Dear Thoughtful Parents,
The Hebrew School is closed for President's Week from Sunday, February 16 to Sunday, February 25, 2020. Classes resume on Wednesday, February 26, 2020. Hebrew High will resume on Tuesday, February 25, 2020. Sunday School resumes on Sunday, March 1, 2020.
Last call for leaves for our TU B'Shevat Tree!
As part of our annual Tu B’Shevat Mitzvah Project, we would love to have every student sponsor leaves on our tree for Tu B’Shevat. Our goal is to plant 400 trees this year in Israel! Please be kind enough to join us in this mitzvah by printing and writing your name and class on as many individual leaves as you wish to sponsor. Each leaf costs $1.00.
Money and ‘leaves’ are to be returned to us by Sunday, March 1, 2020. The first class to get the most leaves will get a treat! So far, the Aleph class is in the lead.
Thank you for participating in the mitzvah of planting a tree in Israel.
We appreciate your contribution and support!
A Tip of the Kippah to Joey Weisbord for his tour of "The Secrets of the Sanctuary" for our classes. No one does it better!
PLEASE NOTE THE PROCEDURE FOR ALL STUDENTS WHO ARRIVE MORE THAN TEN (10) MINUTES LATE TO CLASS, EFFECTIVE SINCE 2019:
Any student arriving more than ten (10) minutes late to class MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY A PARENT who must sign a book located in the Hebrew School Office. This is to ensure that all of our students arrive safely in their classes.
Please also note that when students leave early, they MUST be signed out by an adult listed on their Carpool and Emergency Pick-up Information Form. We also need a copy of that person's Driver's License on file.
SHABBAT SERVICES:
On Friday, February 14, 2020, Services will begin at 8:00 PM
On Friday, February 21, 2020, Services will begin at 6:30 PM
On Friday, February 28, 2020, Shabbat Across America, dinner is at 6:30 PM and Services will begin at 8:00 PM. Please see the flyer below.
On Friday, March 6, 2020, Services will begin at 6:30
On Monday, March 9, 2020, Purim Tot Shabbat begins at 6:00 PM
On Friday, March 13, 2020, Services will begin at 8:00 PM
Many of you have asked about sponsoring the "Kosher Kart", The sponsorships are only $36 each. Some of the available dates are March 4 and 18, 2020, and April 1 and 29, 2020.
Please don't wait, as they are going quickly. If you sign up for a date, your child will have the opportunity and privilege to sell the Kosher Kart on that date. All the kids enjoy selling.
Please see the flyer below for the Hebrew School Shalach Manot Fund raiser. Each class has been assigned a "vowel" and students are requested to bring in an item starting with their assigned vowel. Beautiful baskets containing these donated items will be raffled off at our Purim Carnival on Sunday, March 8, 2020. Items are to be brought to the Hebrew School no later than Sunday, March 1, 2020.
Please support Julie Kolinsky, one of our Hey students, in her Mitzvah Project raising money for the National Breast Cancer Foundation in memory of her grandmother. She will be selling her hand-made tzedakah boxes at the Purim Carnival. Please see her flyer below, which includes a sample of her tzedakah boxes.
Kindergarten and Primary: The children will learn about Purim after vacation. They are also starting to recognize many Hebrew letters and reviewing all brachot.
They enjoyed a Tu B'Shevat "Tasting" last Sunday, February 9, 2020.
Please save Friday, May 22, 2020 for their Class Shabbat.
Pre-Aleph: The students are continuing to learn their Hebrew letters.
I would like to thank all of our "Mystery Readers" for all of their preparation before the Read-Aloud.
They enjoyed a Tu B'Shevat "Tasting" last Sunday, February 9, 2020.
Please save Friday, May 1, 2020 for their Class Shabbat.
Aleph: The students are finishing their reading book and have to learn only two more letters. They are doing very well.
They are still learning the Friday evening prayers for their Class Shabbat which is scheduled for Friday, May 1, 2020.
The Aleph class is working with Ori, our Shinshin, and are enjoying him very much.
Bet: The students are reading from their Hebrew book and they are doing amazingly well. They are learning about the beauty and traditions of Purim.
The students are working on their Bet Siddur Ceremony which takes place on Sunday, March 1, 2020 at 10:30 AM in the Sanctuary. Please have your child wear a white shirt and a dark bottom.
Gimel: The students are working on both the Friday and Saturday Shabbat services. Mr. Holman had each student pick the name of a founder of Zionism to research and prepare a creative presentation for their classmates. These reports were absolutely amazing and I was so impressed that they are posted on the bulletin board outside my office.
The students are learning respect for the environment. Their theme is "Bal Taschit" which means, "Do not destroy or waste". They will be creating a Mitzvah project that relates to their theme.
The class was just introduced to the Books of Exodus and Daniel.
Please note that the Gimel Class Shabbat Service is on Saturday, April 4, 2020.
Dalet: The students have been working on the Saturday morning class Shabbat service with emphasis on the Torah service. Their Dalet Class Shabbat is Saturday, March 21, 2020.
The students have really enjoyed working with Ori, our Shinshin, on Sunday mornings. He explained the importance of the Israeli army and that he will be a part of the IDF when his Shinshin year ends.
The class is in the midst of a mini-course about the Holocaust. The students are about to embark on a culminating activity which will help clarify their understanding of the impact of the Holocaust.
As a reminder, as of December 31, 2019, all Dalet students attending Junior Congregation MUST attend in the Main Sanctuary in order to receive Junior Congregation Credit.
Hey: The students are continuing to review the Saturday morning Shabbat and Torah service so that they will be fully familiar with the service at their own Bar / Bat Mitzvah.
Many thanks to the Pino family for sponsoring a special project for the Hey class. A "Tip of the Kippah" to Helene Pino for not only sponsoring the project but helping to execute it.
Rabbi Bernstein will baking Challah with this class on Thursday, May 14, 2020 at 5:45 PM, so that many of our parents can join the bake.
I encourage you to continue to attend Shabbat services in the Main Sanctuary to improve your comfort level for your child's Bar or Bat Mitzvah and to strengthen your child's Hebrew reading.
HEY STUDENTS: Please make sure that you let the Junior Congregation Leader know when you attend services in the Main Sanctuary so that you may receive credit for having attended Shabbat services.
For any student who has attended a service here at Congregation Beth Ohr and there is no scheduled Junior Congregation service, please email June (SchoolAdm@cbohr.org) with the date.
Hey Hebrew High School: Our Hey students attend Hebrew High School at the Merrick Jewish Centre, 225 Fox Blvd., Merrick. They have told me that they enjoy making new Jewish friends and the innovative classes offered.
They meet every Tuesday evening from 6:45 PM - 7:15 PM (special time for schmoozing & purchasing snacks). Classes begin at 7:15 PM and end at 8:35 PM each Tuesday.
For the rest of the school year, classes will meet every Tuesday except on the dates listed below:
No classes on: October 22, Nov. 5, Dec. 24, 31, Feb. 18, Apr. 14
The last class is Tuesday, May 12, 2020.
Junior Congregation is this Saturday, February 15, 2020, followed by another on March 7, 2020. It is from 10:30 AM to 12:00 noon in the Muraskin Room and led by Morah Heather. Pick-up is from the Social Hall. Please stay for Kiddush.
Please note that the bottom of this email contains the Junior Congregation Requirements for each class as well as the scheduled Junior Congregation dates. Todah Rabah to Morah Heather for the excellent job she is doing in Junior Congregation.
The next Board of Ed meeting is scheduled for Monday, February 24, 2020, at 8:00 PM in the Muraskin Room.
The Calendar can also be found on www.CBOHR.org. Click on EDUCATION, then scroll down to 2019-2020 CALENDAR. Click that link.
As always, my door is open to embrace all your suggestions, concerns and ideas.
Affiliated with United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism