Spring Fling

Our final day of Religious School yesterday was a great success in every respect.

During the first hour, our Edot students finally found out what happened to the main characters in the story of the "Family Y Aguilar," which I've been reading to them this semester. I won't give away the ending; hopefully, you'll have a chance to read the novel, written in the 19th century in Germany. The language is a bit stilted, but the story is a gripping one, and chock-filled with details about the life of the secret Jews in Spain during the 17th century.

Immediately following the story, we played our final Shekel Game of the year. This game is always a big hit with the students. They bet a certain amount of shekels that they can answer a question correctly as a group (questions come from the material we've learned during the entire year in Hebrew, Siddur (Prayerbook) and Blessings, Jewish History, Jewish Holidays and the Jewish Calendar, Edot, and the story we've been reading). The one question all the groups answered incorrectly was, "What does the name of the holiday Tu Bish'vat" mean?"  They all gave some form of the answer, "The birthday of the trees."  WRONG!  The name of the holiday is actually the date of the holiday - the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Sh'vat. It celebrates the "birthday of the trees," but that's not the translation of the name. Thankfully, the students were able to recall almost everything that we learned this year, and had a terrific time doing so.

Group huddle, to be sure everyone agrees on the answer

Thirty seconds to answer, after the question has been read; Michael, our TA, is waiting to find out if he pays what they bet if they answer correctly, or takes the amount they bet if they answer incorrectly

The reporter (Stephen) is giving the answer the group has decided upon

And then it was time to "l'nakot" (clean up) and head up to the Sanctuary, where the entire school gathered for our annual Spring Fling concert. This year, Dan Nichols (whom the Spring Fling organizers had to book two years in advance!) performed many of his popular songs, as well as some that many of us had never heard before. He didn't disappoint!  And very few people were able to sit still. We sang, we danced, we clapped - and the one hour that he performed seemed more like a few minutes.

 

And after the concert was over, it was time to move into the Social Hall for the barbeque and entertainment by our own Kleztones!  Lots of food, lots of music, and lots of fun in the bounce house on the lawn and playing gaga.

And so the 5774 Religious School year has come to an end. Hopefully, you all have as many good memories as I do of what we accomplished during the year in the classroom, during our family workshops, and at Temple Isaiah events. Enjoy the summer, and I look forward to greeting you all again in September.

SHALOM V'L'HITRA'OT!

...and one last plug for the Hebrew Elective Cookbook - you can purchase it for $18.00 (chai!) and enjoy a summer of learning and practicing Hebrew in a fun and delicious way with the entire "mishpacha" (family). Why wait until the fall?!

Ask for it in the Religious School office