Chanuka Story

The Jewish people lived in Eretz Yisroel where the Beis Hamikdosh (Temple) stood.

The Beis Hamikdosh was a place to serve and daven to Hashem. It was a place to bring presents to Hashem and people. It was a place to show thanks to Hashem. It was a place where music was played and and songs were sung. It was a place where the Kohen Gadol (High Preist) would light the golden menorah. The Beis Hamikdosh was peaceful place to be and holy place to work. This is what the Jewish people did there and were proud of being a part of it.

One day, a Greek king named Antiochus decreed on all the Jewish people they are forbidden to keep Shabbos, eat kosher, and give their baby boys a bros mila. He said if he would find anyone doing it, they would get into big trouble. He then marched with his soldiers straight to the Beis Hamikdosh, broke things inside, and put a pig on the mizbayach (alter).

The Jewish people were sad. Rabbi Matisyahu and his 5 brave sons chose to follow what Hashem wanted and keep the Torah and mitzvos even though it wouldnt be safe. They chose to make the right choices although they were told not to. They formed a group called the Macabees which stands for "Mi LaHashem Ailai- Whoever is with Hashem come with me"

All the brave Jews followed Rabbi Matisyahu and his sons. They went to learn in hidden caves where they wouldnt be seen. If it happened to be that the Greeks would find them, they would quickly put their Torah scrolls away and pull out dreidels. When the Greeks saw them playing with driedels and not learning they went away.

We can be a Macabee just like Matisyahu, his sons, and all the Jewish people back then.

There are no Greeks today telling us nott to listen to Hashem but when we are faced with choices to make we can be a macabee by choosing the right thing.

What is the process of being a Macabee? When faced with a choice to make, 1. We slow down and stop. 2. We think what are choices are. 3. If we know whatthe right choice is, we go with that and do it!

It is possible to be a Macabee!! We can do it!! :)

Parshas Vayeshev

Yaacov remained in Israel with his family. His sons were shephard besides for one. His name was Yosef. Yosef stayed home and learned Torah with his father. Yaacov also gave Yosef a beautifuly striped colorful coat.
One day, Yaacov asked Yosef to check up on his brothers in the field. The brothers were not very find of Yosef since he was younger than them and told them he dreamt that soon one day he would rule them.
They didnt want this dream to come true, and gave him away to a group of traveling Arabs. He was then given away again, but this time to Egyptians. He lived in Egypt and was given jobs to take care. The Egyptians quickly learned that everything Yosef did turned out good and fine. Yosef had good luck. :)

For more info on the Parsha click link below:
http://www.torahtots.com/parsha/breishis/vayesh2.htm
For a song on the Parsha click link below:
http://www.chabad.org/parshah/article_cdo/aid/573570/jewish/Parshah-Song.htm

Letter Ches

This week David was our Mail Man. He carefully brought the letter Ches. The form of Ches has one big line on top, one big line coming down, then jump to the other side and make one big line coming down, as well.

David our Mail Man :)

Challa begins with Ches.

For Letter Ches, we got to enhance the flavor of our Shabbos Challa by putting sprinkles on it. YUM!

 

For Letter Ches, we had a mock Chasuna (Wedding) with a Chuppah (Wedding canopy ceremony) in our classroom on Friday. A Chuppah looks like the Letter Ches from any angel you look at it. We had a kalla, a Chosson, a musician playing a zemer, and family and friends.

We sipped grape juice and then danced to Chasuna (wedding) music.

Parshas Vayishlach

Yaacov traveled with his family back to Eretz Yisroel where his parents lived.

He worried that his brother Eisav would still be upset with him for taking the brachos Eisav thought were rightfully his. The brachos werent Eisav's since he gave away his right to be the oldest which allowed Yaacov to have the brachos that he got. Yaacov davened to Hashem to protect him and his family. He also prepared presents to give to Eisav.

While on the way, Yaacov remebered he left some pitchers across the river they just passed. He went back to retrieve them when Eisavs angel came and wrestled Yaacov. He wanted to show Yaacov he did the wrong thing by taking the brachos. In the end, the angel admitted that Yaacov was right for taking the brachos. :)

For more info on the Parsha click here:

http://www.torahtots.com/parsha/breishis/vayish2.htm

For a nice song on the Parsha click here:

http://www.chabad.org/parshah/article_cdo/aid/573569/jewish/Parshah-Song.htm

Excitments of the week

Pre-K preparation for Chanukah already started!

Thank you, to Eliana's family for a great Chanukah gift to our class.

Friends will be playing with the Chanukah set in the Dramatic Play Area.

 

As you know, dear Parents, every year Preschool celebrates Chanukah with a great Chanukah Performances. Our friends chose what characters they will be: snowman, snowflakes or kohanim. To make it fair they pulled a piece of paper with written symbol for a performer.

Reuven will be a snowmen.

 

Staying Healthy- Dental Hygiene

On Friday, Pre-K friends were visited by a DENTIST. Who is a dentist?

Dentist is a doctor who checks and treats our teeth. Dentist knows how healthy teeth should look like and how to keep them healthy. The dentist was no one else but Elaina's dad.

He taught friends about Dental Hygiene.

Eliana's father told friends that each of them have 20 teeth.

They need to take care of them twice a day. Morning and night brushing teeth gently with soft toothbrush for 3minutes. How long are 3 minutes? As long as ABC song. While brushing friends need to move a tooth brush in round motions.

 

Friends practiced brushing teeth with a teeth model and a huge tooth brush.

Eliana's dad said that often food gets stuck between our teeth.

That is why it is important to floss. Friends practiced flossing as well using a piece of Lego, playdaugh and a piece of yarn.

For learning so much and behaving like "college" kids, everyone got a special reward-

a TOOTH BRUSH!  THANK YOU, ELIANA'S DAD!

This week we learned

The letter of last week was the letter U.

To make letter U, one needs two big lines and one big curve.

The letter u says /u/ like in the  words ...

 

Uggs

Umbrella and

Unusually big umbrella.

 

To review the letter u sound visit http://www.starfall.com/n/level-k/letter-u/load.htm?f

To preteach letter "C' sound visit http://www.starfall.com/n/level-k/letter-c/load.htm?f

Let your kids to spy things that start with the letter C and bring them to school

 

Staying Healthy - Fruits and Vegetables

What are the ways we can keep our bodies healthy? asked Morah.
Reuven said that we need to eat healthy food.
Boris said, that we should not eat junk food.
Bina said, that we need to eat fruits and vegetables.
Morah took a basket with different fruits and vegetables. Friends noticed that all of them different colors. Morah told friends that different color of fruits and vegetable tells people what body parts are they good for. For example, green ones good for teeth, bones and eyes, yellow ones are good for heart, eyes, and lungs, purple one are good for our brain and heart, and red ones are good for our heart, brain and lungs.

It happened, that November is Health month in our school.  On Wednesday, friends visited Juice Bar kindly prepared by parents of our school.  

 

Friends took a "Spy scientists walk" to see what color fruits and vegetables are offered for juices and what are they good. Red strawberries and apples, green spinach and celery, yellow mango and pineapple, purple beets. What should we start with?    

 

Believe it or not, moms prepared for us smoothies made of SPINACH.

Spinach? No way! Yes, way!

Everyone was open minded and tried this very pleasant spinach smoothie and other juices, too. We loved Juice Bar so much. Friends did not want to leave and were asking for more different juices- banana and strawberries, orange and apples, carrots and apples.  

Friends learned that even if you don't like juices you should eat fresh fruits like our Michelle.

Smart choice, Michelle:)

All About Me- My Body

PreK friends continue to learn about themselves. We all have bodies with different parts of body.
Friends learned about parts of body with the help of the Mat Man. We are thankful to Hashem for our bodies.

I am thankful to Hashem for my heart because then I have feelings.  (Avigail)
I am thankful to Hashem for my heart because it makes me live. (Alec)
I am thankful to Hashem for my brain so I can think. ( Joshua)
I am thankful to Hashem for my heart because my heart makes me feel happy.( Rebecca)
I am thankful to Hashem for feet because I can walk. ( Reuven)
I am thankful to Hashem for my whole body. (Ben)
I am thankful to Hashem for a head because I have a brain inside.(Bina)
I am thankful to Hashem for my heart because it gives me good feelings.(Eliana)
I am thankful to Hashem for feet so I can walk.( Tammy)
I am thankful to Hashem for my heart because it gives me feelings. ( Michelle)
I am thankful to Hashem fro my bellybutton because it makes me laugh. (David)

Belly buttons? Thanks to our dear friend David. In our discussions, he always mention something that is interesting to talk about. So... what are belly buttons for? Friends learned that belly buttons are not doing any job after a child is born. But when a baby is in the mother’s tummy, it can’t eat or breathe on its own, so it needs some help. The baby has a little tube that goes to its middle called the cord which connects to the mother. After a baby is born, the cord goes away. Guess what’s left? Your belly button ( that makes you laugh:)

 

Rosh Chodesh Kislev

This Hebrew month is called Kislev. In this month we celebrate the yom tov of Chanuka.

Here, we are at the Rosh Chodesh Rally that Morah Chani is heading. We are up there leading the song of "Torah".

Parshas Vayeitzei

(Yaacov put 12 rocks around his head to protect him while sleeping from wild animals outside)

Yaacov stopped on his way to his uncle lavan on the holiest mountain, Har Hamoriah to daven in the same place his father and grandfather did. He went to sleep there and dreamed of the 2 Beis Hamikdoshs that will be built there by the Jewish people in the future.

(Friends dancing at Yaacov and his dear wife's "wedding")

(Yaacov's wives and children )

When he woke up, he continued on his way to Charan. Worked for his uncle and married 4 beautiful ladies. (It was accepted back in those days to marry more than one wife). He built a family of 12 sons and daughters, too and moved back to Eretz Yisroel.

For more info on the Parsha click here:

http://www.torahtots.com/parsha/breishis/vayet2.htm

For a song on the Parsha click here:

http://www.chabad.org/parshah/article_cdo/aid/573568/jewish/Parshah-Song.htm

Letter Zayin

Our Mail Carrier Tammy brought us the letter of the week. Which letter was it? It was letter Zayin. Zayin has one little slanted line on top and one big line coming down in the middle.

Tammy our Mail Carrier

When one blows a recorder zemer (instrument), one needs to hold it on a slant facing downward.  

See how Bina look like letter Zayin as she blows the zemer?

David trying a zayit

Zaytim (olives) begin with the letter Zayin.

After learning which country zaytim mostly grow in, how they feel when they are picked from the tree, what has to be done to soften them up for eating, and what inedible surprise they will find inside the zayit after chewing away on the outside, each child got a zayit (olive) to taste and enjoy. The percentage of the friends who tasted the zaytim and liked it was high. :) Yay for our open minded children!! :)

Some call it autumn, some call it fall.

It is fall in New York. You right, dear friends, fall started  sometime ago but Pre-K friends patiently waited to see fall in full service. Friends discussed how do they know that fall is here. Here is what they said when morah asked them "Is it fall yet?"
Yes, said Tammy, because pumpkins are growing.
Yes, said Bina, because people started to wear warm jackets.
Yes, said Michelle, because the sun is not so hot anymore.
Yes, said Ben, because we can collect pine cones and acorns.
Yes, said Eliana, because leaves change colors.
Yes, said Reuven, because the weather started getting colder.
Yes, said Joshua, because the leaves are falling down.
Yes, said David, because animals are looking for food.
Yes, said Avigail, because leaves can turn pink.
Yes, said Boris, because the sky is white and grey.
Yes, said Rebecca, because people rake the leaves.

Last Wednesday, Pre-K classes took a trip to the Prospect Park to observe fall sings. We took a ride on a yellow school bus.

The Prospect Park met us with different colors- red, yellow, brown, green and gold, different sounds- sound of dry leaves "sh, sh, sh", sounds of birds, sound of squirrels looking for food under layers of leaves. Pre-K friends were curious to see what squirrels were looking for under the leaves.

Pine cones and acorns. Friends found them full bag.  

 

 Friends had so much fun collecting colorful leaves.

Back in school, friends learned that fall is a time when people collect fruits and vegetables.

Stop by to see a very big pumpkin in our class. What are we going to do with it? Hm...

Health Month in Preschool

Dear Parents,
We are happy to announce the beginning of Health Month in Preschool.

Now is the best time to teach children about personal hygiene, dental hygiene and healthy eating.
Some great activities are planned for our kids.
November 13th - Juice Bar.
Goal - introduce variety of fruits and vegetables and importance.
November  15th- Dental Health Day - a dentist will visit our class to discuss a procedure of brushing teeth and its importance.
November 18th - Doctor Day- Doctor will come to our classroom to teach friends what happens when we get sick and how to stay healthy.
November 19th- Favorite Fruit Day. Children will be asked to bring a favorite fruit and share what do they know about their fruit with friends.
AND..... " NO TV WEEK"!!! Are you in, Pre-K Parents? Can you do it? Tough but possible, tough but beneficial, tough but so much extra time:) LET'S DO IT!

And even more... You are invited, our dear Parents, to cook any healthy snack of your choice with our kids. Please let us know when you are available.

 

This week we learned

These two weeks, friends worked very hard on learning two very tricky letters- "E" and "I".

Why do we call them "tricky"? Their sounds does not sound like their names.

Letter " I" has two sounds. In Tammy grandfather's name- Izza, Ben mom's name- Ilona, infant, inside, insect it sounds like /i/

in words like "ice", "ice cream, icicle"- it sounds like /ai/.  

Letter "E" sounds like an old man saying /e/e/e/.

Friends practiced to identify these two letters sounds.

This week we had harvest math.

Friends match doted apples to numbered apples that grew on a tree.

To review letters " E" and " I" sounds please visit

http://www.starfall.com/n/level-k/letter-e/load.htm?f

http://www.starfall.com/n/level-k/letter-i/load.htm?f

To preview letter U sound please visit

http://www.starfall.com/n/level-k/inde x/load.htm?f