Sukkot is in the Air!
Sukkot is a favorite around here…its a lot of fun decorating the sukkah and shaking the lulav and etrog! Our sukkah looks beautiful; now if only the weather would cooperate!
On Sunday, Pre-K through 2nd grade students made decorations to hang in the sukkah. They visited the outdoor sukkah, learned about the symbolism of the lulav and etrog and got the chance to give them a shake. Ms. Freed also helped them to sing Rabbi Mahler’s Sukkah Song – a much anticipated holiday highlight!
Our older students in grades 3-6 learned about Ushpizin, the mitzvah of inviting guests into the Sukkah. Besides the traditional Jewish ancestors, they shared who else they would invite and the question they would ask given the chance:
A few examples:
Join us for our First Fridays Shabbat Service THIS Friday to see more!
On Wednesday, between the rain drops, the older students visited the outdoor Sukkah to see their work and take a turn at lulav shaking:
Happy Sukkot!
Coming Up:
- Erev Simchat Torah Family Celebration THIS Sunday, October 4th. There will be NO TORAH CENTER classes in the morning. Instead – the celebration begins at 4:30 with family activities and crafts. Followed by a FREE pasta dinner at 5:30 and a special Simchat Torah Family Service beginning at 6:30. As part of the service, we will be welcoming children in Grades K-2nd as our newest Torah Center Students. RSVP to Paula or Dawn at [email protected] to let us know that you’re coming!
- Save the Date! Sunday, October 11th is 4th Grade Family Day! Join us as we take the food collected during the High Holiday Drive over to the South Hills Interfaith Ministry Food Pantry. More information to come – check you email.
- Save the Date! Students in Kindergarten-2nd grade and their families are invited to come to Simmons Farm for an afternoon of fall activities on Sunday, October 25th following Torah Center Classes. Look for the flyer coming your way for more details.
Amazing First Days
We are officially open!
There was much excitement and the halls were bustling with activity as students, parents and teachers gathered for the first days of classes. Our students in Grades 3-6 returned on Wednesday, September 16th for a day of review fun and games. Some highlights:
Reviewing the Hebrew alefbet through Twister with a twist:
Hebrew Bingo:
And of course, everyone’s favorite activity – GaGa! Excuse the blurry pictures – its a fast-paced game!
It definitely was all fun – but not all games! The 6th Grade decorated Torah covers to be given to our newest students in Kindergarten-Grade 2 at our Simchat Torah Consecration ceremony:
Look what they created!
On Sunday, September 20th the younger students came too…and enjoyed a full morning! Among the activities – Hebrew games, time in the Art Room and Kehillah (Community Time):
On Monday, September 21st, nearly 70 teens joined us for the first night of 7th Grade and the South Hills Jewish Community High School (SHJCHS) Program. Once again, it was great to be together!
Finally, many of our students joined us for the Torah Center Yom Kippur Programming – as participants or as Madrichim – student aides. Despite the solemn mood of the day, many smiles were seen in the classrooms and hallways:
Thank you to everyone – our teachers, parents & teens – who made the day a success!
What a week!
Coming Up:
- Erev Sukkot Services THIS Sunday, September 27th will begin with noshing in the Outdoor Sukkah (weather permitting) at 5:45 pm followed by services at 6:30 pm.
- Erev Simchat Torah Family Celebration on Sunday, October 4th. There will be NO TORAH CENTER classes in the morning. Instead – the celebration begins at 4:30 with family activities and crafts. Followed by a FREE pasta dinner at 5:30 and a special Simchat Torah Family Service beginning at 6:30. As part of the service, we will be welcoming children in Grades K-2nd as our newest Torah Center Students. RSVP to Paula or Dawn at [email protected] to let us know that you’re coming!
A Time of Rejoicing
Sukkot is known as Z’man Simchateinu…a Time of Rejoicing…and indeed it was! Everyone had a great time visiting our outdoor sukkah – thank you to Ms. Freed for making it an awesome experience!
Our younger students also visited Mrs. Altschul in the Library… and had story time in a very special sukkah:
The smiles and laughter continued all week:
And then to end it all… our rousing celebration of Simchat Torah! It started with a delicious spaghetti dinner. And then, amid much dancing and singing, we read the end of Deuteronomy, rolled the Torah all the way to the beginning and started over with the first verses of Genesis and the Creation story. We also welcomed our newest students to the Torah Center:
What a week!
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A big THANK YOU to Jason Richards for contributing so many great pictures to this week’s blog entry!
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Coming Up:
~ Our first Shabbat LaMishpacha Dinner and Family service of the year is THIS Friday, October 4th! 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!
~ 4th Grade Family Day is THIS Sunday, October 6th from 9:50 am – 11:30 at SHIM. If you have not done so already, please RSVP to Rachel or Paula at [email protected].
~ There will be NO JHS CLASSES THIS Monday, October 7th.
Welcome Back!
Welcome Back to the start of another GREAT year at the Torah Center!
What a weekend it was…the observance of Yom Kippur followed by the first day of classes. Throw in an open house and there was a lot happening around here! There were plenty of smiles as teachers welcomed students and met parents…all in all it was a great start to the New Year!
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Our Yom Kippur Torah Center programming was once again a great success. Thank you to everyone who helped make it happen – our parent and teen volunteers, our teachers, and of course, our students!
Sunday kicked off the year with an Open House – an opportunity for parents to meet with teachers and learn about the curriculum. The younger students brought their parents to class while the older students joined their parents in the Sunday Morning Minyan before parting ways – parents to meet with teachers and students to various Hebrew review and Sukkah decorating activities. It’s amazing how much Hebrew was remembered (and forgotten) over the summer! It was a day full of activity and excitement…
The Jewish High School started on Monday night. The evening started off with an awesome BBQ Dinner. Good food, good company, a little learning thrown in…who could ask for more?
Stay tuned…..more great things to come!
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Coming up:
~”In the Kitchen with Ms. Freed” for Jr. J-Club (grades 4, 5 &6), THIS Sunday, September 22nd right after Torah Center Classes. Cost: $5.00/person. Please RSVP to [email protected]
~10th Grade Confirmation Consecration & Parents Meeting THIS Monday, September 23rd at 7:20 pm
~Erev Simchat Torah Dinner and Service THIS Wednesday, September 25th; Free Spaghetti Dinner at 6 pm, Festival Service at 7 pm. The service includes the Consecration of our newest students in Kindergarten-3rd Grade. All are invited to attend! RSVP for dinner to Rachel or Paula at [email protected]
~Our first Shabbat LaMishpacha Dinner and Family service of the year is on Friday, October 4th! 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!
Torah, Torah, Torah!
Simchat Torah is THE fun holiday – klezmer music, dancing with the Torah scrolls, parading with flags, singing Rabbi Mahler’s ‘Sukkah Song’ one more time, both ending and beginning again the Torah reading cycle, the Consecration of our newest Torah Center students, and lots of yummy desserts make for one awesome celebration!
As part of the day’s activities, students decorated flags, played games, heard stories (thank you, Mrs. Altschul!) and learned about the Torah scroll with Rabbi Mahler:
During the rockin’ service, we welcomed our newest Torah Center students:
Each received a mini Torah with a beautifully decorated cover created by one of our 6th grade students:
On Wednesday, with all the holidays behind us (whew!) classes resumed as usual. Our 3rd graders reviewed their Hebrew letters and continued their discussions about what it means to be ‘Partners with God’:
Our 4th graders practiced their Hebrew reading:
Our 6th graders discussed where to send their Tzedakkah money and learned the days of the week in Hebrew:
Another great week!
Stay tuned for a new feature…starting next week, the return of the weekly trivia contest – with a twist!
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Coming Up:
A 4th Grade Parent Program is planned for THIS Sunday, October 14th from 9:30 am – 12 noon. Please plan on joining your children that morning for the minyan and then stay to help personalize a special gift for them. Shh…it’s a secret! RSVP to Helaine at [email protected].
3rd Grade students and their families are invited to the Bagel Brunch and Family Minyan on Saturday, October 20th. Please join us for bagels at 10:00 am followed by a family friendly Shabbat morning service at 10:30 am. Please let Helaine know of your attendance plans.
5th Grade Family Day has been POSTPONED. Stay tuned for the new date!
Our Jewish High School students will be joining Beth El teens on Sunday, October 21st at 10 am to clean up Gilkenson Road (our “adopted” road). Participation will fulfill a kehillah requirement. RSVP to Rabbi Locketz at [email protected]
On Sunday, October 28th there will be a combined Youth Groups outing at Mt. Lebanon Ice Rink – ICE SKATING – from 2:10-4 pm. All Temple Emanuel Youth Group participants are invited for the fun! Please RSVP to Jodi Kart at [email protected] or Marsha Morgenstern at [email protected] to let them know that you’ll be participating!
Join our Youth Group Advisors Marsha Morgenstern and Jodi Kart on Monday, October 29th at 7:40pm for an important Parents Meeting concerning youth involvement here at Temple Emanuel. Please plan on attending…your input is needed! RSVP to Jodi Kart at [email protected] or Marsha Morgenstern at [email protected]
'Tis the Season For Rejoicing
Happy Sukkot! Known as ‘Z’man Simchateinu’, ‘the season of our rejoicing’, Sukkot is a holiday filled with excitement and joy. It is aptly named – with so much going on here in the Torah Center during the past few weeks, there is much to celebrate. The smiles are contagious!
Our Yom Kippur programming was a blast despite the solemn mood of the day:
And the Sukkah was fun to decorate!
After the Family Sukkot Service it was time to “dwell” in the Sukkah and take a turn at shaking the lulav and etrog (our Temple President was a natural!):
On Monday night, our Jewish High School students enjoyed their time in the Sukkah too:
And yesterday students in grades 3-6 visited the Sukkah as well. Eating, singing, dancing, lulav and etrog shaking…It was a fun time for all!
And now – on to the next holiday! So…
Chag Sameach… Have a joyous Simchat Torah!
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Coming Up:
Our first Shabbat LaMishpacha Dinner and Family service of the year is TOMORROW Friday, October 5th! 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!
Simchat Torah Family Day Program Dinner and Service on Sunday, October 7th, 4 -7 pm (no regular Torah Center classes that morning); Come participate in fun activities (4 pm), eat a FREE Hot Dog Dinner (5:15 pm) and stay for our Family Simchat Torah Service during which we will welcome our newest Torah Center students (6 pm)! A great evening for the entire family! RSVP for dinner to Helaine at [email protected]
A 4th Grade Parent Program is planned for Sunday, October 14th from 9:30 am – 12 noon. Please plan on joining your children that morning for the minyan and then stay to help personalize a special gift for them. Shh…it’s a secret! RSVP to Helaine at [email protected].
3rd Grade students and their families are invited to the Bagel Brunch and Family Minyan on Saturday, October 20th. Please join us for bagels at 10:00 am followed by a family friendly Shabbat morning service at 10:30 am. Please let Helaine know of your attendance plans.
5th Grade Family Day is Sunday, October 21st 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.
Save the date! Our Jewish High School students will be joining Beth El teens on Sunday, October 21st at 10 am to clean up Gilkenson Road (our “adopted” road). Participation will fulfill a kehillah requirement. RSVP to Helaine at [email protected]