Our Final Week in School Together

This final week of school was one filled with transition and fun. During the weekday sessions, our sixth graders made the final transition to becoming 7th graders by meeting with Jory in the official 7th grade territory - the Youth Lounge. For half an hour, Jory painted a picture for them of what they could expect to do and learn beginning in the fall. The students found comfy spots to sit on the sofas and easy chairs while they listened to Jory and asked lots and lots and lots of questions about the coming year. Many of our 6th graders have been in my Edot class for two years, and it's hard to say goodbye to them. Hopefully, I'll see them all during the year at all-school events and during second semester, when our 6th graders will join 7th graders for tefillah service up in the Sanctuary.

Following their meeting with Jory, they joined the fifth graders for our final hafsaka (recess) of the school year.

Sure we have an entire lawn for everyone to play on - but why spread out when you can squoosh into a tiny space and have just as much fun!

Of course, some kids prefer to have open space to run around, and even just to schmooze.

And finally, it was the big day - our Spring Fling. I finished reading "The Circlemaker." For those students who couldn't join us, I promised I would let you know how the story ends in my blog.   SPOILER ALERT - don't read the next paragraph if you want to finish reading the book yourself!!!

Mendel convinces Sandor (the owner of the farm in Hungary to which he and Dovid escaped) to take him to Salzburg, a city on the German-Hungarian border. In Salzburg, Sandor is able to get a passport and ship ticket for Mendel to America. He also converts Mendel's hundred rubles to German deutsch marks (the money they used in Germany), and gives Mendel a going-away gift - a wooden case that Sandor carved himself for Mendel to hold Zalman's knife. Once Mendel finally reaches Hamburg (just one day before his ship is supposed to sail to America!), he quickly goes to get his passport stamped with an exit visa (Sandor told him to do so because then the passport, which has probably been forged, will look official to the American immigration officials). But he's told he has to go through a health inspection first the next day. The health inspector convinces Mendel that because he has lice in his hair, he won't be able to pass the inspection before the boat sails, unless Mendel gives him all the money he has (45 marks) so he can put him in the "urgent line." Mendel does so, but discovers that the inspector pocketed all the money and he really didn't have lice. Now he doesn't have any money left. He finds the ship he's supposed to sail on (the "Hamburg Queen") and boards her. The steerage quarters are crammed with 2,000 travelers, so Mendel decides to sleep on the deck, even though it's cold. The book ends as the anchor is lifted and the sails are unfurled. As the ship sails away from Hamburg, Mendel remembers his parents and Zalman and his home in Molovsk, and realizes that he will likely never see them again. But he remembers his father's words about the power of the circle (hence the title of the book), and knows that just as a traveler can sail around the world and end up in the same place, so he, too, will return to Molovsk - in his heart if not in person - and he will share his memories and traditions and values with his children and grandchildren, and will close the circle, as his ancestors did before him. 

END OF STORY. 

Then it was time to play the Shekel Game. Lots of fun, lots of laughing, lots of money! 

The hour went fast, and it was time to go up to the Sanctuary, to join the rest of the school for our Spring Fling concert with Peri Smilow. 

This is the first time that many of us have seen and heard Peri Smilow, and she didn't disappoint. She got us all involved in singing and moving in rhythm with her from beginning to end. Erin and her Shira students joined Peri up on the bima, joining her in singing some of her songs, and Jory joined her on the bima as well, to help lead everyone in the Sanctuary in singing a joyful "Heveinu Shalom Aleichem."

SHALOM ALEICHEM - we say it in Hebrew when we greet someone, and again when we say goodbye. So even as I'm saying goodbye to you all for the summer, I'm looking forward already to saying hello again in the fall.