Sukkot and Simchat Torah

Greetings,

It is so weird to miss a school day, especially when the day off is a Wednesday from a MWF class!  I am still reminding myself that today is Saturday (not Tuesday or Thursday).  This week we finished our Yom Kippur studies.  Did you enjoy our "Tablet of Our Class Rules" which we sent home yesterday?  It lists our five short rules: 
          1)  Use Kind Words,
          2)  Gentle Hands,
          3)  Listening Ears,
          4)  Let's Take Turns, and
          5)  Smile Often!

Elena and I are trying to keep the "rules" simple awhile also being strong rules; good enough to follow for a lifetime.  Please feel free to talk about these rules with your young ones as it will help the children both in understanding them and in learning how to follow them.

Yesterday was a day filled with Shabbat.  Our class of munchkins do enjoy having the Shabbat candles lit during snack time (we monitor the lit flames carefully - when it is a calm day, the candles are on the table, but on livelier days we have them up, out of reach, but still visible by all).  We also "built" our PVC Sukkah -- it is a temporary structure and the children do test the temporariness of it (perhaps one day I will return to the large cardboard box sukkah - but need the large box ...).  We also had the playdoh out - setting it up with 6 stations (placemats) so the children learn a sense of workspace as well as to help teach how to "take turns". 

The other new routine is the 'ringing of our bell' to signal it is time to leave our room.  The children all clamor for a turn to ring the bell (a classic shopkeeper's bell-ringer) so we have everyone's name on a ring, taking turns ringing the bell in the order that the names appear on the ring.  They all watch as we turn to the next name ... I give them clues as to whose name is up (someone who's name starts with "R" for example).  Everyone sees the name, so they are getting the earliest of literacy lessons (letter recognition), while also learning to wait as they eagerly hope their name is the next one to appear.

Next week we will continue with decorating our Sukkot.  We hope to take a field trip to the Temple Sukkah (probably on Wednesday, weather permitting) and we will also learn a little about the Torah.  Please note that the Temple's Sukkot celebration begins on Sunday evening, with a barbeque then services at 7:00 in the Sukkah (large covered 'thing' close to the chapel, easily visible all year around as you exit Emanu El, but especially easy to spy now when it is decorated for the Sukkot holiday).

Huge announcement:  Next Friday is our next Tot Shabbat at Emanu El.  All are invited to come to this child and family friendly service at 6:00pm

Also, If you forgot to bring your bags of donated food, we will still be accepting them through the week.  Feel free to drop off anytime the synagogue is open (not on Monday) - leaving your bags just inside the school entrance.  All donated food will be going to help feed our local hungry (via Emergency Aid Coalition or Houston Food Bank).

As always, any questions, concerns, or just to chat - feel free to contact Elena or myself. 
Truly,   Cathy

PS  Remember that Becker is closed this Monday (as we observe Sukkot) and the following Monday too (for Simchat Torah).