November 19, 2020
Let's all light our Hannukiot together! Click on the link above to sign up to lead one of the 8 nights of Hannukah from your home. No experience necessary!

Each night we will have a short program where we light, sing, and have time for a five minute reflection about light in the darkness. If you have something to share or read, please sign up for that as well.
Families have signed up to lead pieces of the Birkhot HaShachar; Cavod shown to kehilla, selves.

This Sunday families will be leading different lines of the Birkhot HaShachar for their kehillah. They will chant the lines in Hebrew, say it in English and maybe even choreograph some movements for us to follow.

More soon!
How do we show respect
-to others?
-The place we are in?
-Ourselves?

Miriam spoke up for herself and asked for what she needed in Hebrew at Home.

In the teacher training on Sunday, Morim Alex, Elizabeth, Emma and Matt all shared stories of Tzedek from their own lives, giving us all a window on other people's experience.

Joon gave thoughtful answers as Abram.
HEBREW AT HOME:
Hebrew at Home is now at minyan strength! 10 students are all learning Hebrew one on one with a coach each week. Some study Torah, some work on letters of the alef bet, some are memorizing blessings for Shabbat. It doesn't matter- it's not a competition. In fact, it's the opposite. Where the student is at is the only point-- and where they want to go.
VISUAL MIDRASH INSIGHT

"We are putting our thoughts into the story; we are not putting what Avram thought in the story." -Lilly
Our talmidim of the Parashah Pit Crew met on Tuesdays with new and improved co-leadership from our own Erez Boraks. Erez is co-leading the PPC for his Bnei Mitzvah project. He'll be leading parts of the program, taking notes on others, and supporting the students in their learning.

We looked again at Lech Lecha in an effort to understand Abraham, or really Abram. Why is he on the list in the Amidah?

We listened to what G-d said to Abram-- go forth, leave your home, to a place that I will show you-- and we wondered what we were being asked to see. We also wondered what Abram might have been thinking. Here are some examples:
After looking at each others work Lilly suggested that "everyone in here, we are putting our thoughts into the story; we are not putting what Avram thought in the story." How can we know what Avram was thinking.

Erez chimed in: "Lilly's right.It’s so heavily influenced by us. maybe we don’t know it exactly, we are not actually there, different between playing a shooter video game vs a war in real life; we don’t feel the same of anxiousness."

Violet also agreed that we can learn about it, but we can't really know: "I don’t really think so, we can read stories and find out; we can’t actually know. 'Oh yeah there was this voice'.. but there’s probably other stuff you didn’t know"

Next up: what did Sarai think? Why do think Sarai and Avram are in the Amidah....or are they?
BNEI MITZVAH TALMIDIM FIND SOLUTION TO LENGTHY PAUSE PROBLEM IN BIRKHOT HASHACHAR: LOOK TO MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

This past Shabbat the Talmidim of Bnei Mitzvah class gathered again at full attendance to run prayer drills and consider the parashah together.

Going through the Birkhot HaShachar there was a great number of gaps, silences and "where are we?" and the classic "what page?"

Their coach asked them how successful they thought it was. Then she asked: what would a smooth, successful recitation look like? They answered:

-less pauses
-someone always said "Amen"
-people followed along and were ready for their turn

After talking amongst themselves, they suggested a batting order, like in MLB. That way you would only have to know who was before you and after you.

We tried it, and it worked a lot better. We will still had some gaps, but we depended on each other to say "hey-- it's your turn."

One student asked what was the point of learning it so smoothly. The coach thought about this. And came up with an analogy that might have made the talmidim squeamish:

The Torah is the center of the service. You don't just rush up to the Torah, read it and run away. Like when you love someone-- you don't just walk up to someone and say "marry me!" You have to build up the relationship. If we can't do the Birkhot HaShachar smoothly and with confidence, then we shouldn't get to the big show yet!

Next up: the shema- alone or together?
The Sylvia Cohen Family Learning Project
of Temple Ahavat Achim
Director: Phoebe Potts
taagloucester.org
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