Shalom from TBD Religious School

Shabbat newsletter compiled by
Gal Kessler Rohs, Education Director
Far too often we dismiss the goodness in a person, a critter, a plant, or a slice of life. Take for example the earthworm. The wiggly creature is not something most of us think about regularly, I imagine. It is covered in dirt, burrows underground, camouflaged in its habitat, not the loudest of creatures, and well, slimy. I suppose that’s why it is rarely given a second thought, or an “ewwww” kind of comment in passing. 

Yet the worm population under our Californian walking feet can be as grand as a million per acre! Worms tunnel, aerate and nitrate the soil, their casting has a higher nutrient concentration than “clean” soil, they provide moisture to the plants from their mucus bodies, and they are almost or at the bottom of the ecosystem food chain as prey for many animals. Those natural fertilizers thus are a learning resource to our students, and adults alike, extending further beyond Tu Bishvat - the holiday of nature.

The prompted “worm” lesson at religious school last Sunday was that of appreciation, looking around in wonderment, and realizing that the tiniest and dirtiest of creatures, or analogically life experiences, can be impactful. Hidden truths and talents is another lesson to remember. Digging metaphorically in the ground, can be that lesson. In the case of the worm, it can be impactful to the level of the quality of the plant based food we eat because the soil our plants grow from is enriched thanks to the worm. 

One of the six TBD religious school’s pillars of learning is to compliment our teaching through hands-on learning. The open TBD yard last Sunday displayed a long table, with soil, mud, and dirt, and 300 or so live, and wiggly earthworms. Our students looked at the worms, wiggled them, created mazes and paths for interactions for them, spoke to them, swung them, and so much more. Our teaching purpose, as this video below portrays, was accomplished!  

Shabbat shalom, with lots of digging in the dirt (also figuratively!)
-Gal Kessler Rohs , Education Director
Ulpan Shabbat tonight
focusing on the growth of life (with live ladybugs for our younger group)
Following chicken soup and mini kugel dinner (Thanks Steve Bermann for preparing), we'll separate into two separate groups- One for younger, and one for older students.

Our younger students will be with me, Gal. Together we will make terrariums with real life ladybugs, and learn how to nature those bugs, as well as being caring being.

Cantor Orly will teach the older students about life transformations too, starting with our history as Jews. Some of the questions asked in the class will be
-What are the essentials we need in life?
-What is your name?
-What is the meaning of your name?
-Why should we have a name?

Thanking Justine Roth for the consultation, the Ulpan Shabbat flyer design, and the ladybug jars.
Got Dirt?
Asking for donations of soil bags for our Tu Bishvat planting activity
Our preschoolers and Kindergarteners will be planting a new garden as part of their Tu Bishvat planting experience. We are asking for about 10 bags of soil. Thank you for your donations, and thanks to Steve Bermann, Larry Alpert and the Bidinian family who have stepped up to help with the project!
Torah Portion
Parshat Bo, Ex odus 10:1–13:16 🌒🌑🌑🌘🌙🌜🌛🌕
Bo is the name of this week's Torah portion, which speaks of how G‑d commands the first mitzvah to be given to the people of Israel: to establish a calendar based on the monthly rebirth of the moon. Thus, the Jewish calendar is a calendar of months, measured by the duration from one new moon to the next. 

In the first mitzvah that was commanded to us as a nation, G‑d decreed that we link our lives to the moon. He instructed us to establish a calendar that is predicated upon the lunar month—the 29.5-day cycle in which the moon, as perceived by an earthly observer, completes its revolution around the earth. 

Twelve such months add up to a year of approximately 354 days, eleven days short of the 365.25-day.
How do we build a Jewish Home
based on the book for Rabbi Lachtman's adult education class 🏠🏠🏠🏠
“Recognizing the holiness that exists within each of us within the home is how we are able to make that transition from text to reality, from ancient words to modern actions. The relationships in the Jewish values that serve as each relationships foundation is what the prophet Micah commands us - to "do justly, to love, mercy and to walk humbly with our Gd."  

Quoted from the book Navigating the Journey, the essential guide to theJewish life cycle, by Rabbi Peter S. Knobel, PhD. This is the book we are using as a guide for Rabbi Lachtman’s adult education class. Next class will be held on January 28th at 7.30pm. 

(Image depicts a drawing by our Religious School preschool student of what seems to be a positive bond between people)
"We do not have a number, we have a name"
Rabbi Lachtman at JFSGPV's Every Person Has a Name
Lighting of Shabbat candles
has a dual purpose:
To "honor Shabbat" (כבוד שבת) and create domestic peace (שלום בית)
Flyers, Flyers, Flyers, flyers, flyers, flyers
Coming up at Temple Beth David
 featured dates to note:
Friday, Jan 31st at 6pm: Ulpan Shabbat including dinner, focusing on transformations. Younger group will be making (real) ladybug terrariums. Shabbat services to follow, focusing on Debbie Friedman's music
Sunday, Feb 2nd at 9.30am: Adult Bagel Breakfast with Cantor Orly
Friday, Feb 7th at 7.30pm: Shabbat services with Hannah Stein, oneg Shabbat in honor of Hanna andAlan Stein, sponsored by the Stein family 
Saturday, Feb 8th at 4.15pm: Hannah Stein Bat Mitzvah
Sunday, Feb 9th, at 9.30am: Jeff Brody presentation of Camp Mountain Chai at Religious School
Friday, Feb 14th at 6pm: Ulpan Shabbat including dinner (topic: Tu BiShvat)
Sunday, Feb 16th, No Religious School, President's Day, TBD at Union Station 
Tuesday, Feb 18th, at 7.30pm, Adult education with Rabbi Lachtman focusing on the book When Difficult Relatives Happen to Good People
Sunday, Feb 23 at 9.30am, Adult Bagel Breakfast, 9.30am "Estate Planning" with Gavin Wasserman, 9.30am, Debby Singer presenting PJ Library
1:00 TBD Book Club is " Out of the Shadow, " by Rose Cohen
Friday, Feb 28th at 6pm: Ulpan Shabbat including dinner
Sunday, March 1 Religious School
Thursday, March 5th, at 10am: National Webinar on education and thriving (Contact Gal for more info)
Thurday, March 6-8th, Shabbaton (For 3-9th graders)
Sunday, March 8th: Purim at TBD, Lindy Bornstein making food enrichment
Friday, March 13th at 6pm: Ulpan Shabbat with Cindy Pailey including dinner (topic: Purim)
Sunday, March 15th Religious School, TBD at Union Station
Sunday, March 22nd Religious School
Friday, March 27th at 6pm: Ulpan Shabbat including dinner (topic: Passover)
Sunday, March 29th at 9.30am, Adult Bagel Breakfast
Friday, April 3rd at 6pm: Ulpan Shabbat including dinner (topic: Passover)
Sunday, April 5th Religious School (topic: Passover, Model Seder)
Sunday, April 12th, No School, Passover Break
Friday, April 17th at 6pm: Ulpan Shabbat including dinner (topic: Israel)
Sunday, April 19th Religious School (topic: Holocaust for Upper Grades), TBD at Union Station 
Sunday, April 26th Religious School (topic: Israel Day)
Friday, May 1st at 6pm: Ulpan Shabbat including dinner
Sunday, May 3rd Religious School
Sunday, May 10th, No School, Mothers' Day
Friday, May 15th at 6pm: Ulpan Shabbat including dinner (topic: Shavuot)
Sunday, May 17th: Last Day of Religious School, family lunch, TBD at Union Station 
Friday, June 5th at 6pm: Ulpan Shabbat including dinner
Sunday, June 21st: TBD at Union Station