Category: Grade 7 – Mr. Washerstein

Over the course of the last two weeks, our students engaged in meaningful service learning opportunities within our Jewish community. Last week we had the opportunity to work with Jodi Green and learn a bit more about the incredible services that TAMIR has to offer. The students helped pack care packages in preparation for the Rise Up Ottawa event. Students also created sets of Shabbat candles for the residents of TAMIR. They also worked on a video to wish the participants a Shabbat Shalom! We look forward to working together in the future.

This week the students in Grades 6 & 7 visited the Jewish Memorial Gardens Cemetery.

The students met with representatives from the cemetery to learn about the important work that they do within our community. They also read narratives of local Ottawa Jewish veterans who served our country in a variety of ways. Students were then broken into groups and were provided with 15-20 gravesites to mark with Canadian flags. The students had the opportunity to pay their respects to these veterans who risked their lives for our freedoms. This was one of the many Remembrance Day activities our students engaged in throughout the week.

 

Check out this article that was posted about our Mitzvah Trips in the Ottawa Jewish E-Bulletin!

Last week our OJCS Middle School Students participated in the Cleaning the Capital Program. Students were walked to two local parks in our community and helped pick up both garbage and recycling. Our clean up was one of the 234 projects registered around the city of Ottawa. Students enjoyed making a difference in their community and getting some fresh air!

  

This week our students will be volunteering in a few different places. A group of students will return to KBI with Morah Corinne to work on painting a mural and further beautifying OTT at KBI Supplementary School. While others will be working with younger students in our OJCS community. Students will be helping their younger peers with lessons in English, French, and Hebrew. This initiative provides students with the ability to engage in leadership and showcase their literacy skills.

Our Mitzvah Trips are off and running! The Yad B’Yad (hand in hand) Mitzvah Initiative provides students with incredible opportunities to give back to our community and put their Jewish values into action. The theme of our Mitzvah Trips for this month is Kehillah Kedoshah. The phrase translates to a sacred or holy community. Students are learning about the importance of community. We are focusing on donating our time and giving back to others in our community. Our goal is to interact with and support various communities in Ottawa. Our first three Mitzvah Trips have focused on engaging with valued members of our Ottawa Jewish Community.

Together, they helped OTT at KBI Supplementary School step into the new year on the right foot by working to beautify the space. Students painted the walls, set up classrooms, and organized learning spaces.

 

The second week of our Yad B’Yad mitzvah initiative allowed our middle school students to make mini apple pies and challah buns to donate to the Ottawa Kosher Food Bank. Thank you to A Dashing Pinch – Village Café for overseeing our efforts and baking these delicious treats!

Our third week provided students with the opportunity to get creative! Students spent time creating decorations for our sukkah. In addition, a group of students went to the JCC to help make decorations for their sukkah. Check back soon to see what other amazing Mitzvah Trips that students are participating in.

Each week, a student from each class will compose a D’var Torah and present it to their peers. This year, students in grade 7 and grade 8 will also be reading and analyzing the corresponding Haftarah selections.

What is a D’var Torah?

A D’var Torah (a word of Torah) is a discussion or explanation based on the weekly parsha. The D’var Torah provides a brief summary and analysis of a lesson or interesting interpretation regarding the weekly Torah portion. 

What is the Haftarah?

The Haftarah portion is a selection from the book of Prophets (Nevi’im). The Haftarah portion is read on Shabbat after the conclusion of the Torah reading. Although the Torah reading cycle is read in chronological order (following the Five Books of Moses), the Haftarah portions are selected in a different manner. Each week the Haftarah portion selected shares a common theme or genre with the Torah portion for that given week. 

 

Assignment: Each student will create a D’var Torah for an assigned portion that will be shared with their peers during the correlating Thursday tefillah service. Students will practice their public speaking skills and actively engage in Torah study. This assignment will count towards your grade for both Language Arts and Jewish Studies rubrics. 

 

Click here to access the assignment:

D’var Torah Assignment (Including Haftarah Extension)

 

Click here to access the final copy checklist: 

D’var Torah Checklist

 

Click here to access the example: 

Washerstein D’var Torah Example

 

Click here to access the D’var Torah schedule:

Grade 7 D’var Torah Schedule

Grade 8 D’var Torah Schedule

 

 

On Monday, April 4th, 2022 we will be creating Passover care packages for senior citizens. We will be partnering with Jewish Family Services (JFS) to help them create care packages for elderly members of our community. Many of these members of our community are isolated and are unable to celebrate the holiday with their family members. These care packages will allow them to celebrate the holiday.

Today students learned about the Jewish value:

Kibud Zekaynim

כבוד זקנים

Judaism teaches us that we must “honour our elders”. Paying respect to senior citizens is essential. It is important to learn from those who have come before us. We value the wisdom of past generations. We will be spending time analyzing and discussing this essential Jewish value. 

Mitzah Trip #2 Slideshow