SIHA Weekly for June 11, 2007

by | Jun 11, 2021 | Newsletter

Dvar Torah

Parashat Korach

Mothers/Wives, you are the hero of this week’s Parashah!
In this week’s Parashah we have Korach and his Eidah congregation challenging the sovereignty of Moshe Rabbeinu and Aharon. He raises a whole rebellion. He gets 250 men and women to create an uprising against them. 
 
Most were from the Shevet of Levi, some were from the Shevet of Reuvein, which is in and of itself a lesson;
 Reuvein could not have become a Kohen Gadol like the complaint that Korach was waging against Moshe, for taking his brother Aharon as the Kohen Gadol, anyway, as a Kohen can only come from the Shevet/tribe of Levi. Why did Reuvein join the uprising? Because he was a neighbor. The tribe of Reuven in the wilderness/desert was camping next to the tribe of Levi.Let’s be very careful who our neighbors are, our family and children’s friends as well.
 
Getting back to the wife…
The  Eidah comes to pick up On ben Peles  from the tribe of Reuvein. His WIFE tells him, “why are you fighting? Even if Korach wins, you get and gain nothing! Remember, a kohen/Kohen GAdol can only come from the tribe of Levi.”
To protect him from joining the uprising, she stands by the opening of their tent  with her hair uncovered [we know that according to the Torah, a married woman keeps her hair covered]. When Korach’s congregation came 
to the tent, and found her indecent , they had no choice but to move on. When Korach and his congregation ultimately were  swallowed up into the ground, literally, On ben Peles  was not part of it. He was saved, because of his wife!
 
Wives, and mothers, you have so much power and influence to protect your Jewish family. 
Use it!
Us “guys”, men,husbands and sons, let’s allow the good [and holy] women, wives and mothers, guide us.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Y.S.Kuritsky 
 
 

Special Announcement

A very happy birthday to:

Charles Grego in the 6th Grade!

Maayan Malka in the 4rd Grade!

Michael Clift in the 8th Grade!

Congratulations to the SIHA 2021 Graduates!

This week, thanks to Mrs G. and Ms. Ilanit’s organizational powers, the 8th graders also had their graduation trip and found a surprise when they got back! A great big thank you to our chaperones: Rebecca and Rabbi Kuritsky! 

The vip tour of BMG Beth Medrash Govoha of Lakewood NJ. The world’s largest Yeshiva of this type. Producing the most Torah scholars, and printing the most books with commentaries on the Torah, in the world.
The tour was guided by Rabbi Shmuel Ian,brother of our Head of school, Dr.Uzhansky, head fundraiser for BMG!

Mazal Tov to 5th grade upon receiving their Chumashim!

Judaics

Kindergarten and First Grade
We had wonderful week in Kindergarten Judaics. We learnt a new nekuda patach and have been having a wonderful time doing many patach activities! We have also been practicing for our graduation and are very excited for it!

In First Grade Judaics the children have been practicing a lot for our siddur play! Walk down the hall and you will hear us singing and practicing our parts! We cannot wait to get our siddurim and are looking forward to our play!

 

Second Grade
We had another productive week as we learned all about Parshat Korach. We learn from this weeks Parsha how destructive jealousy can be The worlds first earthquake took place in Parshat Korach as the earth swallowed Korach and his followers. We are working very hard practicing our Siddur Play and can’t wAit to see all of you Tueday G-d willing.

Third Grade
What an exciting week we had! Our intense learning in Hebrew reading, spelling and dikduk was rewarded with a fun day on Thursday. We made mazal tov cards for our classmates Ariella amd Sarina Elishayev for the brit mila of their new baby brother eliezer’s followed by Maayan birthday party.
We started a kibud av vaem vaem project and discussed the many aspect that could use improvement.
Shabbat shalom
Mrs Ivry

Fourth Grade
4A
This week we continued learning inside our Chumash, and we even covered Yom Seini! The children are learning new Shorashim and spotting them inside the text. They can translate on their own, and they scored beautifully on a grade average on their first Chumash Test. We learned the story of Korach and how bad machlokes (fighting is) We are reviewing Hilchot of Brachot and doing review sheets.

Shabbat Shalom!
Mrs. Bistritz

4B
Thank you Hashem for another wonderful week here in 4B. We are knee deep in exploring a peculiar Nekudah/ hebrew vowel- the Sheva. The children enjoyed the challenge of searching for examples of them in the Siddur. We discussed the rules of when to pronounce it and when to “let it sleep”. Our Chumash classes continue to go strong as our overall comprehension skills sharpen. We regularly sing and speak about our 13 principles of faith, btw, such as, “Hashem has always existed”. Shabbat Shalom and Happy Rosh Chodesh!
Morah Toba

5th and 6th Girls

Dear parents
Thank G-d, we had a wonderful exciting week in Judaics class!
Mazel Tov to our amazing girls who finished Perek Yud Daled in Chumash! We had a fantastic Siyum picnic at the pond with delicious Oreo cake, ice cream bars, pancakes and fruit roll ups.
We thanked Hashem for saving us from the Egyptians and splitting the sea for us by singing at the Pond/Red Sea.
Looking forward to a wonderful week with the girls!
Shabbat Shalom!!
All the best,
Miss Dershowitz
 
5th and 6th Boys

This week we continued our journey through the Mishna.
We also discussed the many lessons to be found in Tanach, especially Parshat Korach
which discusses the importance of Living in Peace and accepting the will of Hashem.
Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi Levy

7th and 8th Girls

The end of this week has us feeling energized and alive, as it was a week of selfless giving. We learnt that the world stands on three things: Torah, work and kindness. We were conscious of the invisible buckert that every person has on their head. We can use our power of giving to fill the buckets of everyone around us. We wrote a couple of thank you letters, sprinkled in compliments ,and volunteered at the Bikur Cholim ( an organization that does many things, one of them being distributing food boxes to those who need) by organizing their giant pantry . We also stuffed arts and crafts bags for sick children and helped the kindergarden in our school with their hebrew reading. Wow, it felt good, as “giving is getting”. We spoke about why we mourn in the Hebrew month of Tamuz and celebrate it’s Rosh Chodesh ( head of the month).( Rosh Chodesh is always a special occasion, even if it begins a month that is mourning- themed.)
Shabbat Shalom, Happy Rosh Chodesh and thank you for sharing your treasures with us!!
Morah Toba

7th and 8th Boys

This week the 8th grade had an amazing graduation trip. The graduates had a blast! They also had extremely spiritually uplifting experiences in Long Branch and Lakewood N.J.
We fill in details next week, with G-d’s help.
We began the week with a guest Hebrew teacher, who taught about the different commentaries on the Gmara, and how to locate them on the page. He also taught how we know which direction to face when we pray [i.e. usually towards the east, but always towards the place of the Beit Hamikdosh Temple Mount].
Tuesday and Wednesday was the 8th grade trip, which Rabbi Kuritsky joined and beguiled.
Today, Friday, Rosh Chodesh Tamuz, Rabbi Kuritsky gave out delicious, fresh pareve donuts from “4 Corners bagel shop” in Lakewood, to the entire 6th, 7th and 8th grade [boys and girls], in honor of Rosh Chodesh .
We also practiced the Friday night ritual of Kidush and Hamotzi, with Shai Nisim Koldin saying the Kidush beautifully and Gary/Gideon Shamay saying Hamotzi on soft, hot delicious Challah [bread] dipped in salt, brought [by Rabbi Kuritsky, from Lakewood N.J.]. The soft, hot delicious Challah was enjoyed by ALL 7th and 8th grade boys and girls.
We discussed different “happenings” in the month of Tamuz. 
The boys were [slightly] familiar with these important details,because last week we also had a “guest Hebrew teacher” who taught the 7 and 8th graders about this subject directly from the Gmara.
I will try to send in as many photos as possible, as soon as possible.

Elementary School

Kindergarten
If you walked into kindergarten this week you would have thought you were walking into a first grade classroom! I am so proud of them and how hard they have been working. They finished writing their non fiction books. They learned about adjectives and wrote 3 or more sentences to describe pictures using as many adjectives as they can. They also picked different parts and read a play. In math they learned how to use their knowledge of friends of ten to add 3 numbers using mental math. They also worked with tens and ones and can now add large numbers such as 60 plus 8 using mental math. In science they continued to learn about butterflies as they got to observe our caterpillars make their chrysalises. Kindergarten is so excited for the butterflies to come out of the chrysalis that the children can be found checking on the caterpillars many times a day. In social studies they learned how to find where they live on a map by learning about our continent, country, state, and borough.

First Grade
The first graders were very busy this week. We read a story called “The Ugly Vegetables” and learned the importance of sharing with our neighbors. In Social Studies we discussed the rights and responsibilities of US citizens to vote. We even held an election to choose our favorite ice cream!
In Math students continue to count sets of coins. They were excited to learn that each coin has the face of a former US president. Finally, as we enjoy the spring season, students identify plants and flowers. In Art students made a model of a willow plant in a vase. I think they did an amazing job.

Second Grade

This week the second graders have been hard at work. In ELA, they did a great job acting out a play! They also learned about pronouns. In math, the second grade has continued to work on mastering multiplication facts and reviewing topics from earlier in the year. In social studies, the students have been learning all about citizenship, rights and responsibilities, and laws. June 2nd was Ava Mekler’s birthday. Happy birthday Ava! Ms. Bronstein would like to commend Sarit Iunger and Benjamin Portman for doing such a great job at portraying emotions while acting in the play in ELA class!

Third Grade
This week grade three students reviewed the various types of verbs. From action to helping, as well as the linking verbs in all their tenses and quantities, students demonstrated their abilities to identify and use each correctly. During our Math lessons, students concentrated on analyzing and solving word problems that utilized their addition, subtraction, multiplication, and (long) division skills. During our Social Studies, students continued to explore the Cherokee history and culture. They discovered commonalities between the Cherokee and the Jewish people in not only the communal ties, but also the similar struggles that both people had gone through. On a lighter note, they also learned how the Cherokee would play stick ball to solve arguments and the Booger dance…which the Cherokee used as a prayer to keep the negative forces away. During our Reading lessons, students continued their journey on the giant peach across the open sky. They have been alongside the crew in their escapades and challenges, but the most suspenseful moment is still to come in our very next chapter.
Miss Sasha

Fourth Grade
4A
This week in math we had a test on bar graphs and line plots. Started a unit on volume. Students can calculate the volume of given figures using the formula.
And social studies students were introduced to Central and South America, two regions in the western hemisphere. Read about geography and climate of Central America and compared cultures of Central and South America.
We are continuing to read our last class chapter book Flora and Ulysses.

4B
In 4B we are wrapping up our final units of study for the year. In ELA we have been continuing to work on our writing with Mrs. Rosskamm, while reviewing our grammar unit on adverbs. In math, we are learning how to identify different polygons. We just took our final social studies test on the Western region of the United States!
Fifth Grade
The 5th grade had a busy week.
They learned about interjections and propositional phrases in ELA.
They also finished their Terezin reflections and presented their Terezin poems this week! In reading, the students learned about Sadako and began reading their final novel of the year- Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes.

In social studies the students learned about the colonization of America.

In math, 5th grade continued working on percent word problems.

Middle School

Middle School ELA and Social Studies
6th
In ELA, the sixth graders worked on their plot pyramid project! Students analyzed the genre and the plot of a story, and are ready to do their own creative writing next week. We also continued our novel study of the City of Ember.
Greetings and salutations!
6th grade had a good week this week.
In Social Studies they continued to learn about Ancient Rome. Specifically, they learned about how Rome went from being a Republic to being an Empire. The 6th graders were very interested in Julius Caesar in particular.

7th
In ELA, we continued working on our Hero’s Journey unit. Students wrote a creative short story that takes a character through the different parts of a hero’s journey. Everyone did a very good job! Mrs. Hazen was particularly impressed with Doron’s story!
In Social Studies, we started our final unit on the the role of United States as a world power at the turn of the last century.
8th
The 8th grade had a busy week! They had their graduation trip, and are busily practicing for their graduation next week.
In social studies, we wrapped up our unit on the Cold War, and are taking our final quiz of the year.

Middle School Math

6th grade learned about proportional relationships and the constant of proportionality.
7th grade finished their unit on probability.
7th grade honors finished learning transformational geometry.
8th grade reviewed core algebra concepts.
8th grade honors is working on regents prep.

Middle School Science
Jewish History
7th grade is rapidly approaching the end of the year flying high. We took a brief look at the times of Shmuel HaNavi and learned to be careful how we treat other people. We also learned how one person can change the world.\

8th grade took a walkthrough through history and took a look at the 21 prophecies in the Torah given for the entire Jewish people that applied for the future. The students proved how the first 18 already came true. We are eagerly awaiting the completion of 19, 20, and 21, very soon.