Grade 6 Weekly News
November 16, 2010
Be sure to read our weekly newsletter and bookmark our class blog (http://katemonge6thgrade.blogspot.com). These are great ways to keep up to date on assignments and important reminders about both ARS and TOS. Audio files of blessings and prayers we are studying can also be found on our blog for reinforcement.
Jewish Studies
This week, we focused on the Jewish care value of Zikaron (“memory”). Abraham Joshua Heschel teaches us that “Judaism is a religion of time, aiming at the sanctification of time.” The way to make a moment holy is to infuse it with memory and context. In this chapter, we study the Shabbat Kiddush in order to understand this symbolic notion of remembering. While there is a tendency to connect zikaron to death and memory of those who died, it is also the heart of the way we celebrate holidays and other moments.
We introduced the topic of the Holocaust this week as we learned about our Zikaron hero, Elie Wiesel, and the significance of his recounting and applying the lessons of the Holocaust. We also learned about Dov Noy, a man whose job it was to collect Jewish memories in the form of folktales to preserve what Jews knew.
HOMEWORK (due Tuesday, November 23):
Complete the worksheet on the reverse of this week's newsletter that went home on Tuesday. If you misplaced your newsletter, here was the assignment:
Ask a parent to tell you a family story that s/he hopes you will always remember. Share this precious family story on the lines below to help us reinforce the importance of zikaron, memory.
Hebrew – B’nei Mitzvah Skills
This week, we continued our study of the Blessing After the Haftarah. Students worked on perfecting the Hebrew text of this lengthy blessing. Next week, we’ll begin chanting the blessing. Our goal is to have every student master the upbeat tune before we break for Winter Vacation!
HOMEWORK:
Each week, students must practice reading Hebrew at least 5 minutes every night. Each student must complete and turn in a Reading Raffle Card to prove that they completed their Hebrew practice. This week, there are again TWO assignments:
- Students who did not successfully complete the Opening Haftarah Blessing Challenge must master the chanting of the blessing this week and pass the challenge at our next class.
- All students should be working on the Blessing After the Haftarah which can be found on page 254 in their blue folders. For homework, practice reading ALL THREE SECTIONS of this blessing.
As always, students should also sing through what we know of the Trope Anthem a few times each day. A copy of the colorful Trope Anthem can be found in the blue folder as well.
REMINDERS:
- Join the community as JOSTY (our grade 7 & 8 youth group) leads the congregation for Erev Shabbat on Friday, November 19.
- If you need to contact me with any questions or concerns, please send a message to my new email address: monge.kate@gmail.com.
