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Shabbat Parashat Vayigash | שבת פרשת ויגש
Candle Lighting: 4:13
pm
I Shabbat Ends: 5:21 pm
December 22, 2017 I ד׳ טֵבֵת
תשע״ח
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From our Head of School, Rabbi Rami Strosberg
"What is that coming this way?"
W
hen Yaakov saw the wagons that were sent by Yosef, his spirit was revived. Rashi cites a teaching that Yosef sent the wagons as a sign that he remembered the last thing he learned with Yaakov - eglah arufah (split calf.) The Hebrew word for wagon is similar to the word for calf (Agala, Egla). We usually assume this pleased Yaakov because he saw Yosef's success in Egypt without assimilation. In fact, he still remembered his last lesson and remained faithful to Torah values. There is an additional idea here. Yaakov was joyful - not just in Yosef remembering a lesson, but the very fact that he used his Torah lesson to show Yaakov that Torah still played an important role in his life.
The things we choose to represent ourselves to the world say a lot about us. They speak loudly to our children and the world about what we value. Do we identify ourselves by a sports team or by being on God's team? Yosef identified himself through Torah and this gave his father confidence that he was living as a Jew. Our goal is that our Torah Academy and its Talmidim identify (and can be identified) by their Torah lessons and Midot Tovot (character traits). (based on R'Crystal and MiShulchan Rebbi Eliyahu Baruch)
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Rami
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From our Principal, Deganit Ronen
It has been an amazing week celebrating Chanukah at WTA! We loved welcoming our Grandparents and Special Visitors and really enjoyed showing them the incredible things that happen in our school each day.
I want to take a moment to thank our teachers for all the hard work they put in preparing for Chanukah and for our visitors. I was so impressed with the innovative ways they brought Chanukah into their classrooms - it was truly inspiring to walk in each day and see our students so excited to learn and celebrate. Kol Hakavod!
On a personal note, I would like to thank the WTA family for all the 'Mazal Tovs' and well wishes for my son Davidi and his fiance Sarah. May we share in many more smachot together!
Shabbat Shalom,
Deganit
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Thank you to all of our Early Childhood grandparents, special visitors, and parents who joined us on Monday for an amazing Chanukah celebration!
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December Break
Monday, December 25, 2017 - Monday, January 1, 2018
NO CLASSES
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Picture Retake Day
January 4
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Mesibat Chumah
(2nd Grade)
Sunday Afternoon, January 7
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Science - מדע
We will be needing parent volunteers for our STEAM night. If you are available please send me an email to [email protected]
The lab has been a busy place lately.The Pre-K class enjoyed a visit and the opportunity to get to know our animals. First through fourth grades each had an opportunity to make slime. Second grade also did a density experiment with water, oil and alka-seltzer. The second and third grades made invertebrate wheels of knowledge.The fifth grade enjoyed an afternoon of free choice. Some chose to do chemistry experiments while other chose engineering projects.
Notice to second and third grade parents - the students will be dissecting fish on Thursday, January 4th. A change of clothes is recommended.
Art - אומנות
We hope you enjoyed seeing some of our students' artwork displayed at the Chanukah festivities at WTA!
This week, our kindergarten got into the winter spirit by making snowmen adorned in colorful scarves and hats. Now that their paintings from last week are dry, the finished products look like snowy scenes that serve as a great backdrop to today's adorable snowmen.
First graders loved reading the book
, The Book With a Hole
, by Herve Tullet. This book has a hole in the middle and each page is illustrated around the hole, either as an opening for the reader to insert his or her face in the hole, or using the hole as part of the picture. They were then given a paper with a hole in the middle of it and asked to use their imaginations to create their own illustration highlighting the hole. Ask them what they came up with!
Second graders finished and brought home their "Kad" project just in time for the last day of Chanukah. The fourth graders finished up their silhouettes and began partnering with their classroom in working on their project board illustrations for their upcoming Navi presentation. Third and Fifth graders focused on symmetry this week and learned the term "radial symmetry." They began to use rulers to dissect their papers into slices and create mandala designs that highlight this symmetry. Though some found this difficult, their beginning pieces are beautiful! Shabbat Shalom!
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דף יומי לילדים
Each week we will share a copy of Daf Yomi L'yeladim with you, and you will have the
opportunity to gain a love of learning and share the experience of delving into the Talmud with your children.
For a link to this week's copy in English
click here,
for Hebrew
click here
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פרנס היום - Sponsor A Day of Learning
Sponsor Limud Torah at WTA on a specific date in honor of a simcha, anniversary, birthday, or in memory of a loved one.
Please
click here
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WTA Webstore
Check out our WTA Spirit Wear such as skirts, kippahs, headbands and much more! Click
here to shop now!
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Shorashim are learning all about oil. We saw how oil and water are not friends by investigating what happens when you mix them. They separate, no matter how much you try to mix them. We used this concept to create sensory bottles, adding color glitter and gems inside. Shorashim loved shaking them up, building muscles, and feeling the movement of the water inside.
Click
here
to read the Shorashim weekly newsletter.
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As part of our community helpers unit, we welcomed Lori (mom of Mia) who spoke to us about her job as a lawyer. She makes sure people follow all the rules at work, and everyone at work gets paid. Lori also helps people solve arguments and creates contracts. Lori created a contract for us too! First we read it out loud then signed our names! Thank you Lori!
Click here to read the Pre-K weekly newsletter.
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Kindergarten is learning about winter. We read the story "Bear Snores On." Then for the first day of winter, we brought our bears to school. Our bears are going to hibernate in a cave until the first day of spring!
חג אורים שמח!
Gan ילדים had an amazing performance at our חגיגת חג החנוכה.
We hope that you enjoyed watching us!
Click
here to read the full Kindergarten Judaic Studies Newsletter.
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Our first grade authors are involved in the process of writing their first book. Several have a rough drafts and are at the editing stage, others are still working on the idea stage. They started by working together on brainstorming ideas for possible problems in the stories, then each chose one and started to develop a character that had something to do with the problem. Reading what they've come up with is hysterical and I spend writing time working very hard at not cracking up.
Judaic Studies:
We are grateful for having the opportunity to be part of iTalAm pilot program for Kita Alef. After winter break we will be using Ariotcal, the older version of our Tal Am online component. The children were introduced to the letter ח through Ariotcal. Once we practice how to login in class, the children will be able to play at home and practice reading using Ariotcal.
We revisited the concept of יום חול. Shabbat is יום קדוש and to honor Shabbat we dress ourselves and our table differently. We read the story שולחן שבת and the children were able to say בעברית which כלי עבודה are not appropriate for שולחן שבת. We all agreed that עפרון, מחק, מחדד, ומספריים are כלי עבודה and they are מוקצה.
Once Yosef reveals his true identity to his brothers in parashat ויגש. he is anxious to learn העוד אבי חי? He hasn't seen his father for twenty two years! Yosef imagines his father's pain all these years, and he is eager to reunite with his father Yaakov and honor him before he dies. Yosef also forgives his brothers and even comforts them by telling them that Hashem sent him to Mitzrayim as part of a plan to save them from the famine.
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General Studies:
Our second grade has been enjoying a literature unit on science fiction. They enjoy analyzing which parts are science and which is fiction. This unit is actually helping them to formulate ideas about writing both their fiction and informational texts. It is always interesting to see how each child reacts to each of the different genres that they are exposed to. While some only want to write narratives, others are well into fiction stories and some just want to start on an informational text.
Our patriotic song of the month, "Proud to be an American" by Lee Greenwood, has lead to several teachable moments about the origin of the song and the pictures displayed in the youtube video. We had a basic (mild) discussion about 9/11 and the twin towers. As usual the second grade made so many insightful and interesting comments. Their compassion and depth of understanding is beautiful!
Kitah Bet had a great time decorating and baking Chanukah cookies. It was a wonderful opportunity to review basic Hebrew words as we were going through the recipe. In Yediot Klaliot we are in the midst of learning to identify the main themes that are discussed in each of the Parashot in Sefer Beraishit. The highlight of the week was undoubtedly when parents joined their children and together produced beautiful covers that will adorn their new Chumashim. What a great way to actualize the idea of passing down the Torah from generation to generation.
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General Studies:
Great ruach each day reciting our musical Hallel this past week. Meaningful stories, Hesed Projects, insights.
Rich literature, including
Mr. Lincoln's Way about a principal who reached a bully by seeing his strengths. Here's a few of the students' insights:
"Mr. Lincoln is nice, but mysterious."
"Mr. L. taught Eugene that birds and people come in different colors and we don't need to make fun of them, like Eugene's father did."
"Doing something that Eugene liked calmed him down."
Anther book by Patricia Polacco,
Pink and Say is a moving (actual) account of a former (teenage) slave who saved a wounded (teenage) Union soldier during the Civil War.
Making
slime in Science was a big hit. Plus the current Science topic of Invertebrates. We'll end the week playing
Bug-o (Like Bingo) and learning the names and images of many insects, along with solving riddles about insects.
Math, an array of ELA work, and more continue throughout each week.
Judaic Studies:
Chanukah celebrations continued to be central this week with the t'filah "al hanisim" which we added to the Amidah and Tefilat ha Halel bzibur every morning. We also learned about "mitzvat pirsum hanes". In Hebrew the words לפרסם (to tell everybody) and פרסומת (commercial) have the same root, so we split into small teams and each team created his own commercial all about Chanukah, its mitzvot and minhagim. Each team
made a beautiful sign and wrote the text in Hebrew and then presented the commercial to Kitah Alef.
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It was great seeing everyone at Grandparents and Special Visitors Day! Lots of excitement about the science topic
Light and Sight, lots of insights, curiosity, meaningful learning, and great fun!
Great ruach each day reciting our musical Hallel this past week. Meaningful stories, Hesed Projects, and insights.
A great start to writing Tall Tales after having read
Paul Bunyan and
John Henry. Much humor and exaggeration in the setting of the American Frontier.
Students continue to work hard and learn much!
Judaic Studies:
From one celebration to the next one! Still thinking and talking about Grandparents and Special Visitors Day, we are excited to start our Mesibat Navi preparations. We met some challenges when split into small teams becoming more aware about what it takes to work together.
In Halacha we finished hilchot Chanukah with a Chidon to review everything we learned.
In Chumash, we learned about the fight between Yaakov and the angel, and an interesting fact that the first letters of Avot and Imahot names are all included in the name Yaakov was blessed with - ישראל.
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General Studies:
This week, the students are completing their unit on Whole Number and Decimal Arithmetic. They are now able to see the importance of rounding numbers to get an estimate to an answer. This is especially helpful in their unit considering its difficulty, due to the added factor of decimals. It enabled them to find easier ways to find the result to their mathematical challenge. Additionally, through a lot of the work that they have achieved this year, they have been able to decipher the importance of base ten numbers and its advantages compared to tallying.
Judaic and Hebrew Studies:
This week we began a new unit about shopping and buying. The goal is to help students acquire the language skills necessary to buy food in a market, converse with shop owners and be comfortable in using numbers to ask for prices, for payment and for getting change. The unit includes words students already know and new and practical words to discuss the purchases of daily necessities (such as food). The dialogues in this unit are longer than the ones we have seen thus far and are more complex grammatically.
Ask your child
to tell you three ways of asking, "How much does______ cost?"
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