Hello Families,
We began walking through The Great Hall, noticing how different the shapes, animals, and figures were in each gallery as we moved from Iranian art to the Far East Collection. When we arrived at the Astor Gallery Chinese Garden, the students were very respectful to the peaceful space. We staggered our entrance into the space so that we could enter alone, and find a spot to reflect and draw. We learned that circles represent the universe and the squares represent the earth in Chinese symbolism. Our students noticed the importance of light, water, and nature in the space, and then found shapes and patterns in the gardens imagining the many different meanings behind them.
We had a wonderful Field Trip day at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It was an inspiring experience to see the work through our classes' unique and ever-observant eyes. As we will begin to learn about Solomon and his Temple in our upcoming cycle at Havurah, we thought it would be wonderful to start the curriculum by learning about different spaces of meditation, prayer, and reflection at the Met Museum.
We began walking through The Great Hall, noticing how different the shapes, animals, and figures were in each gallery as we moved from Iranian art to the Far East Collection. When we arrived at the Astor Gallery Chinese Garden, the students were very respectful to the peaceful space. We staggered our entrance into the space so that we could enter alone, and find a spot to reflect and draw. We learned that circles represent the universe and the squares represent the earth in Chinese symbolism. Our students noticed the importance of light, water, and nature in the space, and then found shapes and patterns in the gardens imagining the many different meanings behind them.
Afterwards, we went to see a beautiful Mihrab from Iran. A Mihrab is a semicircular niche in the wall of a mosque that indicates the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca, the direction that Muslims should face when praying. We discussed our own experiences of prayer in a Jewish Synagogue; what was in our place of worship and what kinds of rituals we practiced when we were there. We tried posing our bodies in the many different ways people pray, and discovered some of the similarities between Islam and Judaism including the ritual of washing, or becoming clean, before entering a space of prayer, and the use of patterns, stars, and illuminated manuscript.
We concluded our lesson by explaining the connections this experience will have to our classroom learning for our next cycle, as we will be considering what our perfect place of worship would and should contain. Which shapes could we find there? Should there be nature, and if so, what kind? What would make the most peaceful space to think?
We are so looking forward to continue the fantastic conversations we started at the Met and wish you all a Chag Sameach (Happy Holiday) and Chanukah Sameach (Happy Chanukah) this week.
Thanks so much and have a wonderful week,
Oliver and Ali
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