Home sweet home

Chanuka Unit

One of our favorite times of the year, is Chanuka! The lessons that the children learn during this holiday lasts a lifetime.

We started where it all began, in the Beis Hamikdash (the holy temple) where the Kohanim (priests) would perform their holy work, which centered a lot around lighting the Menorah! 

We set up a Beis Hamikdash center for the children to get a taste of what it was like and also what it will, G-d willing, be like when we have the final Beis Hamikdash!

What IS the Beis Hamikdash?

Hashem's home, a place where all people can come and be close to Him.

During cirlce time we talked about our own homes. Yanky came up and shared with us what he loves about his home. "My school bus toy"

Kohanim at work

Moshe and Mendel trying to match the picture of the Kohanim with their outfit.

Esther washing her hands by the Kiyor (wash basin) before getting to work.

 Emma pouring the olive oil and placing the laminated flames in each golden cup.

A lesson of thanks

'Bikkurim' was a special mitzvah that the visiting Jews did. They would bring the first fruits from their orchards and gift it to the Kohanim in the Beis Hamikash.

This was a powerful lesson on the importance of saying thank you.

Esther bringing the fruit basket under our tree and gave it to Moshe to say thank you after he lit the menorah.

Shalom tasting from the 'Lechem Hapanim' (the 12 show breads) that the Kohanim would get to enjoy.

Emma and Eli peeking inside the golden 'Aron Kodesh' where the tablets were kept.

We loved spending a lot of time in our Beis Hamikdash throughout the day.

We davened together there and sang songs asking Hashem for the final Beis Hamikdash.

 Thanking Hashem for our food in the Beis Hamikdash center.

How did we bring the big idea home?

After much talk about how the Menorah brought light into the whole Beis Hamikdash it was time to take it a step further and make it practical. What do we have that brings light into the world NOW?

Each of their mitzvahs brings light into this world and builds the 3rd and final Beis Hamikdash!

Throughout this week our Mitzvah notes were golden bricks. Each day we added the children's Mitzvah notes to our Beis Hamikdash center! This was so powerful and the children were eager to add additional Mitzvahs! Throughout the day we heard some say "Can I help build the Beis Hamikdash?"

 Light art experiment

Look what the sunshine's light can do! Hanging CDs reflected the sunshine and created a rainbow on their papers. We placed different colors of paint for the children to create what they saw.

After painting her picture adelle had fun watching the CD swing.

Hello Batya!

Dreidels!

Morah Tally and friends practicing their spinning techniques.

Shalom and Mendel having fun with our giant dreidel!

Yanky using his creativity and using the dreidels as the 'candles'