Shalom! Welcome to Ganeinu!
Meeting Time/Drop Off Ganeinu meets Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 12:00-3:30 pm. If your child attends the JCC Early Learning Center they will be picked up from their class right before lunch. If your child is coming to class from outside they can be dropped off at the Ganeinu room. We do a small opening activity from 12:00-12:15 pm before going to lunch while we wait for everyone to arrive. Ganeinu
Lunch
We eat lunch as a class in The Silver Academy lunchroom. Our 12:15 lunch slot lets us see some of the lower grades as well as the middle schoolers and soak up some of The Silver Academy atmosphere. After lunch we say the first paragraph of Bircat Hamazon. By January most of the Ganeinu students can sing along with this tiffilah (prayer). Alef-Bet Each Tuesday we study a new letter of the alef-bet. We explore the sound the letter makes. Study flash cards with Hebrew words beginning with our new letter and look for our new letter as they appear in Bircat Hamazon (Grace after Meals) and the other Tiffilot we sing. Parsha On Thursdays we learn about the weekly Parsha (bible) story. We do craft projects, coloring pages, and act out the stories so that the students begin to get a taste of the stories of their heritage. Hebrew Language We also have a series of Unit Projects. We are learning the Hebrew language by studying color names, body parts, directions, and a host of other thing in Hebrew. Jewish Holidays As the year goes around we study each of the Jewish Holidays. We explore the traditions, foods, prayers and songs associated with the Holidays. Circle Time: Each afternoon we have circle time where we share mitzvot we have done and put money into a tzedakah box so we can experience the mitzvah of Tzedakah. Song & Prayer After circle time we have Shira V'Tiffilah (Song & Prayer) We learn simple songs and prayers that are a cornerstone of all branches of Judaism. Snack In the later afternoon we have snack time. Sometimes we are able to turn this into a technology opportunity. For example is we are eating popcorn we like to watch slow motion video on computer to see how a kernel of corn pops, or if snack is Oreos® we might watch a computer video of how the cookies are made. The children love seeing where their food comes from. Shabbat Party On Thursdays snack-time become Shabbat party. We lightshabbat candles with bracha (blessing). Sing V’shamru & kiddush over grape juice. Make Motzi and have challah. And once again, sing the first paragraph ofBircat Hamazon. All in all, Ganeinu is a taste of the Judaic education available at The Silver Academy at an early childhood level. -Morah Tamara |