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. 

CANDLES FOR THE COMMUNITY

As conservative Jews, we are commanded to demonstrate solidarity with Jews around the world, take pride in our Jewish identity and embrace our heritage.   The story of Hanukkah provides wonderful opportunities to truly teach and experience these life lessons.  

Last week, we talked about Hannah and her Sons, and how this Matriarch watched as each of her sons was murdered for standing up for his right to be Jewish.  We had discussions about peer pressure and taking a stand for what is right.  Our students shared some very interesting ideas about "bullying" and the importance of defending others when they are being treated as victims.  

We also talked about Hanukkah bringing light into one of the darkest periods of Jewish history.  With faith and commitment to a belief, the Jewish people endured and emerged a winner in the fight for Religious Freedom.  Perhaps as you light the candles on your chanukkiah this year, you will have the chance to talk about the importance of our Jewish identity and why the candles are placed in front of a window for all in the community to see.  

This year, for many Jews in our community, they too are faced with a difficult time, and so we are partnering with Yad Ezra to share the light and we are asking each family to donate one box of Hanukkah candles to help those in need share the lights of Hanukkah.  Please bring your box of candles to Hillel or to Shaarey Zedek this week, and we will deliver them in time for Hanukkah. 

Enjoy the long winter break, and don't forget about our Jews Around the World Project which is due on Sunday, January 8, 2012.   

Happy Hanukkah, and  L'Shanah Tova!

JEWISH HISTORY TIMELINE PROJECT

THIS ASSIGNMENT IS DUE ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 8, 2012

Please pick a country with a strong Jewish community either now or in the past and report back to our class about the following items: 

• The year Jews arrived and when they left 
• Why they left
• Is there still a strong Jewish community
• Culture, food, recreation
• Education, Observance and Celebrations
• Hardships, Anti-Semitism
• synagogue life
• family life

If possible, pick a country where your family is from, and interview a family member.  We would love to have guests visit us and share their story.  This all helps us to better understand our Jewish heritage, nurtures our Jewish identity, and demonstrates the importance of showing solidarity with Jews around the world.  

Feel free to add anything else you think might help us understand why these Jewish communities are still vibrant, or why the population was displaced.  This may be presented in a mini-poster, bullet points, or any other way you can share the information in an interesting and engaging way. 

 

AM YISRAEL

As members of the Jewish community, we are commanded to demonstrate solidarity with Jews around the world, take pride in our Jewish identity and embrace our heritage.  As part of this ongoing theme in our Sunday morning rotations, we have been talking about what it means to identify as a Jew, how we show solidarity with Jews around the world, and what constitutes Jewish heritage. 

Students were asked to think about how Jews ended up all around the world, and what countries still have strong Jewish communities.  After identifying the major reasons for our dispersion, students were asked to think about their own families and how they arrived in America, Michigan, and ultimately, Oakland County. 

This discussion led us to talks about anti-Semitism, leaving family behind, and moving for better opportunities.  The discussion also began to lay the foundation for our Jewish History Time line.  Students were asked to pick a country with a strong Jewish population either in the past, or now, and report back to our class.  The purpose of the assignment is to give our students a point of reference in terms of Jewish history when learning world history in their 6th grade classrooms. 

The goal is to help our students understand that most world history events have a Jewish history connection, and having a Jewish point of reference helps us to understand that our life as a Jew is a part of of our JEwish identity which must be nurtured, recognized, and embraced everyday and everywhere. 

FALL FIX UP

Thank you to all of the families who participated in Sunday morning's Fall Fix Up.  It was wonderful seeing so many of our students working together to show our support for the community.  This simple act of kindness, referred to as Gemilut Chasidim, helps us partner with GOD in repairing the world.  The act of kindness and respect for the elderly helps to bring us closer to GOD, our community, and ourselves and it is what we are all about.