Coming Soon: A New School Year! Hebrew Practice SUMMER FUN NIGHT – you won’t want to miss out!

August 2022   Keeping Connected

We are in the middle of the summer break. What could she possibly have to say?! Read ahead to hear a little bit about plans for the new school year, the importance of practicing Hebrew and our first Summer Fun Night!

School Year 2022/2023

As of this writing, we are planning on holding Sunday classes in the building. There are many things that we learned from the pandemic and a lot of protocols will remain in place to ensure the safest and healthiest environment possible. Details about all this will be forthcoming. Our Wednesday Hebrew program will remain hybrid, in the sense that some students will meet for Hebrew in person and some students will attend class through Zoom. You will receive information about your specific plans.

The first day of Religious School is scheduled for Sunday, September 11, 2022. This will be a fun regathering of everyone with a chance to meet and greet your teacher for the year. As of now, we are planning on holding this day of class outside in the parking with students and families.  Classes will be held in the building on September 18 and then we will have several weeks off for the High Holidays, resuming classes on October 16. (The Temple Calendar is the best place to look for an up-to-date schedule of classes.) Hebrew School will begin on Wednesday, September 14, 2022. (Kitah Aleph/3rd Grade Hebrew will continue to meet on Sundays.)

More information will be coming your way at the end of the month regarding everything about school for the coming year. Feel free to reach out with any questions, comments or concerns.

Hebrew Practice

When was the last time your child practiced Hebrew? It is not too late to help them with a little summer Hebrew practice. Any bit of Hebrew practice they do over the summer will help them to better transition back to Hebrew School in the fall. Here are a few things you can do.

  • Grab a set of Hebrew Flashcards. (If you need a set, let me know.) Go through the letters and sounds. Make a pile of the ones you know and the ones you need to work on some more. Time yourself and see how fast you can get through all the letters and sounds. There are lots of fun things to do with a set of flashcards and knowing all the letters, vowels, names and sounds is a great foundation for the continuation of Hebrew learning.
  • Open up your prayer book and read a page or two. Don’t know Hebrew to help your child? Some of the pages in the prayer book have the transliteration right next to the Hebrew!
  • Listen to Hebrew music. You can find music on YouTube or you can access lots of music from the temple’s website under the “Learning” tab.
  • Go to https://www.behrmanhouse.com/PlayLearn to find some games and prayers and Hebrew Practice.
  • Contact Morah Deborah to make plans to come to temple one or two days for a little summer Hebrew fun!

I cannot emphasize enough the importance for your children to get in a little Hebrew practice this summer. The longer they are without Hebrew, the more they will slide backwards from all the great work they did during the school year. Hebrew practice can be fun and silly and enjoyable!

Summer Fun Night

Sign up to drop your children off at temple on Wednesday, August 10 from 6pm – 8:30pm for dinner and summer fun. We will join together for a pizza dinner and then engage in a choice of activities for the evening (crafts, games, music, other activities) while catching up with friends and classmates. Suggestions of activities are welcome.  RSVP by August 7 to eddirector@congregationshalom.org to reserve your spot now! (If there is not enough interest this event will not happen.) Reach out to your friends and classmates and make plans to meet up at temple for a fun summer night!

I hope you are all enjoying a wonderful summer with family and friends.

I hope to see you soon,

Deborah