is exploring world religions and discussing commonalities as well as dif-ferences with Judaism.

Our 4th-6th graders are discussing “Sh’mirat ha Tevah”, a Jewish value that has to do with protecting the environment. Discussions have in-cluded how Jewish traditions value nature and the natural beauty of the world, and how we can take care of the earth, using its resources responsibly. Mar Freedman gave each of the students a succulent plant to be responsible for and take care of. Our 4th-6th graders have also been engaged in an ISJL lesson that was focused on what it means when a Jewish baby is born – how the baby enters into a “brit” with God and the Jewish people with ceremony and blessings. It was also explained that while a baby’s parents are directly in charge of raising the baby, the community also has a role in influencing that baby’s life. The students learned what the saying: “It takes a village to raise a child” means. Our 1st-3rd grade class have been discussing Jewish symbols, what they mean, where to find them, and how to identify them. They have enjoyed playing the game,Pictionary, while drawing the symbols for each other to guess what they are.Our Seedlings were introduced to TuB’Shevat with crafts, stories, games, songs, planting, and yoga. All of our classes continue to collect tzedakah for their class projects.

Thanks to Jenna Denisar who prepared our TuB’Shevat activity and snacks on January 28th. Our students learned that there are fruits you peel and eat the inside; that you eat the outside but not the inside; and those that you can eat the entire fruit. She provided discussion questions for the classes to learn more about TuB’Shevat.

Rockin’ Shabbat was held on January 19th.

Looking ahead, the Barton’s Passover Candy Sale will kick off in February so please continue to support our students and religious school with your orders!