Yom Ha'Shoah v'Yom Ha'atzma'ut

Immediately following the Pesach holiday, we observe and celebrate two very important dates on the Jewish calendar - Holocaust Memorial Day and Israel's Independence Day (Yom Ha'Shoah and Yom Ha'atzma'ut, respectively). The first commemorates the millions who lost their lives during the blackest period in modern Jewish history; the second celebrates the establishment of the modern State of Israel, 67 years ago this year. There is actually one more observance on the Jewish calendar we must take note of - Israel's Memorial Day (Yom Ha'Zeekaron), during which Israelis honor the memory of those who lost their lives defending Israel. This day is observed the day before Yom Ha'Atzma'ut.

This past Tuesday and Wednesday sessions, we observed Yom Ha'shoah in our Edot classroom. First, I introduced the students to a general timeline of historical events in Europe between the two World Wars. We discussed the Versaille Treaty of 1919 after World War I in particular, and tried to understand how the terms of that Treaty might have caused Germans to feel humiliated by depriving so many of them of basic means of support. While America and much of Europe experienced an economic boom during the "Roaring '20's," many Germans were unemployed and stood on soup lines. It should not have come as a surprise when someone like Hitler caught their attention by promising them a return to their past days of glory, and providing them with bread and housing that they so desperately needed. I then shared a half-hour presentation I created some years ago, using video segments and a multi-media presentation from the "Heritage: Civilization and the Jews" dvd-rom program. This presentation showed the progression of events we had discussed earlier through eyewitness accounts and newsreel films (all age appropriate for the Edot students). The presentation ended with a speech by Elie Wiesel, sharing how we had every reason to give up on mankind and even on God after the Holocaust, but that we will not do so.

Yesterday, we turned our attention to Yom Ha'atzma'ut (which is this coming Thursday, April 23). Using Hebrew Through Movement commands, I had each student draw a flag of Israel. Once we had accomplished this task, I took a few moments to ask the students what they recalled of the history of each of the Edot we have studied this year - the American edah, Ashkenazi (eastern European) edah, Indian and Moroccan edot. In every case, the students all remembered that many members of each edah have moved to Israel. At this point, I asked the students to consider what Israel means to them, now that they've learned some of the history of the edot. Volunteers shared their thoughts, and then I asked the students to each write on the empty spaces on the flag they had just drawn one or two sentences sharing what Israel means to them. I'll be hanging these flags on the bulletin board next to Room 202.

 

First, we reviewed previous vocabulary - koolam l'hatzbee'a al degel shel m'deenat yeesra'el (everyone point to the flag of the State of Israel)

Koolam l'hareem yada'eem (Everyone raise hands)

Then it was time to introduce new vocabulary - after teaching the words for drawing (l'tzayer), line (kav), blue (kachol), and triangle (me'shoolash), I commanded "l'tzayer kav kachol l'mahla al ha'neeyar ha'lavan" (Draw a blue line on top on the white paper)

Achshav, l'tzayer kav kachol l'mata al ha'neeyar ha'lavan (Now, draw a blue line below on the white paper)

Achshav, l'tzayer meshoolash b'emtza ha'neeyar ha'lavan (Now, draw a triangle in the middle of the white paper); az, l'tzayer meshoolash ha'fooch me'al ha'meshoolash ha'rishon, al ha'neeyar ha'lavan (then, draw an upside down triangle on top of  the first triangle, on the white paper)

Et voila, degel kachol lavan - degel shel medeenat yeesra'el (And behold - OK, that part is in French! - the blue and white flag - the flag of the State of Israel)

And following our brief review of the history of the Edot which we have studied this year, the students considered and then wrote down what Israel means to them

Below are a few examples:

Yesterday, for the second week in a row, we were treated to a special Creative Tefillah service which some of our Edot sixth graders prepared with Rabbi Miller during the previous Wednesday session. This was the final Creative Tefillah session of this year, and the theme was "Singers."

Spencer L. and Jake W. introduce the "Barechu"

Jake V. introduces the "Sh'ma"

Danielle and Jennifer introduce the "V'Ahavta"

Morrie and Jason introduce the "Mi Chamocha"

  

Jennifer and Danielle introduce the "Avot v'Eemahot" blessing of the Amidah

The honor of opening and closing the Ark doors for the Aleynu prayer was given to all the sixth graders who participated in this week's Creative Tefillah.

A VERY BIG YASHER KOACH goes to all our Edot sixth graders who participated in the Creative Tefillah process and presentations this year. We're all very proud of you.