Shalom Parents! On Sunday, APRIL 26th the 6th and 7th Grades along with TeenConnect are headed to the City of Brotherly Love! We have hired a charter bus to schlep us to-and-fro while on our adventure. We will be visiting Mikveh Israel and the National Museum of American Jewish History.
The cost of the trip is $39 dollars and lunch is included. This cost covers the bus, museum entry fees, tour costs and lunch cost. Chaperones are very welcome and also have to pay the $39 fee. If there is a concern about cost, please contact me separately!
Permission slips were sent home this week but, just in case, here is a link to the form if you need a second copy:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B30gfYBvbYfGWWV4TTM3MWZkcjJvSmh4aDRRdWN5TXlxR09z/view?usp=sharing
This is a copy of the lunch selection form:
HURRY!! We will need both these forms and the $39 payment by April 8th in order to reserve a space for your student. Feel free to email the forms to me if this is easier. If you are interested in chaperoning, please let Renee or I know.
ITINERARY (times may be adjusted):
7:30am - Arrive at Oseh Shalom
8:00am - Depart promptly!
10:45am - Arrive at Mikveh Israel
10:45am - 11:15am - Tour of Mikveh Israel.
11:30am - 12:15pm - LUNCH at National Museum of American Jewish History
12:15pm - 2:00pm - Tour of NMAJH
2:15pm - 4:00pm - Visit the Museum.
4:00pm - 6:00pm - Drive home.
Pesach Sameach!
Morah Mikey
mhesswebber@oseh-shalom.org
Monday, March 30, 2015
Thursday, March 26, 2015
Our Parasha Project!
Hello Parents! We are knees deep in our 7th Grade Parasha Project. The purpose of this post is to keep you informed about the project, what it entails, what to be looking for at home, and how to facilitate your kids as they progress.
Here is the link to the Parasha Project (this was handed out to the kids): PARASHA PROJECT
THE MISSION:
The Torah is SO lofty, SO exalted and SO old that, especially at the age of 12, it can feel impenetrable. Our goal with the Parasha Project is to break down the barriers in order to empower the kids to engage with Torah and to recognize their scholarly power. As Jewish adults, the 7th Graders not only have the right to read Torah but also the right to be critical of it, to ask questions when they don't agree or understand, and to find personal meaning within the ancient text.
Each student has a parasha (a portion) that will be read on the day of their B'nai Mitzvah. The portions are all unique and offer endless insight into Jewish history, philosophy and tradition. Until the end of the year, the class will be looking deep into their parashot, and into the corresponding rabbinical commentary, to learn how the Torah is applicable to their individual lives in the modern world.
A HEADS UP: this project is going to require homework. In developing this project, we have set multiple deadlines and check-in dates to make sure that the kids are moving in the right direction, with focus and understanding. If the kids don't complete each task during class, they will have to finish at home.
Please email me with any questions! I will be keeping you posted on homework, due dates, and progress!
Morah Mikey
Sunday, February 8, 2015
Trees by Howard Nemerov
Trees
To be a giant and keep quiet about it,
To stay in one's own place;
To stand for the constant presence of process
And always to seem the same;
To be steady as a rock and always trembling,
Having the hard appearance of death
With the soft, fluent nature of growth,
One's Being deceptively armored,
One's Becoming deceptively vulnerable;
To be so tough, and take the light so well,
Freely providing forbidden knowledge
Of so many things about heaven and earth
For which we should otherwise have no word -----
Poems or people are rarely so lovely,
And even when they have great qualities
They tend to tell you rather than exemplify
What they believe themselves to be about,
While from the moving silence of trees,
Whether in storm or calm, in leaf and naked,
Night and day, we draw conclusions of our own,
Sustaining and unnoticed as our breath
And perilous also--though there has never been
A critical tree---about the nature of things.
Howard Nemerov
To be a giant and keep quiet about it,
To stay in one's own place;
To stand for the constant presence of process
And always to seem the same;
To be steady as a rock and always trembling,
Having the hard appearance of death
With the soft, fluent nature of growth,
One's Being deceptively armored,
One's Becoming deceptively vulnerable;
To be so tough, and take the light so well,
Freely providing forbidden knowledge
Of so many things about heaven and earth
For which we should otherwise have no word -----
Poems or people are rarely so lovely,
And even when they have great qualities
They tend to tell you rather than exemplify
What they believe themselves to be about,
While from the moving silence of trees,
Whether in storm or calm, in leaf and naked,
Night and day, we draw conclusions of our own,
Sustaining and unnoticed as our breath
And perilous also--though there has never been
A critical tree---about the nature of things.
Howard Nemerov
Sunday, February 8
Hello Parents!
Today, in Hebrew, we played dominoes! This activity was meant to help the kids review our prayer vocabulary before we move into our next unit (Brachot HaTorah). On one end of each domino was a Hebrew word and on the other was an English meaning. The class had to work as a team to create a chain of dominoes, matching the Hebrew word to its English equivalent. They did a great job and we are now ready to move forward. This Wednesday, Kitah Zayin is going to meet with the Rabbi to review our processional prayers and put them into practice. The class has expressed anxiety about carrying the Torah through the sanctuary so they will each get a chance to practice processing the Torah. I hope this will relieve some worry.
In Judaics, this week, we took a break from our Holocaust curriculum to celebrate Tu B'Shevat. Together, we read Trees by Jewish Poet Laureate, Howard Nemerov. We meditated on the message and everyone had a chance to share some insight. Then we played Tree-vial Pursuit. During the game, the class had a chance to read passages from the Tanakh and Torah about each of the seven species. They learned the correct prayers to say when eating each and then had the opportunity to taste all seven. The kids loved the pomegranate seeds but steered clear of the figs and dates. It was neat to see them try something new.
We did not have cooking today, as was scheduled, because Chef Elliot was home with a sick baby. Instead, we took the last twenty minutes of class outside. We played Gaga together and the day ended on a positive and energetic note.
Remember that we DO NOT have Hebrew School next Sunday!
SAVE THE DATE! Saturday, February 28th, TeenConnect is going to SkyZone!
See everybody Wednesday!
Mikey
Tuesday, February 3, 2015
Sunday, February 1
This Superbowl Sunday was full of action in Kitah Zayin!
We talked about propaganda. What is it? How does it work? What is its purpose? In pairs, the kids had the opportunity to look at and discuss examples of Nazi propaganda. Together, they came to understand how Hitler used propaganda to create an environment of fear and distrust in Germany during the 1930s. They ended class looking deeper into our modern world and identifying current examples of propaganda.
Sunday's special was art with Morah Sonya. In art, the kids have been working on Peter Max inspired judaica paintings. For those of you are not familiar with Peter Max, he is the artist who created the Beatles' Yellow Submarine album cover! These painting will hang in the religious school lobby until the end of the year. Then they are all yours! They look great!
The kids have homework this week...and will every Sunday from now on! This week's assignment is to read chapter one of Maus: A Survivor's Tale.
Tu B'Shevat Sameach l'Kulam!
Mikey
We talked about propaganda. What is it? How does it work? What is its purpose? In pairs, the kids had the opportunity to look at and discuss examples of Nazi propaganda. Together, they came to understand how Hitler used propaganda to create an environment of fear and distrust in Germany during the 1930s. They ended class looking deeper into our modern world and identifying current examples of propaganda.
Sunday's special was art with Morah Sonya. In art, the kids have been working on Peter Max inspired judaica paintings. For those of you are not familiar with Peter Max, he is the artist who created the Beatles' Yellow Submarine album cover! These painting will hang in the religious school lobby until the end of the year. Then they are all yours! They look great!
The kids have homework this week...and will every Sunday from now on! This week's assignment is to read chapter one of Maus: A Survivor's Tale.
Tu B'Shevat Sameach l'Kulam!
Mikey
Monday, January 26, 2015
Sunday, January 25
Shalom Chaverim! Can you believe that it is already the end of January?! Time is really flying.
We are moving right along in our Holocaust curriculum. We have spent the last two weeks talking about prejudice and antisemitism. What drives intolerance? Yesterday, as part of this conversation, we learned about the Not In Our Town movement (https://www.niot.org/about). Not In Our Town began in Billings, Montana in the early 1990's when incidents of harassment and violence against minority groups were becoming prevalent. Tombstones in the Jewish cemetery were overturned, the home of a Native American family was tagged with swastikas, members of an African-American church were intimidated, and bricks were thrown through homes that displayed menorahs during Chanukah. Rather than accept what was happening in their community, neighbors rallied to take a stand against hate. The town came together in support of the victims. Those who were not targets became allies for those who were. Actions taken by the people of Billings became a model for other communities around the country who also spoke out against hate. Thus the Not in Our Town movement was begun as a way to build safe, inclusive communities.
We talked about this modern movement in addition to listening to survivor testimonies. We compared stories and analyzed the commonalities. I want the class to understand that the fight against intolerance is an ongoing struggle, and one that is reoccurring in the Jewish narrative. I want the kids to move forward with the acknowledgement that they can use their voices to become allies for those who are being treated unjustly and to stop hate and intolerance before they become pervasive.
Next Sunday we are going to explore the concept of propaganda. We will begin to study Nazi propaganda in order to analyze the source of European anti-semitism during the Holocaust.
This week in Hebrew, we learned the prayer Baruch Shenatan - a prayer to help us thank Gd for Torah. We learned the root: kuf, dalet, shin, which means holy or set apart. It appears that everyone in class is comfortable with the recitation of the prayer. Next week we are moving onto the prayers for the procession of the Torah. In two weeks we will begin learning Torah blessings!
We are moving right along in our Holocaust curriculum. We have spent the last two weeks talking about prejudice and antisemitism. What drives intolerance? Yesterday, as part of this conversation, we learned about the Not In Our Town movement (https://www.niot.org/about). Not In Our Town began in Billings, Montana in the early 1990's when incidents of harassment and violence against minority groups were becoming prevalent. Tombstones in the Jewish cemetery were overturned, the home of a Native American family was tagged with swastikas, members of an African-American church were intimidated, and bricks were thrown through homes that displayed menorahs during Chanukah. Rather than accept what was happening in their community, neighbors rallied to take a stand against hate. The town came together in support of the victims. Those who were not targets became allies for those who were. Actions taken by the people of Billings became a model for other communities around the country who also spoke out against hate. Thus the Not in Our Town movement was begun as a way to build safe, inclusive communities.
We talked about this modern movement in addition to listening to survivor testimonies. We compared stories and analyzed the commonalities. I want the class to understand that the fight against intolerance is an ongoing struggle, and one that is reoccurring in the Jewish narrative. I want the kids to move forward with the acknowledgement that they can use their voices to become allies for those who are being treated unjustly and to stop hate and intolerance before they become pervasive.
Next Sunday we are going to explore the concept of propaganda. We will begin to study Nazi propaganda in order to analyze the source of European anti-semitism during the Holocaust.
This week in Hebrew, we learned the prayer Baruch Shenatan - a prayer to help us thank Gd for Torah. We learned the root: kuf, dalet, shin, which means holy or set apart. It appears that everyone in class is comfortable with the recitation of the prayer. Next week we are moving onto the prayers for the procession of the Torah. In two weeks we will begin learning Torah blessings!
Sunday, January 11, 2015
Sunday, January 11
We're back and with a new semester comes a new unit! Starting last week we began our study of the Holocaust. We are loosely following a brilliant and very extensive curriculum called Echos and Reflections. This curriculum was developed through a partnership between the Anti-Defamation League, the USC Shoah Foundation, and Yad Vashem.
The Holocaust is not an easy topic to teach. I promise to stay sensitive to the needs of your kids and to do my best to maintain a safe learning environment in which they feel comfortable and uplifted. Because of the intensity of subject matter, I want to encourage you, the parent, to give the kids an outlet at home by inviting conversations. If you need any extra information to help spark a dialogue, feel free to ask!
Last week, as an introduction, we talked about catastrophe. What is a human catastrophe? What does genocide mean? How do these words apply to our conception of the Holocaust? By exploring these terms together, we began to develop a common vocabulary for studying the event. This lesson was meant to provide our class with an opportunity to discuss the importance of studying all human catastrophes and, most specifically, the Holocaust.
Today we focused on the idea of stereotyping. What is a stereotype? Why are stereotypes dangerous? How can stereotypes lead to antisemitism and other forms of prejudice? Everyone in class had a lot to add. It was very clear that each 7th grader has experienced stereotyping at one time or another. We watched several survivor testimonies that discussed the rise of antisemitism and stereotyping in Germany. At the close of class, the kids were able to recognize that the propagation of even the smallest prejudices can have immense effects on how people relate to one another.
As part of our Holocaust unit, we are going to be reading Maus: A Survivor's Tale. The kids seem excited to start the book! This reading will be done outside of class, as homework. Because many of the kids own Maus already, the Religious School is not going to purchase books for the class. Everyone will need a copy. Feel free to purchase a copy OR check the book out from the public library! Please make sure that your student brings the book to class on January 25th! If there is any problem, let me know! We will work something out.
Now for a quick change of pace. The class is moving right along in Hebrew. Currently, our focus is the Saturday Morning Torah Service. Not only do I want everyone in class to be familiar with prayer recitation but I also want each student to have an understanding of when and why we say these prayers. As we learn, we are reenacting each corresponding part of the Torah Service (ie: opening the ark, removing the scrolls, parading the scrolls etc.) By the end of February, I want everyone to be 100% comfortable with the Torah service from start to finish.
Shavuah Tov L'Kulam!
Morah Mikey
Friday, December 26, 2014
Chanukah House Photos!
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| Ezra, Eliyahu, and the Yitzhaks. What a team! |
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| Kulam b'yachad. My favorite class. |
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| Yehudit showed huge talent in cookie house design. |
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| Eliyahu found the food coloring... |
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| A Chanukah Sukkah! |
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| Lili and Shmoosh got creative with some extra special ingredients. |
The Kitah Zayin B'nai Mitzvah Gift
Shalom Kitah Zayin Parents!
Happy Chanukah to all! I hope your winter break has been relaxing and regenerative!
Now that the holidays have passed and there is a minute to breath, I want to send an email updating everyone on the status and details of our class B'nai Mitzvah project.
As you know, we have been spending our Wednesdays critically examining the Jewish value of tzedakah. To do this, we have been following the American Jewish World Service's "Where Do You Give? A Tzedakah Curriculum". "Where Do You Give?" provides the class the tools to think about giving tzedakah in a thoughtful, responsible, and impactful way. It has been my goal to inspire this year's 7th grade class to make life-long commitments to giving in the pursuit of social justice.
As the culmination of our tzedakah unit, Kitah Zayin has chosen to make a class donation to Special Olympics Maryland (http://www.somd.org/).
In addition to the money that the kids are raising in our class tzedakah box, we are offering an additional and optional tzedakah project for your families. If you would like to take part, instead of giving an individual B'nai Mitzvah gift at each class Bat or Bar Mitzvah, send a "lump sum" check to Oseh Shalom. These checks will be put into our class tzedakah account and the money will be presented to Special Olympics Maryland as a group gift from all the 7th grade families.
Please give according to how much you are comfortable. Giving tzedakah is a very personal act and one that should be made from the heart and with joy. I strongly encourage you to include your 7th graders when deciding how much to give. The giving will be confidential.
Here is how it will work:
1) Please send in a check made out to Oseh Shalom in whatever amount you choose. This "lump sum" will take the place of giving individual Bat/Bar Mitzvah gifts to each student.
2) Every time your student attends a classmate's Bar or Bat Mitzvah, please have your student create a special card for that classmate that states that "a gift as been given in honor of your Bar/Bat Mitzvah to Special Olympics Maryland as part of the 7th grade B'nai Mitzvah gift."
3) The deadline for checks will be Sunday, March 29th. This will give the class enough time to prepare and present our gift before the end of the year.
As always, if you have any questions at all, please feel free to email me!
B’Shalom,
Morah Mikey
Wednesday, December 17, 2014
Happy Chanukah Kitah Zayin!
Happy Chanukah to all! May this holiday of lights be warm and bright, and may you find peace in family and latkes.
Be on the lookout for photos from our evening of Chanukah House decorating!
B'Shalom,
Mikey
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
הודו וחג ההודייה - Turkey Day Hebrew to Impress Your Guests!
The secular holiday of Thanksgiving is one celebrated by all sects of American Jewry. This holiday, based on the expression of gratitude, resonates strongly with the Jewish emphasis on acknowledging our blessings.
As Rabbi Shavit Artson says in the article Expanding Circles of Thanks (see article below), "The term Jew comes from the Hebrew word Yehuda meaning thanks, joy, and gratitude. At the core of the Jewish way is a resilient joy that directs our attention toward the blessings we already have, those we need to work toward to realize, and the need to share those blessings in community."
So, in recognition and celebration of Thanksgiving, we learned some Hebrew vocabulary to help us celebrate. Most important for this day is the Hebrew word for gratitude (הַכָּרַת טוֹבָה). The class also especially loved the words for sweet potato (בָּטָטָה) and cranberry (חֲמוּצִית).
As Rabbi Shavit Artson says in the article Expanding Circles of Thanks (see article below), "The term Jew comes from the Hebrew word Yehuda meaning thanks, joy, and gratitude. At the core of the Jewish way is a resilient joy that directs our attention toward the blessings we already have, those we need to work toward to realize, and the need to share those blessings in community."
So, in recognition and celebration of Thanksgiving, we learned some Hebrew vocabulary to help us celebrate. Most important for this day is the Hebrew word for gratitude (הַכָּרַת טוֹבָה). The class also especially loved the words for sweet potato (בָּטָטָה) and cranberry (חֲמוּצִית).
הוֹדָיָה or חַג הָהוֹדָיָה - Thanksgiving (non-vocalized spelling: הודייה)
Surprisingly, the word "turkey" in Hebrew looks similar.
הוֹדוּ - turkey
הוֹדוּ מְמוּלָא - stuffed turkey
(and speaking of stuffing, the same word ממולא is used for the gefilte fish: דַג ממולא)
(and speaking of stuffing, the same word ממולא is used for the gefilte fish: דַג ממולא)
Other words to know for Thanksgiving:
Gratitude: הַכָּרַת טוֹבָה
Pilgrim: צַלְיָן
Pie: פַּשְׁטִידָה
Sweet Potato: בָּטָטָה
Cornucopia: קֶרֶן הַשֶּׁפַע
Harvest: אָסִיף
Corn: תִּירָס
Pumpkin: דְּלַעַת
Gravy: צִיר
Pecan: אֱגוֹז פֶּקָן
Meal: אֲרוּחָה
Food: אֹכֶל, מָזוֹן
Full (satisfied): שָׂבֵעַ
Delicious: טָעִים
Hungry: רָעֵב
November: נוֹבֶמְבֶּר
Autumn: סְתָו
Squash: קִשּׁוּא
Thankful: אֲסִיר תּוֹדָה
Family: מִשְׁפָּחָה
Cranberry:חֲמוּצִית
Expanding Circles of Thanks - A Reading for Thanksgiving
Expanding Circles of Thanks
It is common among Jews to assume that Thanksgiving is really a Jewish holiday. Quoting nameless "historians," the inspiration for the Pilgrim's thanksgiving feast was the Biblical Festival of Sukkot -- a fall festival that expresses gratitude for the harvest, for the land, and is celebrated in booths adorned with fall bounty and color, complete with feasting on seasonally appropriate fare. At the core of the Sukkot observance is the recitation of Hallel (psalms sung as expressions of exultant thanks), and the shaking of the lulav and etrog (a bundle of plants symbolizing life, abundance and thanks).
Puritans were deeply immersed in the Hebrew Bible. They saw themselves as the new Israelites -- hence many took Hebrew names, gave their new settlements names from the Land of Israel, saw themselves on a new exodus journey to a new promised land. Their knowledge of Scripture was deep and personal -- they would have resonated to a celebration of autumnal bounty conducted by a people journeying from oppression to freedom.
The Sukkot theory of Thanksgiving is really great. And it could even be true. The only challenge is that I couldn't find any colonial Puritan authors who made that claim. What is charming about it, nonetheless, is the resonance that so many Jews feel toward Thanksgiving. It is a very "Jewish" holiday, even if it wasn't a Jewish holiday to begin with: Great meal, great company, celebrating life and joy and resilience and freedom in community. All values embedded deeply in Jewish tradition.
The term "Jew" comes from the Hebrew word Yehudah meaning thanks, joy, gratitude. At the core of the Jewish way is a resilient joy that directs our attention toward the blessings we already have, those we need to work toward to realize, and the need to share those blessings in community.
...
Rabbi Dr. Bradley Shavit Artson holds the Abner and Roslyn Goldstine Dean's Chair of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies and is Vice President of American Jewish University in Los Angeles. A member of the Philosophy Department, he is particularly interested in theology, ethics and the integration of science and religion, as an advocate of Process Thought. He supervises the Miller Introduction to Judaism Program and mentors Camp Ramah in California. He is the author of 10 books and over 250 articles.
It is common among Jews to assume that Thanksgiving is really a Jewish holiday. Quoting nameless "historians," the inspiration for the Pilgrim's thanksgiving feast was the Biblical Festival of Sukkot -- a fall festival that expresses gratitude for the harvest, for the land, and is celebrated in booths adorned with fall bounty and color, complete with feasting on seasonally appropriate fare. At the core of the Sukkot observance is the recitation of Hallel (psalms sung as expressions of exultant thanks), and the shaking of the lulav and etrog (a bundle of plants symbolizing life, abundance and thanks).
Puritans were deeply immersed in the Hebrew Bible. They saw themselves as the new Israelites -- hence many took Hebrew names, gave their new settlements names from the Land of Israel, saw themselves on a new exodus journey to a new promised land. Their knowledge of Scripture was deep and personal -- they would have resonated to a celebration of autumnal bounty conducted by a people journeying from oppression to freedom.
The Sukkot theory of Thanksgiving is really great. And it could even be true. The only challenge is that I couldn't find any colonial Puritan authors who made that claim. What is charming about it, nonetheless, is the resonance that so many Jews feel toward Thanksgiving. It is a very "Jewish" holiday, even if it wasn't a Jewish holiday to begin with: Great meal, great company, celebrating life and joy and resilience and freedom in community. All values embedded deeply in Jewish tradition.
Monday, November 17, 2014
HOMEWORK!! Sunday, November 16, 2014
Parents!
Your kids have homework this week! Here is the link to the GoogleDoc worksheet!
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B30gfYBvbYfGbUwyRzhZRE1zWFk/view?usp=sharing
As we move toward choosing a charity for our class tzedakah gift, I want to emphasize to the kids the importance of researching organizations to learn if they spend thier money wisely and to evaluate whether thier programs respond to the articulated needs of the communities they seek to help.
The website, Charity Navigator (http://www.charitynavigator.org/), evaluates charitable organizations and is a helpful resource for learning about organizations before donating. I want the students to visit the website, choose an organization that interests them, and then answer the questions on the worksheet. They will be presenting thier findings to the class on Wednesday.
Thank you for all your help! I appreciate you guys so much!
Morah Mikey
Sunday, November 9, 2014
Classroom Update!
To all you wonderful parents!
I want to update you on our curriculum and keep you up to date with what is happening in the classroom!
Our current curriculum is two-fold - divided into Wednesdays and Sundays.
Until we part for winter break, our Wednesdays are being spent discussing tzedakah. We are following a curriculum developed by the American Jewish World Service called "Where Do You Give". I chose this curriculum because 7th grade is an extremely transformative year during which your kids are transitioning into a life of Jewish adulthood and, thus, Jewish responsibility. I want the class to understand that very few people are born with the privilege that we enjoy. With this privilege comes a great deal of responsibility and an obligation to fight for those people who are less equipped to fight for themselves. At the root of tzedakah is tzedek - or justice - and I want the kids to be thinking about how their actions create a more just community and, thus, a more just world. Our tzedakah curriculum will culminate with a class-wide B'nai Mitzvah tzedakah gift. In addition, the kids will be making personal tzedakah boxes that will represent their own individual ideas of giving. Once we are finished with our tzedakah curriculum we will begin our class Parsha Project.
Now to Sundays...on Sundays we have been talking about our Jewish history. By the end of the semester we will be reaching the Holocaust and the entirety of next semester will be focused on studying WWII. So far we have covered the Russian Jewish shtetl, the pogroms in Eastern Europe, and the resulting wave of Jewish immigration to the US. Next week we begin talking about Zionism! Am yisrael chai!
In Hebrew we are plugging away at the prayers that begin our Torah service. So far we have learned Ein Kamocha and Av HaRachamim. By Thanksgiving we will be embarking on Brachot HaTorah - the blessings before and after the Torah reading . This is a big deal for our B'nai Mitzvah!
I have the pleasure of teaching your kids twice a week and I wish I could teach them more often. Since I can't, in order for them to fully absorb the material, I rely on you, parents, to reinforce concepts and ideas at home. Please dig. Ask the kids what they are learning. How does it relate to their everyday lives? I want them to be thinking about this material as they walk through the rest of the week. We are Jewish ALWAYS, not just in Hebrew school, and I want these kids to leave 7th grade and proceed forward with a Jewish identity that sticks and continues to shape their lives forever.
Have a happy week. Shavuah Tov!
Mikey
I want to update you on our curriculum and keep you up to date with what is happening in the classroom!
Our current curriculum is two-fold - divided into Wednesdays and Sundays.
Until we part for winter break, our Wednesdays are being spent discussing tzedakah. We are following a curriculum developed by the American Jewish World Service called "Where Do You Give". I chose this curriculum because 7th grade is an extremely transformative year during which your kids are transitioning into a life of Jewish adulthood and, thus, Jewish responsibility. I want the class to understand that very few people are born with the privilege that we enjoy. With this privilege comes a great deal of responsibility and an obligation to fight for those people who are less equipped to fight for themselves. At the root of tzedakah is tzedek - or justice - and I want the kids to be thinking about how their actions create a more just community and, thus, a more just world. Our tzedakah curriculum will culminate with a class-wide B'nai Mitzvah tzedakah gift. In addition, the kids will be making personal tzedakah boxes that will represent their own individual ideas of giving. Once we are finished with our tzedakah curriculum we will begin our class Parsha Project.
Now to Sundays...on Sundays we have been talking about our Jewish history. By the end of the semester we will be reaching the Holocaust and the entirety of next semester will be focused on studying WWII. So far we have covered the Russian Jewish shtetl, the pogroms in Eastern Europe, and the resulting wave of Jewish immigration to the US. Next week we begin talking about Zionism! Am yisrael chai!
In Hebrew we are plugging away at the prayers that begin our Torah service. So far we have learned Ein Kamocha and Av HaRachamim. By Thanksgiving we will be embarking on Brachot HaTorah - the blessings before and after the Torah reading . This is a big deal for our B'nai Mitzvah!
I have the pleasure of teaching your kids twice a week and I wish I could teach them more often. Since I can't, in order for them to fully absorb the material, I rely on you, parents, to reinforce concepts and ideas at home. Please dig. Ask the kids what they are learning. How does it relate to their everyday lives? I want them to be thinking about this material as they walk through the rest of the week. We are Jewish ALWAYS, not just in Hebrew school, and I want these kids to leave 7th grade and proceed forward with a Jewish identity that sticks and continues to shape their lives forever.
Have a happy week. Shavuah Tov!
Mikey
Thursday, November 6, 2014
Shakshuka
Shakshuka!
INGREDIENTS:
Servings: 5-6
DIRECTIONS:
This is what we made with Chef Elliot during our cooking special on Sunday. If you haven't had the pleasure of experiencing Jerusalem's dietary staple...here is the recipe just for you!
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 medium brown or white onion, peeled and diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 medium green or red bell pepper, chopped
- 4 cups ripe diced tomatoes, or 2 cans (14 oz. each) diced tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp chili powder (mild)
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- Pinch of cayenne pepper (or more to taste-- spicy!)
- Pinch of sugar (optional, to taste)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 5-6 eggs
- 1/2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley (optional, for garnish)
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Total Time: 30 - 40 Minutes
DIRECTIONS:
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Add the bell pepper, sauté for 5-7 minutes over medium until softened.
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| Add tomatoes and tomato paste to pan, stir till blended. Add spices and sugar, stir well, and allow mixture to simmer over medium heat for 5-7 minutes till it starts to reduce. At this point, you can taste the mixture and spice it according to your preferences. Add salt and pepper to taste, more sugar for a sweeter sauce, or more cayenne pepper for a spicier shakshuka (be careful with the cayenne...). |
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| Crack the eggs, one at a time, directly over the tomato mixture, making sure to space them evenly over the sauce. I usually place 4-5 eggs around the outer edge and 1 in the center. The eggs will cook "over easy" style on top of the tomato sauce. |
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B'tai Avon!
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