Wanderings

What's all this mishigas?!

Jewish History - Ashkenazi Jews
 At this point in our unit on European Jewish history, the students are learning how the Jews actually got to Europe in the first place.  They learned that, during the Roman Empire, Jews moved to various parts of Europe, and those that moved to the area of the Rhine River, in Germany and Northern France, would eventually become known as Ashkenazi Jews.  We have been studying Ashkenazi music, and this week we learned a bit about their language,Yiddish.  The students already knew a few Yiddish words, and were surprised to learn that the language is primarily derived from German and Hebrew.

 After watching a powerpoint presentation about the Ashkenazi Jews, the students chose a "beat" using the Rap To Beats app.  Then, each class wrote collective lyrics for a rap song (yes, a rap) about the Ashkenazim in Eastern Europe.  Look for it on this blog soon!
 Hebrew:  
In Hebrew through Movement, we have been adding to our growing vocabulary, while the students made "symbolic salad" in cooking class, practicing their Hebrew culinary words!

Music:
With Cantor Korn, the students of Junior Choir are learning many new songs, including "Open":

With Joel, we are all singing many songs, familiar and new.

Next week, we will be recording our "Ashkenazi Rap," so be sure to be in class so your voice can be heard!

Simcha!

 

Simcha means joy!!  And we have been celebrating the simcha of Sukkot and Simchat Torah this week!  To begin with, each student had a chance to shake the lulav and etrog in the sukkah.  We all agreed that it is a very weird, but kinda cool tradition, as we recited the bracha (blessing) and shook away in six different directions.  When we discussed the meaning of this tradition, the kids came up with some interesting answers: - it represents the different aspects of our personality
- it shows the many ways we can, and should, do the mitzvot
- it points out that God is everywhere
- it represents a connection to the ancient Hebrews

  After learning all about Sukkot customs, we had a chance to sing and dance with the (little) Torah in preparation for Simchat Torah on Wednesday night.  The students carried the Torahs and enjoyed dancing around the classroom before unrolling one of the small Torahs to see how far it stretched around the room!
We listened to and watched a moving rendition of a song about the life of a Torah made 170 years ago in Kiev. The song, "The Place Where I Belong," is performed by Russian vocalist Stanislas Vitort, and served as a jumping off point for several meaningful discussions.  We talked about the trials and tribulations of Eastern European Jews in the 19th and 20th centuries, and why the Torah is such an important thread that keeps the Jewish community together.. Here is a link to the video on YouTube:

 

This week, Joel brought some lively Simchat Torah songs to Shira, including a Sukkot rendition of "My Favorite Things!"

   

High Holy Days

     This week, the Shira class has been busy getting to know each other, and learning about our High Holy Day traditions.  We had a chance to create our own "tashlich" boats, in which the students placed pieces of paper with their "teshuvah baggage" that they would like to send away. 

     In cooking class, the students made delicious honey cake, adding to their Hebrew cooking vocabulary as well as learning the fine art of baking!  

     On a musical note (pun intended), we explored a very "Jewish sounding" mode, the Ahava Rabah (or Phrygian) mode, which is the basis for so many liturgical and klezmer tunes. After playing the mode on the piano apps on my phone, the students listened to examples of music in this mode, and created a work of art expressing the "many moods" of the Ahava Rabah mode.  

     The Junior Choir is making wonderful music with Cantor Korn, and are really beginning to come together as a musical group! They are learning a new version of "Oseh Shalom," among other songs.

     Finally, we began the first in a series of lessons with Cantor Korn about cantillation.  The Shira class is the only 5th/6th grade class to get a head start on their bar/bat mitzvah training in this way, and they are very excited about it!  Ask your child to sing the first series of notes from the "Mercha/Tipcha/Munach/Etnachta" group to you!

Cantor Korn introduces the class to the art of cantillation!

Thinking about writing a lyric to chant

Making our "USS Tashlich" boats

How does klezmer music make you feel?

Reacting to music through art - the Many Moods of the Ahava Rabah Mode

A lesson in how to play the bodhran!

Junior choir practice

Making honey cake in the cooking elective!  Yummy!

Hafsakah - recess!

Our growing Shira library

Tradition!

(a.k.a. Minhag!)

This week's focus is on Jewish tradition, or minhagim.  The students are beginning to look at some of our traditions here at Temple Isaiah, and those that you practice in your homes.  They are comparing those "contemporary" traditions to the traditions practiced by Eastern European Ashkenazi Jews in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.  

To make the comparison, we are watching scenes from Fiddler on the Roof (which the students are very excited about), and determining which traditions are still practiced by Reform Jews today, and which are not.

 

   These traditions might include wearing tzitzit daily...


...or reciting the prayer over the Shabbat candles. 


On Sunday, the students also  looked at some of our own holiday traditions, and created short "songs" using the Smule app.  Have a listen here:
Hanukkah song
Sukkot song 
Rosh Hashana song 
 Shabbat song
Purim song
Passover song

New Beginnings

It may still feel like summer, but Temple Isaiah Religious School classes are once again in full swing!

On Sunday, Shira students, old and new, gathered to learn about what our class will be doing this year, and how we will incorporate music and video into our lessons.  To illustrate how music can be made from just about anything, I recorded our TA, Max, saying "I'm Max, and I'm the best T.A. ever!"  Here is the result, using one of the apps (Songify) on my phone:
Songify example

After exploring the possibilities of making music on a smart phone, we played some silly "getting to know you" games. (Ask your children how many times they can hop backwards on one foot and sing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star!")  To wrap it all up, the students made their first contributions to our "Music Is" wall by creating rainbow artwork that illustrates one aspect of music that makes it an important part of our lives.

We will begin our first unit, "The Jews in Europe" on Tuesday and Wednesday this week. Until then,
Shalom!
 - Erin

2013/14 Shira Video - Friday Night Lights