Shalom Kitah Gimel Students and Families #11

Students led the Blessings for Torah Study and cookies and zipped through the Hebrew attendance conversation, which they now know very well.

Today, we celebrated a special finale - the final Portion of the Joseph story which is also the final Portion of the Book of B'reishit (Genesis). Students used packets of information to review the Torah Portions Vayeishev, Mikeitz, Vayigash, and Va-y'chi (the Portion for this Shabbat).
Va-y'chi describes the dying Jacob's blessings for his sons and for his grandsons, Ephraim and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph. Jacob's sons bring his body back to Canaan for burial.
The final lines in Va-y'chi tell of Joseph's death at the age of 110.

After reading the very last line in Va-y'chi, students held up a Torah Commentary book (in place of a Torah Scroll). We all stood and recited the traditional phrase which we say when we have finished reading a Book of the Torah - "Chazak, chazak, v'Nitchazeik" ("Be strong, be strong, and let us grow stronger." )

Students then examined a sheet which summarized all of the Portions in B'reishit. They identified 12 thought-provoking themes in B'reishit: birth, death, family problems, Blessings, bad deeds, destruction, favoritism, slavery, dreams, sibling rivalry, traveling, and mistaken identity. These themes certainly represent a broad spectrum of human and Divine behavior!

For our modern Hebrew exercises, we practiced inserting vocabulary into various sentence patterns, with an emphasis on correctly matching subjects and verbs and nouns and adjectives.

Students received a Winter Vacation Activity packet to bring home. The packet details their vacation assignment, which requires no writing, only speaking. This activity is designed to encourage Hebrew language practice any time, anywhere. On January 4, when students complete the activity, they'll sign the sheet along with an adult family member. All directions are on the activity sheet. We also discussed the directions in class.
Students who were absent will receive their Winter Vacation Activity packet in the mail. As class ended, students were already practicing Hebrew words and phrases to use at home.

Our students have many talents. Just before going to T'fila, a student showed the class a wooden kufsa (box) and a handmade sefer (book) which he had made in his secular school art class - excellent work!

In T'fila, the Cantor led us in Prayer and song - a warm experience on a cold, dark evening. We took a few moments for silent Prayer as well. T'fila ended with a lively rendition of the peace song, Od Yavo Shalom Aleinu. The Cantor gave us a preview of coming attractions. In January, musician Todd Herzog will be an artist-in-residence at the synagogue - more details will follow in the coming weeks.

Even though there will be no Hebrew School (or Religious School) during Winter Vacation, I'll continue my blog posts on assorted topics in Jewish Education. Please drop by Jewish Educators' Village from time to time.

Have an enjoyable vacation.
L'hitraot - See you on Wednesday, January 5.
Morah Ronni