Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Assaf from Israel spends time with our third through seventh graders!

Our return was a fun day as our Israeli Emissary Assaf joined our third through seventh graders to talk about Israel and the variety of resources, landscapes and attractions.  Students first played a getting to know you activity and then participated in an auction in which they used shekels to buy various locations to create an imaginary "ideal" island.  Once they had bought each location, Assaf shared that each of these places were located in Israel and showed the students their locations on a large map of Israel.  Throughout his three presentations today, students were excited about participating in the games, learning about Israel and interacting with Assaf!





















Each class was able to work on some Hebrew!  Third and fourth graders learned about Chanukkah as they read from their "Jewish Holidays" book and practiced various Hebrew words connected to the holiday!  Students will have a quiz this Sunday!

The fifth graders spent time working in their Hebrew books and engaged in conversation about Thanksgiving and it's similarities to Jewish celebrations and Jewish education at the start of the day!  They compared Hebrew words and talked about "final" letters!  Ask you fifth grader which Hebrew letters have a final letter!

Sixth grade spent some time talking about ways to improve their classroom experience, talking about plans for working together for a successful year, and encouraging a positive learning environment.  I'm very excited to see what the sixth grade group does with all of their potential!  Students also worked in their history of American Jews curriculum.  Homework is to read chapter 3 from their "Let Freedom Ring" textbook.

The seventh graders again worked in Hebrew and read this week's Torah portion, Parshat Hashuvah- Vayishlach.  Students also continued working on Chapter One from their holocaust book, discussing this difficult topic as a group.

We look forward to seeing everyone this Sunday!  If you haven't signed up for a Parent Teacher Conference, please contact me or your child's teacher!  Thanks!

-Miss Nancy Kahrimanis

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Sunday before Thanksgiving

First grade students continued to work on their Hebrew letters, adding Dalet to their list of letters they know and beginning to work on Hey!  As many of you know, Miss Greenberg will no longer be our first grade teacher because she is now Mrs. Siegel!  In honor of Mrs. Siegel's recent wedding, the students learned about chuppahs and ketubahs and practiced vocabulary words like L'Chaim and Mazel Tov!  In Library they read the story, "A Jewish Wedding."



Second graders also had the opportunity to go to the library, where they heard the story Hanukkah by Roni Schotter.  In class they continued learning their Hebrew letters and began looking at the family tree information that the students brought in.  Since Chanukkah is just around the corner, they already began working on cards, learning about vocabulary words and completing activities about the holiday!





Third and fourth graders keep impressing me with their incredible work!  Students were practicing reading the Barchu and Sh'Ma in class today and sounded wonderful!  This group is so dedicated to their Hebrew.  They also spent some time talking about the situation in Israel right now and made a commitment to donate some of their Tzedakah to the IDF.


Fifth grade read from their UAHC Catalog, talking about the First and Second Temples and Synagogues and Rabbis.  Students also practiced reading the V'Ahavta and read a story from their Hebrew text.




The sixth graders completed a quiz on the Hebrew roots that they have been studying and practiced the Avot V'Imahot and G'Vurot.  The seventh graders were practicing their prayers in the classroom, read this week's Torah portion, Vayetze,  and continued working on their study of the Holocaust.  Their Holocaust book project is due in early December.  Eighth graders talked about the story of Adam and even, focusing on Free Will and completed a class activity on trust and consequences of their decisions.  They addressed the questions, "What does it mean to make a choice?" and "Do we really make choices?"  The Confirmation class explored the Ta'Nach with their substitute.

The third through seventh graders also helped with Tefilah by sharing some of the Hebrew prayers they have been practicing in class.  We will continue to collect Tzedakah money, as well as bottles and cans for recycling, to make a donation to the IDF.  Please send in some change as well as your recyclables to help us raise as much money as we can.

As a reminder, Parent/Teacher Conferences will take place on Sunday, December 9th.  Thank you to the parents that signed up today!  Please contact me via email if you would like to set up a conference and haven't done so thus far.

-Miss Nancy Kahrimanis

Holiday Drop and Shop

This coming Friday, November 23rd (Black Friday) from 12PM - 4 PM and
Saturday, December 22nd from 2PM - 6PM, there will be a Holiday Drop
and Shop at the Madison Arts Barn.  The cost is $5 per hour and all
siblings are just $2.50 per hour.

Registration can be done at http://madisonartsbarn.com/?page_id=178.

Friends of Madison Youth is supporting Erika Klaskin's efforts to
raise money for two Connecticut charities that support children with
cancer as part of her charity project for her Bat Mitzvah. She will be
donating all proceeds to Circle of Care and Dances with Wood.


Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Fun, productive, silly day at TBTRS

This coming Sunday, the 18th of November, we will begin planning for Parent/Teacher conferences for Sunday, December 9th, by asking parents to come in during drop off, prior to the start of Tefilah at 11:30, or during pick-up to sign up for Parent/Teacher conferences.  If you are unable to come in at this time, please email me at tbtrsprincipal@templebethtikvahct.org on Sunday afternoon or later to arrange a time to meet with your child's teacher.  Thank you!  We look forward to seeing you at conferences.

If you will be unable to attend conferences on the 9th, please arrange another time to meet with your child's teacher by emailing or speaking with him/her.  I am happy to help facilitate times to meet as needed.

This Wednesday was another great day at TBTRS.  Students were working diligently, positively noisily, and enthusiastically on their Hebrew!  This Sunday, we will have a student led Tefilah service in which the 3rd through 7th graders will lead various prayers during our service and the 7th grade students will share a short play on this Shabbat's Torah portion, Toledot, the story of Jacob and Esau.  Please consider attending Tefilah to see your youngster in action and enjoy this student centered service.

Fifth grade students practiced working on the V'Ahavtah as they will present this prayer on Sunday.  Working in small groups and with the help of their teacher, Mr. Singer, students were able to prepare for Sunday.  Students also worked in their Hebrew workbooks searching for vocabulary words in big jumbles of Hebrew letters.  They also went to the Library and heard the story, "Tell me a Mitzvah" by Danny Siegel.








Sixth graders were hard at work on the Avot V'Imahot and G'Vurot for Sunday.  Not only did they practice their Hebrew, but they were also able to read and discuss American Jewery and Reform Judaism while still finding time to work on the roots that they have been studying in class.




The seventh graders were dedicated in their preparation for their Toledot skit, reading the portion and working in the sanctuary to get their lines and positions just right.  They will present their play on Shabbat this Friday night, November 16th and again this Sunday morning.  As an additional reminder, the 7th grade will have their class dinner prior to Shabbat this Friday night, starting at 6:15.  If you haven't already signed up to bring something in for the dinner and would like to participate, please contact Gayle Alpert for more information.






Third and fourth graders are preparing to share the Sh'ma and Barchu this Sunday and spent time practicing the prayers, taking careful notice of the vowels and letters that they have been learning in class over the last few weeks.  Students also spent time learning the Hebrew words for Grandmother, Grandfather, Mother, Father, Daughter, Son, Cat and Dog.  Students reviewed and read the vocabulary words, played games with the words and shared their knowledge.  Students also learned a new song for the Hebrew alphabet (video below) and sang it to me!  Homwork for 3/4 is to practice the names of the family members (pages 54 and 55) and practice reading lines 4-7 on page 158.








Thanks for another great Wednesday!  See you Sunday!!!

-Miss Nancy Kahrimanis