April
8
April
8
Grades 6-8: Yom HaShoah Across Canada
For the second year, the Neuberger is proud to partner with Jewish communities, Holocaust Institutions, and Federations across Canada to commemorate Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day. As a nation, we will once again come together virtually, to honour the victims of the Shoah and pay tribute to Canada’s diverse community of Holocaust survivors. The program will include special guests from the east to the west, poignant readings, and survivor testimony, providing us with continued strength as Canadians during these unprecedented times.
The live program will be available for viewing on Thursday, April 8th at 7PM
Click here to access the live link: https://www.holocaustcentre.com/yom-hashoah-2021-live
April
8
Grades 6-8: Yom HaShoah Virtual Assembly
Today is Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day). Today we remember the 6,000,000 Jews who lost their lives at the hands of the Nazi regime.
Here is the video presentation of our Yom HaShoah virtual assembly:
The Grade 8 class has set up a museum-like experience in the chapel. Classes visited the chapel to learn more about the Holocaust. The exhibit included: QR code survivor testimonies, a timeline of events, quotes, information about what life was like for children during the Holocaust, and a poetry/writing prompt station.
April
5
Grade 6: Shalom Bayit Guided Reading
The Grade 6 students will be completing a guided reading regarding the concept of shalom bayit. This activity is one portion of our marriage unit as we continue to review and discuss the Jewish life cycle.
Click here to access the guided reading assignment: Shalom Bayit Guided Reading
March
25
Middle School Pesach Project
Our Middle School students completed a project on “The Four Sons of the Haggadah and the Trap In Stereotyping”. You are welcomed to read the project and some of the student’s answers in Pesach activity,
We would like to wish our students and their families a Happy and Healthy Passover holiday – חג פסח כשר ושמח
from the Middle School Team,
March
25
Procrastination and Parables (Lookstein update)
Dear OJCS Families,
In the last few weeks we have had a great time becoming acquainted with the wisdom contained in Pirkei Avot-Ethics of the Fathers. In our class we have been exploring how the sages of the Mishna related to age-old problems such as how to build a strong and positive community or how to be efficient with time management.
In a week when we are busy preparing for Pesach it has served as a timely reminder on how to prioritise our time. The last thing we explored was how the Mishna uses parables to teach important lessons. This too resonates with Pesach when during the Seder we will tell the story of the Children of Israel’s bid for freedom.
Wishing us all a Pesach of meaningful narratives,
Mr. Lipman
March
25
Grades 6-7: Passover Update (Morah Rivky)
The Haggadah states, in every generation a person is obligated to regard himself as if he had come out of Egypt, as it is said: “You shall tell your child on that day, it is because of this that the L-rd did for me when I left Egypt.”
There are – at least — two ways to understand this phrase. The first is for us to sit at the seder and imagine ourselves living in an ancient world, enslaved, and suffering and then experiencing the undulated joy of the Exodus. The second is for us to sit at the seder and contemplate what enslaves us in our lives today. Is it our commute to work? Our reliance on technology? Living for the past year through a pandemic?
The students in 6th and 7th grade Navi addressed this idea this week in class in preparation for Passover and developed a third option: to combine the two approaches. Yes, we sit at the seder and connect to our past, and at the same time, we think about how many of the ideas expressed at the seder are relevant to our lives today. We discussed a few ways to “own” the story and some ideas to incorporate into the conversations around the table.
As the late Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks said: “Education is the conversation between the generations. An army protects a country. Education protects a civilization.” May this Passover celebration protect us and inspire us going forward.
Have a wonderful holiday.
Morah Rivky
March
17
Grades 6-8: 2021 Yom HaShoah Cross-Canada Commemoration
Yom HaShoah will be commemorated on April 8th, 2021. Students and families are invited to access a nationwide virtual commemoration program on this date. If you are interested in participating in this event, please click this link to register.
OJCS students have been invited to participate in a program that provides students with an opportunity to share their thoughts and ideas about the significance of learning about the Holocaust.
Students will write/create videos respond to the following prompt:
“Why learn about the Holocaust?”
We will submit their responses which will be included in the nationwide commemoration.
March
15
Grade 8: Reflect Upon A Survivor’s Story (Due: Wednesday 3/24)
Today students will read and reflect upon the story of a Holocaust Survivor. The website Holocaust Survivor Stories provides students with various personal narratives of survivors.
*Students are encouraged to read multiple stories in order to determine which narrative speaks to them personally*
Directions: Students will choose a survivor’s narrative to read. After reading their story, students will answer the following reflection questions.
- What feelings did this narrative elicit? (Explain the thoughts or emotions you felt while reading this story)
- What part of the story did you find most intriguing? Why?
- What lessons can you learn from this narrative?
- How could you use this story to educate others?
Answer the questions in paragraph form.
Review reflective writing strategies: Reflective Writing Google Slides
Click the link below to access the Holocaust Survivor Narrative Reflection Graphic Organizer:
March
12
Grade 7: Lookstein Virtual Update
We recently finished a unit about David’s conquests and the care that he took to make sure to treat his enemies, allies, and army fairly. Those are high standards! Even all the more challenging since God told David that he is not allowed to build the Temple.
It is under this umbrella that we began a new unit this week. The story of David and Batsheva. The students handled the sensitive material with maturity. The story in and of itself is intriguing. It also lends itself to great discussions such as: how can such a principled person make sure a huge mistake? What do you do when you are confronted with a challenge? And, how do we view David now that we have this different perspective on him? The unit began but we have a lot to learn and to consider.
Shabbat Shalom!
Morah Rivky