Happy Purim!!!

Dear JEPY Parents,

JEPY had a fantastic Purim celebration this past Sunday. I want to thank all of the students for dressing up and for actively participating in all of the hands on educational and fun Purim activities. Each class rotated around to each of the teachers where they made hamentashen with Malkie, prepared mishloach manot (food bags that are given away on Purim day) with Mandy, sang Purim songs and did word puzzles with Limor, and played Purim review games with Rabbi Burg. We all enjoyed the costume contest, the candy count and our very own Purim Lotto.

I hope that everyone had a very Happy Purim!!

I want to inform everyone that Mandy Neuman has let us know her husband took a position in Florida and they will be moving down there in the near future. No one can take Mrs. Neuman's place; everyone enjoyed having her as a teacher. Yisroel Flamm will be taking her position. We had the priviledge to have him substitute at the end of last year and we look forward to his joining the staff this year.

If anyone has any questions or concerns please feel free to call me: 973 992 4561.

Enjoy the pictures.

Shira Mathias

JEPY students posing in their Purim costumes. Thanks to everyone who came dressed up!

Daled and Hay classes preparing their gift bags to give away on Purim day.

Daled and Hay classes making hamantashen with Malkie.

Gimmel class making mishaloach manot with Mrs. Neuman.

Daled and Hay classes enjoying a Purim competition with Rabbi Burg.

Aleph class making mishloach manot

Bet class singing Purim songs with Limor.

Dear JEPY Parents,

This past week was a hectic one with three of our teachers absent, but thanks to our substitute Miriam Krupka and to the rest of our staff, we were able to pull through and learn. This past Shabbat there were a number a JEPY families who participated in Rabbi Barnett’s superb explanatory service. Thanksgiving is coming and JEPY’s "Thanksgiving Contest" is under way. Please encourage the students to fill out the football sheets that were sent homw and more importantly to appreciate who you are and what you do for them (for at least one month). All of the football notes will be collected November 20th. We wish you all a wonderful break and if anyone has any questions you can feel free to e-mail me at shiramathias@hotmail.com.

Sincerely,
Shira Mathias

The Bet class enjoys learning with Rabbi Burg's Substitute teacher, Miriam Krupka.

The Gimmel Class is working hard with Limore before they split into their smaller groups.

Rabbi Karmel, the director of the Total Network, taught an entertaining lesson on the first portion in Genesis. His main focus was on helping the children appreciate that G-d created an awesome world for us!

The bet class enjoyed designing Simchat Torah flags with Mrs. Neuman.

The Daled and Hay class sang (read!) their newly learned hebrew prayer to music in Limore's class.

The aleph class enjoys recognizing and writing the hebrew letters.

The Bet class is excited to learn with Rabbi Burg.

Malkie works with the Daled class on their review questions, before they start a 'delicious' game of bingo.

The Gimmel class enjoys their holiday review in Malkie's class with a bingo board and candy pieces

RAbbi Barnett teaches the Bnei Mitzvah class.

Rabbi Karmel introduced many thought provoking ideas. One idea he mentioned related to a camera: no one would believe that a camera just happened to be found all put together so how could one think that a human being who is infinitely more complicated just 'happens' to exist.

Limore teaches the Gimmel class a Hebrew prayer accompanied by music before they split up into smaller group sessions.

JEPY Family Sukkot Party!!

Dear JEPY Parents,

Enjoy the pictures! I want to thank you for coming out to the JEPY Family Sukkot Party. There is no greater message to our children than taking the time and making the effort to celebrate sukkot together as a family and as a Hebrew School.

Thank you!

Shira Mathias, JEPY Principal

Showing off the "stain glass" succos window made by JEPY students.

Enjoying the Sukkah Party with Yonason Mathias.

Shaking the lulav.

Shaking the lulav.

Shaking the lulav.

Shaking the lulav.

Shaking the lulav.

Shaking the lulav.

Rabbi Barnett explaining the mitzvah of shaking the lulav.

Rabbi Barnett's children making sukkahs.

Building sukkahs with graham crackers and marshmellow fluff.

Succos Party

Week 3 at JEPY!!!

The Aleph class started the day with Mrs. Neuman reviewing what they had learned in the first book of the Torah, Genesis. They also discussed a story about why it is sometimes better to follow when you have the opportunity to be lead by a strong leader. Aleph continued their day with guest teacher Penina Feurstein, learning to recognize at least half of the Hebrew alphabet. They ended the day with Mrs. Neuman where they discussed the significance of blowing the Shofar on Rosh Hashanah. They also discussed the many customs that are done on Rosh Hashanah, including repentance and ‘tashlich’.

The Bet class started the day in their Hebrew session where they are off to a great start learning to read Hebrew. They continued their day with Rabbi Burg reviewing the Hebrew calendar, talking about the meaning of Rosh Hashanah and learning about the seven days of creation. They concluded the lesson with a game reviewing the material they covered. In
Malkie’s class they learned about the special closeness that the Jewish people have with G-d before and during Rosh Hashanah through a story about a very important king who disguises himself to go out and hear what his people need and want. The Bet class also learned about special foods that we eat on Rosh Hashanah and they discussed the special custom of Tashlich. In Mrs. Neuman’s class, they discussed the significance of the Shofar as well as other customs practiced on Rosh Hashanah.

The Gimmel and Daled classes both learned about Rabbi Amnon (Maintz, Germany ca.
1000 years ago), his story and the famous Rosh Hashanah prayer that he wrote "Unesaneh Tokef". They also learned about the various special foods that we eat on Rosh Hashana including apples in honey, pomegranate and the head of a fish!

The Gimmel class also worked hard one on one with their Hebrew tutors as well as with Limore. The Gimmel class reviewed the seven days of creation, Noah and the flood, and the ten generations from Adam to Abraham in Rabbi Burg’s class.

The Daled class started the day with Rabbi Burg reviewing the Holiday of Rosh Hashanah. They also reviewed the story of creation inside the Bible. They also worked hard with Limore and their tutors in their Hebrew session.

The Bar and Bat Mitzvah class had a fantastic morning with Mr. Mathias. The discussed the idea of judging others fairly, based on the Torah portion in Deutoronomy that they are studying. Later on they enjoyed hearing more details of the Rosh Hashanah customs as well as what it means to repent ("Teshuvah") on Rosh Hashanah. The Bar/Bat Mitzvah program is also advancing nicely in their Hebrew studies.

Once again it was an exciting day at JEPY, but what touched me the most was hearing one of the Gimmel boys thank Rabbi Burg for a great class and wished Rabbi Burg a Happy New Year. I have a hunch he thanked the other teachers as well when I wasn’t in earshot. Well Done!

Have a Happy, Healthy and Sweet New Year!

Shira Mathias, JEPY Principal

Gimmel class learning with Rabbi Burg.

Daled class with Hebrew tutors.

Enjoying apples and honey before Rosh Hashana with Malkie.

Learning to blow the shofar for Rosh Hashana.

Bar/Bat Mitzvah class learning Hebrew.

Bet class in Holidays and Customs with Mrs. Neuman.

JEPY students enjoying a snack during break time.

The Bet class winning team celebrating with Rabbi Burg.

Aleph class holding their Hebrew letters.

Week 2 at JEPY!!

We had a fantastic second week at JEPY!!

The Aleph class worked on honey dishes with Mrs. Neuman after learning the symbolism of honey and how it is used on Rosh Hashanah. They also started their mitzvah chart tracking their kind deeds, which they will continue to use throughout the year.

The Bet class started out with the Hebrew tutoring. Next with Rabbi Burg they learned about their Hebrew birthdays and how the Jewish holidays fall out in the Hebrew year. At the end of the lesson they were able to meet a scribe and hear how a pair of teffilin is made. The Bet class split between Mrs. Neuman and Malkie for Holidays and customs. Mrs. Neuman’s class watched a presentation on bees and how they make their honey in time for Rosh Hashanah and Malkie’s class saw and heard a beautiful Shofar and learned about the meaning of the different sounds that we blow on Rosh Hashanah.

The Gimmel class had a ‘blast’ with Malkie. They learned the different sounds of the shofar and the various reasons for blowing the shofar including waking us up to do good, crying out to G-d and going to war with the bad parts of ourselves. They worked hard in the Hebrew session and then with Rabbi Burg they finished off learning about the Hebrew calendar and had their first serious puzzle competition where they had to know all the major dates in the Hebrew calendar!

The Daled class finished learning the Hebrew calendar with Rabbi Burg and enjoyed their own competition where they had to know all the dates in order to win. At the end of Rabbi Burg’s class they were able to watch and meet with the Torah scribe. They then had a ‘blast’ hearing the shofar and learning about what it represents with Malkie. The class concluded the day with a busy Hebrew session.

The Hey class had an introduction to Deuteronomy where they learned that the entire book took place in the last five weeks of Moses’ life. The students discussed what they would have said to the Jewish people had they been in Moses’ shoes. Hey started to delve into the the first section of Deuteronomy dealing with judges, and a story based on judging other people was sent home to read and think about. In Mrs. Neuman’s class they learned about giving tzedakah throughout the year and why it is especially important around the High Holidays. They enjoyed making their own funky looking Tzedakah boxes for their homes and discussed worthy causes the money could be given to. They concluded the day with their Hebrew lesson.

Each class was super, but I am most impressed with how respectful the students were of the Scribe and of the Bee Keeper throughout their presentations. Well Done!!

This coming week there is the first Parent holiday class with Rabbi Barnett from 10:45-11:45. It will be fantastic and extremely informative. We encourage you to attend.

Stay tuned for more fun, food and LEARNING! Have a great week!!

Shira Mathias, JEPY Principal