Schechter Shavua: May 31, 2022

Student’s Poem Recognized by West Hartford Public Library

Kol Hakavod to Iliana, a student in Habonim(grade 6), who was awarded third place in the West Hartford Public Library’s poetry contest. The full poem is included below, and we are including a link to all of the winning poems. We are so proud of Illy!

Marking the Start of Jewish Journeys with a Siddur Ceremony

Last week the Parparim and Tsiporim classes (K-1) culminated their year-long study of tefillah during their Siddur ceremony. Over the course of the year, students learned how to chant the tefillot , what they mean, and why we say them.  They then created a page for each tefillah illustrating how it relates to them; this was bound into a beautiful portfolio that went home with each family after the ceremony. To prepare for the ceremony, the children and their special adults came together to decorate their siddur cover, making each siddur as unique as the children themselves. On the special day, the children came dressed in their finest, bouncing with excitement. They spoke with passion about each tefillah , sung with all their hearts, and danced to the beat. The ceremony ended with a beautiful blessing under the tallit by Rabbis (and moms) Bekah Goldman and Rachel Zerin. It was a beautiful ceremony marking the beginning of their tefillahlearning and development of their own Jewish identities. 

Click HERE to view photos of the siddur decorating and ceremony.

Flying High with the Theater Elective 

Last Thursday, the Middle School Theater Elective students put on their performance of Tinker Bell , a retelling of Peter Pan from Tink's perspective. Bogrim (8th) students Ellie, Anya, and Eliana, and Habonim(6th-7th) students Michaela, Milo, Max, Drew, and Orla worked since January, first selecting their play, then developing audition strategies, and finally putting together a fantastic show from scratch. They formed committees: set design, costumes, and props. Ms. Van’s Art Elective students, including Lillian, Illy, Nava, Shira, and David, joined them to create sets to transport the audience to both Neverland and London. 

Each student had the opportunity to learn how to put a show together from start to finish, choosing production options, weighing the pros and cons of each show, blocking stage directions, designing the stage, and hosting a performance. Their teachers, Chrissy Whalen and Rhiannon Van Bindsbergen, are so proud of their dedication and perseverance. 

Kol Hakavod to the amazing cast of Tinker Bell for their hard work, bright minds, and incomparable sense of humor! To see photos from the performance, click HERE.