Last Missive

Shalom Parents:

Thanks so much for your kind end-of-the year gifts. Thank you even more for enabling Mrs. Gold and me to spend time with your children for a few precious hours each week. It is our pleasure inculcating in them a strong Jewish education and identity, all in addition to what you do.

We certainly look foward to teaching younger brothers and sisters in the bull pen, and if you have no more little ones in BERS, then we'll see you in the community.

Have a fantastic summer!

Warmest Regards,

Larry Abrams and Mali Gold

Yom HaShoah

Shalom Parents:

Yesterday in Sunday school, we learned about Yom HaShoah. I divided the children into groups and they counted individual grains of rice for about 5 minutes. I told them to imagine that each grain was a person with a history. The collected grains came up to a couple thousand when we put them together - a handful. This activity inspired us to talk about the scale of the Holocaust, and what 6 million people mean.

Afterwards, we heard Mr. Fred Behrend talk to us in the Beit Midrash about his experience growing up in Germany until Kristalnacht. This amazing man told us how he saw his synagogue burn along with the Jewish school he attended.

The children were all given Remembrance Candles and told to light them with their families last night.

I hope to see you at the JCC tonight where we will hear a survivor talk about his miraculous escape from Treblinka.

Have a nice week and I hope to see everyone this Shabbat at Minyan Yeledim - 10:15 AM.

Larry

Pesach Prep

Shalom Parents:
The Hey class had a GREAT time last Sunday at our model seder. We first played Pesach Jewpardy on the Smartboard to get warmed up. Please check out Babaganewz, the site that features this game and so many more educational products aimed at engaging young Jewish minds. Encourage your kids to use it.

http://www.babaganewz.com/

Afterwards, we had an engaging model seder. Never in the seven years that I've been teaching at BERS have I seen so much ruach and great behavior from the students! The children staged a Pesach play, and we learned the order of the Passover meal. Did you know that seder means order?

March Madness

Shalom Parents,
Today we learned all about the Mishkan, the portable sanctuary and the very first shul! The students learned all about two minor, but fascinating men from parsha Vayak'hel : Bazalel and Oholiav, clever gents who used their skills as builders to fashion something beautiful and sacred in the desert. We also reviewed great tidbits for Pesach.

Check out the link I showed the children:
http://www.chabad.org/kids/article_cdo/aid/366033/jewish/As-a-Jew-the-musical.htm

The teachers are now posting MY attendance with stickers. If your child has spotty attendance start now. The revamped Minyan Yeledim services, run by yours truly, are so much fun. I really think you should give your child a chance to see what it's all about. Believe it or not, the end of the school year is in sight!
As ever,
Larry

Parsha Yitro

Great class today! We studied parsha Yitro. Using Notebook 10 software, the preferred software for the Smartboard, I created an interactive way to teach the ten commandments. When class ended, practically all of the kids could recite them in order.

We talked about honoring one's parents, and I gave the students a tidbit that I learned from Rabbi Furman: anticipating parents' needs and fulfilling them BEFORE the parents ask is one of the ultimate forms of honoring them. I hope the learning sinks in!

We also completed a Yitro Parsha play and the students saw a wonderful Itcky Kadoozy from the Chabad site.

1. Please make sure your child makes it to class on time. Today, I had a number of kids file in up to 20 minutes after the start bell.

2. Come to MINYAN YELEDIM. Come to MINYAN YELEDIM. Come to Minyan Yeledim.

When? Every Shabbat starting at 10:15 AM. I lead the services and I've been told they're a blast.

Parshah Va'eira

Shalom Parents:

It was so nice to see your children after such a long hiatus. The snow day plus winter break had me missing them.

Today in class we talked about the importance of keeping our word, and not reneging on a promise. We looked at how horribly Pharoah behaved in Shemot (Exodus) and how he repeatedly took his words back after consenting to let Moses' people go.

I've been using the new Smartboard quite often to make learning interactive and fun. I invite you to poke your head in and maybe stay awhile when my class is in session. In addition, the pasha plays we perform to further animate the lesson are a riot.

Please bring your kids to Minyan Yeledim this and every Shabbat. Services start at 10:15 AM in the chapel and I lead it.

Take care,
Larry

Mrs. Gold-Happy Chanuka

Dear Parents and Students,

I want to thank all of you for your generous Channuka gift for me and my assistant Ben Gold. I also want to thank the room mothers for thier help at the Chanuka party and Kosher meal. They went out of their way to to make it a great succses. Thank you Mrs. Mia Goldstien, Samantha 's mom from the Wednesday class, Mrs. Hilary Platt Jacob's mom from the Tuesday class, and all of the helpers at the party; Mr. David Goldstein, Mrs. Donsky, and Mrs. Jodi Kalodner.

Thank you, and
Have a great winter vacation

Mrs. Gold