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HINEINI

5785!

Wednesday Afternoons ONLINE
8-12 year old students.

The very best way to meet our ancestors is to hang out with them in their stories. In this year-long class, we get to know one another and become a community that tells stories, draws, makes music, and has fun going on an epic adventure through our Torah together. We take care of the animals with Noah on the ark, hang out with Jacob and Esau, help Miriam watch over Moses, take back the Temple with the Maccabees, and strategize with Queen Esther. 
By immersing ourselves in the narratives of our tradition and re-telling our stories we make them our own and weave them into our identities.

In 5784 I offered the FIRST Hineini experience through Genesis/Bresheet and it was pretty epic! In 5785 I’m expanding to two Hineini classes. Last year’s students will continue with Exodus/Shmot and I’m opening up a NEW class for Genesis/Bresheet. Both classes are open to 8-12 year old students who will be in community together.

Hineini Bresheet 
4:00 - 5:15pm Central Time
    Year 1 Genesis
8-12 year olds

Hineini Shmot
5:30 - 6:45pm Central Time
Year 2 Exodus
8-13 year olds

 

NEW IN 5785!

 

Staying and changing (just a little)

Jewish Middle Grade Book Clubs!

We will have TWO book clubs in 5785: Be JEWcy and Spill the Jewce.

In 5784 we had three book clubs. Next year I’m adding group Hebrew classes for youth and adults, a Hineini History class, and more. That’s why I’m combining JEWce Pops and BeJEWcy.
Rather than divide the groups by age or grade level, the readers’ grown ups can look through the lists and determine which set of books are appropriate for their reader.

What are we reading? Here you go!

 

Be JEWcy (5785/2024-2025)
9/22/24 The $150,000 Rugelach,
Allyson and Wayne Marks (!)
11/17/24 Two Tribes, Emily Bowen Cohen
12/15/24 The Ring of Solomon, Aden Polydoros
1/12/25 Hooplah Under the Chuppah, Dori Weinstein (!)
3/23/25 Death by Toilet Paper, Donna Gephart
5/4/25 Pickled Watermelon, Esty Schachter
(!) The author(s) will be joining us for part of our book club meeting!

9/22/24 The Way Back, Gavriel Savit* (!)
11/17/24 The Story of the Jews, Stan Mack
12/15/24 Dreidels on the Brain, Joel ben Izzy
1/12/25 The Path of Names, Ari B. Goelman
3/23/25 Aviva vs. The Dybbuk, Mari Lowe
5/4/25 How to Find What You’re Not Looking For,
Veera Hiranandani

(!) The author(s) will be joining us for part of our book club meeting!
*Note: Gavriel and I are still confirming this date and we may switch months with one of the other books.

Be JEWcy (5784/2023-24)
9/10 Scarlett and Sam: Whale of a Tale, Eric A. Kimmel
10/22 . . . too far from home, Naomi Shmuel
11/19 José and the Pirate Captain Toledano, Arnon Z. Shorr (graphic novel)
12/17 The Woodcarver’s Daughter, Yona Zeldis McDonough
1/21 Get a Grip, Vivy Cohen, Sarah Kapit
2/25 When Lightnin’ Struck, Betsy R. Rosenthal
3/17 The Magical, Mystical, and Miraculous Adventures of Mira and Max, Amy Ariel (Beta Readers!)
4/14 Lily Renée, Escape Artist, Trina Robbins (graphic novel)
5/19 Ellen Outside the Lines, A.J. Sass

JEWce Pops (5784/2023-24)
9/10 Sliding Into the New Year, Dori Weinstein
10/22 All of a Kind Family, Sydney Taylor
11/19 The Adventures of Rabbi Harvey, Steve Sheinkin
12/17 In a Latke Trouble, Dori Weinstein
1/21 When Life Gives You O.J., Erica S. Perl
2/25 Lola Levine Is Not Mean, Monica Brown
3/17 The Magical, Mystical, and Miraculous Adventures of Mira and Max, Amy Ariel (Beta Readers!)
4/14 A Spotlight for Harry: Harry Houdini As a Boy, Eric A Kimmel
5/19 Sami's Sleepaway Summer, Jenny Meyerhoff

Spill the JEWce (5783/2022-23)
Not Your All-American Girl, Wendy Wan-Long Shang & Madelyn Rosenberg
Turtle Boy, M. Evan Wolkenstein
A Place at the Table, Saa­dia Faruqi and Lau­ra Shovan
The Length of a String, Elis­sa Brent Weissman
Dave at Night, Gail Carson Levine
José and the Pirate Captain Toledano, Arnon Z. Schorr & Joshua M. Edelglass

Spill the JEWce (5784/2023-24)
9/10/23 Almost Flying, Jake Maia Arlow
10/22 Lily Renée, Escape Artist, Trina Robbins (graphic novel)
11/19 Up, Up, And Oy Vey!, Simcha Weinstein
12/17 My Basmati Bat Mitzvah, by Paula Freedman
1/21 A Ceiling Made of Eggshells, Gail Carson Levine
2/25 The Jake Show, Joshua S. Levy 
3/17 The Koren Tanakh Graphic Novel: Esther
4/14 The Entertainer and the Dybbuk, Sid Fleischman
5/19 When the Angels Left the Old Country, Sacha Lamb

 

and more!

we’ll probably make stuff.

In small online groups and 1:1 I teach Modern Hebrew, Prayerbook Hebrew, and Jewish Studies - all within real connection and community.

maybe you’ll be inspired!

whatever we do, it’s going to be good! It’s me and you! Anything is possible.

“I would tell them that Rabbi Ariel is the best Hebrew teacher.” Evan (he/him) 6th grade

“don’t worry, you will learn hebrew in no time! Rabbi Ariel is the best!” Arianna (she/her) 5th grade

“My friend is Jewish and she wants to learn some hebrew. now I can teach her some of the alphabet. Like, mem is a m.” cassidy 4th grade.

Summer 2022, One of my students did a research project about the israeli sea turtle rescue center. she graciously agreed that i could record her presentation about it, and she approved my edits so I could share it with you here! Didn’t she do a great job?

Little One’s, Too!

“My daughter (age 6) loved her time with Rabbi Ariel! Rabbi Ariel made Hebrew fun and found ways to really connect the language to the things around us. I could see my daughter making real connections between the language and her life and environment. Plus Rabbi Ariel is SO MUCH FUN! My daughter got to play games, do activities, and even have mini dance parties, all while learning new Hebrew words. She even called me "ima" and her father "abba" at the dinner table the other night, which she's never done before. Rabbi Ariel is clearly passionate about teaching and passionate about connecting with her students and it shows! I would highly recommend Rabbi Ariel as a teacher and just a generally fun and lovely person!” Annette L.