Adam Carpenter – Head of Jewish Life Primary

Jewish Life in Primary School 

Shabbat celebrations

We enjoyed celebrating our first Shabbat together for the year. Morah Baron and Morah Sarit led the Years 1 and 2 students in celebrating Shabbat with lots of music and Ruach. Mr Carpenter and the students in Year 3 and 4 were joined by Mia Shapiro and Joshua New, our new Informal Jewish Life Educators in the Primary School. Mia and Josh are Emanuel Alumni. Years 5 and 6 celebrated Shabbat together with Morah Gaida and the Year 6 Jewish Life leaders. In the coming weeks we are looking forward to welcoming Rabbi Kamins and Rabbi Ninio to our Shabbat celebrations!

Tu BeShevat

Tu BeShevat was celebrated last week in a variety of ways – including parsley planting in Year 1, learning in Hebrew andJewish Studies lessons about the festival and thinking about the environment and sustainability through hearing the Talmudic story of Honi HaMe’agel:

One day Honi was journeying on the road and he saw a man planting a carob tree. He asked: “How long does it take [for this tree] to bear fruit?” The man replied: “Seventy years.” Honi then further asked him: “Are you certain that you will live another seventy years?” The man replied: “I found [already grown] carob trees in the world; as my forefathers planted those for me so I too plant these for my children.” Babylonian Talmud, tractate Ta’anit, page 23a.

The Month of Adar and Rosh LeRegel (Crazy Hat) Day
Friday 12 February 2021

Next week we welcome in the Hebrew month of Adar, where our tradition says we should increase the joy and fun in our lives in the build up to Purim. Next Friday will be our Crazy Hat Day – where students in Primary School are invited to wear a fun, wacky, crazy hat to school. Our tzedakah focus for Purim will be supporting the Asylum Seeker Centre and students are encouraged to bring in a gold coin. 

Students in Years 3-12 will have a special Shabbat celebration together outside on the basketball courts to celebrate Adar. In the theme of ראש לרגל (head to foot) High School students are encouraged to come to school in their regular uniform but with the addition of fun, interesting (and safe) shoes. 

Enjoying planting for Tu BeShevat