Noar Blog

We had another great day of Noar and H.U.B. (our teen learning program!) 

Each Carpool Talk newsletter has a brief description of what your child did today, along with 2-3 open ended questions you can ask them to keep the conversation going. 

All Eidot (units) started the day with Boker Kehilah (morning meeting) to learn about the Middah of the week and break the ice!

Hebrew letter of the week: Tet (*it may be different for Shoreshim (Pre-K-1)

Jewish Life vocab of the week: Tikkun Olam (Repairing the World)

Mensch Middah of the week: Bina (Understanding)

Shoreshim (Pre-K-K)

This week in Bayit, we learned the story of Passover  by telling it together orally. Then, we made centerpieces that depict the splitting of the Red Sea, so that the Jews could escape to freedom.. During chugim, we did Passport to Israel with our Shinshin  and participated in Hebrew through Movement. We also had Reading Stars with Jamah, Omer, and Hebrew through Movement with Or, and participated in T'filah with Cantor Beth!

1. Can you tell me the story of Passover?

2. What are we celebrating at Passover?

3.What songs should we sing at our seder? 

Shoreshim (First Grade)

This week in Bayit, we learned about various disabilities and what they might feel like. . In addition, we talked about Moses’s speech issue, and how his siblings helped him. In Chugim, our students rotated between a sack race game, in which we learned how challenging it can be to not have full use of our legs, Hebrew Through Movement, and an art activity in which we were blindfolded to imagine being vision impaired.  There was  a lot of thoughtful discussion today. We also enjoyed T'filah with Cantor Beth. We also enjoyed Reading Stars with Miss Jamah!

1. Which activities were the most difficult and why? 

2. Can you think of anyone our family knows that has a disability? What is our best way to help that person feel included?

3. How did Moses’s siblings help him manage his disability? 

Chaverim (Grades 2-3) 

This week in Bayit, we learned about the parting of the Red Sea through using the scientific method of asking questions and experimenting. Students also participated in Hebrew through Movement with Or, T'filah with Cantor Beth, and their "chug" (elective) choice!

1. What is Passover about?

2. Why do we appreciate our freedom on Passover?

3. How do you think the Red Sea was parted?

In chugim (electives) see below for each program!

• SHIRA (choir) learned about melodies and Jewish songs and sang!
• MAKERSPACE learned about the "symbols" of the Passover seder, namely the afikomen and Elijah, and how they represent freedom and what it means to the Jewish people. They then made things for Elijah to sit on or hide the afikomen.
• SPORTS students learned about the characters in the Magid (the Passover story) by playing "catch one, catch all" tag. They then played some basketball.
• ART students learned about the symbolism of Elijah and worked on cups for Elijah, then moved onto Miriam's cups  and hand washing cups when they finished.

 Orim (Grades 4-5) 

This week in 4th grade Bayit, we learned about Passover around the world through games, an interactive seder, and different hands-on activities. Students also enjoyed their "chug" (elective) class, T'filah with Cantor Beth, and more! Ask me these three things:

1. What are some things people do on Passover  around the world?

2. What does Passover symbolize?

3. What are you appreciative of with our freedom?

• MAKERSPACE learned about the "symbols" of the Passover seder, namely the afikomen and Elijah, and how they represent freedom and what it means to the Jewish people. They then made things for Elijah to sit on or hide the afikomen.
• SPORTS students learned about the characters in the Magid (the Passover story) by playing "catch one, catch all" tag. They then played some basketball.
• COOKING students learned about the difference in Sephardic and Ashkenazi and made a typical Ashkenazi recipe--matzah pizza!
• SCIENCE students learned about the Burning bush and wondered--what made it burn but not catch fire? Students watched a chemical reaction to metal and then tried to start their own fires without using a lighter.

5th Grade - Family B'nai Mitzvah Workshop

We had a great family workshop today where we learned about our Torah portions!

Zehut (Grade 6) 

This week in Bayit, we learned about immigration through an Ellis Island simulation. Students also went to their "chug" (elective) choice by choosing between, Judaism says what?!, Sports, American Sign Language or Art. Students also particpated in T'filah with Cantor Beth.

1. What were the experiences of the Jews who immigrated to the United States in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries like after arriving in the United States?

2. What was it like to go through customs at Ellis Island?

3. What did you learn about immigration?

• SPORTS students learned about the characters in the Magid (the Passover story) by playing "catch one, catch all" tag. They then played some basketball.
• ART students learned about the symbolism of Elijah and worked on cups for Elijah, then moved onto Miriam's cups when they finished.
• AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE students started learning the Shema in ASL.
• JUDAISM SAYS WHAT?! started learning about the Passover story.

H.U.B. (Grades 7-8)

Our Madrichim-in-Training (Grades 7-8) started the day with a Workshop on Leadership and how to role models. Then all H.U.B. students went to their ew elective after 15 minutes of community building. Students went to:

• JEWS AND NETFLIX: Students discussed what makes a show "Jewish" and started watching "13 the Musical."
• JUDAISM SAYS WHAT?!: Students learned about Jewish ritual practices that they didn't know before!
• MY VOICE IS POWERFUL: Students learned about advocacy and how to wield their words with the Shinshin, Omer.

H.U.B. Grade 9

9th graders helped in Noar classrooms as Junior Madrichim, and then went to their third HUB session of this trimester with Joel on "For the Sake of Argument" in talking about the future of Judaism.