Each year, the start of January signals a time to reflect on our progress since September and look forward to a strong finish of the current school year. I feel the same about JLC. When we first began dreaming what a revision of JLC would look and feel like, Shabbat was always at the center of our vision. The sheer concept that families now come as a unit to Shomrei every week on Saturday morning is still an absolutely beautiful sight to witness. Our students are davening Shabbat morning prayers in their classrooms, with joy and enthusiasm. Our older students eagerly gather around a round table, examining the Torah, matching trope (the “musical notes” of the Torah, if you will) they learned in class to the actual markings in the Torah. Both classrooms bring the weekly Torah portion to life, using drama, creativity and engaging important leadership skills. We practice Hebrew words, learn new tunes and practice old ones, and most importantly, we are building a cheerful and dedicated Shabbat community. Above all, I am proud of this network of students and families that deepens by the week. We count on each other, reuniting every Saturday at Shomrei. Shabbat has always been about these connections for me, personally. I am overwhelmed seeing it replicated among our JLC students and their parents, as they feel more comfortable in the larger Shomrei community.
I want to take a moment to highlight the Hebrew learning happening in both our younger and older classrooms this year. Our younger students are introduced to a new Hebrew letter each week, as they match modern Hebrew words to that letter, practice speaking Hebrew phrases, and become familiar with the shape and sound of each letter. The beauty of this sort of learning? We can do the same activities with Hebrew, whether on a Wednesday or on Shabbat. Students who attend both days also find themselves serving as mentors in the classroom, as they introduce “Wednesday” concepts to their fellow classmates who only attend on Shabbat.
Our older students are taking an invaluable approach to Hebrew this year. Every student has an individualized Hebrew folder, filled with new work each week to challenge and excite them, based on their particular Hebrew level. From familiarity with prayers to focusing on the meaning of specific words, students are devling deeper than ever before. Several weeks ago, Morah Marita introduced a “Shoresh,” or root tree to our students. All Hebrew words are built on the foundation of a root word. Marita demonstrated how by finding and understanding the root letters hidden in a Hebrew word, they can be like detectives decoding the meaning of a larger Hebrew word. Students have been busy sorting key prayer words by root, which enables them to finally understand what is the meaning of a particular prayer. The root letters allow for faster and easier decoding of a bigger Hebrew passage, and students find reading an unfamiliar passage much easier with this new tool. They are coming into class each week, with a deeper appreciation for the Hebrew they are learning.
It is easy to miss how incredible this learning is. It is easy to get lost in the details. However, when we all take a step back and see how beautifully we are meeting our goal to create a vibrant, authentic Shabbat community, I truly have to take a moment to kvell. Judaism is alive for our students and families. What they do in their class has a purpose. I look forward with eager anticipation to see not only what the next few months will bring, but what these changes will mean for us in the long term. I have a feeling we will all benefit in the end.
- Passover Resources and Ideas for Kids - Thu, Mar 26, 2020
- Powerful Energy in Preschool and JLC - Thu, Jun 7, 2018
- Photo Gallery: A Beautiful Night at Shomrei - Mon, Dec 18, 2017