Daled – Fourth Year – Wednesday (Fox)

1/29: Today in class we worked on:

  1. School began with Rabbi Prass leading Tefillah. Rabbi always discusses an aspect of one of the prayers we say.  Today we looked at the Aleinu, and how the 4th line uses the word mishpachot as tribes. Rabbi Prass asked us for examples of good and bad mishpachot in our lives.  Then he showed us how the aleinu thanks God for putting us with the good families and tribes.
  2. We checked homework
  3. We began with Sim Shalom our prayer second prayer for peace that we say in the evening service. It sure means a lot to the students today as we recite this prayer. It led us to a great discussion with meaningful words and feelings.
  4. Students worked on the prayer dictionary vocabulary where the students are able to see the six gifts we ask for in this prayer for peace. Ask your children to share these gifts with you.
  5. Next week we will discuss the importance of community prayer.
  6. Played hangman in Hebrew with this lessons’ vocabulary words
  7. We ended Hebrew today with Rabbi Prass explaining some important facts about Israel, and how perceptions can be misrepresented to fit certain agendas. He then told us about some incorrect displays at Stevenson High School’s World Fair this past weekend which seemed to be ignored by the school’s administration.

Homework to be completed by next class:

  1. Practice reading page 50.

1/22: Today in class we worked on:

  1. Today, the students gathered in the sanctuary, with Rabbi Prass, for a discussion about the hostages who were let go this past Sunday.  He shared the video in this article which allowed us to witness the happier chapter of the 3 ex-hostages being reunited with their families back in Israel.   There were some interesting questions and comments shared.
  2. We checked homework
  3. We began a new chapter called B’rkot Shalom. ReadPage 46, Shalom Rav, very familiar to students. 
  4. We worked on prayer dictionary and reviewed 7 blessings on page 47. Great discussions!
  5. Next we discussed what is peace like in our lives, where we live and where Israeli’s live. Are we all safe here? And how difficult it must be to live in fear and hatred everyday in Israel. How do we show strength here? Pray for peace.
  6. Played hangman in Hebrew with this lessons’ vocabulary words
  7. Participated in Hebrew through Movement with our school community

Homework to be completed by next class:

  1. Practice reading page 48 & 49

1/15: Today in class we worked on:

  1. Rabbi Bellows led an all-school t’fillah.
  2. We checked homework :  We reviewed and discussed last few weeks
  3. Read pages 43, 44 & 45 discussed weekday Amidah vs. the Shabbat Amidah
  4. Worked on personal thanks.  Ask your child to show you their answers.
  5. Worked on fluent reading
  6. Played hangman in Hebrew with this lessons vocabulary words
  7. Participated in Hebrew through Movement with aleph – daled kitot, led by Rabbi Prass

Homework to be completed by next class:

  1. Practice reading page 45

1/8: Today in class we worked on:

  1. Today, the students gathered in the sanctuary, with Rabbi Prass, for tefillah. Rabbi Prass asked everyone to share, on the count of 3, something special they did over winter break.  Then he asked them to share how they talked about that special thing.  The students shared some lovely answers.  Then we talked about how our prayer the kedusha comes from a story in the Bible where the angels talk about special or holy things.
  2. Reviewed the homework on pages 40 – 41
  3. Continued working on chapter 4: Hodaah
    • Practiced reading page 36
    • Did exercises on pages 40 -41 & 42-43
  4. We ended with an all-school Hebrew thru movement led by Rabbi Prass.  We added on some new words which we will reinforce for the next few weeks.

Homework to be completed by next class:

  1. Complete the exercises not completed in class
  2. Practice reading on page 36

12/18: Today in class we worked on:

  1. Today, the students gathered in the sanctuary, with Rabbi Prass, for tefillah. He pointed out that at this time of year in Chicago, the amount of sunlight is less and less, and asked the students what they do to feel the light and find the light.  They shared some lovely ideas.  He pointed out that one source of light for all of us is how much the students are able to participate more and more confidently in our t’fillah.
  2. We reviewed our homework on pages 34-35
  3. We began chapter 4, hoda’ah (prayer for saying Thanks).  We practiced reading the prayer on page 36.
  4. We did the exercises on pages 36, 37, 38, 39
  5. Students were with other Kitot and Rabbi Prass for “A surprise pizza dinner”. A good time was had by all.

Homework to be completed by next class:

  1. Complete the pages not completed in class.
  2. Pages 40 – 41 in our book

12/11: Today in class we worked on:

  1. School began with an all-school Tefiilah led by Rabbi Prass.  He started asking us who and what makes you feel safe? We then looked at our prayer avot v’imahot, and how the last line talks about God being the “Shield of Abraham and the Help of Sarah”, or in other words make us feel safe.  We also talked about how the Maccabees fought to make our ancestors feel safe.
  2. We continued the unit on the kedusha, reading and & understanding the prayer.
  3. We took an alef-bet letter/vowel assessment.
  4. We reviewed the homework from last week.
  5. We closed the session by joining all of the other classes to play Hebrew-Thru-Movement, Chanukah Style, led by Rabbi Prass.

Homework to be completed by next class:

  1. Pages 34 – 45.

12/4: Today in class we worked on:

  1. School began with an all-school Tefillah.  Rabbi Prass asked the students “What is something positive you caused to happen over Thanksgiving?” and “What is something good you did?” The students provided many excellent answers and examples to further our learning.  We then connected this to the gevuorot prayer and specifically the word “mechaye” which means “the one who causes..” and talked about the good things mentioned in the prayer.
  2. We are continuing working on the chapter which focuses on the kedusha prayer. 
  3. Since everyone forgot to do the homework ☹ on page 31, we spent classtime doing it.
  4. We practiced reading the kiddusha, focusing on accuracy and fluency.  We also talked about the unique ‘choreography’ of the prayer
  5. Aleph, bet, gimmel, daled classes ended in the sanctuary for Hebrew Through Movement with the other classes. Rabbi Prass brought out a hanukkiah, and he explained the difference between that and a menorah. Ask your student what the difference is. We also added on new verbs and vocabulary centered around Chanukah.

Homework to be completed by next class:

  1. Pages 33 and 34.

11/20: Today in class we worked on:

  1. Today we started with Rabbi Prass for tefilot and learned about hacarat hatov, looking for the good things in the world around us, and how it’s so important, perhaps easier, and so very more needed in the world.
  2. We checked homework: Who is your hero? page 26
  3. Read fluently page 27
  4. Introduced the new chapter called Kidusha, page 28
  5. Worked together reading the introduction in Hebrew and English.
  6. Students worked on pages 29 & 30 recognizing vocabulary and importance of the prayer.
  7.  Game
  8. We then joined the rest of the classes and Rabbi Prass for Hebrew thru Movement, where we continued to learn the Hebrew words for parts of the body, including an all-school “Head, shoulders, knees and toes”

Homework to be completed by next class:

  1. Practice reading the above pages

11/13: Today in class we worked on:

  1. School began with an all school Tefillah. Rabbi Prass led a discussion, asking the students how the word awesome can have both positive and negative attributes. Our students presented many thoughtful ideas and understood the complexities of the question.  He then pointed out that the word Hanorah, or Awesone One is in the Avot V’imahot prayer, and teaches us to praise those awesome things which are positive, holy, and beautiful.  We also talked about the word of the week, “eezoon” which means balance, and we shared the good and challenging things in our lives which balance our days.
  2. We checked homework: Acts of Kindness
  3. We discussed the word chesed, kindness, found in our G’vurot prayer. The students came to school with a list of Acts of Kindness on the tree they created.
  4. “With kindness you sustain the living”.
  5. We continued to talk about a good soul and being a mensch. Good discussion.
  6. *B’rachamim Rabim- with great compassion. We discussed what it means to have a good name.
  7. Challenge question page 25 : *We had a great discussion on Me Chamocha song, “who is like you Hashem?” When did the children of Israel sing this? This song was first sung as we crossed the Sea of Reeds from slavery in Egypt to freedom.
  8. Then we joined the entire Hebrew school for Hebrew thru movement, where we reviewed the words we learned last week, the body part words, by playing “Simon Says” and sharing personal “human tricks” in Hebrew to reinforce these words.

Homework to be completed by next class:

  1. Page 26, Who is your hero?

11/6: Today in class we worked on:

  1. School began with an all-school Tefillah and a Rabbi led discussion about who is the stronger person, someone who is kind or someone who is mean. Our students presented many thoughtful ideas and understood the complexities of the question. Rabbi Prass connected this to the prayer in our amidah, the gevurot, which means strength.  It praises the type of strength which helps others, and gives several specifics.
  2. We checked homework from page 19
  3. Worked on page 20 which talked about Magem David Adom in France (Red Shield of David)and how it is the same as the Magen David Adom in Israel. Adom means red…therefore the Red Shield in Israel.  Discussed how it is same as Red  Cross in America. Great discussion.
  4. Discussion on G’Vurot and its meaning. We began this prayer the last time we met and continued with page 21.
  5. We discussed the word chesed, kindness found in our G’vurot prayer. For next week, the students will come to school with a list of Acts of Kindness on their tree they will create.
  6. “With kindness you sustain the living”
  7. *Ended class with a word game in Hebrew
  8. Then we joined the entire school for Hebrew Thru Movement led by Rabbi Prass and Brady H. Rabbi Prass introduced some new Ivrit vocabulary for body parts.

Homework to be completed by next class:

  1.  Kindness tree due next class

10/30: Today in class we worked on:

  1. School began with an all-school Tefillah and a Rabbi led discussion asking the learners how they tell time.  They had an amazing variety of answers.  We then learned how Jewish prayer also helps us tell time including in our Gevurot prayer where the words change during the summer and the winter.
  2. Worked on and reviewed G’vurah Prayer and discussion of inner strength
  3. Discussion on: What makes you powerful in G-d’s eyes, your parents’ eyes, teachers’ eyes, friends’ eyes and your own eyes?
  4. Worked on vocabulary and prayer dictionary.
  5. Discussed ..Nefesh (soul).  Does your soul live forever?
  6. Next, Kitah Gimmel, Daled, and hey joined Rabbi Prass in the sanctuary for a discussion on Simchat Torah, and coming close to inspect the Torah scroll and ask questions about it. Finally, the students had an opportunity to taste a piece of the Etrog. Most of our students like its taste.
  7. Ended class with a word game in Hebrew

Homework to be completed by next class:

  1.  Page 19 due next class

10/9: Today in class we worked on:

  1. We began in an all-school t’fillah with Rabbi Prass during which we honored the memories of the 1200 people killed in the Hamas terror attack in Israel on Oct 7, 2023 and prayed for the release of the 100+ hostages still being held in Gaza.  We listened to songs of hope, emphasizing the resilience of the Jewish people.
  2. Students worked on Alef -Bet quiz
  3. Began G’vurah lesson discussion on G-d’s power
  4. Ended with an art project creating Israel’s national flower which blooms this time of year.

Homework to be completed by next class:

  1. Practice reading the G’vurot in Lesson 2

9/25: Today in class we worked on:

  1. We had an all school Tefillah led by Rabbi Prass.  We discussed What is something precious you were given? And how do you ‘handle it differently’ knowing it is precious? Why is Jewish prayer/t’fillah a gift? We also heard the shofar in celebration of the Jewish month of Elul.
  2. Reviewed: What we do in the synagogue (page 8, & 9) for the Amidah. How do we stand, where do we face, etc. Discussed the number blessings and names of the prayer. (Shamonah Esray, T’fillah, Avot V’Emaot) 18 blessings, 19 on weekdays, 7 on Shabbat and holidays, the first, third and last always the same.
  3. We did pages 10 – 15 together.
  4. Gimmel & Daled went outside for Hebrew through Movement with Rabbi Prass

Homework to be completed by next class:

  1. prepare for Test:
  2. page 16 next week….students need to review
  3. finish pages 10 – 15 if you didn’t finish in class.

9/18: Today in class we worked on:

  1. Participated in an all-school Tefillah led by Rabbi Prass.  We shared ‘noises’ that distract us and things that help us quiet and focus our brains.  We talked about how t’fillah is one Jewish language/tool for quieting and focus.
  2. Shared students’ family trees and spoke about interesting backgrounds in their respective families. What did they learn talking to parents and grandparents? Were they able to go far backing family history?
  3. Worked on reviewed vocabulary (Pages 6 & 7) of our patriarchs and matriarchs.
  4. Discussion of how this prayer is the center of the service. How we stand for this prayer and the movement we do. What does it mean to you as a Jewish boy? (Pages 8&9)
  5. Gimmel & Daled went outside for Hebrew through Movement with Rabbi Prass and hearing the sounds of the shofar for Elul.
  6. Ended class with a word game in Hebrew

Homework to be completed by next class:

  1. Homework Page 10 due next week

9/11: Today in class we worked on:

  1. We began with an all-school assembly.  The 2 older grades (daled & hey) shared 3 things that are helpful to learn Hebrew and 3 things that used to make them nervous about learning Hebrew.  We also lit a yizkor candle to remember the victims of 9/11.  We also sounded the shofar in celebration of this month of Elul.
  2. Getting to know you games such as :
    • 2Truths and a Lie ,
    • Give yourself a compliment, and
    • How does it feel getting back to Hebrew school?
  3. Started Avot V’Emaot prayer. This is the first part of the Amidah. Students read in Hebrew and English.
  4. Worked on pages 6&7 in the text book.
  5. Discussed expectations for class, bringing their book, homework, supplies, etc.
  6. Introduced and drafted our Family Tree
  7. We ended the session with all school assembly to do Hebrew Thru Movement.  Our kitah hey students helped lead it.  Parents were invited for this first session so they could meet the teachers. It was great to see so many parents and to have perfect attendance at Hebrew school!

Homework to be completed by next class:

  1. Students are to work on their Family Tree which will be presented in class next week. They also may work on this with you and use technology to help set it up. They might need your help with grandparents. Go back as far as you are able to.
  2. It was a pleasure to meet your children today!