Hagit Bar-On – Head of  Hebrew, K-6

How fast time flies at Emanuel School. I can hardly believe we are in Week 7 already and so much has happened. There is never a dull moment due to COVID-19 restrictions, teachers’ hard work & enthusiasm and children’s energy.

This term we received another restriction which involves singing. I can imagine how difficult it is for the Music Department not to be able to sing. In the Jewish Life Department, we constantly use singing as a teaching tool. We sing during lessons, prayers, Havdalah and Shabbat. However, we have learned to make lemonade out of lemons and treat it as an opportunity to teach the meaning of our prayers. Years K-2 students have such deep thinking when they are asked to reflect on the meaning of their prayers and can relate it to everyday life.

Our active and engaging activities continued irrespective of COVID-19. Our Year 6 students learnt about food and made chocolate balls. Each student had an individual kit consisting of all the ingredients. Students filmed themselves making chocolate balls while explaining the method in Hebrew. I must say it was messy, but everyone reported how tasty they were.

Rosh HaShanah and the High Holidays are usually a special time for all of us at Emanuel. We usually conduct our annual Grandparents Day at that time. We were all upset when we found out that this wasn’t to be this year. However, we developed amazingly creative activities for all our Primary students connected to Rosh HaShanah. We had wonderful clay workshops with Years 1-3, fabric painting with Year 4, canvas painting with Year 5, and baking activities with Years K and 6. Closer to the time, I will reveal the end products, but until then I will keep it a mystery. All activities have been filmed and a video will be available to parents and grandparents closer to Rosh HaShanah.

Another Hebrew collaborative activity is the Knowing You Changes Me project. We joined the Year 5 teachers in their annual project and every student in Year 5 prepared a presentation in Hebrew which they delivered in front of their Year Group talking about themselves, their families and their hobbies. I hope you will enjoy the level of Hebrew your children have reached when you watch the video.

Please stay tuned for some more photos and creativity to be shared with you closer to the High Holidays and the conclusion of Term 3.

Elke and Asher enjoying the ‘fruits’ of their labour.

Keep safe and healthy

Hagit (on behalf of all Primary Hebrew teachers)