Skits and Posters

Once we completed our overview of the 2,500-year history of the Babylonian/Iraqi Jewish edah, it was time for the students to share what they had learned in the form of skits and posters dramatizing and illustrating major historical events, personalities and eras of the community's development.

At this point, I'd like to thank Greta and Alison for substituting for me on January 23rd and 24th (Greta) and on January 28th (Alison), while I was away in Denmark celebrating my sister-in-law's and brother-in-law's golden wedding anniversary. While I was away, they guided the students in writing the skits, which they'll be performing at our Chamsa Family Workshop on Sunday, February 11th (see notice we sent out about this workshop at the end of this post).

Over the past two weekday sessions, our Edot students were up to their elbows in paint, glue, and lots of other materials, creating posters we'll be using as backdrops for the skits.

As soon as I handed out the assignments, the students sketched an outline on the poster paper in pencil, then began to use materials they had agreed upon to bring the sketch "to life."

Some set right in to bring their vision to life...

...while others took more time deciding which materials to use, and then created the design based on what they chose.

Below are the comings and goings of the creative process captured by my TA's and myself :

And by the end of each session, the posters were completed. Below are the results of all the creative energy pictured above:

SIEGE OF JERUSALEM BY NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S ARMY

DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM AND HOLY TEMPLE

EXILES' MARCH FROM JERUSALEM TO BABYLON

AL NAHAROT BAVEL (BY THE RIVERS OF BABYLON)

JEREMIAH'S ADVICE TO THE EXILES IN BABYLON

SCENE FROM A BABYLONIAN TALMUDIC ACADEMY

THE RISE OF ISLAM

JEWISH ADOPTION OF CHAMSA AMULET

The posters are now hanging on a bulletin board in the hallway across from our classroom. I labelled the bulletin board, "SCENES FROM BABYLONIAN JEWISH HISTORY."

On Tuesday and Wednesday, we celebrated TU BISH'VAT (literally, the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Sh'vat), which began Tuesday evening and ended on Wednesday evening.

Between my reading of the novel at the start of each session and our Hebrew Through Movement activities (reviewing and introducing Tu Bish'vat vocabulary), we talked about the origins of the holiday as a harvest of tree fruits in ancient Israel, and how many centuries later, Lurianic Kabbalists (followers of Rabbi Isaac Luria of Safed, in Israel), added spiritual overtones with the teaching that we celebrate the original Tree of Life, from which all life emanates in our world. I described the Tu Bish'vat seder that they developed, which shares this teaching.

I look forward to seeing our 5th grade parents and students this coming Sunday in the Social Hall, where we will be holding a special "Hiddur Siddur" celebration as part of our B'nai Mitzvah series of workshops. Each fifth grader will be presented with his/her own Siddur, and will have the opportunity to decorate a cover for it. These prayer books will be kept in school the next two years, for use in our JQuest tefillah sessions on weekdays.

And please keep in mind that the following Sunday, February 11th, we will be holding our Family Chamsa Workshop in our classroom. Below are details we sent out by e-mail this past Monday:

During the month of January, our Edot students have been learning about the history and very rich culture of the Babylonian/Iraqi Jewish community. This edah (Diaspora Jewish community) traces its origins back to the Babylonian Exile in 586 B.C.E.  It thrived as empires rose and fell around it, and as new religions arose to both challenge and enrich its members. For centuries, this community was revered as the center of Jewish learning, and its religious leaders determined Jewish law for Jewish communities around the world. 

On Sunday, February 11^th, during our regular JQuest session, the students will share with you what they have learned in the format of a family workshop. As a culminating activity for this workshop, participating families will make a copper foil “Chamsa,” a centuries-old amulet which was first adopted by Iraqi Jews from their Muslim neighbors during the 8^th century C.E., and later by other Middle Eastern and North African Jewish communities.

Ideally, at least one parent will accompany each student to this workshop. The workshop will be held in our classroom, Room 201, in the Talmud Torah Building, from 9:00 to 10:25 a.m., at which point we will join the 3rd-6^th grade tefillah up in the Sanctuary.  This particular tefillah is the first of a series of “Creative Tefillah” services, led by our 6^th graders.

Please let me know as soon as possible, but no later than Sunday, February 4th, if you and your child(ren) can join us or not and, if so, how many of you will be coming. I will need to have exact numbers in order to have enough copper foil and other materials on hand.   

I hope you can join us.

     Charna