Religious School Highlights

April 2025

Gan (Kindergarten)

Looking Back:

• Holidays
• • • Purim: Gan learned about the Purim story and its main characters through a child-friendly megillah. We made our own groggers and masks to help celebrate the holiday. Finally, we learned about the various laws and customs of Purim.
    • Passover: We used stick puppets to learn about the story of Passover. The children made their own salt water bowls and Karpas plates to be used at the seder. We used one version at our own mini seder. The children had a lot of fun singing seder songs like The Order of the Seder and the Mah Nishtanah. The Exodus Games, our Passover-themed mini colorwar, were greatly enjoyed by all our learners, and served as a review of all the learning we did in class.

• Torah Stories: With so many holidays, we were only able to learn one Torah story about Yaakov and Eisav. This story gave us the opportunity to discuss ideas about being honest or tricky, and the importance of learning Torah.

• Tefillah: We continued to practice our Tefillot, discuss what they mean, and the value of speaking to God. The children are greatly interested in having their turns as Chazzan (prayer leader). Chazzan Gaby also helps with the Shabbat brachot (blessings) at snack time.

Looking Forward:

• Yom Ha’Atzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day, is a special time to celebrate with fun, music, and pride for the Jewish State! We look forward to celebrating together.

• We will continue to learn about our forefather,Ya’akov, who was a wise and brave man in the Torah. Ya’akov Avinu is known for having twelve sons who became the leaders of the twelve tribes of Israel.

Thought Question

What is your favorite thing about Passover, and why?

Kitah Alef (1st Grade)

Looking Back:

• Hebrew Reading: The students continue to progress in their reading and writing skills. Morah Miri has been coming to work with groups and she has allowed us to give increased individualized support to the class. I have also noticed that some learners have not been following the proper formation of the Hebrew letters that they have been taught. I sent home a sheet showing the proper formation of all the Hebrew letters and have instructed the learners to practice at home.
• Hebrew Language and Vocabulary: The Kitah Alef learners have been trying their best to respond in Hebrew whenever possible. There is constant repetition of the routine vocabulary we use, and this helps the children’s recall. Purim was a blast, and we acquired many new words and customs related to the holiday.
• Holidays: Passover is coming, and we have already studied some of the Torah stories that begin to connect Joseph’s arrival in Egypt and the consequences that the Jews faced as a result of their settling there. This leads us to where we are now–Chag Ha-Pesach. We are working on all the vocabulary, songs, customs, and traditions connected to the chag (holiday).
• Israel: Our amazing Shinshin, Nadav is back from Israel, and we are so glad! We missed his sessions while he was gone. He placed our p’takim (notes) in the Kotel when he was there!!
• Tefillah: We meet with Cantor Gaby every Thursday and have learned so many new tefillot (prayers) and songs for Passover. We are ready for our seders!

Looking Forward:

• We keep getting better at decoding as we work through our PHD books! As mentioned, we encourage the children to practice reading and writing with the sheets they have in their folders.
• We have two parshiot (Torah portions) left to finish in Bereishit (Genesis): Va-Yigash and Va-Yehi. We will resume our studies after we return from our Passover break.
• The children have a love and connection to Israel that is admirable. There will be a lot of celebration of Eretz Yisrael when May comes around, focussing on Yom Ha’Atzamut (Israel’s independence day)
• We continue to round out the learners’ Tefillah repertoire and explain the meaning and reason for each prayer that we learn!

Thought Question:

Why is Eretz Israel so important for Jewish people around the world?

Kitah Bet (2nd Grade):

Looking Back:

• Purim: We had lots of fun learning about the story of the Jews of Shushan, and how they were saved by Queen Esther and her cousin – Mordechai. The Purim Carnival was a well-deserved culmination party for our studies.
• Passover: This past month we focussed on Passover. We are experts at the Four Questions, as well as other Passover songs that we might hear at the seder. Ask us about Dayeinu, Avadim Hayinu and Echad Mi Yodeah! 
• Tefillah: Through lots of practice, we have become adept at reciting the Ashrei prayer. We have learned the importance of this prayer, and hence why we recite it 3 times daily.

Looking Forward:

• We can’t wait to learn more about the upcoming Jewish holidays! The class will learn about Yom Ha’atzmaut (Israeli Independence Day) and Shavuot. 
• As we continue our journey of learning Jewish prayer, we’re excited to discover their meaning. Each prayer helps us connect to God in a special way. Specifically, we will continue to learn the standing Amidah prayer.

Thought Question:

During Passover, we are supposed to imagine ourselves as slaves like our ancestors were. In this day and age it might be difficult to do so. How do you think we can relate to what our ancestors went through in Egypt all those years ago?

Kitah Gimel – 3rd Grade:

Looking Back:

• Building Community: Learners are acclimated to our own space and independence from Kitah Dalet. Of course, we are still community-building together through different activities, such as Tefillah and Shinshinim.

• Social Emotional Learning & Hebrew Vocabulary: Basic vocabulary, days of the week, Jewish symbols, holiday words, simple commands, our feelings and weather along with calendar words are used as we have our class meetings. We speak in simple Hebrew sentences using Hebrew vocabulary. On Thursdays there is a mixture of ‘hungry,’ ‘happy,’ ‘super’, ‘great’, ‘excited’ and ‘sababa’!
• Hebrew Decoding Skills: We continue to work individually and in groups in our Phonetic Hebrew Decoding (PHD) books with Morah Miri, Morah Jessica, and Morah Laurie on our decoding skills. We check our reading log homework and play reading games. 
• Holidays: We have been busy exploring the Spring Holidays: Purim, Passover,Yom HaShoah, Yom Ha’atzmaut, Lag B’Omer, Yom Yerushalayim, Shavuot, and Rosh Chodesh! For Rosh Chodesh, we spoke about fresh starts and new beginnings for each new month. For Adar we spoke about being happy (and celebrating Purim). For Nissan we spoke about the Spring and our freedom from slavery (Passover). We are currently very much in the Passover spirit and have been reviewing the story and Haggadah. The learners reviewed the 4 Questions and Passover songs as well as enjoyed playing a trivia Passover Bingo Game. 
• Torah Stories: We also have been focusing on Parshiot (Torah portions) and in particular, working on our comic books for Bereshit. A teachable moment from Parshat Vaera and Bo was that the Makkot (plagues) never affected the Jewish people because Hashem always protects them. It is full circle bringing the Pesach story to life now from that Parsha!

Looking Forward:

• We will continue to work in the classroom with our PHD textbooks. Please remind your child to practice at home for 3-5 minutes, 2-3 times a week, and sign their reading log. 
• We will continue working with our comic books for Bereshit. 
• We will be discovering new Mitzvot, like keeping Kosher and counting the Omer (days between Passover and Shavuot). We will be working on Sundays about becoming a responsible “Mensch” (good person).

Thought Question:

How can I continue to be the best person I can be like Moshe and Noah when others are not? 

Kitah Dalet – 4th Grade:

Looking Back:

• Building Community: Learners are acclimated to our own space and independence from Kitah Gimel. Of course, we are still community-building together through different activities, such as Tefillah and Shinshinim.
• Social Emotional Learning & Basic Hebrew vocabulary: Basic vocabulary, days of the week, Jewish symbols, holiday words, simple commands, our feelings and weather along with calendar words are used as we have our class meetings. We speak in simple Hebrew sentences using Hebrew vocabulary. On Thursdays there is a mixture of ‘hungry,’ ‘happy,’ ‘super’, ‘great’, ‘excited’ and ‘sababa’!
• Hebrew Decoding Skills: We continue to work individually and in groups in our Phonetic Hebrew Decoding (PHD) books with Morah Miri and Morah Laurie on our decoding skills. We check our reading log homework and play reading games. 
• Prayers: We are working on the Ashrei prayer and how happy people are when they believe in God. We have worked on a few Haggadah prayers and songs. We started a “Kiddush Club” for those who have mastered the Kiddush prayer.

• Holidays: We learned and explored the holidays of Purim and Pesach. We will be examined and talked about the holiday symbols in our homes and as we learned about these holidays. We made a JENGA Booth for the Purim Carnival and pretended to be slaves in Egypt and freed while studying Pesach.
• Torah Stories: Kitah Dalet reinforced their Torah geography, as well as the names and synopses of the Five Books of Moses, better known as the Torah. We continue to make connections to the Torah, We compared ourselves to and connected with Biblical characters from Exodus/Shemot. We also connected our text readings to the holiday of Passover.

Looking Forward:

• Kitah Dalet will be discovering new Mitzvot, like keeping Kosher and counting the Omer (days between Passover and Shavuot). We will be working on Sundays about becoming a responsible “Mensch” (good person).
• Kitah Dalet will be exploring the spring holidays of Yom Ha’Atzmaut (Israeli Independence Day), Lag B’Omer and the Omer Season (days between Passover and Shavuot). We will talk about Kashrut (kosher food).
• In honor of Israel, Kitah Dalet will talk about Israeli politicians, artists, scientists, musicians and athletes, as well as places in Israel and lifestyles (foods, sports, climate).
• In Hebrew, Kitah Dalet will continue in the classroom and with Morah Miri in our PHD textbooks. Please remind your child to practice at home for 3-5 minutes, 2-3 times a week, and sign their reading log. They have not been returned as often as in months passed.

Thought Question:

What mitzvah can I do every day?

Kitah Hey (5th Grade):

Looking Back:

• Jewish Holidays: 

• • Tu Bishvat: We learned about the importance of trees and their meanings – both literal and metaphorical. We had a fun quiz,  teaching us about the various aspects of the plant – roots, branches, seeds, fruit, trunk, etc. We also learned a little bit about why, in the Jewish faith, man is compared to a tree – Ki Ha’adam Etz Hasadeh.

• • Purim: Learners made lovely candy Mishloach Manot, using frappuccino cup lids. For one of our Purim Carnival stations, we worked as a group to create a giant Trivia Tic Tac Toe game. The learners made double-sided tiles (X on one side and O on the other). For the trivia part, we compiled a bunch of Purim riddles, and put them in a jar for the participants to pull out and answer. Thanks to teamwork, it was a great success!
• Israel: We had a lesson on “Who are the Israelis?,” where we watched a video showcasing the rich tapestry of life in Israel. The video gave us a deeper understanding of the diverse cultures and traditions in the country. Afterward, we had a fun Kahoot game, which everyone really enjoyed!
• Shabbat: Following our discussion of the basics of Kashrut, we delved into the fundamentals of keeping Shabbat. Learners differentiated between activities forbidden and activities sanctioned on Shabbat through sorting activities and discussion.

• Hebrew Reading: We continue working through our PHD books with Morah Miri and in class, with a focus on practicing reading fluently, meaning being able to read a Hebrew text without pausing to sound words out. We practiced by reading prayers that we may expect to recite at shul, such as Ashrei. So far, the class record is thirteen words of Ashrei in a row, with no mistakes or pauses!
• Family History: We started a conversation about our own families’ histories and where our ancestors came from. We discovered a diversity of origins in the class, and will continue this topic after Passover.
• Passover and the Cycle of Jewish History: We analyzed the story of Passover as an instance of a common cycle found in Jewish history, wherein Jews experience temporary tolerance or prosperity, followed by rapid escalation of antiSemitism, and ultimately expulsion or flight. We touched on other times throughout history, such as Holocaust, when this cycle repeated itself.

Looking Ahead:

• As part of our Jewish History studies, the learners will be working in pairs to learn about and present on particular Jewish groups/time periods, such as the Jews of Ethiopia or Italy, and Russian Jews (both before the 1900s, and under the USSR). They will use the framework we discussed with regards to the Passover story to analyze their particular group’s history.

Thought Questions:

“Ki Ha’adam Etz Hasadeh – Because man is a tree of the field. (Deuteronomy 20:19)” –  Where are our roots and how do we influence our branches?

When did your earliest ancestor arrive in America? Why is it important for the Jewish people to remember these things?

Middle School 

(Kitah Vav/Gesher – 6th & 7th Grades)

Looking Back:

• Tefillah: Kitah Vav continues to study the Torah Service, and is making steady progress in the various components. Gesher has moved on from the Ashrei prayer to reviewing the Amidah (standing prayer). We learned that the rabbis refer to this part of the prayer service as Tefillah, because in Judaism, it is the petitional form of prayer that is quintessential – we discussed why that might be.
• Holocaust Studies: We learned how the Nazis used laws and propaganda to create a Volksgemeinschaft (national community), privileging Aryans and excluding so-called inferior races, such as Jews. We have moved on to studying Kristallnacht, how Jews experienced it, and how it officially represented the beginning of the end of German Jewry. With Passover approaching, we also discussed resistance during the Holocaust and the different types of resistance from physical to spiritual resistance. We learned about the Bielsky brothers, and connected these ideas to resistance of the Jews in Egypt. Ask your child to give an example during the Seder!
• Tanakh with Morah Mollie: Recently, we’ve turned to prophetic imagination, visualizing the intense imagery of Ezekiel and the 12 Minor Prophets. The Talmud invites not just reading, but seeing. Imagery in prophetic texts opens up space for students to engage with Tanakh not just as law or story, but as visual and emotional experience.
• Kashrut: We learned about the development of Kashrut. Students both examined the original source and reflected on the historical and religious reasons behind food laws that shape Jewish life today. We also linked this topic to Passover, and explored how we kasher our kitchens for Passover. 
• Art with Morah Jolanta: Each of our art projects takes several weeks to complete, so they do not necessarily align with each holiday. 
  • For Tu Bishvat, known as the “New Year of the Trees,” the middle school classes came together to create a collaborative mural showcasing the diverse and beautiful trees found throughout Israel. Through art, the students expressed their appreciation for the land, its natural beauty, and the deep-rooted connection between people and nature. The mural stands as a colorful tribute to Tu Bishvat and the power of community and creativity.  

• • For the upcoming holiday of Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, Gesher and Vav students explored how art can serve as a powerful form of spiritual resistance during times of darkness. We learned about the heroic Austrian artist Friedl Dicker-Brandeis, who courageously taught art to children in the Terezin ghetto, nurturing their creativity and hope. We studied artwork and poetry from the collection I Never Saw Another Butterfly, created by children imprisoned in the Terezin ghetto. Inspired by their resilience, each learner wrote two sensory poems—one capturing fear and the other, hope. We are now creating butterflies to illustrate our poetry book, which will serve as a moving tribute for the upcoming Yom HaShoah commemoration.
• Holidays: 
  • Tu Bishvat: We discussed how the Torah teaches us to care for the earth, especially its trees. 
  • Purim: On Thursdays, much of our time was devoted to the Megillah Projects. Learners reimagined the Purim story through visual art and creative writing. Some told the tale from the perspective of Bigthan and Teresh, while others set Esther’s story in entirely new settings. On Sundays, we focussed on preparing our Purim Carnival booths and volunteering at the Carnival!
  • Passover: Morah Monica’s class began with a reflection of things we do to prepare for Passover, family traditions, the Passover story, the seder, and any questions we had about Passover. During our conversation about Passover preparations we focused on kosher symbols and how Passover products have additional symbols to easily identify usage for Passover. Ask your child what these symbols look like! As a culminating activity, we did a compare and contrast of soda that is kosher for Passover vs kosher all year round. Our discussions about traditions led us to the understanding that each of our families has different customs about the seder, afikomen, and even the foods we eat. We spent time making two different charoset recipes that Morah Monica’s family makes every Passover. 
• Tanakh with Moreh Ira: We continue our march through the Tanakh. We started with the 5 books of the Torah and just completed the historical narratives of Nevi’im Rishonim (First Prophets).

Looking Forward:

• As we approach the final stretch of the year, we will work on an in-depth, multi-week look at the Book of Ruth, and a closer exploration of Rabbi Akiva — his teachings, his life, and his legacy. Big projects are on the horizon!
• In Tanakh, we will begin learning Nevi’im Acharonim (the classical prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel.) In Tefillah, we will explore the Jewish values that can be discerned from a close study of the individual blessings.
• In Holocaust Studies, we will continue working on our artistic understanding of spiritual resistance as we approach Yom HaShoah, as well as analyze a variety of non-Jewish responses to the Shoah and reflect on what we can learn about human behavior from the choices people made. We will focus on the end of WWII and what happened to the survivors of the war. 

Thought Questions:

What is our individual sense of responsibility towards others during times of fear and crisis?

What does it mean to find meaning in how a story is told and not just what happens in the story?