Parashat HaShavua

Vayeira (Genesis) 18-22

Hospitality is a powerful way to model kindness. Opening one’s home to others is a way for people to share with one another the uniqueness of who they are and the blessings they have.  Abraham, in our Torah portion, shows what an essential value hospitality is in the Bible. Even though he is in the midst of a conversation with God, he surprisingly interrupts it to welcome three strangers he sees from afar. He begs them to stay awhile and have a morsel of bread and some water. Meanwhile, he and Sarah prepare a sumptuous meal for them. Abraham promises little but delivers much. He is a humble yet generous host.

Being humble and grateful for your blessings can make a guest feel comfortable in your home. Helping someone feel at home can go a long way toward forming and deepening friendships.

Family Discussion: How can we be welcoming to strangers in our own community?

www.myjewishlearning.com/article/welcoming-guests-into-your-home/

Year 2 Pathways

On Friday Year 2 students and their families attended a special Kabbalat Shabbat Service and ceremony to present the Year 2 students with their own siddur. This siddur will be used by the students during their weekly prayers at school. In preparation for Pathways, each siddur was uniquely personalised. Every child composed their own prayer of thanksgiving and parents wrote their own special prayer for their child, both of which were incorporated in the siddur.

Students and their parents participated in singing Shabbat songs and blessings in celebration of Shabbat. Before giving their child the siddur, parents were led in the birkat banim – the blessing over the children. After receiving their siddur, families recited the Shechiyanu prayer and the students sung Adon Olam. This beautiful ceremony was followed by hugs, kisses and the singing of Siman tov u’ mazal tov.

The pride and delight expressed by the children and their families over the giving and receiving of the siddur were special to witness and one of those wonderful Emanuel School events. Families shared a quiet moment at the end of the ceremony to read over and share the special blessings they wrote. Year 2 students will spend the remainder of the term joining the Years 3-6 students for the Torah service and familiarising themselves with their siddur.

Thank you to all the parents and family members who were able to attend the ceremony and for the love and care put into writing the blessing for their child. Thank you to Year 2 teachers, Mr Adrian, Mrs Esra and their Jewish Studies teachers, Morah Baron, Morah Becky and Morah Jodi who worked with the students in preparing their siddur for the ceremony.

Thanks to Ofer Levy who took photos of the Pathways ceremony. Soft copies will be available next week, so look out for the information email.

Year 2 students Noa Rosenveig, Max Rose, Kira Levin-Kahn and Gabriel Pozniak with their new siddur