Keeping Connected with our Ed Director
Hanukkah Happenings (and you can still purchase a tumbler!)
Keeping Connected December 2023
There is a lot going on during the month of December before we take a short winter break. Hanukkah, which begins on the 25th of Kislev (night of December 7) brings with it lots of joy and excitement. The Hebrew School classes will work on chanting the three Hanukkah blessings, along with learning some other Hanukkah related words. Sunday classes will take some time to celebrate Hanukkah through games, information and G’imult Chasadim (acts of loving kindness).
Here are some school related Hanukkah programs and services that you won’t want to miss this season! We hope to see you at Congregation Shalom celebrating Hanukkah together.
5th Annual Hanukkah Menorah Creation Contest – Now through the morning of December 10
Create your own Hanukkah Menorah (Hanukkiah) by yourself, with friends or with your family. We challenge you to create a unique menorah using any materials you would like. The menorah does not need to work but it does need to have nine branches, one for each night plus the shamash (helper candle). Bring your creative menorah to the temple so that it can be showcased in the lobby, as well as online. Voting will begin in-person during the School Hanukkah party on December 10 and will continue online through December 14. Will you win the contest year?
Family Shabbat Hanukkah Service – Friday, December 8 at 7pm (preceded by a school Shabbat dinner)
Join together at this family service to welcome Shabbat, support our students and celebrate Hanukkah. This service will be filled with music, Hanukkah lights and a sense of peace. If you plan to join us for dinner at 6pm, please let Deborah know of your plans.More
How Bagels Can Get You a Trip to a Farm!
Keeping Connected November 2023
On Sunday, October 22 our entire Religious School (Preschool – 7th grade) met at Good Pickin’ Farm in Westford, for a Noah’s Ark school experience. We all had a wonderful morning together, getting to see, pet and hold so many different farm animals. We all went on an “ark” ride (might have looked like a hay ride) around the farm, singing songs and talking about Noah and his ark. We ended with a snack of animal crackers! It was a really fun time for all. Some comments that I have heard since the trip include:
“It was so fun to do something as a whole school.”
“I saw so many kids having such a great time.”
“Can we go on another field trip?”
“Are we meeting at the farm or at temple next week for class?”
“I think we should always meet at the farm!”
“The goats were my favorite part. Can we get a goat for temple?
Our field trip to the farm was funded by the Education Fund. The Education Fund supports many different things throughout the year. It provides enrichment opportunities and materials to supplement the school. In the past, the Fund has supported Sunday morning music, B’nai Mitzvah study materials, Family Shabbat dinners, new curriculum purchases, teacher trainings and so much more. Money gets into the Ed Fund through donations and through fundraising.
On Sunday, November 5, from 8:15am – 9am, the School Committee will be hosting a fundraising breakfast. For $5 a person, one can get a variety of breakfast items (bagels, fruit, muffins, beverages.) This happens to be the morning after moving the clocks so it is a great way to use your extra hour – enjoy breakfast with your friends and school community. In addition, drink tumblers will be on sale for $20 each. The tumblers were made by our own students, with Jewish Stars all over them, drawn by the students themselves. They are really beautiful and you will probably want one for yourself and one to give as a gift!
The School Committee is accepting donations of breakfast items to help offset the cost of the breakfast and to allow for more money to be added back into the Ed Fund for future programing. Sign up to donate some food at this link- https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0848A8A82AA1F58-45240634-november#/
We hope to see you and your family at the breakfast!
Thank you,
Deborah
Schedule for November
- Wednesday, November 1
Hebrew School, 4:15pm – 6:00pm
Chai School, 6:15pm-8:15pm
- Friday, November 3
6:00pm – Family Shabbat Dinner – all school families are invited
7:00pm – Shabbat – led by the 6th/7th grade
- Sunday, November 5
School Breakfast Fundraiser – 8:15am-9am
Religious School, 9am-11am
Kitah Aleph – 11am – 12:15pm
- Wednesday, November 8
Hebrew School, 4:15pm – 6:00pm
Chai School, 6:15pm-8:15pm
- Sunday, November 12 – NO SCHOOL (long holiday weekend)
- Wednesday, November 15
Hebrew School, 4:15pm – 6:00pm
Chai School – 6:15pm – 8:15pm
- Friday, November 17
Tot Shabbat at 6pm
- Sunday, November 19
Religious School, 9am – 11am
Kitah Aleph – 11am – 12:15pm
Bagels, Blocks and Beyond Playgroup – 9am – 10:30am
- Wednesday, November 22 – NO SCHOOL
- Sunday, November 26 – NO SCHOOL
- Wednesday, November 29
Hebrew School, 4:15pm – 6:00pm
How will you “tzedakah” this year?
Keeping Connected October 2023
After a busy summer and beginning to the school year, we are hoping to settle into a great school routine for the year. Wednesday Hebrew School has gotten off to a smooth start with lots of energy, smiles, and Hebrew reading and chanting. I have been privileged to be part of one of the classes that begins each week with their own rendition of Heini Ma Tov. When asked the meaning of the song, one student said, “It is great for us all to be together.” It is really beautiful to listen to the students come together in song. We are just getting underway with our Sunday schedule, with lots of anticipation for the year ahead with a new school structure, new curriculum and new ideas.More
Happy New School Year (and L’shana Tova)
Keeping Connected. September 2023
Welcome to September! I hope you can all look back on a fun, restful and an exciting summer as we all forge ahead to a new school year. I am excited to begin another year at Congregation Shalom and I hope you are too. As you may know, our school will look a bit different this year with a new Sunday structure but I can guarantee that the new structure will still be filled with lots of learning, enjoyment, engagement and community. I hope we can all work together to create another successful school year at Congregation Shalom.
Due to the decrease in enrollment, we will be offering mixed aged classes.
Religious School on Sundays
- Preschool through Kindergarten with Morah Lauren
- 1st grade through 3rd grade with Morah Kara
- 4th/5th grade with Moreh Rob
- 6th/7th grade with Moreh Collin. (Please join me in welcoming Collin Thomas to our teaching staff this year!)
Hebrew School on Wednesdays
- Kitah Aleph (3rd grade) with Moreh Rob on Sunday mornings
- Kitah Bet, Gimel and Dalet (4th, 5th, 6th) with Moreh Rob, Morah Deborah and several Hebrew madrichim
- Kitah Hey (7th grade) with Rabbi Perry
School families (Preschool through 7th grade) should have already received information about your child’s class assignments for the year. The first day of Religious School will be on Sunday, September 10, 2023 in the building. On September 10 we invite students and families to join together to reconnect with each other and to meet and greet your teachers for the year (both Religious and Hebrew School teachers.) Students and families will also have some time to engage in projects around the idea of “a morning of service.” These projects will embrace the idea of “g’milut hasadim – גְּמִילוּת חֲסָדִים” – acts of loving kindness, as our community joins together for a morning of service for others A separate note will come out with the exact plans for our opening day!
Wednesday, September 13, 2023 will be the first day of Hebrew School. Our Hebrew program will continue to engage our students in prayer-based Hebrew, though we will resume what we started last year with sharing a Word of the Week each week, joining in with some Hebrew Through Movement, and hopefully engaging more of our school community in prayer services and worship, called t’fillah – תְּפִילָּה. These additional elements will work in conjunction with learning Hebrew, becoming more familiar with the language, using the language more and finding joy in the learning of Hebrew.
Lots of school related information will be coming your way in the coming month, so please check your emails! Check out the list of important dates below for September plans.
Wishing you all a safe and healthy start to the new school year and a Happy New Year.
Schedule for September
- Friday, September 8 – Family Shabbat at 7pm, come join together to reunite with friends and classmates and we celebrate Shabbat together
- Sunday, September 10 – Yom Rishon/First day of Religious School 9am-11am for students and families 9:30am
- Wednesday, September 13 – First day of Hebrew School, 4:15pm-6:00pm
- Sunday, September 17 – No School due to High Holidays – see High Holiday schedule
- Wednesday, September 20 – Hebrew School
- Sunday, September 24 – No School due to High Holidays – see High Holiday schedule
- Wednesday, September 27 – Hebrew School
- Sunday, October 1 – Religious School will resume
L’shana tova,
Deborah Morrissey
Looking Ahead to the New School Year
Keeping Connected August 2023
I hope you are all enjoying the summer and a slower pace. We have been busy at temple making plans for the new school year.
Information as you plan for the upcoming school year:
- Religious School, Preschool – 7th grade – Sundays, 9am-11am See below for dates.
- Kitah Aleph (3rd grade Hebrew) – Sundays, 11am-12:15pm (this allows for a break and snack between classes.) See below for dates.
- Hebrew for Grades 4th – 7th – Wednesdays, 4:15pm-6pm See below for dates.
- Chai Schoolers and Post Confirmation students will receive an email with relevant information. (Chai School begins on October 11. First Post Confirmation is on October 10.)
More information, with lots more details will be shared as the summer comes to an end. Please feel free to reach out with any questions that you might have before that time.
- HEBREW PRACTICE – encourage your student to practice a little Hebrew before returning to school. It is a good idea to revisit the foundation of letter names and sounds. Also, open up a prayer book at home and have your student read a few lines of Hebrew. Make it fun!
Enjoy the summer,
Deborah
Important Dates
Religious School and Kitah Aleph dates through December
- Sept 10, 2023 – whole school event (students and families)
- Sept 18, 2023
- Oct 1, 2023
- Oct 15, 2023
- Oct 22, 2023
- Oct 29, 2023
- Nov 5, 2023
- Nov 19, 2023
- Dec 3, 2023
- Dec 10, 2023
- Dec 17, 2023
Hebrew School dates through December
- Sept 13, 2023
- Sept 20, 2023
- Sept 27, 2023
- Oct 4, 2023
- Oct 11, 2023
- Oct 18, 2023
- Oct 25, 2023
- Nov 1, 2023
- Nov 8, 2023
- Nov 15, 2023
- Nov 29, 2023
- Dec 6, 2023
- Dec 13, 2023
- Dec 20, 2023
The End and the Beginning, with Hebrew Practice in the Middle!
Keeping Connected June 2023
Thank you again to everybody for helping to create a successful school year. So many great things happened during the course of the year and we were able to end the year with well-deserved fun celebrations! I am so grateful to be part of this school community!
The summer will bring with it lots of work in continuing to figure out and design the school for next year, including class configurations, curriculum, staffing and so much more. Please send in your registration forms if you have not already done so. It is so important for us to have that information as we move ahead with plans for the next school year. I welcome any suggestions and questions as this important work continues throughout the next few months.
I cannot stress enough the importance of practicing Hebrew this summer. This was a year of amazing Hebrew learning and progress. No practice over the summer will result in a summer slide back, leading us to have to use more time next year in review and less time moving forward with continued learning. Stay tuned for opportunities for students and classes to meet this summer for some fun Hebrew review followed by a trip to Sully’s and other fun times together. These opportunities will be offered on Wednesdays in the late afternoon and evening. I will also be available to meet with any student or a group of students for some summer Hebrew practice. Please reach out to me if this is something you are interested in pursuing this summer. In addition, let me know if you need help and suggestions in ways to help your student continue to practice Hebrew this summer.
As you know, we will be proudly be sending a check for over $1300 to Mayan Hands from our tzedakah efforts this year. We had an amazing year with the tzedakah project, including weekly donations, friendship bracelet sales, time with Anne and Brenda from Mayan Hands, weaving opportunities and more. As a reminder, you can continue to purchase items and goods from Mayan Hands at mayanhands.org.
Friday, June 2 – 7pm, Teacher Appreciation Shabbat – the teachers have worked so hard this year with enthusiasm and dedication. Come and support the teachers as we celebrate all their hard work.
Friday, June 16 – 6pm, Tot Shabbat – join us as the youngest members of our community join together in song and prayer and fun as we honor Shabbat
Monday, June 19 – Last Post Confirmation class, at Rabbi Perry’s at 7:00pm.
Friday, June 23 – 6pm, Graduation Shabbat (come and celebrate four young adults as they graduate and move on to their college experiences. All four students (Aliah, Hannah, Noah and William) have helped out in the school in so many ways over the course of their Congregation Shalom journey. It will be a Shabbat service that you won’t want to miss!
Wishing a wonderful summer.
With gratitude,
Deborah