Religious School Parent Bulletin
May 3, 2013
It’s time for the final tzedakah countdown of the school year! Renee’s Kindergarten / 1st Graders collected an additional $7.50; Natalie’s 2nd Graders collected an additional $9.00; Liora’s 3rd Graders collected an additional $18.50; Sarah’s 4th Grade class collected $23.50 and MeMe’s 6th Graders collected an additional $25.50. This makes our grand total for this school year $308.47, meaning that we will need to raise $391.53 next fall to have enough for everyone to have a letter of the commissioned Torah in his/her name. Yasher Koach to all!
Good news! We are now offering online registration for Religious School. Expect an e-blast next Wednesday with more information.
This will be the final Parent Bulletin until school resumes in August. Wishing everyone a restful, relaxing summer!
UPCOMING EVENTS:
Sunday May 5
Teacher Appreciation 11:30am, Cantor Falkow Lounge
Join us for the end of the last day of Religious School as we honor our teachers, celebrate our Outstanding Judaic Educator and raffle off the IPod for “You Pray, You Play,” our Shabbat incentive program. Refreshments will be served.
Saturday May 10
Shabbat Family Experience 6:00pm dinner in Cantor Falkow Lounge; 7:00pm service in Epstein Chapel
Join us for the final Shabbat Family Experience of the year as students from the Religious School and Tucson Hebrew Academy lead the Friday night service and everyone can enjoy a delicious dinner. For a part in the service, contact Rabbi Ben Herman and to RSVP for the dinner by May 6, contact Kim.
TEACHERS’ CLASSROOM RECAPS:
Kindergarten/1st Grade – Renee Hulsey
We had a very busy Sunday at Religious School this week. We learned all of the parts of the body in Hebrew, starting with rosh (head), which starts with resh. Rosh was our MITZVAH 613 letter of the week. We also learned about the Torah. Next week is our last week of Religious School for this year. I hope to see everyone!
2nd Grade – Natalie Guerin
It has been my great privilege and joy to work with your children this year. I have learned so much from them and hopefully, I’ve taught them well. I enjoyed watching them process new information: For example, in discussing the Noah story, one asked me, “But different animals live in different climates, so how were they all there to get on the same boat?” Please consider getting the CD from Rabbi Herman that goes with the Hebrew books we used this year. The students enjoyed using it and it would keep Hebrew current for them during the summer.
3rd Grade – Laura Olesen
The 3rd Graders had a good week! In Hebrew, we reached the end of our book and workbook. I will be encouraging them to practice over the summer! They have also been learning the Ashrei and doing a good job. In Judaics, they enjoyed learning about Shavuot and the traditions connected with it. They had a small Shavuot quiz, followed by a good discussion. Looking forward to seeing everyone Sunday!
4th Grade – Sarah Artzi
We had a wonderful last full week at religious school. On Sunday, my Hebrew students finished up a review activity to recap the topics we studied this year. On Tuesday, they worked on the covers for their prayer books that they have been working on throughout the year. I plan to bind these up and hand them out on Sunday. In Judaics on Sunday, students had their last chance to work on their final project. Students who were done with their presentations worked together practicing with one another. On Tuesday, we drew a giant map on the board and students placed each of the historical events we've learned this year on their maps and on their own personal timelines.
5th Grade – Courtney DeYoung
On Sunday and Tuesday in Judaics, we did tie-dying, and each kid wrote about how their tie- dye relates to the life cycles we face every day. The students’ parents are welcome to come in to class at 11:15am on Sunday for a presentation about it. In Hebrew, we have been discussing what they have learned along with finishing up and taking home books. It has been an incredible year!
6th Grade – MeMe Aguila
It has been a wonderful year for 6th Grade. We accomplished lots of things, beginning with learning about our Jewish American History from pre-Revolutionary War to modern day. We moved on to our Prophets, only getting to a few of them. We had a visit every Tuesday from Rabbi Robert Eisen about the special journey of becoming a Bar/Bat Mitzvah. In Hebrew, we made it almost to the end of our book. We had a lot of fun with Hebrew vocabulary words trying to be able to have a conversation. It was a great year and we had a lot of fun with much laughter in the class.
7th – 8th Grade – Jacob Kotz
The 7th and 8th Graders discussed what they have learned in regard to Israel and the media and how they will apply that knowledge to future studies.