Adam Carpenter – Head of Jewish Life Primary

 חודש אדר / month of Adar

This week we welcomed the new Hebrew month of אדר / Adar, meaning פורים / Purim is but a few weeks away. The name of the month אדר / Adar, like many of the months in the Hebrew calendar, derive from the ancient Akkadian and Babylonian months.  אדר / Adar is connected to the Hebrew word אדיר / Adir – meaning strength.  

The מזל / mazel or star sign for אדר / Adar is the fish (Pisces). As creatures of the sea, fish remain largely hidden, concealed from sight. Jewish tradition relates this concept to the פורים / Purim story, with its themes of hidden forces, events being overturned and people not being as they initially seem. Fish are also seen as a symbol of fertility, blessing, good fortune and fruitfulness.

The Talmud states “מי שנכנס אדר מרבים בשמחה / Mishenichnas Adar Marbin BeSimchah” – “When Adar enters, our joy increases” (Ta’anit 29a).  In one respect we celebrate this joy on Purim with silliness and merrymaking. From a different perspective, the level of joy that is being referred to here is the joy of having a happy and purposeful future to look forward to.

So, as we journey through the month of אדר / Adar, a month filled with good fortune, blessing, strength and joy, what we can you do in our lives and in the lives of others to bring these positive forces to the fore?

יום כובע משוגע / Crazy Hat Day

and צדקה / Tzedakah

Friday 23 March

On Friday 23 March (Week 4) Primary School will be celebrating the month of אדר / Adar and the spirit of increasing our joy with Crazy Hat Day. Students are encouraged to come to school in their regular Friday uniform and wear a creative, crazy, fun hat.

Students are invited to bring a gold coin for צדקה / tzedakah to Shabbat celebrations on Friday 23 to raise money to support the Asylum Seekers Centre in Newtown. 

Year 5 students thought deeply and creatively in Jewish Studies about questions raised by the scholar בן זומא / Ben Zoma in פרקי אבות / Pirke Avot 4:1.

Here is a collation of 5 Degania’s responses to the question raised by Ben Zoma: “Who is wise?”.

This is what 5 Yavneh students thought in response בן זומא / Ben Zoma’s question: “Who is brave?”.