To prepare for Sukkot, Gan Gimmel used many different modalities to learn about the four different plants we shake on sukkot. We began by exploring each species and noticing colors, shapes, sizes and textures. We were able to match each one with the type of plant from which they grow. Next, we used the lulav and etrog as painting tools and had fun exploring the different effects we could create manipulating them in different ways. It was great getting messy too! We used our painting for our mobile sukkah decoration.

We put our brains in gear to think of which body parts each of the arba minim remind us of and brainstormed mitzvot we do with each one. Here are a few of Gan Gimmel’s excellent answers: The lulav, our spine, helps us stand to daven and walk to help people. The etrog is our heart which helps us care for poor people and love Hashem. Hadasim are our eyes which we use to read the Torah and the Hebrew words in the siddur. Finally, the aravot are our mouths which we use to kiss the mezuzah, daven and say kind words to friends. We got our own bodies moving to our arba minim song to help us remember them all. Chag Sameach!

Ganon Bet took a special trip to the Bet Midrash this week to observe a real Torah. Our Morah took the Torah carefully out of the Aron Kodesh as we all stood and watched in awe. We opened the Torah and looked at the beautiful words. We talked about how the Torah is our book of life, not only by teaching us the ways to live, but it is also made from all living things. The wood from trees, the scroll from animal skin and the ink from plants, show us how life is truly all around us.     

students in grades 3-5 made a beautiful project to hang in their sukkah with pictures of family members that they will be missing over this upcoming chag! 

On Wednesday, September 30^th, Yavneh students engaged in a school-wide learning, focusing on the theme of v’samachta b’chagecha - being joyous on your holiday. Students joined virtually via Zoom from their classrooms to learn about happiness followed by an activity. The learning was led by the middle school student council, teaching sources relevant to the importance of doing mitzvot with joy. After learning the sources, each grade competed in an escape room challenge, trying to be the first class to solve the clues related to their learning. Students were then asked to think about and write down what happiness means to them. Students in grades 1-8 were prompted to answer this question on cards which will create a beautiful mosaic in our hallways.