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!