Shalom Kitah Gimel Students and Families #23

We began our class using only Hebrew (Rock Ivrit) as students led the Blessings for Torah Study and cookies. We moved on to the attendance conversation, also student led, and discovered that we're now in the month of Nisan. In answer to the question Ayzeh chag b'chodesh Nisan? ("Which Holiday is in the month of Nisan?") Students replied, "Pesach!" Modern Hebrew Language We reviewed the story from Chapter 6 which had been assigned for homework. I understand that this is a busy time for students, but I reminded the class that doing their Hebrew homework assignment for at least 10 minutes each day really helps them build the vocabulary and language fluency needed for classwork and conversation. Students read the story aloud, answered comprehension questions, and translated story sentences from English to Hebrew. Students received a sheet which listed all the Hebrew verbs we've learned so far. Students then listened to a sentence with a verb and the masculine or feminine form of the pronoun "you." When the feminine form of "you" plus the feminine form of the verb were used, the girls acted out the meaning of the verb. Boys responded similarly when the masculine forms were used. Students identified pictures and objects in Hebrew and used these words in sentences which also included verbs from the preceding activity. All our Hebrew language activities were chosen to prepare students for a Comprehensive Exercise which they will complete next Wednesday. This exercise will cover the vocabulary for chapters 1-6 in our textbook, Shalom Ivrit. Students also completed a written activity on verb forms and meanings - the final activity in their chapter 6 packets. For homework, students were given a packet with vocabulary from Chapters 1-6. Students are to review a portion of the vocabulary each day. Torah Study We reviewed the fact that the name of the first Torah Portion in each Book of Torah is the same as the name of the Book. Next, three table groups were given pictures of non-kosher foods. The fourth table group was given a cereal box with the Kosher symbol. Students correctly answered that the pictures and box related to the Portions they'd studied in the Book of Vayikra, because some of the laws God commanded the Israelites to follow, form the basis for the Kosher Dietary laws. The Torah Portions for the last two weeks, Tazria and Metzorah deal with skin diseases, clothing, and houses that are "leprous" and in need of purification by the priests. When asked why the Torah deals with such "yucky" topics, students replied that having priestly rituals to deal with unpleasant happenings kept the people from panicking. Also, people trusted the wisdom of the priests and the priest's advice would help them to become healthy. One student asked why God no longer speaks to us directly as God spoke to Moses, Aaron, and the children of Israel. An excellent question - difficult to answer. I suggested that God still speaks to us in different ways. One student commented that a tsunami might be an example of God "speaking." As they left the classroom for T'fila, students told something they'd learned from our modern Hebrew activities and something they'd learned from Torah Study. It's especially gratifying to hear a student say that they learned the meaning of a Hebrew word which appears in their Bar/Bat Mitzvah Portion. In T'fila, the 4th grade students gave a presentation on the days of the week in Hebrew. Following the Torah trope symbols, students sang the Sh'ma. The Cantor taught us a new melody for the Mi Chamocha Prayer. Happy Nisan, L'hitraot - See you soon. Morah Ronni