10/19/2014: Simchat Torah, Jewish Values, Sukkot, Pilgrims, and Bears, Oh My!

Parents,

Last Sunday, 10/19/14, we took a little time to go over a few points on   as we reviewed a couple of articles:

http://www.reformjudaism.org/shmini-atzeret-and-simchat-torah-history

http://www.reformjudaism.org/shmini-atzeret-and-simchat-torah-customs-and-rituals

10 - 10:45AM:  Sh'mini Atzeret and Simchat Torah

• What is it?
• Why do we celebrate?
• How long do we celebrate?
• What are the customs and rituals and their meaning?
• Jewish Values/Ethics from Torah

We also got into a discussion on Jewish values and ethics, with the individual's responsibilities and connections to the community at large.  We talked about the essence of the constant themes in the Torah of the idea of dignity in valuing each life, the land, and animals, as well as participating in the concepts of Tzedakkah. We also discussed the concept of "Don't do to others that which is hateful to you." -- Rabbi Hillel


Rabbi Jody joined us for our next discussion in the midst of connecting Sukkot, Thanksgiving, and The Pilgrims. 

• History and Parallels
• Early Jews in America
• Who Were The Pilgrims?

Rabbi Jody helped us navigate through some of the lively questions and discourse as we separated out thoughts about the Hebrew Bible (the Chumash/5 Books of Moses) as lessons to learn from, metaphors, folk tales, and as actual historical events with meaning and interpretation.  

We then moved on briefly to discuss:

• Food insecurity:  What is it?
• Food insecurity in Champaign and Urbana, our schools, Champaign County, Illinois, nationwide, worldwide.
• Jewish Values/Ethics for Assisting Others in Need
• Mazon:  A Jewish Response To Hunger (an organization since 1985)

http://mazon.org/about-us/

From there we reviewed both past and current events via the  Arab and Israeli Conflict

• Facts and Myths of History
• Viewpoints:  Whose?
• Map of the Middle East
• Historical and Current Groups in the Region

Jews in Israel
Palestine - Now; Philistines - Then
Exiles:  Babylonia (Iraq), Rome
1947 - partition
1948 - War of Independence
1956 - Suez Canal Campaign (France and UK)
1967 - Six Day War (West Bank, East Jeruslalem, Gaza Strip, and Sinai)
1973 - Yom Kippur War (Golan Heights)

We also discussed the Caliphate, Ottoman Turkish Empire, and the version of ISIS.

And then, it was time for the Jewish Camp Program, from 11:30AM  - 12:30PM.

Sukkot, Unitarian Universalist Group and Tour: 10/12/2014

Parents,

We went out to the Sukkah and joined a couple younger classes with a good discussion on Sukkot which included:

• Sukkot:  What is it?
• Why do we celebrate?
• How long do we celebrate?
• What are the rituals and their meaning?
• What are the blessings
• What American holiday is based upon Sukkot?

We then joined Sinai Temple member, UI Professor Alex Sheeline, in progress, in the synagogue, as he addressed the Middle School age students, and a few of their parents, from the Unitarian Universalist (UU) Church.  Alex covered the religious holidays, lunar and solar calendars, life cycles, showed them the Torah, which he discussed, and later focused on the Haftorah, and various symbols within the synagogue itself.  We talked about the Bar and Bat Mitzvah, concepts and levels of Tzedakah, Teshuva (forgivness, repentance, and more), and Mitzvah, as well as Tikkun Olam, the repair of the world, and more.    We also discussed the importance of the past, of history, families, and rememberances, through Yartzheit and in everything Jewish.

Some of the students were very engaged and knowledgeable.  One of the UU students celebrates all the Festivals of Light, including Kwanzaa and Hanukkah.  She also wanted to do the Barchu, as Alex invited her up to the bema as if they were preparing to read the Torah.  One of the boys knew about the mezuzah as well.

Our class led the UU students and parents on a tour of the building, as they heard Israeli songs from the music class, pointed out the old cornerstone from 1917 of the old synagogue, classrooms, gift shop, library, and the beautiful courtyard and grounds.  They were all very attentive (both the UU and YOUR kids!), receptive, and each group knew a couple of the other group's members.

Prior to saying goodbye, we stopped by our classroom, and we very briefly discussed three posters on the bulletin board:

If you believe breaking is possible, believe fixing is possible. - Rabbi Nachma of Braslau

If I am not for myself, who will be for me?  But if I am only for myself, what am I?  If not now, when? -- Rabbi Hillel

How do you live your life...when nobody's watching?

This was a good opportunity for the Sinai students to help host a group of their peers from another faith.   Thanks to Rabbi Jody for the invitation to join them.  More adventures next time!

11:30AM -12PM:  Art with Leah

12 - 12:30PM:  Music with Mark

Yom Kippur, Jewish Sects, Current Events: 10/5/2014

Parents,

We had some very engaging discussions last Sunday, on a variety of issues.  One thing we focused on was what the students felt when fasting during Yom Kippur.  We discussed any physical symptoms, insights, and how hard it can be to think of others and anything else other than eating when you're hungry!

We also were paid a visit by a Sinai Temple Committee to encourage the students to get involved to help support a local family for Thanksgiving.   We will share the list with you on each family and class can contribute as a family.

We discussed viewpoints while reviewing the links in the 11:30AM - 12PM section on Israel's borders and the Gaza Strip.  Feel free to click on them if you have a moment.

Finally, we had quite an eclectic discussion, weaving in and out of the lesson plan, highlighted further below. 
  
Lesson Plan:  10/5/2014

10 - 10:30AM
Yom Kippur

• Who fasted?
• How long?
• Why do we fast?
• What did you think about?
• What did you feel?
• Being mindful of those with little to no food (food insecurity)

10:30-11:30AM
Jewish Sects - Differences

• Orthodox
• Conservative
• Reform
• Chabad
• Sects at Time of Jesus
• Jesus as Rabbi
• Trinity
• Chrisitanity

11:30AM -12PM
Current Events

• Israel's borders
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2hZ6SlSqq0
• Gaza Strip
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZRgzChgaGI

• What is the viewpoint?

12 - 12:30PM:  Music with Mark

We segued into discussion on a variety of topics, weaving in and out of our lesson plan, such as:  Where is God, and what is God, when bad things happen.  The Bible and Torah  - literal, metaphorical, God given, inspiration, creative stories, evolution of societal development, treating one another better.

We asked "Where does creativity come from?"  Book writing, movie making, songwriting?    Where do ideas come from?  God-given:  Inspiration?  What's the difference, similarities?  We used songs as an example, and the concept of building on an idea vs. plagiarism, in terms of where things come from, whose idea it is, and what has come before, while moving forward.

Fears and institutions limit thought, creativity, free expression, and progress.  We discussed views from the Catholic church on science (the world is flat, challenging labels one a heretic, etc.), and thinking for onesself.

We also talked about gratitude for all that appears to be "real life miracles", such as in nature, health, childbirth, medical and scientific discoveries that are going on around us all the time!  More to come! 

Reflections, Ancient Conquests, and Current Events: 9/28/2014

Parents,

With the the High Holidays in mind, we continued our discussion of the concept of Teshuva during the 10-10:30AM section.  We discussed what it means to make amends, apologies, and what it takes to make changes in our behaviors. 

We watched the video posted below in the 10:30-11AM section to give a sense of the changing nature of the conquests throughout history in the Middle East.  It's a short one with a great approach to visualizing the changes if you have a moment to check it out.

We enjoyed being outdoors while holding a very engaging discussion of current events and players in the Middle East in the 11:00-11:30AM section.  The students showed that they were definitely picking up things in the media.  More to come!

10AM - 10:30AM

How was your week?

• How did you celebrate Rosh HaShanah?
• Discussion of Yom Kippur
• rituals, meaning, history
• teshuvah, tefillah and tzedakah
• Continue discussion on self-reflection, forgiveness, of saying "I'm sorry".

10:30 - 11:00AM

Conquests of Ancient Palestine and Israel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idWkkIKW_yU

• Egyptian
• Hittite
• Assyrian
• Babylonian
• Persian
• Macedonian-Greek
• Roman
• Byazntine-Greek
• Sassanid (Neo Persian)
• The Caliphate
• Selujuk (Turko-Persian)
• Crusaders
• Saladin
• Mongol
• Ottoman
• European Colonialism (Great Britain and France)
• Israel Independence 1948
• Israel Expansion

11:00 - 11:30 AM

What in the world is going on in the Middle East today? 

Discussion of current events in Israel, Gaza, West Bank, Iraq, Syria, ISIS, and the UN Coalition.

11:30AM - 12PM:  Art with Leah

12-12:30PM:  Music with Mark