Apr 27
Anafim (“Branches” for 2nd-3rd grades) children are deep into the heart of our Bikur Cholim (Visiting Sick People) theme. As in any other theme, children are bringing their unique perspectives and experiences into dialogue with our Jewish texts within a community of their peers. Throughout the year we’ve seen glimmers of the way that children …
Apr 13
Sunday was a GORGEOUS day to explore our new theme בִּיקוּר חוֹלִים (Bikur Cholim – Visiting sick people) together outdoors! Anafimers are bursting with ideas to share about our text from Talmud Nedarim 40a. In our text, a student of Rabbi Akiva’s gets sick and doesn’t have any visitors. Rabbi Akiva visits the sick student …
Apr 01
It was so wonderful to see Anafim (“Branches” for 2nd-3rd grade) back together today after Spring Break! We had so much to catch up on, like visits with grandparents, travels to a cabin, eagle sightings, and first days back at in-person school. We celebrated being back together with a silly Pesach (Passover) Mad Libs and …
Mar 11
In the maggid (narrate) section of the haggadah (“the telling,” the Seder text) we read a text from Mishnah Pesachim about Rabban Gamliel. Rabban Gamliel said that a Jewish person should talk about פֶּסַח (pesach – the Passover offering), מַצָּה (matzah – unleavened bread), and מָרוֹר (maror – bitter herbs) every year at the Seder. …
Feb 25
Chag Purim Sameach! Happy Purim! As we closed up our eight week Shehecheyanu theme, children in Anafim (“Branches” for 2nd-3rd) got to play Purim! We went on a Purim treasure hunt in the snow. Built (or rather, tried to build) Purim character snow people. Drew pictures of scenes from Megillat Esther (The Book of Esther) …
Feb 11
It’s final project time for our Shehecheyanu theme in Anafim (“Branches” for 2nd-3rd). This week I had the absolute pleasure of meeting 1:1 with every single Anafimer just to chat about their big ideas. What a gift! (Didn’t make for great photos, though.) I can’t wait for the children to share their projects with you! …
Jan 28
Guess what?! At our session this evening, every single Anafimer (“Branches” for 2nd-3rd grade) shared an idea about our Shehecheyanu theme! Now let me be clear: Children in Anafim have many ideas–about our theme, about sledding in the snow, about being a third grader, and about lots more. Sometimes, though, they just don’t feel like …
Jan 14
Hey! Did you know that the Hebrew word חי (chai–life) is the root of our new theme, שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ (Shehecheyanu)? This week, children recalled times that they felt super alive: Child 1: When I swung for the first time by myself. And I felt really good on the inside and the outside. Child 2: One time …
Dec 16
It’s Chanukah! Children in Anafim (“Branches” for 2nd-3rd grades) have been bubbling over with excitement about Chanukah. Their enthusiasm is contagious! Something that has brought me light this Chanukah was watching this gorgeous collaboration between two second graders who were working together on a Chanukah building. I hope it brings you joy, too! Child 1: …
Dec 03
We’re nearing the end of our Teyva (“Ark”) theme, and Anafimers (“Branches” for 2nd-3rd grades) are eagerly putting the finishing touches on their final projects. At the end of our session today, it was time to share our progress with each other. One child, who is writing from the perspective of characters in our text, …
