Each week at SJS is filled with meaningful learning, thoughtful conversations, creativity, community and Jewish connection. Explore the latest updates from our classrooms to see what students are learning, discussing and experiencing together.
JUMP TO A CLASS
Select a class below to discover what our students have been learning, discussing and experiencing together.
Kochavim Happenings….
We are finally back together after many weeks of Fall holidays..
We must begin with a huge shout out to Jordan our Birthday Boy….
Hope you had an amazing birthday…
We began our day talking about Derech Eretz (acts of kindness) that we
have done throughout the past week.
The children completed a form called “Meet the Kochavim(stars)” it had
clues about each student and the children had to figure out which
student belonged to each clue, it was a fun way of getting to know one
another.
We talked about how each week the Torah is read and there is a
Parsha- or story that is told about the Jewish people. This past week,
we read about Creation. So the children made a circular story depicting
each day of Creation, the children chose to leave them up in the
classroom.
During Tefillah, we were able to meet some new friends and of course
learn and understand the prayers we were reciting.
Hebrew was woven so naturally into our day, that the words will just
naturally become part of our daily speech.
Have a great week,
Mrs. Waxman
Kochavim Happenings…
We are so glad that everyone is here for the new school year….so many of our friends were out of town for various reasons (traveling, Shabbatone,etc.).
We talked about the upcoming holiday of Rosh Hashanah and the various religious symbols we see and what they mean. A discussion began about what we would put in our round challah to make it sweet (sprinkles) and tasty. We watched a few minutes of Shaboom! “Be the Best Me” and whenever we saw a religious symbol we told the children to say “stop” and tell us what they saw and what it meant. The children learned the words for honey (devash) and apple/apples (tapuach/tapuchim).
During Tefillah, the children learned that we use special melodies for the upcoming High Holidays and the children caught on so quickly for just hearing them once.
We look forward to seeing everyone after all the High Holidays…
L’shanah tovah tikatevu,
Mrs. Sender
Mrs. Waxman
Dear Parents,
What an incredible start to a new year together. The Gimel/Dalet teaching team had a blast getting to know your children this week and we can’t wait to spend the next school year together.
This week in Judaica we began our unit on Teshuvah, which focuses on taking responsibility for one’s actions through repentance. During Hebrew we began with some Hebrew intake to learn where each student is currently at to start the year. A recap of the week is below:
Recap:
Students and teachers started the week by introducing themselves and then with suggestions from the students we created our classroom Brit, our agreement about how we will create our Gimel/Dalet community.
Students learned the meaning of the Shehechiyanu Prayer and when we say it.
Students learned how the process of teshuvah can be a tool to learn from mistakes instead of denying that mistakes were made.
Students learned the 4 steps of Teshuvah, the Jewish process of how we return to the right path after we’ve made a mistake and did some roleplaying to practice using the steps. Students should now be able to explain the four step process to doing Teshuva and why the process of teshuvah is so important when they inevitably make mistakes.
Teachers worked individually with students to discover their current Hebrew strengths and areas for growth with the goal of meeting them where they are.
We wrapped up the week by starting conversation about the upcoming holiday of Rosh Hashanah and even got to listen to a fun parody song. Feel free to check it out here
Table Talk: How can we use the steps of teshuvah to help with a problem at home or at school?
My.ShalomLearning.org Activity for next week: 4.1.2 Teshuvah Week 2
Next week:
We will concentrate on practicing Tashlich, looking at the role of rituals and focus on hearing the shofar, our central Rosh Hashanah ritual, and what the sound of the shofar reminds us to do. We will also start work in our Hebrew groups.
Have a great week!
Shana Tova,
Marc, Jessica, and Mona
Gimel/Dalet Teaching Team
Kitah Hey/Vav Class Update: What Is a Mitzvah?
We had a very lively discussion today. We started our unit on B’tzelem Elokim (being created in God’s image), but the class took us to a question they cared about: What is a mitzvah?
What we learned:
Where the word comes from: Mitzvah comes from the root tzav (צו), “to command.” It’s a direct order, like an officer giving a command to soldiers.
A mitzvah is an obligation: Many mitzvot are things we are required to do. They aren’t just optional good deeds.
Example, Tzedakah: The word comes from tzedek, which means justice. Giving to people in need isn’t only being kind. It’s the just and right thing to do.
Next steps: We’ll come back to B’tzelem Elokim soon.
Question to ask at home: “What’s the difference between a good deed and a mitzvah?”
October 11
Subject: Kitah Hey/Vav – Today’s Class Update
Dear Parents,
We had a great day today.
Rosh Chodesh Tefillot: We began with special prayers for the new month.
Torah Reading Practice: Thanks to our madrichim and staff, each student got individual help to make sure they read their Torah portion words correctly.
Judaic Studies – B’tzelem Elokim: We asked, “What does it mean to be created in the Image of G-d?” Students worked in groups of 2–3 and made lists. Their answers showed real depth, drawing on science, evolution, chemistry, and philosophy.
We discussed how Judaism, unlike some other traditions, has no physical images of G-d. We cannot picture G-d or even say whether G-d is “He,” “She,” or “It.”
Students concluded that being in G-d’s image means how we act: being kind, thankful, and thoughtful.
Ask your child what B’tzelem Elokim means to them!
Best,
Dennis
Kitah Hei/Vav – Class Update
Chol Hamoed Sukkot, Day 3
Sukkot History
We talked about how the Jewish people lived at the time of Sukkot and how the weather affected them.
Ask your child:
Hebrew Reading
We started a new way to learn the vowels (nekudot), which sit under the letters. Each vowel sound is matched to a color, for example, Chirik (“ee”) = green and Segol (“eh”) = red. The students liked it, and we will continue next time.
In the Sukkah
We learned the brachot for the sukkah and for the lulav and etrog. Every student got to say the bracha, hold the lulav and etrog, and shake them.
Hebrew:
Jewish Studies:
Happy Shemini Atzeret/ Simchat Torah to my Kitah Zayin families,
These last few weeks we have been preparing the students for the holidays by practicing the prayers and learning about the customs. For our Jewish values curriculum, we have been studying teshuvah (repentance) tefilah (prayer) and tedakah (charity) and why those values are so important to take away a bad decree. We focused on the relationship between the hebrew words for tzedakah (charity) and tzedek (justice). Last Wednesday, we had the opportunity to visit Soil and Soul, a Jewish farm that teaches students about the importance of planting in Jewish culture. The students picked green beans that would be donated to local needy causes. In the sukkah, the students all shook the lulav and etrog, they learned the significance of the practice and how to say the blessing. We also had snack in the sukkah, which gave students an opportunity to make the leishev basukkah blessing.
All the best,
Sarah Burnstein
Kitah Zayin
Morah Sarah Burnstein
Sunday, October 11
MADRICHIM TEAM LEARNING:
Facilitated by Jamie Loewenthal
Sunday, August 30