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A Peek into Gan Aliya
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Rosh Hashana Preparation @ Gan Aliya
September 20, 2019 / 20th of Elul, 5779
Note: Each newsletter features select parts of the curriculum;
the children will take turns appearing in the various issues.
Hashem Created the World
During circle time, the Primary class learned about Brias HaOlam (creation of the universe) and various topics relating to Rosh Hashana. The students began by closing their eyes, trying to imagine the nothingness that existed before Hashem created the world. Then they learned a fascinating medrash about Hashem's creating the Torah with Alef Bais letters made of fire.

Morah Shaindy explained that Hashem created Adam and Chava on Rosh Hashana, the 6th day of creation. The children felt inspired to learn that Hashem's entire purpose in creating the universe was so that we, His children, can close to Him by following His Torah. We learned that on Rosh Hashana, it will be the 5780 anniversary of the creation of human beings.

Below enjoy pictures and explanations on more aspects of Gan Aliya's Rosh Hashana curriculum.
Coronation of Hashem
By listening to Hashem and keeping His mitzvos, we attest to Hashem as our King. To internalize this theme of Rosh Hashana, the Gan Aliya Primary children dramatized a king's coronation. Playing the role of king, Lev wore a crown and sat in the middle of the circle. The children marched around him, playing pretend trumpets, while we listened to symphony music. On Rosh Hashana we will blow the shofar to crown Hashem as our King. 

The children followed the lesson with a craft to emphasize this lesson. They decorated crowns and glued on globes that say "Hashem hu Melech HaOlam" (Hashem is The King of the Universe).
Scale of Judgement
A scale helped the children conceptualize Hashem's judgement of our mitzvos and aveiros. Morah Shaindy described a typical child’s day including performing many mitzvos and stumbling over some mistakes. For every mitzva, we placed a jewel on one side of the scale and for every aveira we put a rock on the other side of the scale. By visualizing the heavenly accounting process, the children realized the importance of doing many mitzvos and avoiding aveiros.  We also learned that the point of recognizing our mistakes is so we can correct them and do teshuva, causing those “rocks” to be replaced with jewels.
A Shofar Presentation by Dr. Benjamin Kest 
Dr. Benjamin Kest (Basya's [Toddlers] father and Eden's [Primary] grandfather) explained that the shofar is our wake-up call to do teshuva. Dr. Kest showed the classes a few different types of shofros and was even able to blow three at a time! We enjoyed the shofar presentation and thank Dr. Ben and Mrs. Marisa Kest for visiting.
Rosh Hashana Simanim
Morah Shira teaches the kinderlach about Rosh Hashana.
  • Above: Kaia and Shoshana engage in a Montessori work, pairing Rosh Hashana foods to their matches on the plate.
Shofar Factory
Rabbi Yisroel Fried from the Chabad of the West Side presented his Shofar Factory at Gan Aliya. Rabbi Fried brought a collection of shofaros made from the horns of various Kosher animals such as a goat, blesbok, ibex, eland, and of course, a ram. We saw that in order to make a horn into a shofar, the inside marrow-like material must be removed and the tip of the horn must be cut to create the mouthpiece. The horn is sanded, polished and then is finally ready to be used on Rosh Hashana.

The children took turns sanding the shofar that Rabbi Fried cut and cleaned in front of us. Lastly, he showed us how to blow the shofar. 
Making "Shana Tova" Cards
The Primary kinderlach learned that it is customary to send out "Shana Tova" cards. Morah Shoshana assists in writing these letters.
Inside these special cards, the third-year students wrote Shana Tova messages to their parents,  while the first and second-year students illustrated pictures. The children inserted their cards into envelopes, affixed stamps, and completed the project by depositing their cards into the mailbox en route to their parents.... Kesiva v'chasima tova!
Honey Cakes
The children used their Practical Life skills to bake honey cake. They can't wait to taste their sweet treat on Rosh Hashana!
Rosh Hashana Songs
A. (Tune to: I'm a Little Teapot)
I’m a little honey bee, just watch me work
Here is a flower, its nectar I slurp
Into my tummy the nectar stops
It turns into honey, believe it or not!
Back to the hive, over grassy towers
I do a little dance showing where to find more flowers
Inside the hive are rows of waxy cubbies
These are the rooms into which we put our honey
Rosh Hashana’s coming,
The beekeeper is near
We eat honey, for a sweet New Year!
(Primary Only)

B.
Dip the apple in the honey
Make a Bracha loud and clear
L'Shana Tova U'mesuka
Have a happy, sweet, new year
(Toddler and Primary)

C.
Blow the shofar
Blow, blow, blow
Blow, blow, blow
Blow, blow, blow
Blow the shofar
Blow, blow, blow
On Rosh Hashana
(Toddler and Primary)

D. 
I am a little shofar and this is what I say
Everybody wake up and do Teshuva right away
Tekiya- toooo
Shevarim- too, too, too
Teruah- to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to
Do Teshuva right away
(Primary Only)

E. (Tune to: Skip to my Lou)
I want to be like the head of a fish
I want to be like the head of a fish
I want to be like the head of a fish
And not the wiggly tail!
(Toddler and Primary)

E. (Tune to: The Wheels on the Bus)
The shofar in the shul goes toot, toot, toot
Toot, toot, toot
Toot, toot, toot
The shofar in the shul goes toot, toot, toot
On Rosh Hashana
The people in the shul daven all day, daven all day, daven all day
The people in the shul daven all day
On Rosh Hashana
The apple on the plate goes in the honey, in the honey, in the honey
The apple on the plate goes in the honey
On Rosh Hashana
(Toddler Only)
Good Shabbos,

The Staff at Gan Aliya

Links to Gan Aliya documents:

  1. Toddler Pictorial Class Directory;
  2. Toddler Class Directory in one-page list format;
  3. Toddler Snack Rotation List;
  4. Primary Pictorial Class Directory;
  5. Primary Class Directory in one-page list format;
  6. Primary Snack Rotation List; 
  7. School Calendar; 
  8. Parent Handbook; and
  9. Medical Form.






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Gan and Bnos Aliya · 270 W 84th St · New York, NY 10024-4311 · USA

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