Seekers Updates 4/20-4/21

Kita Alef with Stephanie

What a sweet class. We learned the Hebrew vowel Patach "Ah," the letters פּ, פ and צ. Everyone practiced combining the letters with the patach vowel to make "Pah" "Fah" and "Tsa." I was very impressed. Everyone understood the lesson and was able to combine the letter and vowels! We learned about chesed (kindness) and came up with some ideas for how to help others during this time. 

Kita Bet with Batya

Today at Seekers, Kita Bet learned some more advice passed down to us by our sages through the book of Pirkei Avot. We learned that the 3 pillars that hold our world up are studying the Torah, doing Godly work or soul work, and doing acts of goodness and kindness. Morah Batya prepared some online games for us where had to identify what action was reflected in a photo, and if it was a kind behavior or not. We also got to share personal stories of how we experienced kind or unkind situations in our lives. For example, one photo showed many children gossiping about one other child. We got to express how that child must have felt based on our own experience. Many students shared that during quarantine, he has been showing acts of kindness to his parents by helping them out at home! We love learning valuable advice from our elders that are still so relevant and practical! 



Kita Gimmel with Yardena

This week was a fascinating week. We talked about Gemilut Hasadim- loving kindness, and the act of giving to another. We had a conversation about why it is so hard to give without getting something back? Why do we want recognition for our kindness? Is helping others also helping ourselves? We had a short debate about the question: does it matter what my intentions are if I ended up doing something kind? We ended the class by relating this to our lives today. How we can practice Gemilut Hasadim in the time of coronavirus? The students gave beautiful and moving examples of ways they and their families help others in these days.



Kita Daled and Zayin with Heather

This week we learned about g'milut hasidim: acts of loving kindness. We brainstormed acts of kindness and then took a list of Jewish acts & values, like hachnasat orchim (welcoming guests), kibud av v'em (honoring one's father and mother), and shalom bayit to see where the acts we generated fell in Jewish categories. We talked about what types of kindness felt doable (caring for animals was a big hit) and which things felt harder (getting along with siblings and parents, for example). We then spent some time learning about ways that we can cultivate loving kindness towards ourselves- through identifying our emotions, balancing our needs, and letting others in when we need help! Students shared ways that they related to this and had the chance to look at a feeling wheel as a tool for learning how to identify and name their emotions. At the end, students were encouraged to write a note to each person they share a home with as well as some motivational signs to hang up around the house. They were sent off thinking about ways they can cultivate kindness at home and in themselves this week.



Kita Hey with Yonatan

Today we delved into Pirkei Avot 1:2 to learn from our ancestors about the 3 pillars on which the world stands: Torah, Avodah (work) and Gemilut Hasadim (loving kindness). We talked about chessed (loving kindness), tzedakah (charitable giving) and tzedek (justice), and discussed their similarities and differences. We further discussed what are the small acts of loving kindness that we can grant others today in light of coronavirus. Finally, we heard a wonderful song - highly recommended to hear with your children - Olam Chessed Yibaneh, ("we must build this world from love"), which the Romemu community sings often together. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHp-jcPlKIY  

Kita Vav with Stephanie

Kita Vav went really well yesterday. We learned about three forms of caring for others in Judaism.  Chessed, Tzedakah, and Tzedek. We learned about the idea that Chessed is individual and personal giving of the immediate one-time thing a person needs; Tzedakah is charitable giving that helps the receiver no longer be in need; and Tzedek is fighting to change the system so it no longer creates people in need. Everyone shared a problem they see that has been caused by Covid-19 and/or being in quarantine and the different ways (Chessed/Tzedakah/Tzedek) that we can help. Everyone left with a concrete task to do this week and share with us next class.