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Elisa Aranoff
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May 15
Chaverim Through the Year
The families of שָׁלוֹם חֲבֵרִים (Shalom, Chaverim! – Welcome, Friends! for ages 0 – 3 and their grown-ups) are wrapping up the school year by revisiting the חַגִים (chaggim, holidays) we explored. Children could color holiday images while examining holiday objects, or hunt for items in the sensory bin. We also introduced the upcoming Jewish holiday of …
May 01
Shalom Alef-Bet!
The families of שָׁלוֹם חֲבֵרִים (Shalom, Chaverim! – Welcome, Friends! for ages 0 – 3 and their grown-ups) are exploring the letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Explorations included decorating their Hebrew names, finding Hebrew-letter cards in the sensory bin, tracing Hebrew letters, building with blocks with Hebrew letters on them, Hebrew-letter floor puzzles, and making Hebrew-letter cookies! …
Apr 13
Shalom, Pesach! Part 2
The families of שָׁלוֹם חֲבֵרִים (Shalom, Chaverim! – Welcome, Friends! for ages 0 – 3 and their grown-ups) wrapped up their exploration of the upcoming Jewish holiday of פֶּסַח (Pesach, Passover). Children used their senses to experience the foods of פֶּסַח (Pesach, Passover). They cut apples and mixed charoset, kneaded and flattened dough into matzah, and used …
Mar 30
Shalom, Pesach!
The families of שָׁלוֹם חֲבֵרִים (Shalom, Chaverim! – Welcome, Friends! for ages 0 – 3 and their grown-ups) are exploring the upcoming Jewish holiday of פֶּסַח (Pesach, Passover). Children decorated a סֵדֶר (seder) table. They dug in the sandbox for pictures of סֵדֶר (seder) plates. They used spray bottles and other cleaning supplies to get ready for …
Mar 07
Shalom, Purim! Part 2
The families of שָׁלוֹם חֲבֵרִים (Shalom, Chaverim! – Welcome, Friends! for ages 0 – 3 and their grown-ups) spent three fun weeks exploring the upcoming Jewish holiday of פּוּרִים (Purim), culminating in our own little celebration. As in prior weeks, children could explore the sensory table full of water beads, פּוּרִים pictures, and plastic רַעֲשָׁנִים (ra’ashanim – …
Feb 14
Shalom, Purim!
Purim is coming! This week the families of Shalom, Chaverim! (“Welcome, Friends!” for ages 0 – 3 and their grown-ups) began exploring the upcoming Jewish holiday. Children played with Purim shapes alongside water beads in the sensory bin, and examined Purim pictures on sticky paper on the window. They sculpted play-dough into hamentashen, traditional triangular Purim …
Feb 08
Mezuzah Hunt
The families of Shalom, Chaverim! (“Welcome, Friends!” for ages 0 – 3 and their grown-ups) are exploring mezuzahs. These are small, decorative boxes affixed to some doorways to designate a Jewish space. Inside are scrolls on which the שְׁמַע (Shema) prayer is written. Children wrapped themselves up like a scroll. We sang the שְׁמַע (Shema) prayer …
Jan 21
Working the Room
What happens when you are the only family in Shalom, Chaverim! (“Welcome, Friends!” for ages 0 – 3 and their grown-ups)? You get the whole place to yourself! This week this guy and his dad worked the room while exploring Tu B’Shevat, the Jewish celebration of trees. He built a forest out of brick blocks, affixed …
Dec 06
Becoming Sevivonim
The children in Shalom, Chaverim! (“Welcome, Friends!” for ages 0 – 3 and their grown-ups) were immersed in Chanukah play. They used Chanukah candles and sevivonim (dreidels) to paint or manipulate play-dough. They explored the textures and shapes of these objects while engaging in sensory play with colorful rice. They placed candles of different sizes and colors …
Nov 16
Shalom, Chanukah!
The children in Shalom, Chaverim! (“Welcome, Friends!” for ages 0 – 3 and their grown-ups) are starting to explore Chanukah. They used a variety of media to place Chanukah candles into chanukiot (menorahs or candle-holders) including foam shapes onto contact paper, felt Chanukah shapes, real candles in play-doh, and a toy Chanukah set. In this way they …