November 11, 2021
WE GOT VAXXED!
40% of Sylvia Cohen students (not all pictured here) were vaccinated immediately after programs on Sunday morning at Cape Ann Pediatrics.Todah Rabah to fast texting parents for getting the word out! We had an impromptu vaccination party in the parking lot immediately after. Baruch Ha Shem!
WEE HEBREWS HAIL HANNUKAH with PJ Library/ Lappin Foundation co-sponsored program "Jewish Holidays for Little Hands" at TAA.

Parent, person and TAA member Abigail Gold led our first of the year program for the sippy-cup set on Sunday, ably assisted by Morah Elizabeth. The seven 0-5 year olds and their caregivers explored the holiday of Hannukah. They read a story, sang some songs, noshed on a little snack, and made felt and popsicle stick Hannukiot.

They also made friends- perhaps the most miraculous side effect of doing Jewish together. Parents, grandparents and kids were enjoying themselves so much they.....stayed. As a result they got to join in on the shirah circle with Abigale. We like this for our families so much we are gonna do it every month. If you have a tot, extend our welcome to them for next time!

SAVE THE DATE: TAA LOBSTER TRAP HANNUKIAH LIGHTING AND COMMUNITY LATKE EATING on TUESDAY NOVEMBER 30 at 5:30PM. Song, lights, latkes, and a shower of chocolate gelt. Outside at TAA.
5782 THEME: "Mah la'asot?" What to do?
This week we continued to explore our theme by "doing" Jewish by digging deeper in the thinking about what we don't like, per Hillel, re-reading the text "na'aseh v'nishmah" and commenting on each others ideas, per the Talmud, and as always practicing the hard work of learning in a community together, with joy and respect.
From Morah Alex and the 4-6th:
Today we revisited the "We Will do, We Will Hear," text. This text describes the moment Moses received the Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai.

I asked the students to do a close reading of the text, underline words or phrases that stood out to them, and write down questions they have. Then the students were instructed to write their questions down on post it notes, place them on a large piece of chart paper, and react to each other's post it notes. (see above)

Here are some of the amazing questions that were shared:

Julia asked, "Were women included?"

Soli asked, "How did Moses find the Ten Commandments?"

Gabe asked, "Why did they agree so quickly at the same time?"

Joon asked, "How did the people speak in unison?"

Elijah asked, "Why did the people say that what the Lord has spoken we will faithfully do, when they didn't have to?"

From Phoebe and the 3rd graders: We thought some more about Hillel's words to the man on one leg: "What you don't like, don't do to others."

We played a quick game of this or that based on what we like and don't like. So: cats or dogs? Some of us moved to the "cat" side and some moved to the "dog" side. Passover or Hannukah? Getting instructions or being asked your opinion? The choices had higher and higher personal stakes.

Then in pairs, aka chevruta, we asked each other "what we don't like" about how we are treated as kids, siblings, children, students, Jews and Americans. We listened to each others answers, wrote them down, and then drew on a long paper manifesto. This is what we don't like. Some of our drawings are below. Among them are "I don't like not being taken seriously because I am a kid." "Kids should have rights even if they can't vote." "I don't like it when I am blamed for things just because I am the older sibling." "I don't like being bossed around." That last one was VERY popular.

Next up: How do we NOT do that to others? Is it possible? Our CAVOD manifesto.

BELOW: Noa interviews Zev in chevruta about what he doesn't like. Drawings and writing from talmidim for their "what I don't like" manifesto.
ABIGALE REISMAN IGNITES PASSION FOR SINGING AND MUSIC WHEN SHE GETS US UP, MOVING, RESPONDING, AND VOCALIZING
At first they played it cool. Introduce yourself, she said, and make a sound and movement that goes with you. "Shmuley" said one kid, (names changed to protect their parents) and shrugged their shoulders. Abigale was not deterred: "Shmuley!" she called out and repeated the shoulder gesture. Students still played it pretty close to the vest. Too cool for school, too nervous about seeming too earnest in front of others. We get it.

But when Abigale started telling her story, she whipped out her fiddle and did a few bars of Mozart. Heads turned like meerkats. Then she riffed off some klezmer. Laser focus, even some smiles. She had them.

She taught us to sing ocho kandelikas and made us move to the song. She took suggestions. She asked about us and our musical tastes. She shared what she knows. It was great.
IVRIT CHAVERIM
COACHES CAME TO US!

This week some of our coaches came to the building to work on our Ivrit together. Being in person let Coach Mark use more materials with Talmid Gabe (see above) to identify letters in the alef bet and their vowel sounds.

"Who can encourage us to try new things if not a friend?"

Coach Mark was also moved to push Talmid Gabe to read a line from the siddur. Gabe was game to try, after all, who can encourage us to try new things if not a friend? Also on site was Coach Roz with Violet- who expressly asked for in-person coaching- and as usual, Morah Debbie took her pairs to the social hall for social distancing in person learning.

Below: Morah Maya led us in Twister- the ivrit version. Left Regel Yirok! (WHAT'S YIROK?? someone yelled. GREEEN! responded a chaver)
LEARNER'S MINYAN: the on ramp to Shabbat services anywhere in the world
Jonah, pictured above, led the group into the sanctuary for our Learner's Minyan. Leading can be a lot of pressure, just ask Moshe Rabbenu, but the more practice we get, and the more we share it (thanks Yitro, Moshe's FIL) the more comfortable with it we become.

Sitting in our batim (houses) we sang Mah tovu, did the Birkhot ha Shachar thanks to Miriam, learned how to show cavod to someone as they come down off the bimah, and practiced the shema and the v'ahavta-- with Flora's help! Then we identified who in our groups felt good being in front of people, who likes to write, and who likes to tell jokes. We ID'd those folks for the kehilla.

Next up: getting a blessing to lead AS A BAYIT, having it go not so well, trying and getting mastery over it.

Below: Someone is making Evan laugh in his bayit. Maybe the joke teller.
‌
The Sylvia Cohen Family Learning Project
of Temple Ahavat Achim
Director: Phoebe Potts
taagloucester.org