Director of Education Sheila Shear Bulletin Messages

May-June 2012

Shalom Chaverim,

This spring has been a whirlwind of activity in the school. The trip to the Religious Action Center with the 9th and 10th graders, the 6th grade retreat, the annual school wide seder and the teacher appreciation dinner to name a few. I am happy to have been able to share so many special occasions with so many friends, old and new. These have been the special times, the trips and retreats, but they are not the only experiences that will stay in my heart. Sitting in my office, witnessing the jitters as our students chant the short blessings to me for the first time, and B'Nai Mitzvah students who require a lifesaver in order to chant the haftarah blessings, my weekly visits to the kindergarten and of course my fre- quent participation (disruptions really) in music sessions with the Cantor and endless short jokes from Rabbi.These will be the times that will stay in my heart.

It seems very fitting to me that the Parsha we will read on that Shabbat during which I will once again sit in the sanctuary as a congregant, with no professional responsibilities, is Nasso in the book of Numbers. My favorite blessing is found there, in Numbers 6:24-26. It is the blessing with which I leave you.

May Adonai bless you and protect you.
May Adonai deal kindly and graciously with you.
May Adonai bestow favor upon you and grant you Shalom, peace.

March-April 2012

Shalom Chaverim,

As the winter months wear on with hardly a nod to winter weather (can't say I'm complaining) we continue to learn with and from our students.We continue to help them recognize that Judaism, ritual and Torah apply to their lives. Being Jewish is not always easy, is not always conve- nient and it is not always popular. What it is, is engaging, enlightening, holy and full of delight. We try to help our students recognize that Torah and Judaism have important things to say to them about living in 2012 and beyond. The lessons of Torah are not just for their grandparents and their parents. The lessons of Torah move us forward. Through curricula such as Sacred Choices, Jewish Lens, SPARK and Rosh Hodesh, through trips to the Religious Action Center, to Alabama and New Orleans, our children learn to view themselves as vital, important and special. They learn to live Jewishly. It's not about inconvenience, or sacrifice, it is about living a life fulfilled, a life of giving and sharing. Religious study is not for 5 years between the ages of 8 and 13, it is for living daily and life long learning.

January-February 2012

Shalom Chaverim,

It is cold and a little gray outside but as I think of what is going on here I am warmed by the energy, joy and enthusiasm in the building. In the next month or so we have a variety of activities and projects. We finished up our fall Tzedaklah projects by each class deciding where they would like their money donated. Such projects as Hazon, UMass Hillel and JFS were supported by our stu- dents. Our spring contributions will go to The Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel.You can find out more about this organization at www.aspni.org. Coming up in January all classes, grades K-7, will be studying a different aspect of Israel. Details of what is taught each week can be seen on the Sinai Temple Religious School Blog Spot, http://www.sinai-temple.org/Religious_School/parents/. Teachers post to this site each week to keep you all in- formed about what is going on in each class.

Vayechei, which will be read on the first Shabbat of 2012, teaches us that when we make a commitment to get something done, it is important to follow through, as did Joseph when he assured his father Jacob that he would make certain that he would be buried in Israel. Our commitment to helping you give your children strong Jewish roots continues to be firm. We wish you all a happy healthy 2012 and look forward to sharing the coming months filled with learning and celebration.

November-December 2011

Shalom Chaverim,

As I write we have just begun a new year (may it be a good one for you and your families) and we are about to celebrate the completion the book of Divarim and the beginning of the book of Birrasheet reminding us that the study of Torah never ends. As we move through each year with our students we work hard to enrich their Jewish learning with bigger ideas and bigger questions. We try not to simply dictate information. In this technology age we would be foolish to think we could provide more information than Ms Google or Mr Firefox.What we do provide that neither Google, Firefox or any other search engine can not provide is the ruach (spirit) for learning, the love of Judaism and the development of community and sense of Jewish belonging that we hope our students find here. Jewish learning is best done in chavurot (with friends).We want your child to be part of the chavurah.

October 2011

Shalom Chaverim, As I write this the first day of Religious School was yesterday. I am so pleased to say, it was a wonderful day full of smiles and learning. I am willing to bet that the average growth rate over the summer was at least 2”. As we thought about the new year we also spent some time thinking of those who lost their lives on 9-11. On this 10th anniversary it was special that we were all together and moving forward. That is how it should be.

This coming weekend we will read Parsha KiTavo. Here we learn that when we follow God’s commandments that we will be blessed. For me it is a lesson on mutual commitment. My commitment to you is that we will do our best to make certain that the children here at Sinai receive the best we can offer. Please make the commitment to your children to give us that opportunity by getting them here regularly. I am looking forward to a wonderful 5772 with the children of Sinai Temple.
L’Shanah Tova

September 2011

Shalom Chaverim, As summer is drawing to a close, it is with great anticipation that I look forward to another school year here at Sinai. I look forward to welcoming our new students as well as our returning students, our staff and our entire group of families.

I think it significant that on the 10th anniversary of 9/11, Sinai Temple will be full of life, spirit, learning, community and best of all, the laughter of our children.

The Torah Portion on this week(September 9-10) will be Ki Tetzei. The mitzvot described in this parsha instructs in the ways to treat people, animals and the land, important lesson as we continue to live in a world where loving kindness is not always on the menu.

The lessons our children learn here at Sinai are not the lessons they learn in school. The lessons of Torah may not get them a soccer scholarship to college, but the lessons learned here, the lessons of Torah will support them, and all of us, to lead productive, meaningful lives. I look forward to being part of their learning.
Shalom
Sheila

May/June 2011

Shalom Chaverim, As I sit here writing this Purim is just passed and Pesach lies just ahead. This signals much on many levels for me. Personally it is a time for cleaning, cooking and more cleaning. It is a time for me to look ahead with great joy at the blooming of the trees and flowers, the chirping of birds and the return of warmer weather. It is a time professionally when I look forward to celebrating the accomplishments of our students and assessing the effectiveness of our programming. I am pleased to report that while not so many years ago it was more the norm than the exception that students required additional tutoring during their B’Nai Mitzvah year, in this current year of 5771, our fifth using Mitkadem for our Hebrew Curriculum, this is no longer the case.

The time between Purim and Pesach is also a time to think about the strength of our community. When we left Egypt we did it as a community, as we raise and educate our Jewish children let us continue to act as a community. Let’s continue to work together to grow our educated Jewish children into educated Jewish adults. Our children need the support of the entire Sinai community. I’m in, how about you?

March/April 2011

Shalom Chaverim, As I write this I have recently returned from being in Alabama and GA with the 9th and 10th graders and Rabbi and had the opportunity to attend the national conference for Temple Educators and learn with colleagues and mentors and consider the use of technology in teaching and engaging our children. Our Israel Day was wonderful as each child in each class had an oppor- tunity to teach others what they learned, Shir Fun sang beautifully and we all saw a remarkable view of Israel via DVD.

Ahead we have more to do. Children’s attendance is as important at this time of year as it has been all during the year. Remember you can check out what your child is doing each week in our Religious School Blog, where teachers post what they have done each week. Check it out at: http://www.sinai-temple.org/Religious_School/ parents/ . Thanks to Howard Kalodner for making this possible for us.

Please save the date for our annual teacher appreciation, school wide dinner in May, where our 7th and 8th graders will have a special treat for us. As a culmination of this semester’s work on the Jewish Lens curriculum they will be organizing an exhibit of their photographs of Jewish Life. Save the first Friday in May for this wonderful evening.
L’hitraot.

January/February 2011

Shalom Chaverim, As I write this, Chanukah is just ending, and in reflection it has been a wonderful fall with much learning and activity. Recent events included a school wide family learning day focusing on Chanukah culminating with the annual 6th grade Tzedakah Faire raising over $300.00 in one morning, and a taste test, French fries dipped in chocolate won the day. Our 7th through 10th graders also celebrated the holiday together on a Tuesday evening with dinner.Thank you to Melanie Stone for once again organizing the dinner. Thank you also to Jennifer Metsch, Dee Torff, Dianna Goldberg, Pat Gootzit, Deb Levin and Karen Ambrose for cooking and helping to set up. Our parent planning committees are working hard on social activities for their children.The K-2 children have had a Game and Pizza night and a special Lunch get together. The 3rd and 4th graders had a Mountain Hike and a Kick Ball Game, and the 5th and 6th Graders had an Unbirthday Party and a Post Chanukah, Chanukah Party. More activities are planned for the coming months, please stay tuned.

New this year, Mah La'Asot, what should I do? Ethical dilemmas are all around us. The children in grades 5,6, and 7 are given ethical dilemmas that they have an opportunity to resolve individually and then be part of a group, with Rabbi Shapiro or Mrs. Shear to discuss the Jewish answers to these dilemmas. Our first dilemmas concerned Pikuach Nefesh (saving a soul), and Sakanah (making decisions about life and death or dangerous situations). We, and our children, face dilemmas each day; some will have minor consequences, some major. Thinking ahead of time about some of the more difficult ones may help our children make good choices in dif- ficult situations reaping positive results for the long run. I hope this project will give our children some Jewish answers to some important questions.

Shalom Chaverim, I am so excited about our new additions to the Reli- gious School Pages of our Sinai Temple web site. www. sinai-temple.org/Religious_School/startpage.php

Thanks to Howard Kalodner, our web guru (among other things), there are now two additional buttons to support our students. The first button says Mitkadem. When you press it you will get a listing of the prayers for each Ramah (level) of our Hebrew program chanted and read by Cantor Levson. When your child is practicing he or she can just click on the appropriate Ramah and will be able to practice reading/chanting along with the cantor. Just like a private session whenever you want it! The second addition is a button that brings you to our Sinai Temple Religious School Blog. It will keep you up to date with what your child is learning in classes. You may also leave a comment. I hope these ad- ditions will be helpful to you and your children.

What else has been going on? The Kindergarten through 2nd graders had a pizza, games and crafts night, the 3rd and 4th graders have gone on a mountain hike with a song session at the top of Mt.Tom, the 5th graders walked for Rays of Hope, and the 5th and 6th graders have participated in our Shabbat Service and had a special Ice Cream Oneg of their own.This and more to come.

The opening of school was wonderful, with smiling faces all around. We are all looking forward to a terrific year filled with learning and fun. This Rosh Hashanah I was blessed to have all my children home for the first time in about ten years. It was wonderful in and of itself. But, further, my children walked the halls looking at Confirmation pictures and pictures of all that goes on here. It made me think of all the experiences I had here at Sinai, with children in tow. It brought to mind the many years of PACT programs, Shabbat services together, of holiday celebrations, B'Nai Mitzvah, Confirmation, and hopefully, soon to be weddings. Sinai isn't a place for a moment, for an hour or for a day. Sinai is a place that we want you and your children to be connected to for life. Please help us make Sinai that place for you and your children. I hope you and your families can sit at an Erev Rosh Hashanah in ten, or twenty and even thirty years and remember some of the things that you did together here at Sinai.

Shalom Chaverim, As I sit here, with the temperature outside about 90 degrees, it is hard to imagine that when you read this, there will be only a couple of weeks until the first days of Religious School and Hebrew School. Each year brings with it opportunities for new beginnings, learning new things, in new ways, learning things you thought you knew but didn’t, finding out what you don’t’ know and making an effort to learn it.

I, along with the entire teaching staff, look forward to providing new opportunities for your children, and for your families. Please help us support your families’ Jewish connection here at Sinai by participating in our family programming, by supporting and becoming involved in your children’s Jewish learning, and sharing in making Sinai a place that your child wants to be.

On Sunday, September 12th during Religious School, we will be facilitating "age group" parent meetings to continue to plan opportunities for your children to make Sinai theirs.This is your opportunity to make your children’s connection at Sinai what you want it to be. No one knows more about what will connect with your child than you do. Please join Rabbi, Cantor, me, and other members of the parent community at these meetings. See you then.

This year school begins after Rosh Hashanah. I hope that each child in our Sinai community will attend services and experience the beauty of the High Holidays here at Sinai.

L’Shanah Tova , may you be written in the book of life for a happy, healthy and successful 5771.

Shalom Chaverim, This year was exciting, successful and by all standards busy. We had opportunities for formal education, opportunities for informal education, opportunities for fun and opportunities for families. We had programs on Shabbat, on Tuesdays and on Sundays. I hope you and your family got to share in some of the fun, learning and celebration that was religious school this year.

In each bulletin this year and through our programming, I have tried send the message that your child's regular attendance at Religious School, Hebrew School and at Shabbat Services encourages them to connect with their Sinai community. There remain many opportunities for children to connect in many different groups but, their connection at Sinai is unique, one that cannot be replicated elsewhere.

I would be remiss if I didn't say a huge thank you to all of the teachers, madrikhim , Religious School Committee, and parents who helped make this year a tremendous success-too many people to name in this little article. So, a collective thank you, for all you have done from sewing, helping at dinners, the Seder, during Hebrew and Religious School and in the office.

By the way, speaking of the office, if you haven't yet registered for Religious/Hebrew School, please remember to do it soon. If you did not register before the end of school you should have received them in the mail.

I hope you and your children will have a safe and joyful summer and I look forward to seeing everyone in the fall.

Shalom Chaverim, And, so here we are nearing the end of an exciting year. As we do, I am reflecting on parsha Tzav. In this parsha, the high priests are charged to keep the flames of the fire of the holy altar burning. And, so it is with keeping the flames of our Judaism burning for our children and our children's children. Like the flame of the altar, if we don't pay attention the flame of our Judaism could go out. Our children will not know the warmth and beauty of our traditions, the spiritual strength that comes from praying as part of a community or the importance of our history. L'dor vador, from generation to generation it is our charge to pass our Judaism on to our children. The teachers and I work hard to help in this endeavor, but we cannot do it without your support and engagement, and we hope that we support your efforts as well. Thank you for your contribution to our efforts and your own efforts in creating family traditions and Jewish memories for your children. You are giving them something to hold on to in joy, in sadness, for strength, and in hope.

Shalom Chaverim, Looking for solutions. As I am writing this I am thinking of the Parsha (Torah portion) from this past Shabbat, Yitro. In this Torah portion we are given the Ten Commandments, but there is something more in this portion. Its namesake just happens to be Moses' father in law. Yitro is concerned that Moses is not spending enough time with his family. Instead of berating or just criticizing Moses, he helps Moses think of a solution. I think we can all take an important lesson from this. When we see our children struggling to meet our expectations, or making, what we recognize to be bad decisions for themselves, there is a tendency to ignore, berate, or criticize their behaviors, and to either just complain about it or to do the polar opposite and dictate solutions.

I suggest we take this lesson from Yitro and apply it to our own parenting by guiding and supporting our children in their efforts to make good decisions in their lives. Ignoring behaviors does not make them go away. Though there are times when we must dictate that "no" means "no," we can help our children further by discussing desired outcomes, making suggestions and encouraging them to find solutions that they believe will help them reach the desired outcomes. By doing this we make a great contribution to the long term growth and development of our children's independent ability to make good choices in their lives.

Yes, I do believe Torah has something significant to teach us in 2010.

• March 1-31 — The Religious School is Raffling off Red Sox Tickets throughout the month of March. Drawing to be held April 4th.
• March 5-9 — 9th and 10th Grade to the Religious Action Center
• March 12 — Tot Shabbat
• March 13 — 3rd and 4thgrade almost sleepover event at Sinai
• March 14 — Father and Son Baseball Event
• March 26-27 — 6th Grade Retreat at Eisner Camp
• March 28 — School Wide Seder(we need volunteers please call Sheila 736-3619 ext. 16)

Is spring really on the way? One can only hope that warm sunny days lay ahead. We have had an exciting winter with much help from our volunteers. Our 7th-10th graders enjoyed dinner and a special program together to celebrate Chanukah, as did the 5th and 6th graders (with some help from 7th grade pizza eaters). We held our second very successful all school Family Learning Day, Prayer and Praying (and God too). And, we had a wonderful Mother-Daughter tea to welcome Rebecca Rubin and other dolls to our community.

The good news is, we are having a very successful year with our 21/2 hr. Sunday session, including full periods of Hebrew, Talmud Torah and special topics, along with an exciting schedule of special all school programming. We are looking forward to our spring programming, including our 9-10th grade trip to Washington, D.C. for a L'Taken seminar, an updated 6th grade retreat, a 3rd and 4th grade almost sleep over, Purim, our annual school wide Passover Seder, Baseball Sunday, and more.

Being part of our ever growing Religious School community is exciting, engaging and fun. Please be certain to join us for our upcoming events. Our community isn't a whole community without you and your child. Please watch for important announcements and updates in your emails.

Shalom Chaverim, What an amazing fall we have had. Right at the beginning of the school year we began meeting with parents with children in grades K-4. We asked them what they felt would help make Sinai Temple a place their children would want to be. How do we support the creation of a community for them right here? Parents answered the call and we are doing our best to support these efforts. We want Sinai to belong to the entire congregation-including, and for me, especially, our kids.

In October, the fifth and sixth graders participated in Shabbat services, acted as greeters and stayed for games and ice cream sundaes. In November we had a Pizza Party for families with children in Kindergarten through second grade and on Shabbat evening, November 20 the third and fourth graders not only participated in services but each brought a friend t services and a special dinner just for them. The best part? The November programs were planned, and implemented by parents. Want to get involved in planning for your child's activities here? Just call the Religious School office. I will be glad to get you connected. Having your input truly makes this Religious School, your Religious School, the best it can be.

Also in November, we had an extraordinary family learning day on Prayer and Praying, for entire families with children in Kindergarten through 7th grade. Each family made a quilt square representing a specific prayer, truly becoming part of the fabric of Sinai Temple. We will be having another Family Learning Day coming up on January 10th. If you were not able to join us in November, please make every effort to join us in January.

By the time you read this, the raffles of the Rebecca Rubin Doll and Books, and the i-pod touch will have taken place. As of this writing however, it is still a mystery. I thank everyone who supported these fundraisers. Watch for more. Your Religious School really needs your support.

I hope as you celebrate the miracles of Chanukah that you and your family have your own miracles to celebrate. Chag Sameach.

Thanks to Jennifer Metsch, Bonnie Engleman, Gloria Wald and their committee of volunteers, we began this past month with a successful, all school dinner on Sukkot, that, the many who were in attendance will agree, was a wonderful, celebratory event. It was amazing to celebrate as part of our Sinai school community. I love that we have begun our year in such a way. This event has led me to be thinking about the truth of the importance of providing Jewish education for our children. Is it important for children to learn about Judaism, to learn Hebrew, to learn Jewish values, to learn to live Jewishly? Is it best for children to learn in a communal setting rather than alone, only at home, or only at synagogue?

My thoughts come from this wonderful celebration and in contrast a recent dinner conversation with friends. The conversation began with the question, “Why do so many Jews gravitate to communal activities, but so few, by contrast, gravitate to Jewish communal activities?”

So, my question, why do we, as Jews, so value education, communal belonging and Jewish knowledge, but continue to question the importance of our child’s learning as part of a Jewish community? The truth is, most of us can learn by reading a book, watching a video or listening to a recording. But, the bigger truth is that our knowledge and experiences are far richer when we experience these things with others who share our common heritage. The learning that we do as a classroom community, school community, and synagogue community enriches each of us in a way that we could never experience alone.

I hope that as the children continue to learn as part of our school community, that your family will support that learning and sense of belonging by continuing to attend community learning and social activities.

Shalom Chaverim, As I sit here on the Thursday before the opening of Religious School, in the midst of the month of Elul, a time of introspection, I am thinking much about my personal and professional priorities for the new year. It brings to mind a Torah portion we studied this past August. In the Torah Portion Re’eh, God warns the Israelites not to be distracted or tempted by the gods of others or to act in ways that offend the laws that God has set forth. Its message is a strong one. Our world is an amazing place in 5770. It provides for us many opportunities. How then do we choose our priorities? How are we not distracted by the many amazing things around us? In our lives there is so much to distract and tempt us and our children. There is dance and football, swimming, soccer and homework and a host of other things that fight for our time and energy. In today’s world it is important for us to set priorities for ourselves and our children. I hope that this year one of your choices for priority is living Jewishly including setting your children’s Jewish education as a priority. By the time you read this Religious School will have begun, so, let me just say the opening weeks of school have been wonderful and everyone is doing great.

What Happened to Family Services?

If you’re wondering about the answer to this ques tion, it is nothing and everything.

In thinking about communal worship in 2009, it appeared evident to many at Sinai Temple that identifying a particular service for families sent a message that 1. this was the only service at which families with children were welcome, and 2., that this “Family Service” was not an appropriate service for adults to attend. Well, we want neither of those things to be true. Beginning with this bulletin you will notice that the times and content of the services are listed. The first service of the month, at 7:00p.m., has a wonderful story, the second at 7:30p.m. has a band, and, while this month Erev Rosh Hashanah services fall on the third Friday at 8:00p.m., generally the third Friday will be a Kabbalat service at 6:00 p.m. The final Friday(s) of the month will include a Torah reading and also begin at 7:30 p.m.

What’s the Difference? And why does it matter?

Each service is joyful and appropriate for everyone to attend. While the different modes of worship may appeal to different people, the new earlier times will hopefully allow any one or any family to attend any or all of the services.

Why is it Important to Attend Services with My Child?

There are a number of reasons that this is important. While my children were young, attending services with them helped me feel more connected to them, my Judaism and my synagogue community. You are your child’s most important teacher. Your child will value the
things that are of value to you. Experiencing Judaism is so much more meaningful than only talking about being Jewish. Ultimately, ttending will help your child be familiar and comfortable with the Siddur(prayer book), become familiar with the format and order of Shabbat services, and help him/her become more proficient in Hebrew reading and knowledge of the prayers.

Most of all, worship as part of a community is such an important and meaningful part of our Jewish experience. We want our youngest members and oldest members, along with all of those someplace in between, to look forward to celebrating Shabbat with their Sinai community.

If you have only experienced the “Family Service”, or none at all, I hope you, along with your children, will want to expand your Shabbat experience at Sinai.

See you at Shabbat Services.
L’Hitraot

We are well into the 2nd term of our Religious School calendar and I thought this would be a great time to catch you up on what has been happening in our Chugim activities. In addition to our regular curricu- lum, to be found in the Family Guide to Sinai Temple, all classes are engaging in alternative learning activi- ties. Kindergarten continues to have Story Time with Miss Gloria, while first and second grades are exploring Israel through Song and Dance with Mrs. Gibson. Third graders are splitting their time between Ivrit(Hebrew) with Mrs. Levson and Mrs. Kleiman and Shir Fun(we hope they will continue to join the Cantor in singing at our monthly Family Services), and fourth grade is enjoying Art with Mrs. Cohen. Our fifth graders are learning about drama and Hershel of Ostropol with Mr Zemanski-Coen and Mr. Chaet. We are looking forward to seeing their production of Money from a Table. The sixth graders have begun to examine prayers and blessings in preparation for their B'Nai Mitzvah and seventh graders are learning about Jews in Film with Mrs. Katz. We hope they are enjoying and learning in these won- derful classes.

Looking ahead to April, we will be having a K-5 joint Shabbat Dinner and Teacher Appreciation Night before our Service on Friday, April 3rd. Watch your mail, both email and snail, for more information. L'Hitraot

I am thinking about ways for students to improve their mastery of Hebrew. The Mitkadem curriculum that we are using for teaching our students Hebrew is an efficient and engaging way for students to learn at their own pace. We are very lucky to have some wonderful volunteers and madrikhim helping out to support students in their learning. It would appear that we are working hard to help our students and we are. And we are thinking that this should work, and it has worked to improve student learning but there is a piece missing I think.

Let’s think about what we are asking them to do. In kindergarten, first grade and second grade we introduce the alphabet and most of our students have mastered the alef-bet before entering third grade. That is a fantastic achievement for them. In third to sixth grade we raise the stakes a little and expect students to attend weekday Hebrew classes and master this second language. Here is what we are asking our 3rd to 6th graders to do. We are asking students to learn a second language in approximately one hour and fifteen minutes one time per week for approximately twenty seven weeks (that totals a little over 33 hours per year). If students are here consistently at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday mornings they may have an additional 15-20 minutes per week, that would be and additional 6 hours for a total of 391/2 hours per year excluding times when a student may need to be absent, may need to leave early, arrive late or just not be able to focus on a particular day.

Though there is no perfect solution to how to get our children reasonably accurate, fluent and comfortable with Hebrew I would like to suggest that students in 3rd to 6th grade should spend time at home practicing their reading. If you child attends Hebrew school and does not have a reading page to practice, please have them see me and I will be certain that one is sent home. An additional resource is http://urj.org/chai/mitkadem/ramot/audio/. This site has all the prayers and blessings that are part of the Mitkadem program by Ramah(level). In a perfect world we would have another day, another hour, another minute, for our students to learn, but unfortunately this is not the case. Our children certainly have a great deal on their plates but the value of them learning Hebrew is real and important. Please spend a few extra minutes, a few times as week, with them and listen to them read. I think if every student and every family did this our Hebrew literacy would improve. Short of adding extra time to our school schedule I think family engagement in this activity is our best bet for improving the Hebrew literacy of our students.

Shalom Chaverim

So, what is it like to be learning at Sinai Temple during the 5769 school year? On a usual Sunday morning with no extra special programming here are some of the options. If you are in kindergarten, first, or second grade, you attend for several hours on Sunday morning and learn beginning Hebrew, about the Synagogue, about Holidays, about Israel and what it means to be part of a Jewish family. You also get to learn through stories and art and music.

If you are in third, fourth, fifth or sixth grade you come to learn for several hours on Sunday and 90 minutes during the week. On Sunday you get to work on Hebrew skills, and you also might learn about history, the prophets, life cycle, tikun olam, and Torah. During the final hour you will have an opportunity to extend your Jewish learning in music with the Cantor, cooking, sports, time for Hebrew mastery, or planning a tzedakah(charity) fair. During each weekday class for 3rd to 6th graders there is time to learn about prayer, individualized Hebrew reading and language instruction, and t’filah(praying). In 7th grade students continue with in depth study of Torah, Pirke Avot, on Tuesday evenings and Ethics and Holocaust studies as well as time to learn about the Israeli National Sports Teams and other Israeli sports on Sunday mornings. But learning for our students does not stop in the 7th grade.

Learning in 8th grade continues beginning with service learning in the SPARK program for 8th graders and mature adults from our own Sinai community, a trimester on our local Jewish community and another trimester on peer relationships and ethical social behavior. In 9th grade we begin the year with some straight talk about sexual ethics from a Reform Jewish perspective, and continue the year with Judaism in politics and social action. During the 9th grade students have an opportunity to travel to the Religious Action Center in Washington D.C. for an in depth experience with the politics of social action. Students in grades 11 and 12 are also invited to join the 9th graders on this trip. Check it out http://rac.org/confprog/ltaken. Of course the end to formal educational programming for students at Sinai is the incredible year students spend learning with the Rabbi. Sorry, no info-you have to experience it to be in the know!

So, just in case you were wondering what our kids are doing here this has been your introduction. Want to know more…come by and see us some time.

Shalom Chaverim

Shalom Chaverim

I hope everyone had a safe summer with a little time for relaxation. Before anything else I want to make special mention of two people who worked very hard last school year and were inadvertently left off of my thank you list this past spring. So, a huge thank you to Gloria Wald who facilitated a story time chug for Kindergarteners each week, and to Ariel Miller who worked hard as a madrikh (teacher’s aide) in fifth grade. As I am writing this, I along with Phyllis Katz and Yael Hoffman, am preparing to attend the CAJE (Conference on Alternatives in Jewish Education)conference in Burlington,VT. I am looking forward to learning with educators from around the country and hope that I will be able to share new information to continue to improve learning at Sinai.

Religious School begins on September 14^th and Hebrew classes begin September 16^th and 18^th respectively. In our endeavor to continue to improve the education we offer our students, adjustments to the Chug portion of our Sunday program have been made, as well as a change to the time for Thursday Hebrew classes. The time change, on Thursday only, is from the previous time of 3:30-5:00 to 4:00p.m.-5:30p.m. This has been done to offer an option that we hope will better accommodate those students who travel a distance, get out of school a little later or, for whatever reason, will find it easier to get here a little later.

I look forward to greeting all of our students as they return to their religious studies and wish you and your families a happy, healthy and successful 5769.

Shalom Chaverim

It is hard to believe that the end of the school year is around the corner. It has been a year of change and a year of accomplishment for our students. The recent return of our ninth grade students from the Religious Action Center in Washington D.C., the sixth graders’ return from their annual retreat and their Service this month, and the upcoming Confirmation of our 10th graders in June, all mark milestones in their Jewish education, milestones for which we are very proud of them all. Our kindergarten through fifth grade students have also been working very hard this year and we hope their continued progress is a source of pride for them and for their families. Our first year of Rosh Chodesh:It’s A Girl Thing was a huge success, and the girls are all looking forward to continuing the program next year.

We still have several weeks to go, weeks full of learning and fun. Part of our final few weeks will be a school wide Blue and White Olympics, part of our Israel@60 celebration. We hope all of our students will be here to participate in the fun.

Please remember, registration for the 5769 school year is underway. Early registration is important so that we can plan programming and staffing appropriate for all students.

L’Shalom

Things are going well in Religious School and Hebrew School. We are well into our second year using Mitkadem and I am very pleased with the success of our students. Home practice is an integral part of success for the children. Each child from grade 3 to grade 6 should have a home reading page for each of the ramot (levels) that they study which should be practiced at home. Support for these reading pages can be found at http://urj.org:80/chai/mitkadem/ramot/audio/. Just a word of caution, some of the chanting is not reflective of the manner in which we chant our prayers and blessings here at Sinai. The children should know the difference. If not, please feel free to call and I will alert you to which ones are the best to utilize.

On another topic, please look for an article in the April Bulletin on the Rosh Hodesh girls program. I think we have found a winner! Each group is a two year cycle. We will be starting another group in the fall of ‘09. If you are, or have, a fourth or fifth grade girl, you/they will be the right age, just in time for the new group. Keep watching for new information. Time flies when you are not paying attention. I hope to see you on Purim, Thursday, March 20th, at 6:00 p.m.

Well, anyone who knows me moderately well knows that just the thought of getting on an airplane is cause for much anxiety. This past December I faced that fear and got myself to the URJ Biennial in San Diego. It was an experience not quite like anything I had previously experienced. I learned from our own Reform scholars, I enjoyed entertainment, I met interesting synagogue leaders from all over the U.S, and Canada (including Alaska), but more awe inspiring than anything was the opportunity to spend Shabbat with 5,000 other Reform Jews. That is an experience that can not be described, it is a feeling of such deep spirituality that words do it no justice. So I thank all who encouraged me to go. To our students I offer the ruach (spirit) and knowledge gained as a result of that experience and hope that someday they will not only be able to, but will want to experience this incredible event.

Speaking of worthwhile experiences, our 7th grade students will be lucky to attend a Shul-In at Temple Ohabei Shalom in Brookline this month. I hope this is the first of many youth group experiences for them. In addition, our 6th and 7th grade girls have been enjoy- ing their Rosh Hodesh/It's A Girl Thing, meetings with facilitator Erica Brunette, and our 8th graders finished their first semester engaging in study and activities with some of our own Sinai Temple senior citizens using the SPARK/HeartAction program as a basis for their meet- ings. Learning at Sinai continues to change and grow as Sinai continues to change and grow. If you have ques- tions or are interested in finding out more about these and other of our wonderful and interesting programs please call or just drop in to chat.

Finally, thank you to the Brotherhood who supplied dreydles and gelt for students in the Religious School during our Chanukah celebrations.

As I sit here amidst ice and cold I am looking forward to the spring and the lovely blooms outside my office window. While I am dreaming of spring 2008, I am also thinking about what a wonderful month December, 2007 was. Our Chanukah family program was a great success and what fun the grades 7/8 and 9/10 joint Chanukah programs were. Some of the events coming up this month are our monthly Family Service on Janu- ary 8, the special Shabbat PACT for 3rd and 4th graders and their parents, and the 7th grade PACT on January20. Parents of 9th graders should be watching for informa- tion on the 9th grade trip to the Religious Action Center in Washington D.C., April 4-7, and parents of 6th graders should be watching for information regarding the 6th grade Retreat at Camp Eisner, April 11-13.

New this month, Charyne Cordeiro, who has been teaching 3rd grade on Thursdays will now also be teaching 3rd grade on Tuesdays, and I would like to welcome Melissa Mollen to our teaching staff. Melissa holds a Bachelors Degree from Brandeis University in Political Science and is currently attending WNEC Law School. Melissa is teaching Hebrew on Sunday mornings and will be preparing our 9th graders for their trip to the Religious Action Center in Washington D.C. Sometime over this month I will finally have had time to process my time at the URJ Biennial in San Diego and am anxious to share some of my incredible experiences with you in the February bulletin. Stay warm. November 2007

With the holidays beyond us and the year in full swing, I am happy to report that our first family program with performers Renee Brachfeld and Mark Novak was a huge success. Students in Kindergarten through sixth grade spent an entire Sunday morning in various workshops with them, and our seventh graders and parents joined in for an hour of fun and entertainment. Once again I would like to thank the family of George Katz for honoring his memory with this gift. While I am in thank you mode I would also like to thank Joel Cohen, for a gift in memory of Marilyn, allowing us to purchase library carts for the religious school.
Mazel Tov to our first graders and their parents celebrating their Consecration during last month’s Simchat Torah service. Our eighth graders and SPARK adults are enjoying learning and doing mitzvoth together, our ninth grade class has been enjoying their Wednesday evenings, and students and teachers are enjoying the challenge and fun of chugim on Sunday mornings.
Coming this month is a Shabbat Dinner for Kindergarten through second grade families, on November 2nd. There will be no classes on Sundays November 11 and 25 and Wednesday and Thursday November 21 and 22. Remember, 3rd and 4th grade families, the Hall of Fame awaits your name to be added to this year’s list. Family service at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, November 2nd.

The opening of Religious School was fabulous, with students and teachers excited to greet the new year. Over the past year or so, the education programs for students in Kindergarten through 9th grade have undergone a number of changes, but we are not quite done yet. Watch for continued changes in our kindergarten, and if you have a chance, take a peek in the art room. The new lighting (and tables arriving very soon) make the space more useful and pleasant. I hope to make 5768 the best year yet for our students. Adding to our improved middle and high school programming is, thanks to a generous gift from Daryl and Lynn Schwartz, the new Rosh Hodesh; It’s A Girl Thing program for 6th and 7th grade girls. If you have or are a girl that is in 6th or 7th grade that has not yet joined this wonderful group, it’s not too late. Also, for 8th and 9th graders that have not yet been able to sign up for this year, it’s not too late for that either. It would be a shame for you to miss out. If you have questions about these programs please feel free to call me. Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to welcome returning and new staff. I am looking forward to sharing the unique qualities each staff member brings to their students here at Sinai over the upcoming month. I wish you all a happy, healthy and successful 5768.

Shalom Chaverim,
It’s finally here! Single Session Sunday is beginning in just a few days. Here are some of the highlights the children of Sinai will experience this month. Many will
have an opportunity to learn in Chugim (special interest groups) that they have selected based on personal interest. During Religious School, on September 30,
thanks to the generosity of Joan Katz and family, singers and story sellers xtraordinaire Renee Brachfeld and Mark Novak will join us for a very special family program. What’s more, activities introducing our celebration of Israel @ 60 will take place in a few weeks. In addition, we will be introducing a new program for girls in 6th and 7th grades called “Rosh Hodesh-It’s A Girl Thing”. If you have a daughter in those grades, she will soon be receiving information about this program made possible by a gift from Daryl and Lynn Schwartz.
I hope you have had a wonderful summer and I am looking forward to seeing you all on Sunday, September 9th. (And don’t forget. Our September Family Service takes place Friday night, September 7th. Hope to see you there.)