A special visitor at Hebrew School...

In honor of our Israel theme, a soldier from the Tzahal/ Israeli army came to speak to us. Chaim, who is originally from Brooklyn, New York came to tell us about his journey of becoming a soldier in the Israeli Army. As a young teenager, he spent a summer in Israel. After observing the dedication of the Israeli Soldiers to defend the Jewish land, he felt an obligation and desire to join when he would turn 18. Sure enough, a few years later he returned to Israel to fulfill that mission. He told us all about the training process and what it was like having to learn Hebrew during that time as well. He told us of some of his experiences as a soldier and the service he was assigned to. He joined the army at a time when many refugees from Sudan would walk all the way to Israel. He said that while the Egyptians would shoot any refugees they would spot, Israel was the only country to embrace them and give them shelter. Chaim gave us a feeling of how precious the land of Israel is to us as Jews since G-d promised it to Abraham our forefather. What an inspiring journey! Thank you Chaim for coming to share it with us.

My very own Seder Plate

The Seder is a pivotal part of the Pesach Holiday. Pesach, which is eight days long and begins this year on the Eve of April 3rd, is all about reliving the story of the Exodus of Egypt. The Rabbi's set up the concept of the Seder with a Haggaddah (the guide) as a way to actualize this. At the Seder, which means 'Order', we follow a special order of 15 steps. We set up a Seder plate to go along with the Seder, using the different items to remember the story as we go through each of the steps. 

The students at Chabad Hebrew School learnt the meaning of each of the items on the Seder plate and actually put together one of their own. 

 Zeroa/Shank Bone:

A piece of roasted meat represents the lamb that was the special Paschal sacrifice on the eve of the exodus from Egypt, and annually, on the afternoon before Passover, in the Holy Temple 

Beitza/Egg:

A hard-boiled egg represents the holiday offering brought in the days of the Holy Temple. The meat of this animal constituted the main part of the Passover meal.

 Charoset:

A mixture of apples, nuts and wine which resembles the mortar and brick made by the Jews when they toiled for Pharaoh.

 Karpas/Vegetable:

A vegetable dipped in Saltwater reminds us of the Tears of the Jewish people while they were enslaved in Egypt. 

 Marror/Bitter Herbs:

Marror reminds us of the bitterness of the slavery of our forefathers in Egypt. Horseradish and Romaine Lettuce can be used. 

Chazeret/Romaine Lettuce:

Romaine Lettuce is used in addition to the bitter herb in the two sandwiches we make at the Seder.

My Link in the Chain

The Jewish Hero that we learnt about this week was Yehoshua/Joshua. Yehoshua was Moshe's sucsessor and led the Jewish people into the Promised land of Israel. Before Moshe passed away, he wrote down the entire Torah because he was afraid the people may forget the Torah and it may get lost. However, with the written Torah, as well as the Oral parts of Torah and the traditions, Yehoshua continued the chain and passed it all down to his generation. 

 Until this very day, we have the same Torah, unchanged. Like a link in a chain, each one is connected to the one proceeding it, as well as following it. Our parents sent us to Hebrew School so we could learn the Torah and understand its teachings ; they are also ensuring our Jewish identity and pride remains. 

 Now, we too have a responsibility to our children and the next generation to pass the Torah on and keep the chain going. 

Its Purim Time!

The Holiday of Purim, which will take place this year on Wednesday night, March 4th and Thursday, March 5th, is a most Joyous Holiday. As Jews, we celebrate a story in which G-d changed our fate from annihilation to life, enabling us to be here as a nation to this very day. 

 The Persian empire of the 4th century BCE extended over 127 lands, and all the Jews were its subjects. When King Ahasuerus had his wife, QueenVashti, executed for failing to follow his orders, he orchestrated a beauty pageant to find a new queen. A Jewish girl, Esther, found favor in his eyes and became the new queen—though she refused to divulge the identity of her nationality.

Meanwhile, the anti-Semitic Haman was appointed prime minister of the empire. Mordechai, the leader of the Jews (and Esther’s cousin), defied the king’s orders and refused to bow to Haman. Haman was incensed and convinced the king to issue a decree ordering the extermination of all the Jews on the 13th of Adar—a date chosen by a lottery Haman made (hence the name Purim, “lots”).

 Mordechai galvanized all the Jews, convincing them to repent, fast and pray toG‑d. Meanwhile, Esther asked the king and Haman to join her for a feast. At the feast, Esther revealed to the king her Jewish identity. Haman was hanged, Mordechai was appointed prime minister in his stead, and a new decree was issued granting the Jews the right to defend themselves against their enemies.

 On the 13th of Adar, the Jews mobilized and killed many of their enemies. On the 14th of Adar, they rested and celebrated. To remember and celebrate this wondrous turn of events, we too celebrate the Holiday of Purim each year on that day.  There are four Mitzvot that are assigned specifically to this day as well as customs that many follow. 

 Many people dress up on Purim to signify the way the whole story was turned upside down at the end, with Haman hanged on the gallows set up for Mordechai.

 4 Mitzvot of Purim:

-Hear the Megillah on Purim (once at night and once during the day)

-Give Matanat Leevyonim- Money to poor people so they too can enjoy their Holiday

-Give Mishloach Manot (Food packages consisting of at least two different kinds of food) to a friend

-Indulge in a festive Holiday meal to celebrate!

 Happy Purim!! Enjoy those delicious Haman-Tashen!

Story Credits: Chabad.org

The epitome of Forgiveness: A lesson from our Hero Yosef in the Torah.

The  Torah tells us of the amazing story of Joseph and his brothers. Yosef had  two dreams in which he understood both to mean that in the future his brothers would bow down to him. When he told these dreams to his brothers they became very upset at him. Their father Yaakov showed a special love for Yosef, and gave him a beautiful colorful coat as a gift. This also made the brothers jealous of Yosef.

 One day, as they were in the fields shepherding their sheep and saw Yosef approaching , they schemed a plan to throw him in a pit with snakes and scorpions. After they did that, they decided to sell him to an Egyptian peddler on his way to Egypt. In Egypt, Yosef ended up in jail after being falsely accused by the wife of the prince Potifar. In jail, Yosef interpreted two mens dreams correctly which was what eventually got him out of jail. Pharaoh had two dreams and needed someone to interpret them, so Yosef got the job. Yosef interpreted the dreams to be foreboding the future in which there would be seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine. Pharaoh appointed Yosef as second to the King, and made him in charge of the food storage houses.

{ The children created edible 'Yosef coats'}

 When the years of plenty had past, and the storage houses were full of food, sure enough the years of famine arrived. People from all around would come to Yosef to buy food so they wouldn't starve. Yaakov sent his sons to buy food from Egypt since the famine had hit Israel as well. When they came to Egypt to buy food, they didn't recognize Yosef. They requested to buy food, but Yosef accused them of being spies. Yosef insisted that they bring their youngest brother to Egypt in order to retrieve food. Yaakov was afraid to do this because he did not want to 'loose' another son, but eventually he had no choice.

 When Yosef was finally with all of his brothers, he broke down and revealed himselef to his brothers. He said, "I am Yosef, is my father still alive?" The brothers were shocked, and obviously deeply ashamed, but Yosef assured them that he was not upset at them and that they were forgiven. How did Yosef come to such a rationalization after all that his brothers had done to him!? He said, "Now it was not you that sent me here, but G-d." Yosef understood that it was part of G-d's plan that he be sent to Egypt, to set up a system of survival during the famine. We can all realize the profound strength it must have taken for Yosef to believe this, completely forgiving his brothers for things they had done to him. We can learn from Yosef the concept of true forgiveness. Everything is part of G-d's plan, and while no one should wrong another, we should all find it in ourselves to forgive. 

In the fifth and sixth grades, after internalizing this lesson from our Hero Yoesf, we set up a 'court' in our classroom with the students having a chance to be the prosecutors and defendants. The teacher provided them with a case scenario in which they had to discuss if the person should forgive their friend or not. The children used the lessons from Yosef, as well as the discussions between themselves to decide. This helped the children analyze the situations and understand how it could be applied to their every day lives. Yosef showed us that even for the hardest things, we can find reason to forgive. G-d has a plan, and we are all a part of it.  

Going back in time...over 2,000 years!

 The K-2 classes went back in time as they enacted the story of Chanukah!

King Antiochus desired to unify his Kingdom under one religion and culture. He was callous and wicked and decreed that no one in his empire would be allowed to practice another religion or believe in another G-d. If they would, they would face the fatal consequences. 

Then Land of Israel was part of King Antiochus's Greek Empire at that point in time and so the Jews were faced with a decision of sacrificing their lives to continue in their Jewish faith and keep the Torah.

Many Jews would not give up their religion and therefore studied Torah and did Mitzvot in hiding. When a Greek solider would come to their tent, they would quickly hide their Jewish books or items and pretend to be playing Dreidel.

There were a group of Jews led by Judah the Maccabee, (and his father Matisyahu) who decided to try to fight the Greeks. Although by nature it seemed impossible that they would win since they were such a small army with minimal ammunition and the Greek Army was tremendous and powerful,they trusted Hashem and went forward. 

{Looking at the map of Israel and discussing how the Maccabees fought the war against the Greeks.}

  G-d made a great miracle and the Maccabees won the war against the Greeks! The Jews now went to the Holy temple to find it completely disarrayed after the Greek soldiers had ransacked it placing a pig in it, defacing the Holiness of the Temple. The Jewish people were horrified by the sight before their eyes. They began cleaning up, and decided that the High Priest should light the Menorah as was done daily in the Holy Temple. However, they could only find one small flask of oil which had the seal of the High Priest. That would only be enough oil for one day of lighting the Menorah. It would take eight days until they could get a new batch of proper oil. G-d made a miracle, and the oil that should have only lasted int he Menorah for one day, lasted for eight!

 Because of these great miracles which Hashem performed for the Jewish people at that time, the Rabbi's declared these eight days as days of celebration. This is how the Holiday of Chanukah came to be. 

 On Chanukah it is a Mitzvah to light the menorah. Each night we add another light using olive oil or candles. We also have a custom to eat latkes or donuts- oily foods to remind us of the miracle. We play dreidel and thank G-d for the great miracles He performed for us then!

So, lets celebrate that we can be proud Jews and continue to practice our faith!!

 HAPPY CHANUKAH!!!!!

Aleph Champ in action!

Learning to read and write in Hebrew takes hard work and persistence. But, the children in Chabad Hebrew School are engaged in a fun learning experience that helps build their fluency in the language while also boosting their confidence in their Hebrew reading capabilities. With our interactive Hebrew learning program, Aleph Champ, the children are moving up level by level, improving in their reading abilities with all the practice and effort that they invest. Below you will see some of the various activities that the children engage in during the Aleph Champ program each week. 

 Here the students in the red level are putting the Aleph Bet cards in order.

 These Purple Aleph Champs are playing a game of Aleph Bet Dreidel. Each letter on the dreidel not only represents a move to make regarding the coins, but also dictates what Aleph Bet review method is required. Whether it is reading a flashcard, two flashcards, or reading a line in the reader book, the children get a thorough review of Hebrew reading as well as lots of Chanukah fun!

 Using these colorful wooden sticks, these students formed the Hebrew letters that they are currently learning. 

 The children enjoyed shaping Hebrew letters with playdough. This will help them in both reading and writing skills.

The K-1 class is preparing to join the Aleph Champ program by learning the Aleph Bet letters as well as Hebrew words beginning with each letter. In addition, the children learn about the holidays and Jewish concepts together with the Aleph Bet letters that relate to them.

As you can see below, the children squeezed olives and spoke about the process of creating olive oil while learning about both Chanukah and the Hebrew letter Zayin which begins the word 'Zayit' (olive)