alef–Tu B’Shevat Seder 2-12-17
Posted on February 13, 2017
Dear alef families:
I’m glad the children were able to get to the Temple this morning. For tefillah with the kindergarten, Cheryl Gelfand led the service (in the Cantor’s absence). I sang several Tu B’Shevat songs, such as Trees are Blowing in the Wind and Tree of Life. Three students—Tahlia, Alia, and Olivia held the Israel flag for Hatikvah.
HEBREW: Our Hebrew letter today was ק “koof”. Some words beginning with קare “keshet” (rainbow, as in the Noah story) , kiddush, kehillah (gathering), and “kof” (monkey). We then picked out letters from our review packs.
STORY: I read The Littlest Tree. Other trees dreamed of becoming the bima, the ark, and the walls of the new synagogue.They made fun of the littlest tree, imagining him as a chair leg or a door knob. However, the tree was chosen to be the Etz Hayim, the rollers of the new Torah scroll! We still refer to both the Torah and the rollers as Etz Hayim.
SPECIAL EVENT: Cheryl and I read parts of a seder for the children. After the brachot, we drank four cups of juice—white for winter, add a little “pink” for spring, add more pink for summer. The final cup is all red for the rich colors of fall. We tasted different kinds of food, accompanied by the bracha for fruit of the tree. The first fruit is one which you peel—clementines. The second fruit has a pit that you cannot eat. Because of the season and allergies, we substituted apples. For entirely edible fruit, we ate strawberries and seedless grapes.
Cheryl and I led discussions of sections of the Torah—do not cut down trees of your enemies in war, let the land lie fallow the seventh year, etc.
After a break for games and books, the class played Azero, my holiday bingo game. Then with Shalom Chaverim, a handshake, sticker, and reinforcement paper, it was time to go home.
NOTE—NO CLASS THE NEXT TWO SUNDAYS. I WILL SEE YOU IN MARCH. March is also our month for the JF and CS contribution, arranged by Gesher. They hope that each alef family will bring in two 4-roll packs of toilet paper.
FOR MORE PICTURES, REFER TO THE EMAIL I AM SENDING.
Judy and Cheryl (Esther and Tzipporah)