April 23, 2023
This week in Gan we learned all about the State of Israel and Yom Ha'atzmaut. We ate special snacks from Israel, while reading "Sammy Spider's First Trip to Israel". We then looked at maps of the world to figure out where Israel is located compared to where we live and the size of Israel. We also talked about how we would get to Israel to visit. We also talked about the different locations in Israel, to get a feel for the variety of landscapes. We had a great conversation about where the water is and how Israel found a way to "make the dessert bloom". The class then discussed Israel as the "Jewish Homeland", as well as the difference between a "house" vs. a "home". Then in small groups the kids worked on filling an outline of a house on poster board, with words and pictures they think of when they think about a "home". We then moved on to talking about Yom Ha'atzmaut or Israel's Birthday, which was celebrated this past Tuesday night and Wednesday. We talked about the Israeli flag and how it compares with a traditional blue striped tallit and the Star of David as a Jewish symbol in the center of the flag. Each student then painted their own Israeli flag. We ended the day by parading around the school building with Israeli flags singing "Am Israel Chai"!
