February 6, 2012
Dear 2nd Grade Parents,
Our second grade class has completed our Torah Study and will begin Avodah (Prayers) next. Our Family Education NEXT SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12 FROM 10:00 AM - 12:00 NOON will have us talking about our Hebrew names with an introduction to Hebrew letters.
Please come at 10:00 am with your children to T'filot. It is also Ice Cream for breakfast. Parents will study with Rabbi Serotta and then join with our students to do a special Hebrew name project.
I look forward to seeing everyone on Sunday.
Lynn Darin
2nd Grade teacher
January 29, 2012
Dear Parents,
This semester we started with a review of the fall and winter
holidays. Your child had a great time playing "holiday squares"; a
game that reviews and challenges their knowledge of learned topics
at Religious school. They did a great job and had fun.
Last week we learned about TuB'shevat; The birthday of the tree's.
Your child created an art project that encompassed this holiday.
This week we will be making challah as we continue study Shabbat.
Sheri Bulwa
K-1 Teacher
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Dear Seventh Grade Families,
We had a BIG day on Sunday! We learned about the Temple in
Jerusalem, King Herod, Masada, Qumran, the Essenes and the Dead
Sea Scrolls. By looking on line, we were able to see photographs
and floor plans.
We made a clay model of the Second Temple as well as the pots in
which the Dead Sea scrolls were found. We also wrote a few
scrolls to put in and near our pots. You can view our
archeological site in the Lakeside lobby.
If you have never done so, Google “Second Temple,” “Qumran,” “the
Essenes,” and the “Dead Sea Scrolls.” The internet is a fabulous
invention!!!
Have a great week!!
Anita Pildes
7th grade Teacher
The third graders have been studying how the Torah passes laws and rules to us. As Jews, it is our responsibility to integrate Torah into our lives.
Karen Bellows
Third Grade Teacher
January 23, 2012
Dear Parents,
Today, your child explored the pivotal moment in Jewish history, the giving of the Ten Commandments. Rabbi Kerry Olitsky, Executive Director of the Jewish Outreach Institute explains:
“We were there with Moses, with the people in a mystical, metaphysical sort of way. Regardless of our individual ways of interpreting what happened, Sinai is the common experience that unites generations of Israelites.....the memory of Sinai lives with each of us, particularly in the sacred relationship we strive to maintain between ourselves and God.”
Our own Rabbi Serotta teachers that the giving of the Torah at Sinai is as if we were each there, in all generations, since the Torah belongs to all generations.
In this lesson, we illustrated the Ten Commandments and explored how to follow them in our lives. We talked about the commandments as “rules to live by”, connecting to each of us.
These concepts are great points of interest for family discussions.
Sincerely,
Lynn Darin
December 11, 2011
December 8, 2011
Dear 11th and 12th Grade Students:
Join Rabbi Ike & Rabbi Jordi to discuss
PACKING FOR COLLEGE
…..You'll need more than your suitcase!
Sunday, December 11th after Religious School and
Packing for PADS @ 12:00 noon
Continuing our discussion with Rabbi Jordana Schuster Battis.
Rabbi Jordana Schuster Batti, Hillel Rabbi at Northwestern
University, is a passionate teacher, adult and experiential
educator, and writer. She is dedicated to developing
environments of learning, pluralism, and spiritual life, within
and beyond the Jewish community on campus.
Lunch will be served.
Please RSVP to Vanessa on facebook or at
educator@lakesidecongregation.org
December 5, 2011
Dear 5th Grade Families,
As part of the 5th Grade curriculum, where we have learned the
meaning of community for us as Jews, we have decided to take our
Tzedkah money and the proceeds of an upcoming Bake sale to add
to take a class field trip to purchase Pesach groceries for needy
families.
We would like to host a religous school bake sale on Sunday
January, 29, 2012. We are aware that we have many students with
allergies so please keep this in mind as you bake.
If you are interested in helping to coordinate this bake sale you
can respond to this email. I will coordinate the trip to the
grocery store closer to Pesach.
Your children are so excited to be working towards this community
goal and we appreciate your help.
I wish all of you the happiest of Chanukah, and a Happy, Health,
2012!
Sincerely,
Denise Goldberg
5th grade Teacher
Mollie Theriot
Madricha
December 5, 2011
Dear Seventh Grade Families,
It is hard to believe that our first semester is coming to a
close. We have learned so much! This week we learned about the
“soap opera” Biblical stories of Jacob, Rachel and Leah which
have influenced today’s traditional Jewish wedding ceremony. We
watched a couple of You Tube videos of Jewish weddings to learn
about the rituals including chupah (wedding canopy), ketubah
signing (marriage contract) and Bedekan (having the groom put the
veil down on his wife to make sure he is marrying Rachel and not
Leah).
Next week Cantor Michael Davis will join our class to introduce
the Talmud. We will be exploring that portion of the Talmud
which gives us our traditions for Chanukah. It will be a great
class, not to be missed. We will also play some games and have
treats.
It would be most appreciated if you send your student with a
snack to share for our Chanukah celebration. Please be sure it
is peanut free. If your child has an allergy please send a snack
they can eat and some to share.
Have a great week.
Anita Pildes
7th Grade teacher
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Dear Pre-Confirmation Parents,
In class this week we watched an outstanding TED talk with Dr.
Jane McGonigal. Dr McGonigal speaks about gaming and how gaming
can change the world. We had an outstanding discussion about how
Jewish gaming can solve real issues and what that would look
like. If you'd like to watch the McGonigal video, it can be found
at
http://www.ted.com/talks/jane_mcgonigal_gaming_can_make_a_better_
world.html
Next week is our last class before winter break. Snack hosts are
Elisha, Naomi and Sam. Thank you to the Whitemans for sending
snack this week! If your child would like to bring something
special for next week because it's our last week before Chanukah,
please feel free.
Our reading for next week is the essay by David Hartman on pages
109-114. Please encourage your student to do the reading before
class - it adds so much to our class discussion!
Debbie Harris
Pre-Confirmation Class Teacher
November 20, 2011
