Nov 07
SO beautiful! What a special item made by our nursery and kindergarten children. Listening to the children, we heard their fascination with the items that show how special the Torah is: silver and gold, bells, crowns, lace. Every part of the Torah curtain’s design was guided by children’s voices and children’s choices. “We should make …
Oct 12
In שׁוֹרָשִׁים (Shorashim– ‘roots’ for nursery) and שְׁתִּילִים (Shteelim– ‘saplings’ for kindergarten) we had an exciting opportunity to spend a week exploring, “what is תּוֹרָה (Torah)?” as we started our תּוֹרָה (Torah) theme for the year רִבְקָה (Rivkah). This year, many of the children were new and while many had seen a תּוֹרָה (Torah) before, few had ever looked inside. …
May 08
We continued our exploration of Shavuot (“Weeks”) this week in Shalom Chaverim (“Welcome, Friends” for infants/toddlers and a grown-up). We made flower crowns, built aronot (plural: aron, ark) for the Torah, and even tasted a dairy treat! What a sweet way to end our Shavuot exploration together!
May 04
In שׁוֹרָשִׁים (Shorashim– ‘roots’ for nursery) and שְׁתִּילִים (Shteelim– ‘saplings’ for kindergarten) we have continued our research and careful noticing related to the תּוֹרָה (Torah) for our שָׁבוּעוֹת (Shavuot-Weeks) theme. Throughout the time we have spent researching the תּוֹרָה (Torah), the children have continue to be interested in the fancy and beautiful ways the torah is decorated. We thought …
May 02
Shavuot is coming in Shalom Chaverim (“Welcome, Friends!” for infants/toddlers)! We’re baking cheesecakes Building really tall aronot (plural: arks) for the Torah Investigating Torah objects like the choshen (breastplate) and rimon (crown) and painting petals to use for our flower crowns. I can’t wait to see how children explore next week!
Apr 27
In שׁוֹרָשִׁים (Shorashim– ‘roots’ for nursery) and שְׁתִּילִים (Shteelim– ‘saplings’ for kindergarten) we just completed our second week of תּוֹרָה (Torah) exploration for our שָׁבוּעוֹת (Shavuot-Weeks) theme. This week, we conducted more research, this time our torah was our subject. We split into groups so we could spend time examining all of the parts of the תּוֹרָה (Torah). This …
Apr 25
We’ve been celebrating holidays for weeks in to Anafim v’Alonim (“Branches” for 4th Grade and “Oak Trees” for 5th Grade)! We ate hamantaschen, and read Megillat Esther (Book of Esther), and constructed the Fortress City of Shushan to celebrate Purim. Then, we turned our focus towards Pesach (Passover): delving into the Torah Story, exploring Eliyahu …
Apr 20
In שׁוֹרָשִׁים (Shorashim– ‘roots’ for nursery) and שְׁתִּילִים (Shteelim– ‘saplings’ for kindergarten) we have started exploring our final theme of the year, שָׁבוּעוֹת (Shavuot-Weeks). The starting point of this theme, is about תּוֹרָה (Torah). We started by making a list of everything that we already know about תּוֹרָה (Torah) . Then we went to visit every location …
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 …
