Jan 23
The children in Nitzanim v’Anafim (“Buds” for 1st-2nd grades and “Branches” for 3rd grade) always get excited about trying out new art materials, and that excitement was BURSTING out of them when we started using chalk pastels last week – so much so that we just had to continue with them this week! Children were …
Jan 23
Here are the Torah texts that children are exploring during week 3 of our Yosef (Joseph) theme. בְּרֵאשִׁית מ Genesis 40: Nursery and Kindergarten version א) וַיְהִי, אַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה, חָטְאוּ מַשְׁקֵה מֶלֶךְ-מִצְרַיִם, וְהָאֹפֶה–לַאֲדֹנֵיהֶם, לְמֶלֶךְ מִצְרָיִםב) וַיִּקְצֹף פַּרְעֹה, עַל שְׁנֵי סָרִיסָיו–עַל שַׂר הַמַּשְׁקִים, וְעַל שַׂר הָאוֹפִיםג) וַיִּתֵּן אֹתָם בְּמִשְׁמַר, בֵּית שַׂר הַטַּבָּחִים–אֶל-בֵּית הַסֹּהַר: מְקוֹם, אֲשֶׁר …
Jan 19
Children in 1st through 5th grade were offered this text this week to provide them with some context before moving on to Genesis 40. 1st-3rd grade version: א) וְיוסֵף, הורד מִצְריְמָה; וַיִקנֵהו פוטִיפַר סְריס פַרעֹה שַר הַטַבָחִים, אִיש מִצְרי, מִיַד הַיִשְמְעֵאלִים, אֲשֶר הורדהו שָמָה 1) Yosef was brought down to Egypt. An Egyptian called Potiphar, …
Jan 17
Here is the Torah text that children are exploring during Week 2 of our Yosef (Joseph) theme. בְּרֵאשִׁית לז:יב–לו Genesis 37:12-36 יב) וַיֵּלְכוּ, אֶחָיו, לִרְעוֹת אֶת-צֹאן אֲבִיהֶם, בִּשְׁכֶם. יג) וַיֹּאמֶר יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל-יוֹסֵף, הֲלוֹא אַחֶיךָ רֹעִים בִּשְׁכֶם–לְכָה, וְאֶשְׁלָחֲךָ אֲלֵיהֶם; וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ, הִנֵּנִי. One day, Yosef’s brothers went to Sh’chem to take care of their father’s sheep. Ya’akov, whose …
Jan 10
This week at the Jewish Enrichment Center, we started our new theme: יוֹסֵף (Yosef)! After hearing the text (Genesis 37:1-11) for just the first time, the children in Nitzanim v’Anafim (“Buds” for 1st-2nd grades and “Branches” for 3rd grade) were absolutely bursting with questions and ideas. “This is Ya’akov and all his children. Everyone except …
Jan 10
Here is the Torah text that children are exploring during Week 1 of our Yosef (Joseph) theme. בְּרֵאשִׁית לז.א-יא Genesis 37:1-11 א) וַיֵּשֶׁב יַעֲקֹב בְּאֶרֶץ מְגוּרֵי אָבִיו–בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן Ya’akov lived in the land of Cana’an. This is the story of Ya’akov and all his family. ב) אֵלֶּה תֹּלְדוֹת יַעֲקֹב, יוֹסֵף בֶּן-שְׁבַע-עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה הָיָה רֹעֶה אֶת-אֶחָיו …
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 12
What a gift to be able to celebrate our Teshuvah (Return) theme in community yesterday! Children in nursery and kindergarten told teshuvah stories with their grown-ups, choosing at least two different kinds of teshuvah to help make the situation better. 1st-3rd grade teshuvah specialists offered recommendations for how to do teshuvah in various situations. Finally, …
Dec 07
The children in Nitzanim v’Anafim (“Buds” for 1st-2nd grades and “Branches” for 3rd grade) are getting ready for this Sunday’s Family Exploration and Celebration. They have asked big questions, carefully considered different situations that could require Teshuvah, thought deeply, and had extremely rich conversations with each other. Now, they are Teshuvah Specialists, and they are …
Nov 03
Throughout this whole year so far, I have been blown away by the amazing conversation skills in Nitzanim v’Anafim (“Buds” for 1st-2nd grade and “Branches” for 3rd grade). During כִּיבּוּד (kibud – snack) and in the studio, children talk and share ideas with each other about our theme, תְּשׁוּבָה (teshuva). One of the most amazing things …
