Ms. Lindsay's KDG Class Update
November 9, 2014
Our Lesson
This morning, our lesson was two-fold about different mitzvot - we talked about how we can take care of others through tzedakah and also how it's a mitzvah to care of ourselves (if we don't keep ourselves healthy, we won't be very good at helping others!). When Elly and Seth arrived, they volunteered to be traced, and we took this opportunity to illustrate how we can help others in need - drawing clothes, food, etc. We also talked about how it's important to take care of our bodies by eating healthy, being active, reading and learning new things, etc.
Our next activity was an interactive demonstration on Maimonides' 8 Levels of Tzedakah, which explains the different tiers of giving, from least honorable to most honorable. While this concept might seem a bit complicated for Kindergarteners, by acting each level out, they were able to comprehend how each had an impact on the recipient. They are (in ascending order):
- Giving begrudgingly
- Giving less that you should, but giving it cheerfully.
- Giving after being asked
- Giving before being asked
- Giving when you do not know the recipient's identity, but the recipient knows your identity
- Giving when you know the recipient's identity, but the recipient doesn't know your identity
- Giving when neither party knows the other's identity
- Enabling the recipient to become self-reliant
(Source: http://www.jewfaq.org/tzedakah.htm)
We read "How Dalia Put a Big Yellow Comforter Inside a Tiny Blue Box," which explained how we fill our tzedakah boxes in order to fill a greater obligation to help others. While the comforter, flower bush, and banana cream pie couldn't fit in the tzedakah box, the money Dalia raised helped her and her classmates give these items to a woman in need. We'll be deciding as a class where we will donate the tzedakah we bring in each week, and at the end of the year, our donation will be sent off to that charity. Each of the students made his/her own tzedakah box today, so we hope they will continue this mitzvah at home!
Our Hebrew letter of the day was Zayin, and the key word was Zebrah, the Hebrew word for, you guessed it...Zebra. Next week, we'll be learning Chet!
Finally, we ended our day in T'filah with Rabbi Brad. As we sing and pray together, it's always a fun way to come together and celebrate being Jewish.
See you next Sunday,
Lindsay & Leah