Thanks to the generosity of our audience, our first effort raised $100 for the Abayudaya. We'll be investing this money in Abayudayan products to resell to the community, and hope that this kitty will grow and grow.Were you at the concert? Why not post your comments here for the whole class to read?Amy
Our performance of Ugandan Jewish music is finally coming together. The class knows the songs well and their voices sound lovely. I hope you will all be there to cheer them on.In more musical highlights, our class led "Age-Old Story/They Would Not Bow Down" at all school sing today. It wasn't quite the same without their parents there to join in, but in the end it was almost as good as Sunday.We reviewed the Chanukah blessings and Maoz Tzur and made some beeswax candles for your menorahs. I hope that everyone has a joyful first night of Chanukah tomorrow. Here's a link to a very touching, if somewhat schmaltzy video. http://www.aish.com/movies/Chanukah_Miracles.aspAmy
On Sunday parents were invited to join our classroom for "family education." With no particular guidance from above as to what that might mean, I thought I would give parents an opportunity to review the written work that students have been gathering in their Israel History folders since September. After examining our class timeline, I asked parents to work with their children to write the "Story of Israel" from Abraham all the way to the Destruction of the Second Temple. And dicuss their work. In half an hour. Maybe you can see where I going with this......not quite enough time. Still, I saw some interesting conversations between parent and child about Ancient Israel. How often does that happen? So, I'll consider the morning a qualified success. Thanks to everyone who made it.
Morah Amy
All of the sudden Chanukah is sneaking right up on us. I imagine Christmas doesn't really ever sneak up on anyone. The music and lights seem to get going the day after Halloween, and they are anything but subtle. But Chanukah titpoes in, sometimes before it's even cold yet, and I'm not always ready.
Kitah Hay, however, will definitely be ready. Our history unit coincides so nicely with the calendar - we've just reached the period of the Maccabean rebellion and have been watching a great dvd that looks at the history of the era: Heritage: Civilization of the Jews. You can read about it at http://www.pbs.org/wnet/heritage/. We painted wooden dreidels
yesterday, and will review some chanukah songs and berachot over the next week and a half.
In the meantime, we're practicing some Ugandan Jewish songs for our performance on December 17th. A flyer will come home on Sunday. The kids are sounding great!
I hope I'll most of you at our family education session on Sunday. We'll look at student potfolios and do a history activity together.
Morah Amy
Thanks to the generosity of our audience, our first effort raised $100 for the Abayudaya. We'll be investing this money in Abayudayan products to resell to the community, and hope that this kitty will grow and grow.
