| |
Jewish Education
Religious School Prayer
Every Tuesday during the winter months, our students gather for Ma’ariv (evening) prayers. Dr. Wolok and I, together
with student volunteers, lead the school in truly joyful and musical prayer. Most of our students in Grade 4 and up
can fluently serve as shlihei tsibur (prayer leaders; literally, representatives of the community) for both the Minha
and Ma’ariv services. Since most of these prayers are also recited on Shabbat (ashrei, hatsi kaddish, shema, kaddish
shaleim, the first four berachot of the amidah, kaddish shalem and aleinu), our students are able to apply this fluency
when they attend Shabbat services with their parents. This, of course, requires students to concentrate on the correct
reading and the chanting of the prayers, which are integral to the service. Part of the service may involve issues of the
day, moral dilemmas, and/or the meaning of selected verses of prayer and how they apply to our students’ lives. In
Grades Gimel through Vav, there is special emphasis this year on reading fluency and comprehension, and chanting the
Friday evening and Shabbat morning Kiddush. In addition, every month our pre-B’nei Mitzvah and their parents join
Rabbi Haber at our Tallit and Tefillin Club, sponsored by the Brotherhood. I urge all parents to support their children’s
spiritual growth, and encourage family participation at the musical Mishkan Shabbat Services on Friday evenings,
January 22 and March 19, at 6:15pm.
Enrichment for Students and Parents
In celebration of Tu B’Shvat, we will host a regional ACAPPELLA CONCERT for children and parents on Sunday,
January 31. Students and parents from synagogues and schools throughout the Greater Boston areas will enjoy
the colorful and inspiring music performed by Jewish high school and college students. There will be a minimal
contribution for adults, and $1.00 contribution for children, to support various Jewish tsedakah programs. Following
the concert, our students will receive packages of fruit from Israel, sponsored by our PTO.
On Sunday, February 7,
following the World Wide Wrap, at 11:00am, our PTO invites Nursery School through Grade 1 families to a program
featuring Sarah Lamstein, a local Jewish children’s book author.
Sunday, March 21 is Prozdor Prospective Student Day (10-11:30am. I encourage all Grade Vav students and their
parents to attend this introduction to Boston’s most successful teen Jewish education program. For over ten years, our
Religious School has had the highest percentage of graduates go on to Prozdor of Hebrew College to continue their
Jewish studies. One out of every three students in the Tuesday Prozdor sessions is a graduate of Mishkan Tefila. No one
can say that at Mishkan Tefila Jewish learning stops after Bar/Bat Mitzvah. Keep our school on its winning streak!
Purim and Passover
Purim begins on Saturday evening, February 27, with the Megillah Reading. Later that evening, the PTO invites
volunteers to help set-up and prepare for our annual Purim Carnival, which will be held following Religious School
Classes on Sunday, February 28. The carnival is a highlight of the year for our children, and a major fundraiser for our
PTO who work so hard and give so much to our students and school. To volunteer, please contact PTO Co-Presidents
Melissa Donovan at MelissaD@yahool.com or Jan Fleischman at jeif2@aol.com.
On PURIM (Sunday morning, February 28), beginning at 10:00am, we will have morning service and the Megillah Reading for the entire Religious School, synagogue members and the greater community. The morning will include a costume parade at 11:30am, and the
formal opening of the Purim Carnival at 12:00 noon.
On Sunday, March 28, our students will participate in PTO sponsored Model Passover sedarim with will participate in PTO sponsored Model Passover sedarim with presentations by each
class. These programs are intended to prepare our students for full participation in their family Sedarim.
My best wishes for involvement in Torah and Mitzvot over the coming
months.
Dr. Stephen Simons, Director of Education
|
|
