I’ve had a rough week. To begin with, January is my least favorite month, and I seem to feel the cold even deeper this week. Some of you may have heard that singer, song-writer Debbie Friedman just passed away. She was an important part of my life, and on so many levels connected me to […]
Archives for January 2011
Shalom Kitah Gimel Students and Families #13
Welcome to the new Hebrew month of Sh’vat! Today, students led the Blessings for Torah Study and cookies. They added the new Hebrew month of Sh’vat to the attendance conversation and identified Tu B’Sh’vat as the Holiday of the Month. To review the vocabulary and language patterns from the previous week, students completed a “Pop” […]
In Memory of Debbie Friedman
I’ve just received the heart-wrenching news that Debbie Friedman passed away. Musician, composer, songwriter, singer, Debbie Friedman invented modern Jewish music. Where once there were mostly traditional synagogue melodies and ponderous “hymns,” Debbie Friedman created Jewish songs with soaring melodies, spirited and spiritual lyrics. In addition to her original works, Debbie composed music for words […]
Shabbat Commentary – Bo
On the Jewish calendar, we may be only two weeks away from Tu B’Shvat, but in this week’s Torah Portion, Bo, it’s Passover – THE original Passover! Pharaoh remains steadfast in his refusal to free the Israelite slaves. As a result, three more plagues ( locusts, darkness, and death of the first born) descend, upon […]
Is It O-OK Not To Be Perfect?
Welcome back and happy 2011. It was striking to watch everyone’s re-entry this week. The parents arrived at school describing their feelings of exhaustion as they came back into the swing of things but the children came into 2011 with focus and energy, seeming to have grown inches over our two short weeks apart. The classrooms were […]
Shalom Kitah Gimel Students and Families #12
Welcome back from winter vacation and welcome to second semester. We started off 2011 with every Kitah Gimel student present! After students led the Blessings for Torah Study and cookies, we launched into a review of the Hebrew vocabulary which students had practiced during their vacation. Students demonstrated good recall of word meanings and everyone […]
A Message on a Fence
Several times this week, I’ve driven by an elementary school near my house. The school is bordered by a metal mesh fence. This week, there is a message on the fence spelled out in bright pink plastic cups pushed through the mesh. “We ‘heart’ you Mrs. Diller RIP” the large pink letters read. The message […]
Reflections on Va’era
We are only a few hours away from the dawn of 2011. The media are blaring out New Year’s advice in every form – “4 Money-Making Investments!” “6 Steps to Six-Pack Abs!” “8 Solutions to Household Clutter!” How about “7 Ways to Get Out of Egypt!” This item isn’t from CNBC or “The Martha Stewart […]