Look at what the students at the DJC School are doing for the Daily Bread Food Bank.

Submitted by Jason Leizer, DJC Jewish Studies Program

rincipal’s Message—Jason Leizer
We have little over a month left of the school year; last class is on May 11th. This school year has been quite exciting with great programming, education, fun, and contribution from the students, teachers, teaching assistants, education committee, and parents. This year we really focused on not just providing a Jewish education but giving every student a fun, enjoyable, positive Jewish experience.

Kita SK/1—Michelle Brown
The Senior Kindergarten/grade one class finished another thematic unit on Purim in which students learned about the “Megillah” through video and completed a work booklet about the need to tell the truth and the effects of anti-Semitism through the holiday’s teachings. Student’s also read and illustrated the megillah together in class.

For the occasion of Purim, students made and decorated their own “greggars” in honour of the holiday and in an effort to express their own celebration of the holiday. The upcoming holiday of passover will be acknowledged and celebrated through the teaching of the four questions for the school’s mock Seder and will include a hands on cooking and tasting demonstration of the various traditional foods consumed throughout the holiday. Parents of SK-Grade 1 can look forward to students making heirloom quality matzoh covers too.

From the Sk-gr 1 class we wish all a happy and healthy holiday season.

Kita 2—Elissa Hermolin
Our main topic of study in the grade 2 class is Jewish Life Cycle events. Recently we have been learning about Jewish weddings. We have been learning about what happens at a Jewish wedding and why as well as creating some of the symbols that you’d find at a wedding. We have taken time to learn about the holidays that occurred over the winter such as Tu B’Shevat and Purim. As well we studied the meaning and importance of Tzedakah and the class decided to have a fundraiser at the Purim carnival to raise money for their class tzedakah fund. They raised over $40 at their sale.

Kita 3—Brenda Cappe
This semester has been packed with exciting activities in the Grade 3 Class. We have been continuing to learn the Torah stories about our ancestors—from Adam and Eve to Moses and Miriam. For Tu B’Shvat (the New Year for the trees) we paired up with the Grade 4 Class and made a Tu B’Shvat craft and also tasted new fruits that grow in Israel. We are looking forward to learning all about Pesach, especially since it coincides with the Torah stories we are currently learning. And of course we are getting ready for our Shabbat Potluck at the end of April! Its been a great semster for the Grade 3’s!

Kita 4—Sara Price
The children have learned so much since the winter break. In preparation for their studies about the holocaust in grade 5, the students touched on the the concepts of prejudice, stereotyping and bullying. They finished the unit on the different branches of Judaism. As a continuation of their studies about tzedakkah, they were introduced to mitzvot such as Bal Tashchit (Keeping the Earth), G’meeloot Chasadim (Acts of Loving Kindness) and Bikur Cholim (Visiting the Sick). Alongside their studies about Tu B’Shevat and Purim, the students have started to learn about Israel. After the break, the students will dive into Passover.

Kita 5—Rina Goldberg
This second term with Grade 5 has been a huge success! We traveled around the world visiting many Jewish communities. We began our journey together by making our passports. We then visited many countries every week.

First, we went to Spain and watched a movie about the decisions that Jews in Spain were forced to make during the Spanish Inquisition. We traveled to Morocco and made hamtzas and listened to traditional Moroccan Jewish folk tales and music. We joined the Grade 6 class and together went on a treasure hunt through Yemen! We enjoyed a feast of salads and malowach . . . yummy! We played drama games and participated in a role-play activity with different characters from Ethiopia who escaped to Israel. We also listened to music from the Idan Reichel Project-and Ethiopian-Israeli rock band.

After traveling around the world, we began to discuss a more serious side to Jewish history, the Holocaust. We discussed different children who kept diaries during the Holocaust and learned about the different decisions that they and their families made during the difficult time. We watched a movie and participated in an activity about Anne Frank.

We have more exciting programs coming up in the next few weeks! A guest educator from the Holocaust Education Center is coming to speak about her experiences during the Holocaust on March 23. The following week, is going to be a huge school-wide Passover program. After that, we are going to explore the country of Israel through music, the movie “Shalom Sesame”, and other art projects and games related to Israel.

Kita 6—Assaf Weisz
In Kita 6, we have had an amazing and enlightening experience thus far! The focus of our class has been related heavily to Tikkun Olam: what problems and injustices exist in this world, and what role we as Jews are playing and should play in their repair. The first half of the year dealt with our role and moral responsibilities as citizens (Jewish, Canadian, and global). A considerable portion of this second half has dealt with political conflict and human tragedies, particularly the Shoah, and genocides that followed and continue to follow, and the Israeli-Arab conflict. Of greatest importance however, has been conveying the lesson that getting informed and engaged is the first step to any success, whether it be personal or world changing.

On the lighter side of things, we have been able to develop a rather fluid chemistry with each other, one that is very conducive to open discussion. Your children continue to impress me with their insight and thoughtfulness, and as such the level of our discussions has been far higher than I initially anticipated. I look forward with eagerness to what remains of our great year!

Kita 7—Lauren Malach
The B’nai Mitzvah class is heading into the second part of our inaugural year with a Community Mitzvah Project on the horizon. Being so privileged and such lovers of food, we decided that the best way for us to give back to the community was through a Food and Fund Drive for the Daily Bread Food Bank. On April 27th the B’nai Mitzvah class will challenge their fellow students at the Danforth Jewish Circle School to an “ELIMINATE HUNGER FOOD AND FUND DRIVE”. Each class will be set off in a competition against the other to see which class can raise the most food/funds. We look forward to planning this event and watching our hard work pay off on behalf of others.

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