JULIA LEVINE— EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATOR

My favorite Jewish object is the Havdallah candle. I love the way the different parts of the candle are woven together- each one has its own identity, but they come together to form a stronger and brighter flame than any of them could make alone. This inspires me in my work as a Jewish educator. I constantly find myself working to weave things together - to weave a classroom of students into a community, to weave Judaism into everyday life, to weave together learning and fun. I can only hope that I am as successful as the Havdallah candle in seeing the beauty in each of these individual pieces, and helping them come together to create a stronger and brighter Jewish world.

ANAT GERBER– SIHI/RELIGIOUS SCHOOL COORDINATOR

Believe it or not, my favorite Jewish “object” is my tiny, hand-painted, 2ft by 2ft dining room table! Why, one might ask?! Because to me, this table represents the essence of Judaism… You see, I believe that it is our job as Jews to take the ordinary and make it holy! During the week, this little table is just a piece of furniture covered by stacks of papers and mail. But when the sun sets on Friday evening, this table becomes the glowing centerpiece of our Shabbat experience. It is on this table that we present our delicious Shabbat cuisine. It is around this table that we sing beautiful Shabbat songs. And it is because of this table that my friends and family gather together with love and in celebration of our tradition. I am very excited about being a part of the Religious School team and I look forward to discovering the many ways in which we can all begin to find holiness in our day-to-day experiences.

RABBI FRUITHANDLER

The Plate at the bottom of the Kiddush Cup -- I have three reasons that I love this plate:

1. Joy- It can be hard to focus on joy.  Life is hard, fast, and confusing.  On Shabbat evening we overfill our cup to remind us that there is always a way to find overflowing joy around us.
2. Hidur mitzvah- Jewish law is a bare bones approach to the world.  It gives us guidance on how to live a proper life.  However when we can take one of these Jewish responsibilities and do it in an extra beautiful way we are reminded that we can always reach for more. 
3. I love the assumption that I am going to spill!

CANTOR MARCUS FELDMAN

The Siddur is in many ways, the gateway to the Jewish soul. The prayers within it contain the thoughts and hopes of our people, and its words have uplifted and consoled us for two thousand years. One of my most prized possessions is the Siddur that my great-grandfather davened from until the day he died. Whenever I hold that Siddur, I can almost hear his prayers pouring forth out of the pages. 

When I lead services and pray out of the Siddur that contains the very same words that my ancestors prayed, I am always in awe of the incredible history and story of our people. It inspires me to know that the words we utter have been on our lips for hundreds of generations. I feel blessed to represent our people in prayer and to help teach these prayers to the next generation of students so that our tradition will continue to thrive. 

DALE SCHATZ - MS SPECIALIST

My favorite Jewish object is the Yad.  The Yad is the special pointer I use when I'm reading Torah and it looks like a hand.   It is with my hand that I take my wife's hand and cup my children's faces for kisses, and break the challah to share with family, and place tzedakah coins in the box, and strum my guitar to make music, and point toward God in the world.   

CANTOR KEITH MILLER- TROPE SPECIALIST

While there are certainly many Jewish objects that I believe are worthwhile and significant, my favorite is the Ketubah. The Ketubah is a document that represents the commitment that Jewish husbands have towards their wives, and conversely, Jewish wives have to their husbands. 

These commitments are based in Jewish values.  Sinai Temple Religious School will help you learn that our faith expects that each of us behave towards others with kindness, empathy, humanity, decency and holiness. These values are spoken of in the Ketubah.

ARYELL COHEN– TROPE SPECIALIST

Shalom!  I am one of the B’nai Mitzvah teachers here at Sinai Temple, and I am also the Organist and Choir Director.  One of my favorite pieces of Judaica to use while I teach B’nai Mitzvah students is a Yad.  As students progress and have mastered a Torah portion, I take out a Yad (one of three that I have in my office) and let the students use the Yad when they chant their Torah portion from the Taken side (without vowels and looks like the Torah).

I look forward to the opportunity of working with you and your child in the near future!

GALYA FERD - READING SPECIALIST

My name is Galya and my favorite Jewish object is the Shabbat candles.  I can relate to this in many ways.  Shabbat candles tell many stories, and remind me of stories of my past ancestors.  One memory in particular is me as a child and my grandparents lighting Shabbat candles behind a curtain, since practicing Judaism was not allowed at the time.  This relates to me as a teacher because lighting the candles makes Judaism meaningful and connects me to the past and to the history of the Jewish people.  I hope that as a teacher I instill meaningful aspects of Judaism in my students and help connect students to Judaism through their own personal stories.

ELAINE SELTZER - SPECIAL PROJECTS

My favorite Jewish thing is a bracelet I got as a child from my uncle in Israel. On the bracelet are 7 sections each displaying the most beautiful places in Israel. Wearing the bracelet I had plenty time to look at each scene so many times imagining these scenes as parts of bible stories. My imagination was inspired by this beautiful art and made the stories come alive. Studying the scenes helped me read between the lines of the stories as I imagined life in Israel today and long ago.  When I am teaching , I hope that I help students make Judaism come alive and that students use their imagination to make Bible and Torah become a guiding integrated part of their thinking, that their love for Judaism and Israel fills their heart.

DIANA PAKDAMAN-KINDERGARTEN

My favorite Jewish object is the Tallit. A Tallit is a rectangular shaped garment with fringes on the corners that are made in a special way. (The knots on the fringes spell the name of G-d). We wear it while we pray. When I wear the Tallit I instantly feel the holiness of the prayers closer to G-d. The Tallit gives you the feeling that you are a part of something. When the Kohanim bless the congregation they cover their heads and symbolically hold the Tallit over the congregation. During a wedding the bride and groom make their covenant under the Tallit which symbolizes their new home together with holiness. When I think about my students and our school I feel like I have a Tallit covering all of us. We are a community on a very holy mission to educate the new generation and create a strong community that cares about the world around them.

MARY FRANK - TA KINDERGARTEN

Two of my favorite Jewish objects are the lulav and esrog that we use during Sukkot. In Judaism, the lulav symbolizes the spine. Just like the spine keeps the body and its organs intact so to teachers are the backbone to a child's education. As educators it is our responsibility to give over the proper education to our students so that they can be successful in the future. I also chose the esrog because the esrog symbolizes the heart. it is important as educators to teach children with enthusiasm and passion so that we can instill that within the children. As a teacher I hope that I can continue to educate with passion and enthusiasm.

SAMANTHA LOVEMAN - 1ST GRADE

My favorite Jewish object is a Sukkah. A Sukkah provides the comfort and shelter of a home, but has an open roof through which the sun, moon, and stars shine. When I am in the Sukkah, I feel like I am in a safe place to think and dream. A Sukkah exemplifies how the sky is the limit. As a Jewish educator I hope that my students feel that they are in a safe environment where they can think and dream and feel that the sky is the limit when it comes to their Jewish education.

ELHAM KASHANIROKH-1ST GRADE

My favorite Jewish object is a shofar! The shofar is a symbol of awakening the soul. As a Jewish educator, I strive to be the voice that awakens the students to their Jewish heritage. We begin the new year with the sound of the shofar, and I look forward to starting the new school year with you!

DEBBIE YOUNESI-2ND GRADE

My favorite Judaic object is the Chanukiah (Menorah). It’s always bright and shines through the darkest nights. It reminds us of hope through the hardest times in Jewish history. The Chanukiah tells me that there is always room for more and for better, as we add one candle each night. There is always room to learn more and more about our heritage and to shine with it. When the Chanukiah is lit, it reminds me of the spark in a child’s eyes when he/she learns about his or her Jewish identity. I am so proud to have the opportunity to bring out that spark in our children’s’ lives each year when I teach at Religious School.

ZIV BITON - TA

Of all the holy and sacred objects of our great tradition none strike a chord with me as deafening as the Tefillin. Our sages teach us that just as our Tefillin are inscribed with words of devotion to Hashem, so to does Hashem's Tefillin have inscriptions of his unconditional love for his people. The act of strapping the Tefillin is analogous to the placing of a wedding ring and is a physical manifestation of our loyalty to Hashem and by extension the entire Jewish People. When we are strapped firmly to the importance and beauty of our people and heritage then we can properly impart our rich history to the next generation with love and grace. As an educator I feel a duty to transmit our traditions to my students in just such a manner.

FRIDA EYTAN-3RD GRADE

One of my favorite Jewish objects is a Mezuzah.  In the Torah, God commands the Jewish people to hang a Mezuzah on their doorposts.  The Mezuzah reminds us of God's presence and of our duty to fulfill God's commandments.  The mitzvah to place mezuzah on the doorposts of our homes comes from the Shema. A Mezuzah contains a parchment, inscribed with the words of the Shema.  When we enter our home, the Mezuzah connects us with God. When we exit or enter our home, we remember the Mitzvot we have to follow both at home and outside of the home.
This little Mezuzah contains so much in it. The Mezuzah reminds us of our past and the Mitzvot we are required to follow. As a teacher, these are elements and values I teach my students about every day: God, the importance of fulfilling Mitzvot and our connection to our rich Jewish history.

LIDA MOHABBER-3RD GRADE

My favorite Jewish objects are the Shabbat candles. They represent the human soul and serve as a reminder of the beauty of life. In the book of Proverbs (Mishlay) it says, "The soul of man is the candle of G-d." Like a human soul, flames must breathe, change, grow, light up the darkness, and ultimately fade away. Therefore, the flickering of the candle helps to remind us of the precious delicateness of our life, so we must embrace and cherish every moment of our life. Every week when I light Shabbat candles, I feel like I have a personal relationship with G-d, and the Shabbat candles serve as a reminder that G-d is with me. As a teacher, I teach the importance of lighting Shabbat candles. One of the most important aspects of Judaism is unity. When we light Shabbat candles, it unites every Jewish household and every Jewish soul. So by teaching the importance of candle-lighting to my students, I hope they can pass the importance of the unity of am yisrael to future generations.

TIRZA VOLKMER - TA 3RD GRADE

I love latkes because not only are they a delicious treat, but they reminds us of the miracle God bestowed upon us (the oil that lasted 8 days). Latkes bring my family together to celebrate Hanukkah. As an educator, I hope to teach about the symbolism of the latkes to show that miracles happen and if you believe, anything can happen.

MARCELLE KASHERI - 4TH GRADE

"Torah” can mean different things to different people. In its most limited sense, the word Torah refers to the Five Books of Moses. I personally like to think of the Torah as referring to the entire Jewish bible, or in its broadest sense, to the whole body of Jewish law and teachings.

עץ חיים היא למחזיקים בה.“ “ .There is a Midrash explaining that God agreed to give the Torah to the people of Israel only after we offered the children of Israel as guarantors that they will keep the laws of the Torah. As a Jewish educator, I believe that our students are the future! Not only do they need to know their past (and their ancestors’ past) and the future ahead of them, but they need to know that we are all together like an unbreakable chain. We will teach and learn from each other, and when we have questions or are in need of guidance, we will look in the book of Torah for answers as well as inspiration. As Abraham Isaac Kook said: “the purpose of the Torah is to reveal the living light of the universe”. Together in a partnership of parents and teachers, we will work hard to help our children shine and illuminate the world.

DINA DVIR-4TH GRADE

There is more than one Jewish object that “speaks” to my heart. It is hard to choose— however, the Parochet, the fabric that covers the Ark, has always attracted my attention. It is always made from a beautiful fabric and the writing on it is always meaningful. It keeps me focused until the ark is open. As a teacher, it reminds me of my students. The amazing, holy human being behind the “parochet”— they are the Torah.

CHELSEA ROTHSCHILD– 5TH GRADE

My favorite Jewish object is the Tallit. Every Tallit, like ever Jew is unique and different. Even those Tallits that look like all the others have a unique history that we carry with us when we wrap ourselves in it. I was given my Tallit at my bat mitzvah by my parents. Now when I wrap my Tallit around my shoulders, I feel as though I am wrapping their protection around me. As an educator, I strive to be like a Tallit for my students. I protect them and care for them, but I also impart knowledge and Jewish history that they can carry with them forever.

RUTHI AMBER-5TH GRADE

I feel very fortunate to have inherited my great-great-grandfather's Kiddush cup from Poland. The cup has remained in my family through persecution and pogroms, before narrowly escaping the Holocaust with my great grandparents. According to Kabbalah, the Kiddush cup symbolizes a vessel for which we can receive great blessing. Just as we overflow the cup with something as valuable and holy as wine, so too we must create a vessel for our lives to receive the overflow of blessings from Hashem. I hope to instill this in my students so they can feel the overflow of Jewish pride.

SARIT FRIED-6TH GRADE

My favorite Jewish object is the siddur. The siddur is our prayer book and the word siddur comes from the word seder – order. The siddur gives the Jewish people the order of the day. When a Jew wakes up in the morning he opens his siddur and the first prayer he recites is modeh ani. We are reminded to thank Hashem every day for giving us life and for returning our neshamot – our souls to us. The siddur leads us through the day with all the prayers; from the time we awaken until we lay down to go to sleep, ending it with the recitation of the kriat shemah; which we all recite as a reminder His Oneness. As a teacher I feel privileged to guide my students on the path of Judaism just as the siddur guides us through our day.

ALEXANDRA OZERI - 7TH GRADE

Candles are equated with joy in Judaism, drawing upon a passage in the book of Esther that equates light and joy. For me, joy has always been defined as a feeling of being closer to the answer to the question, "why?” When I light the Shabbat candles, I say a prayer for all the people I love, and single out one person or group in particular that needs more help that week. It is not in getting a prayer answered, rather in taking time to connect to what is most important in my life, that I can feel joy. 

REBECCA SCHATZ - 7TH GRADE

I love the Kiddush cup. In my family the youngest child always recites the Kiddush and it comes after a tradition of doing the "trickle down," where each member of my family is blessed by the generation above them. This relates to my teaching because of my love for bringing happiness to each student (the wine used in the cup) and having them influence others around them (the trickle down). I hope that for the year ahead, each student has the ability to love, motivate and inspire those around them with their learning and happiness for being Jewish!