Dec 15
This week, the children of the Jewish Enrichment Center got to join together for early chanukah celebrations. For these kinds of holiday celebrations, we have יְדִידִים (yedidim-buddies) from other age groups. These children really know how to take care of each other! These children have just completed their task to assemble all of the נֵרוֹת …
Dec 14
After a lovely and deep Teshuvah theme, we have the gift of spending this last week before break doing all things Chanukah! The children in Nitzanim v’Anafim (“Buds” for 1st-2nd grades and “Branches” for 3rd grade) love Chanukah, and it’s been so much fun to make Chanukah cards and decorations, play sevivon (dreidel) and Chanukah …
Dec 13
Last week, 18 teens (6th-12th grade) celebrated Chanukah together at our Teen Chanukah Party! We made latkes… We dipped candles… We played dreidel… We designed light catchers… And we decorated cookies! We are so glad to celebrate together, and hope you’ll join us for our Purim Party!
Dec 06
What a joyous final Chanukah session in Shalom Chaverim (“Welcome, Friends!”) for infants and toddlers! We stamped the Hebrew otiot (letters) נ nun, ג gimmel, ה hey, ש shin onto sevivonim (dreidels); practiced our skills for taking toys out of the bin and putting them back in; and tried on sevivon (dreidel) costumes while we …
Dec 02
This week the children in שׁוֹרָשִׁים (Shorashim– ‘roots’ for nursery) and שְׁתִּילִים (Shteelim– ‘saplings’ for kindergarten) have started getting ready for חֲנֻכָּה (chanukah)! The first thing we did was read some חֲנֻכָּה (chanukah) story books, which sparked a lot of memories of eating latkes (potato pancakes), lighting חֲנֻכִּיָוֹת (Chanukiyot– Chanukah Menorot (plural form of menorah), and playing …
Nov 14
We’re getting ready for Chanukah in Shalom Chaverim! As always, children in Shalom Chaverim explore the Jewish holidays in ways that are just right for their development. That means our older and younger friends often play in different ways! Our younger friends, who explore everything with their mouths, did lots of mouthing to find out …
Dec 06
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 …
Dec 06
Anafim v’Alonim (“Branches” for 3rd-4th grades and “Oak Trees” for 5th grade) was abuzz this week with final projects and celebrating Chanukah! Children painted and collaborated… Dreamt big…
Dec 02
It’s חֲנֻכָּה (Chanukah) and the children in שׁוֹרָשִׁים (Shorashim– ‘roots’ for nursery) and שְׁתִּילִים (Shteelim– ‘saplings’ for kindergarten), are fully immersed in חֲנֻכָּה (Chanukah) play! We have had so many opportunities to use our חֲנֻכָּה (Chanukah) vocabulary! We are having חֲנֻכָּה (Chanukah) celebrations! We make latkes, set up the table for guests, “light” the חֲנֻכִּיָה (Chanukiyah) and …
Nov 16
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 …
