When I was a kid I loved tinker-toys. I would spend hours constructing skeletal looking and what I thought were futuristic buildings. I never knew what the outcome would be, I didn’t know if what I was building would stand up to the forces of nature or my brother’s kicks, but I had fun. I […]
Creating Community in the Classroom and Beyond
I recently attended a wonderful faculty meeting. That might sound like an oxymoron, but this meeting was really informative, stimulating, – and fun! As one of the activities, we were given a sheet detailing ways of “Creating Community in Learning Environments.” We were asked to discuss how we might apply the concepts presented on the […]
Why Hanukkah is Awesome or Keep Your Stinkin’ Pity Menorah
For the record, Chanukah is one of my favorite holidays. Nothing beats the combination of lighting candles, opening presents and making Christians feel like dirt when they accidentally wish me a Merry Christmas (“Merry CHRIST-mas to me. Oh, how nice. You have yourself a very Merry I’m-a-Ignoramus-Who-Assumes-Everybody-Believes Exactly-the-Same-Stuff-I-Do and a truly Happy Funny-You-Don’t-Look-Jewish-Because You-Don’t-Have-Horns, too. Maybe you should ask Santa for a diversity seminar- that is, if he can fit in under the tree between the burning cross and copy of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion. And stop ringing that bell at me, I’m sure as hell not giving you a quarter now, I don’t care what Army you’re with.”)
I know it sounds like I’m not feeling the holiday spirit — but remember, my holiday isn’t about wussy crap like “Peace on Earth” and “Goodwill to Men” – it’s about eating fried food and jelly doughnuts, getting presents for EIGHT WHOLE NIGHTS and, most importantly, celebrating the crazy-ass bunch of Jewish rebels who kicked the ancient Greeks out of Israel and stretched one day of oil for more than a week. That’s right, ass-kicking, thrift, cholesterol and shopping — throw in the guilt over not calling my mother, and you have all the pillars that the Jewish faith is based on. The only thing more awesome would be a holiday celebrating Israeli Airport Security — and I don’t mean National Opt Out Day.
Words of Wisdom – Miketz
This week’s Torah Portion, Miketz, continues the saga of Joseph. There are more dreams, more familial distress, and a hefty dose of deception. Joseph is released from prison to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams. Based on the dream imagery, Joseph predicts that Egypt will have seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine. He advises […]
Lighting the Lights
If ever I talk too positively about my children my grandmother will interrupt me and warn against the “evil eye.” Her superstitious worries inhibit her (and me, in return!) from saying too much about how great things are, or telling others for fear that they might feel jealous and cast an evil eye upon me […]
Shalom Kitah Gimel Students and Families #9
Chag Hanukkah Sameach! Happy Hanukkah! How wonderful that the first night of Hanukkah falls, this year, on a Hebrew School day. We celebrated and practiced our Hebrew. After saying the Blessings for Torah Study and cookies, we played a game called, Eifo Ha S’vivonim? (Where are the dreidels?) Students were given two minutes to search […]
Family Shield Project – A Hanukkah Highlight
HAPPYTHANKSGIVINGHAPPYHANUKKAH – one holiday following on the heels of another. But, the Early Childhood Center at the synagogue where I teach is ready! Turkeys have been replaced by a splendid display of dreidel shaped “Family Shields.” Each ECC family received a large piece of posterboard with the outline of a dreidel drawn on it. Attached […]
Torah Theatre – Vayeshev – Joseph and His Brothers
The final Portions in the Book of B’reishit tell the dramatic story of Joseph. The range of emotions expressed and the intensity of the action make these Portions ideally suited to classroom theatre. The following activity is designed to help students understand the feelings of Joseph’s brothers in the Portion, Vayeshev. (Students may work in […]
Words of Wisdom – Vayeshev
Cue the orchestra! Curtain going up! This week’s Torah Portion, Vayeshev, has all the drama and action of a Broadway production. In fact, Vayeshev and the following two Torah Portions, Miketz and Vayigash were the basis for the Broadway musical “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat.” Andrew Lloyd Webber’s music and Tim Rice’s lyrics […]
Long Distance Runaround: Pondering the CyBar/CyBat Mitzvah
When I first read this past Sunday’s New York Time’s article on digital B’nai Mitzvah preparation, my first thought was that it was intriguing that this topic would be the lead story in, of all things, the Fashion and Style section. It then occurred to me that the topic’s visibility in the soft news section […]
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