From Chai Lights B’nai Mitzvah Program
Published April 2022
Torah/Study #1—Watch TV programs about Judaism and write a review.
I am going to write a review on Sight & Sound’s production of Queen Esther. I went to see it on vacation in the summer.
Journal Entry: I really enjoyed seeing how Esther stood up for the other Jewish girl and helped her instead of letting her get taken away. I also enjoyed seeing how Mordechai tried to help and save Esther. Esther stood up for her and her people and told the king what Haman’s evil plan was about him trying to kill all the Jews. Esther also came forth about being a Jew herself. The king saved Esther and the Jews and didn’t let Haman get his way. It was a very meaningful and fantastic show, and I would like to go see more in the future. I would give it a 10/10 because anyone could watch and enjoy it. It explains the story of Esther very well and makes it fun and interesting too.—by Callie Sloan
Published January 2022
Chai Lights Mitzvah: Watch TV Programs about Judaism and Write a Review
I am going to write a review on Sight & Sound’s production of Queen Esther. I went to see it on vacation in the summer.
Journal Entry: I really enjoyed seeing how Esther stood up for the other Jewish girl and helped her instead of letting her get taken away. I also enjoyed seeing how Mordechai tried to help and save Esther. Esther stood up for her and her people and told the king what Haman’s evil plan was about him trying to kill all the Jews. Esther also came forth about being a Jew herself. The king saved Esther and the Jews and didn’t let Haman get his way. It was a very meaningful and fantastic show, and I would like to go see more in the future. I would give it a 10/10 because anyone could watch and enjoy it. It explains the story of Esther very well and makes it fun and interesting too. —Callie Sloan
Published November 2021
Chai Lights B’nai Mitzvah Program
(Written by Jacob Carney with responses in italics from Rabbi Symons)
When I listened to your sermon on the people on the plane traveling to Jerusalem it brought up a lot of questions. Thanks for listening.
I wondered if everyone in Jerusalem keeps kosher? No–not even all the Jews–but most.
What do Rabbis around the world think about the conflict and war between Palestinians and Israel over Jerusalem? There are lots of opinions, we’ll talk.
Why do people want to travel to Jerusalem if there is a war going on? There is no war now though some conflicts. I always feel safe. How can people not want to travel there?!
It made me really think about it. And then in class last week, Miss Farber did a cool thing and asked us questions about Israel including if we felt it was our homeland? And? Do you?
Published June 2021
From Chai Lights B’nai Mitzvah Program
Worship Lesson
Each day or two, I would call my grandpa and he would teach me the Ashrei.
I learned it in about 3 weeks, and it was really cool because I felt good knowing that I was able to accomplish something so important.—by Sara Pechersky
Interview a Grandparent
I chose to interview my Zay Marc Leff.
Q: How was your bar mitzvah?
A: I studied with Cantor Heizer from B’nai Israel synagogue. There were so many bar and bat mitzvahs that most weekends there were double bar/bat mitzvahs called b’nai mitzvahs. My bar mitzvah was a single bar mitzvah because there wasn’t anyone else born around the same time as me.
Q: What was the food at your bar mitzvah party like?
A: I had it at a restaurant in East Liberty at a restaurant called Minutello’s. It was around Halloween time. We had a Halloween bar mitzvah party that my parents did for me. We had a disc jockey and it was a lot of fun.
Q: What was your Torah portion about?
A. My portion was B’reishit meaning “in the beginning.” My bar mitzvah was around Yom Kippur. Mine went back to Genesis, the first book of the Bible. G-d created heaven and the earth.
I had a great time with my Zay and I learned a lot from him. I am glad he allowed me to interview him.—by Max Goss
From the Mitkadem Hebrew Program
The Weiger Religious School says Mazal Tov to the following students who have reached new milestones in the Mitkadem Hebrew Program.
You can learn more about the program here: www.behrmanhouse.com/mitkadem/home
Published June 2022
Cora Harner has completed Ramah 1: The shape of Hebrew letters, the right to left direction of Hebrew, basic Hebrew ritual vocabulary.
Malcolm Cohen and Nate Goldberg have completed Ramah 4: Short blessings, Thanks and Praise, Blessing Formula, Mitzvah, Miracles, [Language] Gender Issues.
Henry Moltz and Rosalie Moltz have completed Ramah 12: G’vurot, Miracles, Creation, Faith.
Published May 2022
Ellis Cohen and Aaron DiCola have completed Ramah 1: The shape of Hebrew letters, the right to left direction of Hebrew, and basic Hebrew ritual vocabulary.
Kali Hersch and Jakob Williams have completed Ramah 9: Sh’ma, V’ahavta; Names/Attributes of God; Mitzvah; Symbols and Signs; Brit/Jewish Continuity; Love of God.
Joseph Raithel has completed Ramah 12: G’vurot; Miracles; Creation; Faith
Published April 2022
- Callie Sloan has completed Ramah 9: Sh’ma, V’ahavta; Names/Attributes of God; Mitzvah; Symbols and Signs; Brit/Jewish Continuity; Love of God.
- Aidan Pechersky has completed Ramah 12: G’vurot; Miracles; Creation; Faith
Published March 2022
Sylvie Casher, Rory Pihony, and Joseph Raithel have completed Ramah 11: Avot V’Imahot; Names and Attributes of God; Mitzvah; Gender Issues; and God as Redeemer.
Published January 2022
- Owen Richman: Ramah 1, The shape of Hebrew letters, the right to left direction of Hebrew, and basic Hebrew ritual vocabulary.
Published December 2021
- Henry Casher: Ramah 14, Prayers: Shabbat K’dushah and V’shamru. Concepts: Holiness; Symbols and Signs; L’olam va-ed; Times for Prayer/Variations; Brit/Jewish Continuity.
- Kali Hersch: Ramah 12, Prayer: G’vurot. Concepts: Miracles; Creation; Faith.
Published November 2021
- CJ Keough: Ramah 2, decoding Hebrew words with multiple syllables.