A VERY JEWISH HALLOWEEN

As whole, the Jewish community does not celebrate Halloween, but we do dress up for Purim! So, save those costumes and think about adding a Jewish twist or a tzedakah piece to your Trick or Treat Traditions.   While it is important to support our neighbors in their celebrations, and equally important to not separate ourselves from the community, there are many ways of participating in a custom without observing it the way others do. Some suggest Jewish children share in the celebration by greeting their neighbors and giving out candy. It is certainly possible for our children to get excited about giving to others, and then the underlying theme for them is that Halloween is about giving.

A noted Rabbi and educator, Rabbi Jacob J. Hecht, once noticed the similarity between Purim and Halloween. In both cases, children get dressed up and go door to door receiving gifts of food. The distinction between the two is that on Halloween, the children only receive, whereas on Purim, the emphasis is that the children learn to give. The fact that they might receive in return is of secondary importance.

To reinforce the value of giving, and to encourage the act of helping others, we will be collecting all extra wrapped candy you have.  Please talk to your children about giving to others, and help them turn an everyday moment into a Jewish experience.  

STORAH TELLING OR TELLING STORIES

The Jewish people have been telling stories, listening to stories, and sharing stories for centuries, and this week, I asked our students, why do we tell so many stories.  As a group we decided it was important to tell stories to teach a lesson, share a history and to let others know about something important that happened in the past.  We all like to hear stories, and to tell them as well, and sometimes we believe the stories we hear, and other times we don't.  Such is the case with the Torah.  

This week we learned about the two creation stories told in the Torah.   There is the story of GOD creating man and woman, placing them in the Garden of Eden, and telling them to rule over everything.  Then, there is the story of GOD taking dust from the earth, molding man from the dust, and making Adam a partner to help him take care of all that GOD created.  

Students were given the opportunity to teach the class about the passages they read, and we had quite an interesting discussion when students realized they had read two different versions of the same story.  Our discussion sent us in many directions, and it was quite interesting to hear our students trying to make sense of both versions.  Our take away moment was when it was decided that both stories are true...we are both partners and rulers, and it is up to us to behave in the image of GOD, doing what is right and just at all time.  

Please ask you students to share what story they think is most pleasing to them, and for an interesting table discussion, ask them why GOD put both stories in the Torah.  

Remember or Watch - How Do You Celebrate Shabbat?

As Jews, we are expected to follow the laws of the Torah in order to build a relationship with GOD,   and our fellow man.  Furthermore, the laws in the Torah are meant to be interpreted in order to meet the needs of all those following these laws.   Such is the case with the commandments to observe Shabbat.  The Torah encourages us to explore the many options available in how we chose to celebrate Shabbat, and specifically encourages each one of us to find a special way to observe Shabbat in our own unique way.  

The Ten Commandments are found in two different Torah portions, and each reading of these commandments tells us to observe Shabbat in two different ways.  In one,  we are reminded to observe Shabbat, and in the other, we are told to watch Shabbat.  After a brief discussion, students shared their ideas about how to celebrate Shabbat by both remembering and watching the Shabbat.   We talked about what we can do to honor Shabbat as a family, and the importance of creating memories for our families,  unique and sacred to each one of us.  

To help us beautify these wonderful commandments, our students created beautiful Shabbat candlesticks to both remember Shabbat and watch over this most important commandment.  We look forward to seeing the rewards of our hard work in the coming weeks, and encourage you to treasure these most beautiful works of art.  

Wishing you an awesome week, and an amazing Shabbat, see you on Sunday!  

 

Jewish Every Day

One of the many goals in Kitah Dalet is to teach our students to live a Jewish life in a non-Jewish world.  We often talk about what separates us as Jews from the community, and what makes us active members of society.  We talked about passing on the lessons of our ancestors through actions, and began to explore just what is expected of us as young members of our Jewish community.  We began learning together in our Sunday morning minyan, and students were asked to be mindful of the things they said to others, as part of our Torah Talk discussion.

Our Tuesday afternoon class finally met and we introduced our Middot and Mitzvot Program.  We had a meaningful discussion about Jewish values, and decided that values are behaviors that are important to a group of people with common interests.  Expanding on this definition, students brainstormed values important to us as a community in general, and more specifically to us as a Jewish community.  Students learned the importance of upholding the values of a group, and recognized that when group members fail to uphold the values of a community, the community slowly disappears.  Fortunately for us, our ancestors have been quite clear regarding the importance of maintaining consistent Jewish values throughout time.  We talked about family values and passing on values to future generations.  Finally, we looked at the Chumash and discovered the Torah is the foundation for living a Jewish life, passed on to us for generations. 

Next week we begin an introduction to observing Shabbat, and look forward to making beautiful mosaic Shabbat candlesticks with Artist in Residence, Gail Kaplan.  Please plan on attending this wonderful family program with you child.

TABLE TALK:  Please ask your student to share their ideas about tzedakah, and have them explain the true meaning of why tzedakah is a Jewish value.  

Torah is the Heart of the Jewish People

Our Sunday morning class has started to explore the lifelong lessons our Torah teaches us.  Students compared the handwritten text found in the Torah to the printed words in the Chumash, better known as the Five Books of Moses, or the big red book found in the seat backs in the sanctuary.  We unrolled the Torah and learned the last word in the Torah is Israel, and the first word in the Torah is Bereshit.  If we take the last letter, or lamed, and the first letter, vet, and put them together, we can make the word Lev, or heart.

We talked about the phrase "Torah is the Heart of the Jewish People," and we had a lively discussion about what happens when Jews no longer live by the words of the Torah.  We talked about the heart being the life line for people, and the Torah the life line for Jews around the world.  

Please ask your students to share their ideas of Torah with you, they have much to say, and Torah is always better when shared with others.  Finally, please feel free to post a message or a comment on the blog, and encourage your children to read the blog with you.  It provides a great learning opportunity and reinforces the thoughts and ideas we talk about in class.