The Jewish Federation of Greater Des Moines - Pre K

1-22-2012

The letter of the week is Ayin. The word for the week is atz/tree or Atz Chayim/Tree of Life.

Our Israel discussion continues with a glimpse at Tel Aviv. We learned that Menachem Sheinkin was one of the founders of Tel Aviv. Tel Aviv was the first modern Israeli city. We learned what the name Tel Aviv means. Tel means a kind of hill. This particular type of hill is built layer upon layer of ancient remains that were destroyed and then rebuilt. This creates a small hill deep in history. Aviv is the Hebrew word for spring. Tel is associated with old, Aviv means new. Today, Tel Aviv is a beautiful mixture of old and new along the coast of Israel. Once upon a time Tel Aviv was a bunch of sand dunes. Today, Tel Aviv is a huge city with skyscrapers, malls, hotels and office buildings. There are many museums in Tel Aviv. In the center of Tel Aviv is Ha-Bimah. Bimah means stage and is the raised platform in the synagogue. In Tel Aviv, Ha-Bimah is Israel’s national theater. There are performances at Ha-Bimah all year long.

The most popular attraction in Tel Aviv is the beach. Along the beach is the long promenade, called the tayelet. People walk up and down the tayelet day and night. You can sit on benches and talk with friends or just look at the waves and appreciate the beach. The beach is filled with soft white sand. There are restaurants by the beach.

Ezra was an important leader of ancient Israel. Ezra was a scribe and the Torah was very important to him. He was sad that many of the people had never heard of the Torah. He brought them all together at a gate in Jerusalem and read to them the entire Torah! When Ezra brought the people back to Jerusalem, the Holy Temple was in ruins. B’nai Yisrael began a project of building the Second Temple on Mount Moriah-the exact same place where we remember that Abraham almost sacrificed Isaac.

The Temple was the center of the lives of the Jewish people. There, they brought sacrifices and gifts for G-d. The Temple was seen as G-d’s home on Earth. The Temple was so special and holy that people felt G-d’s presence there.

The Temple was destroyed first by the Babylonians. It was rebuilt and destroyed again by the Romans. All that is left is one wall that held up the hill on which the Temple stood. The wall has had many names over the years: the Wailing Wall, the Western Wall and Ha-Kotel, the Hebrew word for “the Wall”.

Most people stopped calling it the Wailing Wall after 1967. In that year, Israel reunited the whole city of Jerusalem, and for the first time in a long while, Jews were allowed to visit Ha-Kotel. Jews all around the world have dreamed for thousands of years of being able to visit Ha-Kotel and now we can.

In front of the wall is a giant plaza. In the back of the plaza, there are many Israeli flags. However, as you walk towards the front of the plaza, all you see is the giant wall of the Temple in front of you. The stones are huge and some of them weight thousands of pounds.

One Jewish tradition is to place prayers inside the cracks of Ha-Kotel. Jews from all over the world come to Israel and write down prayers to G-d on pieces of paper that they stuff in between the giant stones. Sometimes the wall is overflowing with peoples prayers.

In class today, we pretended to fly El Al to Israel. We landed in Tel Aviv and because we were so hungry, we visited a café for lunch. We tried Israeli salad, Nutella, pita, hummus, and falafel. Israel grows many olives. We also enjoyed some delicious black olives.

After lunch, we journeyed to recess where we could use blocks made from recycled paint boxes and covered in brown paper to pretend that we were visiting Ha-Kotel. The children pretended to be ancient Jews building the second Temple.

Then we traveled back to modern day, wrote some pretend prayers and stuck them into the cracks of the wall. The class also had the opportunity to write their own prayers for Jennifer to deliver to the real Ha-Kotel. Then we became excavators and discovered the Dead Sea Scroll pots that contained the Dead Sea Scrolls. The children created these pots during our first class back from break. I had them kiln fired and we painted the finished products today.

After our trip to Israel, we boarded El Al again and came home just in time for class to end.

Shalom,

Cynthia Shulman

1-15-2012

The letter of the week is Samech.

The word for the week is saba/grandfather and safta/grandmother.

Tel Aviv is a huge city with skyscrapers, malls, hotels and office buildings. There are many museums in Tel Aviv. In the center of the city is Ha-Bimah. Bimah means stage and is the raised platform in the synagogue. Ha-Bimah is Israel’s national theater. There are performances at Ha-Bimah all year long.

Our class lesson this week is on Shabbat and Havdalah. Shabbat is the culmination of Creation. The seventh day when no work was done. It is a day of rest. There are 39 rules of things we cannot do on Shabbat: Some of the things are writing/drawing, building, cleaning . . .anything that requires work.

Shabbat is like a bride because 1.) brides are beautiful; 2.) Shabbat is a symbol of purity & charm; 3.) Shabbat is an object of love and affection.

Lighting the Shabbat candles is an obligation of all women and two candles must be lit each Friday just before sundown. We light two candles because: 1.) Zachor: Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy (Exodus 20:8) and 2.) Shamor: Observe the Sabbath day and keep it holy (Deut. 5:12). Additional candles may be lit for each of the children in the home. Candles are always lit first and then all blessings recited. The blessing recited for the Shabbat candles is Baruch ata ad-nai el-hainu Melech ha-olam asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu l’hadlik ner shel Shabbat. Which translates to: Blessed art thou,

L-rd our G-d, King of the universe who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to kindle the Sabbath lights. After the candles are lit it is proper to wish everyone a “SHABBAT SHALOM” or have a peaceful Sabbath.

The Sabbath candles should be lit on the table where the Sabbath meal is eaten. However, if this is not possible, then the candles should burn in the same room as the Sabbath meal. The Sabbath table should have special items on it such as: 1.) Two un-sliced Sabbath loaves of Challah, covered by a napkin or cloth and 2.) Kiddush cup filled with special kosher grape juice. If there is no kosher grape juice available, then the Kiddush may be said over the Challah. Challot are braided to be beautiful. It is also suggested that the challah is like the interwoven lives of the Jewish people. It is customary for the father to bless the children.

The children enjoyed a Shabbat meal with lots of Shabbat stories to enhance the atmosphere and understanding of the Sabbath.

To end our mock Shabbat dinner we concluded with a lesson about Havdalah. Havdalah is performed at the end of Shabbat in order to bring the new week. Havdalah means separation. Havdalah separates the holiness of Shabbat and all that is special about Shabbat from the everyday ordinary of the rest of the week. There are three parts to the Havdalah service: 1.) The braided, three-wicked candle; 2.) the wine and 3.) the spice box (b’samim). We smell the spices in the box to remind us of how sweet Shabbat is, as well as, to wake us up from our rest. The light symbolizes the first act of the new week. It also symbolizes the first act of creation when G-d said, “Let there be light!” We use the candle to warm our hands or read our prayers by the light. This shows the difference between the Shabbat and Havdalah candles. The Havdalah candle usually has two or more wicks, since the flame, which is required is that of a torch and not a regular candle. Finally, we drink the wine/grape juice to end Shabbat the same way in which we began Shabbat. We know that Shabbat is over when we see three stars in the sky. Havdalah is recited in a darkened room.

Shalom,

Cynthia Shulman

1-8-2012

*The children began the class by singing our morning prayers. We start with the Sh’ma, Torah song and hakafot and end with the Tzedakah song.

*Our letter of the week is Nun. The words for the week are ner/candle or nerot/candles.

Our class discussion on Israel continued with the introduction to the new city of Jerusalem. Jerusalem was made a capital by King David. King Solomon built the Temple there. However, Jerusalem is also a very new city with tall buildings, coffee shops and a train that runs people all around the city.

Teddy Kollek was once a mayor of Jerusalem. People liked him so much that they elected him five times. He was the mayor for 28 years. He felt it was very important to make Jerusalem into a great modern city. Teddy helped to build parks and schools throughout the city of Jerusalem. The southern part of Jerusalem has a giant soccer stadium named after Teddy Kollek. Israelis love the game of soccer. One of the country’s favorite soccer teams is called Beitar Jerusalem. Their home field is none other than Teddy Kollek Stadium. One of Teddy Kollek’s nicknames is Avi ha-Muze’on or the father of the museum. Teddy Kollek helped to build the Israel museum.

The Israel Museum is best known for one of its buildings that look like a giant Hershey’s kiss. This building is called the Shrine of the Book. Kept inside are lots of really old Hebrew scrolls. The scrolls were found in caves in the desert near the Dead Sea. These scrolls are over two thousand years old. They are some of the oldest copies of the Bible that have ever been found. For a fun craft, the children made pinch pots with lids especially designed to look like the ones that the scrolls were found in all those thousands of years ago.

In class today, we also learned about the holiday of Rosh Chodesh. This holiday celebrates the new moon. The Jewish calendar is lunar and solar, which means it follows that moon and sun. The lunar calendar is adjusted so that the holidays always fall in their proper season as determined by the sun. Rosh Chodesh means, “Head of the Month”, which is also the celebration of the new moon. When Jewish people lived near each other in the land of Israel, a torch signal was passed from mountaintop to mountaintop at the first sighting of the new moon. That is how they synchronized their calendar and each holiday was celebrated on its proper day.

When the Jewish people moved all over the world the torch signals broke down and we began to celebrate holidays for two days instead of one to ensure that they would be celebrating on the correct day.

In ancient times, Rosh Chodesh was observed by spending the day not working. However in recent decades, Rosh Chodesh has become a holiday celebrated by women’s groups with song, prayer and storytelling to mark the new moon.

The reason Rosh Chodesh is known as a women’s holiday is because of a Midrash:

When Moses brought the Israelite people to Mt. Sinai, he left them waiting at the bottom of the mountain while he went up to the top to speak with G-d and receive the Torah. While Moses was away, the people panicked and thinking that he would never return, they demanded that Aaron, Moses’ brother and right hand man, build a golden calf for them to worship. According to the Midrash, the women did not panic and did not contribute their jewelry to the building of an idol. As a reward for the women’s faith, G-d granted them the holiday of Rosh Chodesh, so that like the moon, women would be rejuvenated each month.

It is appropriate for preschoolers to celebrate Rosh Chodesh because even though we are not sure how long a day, week, month or year may be, when we see the first sliver of light after a dark period, we know that it is time for a new Jewish month.

Shalom,

Cynthia Shulman

12-18-2011

Today in class, the students learned the letter Mem and Mem Sofit. We learned the difference between a menorah (7 branches) and a chanukkiah (8 branches).

Our class discussion regarding Israel this week focused on Jerusalem. My daughter, Jennifer, who is one of the assistants in our classroom, will be studying in Jerusalem for her second semester of junior year beginning January 30, 2012. As a class, we have been relating many things about Israel to the place where Jennifer will be going. Our class has a good grasp of this concept. Dori, our other classroom assistant has also been to Israel. Last week she told us that she has a license to drive a camel. She promised to bring that back to school after break. The children were fascinated by that fact.

This week we discussed the Old City of Jerusalem. We learned that Moshe Dayan was a military leader of Israel who led the capture of the Old City of Jerusalem. In 1967, for the first time in 2,000 years, Jerusalem was the united capital of the Jewish people. We learned that the old city has four quarters and the Jewish quarter is where the Kotel is. The Kotel is a place where Jews go to pray to G-d. You can even place notes in the wall for G-d. If the parents would like to help their child write a note for Jennifer to take to the Kotel, they can bring it to class after break sometime on or before the January 22nd class. Jennifer will be flying to Israel on January 29th.

We also learned that Jerusalem is important to three other religions: the Muslims, the Christians and the Armenians. Because it is such an important place to these three different religions, Jerusalem has sometimes been called the center of the world for this reason. The very nice thing about Israel is that because Jerusalem is special to billions of people around the world, Israel works hard to protect all religious sites so everyone can pray in the place, which is special to them.

This week we reviewed our discussion of Chanukah. The Jews of Judea were not free. They were ruled by the King of Syria, King Antiochus. The King followed the Greek religion and he wanted EVERYBODY to follow it, too. The Greek religion had many gods. Jews believe in only one G-d. The Jews refused to bow down and abandon their religion. As the king’s army went from town to town making sure his orders were being followed, in Modin’, Mattathias refused to bow. He appointed his son Judah to be the new leader, as Mattathias was old. Judah became know as Maccabee, which means hammer. His followers became known as the Maccabees.

The Maccabees had no weapons and found it hard to fight off the Syrian king’s army. Therefore, they escaped into the mountains where they knew all the caves and crevices. They were able to defeat the army and proceeded to travel all through Israel defeating the king’s soldiers. Exactly three years after the Syrians destroyed Jerusalem, on the 25th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev, the Jews lit the menorah and rededicated the Temple. Chanukah has been known as the holiday of rededication from that time on.

The Children reviewed the Hebrew letters on the dreidel and the words that each letter represents: New (NUN), Gadol (GIMEL), Hayah (HAY), and Sham (SHIN). “A Great Miracle Happened There.”

We talked about the chanukkiah and the helper candle the shamash again. We also reviewed the order that the chanukkiah is lit from right to left on the first night and then left to right every other night. The class received candles from the JFCS for the chanukkiahs they made last week. All of the children were very excited for the first night of Chanukah.

The class enjoyed Chanukah music and several fun games of dreidel with Hershey Kisses as gelt.

This week we listened to the fun story by Eric Kimmel, “The Hanukkah Goblins.” This is a story of a town that was terrorized by the king of the goblins who did not want the village to light their chanukkiah. This man takes on all the goblins from the smallest to the king and wins the freedom for the village to light their Chanukah candles.

I wish everyone a beautiful holiday season filled with many miracles. Have a safe and fun winter break. I look forward to learning more about Judaism in 2012.

Shalom,

Cynthia Shulman

12-11-2011

Today in class, the students learned the letter Lamed. We learned that they could speak three different languages when it comes to what we eat at Chanukah. Leveevot/Hebrew, latkes/Yiddish and potato pancakes.

We continued our lesson about Israel. Last week we discussed Jacob and how he lived in Beersheva, which is northwest of the Negev desert. Today in class, we learned that in the Torah, Beersheva is mentioned many times. Because Beersheva is very north of the Negev desert it has always been a place where people pass through on their way into the wilderness. Beersheva is called the “Gateway to the Negev.”

Today, Beersheva is one of Israel’s largest cities. This city is best known for Ben Gurion University. People from all around Israel and the world come to learn Hebrew or to continue their college education in Israel.

We also learned why Israel would name a university Ben Gurion. David Ben Gurion is known as the “father of Israel.” He was the first prime minister of Israel and helped Israel gain independence in 1948. He was a great leader and Israelis loved him. David Ben Gurion loved the desert so much so that he moved his family to kibbutz Sde Boker in the Negev, which is where he and his wife are buried.

Our class discussion has moved from Bible stories to holidays. This week we discussed the holiday of Chanukah. The Jews of Judea were not free. They were ruled by the King of Syria, King Antiochus. The King followed the Greek religion and he wanted EVERYBODY to follow it, too. The Greek religion had many gods. Jews believe in only one G-d. The Jews refused to bow down and abandon their religion. As the king’s army went from town to town making sure his orders were being followed, in Modin’, Mattathias refused to bow. He appointed his son Judah to be the new leader, as Mattathias was old. Judah became known as Maccabee, which means hammer. His followers became known as the Maccabees.

The Children learned that the Hebrew letters on the dreidel represent the words: New (NUN), Gadol (GIMEL), Hayah (HAY), Sham (SHIN). “A Great Miracle Happened There.” We also examined an Israeli dreidel. We noticed that there is one letter on the Israeli dreidel different from the American dreidel. Nes (NUN), Gadol (GIMEL), Hayah (HAY), Po (Pay). “A Great Miracle Happened Here.”

We learned about the chanukkiah and the helper candle the shamash. We learned that the chanukkiah is lit from right to left on the first night and then left to right every other night. Then the class had the opportunity to make their very own chanukkiahs.

The class enjoyed Chanukah music and several fun games of dreidel with Hershey Kisses as gelt.

We listened to the fun story by Eric Kimmel, “The Magic Dreidels”. A story about a boy who would rather play dreidel than help prepare for the holiday. In the end, after being tricked by a naughty neighbor, a goblin who had been giving the boy magic dreidels because the boy lost his down a well, helps “spin” the holiday in by conjuring up latkes with sour cream and apple sauce and silver gelt.

Shalom,

Cynthia Shulman

JFCS Main Menu

JFCS Upcoming Events

MAY

05/18/2012 06:00 PM - 08:00 PM
Joint TI TBJ Confirmation

MAY

05/20/2012 09:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Last Day Sunday Morning Hebrew School

Login Form

More Articles...

JFCS Main Menu

JFCS Upcoming Events