Orange Cake and Special Purim Posters

These past two week day sessions were very busy for the Edot students. Thankfully, we did have a wonderful break between our two main activities - we were able to enjoy a sun-filled hafsaka (recess) up on the lawn outside the Sanctuary with the other 5th and 6th graders, just before it was time to go to tefillah (prayer service).

As soon as the school bell rang at 4 p.m., we all marched upstairs to the Oneg Room next to the Social Hall, where 8 tables were set with the tools and ingredients needed to make a simple and incredibly delicious orange cake. One would think that with just a few days left until Purim, we'd be preparing hamantashen. Unfortunately, our half hour cooking session really isn't enough time to prepare the tasty Purim treats, and besides, Wednesday evening Noar Night students prepared a good amount of dough for hamantashen - enough for about 300 people! Of course, you'll have a chance to taste those at our Purim Carnival on Sunday.

On Tuesday, Miriam and Tricia, two wonderful volunteers from our Isaiah community, guided us in the baking session while Karen, who usually leads the Tuesday sessions was out of town. Here's Miriam showing us the correct way to grate an orange for its zest.

Karen came back in time to lead the session on Wednesday since Stephanie was out of town. Here's Karen showing us how to grate the orange peel.

As soon as all the directions were given, the students went to the tables and began the process.

First, check the recipe to make sure you have all the ingredients...

...and all the tools you'll need.

Now it's time to grate...

...and grate - lots of grating!

Put the dry ingredients into the bowl first...

...even as one member of the team is still grating!

Measure the flour, and sugar carefully!

Stir the dry ingredients together.

Then have one or more team members go up to the main table and add in the baking soda, baking powder, vegetable oil and orange juice.

Once you've stirred it all together lightly in the bowl, it's time to transfer the batter over to the baking pan.

The entire procedure has only taken about 15 minutes; now it's ready for the oven.

While our volunteers were putting the pans into the oven and cleaning up, the students and teachers went outside to enjoy about 15 minutes of glorious sunshine during hafsaka (recess).

Some jump-roped...

...Erin has become the master jump rope "detangler"!

Others gathered on the lawn, getting ready for a ball game.

A few tried their Chinese jump rope skills.

And others chose to find a sunny spot and absorb the rays.

During tefillah over the past couple of weeks, Rabbi Greninger has been guiding the 3rd-5th graders in creating hand signs to help them remember the "V'Ahavta" prayer. Line by line, she has read and translated the words of the prayer, and students have suggested signs they can use to help them remember it. This past week they almost finished the process, getting up to the last few words of the prayer which will be completed next week. Here is the result so far:

This was the first week day tefillah session that the fifth graders were able to use their new siddurim with the lovely book covers that they had decorated at the workshop last Sunday.

We finished off the session each day in our own Edot classroom. We reviewed the Purim story as written in Megillat Esther (the Scroll of Esther), and then I introduced the students to "Special Purims." Just as the original Purim story recounts how the Jewish community of Persia was saved from certain destruction at the very last minute by what seemed like a miracle, so, too, have Jewish communities around the world experienced last-minute reprieves. There are approximately 60 such events recorded by the communities or individuals involved, and these are celebrated annually with "special" Purim celebrations. I read the account of one of these Special Purims to the class - "The Purim of Fossano (Italy)," also known as "The Miracle of the Bomb."

Then I assigned other Special Purims to the students (who divided into groups). They were asked to read the story of their assigned Special Purim, then design a poster which would share the danger the Jews faced, as well as the way they decided to celebrate annually their "miraculous" salvation from certain destruction.

Gabe and Jack were assigned the "Purim of Fettmilch" which took place in Germany in 1648.

Zach C., Zach H. and Jeremy worked on a poster depicting "Curtain Purim," which took place in Prague in 1623.

Here's Michael working on "The Miracle of the Bomb," which took place in Fossano, Italy in 1794.

And Rona is designing the poster for "Purim of the Poisoned Sword," which took place in Germany in 1807.

The posters are hanging on the wall in the hallway outside our classroom for all who pass by to learn about "Special Purims."

I hope to see as many of you as possible at the LAFTY Purim Carnival this coming Sunday. Remember that we'll start off the morning in our classroom from 9:00-9:45 a.m., then we'll go upstairs to the Sanctuary to join parents and friends where we'll watch the "Frozen" Purim spiel put on by our faculty and staff members, sing Purim songs, and participate in a youth parade. And from 10:30 to 12:30 we'll enjoy all the games and food and fun that our LAFTY members have prepared for us, including a silent auction.