A GOOD NAME...

There are three crowns.  The crown of Torah

The crown of priesthood, and the crown of kingship.

But the crown of a good name excels them all. 

(Ethics of the Fathers 4:17)

In class today, our students were asked to think about the many lessons we learned this year, and the importance of building a relationship with others by following the commandments.  These relationships are nurtured through Jewish values, and our commitment to making the world a better place.  We shared our thoughts and ideas about our reputations, and how others view us.  We also talked about what we want others to say about us, and how we are the gatekeepers to our legacy.  

We twisted and turned the ideas in this phrase, and talked about what the three crowns were.  Were they really crowns, or were they just symbols for royalty or riches?  After some poking and prodding, we thought about how one receives these crowns.  The crown of Torah, priesthood and kingship are all titles bestowed upon someone with little rhyme or reason.  Someone may have a lot of money or a famous family, and subsequently, they are looked to as heroes. However, the crown of a good name exceeds all the other crowns because a good name must be earned.  

Students were asked to think about the many ways we earn our good name.  We talked about what our teachers, neighbors, friends, and family think of us, and how important it is to protect our name.  Students created name posters with their personality traits, and rest assured, many do indeed have a good name.  Our students see themselves as funny, happy, good, nice, kind, and respectful.  They are empathetic, brave, smart, athletic, special, and strong.  Most importantly, they are Super Heroes in their own right, and each has earned their good name.  

Thank you for allowing me to learn with your students this year.  It has been a pleasure getting to know them, and I look forward to seeing you on Sunday for our Shavuot Ceebration and final day together.  

A PROMISE IS A PROMISE

Our year is quickly coming to an end, but we have many more lessons to learn.  In our Taste of Torah rotation, we continued to follow the life of Abraham and Sarah.  We examined the text from the Chumash, and learned Abraham was sent from his home with the promise he and all his generations would become a great nation.  We talked about this as a reality, and our students truly believe the Jewish people have endured many hardships through time, but in the end, we stood taogether to continuously fight our enemies.

With the groundwork solidly in place, we talked about how the Judaism has thrived while many other ancient civilizations went by the wayside.  We talked about strong family values and faith in GOD as the cornerstone of our continuity, and the belief that we have our Torah and the commandments to keep us consistently grounded.

Finally,  we talked about the covenant between Abraham and GOD, and the promise of Brit Milah.  While our students were a bit squeamish, we gave the truth and nothing but the truth, and we had lots of thoughtful questions about the commandment of circumcision.  Rabbi Dahlen stopped in for the discussion, and our students loved learning with him.

On Tuesday,  we took a break from the Torah and instead talked about the Ten Commandments, specifically, the commandment to honor our Mother and our Father.  We examined Ashet Chayil, a traditional acrostic husbands and fathers chant each Friday night to the wife and mother of the household, and we learned about the importance our Rabbis placed on the family.   Students created a Mother's Day card with several quotes fround in Proverbs, and wrote their own Woman of Valor quotes as well.  I hope you enjoy the thoughtful cards, and have a lovely Mother's Day with your family.  

Sunday, May 14, 2017 - Happy Mother's Day - NO SCHOOL
Sunday, May 21, 2017 - Family Shavuot Progeram - See you Then

What's In Your Backpack

In our  Taste of Torah class, we began to explore the journey of Abraham and Sarah, and we talked about what it means to carry the future of Judaism on our shoulders.  Abraham was chosen by GOD to be the leader of the Jewish people. GOD told Abraham to pack his bags and move to a place he did not know, and with this commandment, Abraham was promised he would become a great nation.     

We talked about what it means to be a great nation, and the responsibilities that come with this great task.  We also talked about the generations that came before Abraham, and the qualities they had that made GOD put his trust in them.  We talked about being honest and dependable, and having faith in GOD, and we talked about building relationships on trust.  Finally, we explored the text in the Torah, where GOD commands Abraham to leave his home and his family, and find a place where GOD will show him.  

Our students talked about moving and how difficult it would be to leave all that was familiar and start life anew.  We talked about what it would be like to move to a new state, a new neighborhood, and a new school, and trusting our parents to make the right choices for us.  We also talked about having faith in our parents just as Abraham had faith in GOD.    Students were then to asked to think of the things they would need to place in their backpacks if they were packing for a journey to a far away land.  Specifically, students were asked to pack items that would guarantee the future of Judaism.  We had some thoughtful and insightful backpacks, and some funny little items as well.  Ask your children what they would pack for their trip.  

To observe Yom Hazikaron, Israel's Day of Remembrance we observed a moment of silence for the fallen soldiers in our Jewish Homeland, and then we celebrated Yom HaAtzmaut, Israel's 69th birthday.  Students made hummus and Israeli Salad, decorated Hamsas in the Maker Space, and made Dead Sea Salt scrub, Before ending our day with birthday cake.  

Next week we will talk about the commandment of Brit Micah in class.  Please take a few minutes to introduce this topic with your students if you think it will be a difficult discussion for them to hear.