In שׁוֹרָשִׁים (Shorashim– ‘roots’ for nursery) and שְׁתִּילִים (Shteelim– ‘saplings’ for kindergarten), we are spending time working on the skill of talking with a partner. When we spend time talking to each other we can learn so much! This time around we heard about an experience we might have had during Pesach (Passover), going to a Seder. …
Category Archive: Pesach
Apr 25
Celebrating Our Community
This Pesach (Passover), Anafim (“Branches” for 2nd and 3rd grade) has a lot that we’re celebrating! Lately, we’ve been talking about what it looks like to be a kind, caring member of our community. One place we’ve been focusing on this is kibud (“snack”), where we’ve been practicing giving friendly greetings to our conversation partners, …
Apr 25
Preparing to Count the Omer
Every year at the Jewish Enrichment Center we count the Omer, the period of 49 days between Pesach (Passover) and Shavuot. This year children of all ages helped make our Omer by watercoloring flowers. Thanks to all their effort, we’ve got 49 flowers ready to bloom as we count the Omer!
Apr 23
Helping Ourselves and Each Other During Zeman Ivrit (Hebrew Time)
It’s spring quarter (can you believe it?), and by now Nitzanim children know A LOT of strategies for helping themselves and each other during זמן עברית (zeman Ivrit–Hebrew time). “Sit in a quiet, calm place.” “Talk in a regular voice.” “Practice many times.” “Give a friend an Aleph-Bet chart.” “Say to a friend, ‘I don’t …
Apr 18
Pesach Creation
As Anafim (“Branches” for 2nd and 3rd grade) slides into week three of our Pesach (Passover) preparation, the creative frenzy has not faltered. After years of learning about Pesach, these Anafimers know their stuff and are excited to share their ideas and explore new ones about Pesach. Anafimers are hard at work in the studio, …
Apr 16
Seder Ready!
Pesach (Passover) will be here on Friday night! In שׁוֹרָשִׁים (Shorashim– ‘roots’ for nursery) and שְׁתִּילִים (Shteelim– ‘saplings’ for kindergarten) we have been getting ready in a number of ways. We have been hearing Exodus 1-15, the text in the torah that primarily focuses on the Israelites becoming slaves and then being freed. Children have been collaborating …
Apr 16
Different Perspectives
For the last few weeks, children in Anafim v’Alonim (“branches” and “oak trees” for 4th and 5th grades) have dug into a line from the Mishnah about how the Passover story should be told. The Mishnah says the story should be told: “beginning with disgrace and ending in praise.” Following that, children looked at an …
Apr 15
Tough stuff
Over the last two weeks Nitzanim (“Buds” for 1st grade) children have been wrestling with some really tough stuff. They had to keep straight the Mishnah, which says to tell the story at the seder from the “hard stuff” to the “awesome stuff” (Mishnah Pesachim 10:4). Then they had to keep track of two different …
Apr 10
Running with the Rabbis
To prepare for Pesach (Passover) this year, Anafim (“Branches” for 2nd and 3rd grade) are diving deep into conversation with some of the ancient rabbis to consider different ways to interpret Pesach. We started with the Mishnah, a set of books from the early rabbis compiled around 210 C.E. The Mishnah says that a seder …
Apr 10
Examining Pesach with Early Rabbis
It’s been a busy week for Anafim v’Alonim (“branches” and “oak trees” for 4th and 5th grades)! We launched our Pesach unit with a review of שְׁמוׄת א-טו (Exodus 1-15) and had a ton of fun building the story during a Special Saturday Session. Then, we read a line in the Mishnah that says we …
