A NEW YEAR, A NEW BLOG

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MARCH MADNESS

We have finally finished presenting our history projects and we have laid the groundwork for our Jewish history time line.   The "take away" from these wonderful glimpses of  history is our students have a good understanding of how their families made it to America, and why Jews around the world have constantly been uprooted because of antisemitism. 

We have had some very interesting conversations about how a small act of teasing can turn into full blown attacks of antisemitism, and how important it is to always fight any type of bullying.  Our students shared some wonderful insights and ideas about what constitutes bullying, and more importantly, how many of them have heard, seen, or been part of some of these activities.  Every student has the tools to combat even the smallest act of bullying, and they understand it is one of the basic tenets of Judaism. 

In our Tuesday afternoon Ethics class we have started talking about Perseverance, and never giving up on accomplishing a goal.  While we have just started these discussions, we did establish that even though study and life is difficult, there is very little that is accomplished without hard work and a commitment to perfection.  For our Pre-Bar and Bat Mitzvah students, this is a most important lesson. 

Our 5th graders just completed an depth unit of the poor and Tikkun Olam, the commandment to help make the world a better place.  Each understands their role in working to better our community, family, and ourselves, and they have shared some very real thoughts about their role as Jews. 

This week, we will spend some time talking about Purim, a holiday that has a little bit of everything for our 5th and 6th grade students.  Please ask them to share their thoughts and ideas about the laws and customs associated with this fun and joyous celebration.

6TH GRADE TZEDAKAH EXPERIENCE

Shabbat School this Shabbat, Saturday, February 11, 2012

Tzedakah Experience at Temple Israel, Sunday, February 12, 2012

Don't Forget to bring your coins to donate. 

JEWISH HISTORY PRESENTATIONS

Many of our students have completed their Jewish History projects and they did an outstanding job presenting to the class. The purpose of the project was to give our students a broad understanding of how we ended up in America, and what caused us to be scattered throughout the world.  We have had extensive coverage on Poland, England, France, Germany, Canada, Egypt, Cuba, Lithuania, and  Spain, and  we are still waiting for several of the Scandinavian countries and Japan.  From the presentations so far,  we learned the importance of a strong community and  the importance of  showing a unified front to the world.  Ultimately, the enduring understanding for our students is to reinforce the importance of  maintaining a strong Jewish identity, and taking pride in our Jewish Heritage. 

In our Ethics class we have been talking about Free Will, and the idea that we are always faced with difficult choices in the course of our daily life.  We have the ability to chose right and wrong, and ultimately, the choices lie in our hands.  We are constantly confronted with good and bad choices, and we have the skills to make appropriate decisions, but there is always the urge to fall to temptation.  I guess that is what growing up is all about.  Take some time to discuss this very interesting topic with your students, because it is now when our students are beginning to truly recognize these very important issues

In our 5th grade Tikkun Olam Course, we have been talking about how we treat the poor. Your students are very concerned with doing the right thing, and have decided to collect mittens, gloves, hats and socks to donate to children in the Detroit area.  Please bring your donations to class on Tuesday, and to Southfield on Sunday. 

Jewish Everyday

Many of our 6th Grade students have started to collect coins for the Tzedakkah Fair.  Students are asked to collect donations and bring them to the Tzedakkah Fair on Sunday, February 12, 2012. Please watch for more information regarding this wonderful program in the near future.   

In our Jewish Ethics Class we have had some very interesting discussions about doing the right thing.  When talking about living a Jewish Life, Everyday in Every Way, we have talked about the commandment to show respect for animals, and the value of possessions.   We talked about the importance of showing appreciation for what we have, and showing gratitude for what we have.  We talked about taking things for granted and how much is too much.  This month, we will begin our discussion on Free Will.  Students will be asked to think about the choices they make, and who is responsible for the decisions they make.   

Our 5th graders have been talking about Welcoming Strangers, Building Community, and Showing Respect for the Poor.  We have had some very interesting discussions regarding what we can do to help others, and why we may not want to help others.  

HISTORY HITS

Many of our students have shared their history projects, and we are anxiously awaiting the rest of the presentations.  Our students have done an outstanding job tracing the routes of our ancestors from countries around the world, and we are discovering that antisemitism played a huge role in the displacement of Jews throughout history.

We will begin graphing the points around the world where Jews faced antisemitism, and we will then ask each student to bring in a family treasure with a history to share in our "Living Museum."  This treasure can be a picture, an oral history, or anything else that has a special place in the life of your family. 

Our goal is to reinforce the idea that each of us is connected to generations of the past, and it is our responsibility to take pride in our past in order to preserve our future. 

DOING THE RIGHT THING

 

The students in Kitah Vav continue to explore the importance of making ethical decisions, and doing the right thing.  In particular, we have been talking about Possessions, and the Jewish take on how much is enough, and how much is too much.  We looked at the many things we take for granted, and civilizations where even clean water is looked upon as a luxury.  We wrote some songs using the song "Dayenu" and had a great discussion about what we would be happy with, and what we could live without.  This was a great lesson for many of our students, especially right before Hanukkah.  

Our Kitah Hey students have been talking about the commandment to show respect for all living things, and especially the commandment of Tzaar Balaei Chayim, Kindness and Respect for animals.  We have been talking about how we treat our pets, kashrut, and the ethical treatment of animals.  Students made mini-posters using biblical text, and debated the pros and cons of zoos.  The most important thing we want our students to understand it that as Conservative Jews, we are commanded to care for all living things, and our responsibility begins in the home first.