Oct 16
This week, we’ve gone back in time. We started reviewing EVERY story from the Tanakh* we’ve explored in 4+ years at the Jewish Enrichment Center. Over 25 texts! And those are just the biblical texts! Don’t even get us started on how many rabbinic texts we’ve explored. *Tanakh is a new acronym for us in Anafim. …
Oct 15
Drumroll please… Now presenting Nitzanim acting out their interpretation of our community expectations. 1) Take care of yourself. One Nitzanimer described taking care of herself as choosing a person to sit next to who she wouldn’t be tempted to talk to. https://youtu.be/BHuTuivSIhk https://youtu.be/SYImXtTxens 2) Take care of each other. Nitzanimers explained taking care of each …
Oct 15
This week in Shorashim and Shteelim has been all about בְּרֵאשִׁית (Breishit– in the beginning), the name of first פָּרָשָׁה (parashah- portion) in the תורה (Torah) as well as the first ספר (sefer- book). Propelled by our boundless questions and curiosity about תורה from last week, we took on בְּרֵאשִׁית . Keep reading to see the exact story we’ve …
Oct 08
This week was all about celebrating the Torah! We played a special Torah game in which we were given clues to find a certain word in the Torah (actually, all the books in the Tanakh, the Torah, Prophets, and Writings). The words filled in a crossword puzzle. There was loud cheering when we figured it …
Oct 08
How do 23 children and 2 מורים (morim—teachers) start building a community in Beit Nitzanim? Step 1: Figure out what it means to act in a ישר (yosher—uprightness) way. We became experts at distinguishing ישר (yosher–uprightness) from not ישר (yosher–uprightness). Then we acted out Genesis 29, substituting ישר (yosher–uprightness) actions from not ישר (yosher–uprightness) actions. Step …
Oct 08
This week Shorashim and Shteelim have been exploring the תורה (Torah) in honor of our חג (chag-holiday), שמחת חורה (Simchat Torah). And boy do we have a lot to share! Before שמחת חורה (Simchat Torah) even began we got to look at and touch and read a real תורה together with Rabbi Rebecca! And since then our ideas …
Oct 01
When it grew dark, Lavan brought his older daughter, Leah, to Ya’akov’s tent, and Ya’akov spent the night with her. When morning came, Ya’akov was shocked to discover that he was with Leah, not Rachel. (Genesis 29:23). Ya’akov said to Lavan, “Why did you trick me? I served you for Rachel!”’ (Genesis, 29:25) We decided …
Sep 30
The leaves are turning and Anafim is gearing up! This week, after many partner and group conversations, we were ready to start defining what we think ישר (Yosher)– our elusive theme for the past month- actually means to us. Using our examples of honesty, integrity, and courage, along with our ideas for what it means to act with …
Sep 25
This week during during Anafim jumped back into their method of leading כיבוד (kibud-snack), in which members of Anafim ask each other to answer a שְׁאֵלָה (sh’eilah-question) about what the food is and what בְּרָכָה (brachah-blessing) we say for it, making sure to call on friends who haven’t had a chance to answer, and then …
Sep 25
“We’re building a sukkah today!” one boy cried joyfully when he walked into the room. When we walked down the hall to go to yetzirah (art/creativity) to start making decorations, we saw it. “What’s that?” one child asked. “It’s for the sukkah!” “It’s the top!” We smelled it. Children tried to pick it up and …
