Summer, Shabbat, S’mores and More!

Last Shabbat we gathered in Bird Park for a “welcome to summer” picnic and service. It was a beautiful evening in a beautiful place, surrounded by friends of all ages. For many of us, it was truly the start of summer break – a perfect way to begin the ‘lazy days of summer.’ Running through the park, sharing a meal, talking to each other as the the evening cooled and the busyness of the week faded… Shabbat, and the sense of calm that it brings descended as we prayed together – led in worship by Rabbi Mahler, Rabbi Locketz and Rebecca Schwartz. We were inspired through singing songs and sharing the spirit of Shabbat with each other. Thank you to Rebecca for a powerful message about the work that needs to be done within a community; and for reminding us that we should all be proud of our contributions to it.

After the service, it was time for s’mores….what could be better than that?!?!?!

 

Join us for our next Service in Bird Park on Friday, September 7th. We will once again come together for a picnic dinner at 5:45 pm followed by a brief Shabbat service at 6:30 pm. And of course there will be S’mores….yum!

Mark your calendars; be sure not to miss it!

A Whirlwind of Activity…

As always, things are happening at the Torah Center…Hurricane Sandy can’t stop us! Our hallways are warm and dry and full of activity. Take a look at what our students have been up to these past few weeks…

Our Pre-K class learned all about the rituals of Shabbat and made candlesticks to help them celebrate at home:

Kindergarten students took a tour of the synagogue and learned about many of the ritual objects it contains, including the Ner Tamid, the Everlasting Light. They had fun making their own:

The 1st Grade students made miniature Torah scrolls and arks to put them in:

Our 2nd Grade students made ‘Creation mobiles’ as they learned about the days of Creation leading up to Shabbat – the day on which God rested.

Our 3rd Graders were hard at work practicing their Hebrew letters and vowels:

But there was also time to lend a hand…the 3rd Grade helped our Caring Committee make Shabbat bags by decorating an essential piece – the challah cover!


Our 4th Grade students talked about the Creation story and tried their hand at creating:

The 5th Grade practiced for the upcoming Family Service. Hope you are planning on joining us THIS Friday!

And continued learning about the Prophets in Mrs. Oshlag’s class:

A 10th Grade student cheerfully ran the bagel sale (to raise money for the class trip to Washington, DC):

And the Madrichim (Student Aides) were AWESOME as usual…the Torah Center wouldn’t be the same without them!

 

Another great week!

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NEW!!!!!!!! The Return of the Trivia Question on THE BLOG!!!!!!!

Here is how it works: the question will be posted here on the blog. Help your child to find the answer and then 1) post it in the comments below, or 2) email it to me at [email protected] or 3) write it down on a piece of paper (if you can find a writing utensil!) and send it via child messenger to the Education Office. Your choice…just make sure you take the time to participate as your child will get a prize for knowing the correct answer. Let the games begin!

Last Week’s Trivia Question: What is a prayer book called in Hebrew? Answer: Siddur

[Thank you to everyone who answered last week…if your child did not receive their prize for answering correctly, please have him/her come see me next time we have class]

THIS WEEK’S TRIVIA QUESTION: What is the Hebrew word for Prayer?

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Coming Up:

Our next Shabbat LaMishpacha Dinner and Family service of the year is THIS Friday, November 2nd! 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! See you there!

Don’t forget to “fall behind” this Saturday evening – set your clocks back an hour and enjoy an extra hour of sleep!

There will be NO TORAH CENTER classes on Sunday, November 4th, due to Yom Limud, (a day of learning) for our teachers

Calling all Bakers! On Sunday, November 4th, join Jr. J-Club (Grades 4-6) for an afternoon of baking yummy treats for the Election Day Bake Sale. Join us from 2-4 pm in the Temple kitchen. Please RSVP to Jodi Kart at [email protected] to let her know that you’ll be attending.

On Tuesday, November 6th, join other J-Club Members (Grades 7-8) and volunteer at the Temple Election Day Bake sale! Contact Eileen Geffrey at [email protected] to sign up for a two hour time slot to help. This activity will fulfill a Kehillah requirement and also count towards community service hours your child may need for public school.

Kindergarten Family Day is Sunday, November 11th from 9:30 am – 12 noon. Please plan on joining your children at Torah Center for activities that will allow you to learn and experience Judaism together.

3rd Grade Family Day is Sunday, November 18th from 9:30 am – 12 noon. Please plan on joining your children at Torah Center for activities that will allow you to learn and experience Judaism together.

On Sunday, November 18th there will be a combined Youth Groups outing for J-TEAM (Grades 9-12) and J. Club (Grades 7-8) at Dave and Busters at the Waterfront from 1-3 pm.  It’s an incredible deal – $10 will get you a $10 power card AND lunch! Rides are available. Please RSVP to Jodi Kart at [email protected] or Marsha Morgenstern at [email protected] to let them know that you’ll be participating!