Long time no blog

Wow, I just realized that it's been nearly a month since I last posted anything on this blog.  That's due, in part, to Winter Break and to my recent trip to Disneyland for my son's 3rd birthday (which was great fun!).  During these times when I'm away from the computer for awhile, I realize how nice it is to be 'off the grid' every once in awhile.  I'm sure many of you experience what I do - the urge (and the need, even) to always be 'on'... to constantly check e-mail, check Facebook, read online news or blogs, etc.  Even when I'm hanging out at home with my husband and son, I still feel the need to check my phone for new emails, calls, etc.  So whenever we get the chance (or are forced) to go 'off the grid,' it feels significant and often quite liberating.

For the last 8 or 9 years, my Shabbat practice has been to go 'off the grid' as much as I possible from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday.  I avoid my cell phone, don't use the computer, and try to have a day when I am fully present for those I'm with and for myself as well.  It's difficult, but it's a practice I've tried to maintain most of the time.  As Jews, we are blessed with the gift of Shabbat... a Divine COMMAND to take one day 'off', to take one day for ourselves and our families.  I encourage you to think about the ways that you could transform Shabbat into a day 'off,' for both yourself and your kids.  It's best if it's for a full day, but even for just Friday night...  What would time 'off' (or 'off the grid') look like for you and your family?  Give it a try; let me know how it goes! :)

To get you in the spirit, here's an old You Tube video, "I've Got a Feeling" (The Shabbat Song) -

More from the URJ Biennial

Must-see vidoes& must-read speeches:

Rabbi Rick Jacobs, the incoming URJ President, on the future of the Reform Movement:
http://blogs.rj.org/blog/2011/12/18/at-the-end-of-two-years/

Dr. Wendy Mogel, 2011 Biennial Plenary, The Blessing of a B Minus:



21st Century Education in New Brunswick, Canada (shown by Dr. Jonathan Woocher at the Biennial)... makes you think about what education, including Jewish education, should look like in a world that's changing very quickly!

URJ Biennial & Education Summit

About 5000 or more people have gathered in Washington, DC for this year's URJ Biennial, along with the "Education Summit" to talk about Jewish education in the 21st century.  I've been following events via Twitter (#edsummit11 and #URJBiennial), and I've heard fantastic things about a talk by Jonathan Woocher, "Chief Ideas Officer" at JESNA.  Here is a blog post from Rabbi Paul Kipnes about Woocher's talk, titled "Jewish Education is Dead; Long Live Jewish Education"... very inspiring!

Dream Doctors - Religious School Tzedakah Recipients

This year our sixth graders selected the Dream Doctors Project to be the recipients of our Religious School Tzedakah Drive.  The following video gives an inside look at the profession of "Medical Clowning" in Israel and specifics about the Dream Doctors Project.  It's a fantastic way to help hospitalized children, and I'm proud of our sixth graders for selecting such a wonderful organization!

'Tis the Season... for creative Chanukah videos on You Tube!

The new Fountainheads video, "Light up the Night":


The new Maccabeats video, "Miracle":


The 'old' Maccabeats video, "Candlelight," an oldie but a goodie:

Hebrew through TPR

This year we have a new "Hebrew Task Force" that is looking at better ways to teach Hebrew in our Religious School in the coming months and years.  As part of this effort, we have implemented a form of language learning called TPR (Total Physical Response), based on a curriculum called "Ivrit Bitnuah - Hebrew through Movement" developed by Dr. Lifsa Schachter and edited by Nachama Skolnik Moskowitz and Paula Sass at the Jewish Education Center of Cleveland.

TPR is a method of language learning that was developed in San Jose in the 1970s by Dr. James Asher, and it is based on the belief that people learn languages best the same way they do when they are babies / toddlers.  You begin by listening and watching, then doing, then a long time later, you learn how to speak.  We are implementing TPR in a few of our Religious School classes this year as an experiment to find out how it helps our students learn Hebrew.  My two primary goals for TPR at Isaiah are for kids to find Hebrew learning fun / engaging, and to provide a better aural / oral basis for learning how to decode and recite prayers.

The following links take you to videos of TPR with kids and adults of all ages... see below these links for videos of very our own students learning Hebrew through TPR at Temple Isaiah!

TPR and language acquisition

6^th grade Spanish demonstration of TPR

4-6 year olds learn German (definitely not the first TPR lesson!)

TPR with adults (learning English)

TPR, young kids learning English, run / stop / jump / etc.

TPR in Africa

Hebrew TPR with our Kindergarteners & 1st graders:


Hebrew TPR with 3rd and 4th graders in Teva (nature track):


Hebrew TPR with 5th & 6th graders in Edot (culture track):

New Music by Shira Students

Throughout the year our Shira students learn a lot of new Jewish music.  Some of the music is actually new (i.e. written recently), and some of it is simply new to our students and/or our community.  This year, the Shira students were asked to re-write lyrics to melodies of songs they have learned so far this year.  They wrote lyrics about Thanksgiving or their experiences in Shira... they had free reign to be as creative as they wanted to be!  For more information about what Shira has been up to, please feel free to visit Elaya's Shira blog.  In the meantime, check out the following four videos of their 'performances' for one another in class, right before the Thanksgiving break:

Max, Ben, Benji ("Turn the World Around" melody):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cQmCpT9j_Y

Maddy, Margot, Sophia ("The Hope" melody):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sOnzGpsY6c

Ellie, Lily, Hannah P., Deborah, Emma ("Oseh Shalom" melody): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3zay6iGIyk

Sarah M., Alexandra, Sarah M. ("Sabbath Prayer" melody): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8N22GSxB0NA