Category: Jewish Studies

Posted in Jewish Studies, Ruach

Our Model Seder

Posted on by jbennett31

Yesterday afternoon was truly magical as the grade one classes came together for a beautiful mock Seder. Led by the incredible Morah Ada, our little ones embarked on a journey through the Passover story with such grace and enthusiasm that it filled the room with warmth and joy.

Morah Ada’s dedication and preparation shone through as she guided the children seamlessly through the songs and blessings, ensuring they understood the significance of each step. It was heartwarming to witness how well they sang and recited, embodying the spirit of the Seder with their innocent voices filling the air.

The tables were adorned with the sweetest touch, as the children had lovingly prepared placemats and Haggadahs, each a testament to their eagerness to learn and participate. Watching them take ownership of the Seder, from setting the table to leading the blessings, was moving.

Morah Ada and I couldn’t be prouder of our students. Their eagerness to engage with the traditions of Pesach, and their willingness to learn and participate wholeheartedly fills us with immense joy and gratitude.These moments remind us of the beauty and importance of passing down traditions to the next generation.

As we approach Pesach, our hearts are full of gratitude for the opportunity to share such a meaningful experience with our children. They are truly ready to embrace the spirit of the holiday and carry its traditions forward with love and reverence.

Chag Pesach Sameach to all! May this Passover season be filled with blessings, joy, and the warmth of family and community.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in Jewish Studies, Ruach

Visits to Hillel Lodge

Posted on by jbennett31

After three heartwarming visits to Hillel Lodge, Kitah Alef students have become a part of something special. These visits have been more than just outings—they’ve been journeys of the heart, where young hearts and wise souls meet, share, and grow together.

The joy of leading a Oneg Shabbat! With Morah Ada’s guidance, they’ve learned not just about welcoming Shabbat but the warmth and unity of celebrating together. Baking matzah for Passover? It’s not just about flour and water—it’s about the magic of creating something meaningful that connects them to their heritage in a tangible way.

These experiences have transformed our little ones in many ways. They’ve discovered the power of their voices, speaking as they lead activities. They’ve felt the warmth of contributing to a community, knowing that even their small actions can bring immense joy to others.

Children benefit from these visits; elderly residents also see them like rays of sunshine. The youthful energy that fills the room brings warmth, lifts spirits, and reminds them that they are valued members of a vibrant community.

As they quiz the students about their knowledge of Jewish traditions, their hearts swell with pride at the depth of understanding displayed by Kitah Alef.

These visits aren’t just about social interaction—they’re about building a legacy of empathy, compassion, and understanding across generations. They’re about instilling a sense of purpose and responsibility, teaching them that even small acts of kindness can make the world brighter.

 

 

We have loved each visit at Hillel Lodge.

The Grade One Team

 

Posted in French, General Studies, Jewish Studies, Ruach

Ruach week in pictures :)

Posted on by jbennett31

 

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. The pictures below speak for themselves. Grade One enjoyed Ruach Week to the fullest.

 

    The Reading of the Megillah

 

 

A Purim Fashion Show

 We took our Fashion Show on the Road



  Visiting the Purim Carnival 

Collaborative Purim Activities

Tacky Tuesday

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wild West Wednesday

We even learned to line dance!

 Pyjama Day

We must have been so cozy and sleepy that we forgot to take pictures. 🙂

 

Posted in General Studies, Jewish Studies, Ruach

A Week full of Ruach

Posted on by jbennett31

What a week in Grade One! The students loved celebrating the 100th day of school on Monday. They wrote 100 words in Hebrew and French words. They even counted by 10s to 100 in all three languages. The children visited different stations throughout the day. They built a tower with 100 cups, made a 100th-day hat, and created 100th monsters. The day ended with 100th-day stories and a freezie treat.

On Tuesday, Let’s Talk Science visited Grade One for a workshop on structures. The children learnt about natural and man-made structures. They were challenged to make houses for the Three Little Pigs with straws, sticks, and wooden blocks. The workshop had all the students engaged and building.

 

JNF visited on Wednesday morning, and the children had the opportunity to learn about different parts of Israel with a beautiful parachute. The children played a collaborative parachute game while reviewing different places in Israel.

Winter Fun ended the week perfectly. The children were so excited to ride a school bus for the first time and go tubing. The location was perfect, the weather was great and everyone had fun.

Posted in General Studies, Jewish Studies, Ruach

A peek into Grade One

Posted on by jbennett31

On Tuesday, the Grade One classes took part in a Let’s Talk Science workshop called the Tree of Life. Science students from the University of Ottawa taught us about the different characteristics of animals. We then had fun sorting and classifying the plastic animals. This was the perfect introduction to an upcoming research project about animals in the winter.

We also had the chance to make our own Tree of Life.

In a unit on Data Management we have been making graphs and interpreting the data. Corn seems to be the favourite vegetable in Grade One. Cherries are a favourite fruit in 1B while 1A seems to prefer peaches.

 

 

The children are very excited to visit the Scholastic Book Fair next week. The flyer with some of the featured books came home in the note totes yesterday. 1A and 1B will visit the Book Fair on Thursday December 7th.

Save the date for our Family Chanukah Celebration. We have already started to practice the song we will be singing. It is a terrific one.

Posted in French, General Studies, Jewish Studies

Special days in Grade One

Posted on by jbennett31

Global Maker Day

This past Tuesday was Global Maker Day 2023. The students loved taking part in a day full of collaboration and creativity with schools from around the world. 

1A and 1B loved using their design thinking skills on Global Maker Day. There were four different STEM challenges to choose from: make a monster, a game, a new playground, or build a 3D school model. Special thanks to everyone who sent in all the recycled materials. There was more than enough cardboard and containers for the building.

There was a buzz in the room as the students chose their groups and started to brainstorm. With materials and tape in hand, the building began, and absolutely everyone was engaged and having so much fun.

Morah Ada and I were amazed at all the different building that was going on in the class. The students collaborated as they tested and adapted the designs to meet with success. Students presented their STEM challenges to the class. They were so proud of their final products. Global Maker Day was a success. We were inspired to be innovators, problem-solvers and share our work globally. 

A visit with Ottawa Firefighters

The JK, SK, and Grade One classes had special visit yesterday afternoon. A group of Ottawa firefighters from our local Station 23 came to talk about fire safety with the children. Firefighters discussed their roles as community helpers. The students also learned about making fire exit plans at home.

The children were excited to go outside and get an up close look at a real firetruck and learn about all the gear firefighters need to use.

One of the firefighters just happened to be the father of a SK student, which made the visit extra special.

 

 

 

 

Posted in General Studies, Jewish Studies, Ruach

Yom Ha’atzmaut!

Posted on by kzuorro

It was a special week at school. On Yom Hazikaron, we remembered the brave Israeli soldiers who fought for Israel.
Yom Ha’atzmaut was a day full of celebration on Israel’s 75th birthday. We started by decorating our classroom doors and lockers in blue and white. We think we did a pretty good job, don’t you?

All the classes had the opportunity to visit different stations. We learned a special dance, played Twister with JNF, sang karaoke, played musical chairs, and did Israeli Just Dance.

At lunch, we ate delicious falafel. Special Thanks to the parents for helping make the falafel!

We finished the day with the whole school in the gym doing the special dance we learned in the morning. A birthday cupcake was the special treat we got to eat. It was such a fun day!

 

JNF Art Contest

The Jewish National Fund has created an art contest that students and families may participate in. Check out the pamphlet below to learn more about it!

Contest:

  • Draw or paint a picture (8-1/2” X 11” and suitable for framing) following the story A Tree in the Desert by Avirama Golan.
  • Watch the story on YouTube (https://youtu.be/FbevCoM9_2U).
  • The artwork can be of the Negev, Ben Gurion, or a tree in the desert.

 

Posted in 1B, Jewish Studies, Ruach

A Model Seder to Remember

Posted on by jbennett31

Kitah Alef’s Model Seder took place this past Monday. It was a memorable day: many children said it was their favourite day of the school year. Moreh Saar and Morah Ada were so proud of the children. They read and sang so beautifully. We hope the children sing beautifully as they celebrate together with family at the Seder tonight.

 

Wishing everyone a Chag Pesach Sameach!

The Grade One Team

 

 

 

We found the afikomen!

 

Posted in 1A, General Studies, Jewish Studies, Ruach

The latest from 1A

Posted on by sbaram

The latest from 1A

This past week we celebrated the 100th day of school. In General Studies, we read 100 words, worked on 100 math problems, and wrote the 100th-day news. We counted to 100 en français and wrote 100 words in Hebrew. The highlight was making Fruit Loop necklaces with 100 Fruit Loops. The students had fun snacking as they counted and made their necklaces.

100 Hebrew words

 

In Social Studies, the students worked on personal timelines. Seeing all the beautiful pictures of children of different ages made everyone smile.

 

Friday was our kickoff for the love of reading. We made reading forts in class. Reading in forts was a big hit. It was our surprise for our homework bingos. One of the students said, “It is a dream come true!” He had wished only a month ago that we could make forts in school.

 

A few children also enjoyed some quiet reading after story time in the library today.

 

Hebrew with Moreh Saar

Hey there Grade 1,

It’s almost Pesach and I figured a bit of showing off our conversational skills is in order.

As a part of my methodology I find it extremely important to anchor the learning in real life, as language is a “use it or lose it” skill. That’s why I decided to connect Hebrew studies with Israeli culture. As you might know, the students surely realized it by now, Israelis are loving, passionate and welcoming, however they are also loud and full of Chutzpah!!

Taking this into consideration I decided to teach the kids several different ways to ask and answer people “how are you doing?”, some are formal, some are good old fashion cheeky!! Please feel free to listen to them answer about their day and ask me how I’m doing. It was a calculated risk, but boy am I bad at math, the kids can definitely talk, but now I got a classroom full of cheeky Israeli sounding kids.

Have a great Pesach vacation,

Saar

Posted in French, General Studies, Jewish Studies

Purim,la joie du carnaval

Posted on by emouchou

A different week Rush Week full of happy faces, fun, smiles, and dazzling colours has finished. Purim allowed me, along with my kiddos discover what this celebration means and symbolizes. Through fun activities, we watched, heard, and told the story of Purim in French. We discussed the good and bad main characters of the story. We learned new vocabulary and hid by dressing up in costumes, appearing as something else, while our true selves remained hidden underneath the masquerade. It was an incredible experience for ME and a fun time for THEM!

 

Both classes got together on Purim to have Ruach filled day. We made graggers. We loved listening to the Megillah Reading Rabbi Kenter. We had a fabulous fashion show. It was amazing how everyone got the same overall score from our judges. Moreh Saar, Ms. Karissa, and Mrs. Bennett claim all participants gave their best performance, so they had to give everyone the best possible score.