8th Graders Explore Different Perspectives of “The Chosen People”

This morning in Rabbi Rudin’s Chumash class, the 8^th graders conducted a debate of sorts on the meaning of the Hebrew phrase, “Am Nivhar”, “The Chosen People”. Throughout the Torah, the Jewish people are referred to as “The Chosen People”, but what does this really mean? The class split up into three separate groups, each group taking on the perspective of Reform, Conservative, or Orthodox Judaism on this matter. The presence of two visiting Rabbi’s from our community really enhanced the lesson and supplemented the students’ research with real-life accounts of the differing perspectives.  Rabbi Rossoff, from Temple B’nei Or of Morristown, represented the Reform viewpoint and Rabbi Adler, from White Meadow Temple of Rockaway, represented the Conservative viewpoint.  Unfortunately, Rabbi East of the Mount Freedom Jewish Center could not make the lesson, but Rabbi Rudin stood in for him to represent the Orthodox perspective on the matter.  While there is no one “correct” answer to this question of the “chosen people”, it was very interesting for the students to research and learn from these visiting Rabbi’s what the different sects of Judaism have to say on the matter.  Overall, the lesson was very informative, interactive, and eye-opening.

In Touch With Nature, Jewishly

Our sixth-grade students are busy on their four-day, three-night Teva Learning Alliance trip in Connecticut with so many activities including night hiking, bread-making, and nature art. The trip is flying by for the students with hot chocolate in the Oolam and hearty meals together.

We want our sixth graders to focus on merging Jewish values and culture with the caring and preservation of the Earth, and we hope they'll return with a deeper understanding that as an individual or as a community, we need to take care of the planet that takes cares of us -- Earth!

Every year, our sixth graders go on this four-day, three-night trip with several other Jewish day schools, too. What is Teva?

"The Teva Learning Alliance, North America's foremost Jewish Environmental Education Institute, is a non-denominational educational service for participants from throughout the Jewish community. Working with Jewish Day Schools, Congregational Schools, synagogues, camps and youth groups, Teva's programs touch the lives of 3,000 participants annually."

For more information, click here.