Dear First Grade Aleph Havurah Families!
We had a colorful and creative class this past Saturday continuing our discussion of Noah's Ark. We started class with our junior engineers using simple objects to make rainbows. Using a CD, flashlight, clear container of water, and a piece of paper, and no instructions, the group found all sorts of ways to make rainbows reflect onto our paper, into the water, onto the table and even onto ourselves! It was a really cool experiment. James then suggested to put all of our CDs "together in a rainbow shape". The results were magical, reflecting rainbows all over the classroom.
We then had our STEAM holiday specialty with Reuben where he helped us make Mishloach Manot, gifts to give to our loved ones for Purim. Using different sizes and colors of legos, we each designed and built our own lego frames and wrote a card for the gift as well. Some students, like Charles and Alexa, opted for function with their frames, making them mobile by attaching wheels or wings. Others favored form- for example, Jacob made a special Golden State Warriors Frame for his Mishloach Manot using Blue, Yellow, and White legos.
After making our frames, we thanked Reuben and headed back to our classroom for our Shabbat Rituals, a favorite of which is connecting to and blessing the challah while all linking to one another.
We gathered to review what we remembered from the story of Noah's Ark that ends with a rainbow and a promise from God to never flood the earth again. We thought about when we normally see rainbows and why God used a rainbow as a symbolfor this promise? We spoke about how the rainbow was a promise to protect all the people of the earth, not just the Jewish people and how even if we make mistakes, it's still important to try and keep our promises.
We then thought about what kind of promises we want to make to others around us and to ourselves. Each of us made as many promises as we could, writing them out on post-its of every color and filling up our own post-it rainbow of promises! Promises were anonymous, though some included:
"I promise I love you"
"I promise to play with you on Monday"
"I promise not to lie"
"I promise to respect all living things"
"I promise to not litter"
"I will not be bossy again"
"I promise that the well will never ever break"
"I promise to still be nice to everyone"
"I will love my sister"
"I Promise to never say bad words again"
"I will never argue with my friends again"
"I promise to help my sisters"
"I promise to look out for my friends and family"
"I promise to help each and others"
We finished a fantastic, fun-filled, and colorful day by joining the other First Grade Havurah students for an active singing session with Music with Megan!
The second grade has begun a Tzedakah Harvest, through which they are collecting coins to give to charity. For the remainder of the year, the second graders will be visiting each Havurah class to pick up tzedakah from those who bring. Can you help Havurah's second grade support this important cause by sending your children to Havurah each week with coins to donate?
They talked all about social justice issues that matter to them and after meeting with a panel of representatives from related organizations across New York, they decided to donate the proceeds to Neighbors Together. Neighbors Together is a soup kitchen devoted to ending hunger in some of the lowest income areas of New York City. In addition to feeding people in need, they investigate the root causes of poverty and provide a range of programs to help people get back on their feet.
A few calendar reminders for the remainder of March and April:
March 16 + 22: No Havurah - Spring Break
March 30, April 6, April 13: Regular Havurah Classes
Please remember to bring in coins for the second grade tzedakah harvest!
April 20 + 27: No Havurah - Passover Break
Thank you so much to all and wishing a wonderful break!
Lots of Ahava,
Oliver & Ali
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