Lots of fun and games occupied our Torah Center recently as the excitement of Purim filled the air!!

Second graders made graggers to shake at Haman’s name when the Megillah was read….

Fourth graders made Shalach Manot baskets to give traditional Purim gifts to others during this festive season…

And teachers and madrichim performed a Purim Shpiel (play) for all of the students in Grades K-6 in the Beit HaTefillah!!

Meanwhile, in Mrs. Levy’s 5^th Grade Lifecycle class, students learned about Jewish weddings.  From the ketubot…

To the huppah…

To the breaking of the glass!!

Next up:  Passover!

Please note:  There will be NO Torah Center classes from Sunday, April 1^st through Sunday, April 8^th due to Pesach and Spring Break. Classes will resume on Sunday, April 15^th.

Did you know that February is Jewish Disability Awareness Month??  We have been honoring the nationwide designation at Temple Emanuel’s Torah Center in lots of ways….

Our February Class Shabbat Service, led by the 3rd Grade, focused on special readings that discussed disabilities.  Students in Grades 3-6 met with Agency for Jewish Learning Special Education Consultant Joan Charleson to learn about students with special needs.

And this week, our 7th and 8th Graders in Jewish High School met with Mrs. Charleson, as well, to watch clips from Praying with Lior, an award-winning film about a student with Down Syndrome who becomes a Bar Mitzvah.

Even though February is over, you can check out more information at The Jewish Special Education International Consortium at http://www.jsped.org/.

Meanwhile, the Pre-K class was busy making clay Shabbat items in the art room recently…

Bagel Sales are still going strong every Sunday morning, thanks to lots of teen and adult volunteers!!

Coming Up:

• Friday, March 2^nd is our next Shabbat LaMishpacha Dinner and Family service featuring 6^th Grade!
• Join our Temple Emanuel family for a pizza party, costume parade and contest and, of course, to listen to our SPECIAL Megillah Spiel and the Megillah itself! The fun begins in the Temple Emanuel Social Hall on Wednesday, March 7^th at 5:45pm.
• Temple Emanuel’s PURIM CARNIVAL!!! Games, food, prizes and much more… Tickets, refreshments and hamantaschen will be available for purchase. On Sunday, March 11^th, the fun begins from 11:30-12:00 for preschoolers only and continues from 12:00-1:30 for children of all ages!

For details on these events and so much more, check out your weekly email from the Torah Center office or give us a call!!

It sure hasn’t felt like Spring outside in Pittsburgh recently, but the Torah Center students certainly enjoyed celebrating the Jewish New Year of the Trees inside!!  Seders, art projects, story times and lots of activities in between marked the celebration of Tu B’Shevat all around our Torah Center!

Students in Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd Grades heard Tu B’Shevat stories and pretended that they were trees.  They started out as little seeds in the ground…

and then grew…

and sprouted branches!

The 2nd Grade had their very own Seder in the Gym.

6th Grade made terrariums as part of their year-long study of the Israel environment

All students in Grades 3-6 participated in a Tu B’Shevat Seder in the Social Hall…

with beautiful decorations made by our students!

We certainly are getting ready for the weather in Pittsburgh to catch up with our “Spring Holiday” feeling inside the Torah Center!!

Coming Up:

• Friday, March 2^nd is our next Shabbat LaMishpacha Dinner and Family service featuring 6^th Grade!
• Join our Temple Emanuel family for a pizza party, costume parade and contest and, of course, to listen to our SPECIAL Megillah Spiel and the Megillah itself! The fun begins in the Temple Emanuel Social Hall on Wednesday, March 7^th at 5:45pm.
• Temple Emanuel’s PURIM CARNIVAL!!! Games, food, prizes and much more… Tickets, refreshments and hamantaschen will be available for purchase. On Sunday, March 11^th, the fun begins from 11:30-12:00 for preschoolers only and continues from 12:00-1:30 for children of all ages!

For details on these events and so much more, check out your weekly email from the Torah Center office or give us a call!!

Tu B’Shevat, the New Year or birthday of the trees, is just a week away and students at Torah Center have been very busy this week getting ready while also focusing on lots of other things that they love to learn about.

Mrs. Schlesingers’ 6^th Graders have been spending the year learning about Israel through special technology-based lessons and others that focus on the environment.

In the cooking elective in Jewish High School on Monday, Ms. Freed’s class made a beautiful Jewish breakfast with homemade gravlax, cucumber sauce, egg salad and freshly squeezed orange juice.

The 1^st Grade read some stories in Mrs. Schorr’s class about Tu B’Shevat

The 3^rd grade is getting ready for their class Shabbat service this Friday night with a practice in the Sanctuary on Wednesday and special projects in the Art Room.

Kindergarten students spent time with Mrs. Altschul listening to a story in the Library.

And members of lots of different grades have begun to practice after school hours for the Purim Shpiel!  Details coming in the coming weeks.  This will be another “Don’t miss” event!!

This Friday, February 3^rd is our next Shabbat LaMishpacha Dinner and Family service! It is also our Jewish Disabilities Awareness Shabbat here at Temple. Please plan on joining us that evening! Please let Lori in the main office know if you are able to attend the dinner. The cost is $15 for adults, $5.50 for children under 14. Can’t make it to the dinner?  Join us for the service.  Hope to see you there!!

We have a new addition to the Torah Center Family!

Rabbi Jessica Locketz, Larry Schwartz and big brother, Eitan are enjoying their newest family member this week!  Ezra Locketz Schwartz was born on Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at 6:19 a.m. He weighed 7 pounds 14 ounces and “Rabbi Mommy” and son are both doing well.  The congregation is invited to the Brit Milah on Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 4:00 p.m. in Temple Emanuel’s Beit HaT’fila.

While Rabbi Locketz is on maternity leave, Marci Barnes will be filling in as Interim Torah Center Educator.  She will be in the Torah Center office on Sunday mornings, Monday evenings and Wednesday afternoons.  She can be reached at [email protected] or at 412-279-7600 x 13.  She is happy to help out at the Torah Center and looks forward to working with all of students, parents and staff at Temple Emanuel again beginning this Sunday.

Meanwhile, lots of exciting things have been going on around the Torah Center this week!

Mrs. Levy and the 8th Grade weren’t sleeping!  They were doing a special concealed vote for a project they did in class on Monday night.

While, other students at Jewish High School had fun… and made Gravlox with Ms. Freed in the kitchen!

On Sunday, the 3rd Grade (including Mr. Karp!) enjoyed singing in Music!

The 2nd Grade worked very closely with Mrs. Katz on learning the Hebrew Aleph-Bet.

The 1st Grade worked in the Art room on special trees to celebrate the upcoming holiday of Tu B’Shevat.

And, our Pre-Kindergarten class learned how all of our friends and family members are links in the big chain of our extended Jewish family at Torah Center.

It’s been a busy week and so much more is coming up…

Friday night, February 3rd, is our next Shabbat LaMishpacha Dinner and Family service featuring the 3rd Grade! It is also our Jewish Disabilities Awareness Shabbat here at Temple. Please plan on joining us that evening. Please let Lori in the main office know if you are able to attend the dinner. The cost is $15 for adults, $5.50 for children under 14. Can’t make it to the dinner?  Join us for the service.  This is a “don’t miss” event!

Looking Ahead… Melinda Freed will be starting a new round of Adult Hebrew classes beginning Sunday, February 5^th.  Some Hebrew knowledge is needed.  Contact the Temple office for more information.

AND DON’T FORGET!    As the temperature continues to drop, the important question this time of year becomes, “Do we have Torah Center today?!” To find out whether or not there will be classes, tune into KDKA, WPXI or WTAE or checkout www.KDKA.com, www.WPXI.com, www.WTAE.com for the latest decisions regarding Torah Center closings.

Shabbat Shalom!!

…into 2012! With nearly two weeks of winter break behind us, teachers and students alike came back to the Torah Center full of energy and enthusiasm. Here’s what’s happened since the break ended:

On shabbat afternoon, 2nd grade families met for a Havdalah program. It was a beautiful evening – clear enough to actually see 3 stars! On Sunday it was 1st grade family day… and time to once again start up the Parent Connection, a fantastic program that keeps students and their families reading Jewish books together!

The parents met with our Librarian, Paula Altschul to learn how the program works and then helped their children decorate frames to hold the pictures we took of them.

Elsewhere in the Torah Center… in anticipation of Tu B’Shevat, our Kindergarteners made trees using their handprints:

And our 5th and 6th Graders enjoyed rocking with Mr. Rosenthal in music… one talented student even took over for him!

On Wednesday, Mrs. Pardo’s 4th Grade students enjoyed an intergenerational text study. Thank you to all the parents, grandparents & congregants who joined them!

In Mrs. Claypool’s Hebrew class, students reviewed the Hebrew root of ‘”V’ahavta” – to love:

Mrs. Sogoloff helped students with their Hebrew studies:

And students were puzzled by the caution tape blocking entry into the Sanctuary and Social Hall:

What’s going on? NEW CARPET! Be sure to stop by next week and check it out!

What a week! Things are happening here at the Torah Center!

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Coming Up:

There will be NO TORAH CENTER CLASSES this Sunday, January 15th or Monday, January 16th. 

J-Club  (grades 6-8) and J-Team (Grades 9-12) are eatin’ wings and playin’ Laser Tag on Sunday, January 22nd from 12:30-4 pm. Where?   Extreme Laser Storm and Buffalo Wild Wings in Robinson Town Center. Cost is $11 for laser tag plus lunch money. RSVP to Jayna Rubin at [email protected]

Even though by the time you read this we will be well into our celebration of Chanukah (or at least past the first night!), Sunday was yet another day of preparation for one of our favorite holidays. The students received gelt and dreidls, sang Chanukah songs, made decorations and cards for loved ones, and more! Here are some of the hightlights:

Our Pre-K class used the felt board to sing songs about the Menorah and visited the art room to make special Chanukah placemats:

The 3rd grade used the puppets they made last week to create puppet shows that recapped the important lessons they have learned in Mrs. Schake’s Prophets class:

Our 5th Graders made Chanukah cards in their classrooms. The designs they made included dreidl cutouts and other creative things:

The 5th Graders also unknowingly created a Chanukah video… thanks to Mrs. Levy and an older student for putting their poses and the music together! Check it out the Temple Emanuel Facebook Page or at tonight’s Chanukah Dinner and Party!

Hope everyone is having a Happy Chanukah! See you next week for pictures from this evening’s celebration.

(Sorry for today’s technical difficulties that may have resulted in numerous emails to those who are subscribed to the blog… 🙂 )

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Coming Up:

There will be NO TORAH CENTER CLASSES on Sunday, December 25th- Monday, January 2nd. Have a great winter break!

The countdown to Chanukah is on… time for Chanukah related crafts, mitzvah-oriented gift giving, youth group activites and more!

On Saturday night, J-TEAM (our youth group for students in grades 9-12) kicked off the Chanukah season with a Pre-Chanukah Progressive Party complete with good food, grab-bag gifts and lots of fun!

On Sunday, it wasn’t ALL about Chanukah… our Kindergarten students and their parents came together for a morning of activites to finish up their unit about Shabbat. To add to the challah cover and placemat they made previously, the morning’s projects included decorating a Kiddish cup and candlesticks to be used at home during their own family’s Shabbat observance:

Our 3rd Graders made prophet puppets to display what they have learned in Mrs. Schake’s prophets class:

As part of Mrs. Schlesinger’s Israel class, our 6th Graders learned about different immigrant groups in Israel and even dressed the part:

Sunday morning also included the annual Mitzvah Mall, the chance to make donations to worthwhile organizations including Temple’s Caring Community, the Children’s Village, the Humane Society, SHIM, Ronald McDonald House, JNF, and Invisible Children. In return for a small donation, students received a beautiful Chanukah or holiday card acknowledging the donation along with a description of which mitzvah goes along with the work of the organization. In essence – easy holiday shopping for a good cause!

The 1st graders waited to hear about the different organizations:

It was difficult to decide which organizations to visit! An older student explained what the Children’s Village is all about:

A 4th Grader visited the Humane Society table and met Max the dog:

Following Torah Center, J-Club (Grades 6-8) spent the afternoon at the Young Chef’s Academy preparing Chanukah foods:

The countdown continues… stay tuned! Have a great week!

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Coming Up:

Jr. J-Club  (grades 4-5) is hanging with the Bead Lady THIS Sunday, December 18^th from 12:15-2 pm following Torah Center.  Cost is $12 and includes a pizza lunch and 2 bookmarks. RSVP to Jayna Rubin at [email protected]

What exactly do our students do during their time in the the Torah Center? Lots of things! There is rarely a dull moment in our hallways and classrooms. Here’s a look at what’s been going on during the past few weeks… without a doubt, exciting stuff is happening!

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Our kindergarteners went to the art room and worked on a Chanukah project –  a menorah that can be used to “light” another candle each night:

Third Grade Family Day brought students and parents together to talk about our relationship with God. The morning included attending Minyan, playing ‘Get-to-Know-You’ bingo, studying text as a family, and decorating wooden mezuzot, the symbol of our love for God:

Mrs. Sufrin’s 4th Grade class connected to Israel in a new and exciting way: through an internet phone and video service much like Skype. Torah Center parent Adit Green called family members in Israel and gave our students the opportunity to ask questions and to learn what life is like for Israeli kids. What did they discover? Life is pretty much the same there as it is here!

It was an enjoyable morning for all… including the chance for our students to show off their new siddurim (prayer books):

As part of Mrs. Oshlag’s class, the 5th Graders have been learning about the Prophets, that they taught it is important to care for everyone in our community. To further emphasize this, they made hats to be given to SHIM (South Hills Interfaith Ministry) to be used in their upcoming fundraising fair. It was a fun project for a worthy cause:

The 7th Grade took time to reflect on their recent trip to the Holocaust Museum in Washington DC. Using a technique called ‘Handmade Midrash,’ the only materials available to them were construction paper, glue and their hands. No markers or scissors allowed! The end result was incredible – showing how meaningful the experience was to them. For a closer look at the individual projects, be sure to check out the bulletin board outside of the WRJ Room:

Our 8th Graders enjoyed debating which Jewish values are the most important ones. The task: to whittle down a rather large list to no more than 10-15 shared values. Not an easy thing to do!

Who has time to be bored?!

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Coming Up:

This year when we gather with family and friends around the Thanksgiving table, let us really consider how much we have to be thankful for – and take the time to say thank you; not only to God for the many blessings we have received, but also to our loved ones for being a part of our lives.

On that note, there is much for which to be thankful here in the Torah Center: dedicated teachers and madrichim who give so much of themselves each and every week; caring parents and students who take advantage of all the opportunities offered here at Temple Emanuel. A big thank you goes to everyone who makes our school a successful one. What an incredible team we have! 🙂 

*     *     *

This past week was business as usual. In a nutshell: BUSY! 

Our Pre-K class met and learned about Tzedakkah. In addition to making their own Tzedakkah cans to take home, they also worked together to decorate one to keep in the classroom to collect money for the organization ‘Birthday Angels’ which helps disadvantaged kids in Israel to have birthday parties:

Our 1st Graders learned about Shabbat:

Our 2nd Graders studied the biblical story of the Tower of Babel, and learned how difficult it can be to work together to build a “tower”:

During 5th Grade Family Day, students and parents joined together in learning about the ritual objects tefillin, tallit & kipah, and engaged in discussions about prayer:

Elsewhere in the Torah Center, one Madrich looks for snack for his class:

And another helps a student get caught up in his Hebrew studies:

Meanwhile, our 7th Graders (along with a few parents) traveled with their Beth El counterparts to Washington, DC to visit the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. It was an exhausting but incredibly worthwhile day:

What a week!

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

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Coming Up: