The students in Kitah Dalet have been talking about the basic tenets of the high holidays, specifically the laws, customs, and traditions associated with Rosh Hashanah. Our discussions centered around tefillah, teshuvah, and tzedakah, the Jewish ways to move forward in the new year. Students shared their thoughts and ideas on being being a respectful member of our Jewish community, and the importance of taking responsibility for observing the rules and laws in our Torah to ensure a safe environment for all learners. We talked about setting goals for ourselves, making amends to those we have hurt with our words or actions, and fixing the wrongs we have committed.
After a brief introduction to new beginnings, we compared Rosh Hashanah to the secular new years we participate in as Jews in our community. We talked about the differences between goal setting in September, new year resolutions in January, and doing teshuvah at Rosh Hashanah. We talked about the importance of following through with our commitments as part of doing teshuvah, and accepting responsibility for our behavior as part of making the world a better place.
We had a rather lively discussion on Tuesday afternoon, and we brainstormed ways to guarantee the continuity of Jews around the world and close to home, how to best get along with others, and the importance of taking responsibility for our behaviors. Finally, we talked about making meaningful apologies and the three steps to true repentance. Please ask your child to share these steps with you, and encourage them to do true teshuvah with a family member they may have harmed.
Wishing you a new year filled with peace, health and happiness, G'mar Chatima, Tova!
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