Education – 4th grade (Blatt)

12/15: Today in class we worked on:

  1. Today was Yom Chanukah! It was great to see so many of our learners in ‘Chanukah swag’
  2. We began in our assigned classrooms where each grade divided into teams and came up with their own team names based on chanukah themes.
  3. Then we gathered for an all school t’fillah led by Morah Alexa, Rabbi Bellows, and Rabbi Prass. We talked about Chanukah and how the prayers connected to our upcoming festival of Chanukah. Rabbi Bellows shared how Chanukah means dedication and that we need to give thought to rededicating ourselves to many of today’s challenges and not giving up on them.
  4. Then we divided up by grade and the teams we created for 4 stations of “13 Minute to Win It activities”.  We will share out some of their work in the days to come. The stations were:
    • Chanukah is about HEROES with Moreh David.  We looked at the Chanukah story and thought about the heroes in the Chanukah story, Israeli heroes, our own heroes, and ways that we can be heroes.
    • Chanukah is about LIGHTS with Morah Wilgus.  We talked about the Chanukah rituals, where we have lights in Chanukah, What we can do to create light.
    • Chanukah has Dreidels with Morah Rachel & Mr & Mrs. Popper. Our congregants brought in some of their 250 dreidel collection to share.
    • Chanukah Write-Pass-Write with Morah Kaufman. We retold the Chanukah story in creative contemporary formats.
  5. We then gathered back together for an all school shira led by Morah Alexa where we sang Chanukah songs.
  6. As we left Rabbi Bellows and Rabbi Prass handed out Chanukah Gelt and dreidels.

Homework to be completed by next class:

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12/8: Today in class we worked on:

  1. We had a nice morning today.  Before class started Judah Schneider shared a World War II Era prayer book that was distributed for Jewish soldiers serving in the US Armed Forces!
  2. First, we talked about the tragedy in Australia, where a synagogue was set on fire this past week and the things we could do as a class to respond to this sad event.
  3. Next, we discussed the different approaches to Jewish life put forward by Rabbis Abraham Joshua Heschel and Yosef Baer Solevitchik.  Most of the class liked Rabbi Soleveitchik’s model where he taught that Jews could become heroic simply by connecting to Judaism.  Our wonderful madriacha Adrienne thought Rabbi Heschel’s teachings spoke more to her.
  4. At Shira, Morah Alexa started to teach 4th – 6th grade songs for the upcoming festive holiday of Chanukah!
  5. Back in class we broke into groups and then the talmidim shared important events that impacted American Jewry in the years after the Second World War.  One of the things we learned about was the controversial decision by the then West German government to pay Holocaust reparations to the fledgling State of Israel.  We also discussed such milestone events as the 1967 Six Day War, the 1979 Peace Treaty with Egypt, and the terrorist attacks of 9-11-01.
  6. Finally, 4th – 6th grade enjoyed Tefilla led by Rabbi Prass and Morah Alexa!  Rabbi Prass began to remind us about Chanukah thru the lens of our prayers.
  7. L’Shalom Moreh David

Homework to be completed by next class:

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11/24: Today in class we worked on:

  1. We had an amazing morning this week as the 4th talmidim and their parents enjoyed Limud together.
  2. First, we shared textual learning from both the American historical and Jewish rabbinic traditions that emphasized the importance of being thankful in our lives.  We saw how the Ramchal, Rabbi Moshe Chayim Luzzato, believed that a thankful person was a successful human being.
  3. Next, the parents went and studed with Rabbi Bellows and the 4th – 6th graders enjoyed Shira with Morah Alexa.
  4. Back in class our talmidim interviewed their parents about different experiences they had seen in their lives including quite a few memories of that fateful Friday when O.J. Simpson was pursued by the police across LA freeways or of favorite pets.  Everyone was intrigued to find out that Moreh David’s earliest historical memory was of the tragic passing of President Kennedy, way back in 1963.
  5. Then, 4th – 6th students, and 4th grade parents gathered for t’fillah led by Rabbi Prass and Morah Alexa.  At Tefilla, Rabbi Prass connected our limmud theme of Jewish history to each of the prayers in that each of the prayers connect to a snapshot in Jewish history.  Rabbi Prass again talked about the Jewish concept of Hakatoret Ha-Tov or gratitude as we draw closer to the US Holiday of Thanksgiving, as well as challenging everyone to help out at their homes with what was needed to pull off a festive holiday celebration!
  6. All in all, it was a special day.  I’d like to add that I enjoyed meeting all of the parents, and in one case a grandparent, who made a special effort to be with us this Sunday. L’Shalom Moreh David

Homework to be completed by next class:

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11/17: Today in class we worked on:

  1. We had an absolutely magical morning this week!
  2. First, we had talked about international borders last week, and how they relate to the American Jewish experience, I showed the talmidim photos from the old 1976 book “Between Friends”, which showed photos of the US-Canada border.  Everyone enjoyed these pictures, especially those showing where the border went through private homes.
  3. Next, we transported ourselves back in time, a century ago, and made Bat Mitzvah cards for Judith Kaplan Eisenstein, the first person to have a Bat Mitzvah ceremony in Jewish history.  After class these were left for Rabbi Prass.
  4. At Shira, 4th – 6th grade enthusiastically joined with Morah Alexa and sang out some favorite numbers from our songster.
  5. Back in class we learned about Jewish Americans like Fanny Brice, Sid Luckman, and J. Robert Oppenheimer who contributed to the Arts, Sports, and Sciences in our country.  The talmidim were especially interested in hearing about the statesman Bernard Baruch who was a friend to many US Presidents and almost lived to be 100 years old.
  6. Afterwards, we imagined we were in New York listening, in 1943, to a radio call in show where Rabbi Stephen Wise debated the noted Jewish businessman Irving Bunim on whether US President Roosevelt was doing enough to save European Jews from the German led Holocaust.  Students role played as callers from various locations in metro New York, such as Brooklyn, Staten Island, New Jersey, or Connecticut, and offered their thoughts on the matter.  The consensus went with Mr. Bunim that the US needed to do more to rescue Jews from certain death in concentration camps.
  7. 4th – 6th grade joined Rabbi Prass & Morah Alexa for t’fillah. Rabbi Prass talked about the Jewish concept of Hakatoret Ha-Tov or gratitude/recognizing the good as we draw closer to the US Holiday of Thanksgiving.  We also talked about our Jewish prayers in our t’fillah, and how they teach us to recognize the good by offering praise.
  8. All in all, it was a special day. L’Shalom, Moreh David

Homework to be completed by next class:

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11/10: Today in class we worked on:

  1. We had a terrific morning on this blustery day!
  2. First, since November is Jews of the Middle East Month, we saw a video on the contributions of these ancient Jewish communities that featured interviews with young Mizrachi Jews many of whom live here in the US and have contributed to the American Jewish experience.
  3. Next, we saw how new rabbinical training schools, such as the Hebrew Union College and Yeshiva University, were started.  Our talmidim were very excited to learn about the rare Jewish book collection at the Jewish Theological Seminary library.
  4. At Shira, we welcomed Morah Alexa back, who taught 4th – 6th grade new songs.
  5. Back in class we were introduced to Jewish heroes such as Rose Schneiderman and Louis Brandeis.  We also, learned about the tragedy surrounding Leo Frank.
  6. Afterwards, our amazing madricha Adreinne read us the story of the first Bat Mitzvah in Jewish History way back in 1922.  Everyone wanted to jump into time machine to actually attend this event and Arianna Slater quipped she would make sure we all dressed appropriately for the time. 
  7. Morah Alexa and Rabbi Prass led 4th – 6th grade in T’fillah.  Rabbi Prass talked about the attacks on Israeli soccer fans in Amsterdam this past week, but stressed that since we have a Jewish country, Israel was able to successfully rescue everyone.  We compared the Israeli planes bringing the Israeli fans out of Amsterdam into safety in Israel like a modern day Mi Chamocha moment.
  8. All in all, it was a great day. L’Shalom Moreh David

Homework to be completed by next class:

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11/3: Today in class we worked on:

  1. We had a fun morning today.
  2. First, we had a “surprise” visit by Rabbi Isaac Wise, who in an interview with Madricha Adrienne,  discussed with the class the main points of the Pittsburgh platform that guided Reform Judaism for many years. We saw how Beth Am helps live out these principles with its food bank and other worthy activities that help the community.
  3. Next, we saw a video on the lives Eastern European Jewish immigrants experienced on New York’s Lower East side.  The class thought working long hours in a garment factory would be better than having to attend school, a point Madricha Adrienne vigorously disagreed with.
  4. At Shira, 4th – 6th grade enjoyed spending time with Morah Ari who was with us again this week.
  5. Back in class we had fun with Google Translate, reading out our lines for a Yiddish Theatre production in that language.  The talmidim did a great job with the pronunciations.
  6. Afterwards, we enjoyed looking at recipes from the Museum of the Jewish People in Tel Aviv.  Everyone liked, the recipes for Chanukah treats such as fried cookies, a traditional Tunisian Jewish treat for the Festival of Lights.  Rhyder wanted to submit his grandmother’s brownie recipe to the Museum!
  7. We capped out our morning learning about Moshe Gadol and his Ladino newspaper “La America” that helped Sephardic immigrants adjust to their new life in the US.
  8. Morah Ari & Rabbi Prass led 4th – 6th grade in T’fillah. Rabbi Prass stressed the importance of finding holiness, as Jews, in Chesvan.  We had the opportunity to debate if the Talmudic rabbis were right, that this is MarCheshvan (the bitterness of Cheshvan) because there are no holidays in this month OR if Rabbi Prass’ t-shirt was right, some modern rabbis love Cheshvan because it is a slower pace than the previous month of Cheshvan.
  9. All in all, it was a great day. Moreh David

Homework to be completed by next class:

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10/27: Today in class we worked on:

  1. We had an exciting morning today.
  2. First, we saw how many important antebellum Jewish leaders, like Isaac Mayer Wise and David Einhorn, had different opinions as to how to best to respond to the question of slavery in a Jewish manner.
  3. We saw how Jews fought on both sides of the Civil war and mourned the passing of President Lincoln in April, 1865.
  4. At Shira, 4th – 6th grade welcomed Morah Ari back and enjoyed learning new songs from her.
  5. Back in class, we had a Kahoot on everything we learned up until now and then started to work on composing lines for our Yiddish Theatre project.
  6. 4th – 6th grade gathered again for Tefilla led by Morah Ari and Rabbi Prass.  Rabbi Prass led a discussion where we talked about transitioning away from the structured “Holiday Time” of 4 holidays in Tishrei as we go into the month of Mar Cheshvan where we just live out lives, as Jews, in “Ordinary Time” with Shabbat and Rosh Chodesh. Students also shared what makes them uncomfortable: structured time or unstructured time.
  7. All in all, it was a great day.
  8. Gmar Chatima Tovah, Moreh David

Homework to be completed by next class:

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10/20: Today in class we worked on:

  1. Today was a special day where all of K – 6th grade met at CBA instead of JCYS so we could spend time in the Sukkah.
  2. We began our session in the sanctuary.  We look around this room and talked about what makes a room “chol” Hebrew for secular, and what makes our sanctuary “kodesh”, Hebrew for holy.  The students shared answers like the Torah scrolls, Israeli flag, Jewish stars, and one 6th grader said the community. We then made Havdalah together, having some of our 6th graders hold the 3 symbols.
  3. From here the entire school broke into 4 stations/rotations focusing on Sukkot.  They were:
    • Sukkot Charades: Reviewing Sukkot topics by playing charades
    • Sukkot STEM: Learning about Sukkot through the lense of STEM questions
    • Sukkot Visits: We went out to the Sukkah with Rabbi Bellows, shook the Lulav/Etrog and talked about what middot (Character traits) we need to invite into the sukkah this year.
    • Paper chains with a 2023 twist:  We made paper chain decorations by writing the name of a hostage being held in Gaza on each piece of paper.
  4. The entire school gathered back in the sanctuary for Shira led by Morah Alexa.  There was a lot of Ruach (spirit!)
  5. Then Michael Greenwald, an associate Camp Director from OSRUI, came and we enjoyed a presentation from him on the amazing opportunities for fun, learning, and Jewish community from Reform Judaism Summer camp in Wisconsin.  The camp website is: OSRUI.  The Reform movement runs the following speciality camps:  6 Points Creative Arts Camp, 6 Points Sci Tech Camp, 6 Points Sports Academy,
  6. Lihitaot (good-bye)! See you next week back at JCYS!

Homework to be completed by next class:

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10/6: Today in class we worked on:

  1. We had a fun filled morning this week!
  2. First, we saw how the rise of Reform Judaism in Europe, impacted American Jewry.  Then we learned about important figures in antebellum American Jewry including Rebecca Graetz, Avraham Rice, and Isaac Mayer Wise.
  3. At Shira, Morah Alexa taught 4th – 6th graders new songs for the High Holiday season that will be sung at the Youth Services here at Beth Am, as well as a Debbie Friedman variation of Oseh Shalom Beemromov.
  4. Upon our return to class, we worked on articles for our class 19th century American Jewish newspaper.  Some of the topics included the kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara in Italy,  the lives of Rebecca Graetz and Isaac Leeser, and even the visitation of Jewish communities by space aliens.
  5. 4th – 6th grade gathered for Tefilla led by Rabbi Prass and Morah Alexa.  We talked about what we can do when things are open, and what we can’t do when they are closed.  Rabbi Prass reminded us that on Rosh Hashanah, the Gates of Heaven are open and our prayers are extra heard thru Yom Kippur’s neilah service.  We continued to hear the call of the shofar. We also recalled the tragic events of October 7, 2023.
  6. Gmar Chatima Tovah,Moreh David

Homework to be completed by next class:

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9/29: Today in class we worked on:

  1. We had a very spirited class this week!
  2. Our morning started listening to a recording by the German folk music band Zupganganhansel on the sadness immigrants from that country felt when they left for a new life in America.  This helped lead into our discussion of how the failed revolutions of 1848 across Europe, particularly Germany, brought many Jews to American shores.
  3. We saw how many of these Jewish immigrants first worked as itinerant peddlers before settling down in towns, opening up their own stores, and creating synagogues in these new communities.  Additionally, we learned how the Sephardic Jewish explorer, South Carolina born Solomon Carvalho helped Colonel John C. Fremont map new US territories in the Rocky Mountain West.
  4. 4th – 6th Grade gathered for Shira. Morah Alexa taught us new songs for the High Holiday season that will be sung at services here at Beth Am.
  5. Upon our return to class, we saw how 19th century American Jews raised their voices when Jews overseas were threatened during the Damascus Affair in modern day Syria and the kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara in Bologna by Papal authorities.  Then our awesome Madriacha Adrienne Ewing led us in a great ice breaker where we learned everyone’s names and their favorite music.
  6. Rabbi Prass and Morah Alexa led 4th – 6th grade inTefilla. Rabbi Prass got us all in the spirit of the upcoming High Holiday season and the new year of 5785 by blowing the Shofar; additionally. we expressed our hopes for things to be better in 5785!

Homework to be completed by next class:

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9/22: Today in class we worked on:

  1. We had an awesome class this week with perfect attendance!
  2. First, we saw how Jewish leaders such as Gershom Seixas and Haym Salomon helped the patriot cause in the American Revolution and discussed whether the Jewish tradition of “Dina Malchut V’Dina” suggested that American Jews should have remained loyal to King George during the Revolutionary War.
  3. Then we saw a short video on how Jews like Jonas Philips lobbied to have equal rights and religious freedom entrenched in the US Constitution.
  4. At Shira, Morah Alexa taught 4th – 6th grade new songs for the High Holiday season.
  5. Back in class, we made floats to represent the Jewish community in New York City’s famous Constitution Ratification Parade of 1789!  We had floats featuring Menorahs, Jewish Stars, and Pirates!  Finally, we closed with a play on how tzedaka was important to Jews in the Early American Republic.  Wealthy Jews, like Judah Touro, even helped their brethren in Jerusalem.
  6. At Tefilla, 4th – 6th grade joined together with Morah Alexa and Rabbi Prass. Rabbi Prass got us all in the spirit of Chodesh Elul by blowing the Shofar. 
  7. All in all, it was a great morning for the 4th Grade!

Homework to be completed by next class:

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9/15: Today in class we worked on:

  1. Today in class we focused on Jewish Life in Colonial America:
  2. To get the conversation started, we watched the first few minutes of the following video:Jews in the Thirteen Colonies (1654-1789) (youtube.com) (about the 23 first Jews in America).  We also got to know two very important people: Peter Stuyvesant and Asher Levy
  3. We also read and discussed a short play about The Story of the Shadarim.  They were special Jewish messengers who came from the land of Israel to the American colonies in the 1700’s.
  4. As a class, we did a scavenger hunt to get to know our physical Sunday learning spaces, our wonderful Sunday staff, and how their work makes us feel.  We will be sharing the answers out next week once all the classes have completed it.
  5. 4th – 6th grade joined together in Shira led by Morah Alexa
  6. Gan – 6th grade joined in our first Sunday t’fillah of the school year led by Morah Alexa and Rabbi Prass.  We talked about where we “find inspiration for our own words” and how silence helps us find other inspiration.  Rabbi Prass shared two rabbinic stories, and a Ringo Starr story about this.  

Homework to be completed by next class:

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9/8: Today in class we worked on:

  1. It was nice to welcome a great 4th grade class
  2. We began the day with an amazing all-school opening assembly outside.  We enjoyed an Opening Ceremony, with all the grades together, Morim & Madrichim, Rabbi Bellows, and Rabbi Prass. We reenacted Mt Sinai by each kitah (class) sitting in the large circle to pretend we were encircling Mt Sinai.  Then we chose 2 people from each class to go closer to the middle of Mt Sinai to do some running for a scavenger hunt.  Morah Alexa led us as we sang blessings and we ended with a streamer/confetti burst to kick off our Torah learning party of a year!  It was great to have so many parents join us.  Pictures of the kickoff can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=BethAmBuffaloGrove&set=a.906074391552343
  3. After the assembly, we found out about what we would learn this year.
  4. Then we saw how the expulsion of Jews from Spain, helped bring about a new future for Jews in America.  One of the issues we explored was whether it was really possible to practice Judaism in secret if you opted to remain in Spain and convert to Christianity.
  5. We talked about what was life for Jews in different countries, right before the first Jews arrived in America.  The talmidim saw that it varied and that Jews were generally happy just to be able to be free enough to practice their religion and support their families. 
  6. Finally, we discussed how hard life would have to have been for the first Jewish settlers in what became the United States in the 1600’s as there was no modern conveniences or real medicine.
  7. And 4th – 6th grade enjoyed Shira with Mora Alexa.
  8. On the way out, each of us were offered a popsicle both to hold onto summer weather, and to begin our Torah learning with some sweetness.

Homework to be completed by next class:

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