Words of Wisdom - Chayyei Sarah

Sarah's Tent was the ultimate Shabbat place - ever fragrant with freshly baked challah and glowing with Shabbat candlelight.

As we prepare for Shabbat, we remember Sarah's example. Even the youngest descendents of Abraham and Sarah can experience the spirit of Shabbat in wise and wonderful ways.

The following are excerpts from an article on Shabbat preparations from the perspective of the Early Childhood Center classroom. This article appeared in a recent edition of the online newsletter "TAPBB" (Torah Aura Productions Bulletin Board). The authors, Idie Benjamin and Dale Sides Cooperman, are master Early Childhood educators who have written "Drops of Honey," a series of holiday and values lessons for the Early Childhood Center classroom. The "Drops of Honey" series is published by Torah Aura Productions www.torahaura.com
You may view the entire article at http://tapbb.wordpress.com/2010/10/24/shabbat-why/

"Welcoming children with 'Shabbat Shalom' instead of 'Boker Tov' begins the morning differently. There could be special, quieter materials that only are available on Friday. All week long, we paint, glue, etc. to make things for holidays and other curriculum areas. Friday could be a day for only process-not-product art activities - playing in shaving cream, a water table full of cotton balls and feathers, soft blocks, and other sensory materials. Baking hallah fill the classroom with delicious smells and provide yet another special sensory experience. Do the teachers and children dress differently to mark the day?

Do we give children an opportunity to reflect on the week? What are their memories of what has happened in the classroom? As we pass the tzedakah box, children can tell a mitzvah they did that week."

..."What is the tone you want to set? How do you begin so as to set that tone? Dale invites the children into the room one-by-one. To each child, she bends down and quietly asks, 'Are you ready for Shabbat?' They enter with a sense of the wonder that is about to happen."

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There is so much for us to learn (or re-learn) from those who are just starting their Jewish Journey.
Are you ready for Shabbat?

Shabbat Shalom - Rest and Renew

Shalom Kitah Gimel Students and Families #5

We began with the Blessing for Torah Study and the Blessing for cookies. (Students who are present when class begins at 4:30 receive "on-time" Oreos!)
This week, our attendance conversation was conducted entirely by a student. In the coming weeks, each student will have a turn to lead the attendance question and answer process.
As we've learned the Hebrew words for "cold" (kar) and "rain" (geshem), we've added a weekly weather report - another opportunity to acquire and use Hebrew vocabulary.

Students continue to study the weekly Torah portions (Parshot) in chevruta groups. The Parsha for Shabbat, Chayyei Sarah (Life of Sarah), begins with Sarah's death. Students translated the first line of the Parsha and discovered that Sarah lived to be 127!
Chayyyei Sarah describes in detail, Abraham's purchase of a burial site, the cave of Machpelah, from the Hittites. A student perceptively noted that Abraham insisted on buying the cave rather than receiving it as a gift from the owner, in order to make his possession of that site "official."
Another student suggested that Abraham readily paid the full price for the cave in recognition of the owner's kindness in offering it as a gift.
While Chayyei Sarah deals with the deaths of both Sarah and Abraham, it has a happier side in telling of the successful search for a bride for Isaac, the son of Abraham and Sarah. The chevruta groups described the discovery of beautiful, kind Rebecca and the "love at first sight" meeting between Isaac and Rebecca.
One group shared the midrash that told how Sarah's tent, dark since her death, once more filled with light and the fragrance of challah when Isaac brought Rebecca to live there.

In the modern Hebrew lesson, students reviewed Hebrew vocabulary learned so far, by writing original sentences and questions. They asked thoughtful questions to better understand the differences between Hebrew and English language structure.
Six new vocabulary words were introduced as we near the end of Chapter 3 in Shalom Ivrit. Students made vocabulary cards for home study. Not only does the achbar (mouse) have a kupsa (box), it now has a cova (hat), m'il (coat), and a mitria (umbrella)!

As you can see, in 60 minutes of class time, we cover a number of subjects and skill areas. It's very important that students arrive on time in order to participate fully in all learning activities.

In T'fila, the Cantor reviewed the structure and meaning of the evening prayer service and led students in a spirited rendition of Mi Chamocha. As students read the last line of the "going to sleep" prayer, day was fading into evening. In the coming weeks, please plan to join our students for T'fila.

L'hitraot - See you soon,
Morah Ronni

The Museum of International Folklore - Part II

In my post for 10/18/10, I described a visit to the Museum of International Folk Art www.internationalfolkart.org and suggested several learning activities inspired by the Girard Collection of Folk Art - a major permanent exhibition. Unlike most museum displays, the Girard Collection has no labels. Alexander Girard, the collector, designed the exhibition. He placed each of the 100,000 folk art pieces in a particular grouping or location within the exhibition space. Girard specifically directed that there be no identifying labels on the pieces.
It was Girard's wish that each visitor to the exhibition connect with the pieces in a personal way and take away an individualized understanding of the total experience. Because there are so many diverse, thought-provoking pieces, it's impossible to take in every detail in one visit - or even in ten visits! Each time one re-visits the Girard Collection, new insights and additional connections are formed.

Unlike the Girard Collection, Jewish education has lots of labels: Torah Study, Jewish History, Holidays, Israel Studies, Siddur Hebrew, Spoken Hebrew, Values and Ethics, Family
Education, Adult Education, Post B'nai Mitzvah Education, Early Childhood Education, Informal Education...and more.These labels represent our efforts, as educators, to engage students of varying ages and backgrounds in all facets of Jewish living and learning.

Still, let's consider taking a cue from the Girard Collection. Let's include in our programs, opportunities for students to relate and integrate the various labelled "pieces" of Jewish knowledge; to form personal connections to the topics we introduce; to discover themes and patterns in Sacred Texts and the cycle of celebrations; to express and act upon their evolving understanding of Judaism.

One more observation - While re-visiting a museum is a choice we occasionally make, re-visiting "The House of Study" and all that that phrase implies, is a Mitzvah which we are given a lifetime to fulfill.

Words of Wisdom for Shabbat - Vayera

The beginning of Parshat Vayera tells how Abraham reached out and welcomed visitors to his tent.
The Midrash excerpt below describes how Sarah's tent was also special. My Hebrew School students enjoyed reading and discussing this section of a longer Midrash.

"Sarah had a tent of her own. Every time that the family made camp, Sarah's tent was set up first. Abraham taught the men about the One God. Sarah was the women's teacher. Abraham's tent had doors on all four sides so that everyone who was looking for hospitality could easily find their way in. Sarah's tent was where Shabbat was created. Every week Sarah baked hallah. Every week Sarah lit Shabbat candles. The smell of the hallah lasted from week to week. It was always in the tent. The Shabbat lights burned from one Shabbat until the next set were kindled. The tent always smelled of hallah. It was always a place of light.

The Shekhinah is the part of God that gets close to people. It is the part that can be our neighbor. God was comfortable with Sarah and her tent. God liked the smell and the light and the peace of Shabbat. The Shekhinah would come down in a cloud and rest on Sarah's tent."

This warm, expressive section of a Midrash is taken from the textbook, S'fatai Tiftach Volume 2 by Joel Lurie Grishaver and Jane Golub (Torah Aura Productions www.torahaura.com )

Shabbat Shalom - Rest and Renew

Shalom Kitah Gimel Students and Families #4

After reciting the Brachot (Blessings) for Torah study and for cookies, Kitah Gimel students demonstrated their familiarity with the attendance routine by fluently providing the correct Hebrew responses to the Hebrew questions regarding students present and absent; the date, month, season, and related Holidays.

Chevruta and hospitality were important elements in our examination of the Torah Portion for this coming Shabbat, Vayera. Chevruta is a traditional method of Torah Study, in which students work with a partner or small group to discuss, interpret, and comment on each week's Torah Portion. Kitah Gimel students worked in table groups. Each group studied either a Midrash (Torah-inspired story), or an information sheet about Vayera. The groups then shared what they had learned with the class.

Vayera tells of the hospitality which Abraham showed to three mysterious visitors and how Abraham performed the Mitzvah of Hachnasat Orchim (welcoming guests). One group of students translated the first line of Vayera from the Hebrew of the Torah. The second group told a Midrash which described how Abraham taught many visitors the concept of One God by asking them to join in the Blessing for the food which they had eaten. The third group told a midrash about Sarah's Shabbat tent where the fragrance of freshly baked challah filled the air and Shabbat candles always burned - a place of rest and refuge. The fourth group described additional events that took place in Vayera including the message of the three visitors that elderly Sarah would have a baby; the destruction of the evil cities of Sodom and Gemorrah; and the birth of a son, Isaac, to Abraham and Sarah.

Students' insightful questions and comments led to a discussion of the relationship between Judaism, Christianity, and Islam; and the revolutionary concept of One God at a time when ancient cultures worshipped multiple gods.

Following our study of Vayera, we turned to our modern Hebrew texts where an achbar (mouse) found a warm kufsa (box) in the Sukkah. The words kar (cold) and geshem (rain) were introduced, which will enable us to soon add weather reports to the attendance conversation.

Students wrote vocabulary cards for home review for 5 new words and played a vocabulary card swap game in which they created sentences with words learned in previous lessons.

In T'fila, the Rabbi led us in the Mincha (afternoon) service and explained that traditionally Jews pray three times a day, with the Prayer cycle beginning with Maariv (the evening prayer).
Families are always welcome to join our students for T'fila.

L'hitraot - See you soon,
Morah Ronni

Learning From - The Museum of International Folk Art

We've all enjoyed visiting museums and many of us have taken our students there on field trips. My next few posts are a reminder that museums, both secular and Judaic, are excellent sources of ideas for creative learning activities.
I recently visited the outstanding Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
www.internationalfolkart.org There, a major exhibition entitled "Multiple Visions: A Common Bond," presents 100,000 folk art objects of all sizes, shapes, materials, and countries of origin. This fantastically diverse collection was given to the Museum by the collector, Alexander Girard. Girard also designed the unique display settings and determined the placement of each object in a whimsical, thought- provoking way. From floor to ceiling, everywhere you look, there is an intriguing, colorful example of folk art. Needless to say, this marvelous exhibition is very popular with school groups. Their "Folk Art To Go!" program coordinates visits from schools and offers Teacher In-Service presentations.

The docent who guided our tour group through the exhibition, described several techniques used to help students connect with a few of the hundreds of items on display. In general, students are introduced to portions of the Girard Collection which share a common theme such as transportation toys, the village market, mermaids, Trees of Life, dollhouses, or musicians.

Within a themed group, students are given cards with a description of a specific folk art piece. The students are asked to find the pieces described on their cards. This task encourages students to pay close attention to detail and to compare various pieces which may be similar in many ways.

In our classrooms, this type of matching exercise can be used to review a unit or several units of study. In its simplest form, the descriptions may be listed on an activity sheet where students search their textbooks and find the matching item to write on their sheets. As a more engaging approach, write the descriptions on cards which students carry with them as they search the classroom for pictures or actual objects which match the descriptions on their cards.

Example: Description on the card - "This Holiday begins the Hebrew month of Tishrei. We are commanded to hear the sound of the Shofar. It is tradtional to eat apples and honey."
Students match that description to a picture of a Rosh HaShana celebration or to a Rosh HaShana greeting card that symbolizes the Holiday.

A matching "search" can be an active way to review several months' study of the Holiday cycle (or any other curricular topic) at one time.

At the Museum of International Folk Art, in an additional variation of the matching technique, students were given a picture of a detail found on a particular object of folk art. They were asked to find the object with that detail in a display containing numerous objects. This activity encouraged students to observe, compare, and select a single object from a complex whole.

Similarly, in a Hebrew School class, students may be given a key word or phrase from a prayer that they've studied, and be asked to identify the prayer in their prayerbooks (Siddurim) which contains that word or phrase. This is an effective way to focus students' attention on the different meanings and messages of the prayers - meanings and messages that may have been overshadowed in their initial efforts to master the reading skills associated with the prayer texts.

In Judaic Studies classes, the textbooks often contain many explanatory pictures. As in the Museum, actual picture details can be matched to pictures in the book for an activity designed
to help students review chapters by discussing selected pictures.

Watch future posts for more interactive learning activities inspired by the Museum of International Folk Art.

Words of Wisdom For Shabbat - Lech L'cha

Imagine that you are a fifth grader in an Israeli public school. Below is a translation from Hebrew of a page from your workbook on this week's Torah Portion, Lech L'cha. Your assignment is to complete this page. Of course, if you were in Israel, you'd be doing all of your schoolwork in Hebrew, but let's imagine -
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"And The Eternal One said to Avram, 'Go forth from your land, and from your birthplace, and from your father's house - to the land that I will show you.' " Bereishit 12:1

This verse is very important to the People of Israel. Elohim chose Avram to go to the Land of Canaan (the Land of Israel) and to be there the father of the People of Israel. Avram was the first one to believe that there is One God, Adonai, the God of Israel.

Please complete this verse:
___________ ____________ from your land, and from your birthplace, and from your father's house to _____ ______ _______ ______ ____ ________ _______ .

You should learn this verse by heart.

If you were commanded to leave your land, your birthplace, and your father's house, what would be the hardest thing for you to leave behind? Tell why.

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That is just one work book page among many devoted to the study of Parshat Lech L'cha. The last question was intended for class discussion.
The Land of Israel, a modern country where children in a state-funded public school learn to read and write in their native language, Hebrew; where they learn math, science and ...Torah.
God's Promise to Abraham continues to be fulfilled.
Shabbat Shalom Rest and Renew

(The work book page was taken from the workbook which accompanies the textbook, Bereshit Sheli. Both textbook and workbook were written by Iona Zielberman and Dalia Korach-Segev.)

Shalom Kitah Gimel Students and Families #3

Shalom. Today in Hebrew class, we began with Brachot and concluded "BaSukkah" (in the Sukkah). In between, were many lively activities.

We added topics to the attendance conversation. Hebrew words for days of the week, months, Holidays in the months, and the seasons are now part of the question and answer process. Students wisely pointed out that in every month we celebrate Rosh Chodesh (the New Month) and Shabbat. In a short time, student volunteers will lead this opening conversation entirely in Hebrew.



Beginning today, a brief study of Parshat HaShavua (the weekly Torah Portion) will be a feature of each class. With the help of a bulletin board display, students identify the main ideas in each Portion and discover some Hebrew words related to that Portion. I shared a Midrash (Torah-inspired story) about King David, a spider, and a hornet. Students wondered why the spider played a greater role in the Midrash than the hornet. It was suggested that students who wished to, could write their own creative Midrash about the hornet and share it with the class.



After completing an activity sheet on masculine and feminine verb forms, we read the first story in Chapter 3 of Shalom Ivrit - "BaSukkah" (in the Sukkah). Students wrote vocabulary cards for 6 new Hebrew words to review at home.
Tov M'od (very good) - to those students who remembered to bring their vocabulary cards to class. Next week, we hope that all students will remember to bring their cards.

At T'fila, in relation to Parshat HaShavua, "Lech L'cha," students were treated to another Midrash told by the Rabbi. This Midrash described Abraham's amazing actions while working in his father's idol store.
In honor of the weekly Torah Portion, Lech L'cha, the Cantor led us in singing "L'chi Lach", a beautiful song by Debbie Friedman, which tells of God's promise to Avraham that Avraham and his descendents will have the land of Israel as their land.
Remember, families are welcome to join us in prayer, study, and song at Wednesday T'fila (5:40pm).

L'hitraot - See you soon.
Morah Ronni

From "Awful" to "Awesome"

On Shabbat, I was speaking with the mother of one of my former students. We discussed how we were looking forward to her daughter's upcoming Bat Mitzvah. In the course of the conversation, the mother said, "My daughter had her Bat Mitzvah rehearsal with the Cantor. It was 'awesome' - in the truest sense of the word."

Seeing this parent so proud and pleased with a milestone in her child's Jewish education was certainly a gratifying moment for me as a Jewish educator. But, more than that, it brought into focus the fact that in the years since I began teaching, Jewish education has changed in many positive ways.

I remember sitting in workshops and meetings where we pondered the "challenges" of Jewish education, the problems of engaging students and families who had so many demands on their time, and those for whom religious school was just another extra-curricular activity. We recounted instances of parents who remembered their religious school experiences as "awful," but who felt that their children needed to go through "Sunday School" and Hebrew school as an unpleasant rite of passage, in order to have a Bar or Bat Mitzvah, after which , with a sigh of relief, the child (and family) could leave Jewish education behind alongside outgrown Barbie dolls and Matchbox cars.

Today, however, while we continue to face challenges in Jewish education, times have changed. Improved teacher training; application of best instructional practices; stimulating, innovative educational materials; and the availability of supportive resources for students, families, and teachers have all created a more positive religious school environment.

Sensitivity to different learning needs and varied family backgrounds sends a welcoming message. The recent concept of life long learning has placed religious school in the continuum of Jewish practice, which evolves and matures along with the individual.

A goal of modern Jewish education at all levels, is to nurture a lifetime of "awesome" and awe-inspiring engagement in Judaism.

As teachers, we strive to educate our students in such a way that they will someday be eager to ensure that their children participate in that awesome religious school experience that they remember.

Words of Wisdom for Shabbat - Everyday Miracles

"Each time we say a berachah, we say to ourselves, 'Pay attention. Something awesome is happening all around us.' And then we realize that the ordinary world conceals mysteries."
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"When we say God is everywhere, it does not mean that God is invisible. It means that if we look closely, we can find God's presence hidden everywhere because God created everything. And, because God is hidden inside everything, all things are connected to one another."

From The Book of Miracles, by Lawrence Kushner

Shabbat Shalom - Rest and Renew

Shalom Kitah Gimel Students and Families #2

Shalom. In our October 6th Modern Hebrew class, we began by discussing the difference between the Blessings for food and the Blessing for Torah Study - both of which we recite each week. Students expressed their understanding that we acknowledge and thank God as the "Creator" of our food and we recognize God's Commandment that we study Torah (and, by extension, Hebrew as the language of Torah).

The process of taking attendance gave students an opportunity to practice questions and answers in Hebrew. We added Hebrew numbers to count the number of students present. Each week, we'll add other questions and answer patterns to expand students' active vocabulary.

As a reading and writing exercise, students completed sentences using vocabulary they've been practicing at home - from Chapter 1 of the Shalom Ivrit text. "Achbar" (mouse) was a favorite word here!

In Chapter 2 of the text, nine new words were introduced as students read aloud about a "mishpacha" (family) and the achbar celebrating Rosh Hashana. ( Familiar Holiday vocabulary provides a context for presenting new words and language elements.)

Students prepared Chapter 2 vocabulary cards to review at home. They received a Chapter 2 transliteration sheet for the convenience of family members who might not be familiar with Hebrew, but who would like to help their students review vocabulary.

Home review is an important part of the Kitah Gimel program. Students understand that they are responsible for reviewing vocabulary at home and for bringing their vocabulary cards to each Wednesday class.
Please help students to remember to bring their cards to class where we'll use them for learning activities.

Class time really flew by! As students lined up to go to T'fila - Surprise! Students were rewarded for their fine efforts. Each student received a "Shekel" which may be redeemed for treats at our religious school store - an exciting new feature!
Kitah Gimel is soaring high, like the bright balloons filling our skies!
Have a great week.
Morah Ronni

If Walls Could Talk - More Display Ideas

If walls could talk, the ones in the eduation wing of the synagogue where I teach would say,"Creative learning in progress!"
In the hallway, the Early Childhood Center bulletin boards reflect Parshat Noah, our city's annual Balloon Fiesta, and ...gravity.

A mosaic-style rainbow made of little colored paper squares arches over a large green and blue painted earth sphere.

Hot-air balloon shapes decorated by the young students, soar across the wall. Each balloon carries a tiny "basket" fashioned from an egg carton section. Sitting in each basket is a cut-out of a human or animal figure - whimsical, imaginative, and fun.

Large sheets of paper display a unique blend of paint colors applied, not with a brush, but with an inflated balloon!

In a mix of abstract art and gravity, bright spatters of paint dot sheets of white paper. The vivid bursts of paint were made by dropping the paint from above. Gravity, of course, causes the paint to drop down and splat - modern art and a memorable science lesson rolled into one.

The Third Grade teacher and I share a classroom. She has put up a display of photos of her students with "Kadosh" (Holy) objects they have found throughout the synagogue. The photos show students on the Bima, students with the Torah, students next to a table full of canned goods for a food bank, and even students with the Cantor.
In addition, high over the chalkboard, there are colorful Hebrew letters designed by the students - an attractive and useful display.

Bravo for walls like these which showcase student learning, and student skills and create a lively,
engaging religious school environment.

Not Just a Workbook

This post started out to be a description of Torah study techniques inspired by a textbook and workbook used in the Israeli public school system. But all that changed when I examined the workbook closely and discovered that it began with a letter. Iona Zielberman and Dalia Korach-Segev, authors of the workbook, had written students a letter describing how they had created materials to stimulate students' interest and to introduce them to the experience of Torah study. Iona and Dalia urged the students to study the textbook (containing the Torah Text, illustrations, explanations, and stories) in class and at home, independently and with parents.
Next, the authors described the workbook and its activities - the workbook which would "accompany" the students all year in their study of Torah, specifically Sefer Bereishit.
All good, positive, motivating information.

The high point, however, and the point I wish to share, came when the authors revealed their intention that at the end of the year, each workbook would be an attractive "album" of the student's Torah study "work". The workbook would be "l'mazkeret" - it would be a remembrance, a keepsake. For this reason, Iona and Dalia urged students to use their best handwriting, to cut and paste carefully, to keep their workbooks "n'kiah um'suderet," clean and orderly, and to avoid wrinkling the pages.

Think about it - A workbook designed to be a remembrance of the students' first efforts at Torah study, of their early steps on the path to life long Jewish learning. What a wonderful concept! We, too, can convey this concept to our own students: Respect and value your Religious School learning materials. Do your best work, as these materials represent your foundation for future Jewish learning.
Not just a workbook - a mazkeret. That makes all the difference!

Words of Wisdom for Shabbat - B'reishit

We enter the new cycle of Torah reading with B'reishit, the Creation Story. The words of the Torah are unchanging, but we can never remain the same. As we begin a new year of Torah study, we strive for greater understanding, deeper commitment, and active fulfillment of Mitzvot.

The following is my translation from Hebrew of a Midrash for B'reishit which appears in an Israeli public school textbook for the study of Torah by upper elementary grade students.

Once David, the king of Israel, was sitting in his garden. He saw a hornet eating a spider.
David said, "Ribono shel Olam [Master of the World], what use are these [creatures] that are in Your World?"
"The hornet - it has no honey and it has a sting. It is of no benefit."
"The spider - it weaves webs all year and [yet] has no clothing."
Elohim said," David, you mock my animals. The day will come when you will need them."
The day came. King Saul was pursuing David.
David hid from Saul in a cave.
Elohim sent a spider to help him.
The spider spun a web on the entrance to the cave and closed it.
Saul came and saw.
"The entrance to the cave is woven [over] with webs," he said. "Certainly, no person could have entered here. If a person had entered, he would have torn the web."
Saul went away and did not go in there.
David came out of the cave. He saw the spider.
He said, "Blessed is the One Who Created you and blessed are you."

Shabbat Shalom - Rest and renew.