May 7, 2023
Hi all,
We began class this week with our essential question of “Who is proud of their Judaism?” This prompted a reflective conversation about our history and community while gently acknowledging antisemitism that exists in some of the students lives and school. We reflected on the importance of being a community and being mindful of our religious obligations in and out of temple. Personally, I felt it was important for us to have this conversation because of the recent behaviors observed by some Kitah Zayin students use of cell phones during Shabbat and more specifically, during their classmates b’mai mitzvah. Some felt it wasn’t important, while others acknowledged congregants may be mourning or deeply in spiritual connections and not wanting to see kids taking selfies simultaneously. I share these conversations with you as our class reflects on Jewish Life and Culture through discussion and interpretation of text. I strongly encourage you to ask our essential question to your child and hear how they feel about their commitment or obligation to Judaism. As a middle level educator for nearly 30 years, teenagers are at a point of extreme identification and boundary testing. Use these questions and discussions to guide, learn, and listen.
Thank you for the opportunity and year to learn with your child, AJ
