#28 updates

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Shaloh House Update #28 (5772) Friday, May 18, 2012 Light Candles at 7:45 pm Page # 1

Shaloh House

UPDATE May 18, 2012 26 Iyar, 5772 #28 The Shaloh House Jewish Dאy School Newsletter

END OF THE YEAR

CONCERT-PRESCHOOL FRI, JUN 8, 9 AM

OPEN HOUSE

MON, MAY 21, 10 AM

SHAVUOT,

SCHOOL CLOSED MON, MAY 28

Joy of Reading Hebrew

The Kindergarteners' Hebrew reading skills have ad-

vanced to the point that many can read now from any

text.

A few weeks ago, we began reading the Shma and other

prayers directly from the siddur.

This week, the children tried their skills out on a Jewish

adventure book called "HaMacharozet" ("The Necklace"),

as well as on Pirkei Avos (a book of Jewish values tradi-

tionally read at this time of year).

The children were so excited about their new skills that many of them gave up free play to continue reading

from Pirkei Avos!

At the same time, we began practicing the good advice we read in Pirkei Avos - like being quick as a deer to

do a good deed, and strong as a lion to stand up for what is right.

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Parshas Behar-Bechukotai

Effort That Really Counts

By Avraham Plotkin

As we conclude the third book of the Torah in syna-

gogues around the world this week, I am

reminded of the traditional prayer recited

upon completion of a tractate of the Tal-

mud. In it, we thank G-d for the great op-

portunity to toil in the study of Torah. The

prayer contains a line that goes like this:

“We toil and they toil. We toil and receive

reward, while they toil and don’t receive

reward.”1 The prayer is obviously contrast-

ing Torah study with all other activities and

forms of work: while Torah study offers

meaningful compensation, other endeavors

don’t.

But this needs further explanation. Is this

really so? Is there really no meaningful

compensation in other fields of work? Last

I heard, people were being compensated in other areas

as well! So, how does Torah study differ?

The explanation lies in careful examination of the words

of the prayer: “. . .they toil and receive no reward.” Why

did the author of this prayer of thanksgiving choose the

word “toil” as opposed to, let’s say, “work” or “achieve”?

The answer, I believe, is that Torah study is all about the

effort and the “toiling,” in contrast with other endeavors

or sciences, where the main focus is on accomplishment

and the final product.

Torah study is mostly about the means, not so much

about the ends. In other areas of life, who cares about

your toiling? Toiling is just a means to an end. There is

no reward for hard work and shvitzing. In fact, if you

could accomplish the same job without toiling, that

would be just as good. No extra reward is given for the

toiling. It is mostly the results that count! In Torah

study, however, it’s the opposite. Even if you were to toil

in Torah study without any tangible results, that itself is

worthy of reward!

The reason for this is because unlike other sciences, To-

rah study is not about accumulating knowl-

edge. Unlike other self-help books and

religious manuals, the Torah is not only

about learning how to observe. Torah

study is primarily about forging a relation-

ship with G-d. When we toil in the study of

Torah, and connect to the fountain of G-

d’s wisdom, we are at that moment experi-

encing oneness and forging a relationship

with our G-d—regardless of whether we

succeeded in totally mastering the subject

we are studying. The relationship with G-d

is experienced mostly while toiling and

studying, not in the results or accomplish-

ments.

This thought is echoed in this week’s Torah portion,

which tells us: “If you will walk in my statutes” (Leviticus

26:3), explained by Rashi to be a reference to “toiling in

Torah.” Again, the emphasis here is on the effort and

not so much on the results.

What a refreshing approach and dramatic contrast to all

those other areas, where the only thing that matters are

your results! From a Torah perspective, we don’t care so

much about what your grades are, or even how many

titles and degrees you master in life. What is most cher-

ished and valued by G-d is the hard work and effort that

you put into your Torah studies! The quality and effort

while on the journey of Torah study is way more impor-

tant than the destination.

From www.Shaloh.org/Magazine

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What I Learned in Nursery

School . . . Yesterday

by Sarah Isseroff Abenaim

Emmanuelle, my eldest child, walked into her nursery

classroom and paused for a moment before removing

her heavy coat and putting away her tote bag in a desig-

nated cubby. She stood and surveyed

the room, her delicate arms wrapped

tightly around a small doll that she had

surreptitiously sneaked out the door

while leaving home that morning.

“Do you want me to stay for a while to

play?” I asked, knowing that the teach-

ers invited parents at all times to en-

gage in school activities with the chil-

dren. I lingered by the entryway.

“No, Mama, you can go home now,”

she said, and turned to watch an outgo-

ing group of children playing at a rock-

filled table. The kids were shoveling, raking and digging,

and rocks were spilling out of the shallow-walled table

onto the floor. I had wanted to stay, to learn about what

activities interested my daughter and who her friends

were, but Emmanuelle was drawn to the boisterous

laughter that resonated from the corner of the room. I

turned and left, standing just outside the doorway in

hopes of observing her activities from a quiet distance.

“Would you like to go play at the rock table?” Esti, one

of the teachers, asked Emmanuelle, bending over to

speak at her level. She shook her head aggressively.

“Would you like to sit at the table with Zack and Ella,

and look at our pumpkin plant?” she suggested. Again,

she was refused by the petite three-year-old. Emman-

uelle shuffled closer to the rock table, hugging her doll

tightly to her chest, her hair amiss, as she had messily

styled it herself that morning. My heart swelled. I empa-

thized with her awkwardness, her inability to casually

approach the group and join the activity—having existed

as an outsider myself on many an occasion.

Maybe she was even debating an opening line, weighing

the merits of Hey guys, make room for me! vs. Is this

shovel taken? Each wave of laughter that emanated

from the group at the table made my daughter appear

even more fragmented, and I couldn’t bear to feel her

loneliness when I already had my own. I motioned for

Esti to join me where I stood in the hallway.

“You know, yesterday Emmanuelle mentioned to me that

sometimes Zoe takes away her toys when she’s playing

with something. She might want to play at the rock ta-

ble, but feels intimidated because Zoe is there.”

“Could be. Zoe is rather dominating. I’ll keep an eye on

them,” the teacher offered, and went back

inside to once again see if Emmanuelle

wanted to join the others at play. “Oh boy,

I see we are making a mess of rocks here,”

Sari, another teacher, gently reprimanded

the children, and silently placed brooms

and dustpans near the table so that the

kids would be able to clean up after them-

selves.

I perused other nursery classrooms before

heading back to Emmanuelle’s class one

more time. The corner of the room that

housed the rock table was now quiet: no

heads happily bobbing around it, no ani-

mated voices shouting or laughing, and the floor was

speckled with the tiny pebbles. I scanned the class in

search of my daughter, but didn’t see the familiar stringy

brown hair with a bow awkwardly perched at its peak.

And then, I saw it.

Two pink-sneakered feet poked out from underneath the

table. I took a few more steps into the room, craning my

neck to see beyond my field of vision. There she was,

my daughter, the one who claimed she did not want to

play at the rock table, sprawled on her belly beneath it,

a small broom and dustpan in hand. She lay atop the

rocks, sweeping and cleaning up what was obviously not

her mess. She wanted to be a part of the group activity,

but didn’t know how, and this was her reconciliation, her

entry point, after they’d all left. She was lying on the

floor. Sweeping. Their maid. They would step on her.

Esti started smiling and saying something to me about

how Emmanuelle is now happily playing, evidenced by

her obvious satisfaction in the cleaning task. But I could-

n’t hear what she was saying; didn’t want an explanation

for what was probably normal childhood behavior and

social interaction. I felt a tear starting to squeeze its way

out of my eye (a nerd!), a rivulet down my cheek (a

loner!), and tried to forge an enormous smile (a misfit!),

Continued on page 9

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Toddler Room

The end of the year is nearing and we are very busy finishing our program for the year.

On Monday we talked about the Parsha Behar and made a special project about the

Shemita Year.

We also moved on with the letters and made a T for Truck and Train and

Tractor.

On Tuesday we introduced num-

ber 2. Since it looks like a bird, we

decorated it with feathers.

On Wednesday we read the last

Parsha in Vayikra, Parshat Bechu-

kotai. We decided to make a

beautiful Aron HaKodesh. The kids

were really excited to take a field

trip to the synagogue to see a real

Aron HaKodesh, the ark that the Sefer Torah is stored in.

On Thursday we learned the letter U for Umbrella and glued two beautiful challahs for the letter 2.

We finished our week enjoying the good weather, playing outside, singing Shabbos songs, and eating tasty

treats.

We wish you and your family a Good Shabbos,

Morah Anna, Morah Leah and Morah Masha

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Preschool Room

This week we are in Parashiot Behar and Bechukotai. We learned all about a special Shabbat

for the fields. Every seven years, the land of Eretz Yisrael has to rest and that year is called

Shmitta. During that year, the farmer is not allowed to work in his fields. Instead, he learns Torah the whole

year. In thye Shmitta year, whoever wants to pick a fruit from any tree is allowed to do so.

We learned a song about Shmitta:

(TTTO: One Little, Two Little, Three Little Indians)

One year, two years, three years The seventh year

We work in the field STOP

Four years, five years, six years It’s shmitta year; we let the land rest.

We work in the field

We made a special field for Shmitta. We can’t wait to eat the dirt

(don’t worry, Mommies, it’s only cookie crumbs!).

Pleaqse ask me about Parashiot Behar and Bechulotai:

• The parashiot of the week are (Behar and Bechulotai)

• What is Shmitta? (the Shabbat for the fields)

• During this year, is the farmer allowed to plant? (no)

• Is the farmer allowed to water the trees? (no)

• Is the farmer allowed to gather the fruits? (no)

• So what does he do? (He learns Torah the whole year.)

In A-B-C we did V for Velcro and W for watermelon. Here are our ABC songs for the week:

(TTTO “Pop goes the weasel”) (TTTO “Twinkle, twinkle”)

I love to make the letter V Welcome, little W.

For everyone to see. We like you, we really do.

(Form V with two fingers) Waffles that we love to eat,

V is for vinegar, V is for Van, Watermelons, oh, so sweet.

And V is for Victory! W, we’ll wave today,

When we see you come our way.

Thank you, Benjamin Welcome, little W.

For all the beautiful stickers! We like you, we really do.

Worms and wagons here and there,

Walls and windows everywhere.

W, we’ll wave today,

When we see you come our way.

Shabbat Shalom,

Morah Ruti, Morah Polina and Morah Basya

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Kindergarten Junior 1

As we get closer to Shavuos there are so many beautiful concepts to explore with the chil-

dren. We talked about how Hashem went to all the nations and asked them if they wanted

the Torah. The Jews were the only ones who said YES and didn’t ask first what is in it. This was expressed

with the words Na’aseh V’nishma. We talked how as kids we need to also say Na’ase V’nishma when we are

asked by our parents or teachers to do something. First Na’aseh, we need to do what we are asked. Then

Nishma, we can ask why we need to do it.

Thank you to all the parents who sent in recipes for our Shavuot cook book. The kids are busy illustrating it

and you can look forward to seeing it at the beginning of next week.

Here is the song we are singing about the Aseres Hadibros. We talked about how these are the 10

mitzvos that were written in the Luchos and how in the Torah there are 613 mitzvos.

One- One Hashem that’s all there is

Two- Make no idols

Three- Be careful with My name

Four- Keep the Shabbos flame

Five- Respect your Mom and Dad

Six- Don’t kill, that would be bad

Seven- Don’t take someone else’s wife

Eight- Don’t steal from someone’s life

Nine- About your friends, don’t tell a lie

Ten- Don’t be jealous of your friends’ stuff or his pizza pie!

Parsha Questions:

1. The Parshas of the week are_______and _________. Behar and Bechukosai.

2. In Behar, Hashem tells us about the mitzvah of Shmita. This Mitzva tells us to work in our fields for 6

years. What should we do on the 7th year? Rest from the work and learn Torah.

3. Where do we keep the laws of Shmita? In Eretz Yisrael.

4. How is our week like the Shmita cycle? We work for 6 days and then we rest

on Shabbos.

5. In Bechukosai, Hashem tells us all the wonderful things that will happen to

us when keep the Torah and the Mitzvot. What are some of these things? There will

berain so the wheat will be able to grow. We will have fruit trees and vegetables

and be safe in our land.

Have a Good Shabbos,

From Morah Yael and Morah Dasha

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Kindergarten Junior 2

This week in Kindergarten Juniors 2 we began our flower unit. We started to learn

about the different parts of the flower, such as the stem, roots, leaves, and petals. We

even sounded out how to spell some of the parts of the flower! We read a book called Planting a Rainbow by

Lois Ehlert, which showed us how the colorful, beautiful flowers look like a

rainbow when they're all together in the garden. This book also explained

how we plant flowers, using bulbs, seeds, or seedlings.

While learning about flowers, we also discussed soils, water, and sunlight,

which help flowers grow. Growing plants is also something we learned

about in Parshat Behar, one of the parshiyot this week. In the Parsha,

we learn about the Shmita year, the 7th year during which the Jewish

farmers take a break from planting, let the ground rest, and learn Torah

all year round. We talked about how letting the ground rest helps the

plants grow for the other years, and we also noticed that the Shmita years and the planting years make a

pattern. We made Shmita crowns with the pattern of 6 planting years and 1 year to rest and learn Torah.

In English we are continuing to practice our reading, and are learning more sight words to help us read our

stories in class. Please read these stories at home with your child to reinforce his or her reading skills.

In Hebrew, both groups are practicing reading sentences and stories in Hebrew. One of the groups is also

writing answers to questions about the text.

We adapted one of our Shabbat songs to make it a Shmita song. The children are familiar with the tune

from our Shabbat parties.

Shana Rishona—Avoda!

Shana Sheinit—Avoda!

Shana Shlisheet—Avoda, avoda.

Shana Rivi'it—Avoda!

Shana Chamisheet—Avoda!

Shana Shisheet—Avoda, avoda.

Shana Shvi'it- Shmita,

Shana Shvi'it- Shmita,

Shana Shvi'it- Shmita, shmita.

Reminder: Our end of year concert will take place on June 8. Please make sure that boys have

a white shirt, black pants, and black Shabbat shoes to wear for the concert. Girls will need a

white dress and Shabbat shoes.

Have a Good Shabbos,

From Morah Marina and Morah Chava

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Kindergarten Senior

Parshas Behar-Bechukosai

Save the Date! On Friday, June 10th at 10:30 a.m., the Kindergarteners will have their formal

graduation ceremony from Kindergarten. We know you won’t want to miss this important and

festive occasion. Your child has been practicing for weeks for the event!

English

We have two wonderful learning groups for English studies. Group One is continuing

work on the long-vowel “o” sound. They also are reading words with the “bossy e” at

the end, like “mope” and “rope.” We read a book called “Moe’s Goats.” Group Two

worked on writing poems with acrostics using their first names. They are also working

on reading with comprehension. We read a book about transitions in life called

“Changes.”

If you would like to see your child make faster progress in reading, please ask your child to read to you the

book (or word cards) he or she brings home on Fridays.

Math

In math, we also have two hard-working groups. Group One focused on adding and subtracting double-digit

numbers together in situations where there is no carry-on. We are also counting by 10s and 5s. Group Two

students are adding double-digits, including problems where they must “carry” the

number from one column to the next. They are also naming which number comes

“before and after” numbers up to 1,000. This week, we began a unit on money.

We are learning the values and the names for coins.

We encourage you to bring math into real-life situations with your children when

shopping or preparing food. Math becomes meaningful when it’s used as part of

life.

Hebrew

This week, Group One has finished all the major vowel sounds and worked on exceptions to the rule. Group

Two students are reading fluently, including exceptions to the rule. We are now reading Hebrew adventure

books as well as Pirkei Avos, a book of ethics, included in our siddurs.

With wishes for a wonderful Shabbos,

Morahs Esther, Shulamis Yehudis and Tova

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Continued from page 3

one that would cause the skin around my eyes to crinkle

and perhaps hide that glistening streak (friendless!). “Well,

I better get going,” I breathed. I turned and ran down the

hall and through another before arriving at the bathroom,

where I promptly stood in front of the sink and cried freely,

recalling too easily my own elementary school days laden

with difficult social interactions. I had hoped she wouldn’t

inherit those.

I didn’t want her to feel left out as I had I think we all just

wish that our kids won’t have to suffer the hardships we

endured, and I didn’t want her to feel left out as I some-

times had in school, drawn to the laughter, occasionally

turning to stare, inventing details to weave into the stories

I would create in my head, filling in the gaps to that which

I missed. Like me, she is a watcher, an observer, a learner

by association. She will spend many recesses at the edge

of the playground, not quite in it—and maybe this is okay

because it will be her choice, what she chooses to do, what

makes her happy.

Later that evening, as I recounted the details of the event

to my mother, she used her fifty-plus years of worldliness

to empathize with my emotional morning, but also to say

that our life experiences cause us to view situations with

certain feelings, and it is unfair to impose our own negativ-

ities, especially in comparison to what a three-year-old

might understand.

And maybe that was Esti’s message to me. Maybe she

sensed my discomfort, witnessed my breakdown, and tried

to relay that children do not perceive social stigmas as we

adults so often do.

The pressing issues in their lives include who goes first and

who goes second. Who is sitting on the pink chair, and who

got the green one. Who is the favorite Disney princess,

Belle or Cinderella. In nursery, there is no cool or popular.

There is no nerd or misfit. There is not even smart or stu-

pid. Each child exists on the same plane of equality. It is

only the adults who instill these labels, who categorize and

classify, and stress over normalcy. The kids can exist oblivi-

ously, until we enter and take it all away. And I am sorry

for unknowingly doing that. From www.Shaloh.org/Magazine

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Elementary School NEWS

Chumash

Rabbi Moishe Mindick

1st Grade

In 1st grade regular Chumash we continued further in Perek Beis of Parshas

Breishis. We've been learning all about the garden of Eden, and about the

very first mitzvah given to Adam. The girls eagerly anticipating meeting Chava very soon.

In advanced after school Chumash, our 1st graders are well into Loshon Hatorah Beis. This means they

know all the basic prefixes and you/your suffixes, and are well on their way to mastering them/ their suf-

fixes).

2nd and 3rd Grades

In 2nd-3rd grade regular Chumash we've continued our study of the Perek Akeidas Yitzchok, and are at the

climax of the story, as Avraham sends forth his hand to slay his son- and the children are very excited to con-

inue even though they know how the story ends. Along with understanding the deeper messages behind this

amazing story, they also have learned many unique words (for example, ask one of them what a

"ma'acheles" is, and why...).

Our 2nd-3rd graders, in advanced after school Chumash, are also well into their Loshon Hatorah work,

and are working on recognizing past tense and future tense consructs. We've also enjoyed some Chassidic

stories about the Alter Rebbe.

4th/5th Grades

In 4th-5th regular Chumash we welcomed a new student, Avital, into our learning group, which has re-

charged us some fresh eagerness to learn. We have been learning Parshas Lech Licha in depth, focusing on

the language structure, and also the challenges which Avraham faced having to leave behind his old life as he

moved on to the land of Israel.

Advanced Chumash

Rabbi Ilan Meyers

1st Grade

Excitement is brewing in the 1st Grade Advanced Chumash classroom as students prepare to complete their

very first perek in Chumash! Next week, students will be tested on Perek Aleph and we will then complete

learning about the creation of Shabbos followed by a grand Siyum to celebrate this milestone accomplish-

ment.

2nd and 3rd Grades

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In the 2-3rd Grade, students are enthralled by the myriad of miracles being performed for the devoted ser-

vant of Avraham in his search for a suitable wife for Yitzchok.

4th/5th Grades

4/5th Grade is nearing completion of Perek 32, which discusses the midnight wrestling match between Yakov

and Eisav’s guardian angel, and the Yakov’s new name granted to him.

6th Grade

Finally, in the 6th Grade, students have skillfully concluded the fourth Perek of Shmos and are anxious to

charge forward and discover how Moshe and Aharon approach Pharaoh with the request of letting the Jews

serve Hashem.

Language Arts

Merlyn Carey

Reading, Writing, and Revising

Our (nearly) end of the year reading checks (using the Quantitative Reading Inventory III test) are done and

will be compiled shortly. The rough results confirm what informal assessment has been showing throughout

the year. Our students continue to grow in their reading ability by at least a grade level in less than a school

year, showing an increase in fluency and a stronger ability to answer questions based on the text. Further

proof of the wonderful benefit of our partnership between students, home, and teachers is that once again as

a school we have 100% of our students reading at or above grade level. Something few single language

schools can lay claim too, and truly impressive for readers who are learning multiple languages.

1st Grade

We’ve been working through our writer’s folders a great deal lately, as we apply our new skills and expecta-

tions to our pieces. First graders expect a strong piece of writing to be neat, make sense, have great word

choice and show their best spelling based on our spelling units and word lists, and be at least one or two

paragraphs in length. Earlier pieces are being polished and revised, as our writers are adding details and ex-

panding their writings.

2nd Grade

Sometimes things just don’t go to plan… they go even better. A project that was planned to last two weeks

took over our writing lately. We were working on the idea that there is no such thing as the wrong story

when it comes to brainstorming. We created possible brainstorms and then decided on one of the possibilities

to develop into a full story. So far, so good. The stories and our writing took on a life of their own, and soon

we were working on creating a book, including author introductions and biographies. Now, we are nearing

completion as final drafts (in pen to help with crisp copies) are finished, and we prepare the book for the

printer.

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3rd Grade

“The best way to learn is to teach” is an abiding truth, and our third grade has taken this maxim to heart.

They have been working on transforming their notes on reading an article for facts into tutorial essays de-

signed to share their recently mastered tricks of the trade. They’re sharing the difference between reading

for wide and deep questions, when to read the entire article and when scanning and skimming works. They

are also discussing how to write an “only” draft compared to our standard several step writing process, and

perhaps most importantly how to share their understanding and insight most clearly.

4th and 5th Grade

What is the most important thing that you did this year? How are you seen as a writer? What would life be

like as a superhero? These are the three most recent projects we’ve been working on; running the gambit as

you can see from personal narrative, exposition, and short story writing. We’ve also found some new chal-

lenges in diagramming sentences and complex grammar usage. We’ve started eyeing one of the most fa-

mous sentences in the world, and certainly one of the most important sentences in the Untied States of

America for how to diagram it. We’ve already worked out why it is far from a run-on sentence, even though

it has the appearance of a paragraph rather than a “mere” sentence. Over the course of the next week or

so, we’ll have our diagrams to show and confirm your prediction of what sentence we’re talking about.

6th Grade

“Teacher for a Day” preparations are well under way. Good-looking resumes and great speeches led to

amazing results from this year’s hiring pool. Next Friday, Shaloh House will be hosting the next generation of

staff, including a new principal, director, and several new teachers. Lesson plans are being formulated; in

fact, the planning for the day’s lessons started before the jobs were officially offered. There must be some-

thing about Shaloh House that draws teachers who can’t wait to teach and put in the extra hours required for

excellence without pause.

The 6th grade is also keeping busy with their end of the year research paper. Students have chosen a per-

son from history to explain his or her role in history and to evaluate critically his or her legacy. It’s a modest

undertaking, only six to eight typed pages, with a cover page and biography. Students are already working

on how firm the page limit is, not if anything shorter is allowed (of course) but how much longer they can

make it, and still have it accepted.

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Come celebrate Shavuot with us!

Sunday, May 27 @5:30 pm

• Hear 10 Commandments

• Enjoy blintzes, ice-cream and Lechaim!

#28 updates

Documents

study of torah

ing torah study

word toil

shaloh house update

worthy of reward

extra reward

pirkei avos

open house