Notes on Our Hebrew Curriculum
Be part of the
program. Each child will receive one set of curriculum materials included in
the
Tzedakah
Reminder
An
important part of our children’s Jewish education is giving Tzedakah. Try to
help your child remember even a few coins to bring to
Hebrew
school
On April 6 the families of Rich Goldman’s class got together and chose B’nai Mitzvah dates for next year. It is so exciting that there will be ten students in the B’nai Mitzvah class next year! TBE will be producing an entire minyan of Jewish adults. We are no less excited about the two B’nai Mitzvah we will celebrate this year” Jordan Friedland on June 21 and Asa Gomberg on July 12. Jordan and Asa have had a challenging year working without a bigger peer group, but we are proud of the way both students have connected to the Hebrew School community. On April 10 Jordan got together with his old pal Max Soifer who will be Bar Mitzvah at Temple Shalom in Auburn and both boys received a lesson in how to lift the Torah (Hagbah) from Rabbi Hillel Katzir. Thanks to Rabbi Katzir for sharing this tradition.
On April 13 we had a wonderful visit from Rabbi Moshe Wilansky of Portland Chabad. He and his sons Tzemach and Levi brought all the makings of matza and the Hebrew School kids got to learn how to extract kernels from wheat, to grind the kernels into flour, to mix the flour with water and bake it all within the 18 minutes limit required to prevent it turning into chametz. Rabbi Wilansky told us a wonderful Hasidic story about the joy in performing mitzvot and then we ate the matza with butter and jam. I know that each student ate their matza this Passover with a deeper sense of understanding.
On Sunday May 11 we will celebrate Israel’s 60th birthday as well as Mother’s Day at Hebrew School. Linda Kallin’s class will lead us in creating our annual tradition of an ice cream map of Israel. They have been studying about special places in Israel which we will be sure to include on the map. If any Hebrew School families, even parents or grandparents, have been to Israel, please come that day and bring a photo of yourself there. We will hear about what was happening in the photos and how we felt there. We will honor all mothers and grandmothers with flowers.
There is no Hebrew school on Sunday May 25, Memorial Day weekend. Classes meet on May 4, 11 and 18. The last day of Hebrew school will be June 1 when we will have our annual picnic in Capitol Park. PreK-K meets on Sunday May 18 at the Mediation Center, PreK-K is welcome to join the entire Hebrew School community at our year end picnic at Capitol Park on June 1.
Helping Victims of
Family Violence
On April 6 Deborah Shepherd, executive Director of the Family Violence Project in Augusta came and spokme to a small group of women at our Rosh Chodesh Nisan gathering. The meeting inspired two mitzvah projects through which our community can do its part to fight family violence.
Ms. Shepherd has encouraged us to participate in a project initiated by Jewish Women International, which sends flowers to women in shelters and tribute cards to mothers in our own lives. For details see flyers at TBE or donate online at www.jwi.org.
The second project, conceived of by Stacey Mondschein
is to create children’s libraries for the shelters here in Kennebec and
in Somerset County which serve women and children fleeing abusive homes. We will be collecting money, gift certificates
for local bookstores or nearly new books for young children through teens and
donations for reading/sitting areas including bookcases and comfortable
chairs. The goal is to have
libraries for children using the shelters and to provide new books for the
children to keep. Look for more
details in the June newsletter.
High School Experience in Israel
Spend (2) months in Israel during your junior or
senior year in high school studying at the Alexander Muss High School in
Israel
Earn HS credit while traveling & learning
Study on a mountaintop, in a cave, et cetera
Five Sessions throughout the year including Summer
Check out www.amiie.org or call 800-327-5980
Scholarships Available: $500 discount
Second Annual Rabbi Peter Rubinstein Teen Trip June
6-8
Our teens have not had as many opportunities to get together this year as we would have liked due to storms but we will end the year with a wonderful trip to Newport RI, site of the Touro Synagogue, oldest synagogue in the US. Former TBE members Amy Salzhauer and Andy McMarlin have opened their home to our teens to make the trip affordable. The trip will be the weekend of June 7-8, with the Touro Synagogue visit on Sunday June 8. The teens will also have the opportunity to tour the opulent mansions of Newport. $36 per student should cover tickets plus food. Please bring extra money for souvenirs, if desired.
Transportation will be covered by TBE thanks to a generous gift from Rabbi Peter Rubinstein,a member of TBE and rabbi of Central Synagogue in New York City. On Sunday May 4 there will be a teen meeting during circle time (11:30 am) to finalize plans for the trip.
Camp Yavneh Family Camp
Northwood NH
August 20-24 2008
Contact
Staci@campyavneh.org
Talk to Karen Montell or Michele Manley
A NEWSLETTER SECTION FOR YOUTH
ACTIVITIES!