Adam Carpenter – Head of Jewish Studies Primary

Weekly Torah portion:

Parashat Toldot VaYeitsei 28:10 – 32:3.

On his way to his uncle Lavan’s house, Ya’akov dreams of a ladder stretching from earth to heaven, with messengers ascending and descending the ladder. Through this dream, God continues the covenant of Avraham and Yitshak with Ya’akov. Ya’akov arrives at Lavan’s house and falls in love with his youngest daughter Rachel, offering to serve Lavan for seven years in order to be able to marry Rachel. Lavan agrees and after seven years holds a wedding. At the last moment before the wedding, Lavan deceives Ya’akov and substitutes his oldest daughter Rachel for Leah. Ya’akov agrees to work another seven years to marry Rachel and so begins a difficult family dynamic with Ya’akov and his two wives. The relationship is complicated by jealousy and difficulties in having children. Eventually, with God’s help, both Rachel and Leah conceive and continue the Jewish family tree.

Family discussion: dreams and deceptions

• After deceiving his father, Ya’akov is deceived by Lavan into marrying Leah before Rachel. Later Ya’akov is deceived by his own children with the false reporting of his son Yosef. What lesson do you think the Torah is imparting through these stories?
• What are dreams? What purpose to dreams play in our lives? Do you need to be asleep to dream?

Give your ‘rosh’ a workout: Online Jewish quizzes

How much do you know about Jewish weddings?

www.myjewishlearning.com/quiz/weddings-quiz/

Jesse Carpenter – Year 6

Santa’s Story: A musical and dramatic telling of a remarkable story

Santa’s Story is a breathtaking performance which tells the story of a young girl’s experience during the horrors of the WWII, where she lost her family in the Shoah and rebuilds her life and a family in South Africa. Santa and her family became refugees from Germany following WWII and managed to find refuge in Spain, where they were caught up in the conflict of the civil war. Her family was separated and then reunited in Paris where they lived for a period of time. Through a mutual friend she was encouraged to write a letter to a Polish Jew, Jack Pelham, who was living in South Africa. Jack was writing letters to Santa and to another young woman, Sarah, who was living in Warsaw, and said that he would like to marry one of them. Both Sarah and Santa wrote a letter back to Jack agreeing to the proposal. Because of a mistake on the address on the envelope Sarah sent, Santa’s letter arrived to Jack first and Jack decided to marry Santa. He sent money for Santa to leave Paris and for her family to join him in Africa. The arrival and timing of this letter was the difference between life and death! Santa went to live with Jack while the other woman, Sarah, stayed in Poland and was sadly murdered in Auschwitz.

With tears in her eyes, Santa waved her family goodbye and travelled alone to Africa. Santa married Jack and then unfortunately learnt that all of her family in Europe were brutally murdered in the Shoah. Santa had the strength to live through this tragedy and build a beautiful family and life with her loving husband Jack. 

Through the show we saw photos of the ‘real’ Santa and Jack, and heard Santa singing. What an amazing voice for an 89-year-old! The role of Santa was acted by her own daughter, Aviva,and they both put on a wonderful performance. The play was accompanied by instruments and songs in Yiddish, French and Hebrew. Santa’s Story is a special play about the Shoah which tells the amazing story of a woman’s life.

By Jesse Carpenter