Welcome Shabbat, welcome parents!

We love Shabbat. It is a special holiday that comes every Friday, and it is fun. That's why we think it should be shared. We enjoy sharing it with moms and dads, grandmas and grandads, and maybe even  aunts and uncles. Every Friday we choose one child to be the Shabbat child.  On his/her special day that child invites his/her family to our classroom. We sing some songs, we say the blessings, we eat, we chat, we have fun. 

We wanted to make this day even more special, so we let the Shabbat child bring the Challah Bear home for the weekend. Challah Bear goes home with a special Shabbat bag with Shabbat items in it. 

The reason we decided to do something like that is because we thought it would be good if the children could bring home something to share this special holiday.  

To make the bag, I bought a plain canvas bag and decorated it with fabric puff paint, though I did sew on some parts (the flowers, candle sticks, and the Kiddush cup). 

In the bag we put Challah Bear, a Kiddush cup,  

 

a tzeddakah box, 

 

candle sticks, real candles, kippahs, a challah cover, and a challah roll. 

 

We ask the family to take some pictures while they are out with Challah Bear over the weekend. When they bring the bag and Challah Bear back we ask them to bring the picture back for Challah Bear's journal.  

At the end of the school year we make copies of the journal. We attach all the pages to make one journal for each child as a keepsake from our school year.

Shabbat is here, Shabbat is here, 

We are so glad that Shabbat is here. 

Candles burning bright, it's Friday night ,

We are so glad that Shabbat is here. 

Shabbat Shalom everyone. 

 

Menorahs (Chanukiahs) Through the Ages...

Everybody has a New Year's resolution.  I always say I will write more often. Write more often, write more often, write more often...  On the first day of 2012 I'm keeping my promise and I'm starting my new year with writing.

During the last days of Hanukkah I was walking around and asking people to share their menorah ideas with us. Here are some of them:

This menorah was made by my classroom this year. They are two-and-a-half-year-olds. This menorah is very simple. The base is a cardboard egg carton with a paper towel roll on top. I made the slits on the rolls. The children colored everything and glued them on top of each other. The candles have Velcro on the craftsticks and on the back of the flames.  This way the children can put the candles on the menorah and pretend to light the candles as well.

 This menorah was made by four-year-olds . The base is made out of the same-sized wood pieces. The shamash is a taller circular shape piece of wood that the children painted with glitter.  This is a real menorah with which the children light real candles. (Of course with parents' help.)

 

This menorah was also made by two-year-olds. The base is made out of white tagboard. The children placed the tissue paper squares on the tagboard. They sprayed water on the tissue paper to make the colors bleed all over the white tagboard. They used the same technique on the candles. The candles are attached to the base by brass paper fasteners. This way the candles can lay down or stand up. 

This menorah was made by my son when he was three years old. The base is oak tagboard. The idea of the decoration is the Western Wall in Jerusalem. Candles are thick painted craftsticks that the kids dipped in the glitter to give the flame effect.   

This menorah was also made by my son when he was four years old. Everything is made out of leftover wood pieces. It also is a real menorah that the kids can use it to light real candles. 

I'm sure in the coming years more menorahs will be created. The possibilities are endless. The most important thing is finding the right one for the appropriate age.

I wish a Happy New Year to all the preschool teachers and their families!