Shalom Kitah Gimel Students and Families #8

Wednesday's Kitah Gimel Hebrew class was packed with activities! After the Blessings for Torah Study and cookies, we began a series of exercises to practice, practice, practice using Hebrew vocabulary and sentence/question patterns. The words and patterns were those which needed review, according to students' responses on last week's Comprehensive Exercise. Students worked with picture cards to create sentences, especially those involving the possessive pattern which, in English, would be translated as "I have..." or "He/She has..."
Each table received a wrapped gift (lollypops) with a big bow to visually represent the hard-to-remember word, "matana" (gift).

Each student received a card with words which need extra review as indicated by the Comprehensive Exercise.
Students were also asked to use at least three Hebrew words in their daily conversation at home. Listen for such Hebrew words as "ima" (mother), "aba" (father), "bayit" (house), "m'il" (coat), and even "geshem" (rain). The more Hebrew vocabulary words are used, the easier it is to remember them. At our next class, students will share the words which they chose to use.

This week's Torah Portion, Va-Yishlach, tells of Jacob's journey to reconcile with his brother, Esau. On the way, Jacob has another mysterious encounter. Each table read a packet of information and commentary about Jacob's wrestling match with...well, that's the mystery! Did Jacob wrestle with a man, an angel, or perhaps, with God, as some students suggested? Even the various illustrations in the packet presented different images of the one with whom Jacob wrestled. Jacob received a Blessing from the mysterious "ish" (man), as the Torah calls the stranger who wrestled with Jacob and even injured Jacob's hip. In the Blessing, Jacob's name was changed to Israel which means "God Wrestler."

In preparation for the exciting Mitzvah Mall on Sunday, November 21, we learned the Hebrew words for such Mitzvot as Welcoming Visitors, Repairing the World, Preserving the Earth, and Studying Torah. We discusssed those figures in the Torah whose actions exemplified several of these Mitzvot.

In T'fila, our Director of Life Long Learning taught the students to sign the song, "Hinei Ma Tov." A Kitah Gimel student helped to lead the Prayers. Students chose "Sim Shalom" as the closing song and students from all three grades volunteered to lead the singing.
It's a special pleasure to see our students so confidently leading the "congregation" in song and prayer. Please join us for T'fila in the coming weeks.

Next Wednesday, November 24, there will be no Hebrew class due to Thanksgiving Vacation. Check out the bulletin board in the hallway of the Religious School wing for information on Thanksgiving from a Jewish perspective.
I am thankful for the opportunity to be teaching our students.
Happy Thanksgiving to all.
L'hitraot - See you soon.
Morah Ronni