Kitah Vav Assignments, Week of May 15, 2007 (Due May 29)

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Hebrew - Rabbi Weber

Today in class we actually got some Hebrew done! Using page 40 we (re)learned how to recognize masculine and feminine plurals as well as learning vocabulary for the parts of a sefer torah.

We reviewed the difference between chukim and mishpatim. The former are the few laws in the Torah for which we cannot discern a reason. Mishpatim are laws, as the Rambam tells, "had they not been given by God, reasonable people would have discovered eventually on their own." The classic example of a "chok" (singular of chukim) is shatnez, the Torah prohibition
against mixing wool and linen in a single garment.

Along the way, questions arose about what are tefillin. I did not want to go down that tangent at the moment.

I distributed a new, short book for which Jessica and I wrote the Teacher's Guide a decade or so ago. It's all about what's involved in preparing for bar/bat mitzvah.

HW is fairly extensive as it covers two weeks:

1. Read the first section of the Bar/Bat Mitzvah handbook, roughly the first 20 pages. No written assignment.

2. Fathers: if you have a set, please show your child your tefillin. Rather than show a video or learn about it as if it were an artifact from an exotic culture, it would be best (if you got 'em) to do it first hand.

3. Complete the remainder of Chapter 5 at home. That is pages 50-53. Some reading practice (especially for Robyn) on the "ahavat olam" prayer on page 53 would be good. Its something they need to learn for bar/bat mitzvah anyway so why not now?

No school next week as Tuesday night is Shavuot. Blintze dinner at 7 followed by Erev Shavuot service at 8:00 PM. Though morning services are long, the evening service is really quite brief, 40 muinutes or less. Shavuot is one of the big holidays and it would be good if all the kids were here.

There are only three more Hebrew School sessions for this year: May 26, June 5 and 12. Let's keep up the energy and end on a good note.

Rabbi DW

History/Philosophy - Nancy Garfinkel
 
We had a great visit with Mrs. Salander on Tuesday afternoon.  She shared some wonderful stories of when she lived in Poland as a young girl and when she first came to the US with her family.  Our students had a few questions for her, but she mostly drove the conversation with her stories.  Mrs. Salander was delighted to have such nicely behaved and polite company for a brief visit.  She has invited us to come back for another visit and more stories.
 
Mrs. Salander is a real treasure and has led an amazing and very interesting life.  We can all learn a great deal from her.  Our very special thanks to her for opening her home to us.
 
For homework:
 
Please write a short (1 page) biography based on the discussions we had with Mrs. Salander on Tuesday.
 
Remember, there is no Hebrew School this coming Tuesday (May 22).  School is scheduled to be held on Tuesday, May 29th.

See you then.
Mrs. Garfinkel

Enrichment:
Parents: Direct students to www.behrmanhouse.com where they can practice their Hebrew decoding with “Click and Read Hebrew at Home” (the orange button) and drill prayer reading with “Click and Learn Prayer at Home” (the hot pink button). It’s also an ideal way for parents to practice along with their children.

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