For the last eight weeks, sixth graders have been focusing on the essential question: “How can we facilitate a fun and meaningful Purim based on mitzvot?” Students learned about the four mitzvot of Purim: matanot l’evyonim (gifts to the poor), mishloach manot (packages of food for friends and community), seudah (festive meal) and hearing the megillah. […]

Are you looking for a fun Purim video? I show this every year in my class. The students know it’s my all time favorite! Enjoy!

Next Thursday sixth grade will be conducting the First Zionist Conference here in Milwaukee, WI. We are going back to 1897, and students will be representing Syria, Algeria, the United States, Russia, and Austria. Austrian delegates (i.e. Theodore Herzl) will be facilitating the discussion, based around our essential question: “What should the future of the […]

*Who is “the Gimelest?” We will find out next Friday at our all-school Chanukah Sing! We have been having dreidel competitions in each grade in preparation for the final competition next week.  Below are some pictures of our Upper School students enjoying some good old fashioned dreidel spinning ———————————————————————– *In preparation for Thanksgiving, seventh graders […]

Here is a sample of Jewish experiences from this past week: -Students experienced the music of Instanpitta, a musical group that plays music representative of Sephardi traditions. Check out their music! -Students discussed Jewish current events such as the high school students doing a Nazi salute in Baraboo, WI. They wondered what kind of education […]

It has been a difficult week for our people. On Monday I was planning to teach about antisemitism in eighth grade, and as I walked through the Star Door and into MJDS, the place where I feel the safest, I felt more determined than ever in my mission as a Jewish educator. The learning atmosphere […]

Seventh and eighth graders are in the midst of a three-part program to learn more about Kristallnacht. First, they studied first-hand sources about the night of broken glass, written by women who experienced it. Then, on Wednesday they heard from some incredible slam poets who were brought in by Arts at Large. The goal was […]

Notice the new deadline: all Upper School service learning hours must be submitted by November 12. Two hour requirement for fifth and sixth grade, and three hours for seventh and eighth grade. Here is the link to submit your hours. Thank you.

Welcome to sixth, seventh and eighth grade Jewish Studies with Gev. Honigman. Students will be using their minds, hearts, and hands to explore what it means to be a Jew in 2018. Among other topics, sixth graders will take a deep dive into text study, looking at the Book of Esther and bringing Purim to […]