Like a Maccabee

This year as we celebrate Hanukkah in Kitah Vav, we aim to increase our Jewish knowledge beyond what some call "Pediatric Judaism." The holiday of Hanukkah is more than a children's holiday centered around lighting candles and getting gifts. Hanukkah is about an amazing story, a miracle as many suggest.

Did you know the Maccabees were zealots?

Did you know the first fight actually began as Jew against Jew?

Do you know the real fear was not of physical extermination, but of spiritual annihilation?

The message we hope to share this year is one of standing up for our beliefs because we are proud of who we are. This year we hope to teach our Kitah Vav students to believe in themselves, and know who they are through learning and understanding.

Hanukkah is a minor holiday with many rituals, and families continue to create new traditions to teach the special messages which are part of our history. What are the messages we want our children to understand? Despite pressure to conform, Mattathias and his five sons refused to bow down to idols. Being a Maccabee, whether long ago or today means fighting for the right to be different, and being proud of these differences. We also need to reinforce the concept that being small in number does not mean being insignificant. The Jewish people have always been small in number, but we must continue to be strong in spirit. We know that each of us can make a difference in the world, and this is the legacy of the Maccabees we want to reinforce for our Kitah Vav students.

Have a wonderful Hanukkah and a safe, happy, and healthy winter break.

What's Wrong With This Picture?

Wishing you a very kosher Hanukkah.

A Very Jewish Thanksgiving

When the Pilgrims came to American in 1620, they felt just like the Children of Israel. They too, had come to a new land to find freedom. The Bible was a very important part of their lives. Their first year in America was very hard. When their first harvest was completed, they wanted to have a celebration to thank G-D for helping them survive. They read in the Bible about the harvest feast called Sukkot, and they believed they too should give thanks to G-D for helping them. They called their American celebration of Sukkot, "Thanksgiving."

Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks. The oldest Jewish prayers are the brachot, those prayers which begin with "Baruch Atah Adonai," Blessed are You, Adonai." The students are quite thankful for the many commandments we observe, and sing words of praise and gratitude, recite prayers before enjoying the bounty of their senses, and sing brachot before fulfilling the mitzvot. Here is just a sample of the many things the students in Kitah Vav are thankful for. From my house to yours, I wish you and your family a wonderful Thanksgiving Celebration.

Thank you for G-D making my family healthy. In these time of H1N1, it is amazing that none of us have gotten it yet. Also, thank you for not having any cancers or life threateding diesease. Thank you G-D for my education. In order tohelp the world out of its current state, we will need to be able to do many things, especially in maths and sciences.

Thank you for my life. I really like to live, it's so fun. I wouldn't have anthing without life. Thank you for trees. I like to breathe. Air is important and comes with trees.

Thank you for my great family, my good health, and my home. Thank you for food to eat, my beautiful room, clothing I get to wear, and my good education.

Thank you for my life. By that, I mean thank you for letting me meet so many people. Now I have a lot of friends. Thank you for all you do. Thank you for keeping my family safe. For protecting me from H1N1 9swine). I am so blessed with my family. They are greater than anything else in the whole world. Thank you for a great dog too! She is crazy but I can tell you put a little extra magic in her.

Thank you for my life and for my family. I love my family. Thank you for my good education. I enjoy learning about new stuff every day.
Thank you for love, knowledge and life. Thank you for all you have done. Thank you for Judaism.

I am thankful for my friends and loved ones, my mom and dad. I am thankful for my shelter, food, and a good family. I am thankful for life, a good school, clothes, restaurants and bathrooms.
Thank you for for my good fortune and my ability to give to others who need my giving. Thank you for opening my lips to pray to you for my intelligence, clothes, normal birth, spirit and everything else.

I am thankful for my family. I am thankful for shelter and food.

Thank you for my clothes, my life, shelter, my knowledge, making us the chosen people, my doing well in school. Thank you for sight, speaking, hearing, smelling, and being Jewish. Thank you for the Torah.

Thank you for my life. Thank you for my health, our world, and my friends.

Thank you for my family and my health. Thank you for my house, my friends, and birth. Thank you for my food, my long hair, my smartness, my Jewishness, and my hearing.

Thank you for my life and my family. Thank you for my good friends and my good education.

Thank you for a good family. Thank yo for making me smart.
I am thankful for life. Thank you for giving me food, shelter, night and day. Thank you for sights, hearing, health, clothing, school, education, taste, and Torah. Thank you for giving me feelings, emotions, family, water, toilets, friends, Judaism, knowledge, and entertainment.

Thank you for life. Thank you for knowledge and live. Thank you for giving us family, friends, and schools, Thank you for giving use eyes to see, and ears to hear. Thank you fo rmaking us the chosen people. Thank you for giving us clothes to wear and good looks.

I am thankful for life, food, water, shelter, and all of the necessities I have in my life. Thank you for giving me sight, taste, feel, hearing, smell, school, night, day, family, and knowledge.

Thank you for my pet dog Satchel because he is so awesome. Thank you for my very great educaton because I wouldn't be smart now.

Ben Zoma Who?

Pirke Avot - 4:1 Ben Zoma says:
Who is wise? He who learns from every person...
Who is brave? He who overcomes his evil inclinations...
Who is rich? He who is happy with what he has...
Who is respected? He who respects his fellow man...

Ben Zoma tells us that a wise person might not know more than anyone else, that someone rich may not have a lot of money, that a mighty person might not be physically strong, and that a person we honor might not be a hero or an award winner.

Ben Zoma teaches us that these good qualities are about the way a person respects other people, and gets respect in return. When a person acts with respect to others, he or she earns respect in return.

What do you do to earn your good name?
What do you do to show respect to others?
What do you do to earn respect from others?

Respect and our Role in the World

What character traits help us define who we are as individuals?
What are the ways we can interact positively with others?
What are our responsibilities to improve the world?

These are some pretty heavy questions, and they are just a few of the many topics we touch upon each week in our Kitah Vav community. Students are encouraged to think about how they can be most successful in the world we live in, and be knowledgeable, informed, and intelligent Jews living in a non-Jewish world.

Judaism has much to say about how we live our lives. The Jewish Values we talk about on Sunday and Tuesdays are not just something we use while at Religious School or when we visit the synagogue. These values are life skills we need to practice 24/7. These are tools to use everyday. We are Jewish all of the time, and being that Judaism is a religion of action, we are expected to use these life skills on a daily basis.

A GOOD NAME

Rabbi Shimon said,
There are three crowns:
The crown of Torah;
The crown of Priesthood;
and the crown of Royalty.
However, the crown of a good name is greater than all of them.
Pirke Avot - 4:13

As we continue on our Life Cycle Journey, we have been talking about our names, and what it means to have a good name. Jewish tradition suggests naming babies after a loved one or in honor of someone who has a good name. When we are honored by having someone elses name, we are motivated to carry on the good work of those before us. The most valuable things in life are those we work the hardest for, and that includes making sure our name remains honorable. A good name has much to do with one's reputation. What do we have to do to protect our reputation? As our discussion progressed, we talked about Simchat Bat, or the naming ceremony for a girl, and the Brit Milah, the circumcion ceremony, where baby boys are given their names.

TABLE TALK:
What are you doing right now to earn your good name?
Who were you named for, or how was your name chosen?
What values did this person have that you can embrace?

ON OUR WAY

With the full moon looming overhead, we left our calendar unit behind us and began our journey through our first life cycle, Brit Milah, the single thread that binds all of our lessons together. From one little commandment the energy in our classroom peaked, as we talked about the idea of revelation, how we are all connected to each other through faith, and finally, the commandment to circumcise our male children.

In this week's Torah Portion, Lech L'cha, we learn about Abraham starting a new life and the promise that the Jewish people would be as plentiful as the stars in the sky. We also learn that G-D revealed himself to Abraham, and the two of them made a promise to each other. Abraham promised to circumcise himself, his son, and all those who belonged to his community, from generation to generation, and G-D would reward the Jewish people by making them a great nation. Even today, this single commandment binds us to every generation, past, present, and future.

Discussions in class began with the idea of revelation, and why we follow the laws in the Torah. We talked about the covenant of circumcision and why we are commanded to perform circumcision, or as some suggested, mutilate our babies, why only boys are commanded to participate in the circumcision ceremony, and how our Jewish duties and obligations begin at birth at the hands of our parents, and as we approach Bar or Bat Mitzvah, we begin to take responsibility for these same mitzvot as adult members of the Jewish community.

In our Hebrew Language rotation we have been polishing our reading skills and mastering the chanting of the Shabbat Torah Service. Students are working in small groups, one on one with tutors, and in pairs. Finally, in our Jewish Values and community rotation, we have been talking about how we fit into the community and our synagogue. What brought us to Shaarey Zedek, and how does the synagogue continuously enrich our lives and connnect us to each other.

Thank you to all of the families who donated candy to our Halloween Tzedakah Project. It's not too late to participate.

Do something kind for someone, and have a great week.

HALLOWEEN WITH A JEWISH TWIST

As a whole, the Jewish community does not celebrate Halloween, but we do celebrate Purim! So, save those costumes and think about adding a Jewish twist or a tzedakah piece to your Trick or Treat Traditions.

While it is important to support our neighbors in their celebrations, and equally important to not separate ourselves from the community, there are many ways of participating in a custom without observing it the way others do. Some suggest Jewish children share in the celebration by greeting their neighbors and giving out candy. It is certainly possible for our children to get excited about giving to others, and then the underlying theme for them is that Halloween is about giving, and not getting.

A noted Rabbi and educator, Rabbi Jacob J. Hecht, once noticed the similarity between Purim and Halloween. In both cases, children get dressed up and go door to door receiving gifts of food. The distinction between the two is that on Halloween, the children only receive, whereas on Purim, the emphasis is that the children learn to give. The fact that they might receive in return is of secondary importance.

To reinforce the value of giving, and to encourage the act of helping others, we will be collecting all extra wrapped candy you have this week. Please talk to your children about giving to others, and help them turn an everyday moment into a Jewish Experience.

Candy will be collected all next week, please send your donations to class on Sunday or Tuesday. Candy does not need to be kosher to donate. Have a Great Shabbat and a wonderful weekend!

Happy Hebrew Birthday

On Sunday, many of the students had the opportunity to use the new interactive SMART board under the watchful eye of our new media specialist, Shaindle Braunstein. After working together in the classroom and learning about the lunar and solar calendars, the cycles of the moon, and the relationship between the Hebrew and Gregorian calendars, students used a perpetual Hebrew Calendar to find their Hebrew Birthdays. We compared the solar and lunar calendars and learned how to convert the current year into the Hebrew year.

After completing a variety of classroom activities, students proceeded to the Board Room where they used the SMART board to navigate around a several Jewish Websites. lt was really quite interesting to see how the Hebrew calendar, the Jewish holidays, the seasons, and the cycles of the moon are all related. Finally, many of the students had the opportunity to use the Internet to find their Hebrew birth date.

For homework, students were encouraged to visit the website Chabad.org and print out a Hebrew Birthday Certificate for Sunday. This is the site we used.

chabad.org/calendar/birthday_cdo/aid/6228/jewish/Jewish-Birthday.htm

Please visit the site with your family, and spend some time on the computer together. Have a great week, and enjoy the last little bit of fall together.

The Kitah Vav Top Ten

Many of our discussions in Kitah Vav center around the moral qualities and Jewish values which are thought to be the essence of all human relationships. These middot are considered essential for building a successful classroom community, and more importantly, nurturing the souls of our Kitah Vav students. These life lessons help to mold our students into kind and caring adolescents and responsible and observant adults. In our weekly discussion, students were asked to personally rank the following moral qualities in order of importance:

Shalom - Peace
Kavod - Respect and Honor
Bikur Cholim - Caring for the sick
Derech Eretz - Doing what is right
Tikkun Olam - Repairing the World
Hachnasat Orchim - Welcoming Guests
Bal Tash'heet - Caring for the environment
Gemilut Chasadim - Acts of Loving Kindness
Talmud Torah - Studying as a lifetime commitment
K'lal Israel - All Jews are responsible for each other
Tzedakkah - Sharing with others as an ongoing responsibility
Mitzvot - Doing things to value and respect Jewish traditions
Tzar Ba'alei Chaim - Caring for animals and kindness to animals

After the rankings, we tried to come up with a group consensus, and needless to say, it wasn't possible to all agree, but the top five across the classroom were Shalom, K'lal Israel, Mitzvot, Tikkun Olam, and Tzedakkah.

Take some time and discuss the rankings with your families. Which were your top five?

5770...THE YEAR THAT IS

It was wonderful meeting as a complete Kitah Vav community this week. Although our rotation schedule is still being tweeked (not twittered), all of our students had a chance to spend time with all three teachers, and we davened together at our Learners Minyan, practiced Hebrew Reading, learned to chant the Torah tropes, and talked about the cycles of the moon and the Hebrew calendar.

Our Hebrew calendar is based on the lunar cycle and the moon serves as our guide through time. When we enter the world, we start life anew, and slowly we grow through the different stages of life. Just as the moon progresses, first new, then a quarter, a half, and full, we grow from infancy to childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. And as the moon starts to decline, we too decline, as we slowly age and begin different stages in life.

The Hebrew calendar provides us a wonderful visual aide as we begin our Life Cycle units, the first being the passing of time, and how we chose to spend our time as we embark on our Jewish adventure to Bar and Bat Mitzvah...and beyond.

This month in our Life Cycle Rotation, we will continue the journey through time and we will travel through the Lunar and Solar calendars, explore the structure of the Hebrew calendar and learn to calculate the Hebrew year.

Question of the Week? Does time keep you or do you keep time?
Are you controlled by time, or do you have control of your time?

THE HEART OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE

Wow!

We had an awesome time dancing with the Torahs and celebrating Simchat Torah together. Mazel Tov to all of our students, as we had almost 100% attendance. We danced, sang, prayed, ate Hershey's Kisses, and studied together.

It was nice spending some time together in the classroom. In our classroom discussions, we talked about the different ways to read and study Torah, and we learned that we never finishing reading the Torah, we just finish chanting the last chapter, in time to begin all over again, in a never-ending, seamless fashion. There is always something new to learn, and always another way to interpret our ancient law, to make it meaningful to each and everyone of us.

We had the opportunity to meet together as a Kitah Vav Community, and unrolled a Torah Scroll. With the help of many of our students, we stretched the Torah Scroll across the hallway looking for familiar words and passages. We found the last word in the Torah, Yisrael, and then started reading all over again at the beginning, looking for the first word in the Torah, Bereshit.

The last letter of the Torah is a lamed, and the first letter is a vet or bet. When we put those two letters together, we get the word lev. Lev, in Hebrew, means heart. From this, we come to the conclusion that the Torah is the Heart of the Jewish People, and the Jewish People are the Heart of the Torah.

What do you think this means? Take some time to share your answers with your children this week. I am sure they have some wonderful answers.

Our regularly scheduled classes begin on Tuesday. Have a great week, and I look forward to seeing everyone in Southfield on Sunday.

DO YOU HAIKU?

It was so nice so see so many of our students at our Sukkot Sunday Celebration. On Tuesday, after talking about the mysteries of the lulav and the etrog, and sharing stories about the different types of Jews and the four species, students had time to visit the sukkah, say the blessings, and have a snack, fulfilling the Sukkot Mitzvot. We also talked about the commandment of inviting guests to visit us in the Sukkah. Finally, students wrote Haikus, Limericks, and poems to share with the class. Here are just a few...

Etrogs smell so good
Our lulav is so cool
Sukkot is so fun.

Cookies and candy
Sukkah hopping is so much fun
I hope it won;t rain.

In the sukkah
We get wet in the sukkah
And have a good time.

Sukkot
Saying the prayers
And enjoying the great food
Shaking the lulac and etrog up and down.
Sukkot

All cultures inside
My sukkah filled with people
All my friends inside.

The lulav isn't wide
The lulav is made of trees leaves
The myrtle are barely poking out
They like to hide

Sukkah
takes to long to build
hours of labor and work
It was so worth it.

Lulav and etrog
date, myrtle, willow, citron
Smelling very good

The etrog smelled good
The lulac shook very hard
Today is sukkot

Sukkot has full moons
On the 15th of Tishre
I see it at night

We made a sukkah
We gorgot to make a door.
We're stuck inside, HELP!

The etrog smells good
The date treee has no good smell
The willow shows lips

Lulav and etrog
Shake together in all ways
They are both so great

In my own sukkah
I had my long green lulav
And my own etrog

The Voice of Change

Goal Setting in Kitah Vav

We are quickly creating a safe learning community in Kitah Vav and we are settling into our classroom routine. Mr Weisberg has joined our team on Tuesdays as our Hebrew Reading Specialist, and he spent time with each student introducing the Torah Service we will be studying all year.

In the Life Cycle Rotation, we discussed Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and the basic tenets of the high holidays. Our roundtable discussions centered on tefilah, teshuvah and tzedakah, and the ways to move forward in the coming year. Students shared their thoughts and ideas on being Jewish, taking responsibility for observing the commandments, and goals for the upcoming year.

As we begin the path to becoming Bar and Bar Mitzvah, all students are encouraged to try fasting this year on Yom Kippur, even if they do not make it through the day. By all means this does include making the effort and giving up snacking and eating between meals.

Wishing everyone an easy fast, see you in Southfield on Sunday, October 4, 2009.

Welcome To Kitah Vav:

As we begin our journey, our goal is to build a kind and caring learning community where everyone has a voice and feels they can be heard. We will work together to reach out to those in our classroom, our family, and in the community at large. As the year continues, we will learn about ways to reach beyond the walls of Shaarey Zedek and try to connect with those outside our learning community.

Your child is coming home with a brand new dollar bill this week, compliments of their Kitah Vav teacher. No, I am not trying to buy their love, nor am I trying to convince them to continue coming to class. I am encouraging them to try to make a difference with that dollar. Their job for the year is making that dollar work. Try to make it grow, share it with someone, make a difference in the life of someone else. In other words, "Pay it Forward." We will talk about the dollar in class for several weeks, and then they are on their own. Please take some time to talk about how the dollar can be turned into far more than just a dollar, and brainstorm together to make a difference in Kitah Vav.

I am looking forward to meeting you this morning, and encourage you to check back weekly as I will try to post regularly. Please don't think a lack of a post is a lack of activity in our class. Feel free to leave a comment, let me know what you think, and welcome to Kitah Vav.

Wishing you a happy, healthy, and peaceful New Year,

Barbara

The Final Stretch

The students in the Kitah Vav Circle of Life rotation have completed core units on the Hebrew calendar and holiday celebrations, circumcision, Bar and Bat Mitzvah and Jewish identity. As the year quickly comes to an end, we will continue to explore the Jewish values and hidden meanings found in our weekly Torah portions, and introduce lessons on the Jewish traditions, laws, and customs concerning dating, marriage, divorce, death and dying.

We have spent a considerable amount of class time on our b’nai mitzvah unit. This unit introduces students to the b’nai mitzvah process, encourages them to begin thinking about the personal responsibilities associated with becoming a b’nai mitzvah and provides an opportunity to explore the many Jewish values embraced in their specific Torah portions. All of the students are familiar with their specific b’nai mitzvah portion, have learned to navigate the siddur and chumash found in the seat backs of our sanctuary, and many have finished writing their b’nai mitzvah personal statements or mini d’vrai Torahs. If your child has not shared these assignments or handouts with you, please encourage them to do so. All papers are due on or before Sunday, May 3, 2009. (one week later than I announced in class.)

Our Life Cycle Unit on Death and Dying will begin on Sunday, April 19, 2009. In past years, this topic has been quite interesting for the students, as they seem to have many questions concerning this often taboo subject. The unit is taught in a sensitive, safe and non-threatening manner, but may be an uncomfortable topic for some students. Please take a few minutes to discuss the curriculum with your children and do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.

Finally, as the year comes to an end, I want to thank you for allowing me to be a part of your child’s religious school education. This year’s students are kind, bright and cooperative, and it has been both rewarding and wonderful learning together. I thank you for your generous support throughout the year and encourage you to contact me if there is anything I can do to help your child pursue their Jewish journey into adulthood.

Have a wonderful Passover break, Barbara

Passover Preview Day

Tuesday, March 31, 2009 is our Passover Preview Day

Last Call Before Passover Break Begins - All Students Meet in the Library

Bring a song, tradition, bit of trivia or something interesting to share at our co-operative seder.

SPRING IS IN THE AIR!

If March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb then April showers bring us to the beginning of our Life Cycle unit on dating and marriage. Most of the students have completed their personal commitment statements and many have begun writing their mini d'var torah in class. This paper, while it does seem a bit overwhelming, has been the focus of our Bar and Bat Mitzvah unit for the past month. Students have had class time to complete their papers each week, and many have started to bring their folders home so they can type them and save a copy for later. If your student did not bring home a copy of the assignments, please ask them about it or give us a call.

The final product is dues on Sunday, April 26, 2009.

HAPPY PURIM!

So much to do, so little time. I can't believe our blog hasn't been updated in over a month. Rest assured, we have been busy, we just haven't been sharing the news with you. Here's the excuse, and trust me, it is a really good excuse, just in time for Purim. We tried to hire what we thought were responsible and reliable students to take responsibility for the weekly updates, and they just weren't up to the task. So, I guess Tracye and I will have to fire the students we trusted with this most important job, and we will have to start doing our own work once again, just as soon as we are finished celebrating Purim with the best Kitah Vav class in all of Shushan!

See you in a few, have a great holiday, and don't forget to wear your costumes!

The Journey

Becoming a B'nai Mitzvah is a journey which begins long before a twelfth or thirteenth birthday. As we talked about our personal journeys, many students felt their path to adulthood began at the Shabbat table before learning to talk, at our Beth Hayeled Preschool or in kindergarten or first grade.

As our discussion progressed, many students voiced their concerns about friends who don't attend B'nai mitzvah services, but always show up for the parties. It was surprising to hear how level headed our students were when talking about their participation in this religious right of passage, and how meaningful they felt it was.

At our round table discussions, we talked about what made us adults in the eyes of the Jewish community, and what responsibilities we are obligated to participate in as we approach adulthood. Finally, students were asked to think about what commitments they can make to themselves, their family, and the community that encourage them to take responsibility for living a Jewish life as they approach Bar or Bat Mitzvah.

Tomorrow is Rosh Chodesh Shevat, the first day of the Hebrew month of Shevat. Sunday, February 1, 2009 is our Family Education Tikkun Olam Day. Sunday, February 8, 2009 is our Community-Wide Sixth Grade Tzedakah Fair. All students must attend this Sunday and next with a parent or responsible adult. If you have not already called in your RSVP, please do so ASAP.

SNOW DAY

Something to think about as we celebrate the dream of Martin Luther King Jr, and the inauguration of our 44th president, Barack Obama. What do you think you can do to help us work towards peace in Israel and around the world.

July 23, 2008

Speaking during a visit to the rocket-battered town of Sderot in southern Israel, presidential candidate Barack Obama stated, "I don't think any country would find it acceptable to have missiles raining down on the heads of their citizens. The first job of any nation-state is to protect its citizens. And so I can assure you that if ... somebody was sending rockets into my house, where my two daughters sleep at night, I'm going to do everything in my power to stop that. And I would expect Israelis to do the same thing.

Have a great long weekend, and we will see you on Tuesday.

Kitah Vav Visits Israel

We Stand With Israel

We hit the ground running this week, as we welcomed our students back to class after a much needed winter holiday. Many of us returned well rested and relaxed, ready to begin right where we left off. But, just as we interpret the words of the Torah by twisting the fluid stories into a living work of art, so too is our class, as we savor every opportunity to use our valuable time for teachable moments.

Several of our students had the opportunity to visit Israel over break. As we shared their stories, talk of war broke out, leading to a discussion about Hamas, terrorists, Palestinians, and the safety of friends and family in the Jewish state. Your Kitah Vav teachers studied together in Israel last summer, so we just couldn't let the day pass without jumping in with a history lesson in order to better explain just what was happening in the Middle East.

We participated in group learning activities, geography and history lessons, and in a prayer service praying for peace in Israel and in the world. We wrote letters to IDF soldiers showing support for the hard work they do, which will be mailed to apackagefromhome.org and finally, we watched some video clips of the United Nations vote to make Israel a state.

Please take a few minutes to talk with your students about the war in Israel, and help to reassure them Israel is doing everything they can to ensure the safety of all innocent civilians.