Being a mensch and being grateful

Shalom,

Whew, have we been busy in our Omanut classroom over the past few weeks before this holiday week off! We examined Genesis by watching videos on BimBam.com, talking through the passages in The Explorers Bible in small groups and, individually, by painting our own interpretations of the first 7 Days of Creation on canvas boards with acrylic paint. After we finished our paintings, students did a brief write up about their work in an "Artist Statement", to support their knowledge and promote ensuring understanding.

We also created a public art Pop Up  about the 7 Days of Creation on a large canvas cloth that hung from the back of the  Temple Isaiah Amphitheater that the kids really loved painting! We hope that you saw it, and if you didn't, please check out the JQuest Facebook page for some pictures!
In every class I try to weave in ways for us to be conscious about being a mensch- what it means, how it is already a part of our Jewish identity and how we can spread the goodness no matter where we are or when it is. Kindness, Respect and Honesty are all staples of mensch-isms that we use during our time together.

This is a great video about the awesomeness of being Jewish and being proud! Enjoy it! This video is requested at some point for almost every class:

We have a lot of fun things coming up soon-- Bring A Friend Day during Hanukkah week, a class trip to the Contemporary Jewish Museum when we get back from Winter Break, and a fun and interesting Parent Program. Hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving; I am certainly thankful for being able to teach your children, and learn from them!
See you soon,
Heather

Sukkot!

Shalom!
It is our awesome and fun holiday of Sukkot and we have been designing our "dream sukkah" -- sketches and color designs have been completed and tomorrow we will work on our final watercolor paintings based on the designs that are already done.
Your child should definitely be able to tell you what Sukkot means, and all about some fantastic short videos we have seen during class that served as inspiration. Aside from talking about the holidays, we also delved into what the sukkah needs to consist of and why - Some questions to consider in your conversation...
Why do we need to be able to see the stars through the roof of the sukkah?
Why can't there be a permanent sukkah all year long?

Here are links to some wonderful videos:

We have been grooving with songleader Ben during Music and learning more Hebrew with Tammy, Yardena and Siena. Last week we also had Yoga with Kendra, which is always very peaceful as well as fun!
Until next time,
Heather

A new school year has begun!

Shalom,
So excited to have started another year in Omanut (my 5th!! wow!) and I was so happy to meet new families, see familiar faces and welcome another group of 3rd and 4th grade Jewish artists to Omanut. This year we will be focusing on Ancient Israel, God and Torah (specifically the stories of Genesis) as well as incorporating the Jewish values that we all hold so dear to help make every child a Mensch! It takes a village, as they say, and at JQuest  we will be weaving the makings of a mensch into our curriculum throughout the school year.
Unfamiliar with the term? Here is a link to a fabulous film spotlighting what being a mensch is all about.

This year will be filled with lots of creative exploration, a visit to the Contemporary Jewish Museum later in the year, and even some pop up art installations on the Temple Isaiah campus!
I'll be updating this blog frequently so please make sure to subscribe, and let me know what your thoughts are!
All the best for a wonderful year,
Heather

Family program with Judaica artist Aimee Golant and more!

Shalom!
The year continues to fly by and we are having a great time in Omanut! Aimee Golant, the amazing metallurgist and Judaica artist came to our classroom at the end of February to instruct our students and their families in her specialty, working with metal, to demonstrate how we can make our own copper cuff bracelets and it was an incredible day filled with so many family members in our space!
We continue to work on kinetic art paintings based on the famed work of Yaacov Agam and I can't wait for you all to see the fruits of our labor in the Omanut Art Show at the end of the year.
I continue to be amazed by the thoughtfulness and creativity of your children and feel blessed that I get to see them and learn with and from them every week!
B'Shalom,
Heather

Here is a link to Aimee Golant's work, we were so fortunate to have her join us!
www.aimeegolant.com

Here are some pictures:

Ahava and tree rings of life to celebrate Tu B'Shevat

Shalom!

How can it be that we are over the half-way mark for our school year at JQuest?! Wow!
Over the past few weeks we have come together in Omanut to put a beautiful 'pop up' art installation on our Temple Isaiah campus-- and it turned out fabulous! Positioned over the outside of our beautiful amphitheater, Ahava ( translated to "Love" in Hebrew) is 6 and a half feet by 9 feet of bright acrylic tempered canvas and it really made a statement, even through all the downpours that we have had! Based on the famed "Love" by artist Robert Indiana (who designed the original Ahava from steel beams in Jerusalem!) we paid homage to this famous outdoor art installation and the Omanut students loved that if they travel to Israel, they could see it in person!

Robert Indiana's Ahava in Jerusalem, done in 1977:

Painting our Ahava:

The finished product! 

Considering it is almost Tu B'Shevat, our birthday of the trees, I designed a Tree Rings of Life project that the kids could do-- and it was very successful! Bright colors of the circles done in oil pastels and water colors, everyone added their own life experiences that were significant to them. Looking forward to putting them up in the hallway and showing the entire work when we have our end of the year Art Show. We are enjoying Yoga, Hebrew through Movement and Music with Eric during the week and Revital on the weekends. We are all very blessed to be able to come together, learn from one another and be the great community of friends that we are. Plant a tree or other wonderful things in honor of Tu B'Shevat- our future generations will thank you!
Until next time...
B'Shalom,
Heather

Here are some pictures from our latest  Hebrew Through Movement classes, learning about the fruits and trees of Israel in Hebrew...

A new year, and great things in store...

Shalom,
We are back and refreshed and ready after the Winter break holidays and subsequent extra week off last week and we are energized for the rest of the year and all of our projects to come!
Here are some pictures to bring you some smiles from our alternative material Menorah making for Hanukkah, and our wonderful large scale "Mi Chamocha diorama" ...
Omanut is  now gearing up for our next two surprise public art pop-ups and the chance to work with Teva and Bonim rebuilding our mosaic and tile wall in the garden, as well as the very fun "God shopping" activity where we all peruse different opinions and beliefs about God and create some amazing multi-dimensional art work in the theme of Yaacov Agam. Good stuff happening for all of us, and i'm excited to think about all that we will show at the end of the Year Art Show! Parent Program with metal and wire artist coming next month, too, so keep your eyes peeled! For now, though, we will complete our project on the Ten Commandments which will be made into a book to take home in June. Your children are inspiring!
B'Shalom,
Heather

In case you missed it, our Exodus diorama depicting Mi Chamocha! 

Hebrew Through Movement fun with Tammy and Yardena

Making alternative material Menorahs for Hanukkah

Music with Eric!