This weeks Parasha (Torah portion) is Noach!
Noach, was a Tzadik (righteous man) and his wife Naama, was a Tzadekes (righteous women) ! We learned that in Noach's generation there were giants and super-super strong people! However, everyone in the world, except Noach and his family, were doing a lot of mistakes. They were stealing from each other, and not respecting one another.
Nechama L said - "If I was a giant I would help people fix their roofs!"
Yossi and Eli, showing their muscles.
After so many years that Hashem waited for the people to do Teshuva, He decided to "clean" the entire world with a Mabul, a tremendous flood!
Yossi creating a rain scene using gravity.
We used egg shakers to mimic the rain sounds! How slow and fast can we go?
Hashem told Noach to build a Taiva (a big boat). In this special boat Noach and his family would survive the flood under Hashems protection. The Taiva had 900 rooms in it! It was also the size of two professional football fields, can you imagine?
Shai, painting his Taiva black like the tar that Noach used to protect it from water coming in.
It took Noach 120 years to complete it, and that's what Hashem wanted! Hashem wanted to give the people another chance to do Teshuva. He hoped that the news about a BIG boat would spread all around. The people heard but mocked Noach and said "We don't care if a Mabul comes! We will just climb on the trees and roof tops! We are super strong and tall"
Then, after 120 years Hashem told Noach to go in the Taiva and bring with him his family, a pair (male and female) from each un-kosher animal and 7 pairs of each kosher kind!
The Mabul started to fall and fill the earth while all the rivers and sees started to rise! Nechama, checking out what a flood looks like.
The Taiva started to float on top of the water and the ground started to disappear.
We did an experiment to see what item will float and what will sink! Chana, documenting it.
Noach and his family stayed in the Taiva for a year. They were working really hard to make sure all the animals in the Taiva were well taken care of!
On Monday, Morah Hadar had an exiting news - "We have a new friend at Gan!" - a female beta fish!
We decided all together to call her Maya. The kids were taking care of her so nicely like Noach took care the animals at the Taiva!
To check if it was the time to go outside Noach first sent a raven. The raven came back almost immediately! Noach, understood that there were still water everywhere so he waited another 40 days. Then he sent the dove, and after a few days it came back with a leaf of olive tree - which is short tree, and Noach new it is almost time to go outside!
He sent the dove again. It did not come back. Noach understood the dove found a place to rest and build new home. Finally, Hashem told Noach to go out of the Taiva!
Noach asked Hasham to not send a Mabul again, and Hashem created a beautiful rainbow in the sky to show Noach he will never destroy the world with a Mabul again.
Our friends were invited to use their own creative way to make a rainbow.
This entire week the teachers were documenting Helping Hands Moments and we were filling our big rainbow with them!
The kids were so exited when we added a new bracha for our everyday davening! The bracha of מתיר אסורים - who releases the bound.
With Shai's help, we understood the idea that every morning when we wake up Hashem bring back our neshama (soul) and 'releases' our bodies from its 'sleep prison' and we granted a special koach (strenght) to have another day filled with Mitzvas!
Shai, showing us how he washes his hands with a washing cup in the morning.
Chana and Nechama brought a book for us to read at circle time! We learned so many fun facts about the parasha. We got to learn the story of מגדל בבל - the Tower of Babel, and talked about the idea that as a group we can do so many mitzvas and encourage our friends to do mitzvas!
Baking challah for shabbat together as a teem! Our friends began to sing together "Nice Challah.."
Pre-k Kria
Learning the letter ה - Hey this week!
K Kria
We continue working on blending and reading with a fun game of tic-tac-toe!
Academics
Learning about the water water cycle by acting it out!
A science experiment making rain cloud in a jar.
Aftercare
The children worked together just like Noach to use their skills to work on the construction of the Tavia.
On Wednesdays we’re given writing opportunities to help strengthen our tiny muscles in our hands and provide a chance to draw, scribble and express ourselves. These beginning writing skills are future predictors of reading and writing success.
The children drew what they would do if they lived with Noach.
Yossi, showing his beautiful picture & handwriting skills.
Shabbat Shalom!