Need a hug? Find a Sukkah!

The Holiday of Sukkos is right around the corner! A circle time show was a fun way to learn why we make a sukkah (hut) during this holiday and EVERYTHING we do IN it, is a MITZVAH! 

When we were traveling in the dessert many years ago, Hashem protected us from the animals and hot sand by surrounding us with clouds! 

 We headed outdoors to see the clouds in the sky. Can anyone reach them? We tried ;) This was a great way to realize what a BIG miracle it was for Hashem to bring the clouds down and surround us like a cozy cocoon. 

The clouds were like a hug from Hashem! (minimal amount of walls for a kosher sukkah is 2 1/2 walls like a one arm hug !) 

When we go inside the Sukkah we are surrounded by an extra spiritual light.

What does a HUG feel like ? 

We had a couple of volunteers show us how hugs make us happy.

Since we can't bring the clouds down for the holiday we set up a hut structure to remind us about the safe miraculous clouds Hashem provided for us.

Pictures of different sukkahs were placed on our art table to inspire the children to make their own sukkah projects.

Making our own mini sukkah to play with. Batya and Shmuel helping with the process of putting the 'schach' the greenery that goes on top.

Arik arranging the furniture to go inside.

 

Cloud experiments and fun

We learned clouds also give us rain!

Shalom using a dropper and making rain coming down from the cotton ball clouds. 

We had a lot of fun putting food coloring on top of the shaving cream 'cloud' and watching it absorb and slowly come down was quite mesmerizing. 

A Cloud experiment using an air pump, rubbing alcohol and a bottle. The pressure of the air and alcohol creates a cloud like substance as  you open the bottle.The first time around didn't work. This was a great hands on experience about what experimenting is! We kept on trying and even revisited it the following day!

We placed cotton balls in the water table and invited the children to get their hands wet and learn about absorption. Holes in the cups were a fun addition to make rain.  

Chana rochel put her 'cloud' in the cup to watch the drips come down.

The main Mitzvah on Sukkos is to shake the Lulav and Esrog.

We shake the lulav and esrog in all six directions to show Hashem is all around us.

Mina practicing backwards, a tricky one!

A fresh start.

A Fresh Start for a Fresh New Year 

From Rosh Hashanah until Yom Kippur we prepare and clean our Neshama (soul) for a new year. We want to start fresh and clean. Every day is like climbing a ladder. Each step we climb brings us closer to Hashem. The work is serious. During these days we focus on doing Teshuva, Tefillah and Tzedakah. Teshuvah (returning) is fixing our mistakes by saying sorry and being extra careful with our friends. Tefillah is Davening (prayer) to Hashem with extra kavana (concentration) and asking Hashem for forgiveness. Tzedakah is giving extra charity.

In class the children were invited to practice Davening (praying) in "Shul". We also took turns being a Chazan.

We had Taleisim (prayer shawl) and slippers for the children to dress up in. 

We learnt a Yom Kippur song to remind us of all the important things we do.

"On Yom HaKipurim no eating, no drinking no leather shoes no washing, until after Neila the locking of Tefila".

Ask your child to sing the song.

Last week we celebrated Morah Davina's birthday. Morah Davina taught us that on your birthday it is a mitzvah to taste a new fruit. We all got to taste a very interesting fruit. The children wished Morah Davina sweet birthday wishes. We are so lucky to have the best Morah in the whole world!!!

Trash /Treasure

One of the ways in which we helped the children prepare for yomkippur was by sorting through many pictures that reflected different characteristics or situations they might experience, and giving them the opportunity to decide which ones they would "throw away" and which ones they will "treasure" and keep! 

 As they cut out each scenario, the children had to decide if it will go in the trash or place it in their special "treasure box" that they made, to use for the new year! Some of the pictures described having patience to take turns, sharing toys, using manners/nice words  etc...

This was a very concrete way to help the children appreciate what Yom Kippur is all about!

Lekach- Asking for Honey Cake

It is customary to ask for and receive "lekach" (sweet cake- signifying a sweet year) from someone (usually one's mentor or parent) on the day  before Yom Kippur. One of the reasons given for this custom is that if it had been decreed, G-d forbid that during the year we should need to resort to a handout from others, the decree should be satisfied with this asking for food.

We took turns asking Morah Davina for "lekach" and wishing each other  sweet year!

Kindergarten 

The past two weeks we began learning our English sounds. The children enjoyed learning in an interactive way! 

Sprinkling blue sand on a lowercase letter b.

Yom Kippur, Uh Oh I made a mistake!

Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the year when we get an opportunity to fix our mistakes. We apologize for what we did wrong and try to fix it and start a new year with a clean slate.

This week we talked about what we can do when we make mistakes. Our 'big idea' was, we are really sweet and do sweet things, but sometimes we make mistakes, that's okay, as long as we try to fix it!

We used puppets to role play different "uh oh's" scenarios and what they did to fix it.

 A fun song helped us work out mistakes through out the day.

tune: where is thumkin

"Oops I'm sorry, Oops I'm sorry

what did I do? what did I do?

I didn't mean to hurt you

I want to make it better

I made a mistake, I'll fix my mistake"

Batya and Adelle acting out how two friends made a mistake and fixed it by saying I'm sorry and giving each other a hug.

Role playing brings out some giggles.

Chana Rochel wanted all the marbles which made Arik feel sad. After singing the "uh oh song" she fixed it and shared her marbles! 

Yom kippur and the color white

On Yom Kippur some have the custom to wear white. Some men wear Kittels (white garment) to shul. White reminds of us the heavenly angels that we try to be like on the holiest day of the year.

Painting on black paper gives the white paint more of a 'pop'. While painting we looked at some Yom Kippur pictures of people wearing white.

'White dough' made out of baking soda and conditioner. It was fun to see the children's reactions when they felt the dough since it had a very different consistency than play dough.

Emma enjoying white cornstarch and water mixture.

 White chalk art. We placed some on the floor as well as our easel to give a different preference.

 Arik found white in his yogurt! Chanie showed her friends white popcorn!

 

Fridays- our preparation for Shabbos.

 Shabbos Ima (mother) and Abba (father)

Shabbos Party is one of the highlights of our week. What a gift Hashem gave us, to shut down and rest from all the business of the week and focus on family.

Every week at our Shabbos party, a Shabbos "Ima" (mother) lights the Shabbos candles and a Shabbos "Abba" (father) makes the Kiddush.

 Shabbos Art

Creative minds at work!

Esther decided to make her Kiddush cup by tracing it!

Shalom used his crayon as the candle :)!

 Eli looking closely to see what color crayons he needed for the flowers.

Thank you Uncle Baruch for coming in on Fridays to read us stories!

What Can I Learn From a Pomegranate?

Rosh Hashanah 

This week we prepared for Rosh Hashanah and for a sweet new year. 

Did you know Rosh Hashana has more than one name?

The children learnt a song that taught them the 4 names of Rosh Hashanah.  

♪♫♬Rosh Hashanah, Rosh Hashanah is the head of the year. Yom Hadin the day of judgment. Yom Teruah, Yom Teruah the day that we blow the shofar. Yom Hazikaron Hashem remembers all we did. ♪♫♬

On Rosh Hashanah it's a Mitzva to hear the Shofar. The Shofar reminds our Neshama that we want to be close to Hashem and fix our mistakes. 

We learnt about all the different types of shofars and how it comes from a ram’s horn.

Morah Avigayil shows the class, a video of the Shofar-making process.

On the table Morah Avigayil put all the symbolic foods we eat on Rosh Hashanah. The children didn't only learn what the symbolic foods are, they also learnt the reason why we eat them.

Pomegranates:

Do you know how many seeds are in a pomegranate? A pomegranate has 613 seeds. That is just like the 613 Mitzvos that are in the Torah. 

We want to have a year full of mitzvos. Every Mitzva makes me closer to Hashem!

We got to practice counting. Every child was invited to count some pomegranate seeds.

The children tasted some of the symbolic foods we eat on Rosh Hashanah.   

Morning Tray Activities 

Evan uses Rosh Hashana shaped sponges to transfer water from one bowl to another, strengthening his finger muscles.

Malka matches the Holiday pictures to the word cards.

Rozie sets up a Rosh Hashana Table.

In a creative use of playdough, she rolled out a tablecloth and placed all the different Simanim inside it.

Bela Riva practices using glue and fills her pomegranate with ruby red seeds.

"Just a dot, not a lot"

Faiga and Motty design their honey jars for Rosh Hashana, 

each artist's honey jar looked different from the last.

Exercise Break for Mitzvah Menchies!!

Healthy Body, Healthy Mind!

Sweet Moment!! 

Menachem and Mendel were so excited that all the Mommies and Daddies would see their picture!

Kindergarten was so excited to use their calendars for the very first time!

TK reviews shapes and colors in a fun game of Bingo!

Every Mitzvah gets us closer to the King, Hashem.