Happy 75th Birthday Israel!!!

This week, we celebrated Yom Ha’atzmaut or Israel’s Independence Day.

In Israel, people celebrate all over the country beginning in the evening with a special torch lighting, fireworks, and street parties.  The next day people get together for barbecues on the beach or in parks. Many people dress in blue and white (kachol ve’ lavan), the colours of the flag, and eat special foods like hummus, falafel, pita, kebabs, watermelon, Bamba, and Israeli salad. There is folk dancing and lots of music, including special concerts.  Here are some of SK’s favourite songs that we learned while getting ready to celebrate Eretz Yisrael:

Many people think that Israel is just a desert, but even though it is a tiny country, it has many different parts and when you travel through it you see that Israel has everything from busy cities to beaches, mountains, deserts, and lakes.  To kick off our theme unit on globes & maps, SK spent time collaboratively creating a ripped-paper mosaic map of Israel to show the different landscapes this beautiful country has to offer.

We had so much celebrating Yom Ha’atzmaut with the whole school and participating in activities with JK and Grade 1.  Whether they were doing IDF drills with Moreh Saar, beading bracelets, learning some Israeli folk dances, painting symbols of peace, trying falafel, singing songs or eating cupcakes, SK loved every second!!

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:

Friday, April 28 – Dress Down Day in support of the Jewish National Fund

Sunday, May 7 @ 7:00 pm – OJCS Casino Night (grown-ups only)

Monday, May 15 – OJCS Generations Day

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

to Morah Dani who celebrates on May 2nd

and

to Joshua who turns 6 on May 5th!!

REMINDER

Please do your best to have your kids dropped off by 8:45 am.  We ask that all grown-ups please leave the playground by the time that bell rings.  While we appreciate that it is a good time to chat with each other or with the morahs, a quick drop-off makes it far easier for the kids to transition into their school day.  Thanks in advance for your cooperation!!