Religious School – A “Holiday Letter” Happening?

The Holidays are winding down. I’ve packed up my dreidel collection and put my hanukkiah back on the shelf. I’ve gathered the Holiday cards we received for one last reading before cutting off the covers of the Hanukkah cards to use as classroom visuals next year. I’ve saved a few from both the Hanukkah and Christmas piles as “mementos.”

Among the cards are several examples of that curious custom, the “Holiday Letter.” From both Jewish and non-Jewish folks, we’ve received “Dear Friends and Family” photocopied messages which claim to detail highlights of the writer’s past year. Holiday Letters are cheerful, newsy, upbeat, cheerful, warm, whimsical… and did I mention cheerful? Even though the events in these Holiday Letters may, I suspect, be just a teeny bit glitzed and glossed for mass mailing purposes, they still reflect significant, pleasurable happenings in the life of the senders.

Just for fun – We received the most candid Holiday Letter from a dog named Lenny. Lenny is a mopey, but endearing creature who allows our son and daughter-in-law to share his space. In a cute, curmudgeonly way, Lenny described domestic events and fun trips that his two-legged family took, while he was left to whoops on the dogsitter’s carpet. Go Lenny!

Ok, you’ve been patient. What do Holiday Letters have to do with Jewish education? Just this – I’ve never seen a Holiday Letter that says, “Hebrew school was the highpoint of Dina’s year” or “Danny learned all the prayers and he just can’t wait to go to Shabbat services.” Kids attend 58 or more Sunday and weekday religious/Hebrew school classes a year, but I’ll bet their Jewish educational experiences are seldom mentioned in Holiday Letters (until the Bar or Bat Mitzvah, that is!)

In the remaining months of Hebrew school, I’d like to create some lively, “cheerful,” memorable Jewish learning events worthy, at least figuratively, of being featured in 2012’s Hanukkah Holiday Letters.

What will these events be. For starters, Tu B’Shevat is coming up. I’m beginning to collect ideas. Maybe you have some you’d like to share!

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Ronni Sims

Ronni has been a Jewish educator since Moses was in preschool (almost!). She has had the pleasure of teaching all age groups in a variety of formal and informal settings, as well as directing a Jewish Teacher Resource Center. While teaching in a Jewish Day School, Ronni coached an award-winning Odyssey of the Mind creative problem solving team.Ronni was an active participant in the former Conference on Alternatives in Jewish Education (CAJE), where she held leadership positions including Network Chair and Conference Co-Chair of CAJE 29 at Hofstra University. She currently teaches Hebrew at the Congregation Albert Religious School in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Talmud teaches: “The Torah cannot be learned unless it is learned among friends.” Ronni views blogging on JCast as such a learning opportunity.

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