RELIGIOUS SCHOOL Religious School Spring Update

By Amanda Garfinkle, TBE Member and Religious School Parent

Spring has sprung and our Religious School students and families have been abuzz with activities this season, especially around the observation of the Purim and Pesach holidays. It was wonderful to see our community come together for so many chances to celebrate the holidays, whether it was the Purim Carnival, Shabbat services, or the in-school Seders. Religious School Moms also got in on the festivities, gathering as a community on March 28th for our annual Mom’s Night Out event at Hacienda la Paloma.

Our two spring school fundraisers were wildly successful and this year’s annual Mishloach Manot Fundraiser was actually the most successful one to date - raising ever important funding for our school. Participation was at 26%, the highest rate yet, and over $29,000 was raised, almost double the amount raised last year. It was so exciting to see all the hard work put in by our parent volunteers make this goal a reality and we are so grateful to the efforts of Sandra Stein, Laurie Levine and Meryl Lefkowitz.

In early March, the 8th and 9th graders participated in an overnight weekend trip to the city and truly got a taste of the Big Apple, in every sense of the word. Foodie destinations ranged from outings to Shake Shack to the Hard Rock Cafe. Students attended a Big East Game at MSG. On Sunday, the group joined a Jewish Williamsburg Tour, which focused both on Hasidic life and touched on the Hipster world, which is now a bona fide part of Williamsburg culture. Some stops included Keap Street Synagogue, the first synagogue in Brooklyn; Lee Avenue, and the Hasidic commercial center. Before returning to Westchester, the tour ended on a truly delicious note, with a Brooklyn Sandwich Tour. Needless to say, the students returned with a new appreciation for Jewish life in the city and boroughs, as well as full stomachs!

On Sunday, March 19th, the 2nd graders had the opportunity to experience Jewish archaeological history at the Jewish Museum in New York City. They were given a private tour and learned about the mosaic designs that retold the story of our past as well as an archaeological dig simulation. Students were also able to sketch artifacts that they learned about and compared oil lamps from different time periods: how the design and quality changed over time, which their tour guide compared to the development of technology. The children made mosaic pieces and had a great time learning with their religious school friends. 2nd graders have spent a lot of time studying the artifacts in different synagogues around the world and this was an exciting and meaningful correlation to their second grade curriculum.

Religious School

This March, we were excited to welcome back Greg Nemec, the art teacher at Pleasantville High School, for a new unit on Marc Chagall. The 5th grade students learned about Marc Chagall and then spent two days designing landscapes in the style of his artwork. The unit culminated in a field trip to Union Church in Pocantico Hills: “Stained-glass windows by European masters, commissioned by the Rockefeller family, adorn this unassuming country church. Henri Matisse’s last commissioned work, the Rose Window, and nine windows by Marc Chagall create a dramatic combination of light and color, art and spirituality. Step inside and be inspired.”

Last but certainly not least, the Religious School Seders took place the last week of March, coordinated by parent and teen volunteers. The Kitanim-3rd grade students enjoyed a candy seder, while the older students participated in a model seder, which was a great opportunity for them to review the format of the seder alongside their peers.

Exploring your Family’s Jewish Identity and Interfaith Parenting

Friday, May 5 at 9:15 am with Facilitators Rabbi Jaffe and Ellen Weisberg, WJCS Social Worker

Please join us for a discussion about deepening your family’s connection to your Jewish identity. Interfaith couples, parents who became Jewish through conversion, or parents who are interested in expanding on Jewish values for their family are welcome to join our dialogue. We will talk about celebrating multi-faith traditions, fostering family rituals and integrating Jewish values as we raise our children, through a developmental lens with a focus on resilience and empathy.