🌱 Ahead of Rosh Hashanah, students illustrated verses from the Torah that reference nature, and their paintings accompanied the Torah as students got to explore the full Torah scroll.
🌧 Mashiv haruach umorid hageshem — Who causes the wind to blow and the rain to come down. In the Makerspace, students made mobiles with the prayer for rain.
💨 Oh no! The wind blew away the s’chakh (roof material on a sukkah)! Students coded robots to clean up the mess.
💃 And finally, what's Simchat Torah without dancing!
Today we have a special Kabbalat Shabbat at Smith Jewish Academy. In addition to welcoming Shabbat, we celebrate Sukkot and commemorate the second anniversary of October 7.
Smith's oldest students had a significant opportunity this week to learn about and bear witness to October 7. They visited the Through Their Eyes exhibition on our campus to learn about the people — the victims, heroes, and survivors — of Kfar Aza, a kibbutz hit hard by Hamas on October 7, 2023.
We pray that the reported cease-fire will hold and that our hostages will return home to their loved ones. Shabbat shalom.
You’re invited to💡Or l’Derekh: Ideas That Illuminate 💡 a new speaker series from Smith Jewish Academy, bringing thought leaders to our community to spark dialogue on education, identity, and issues shaping Jewish life today. These conversations welcome all who are inspired to learn and connect.
Join us to launch this initiative with Kim Lear, a nationally recognized generational researcher. Kim will address how generational differences shape our experiences at work, home, and in raising children (it takes a village!) — and how understanding these differences can bring us closer together.
💡 Learn more and get your tickets at smithja.org/page/or-lderekh. Link in bio
Across the grades, classes took time today to reflect and take responsibility for past mistakes and for future actions.
🔑 In fourth grade, students had a discussion and wrote on keys something they choose to do better from today on. With these keys, they open the doors for themselves to try new things and improve upon themselves.
Have a meaningful Yom Kippur. ✡️
Eighth graders welcome their buddies into the Smith community, lead by example and become their guides, and even make Rosh Hashanah crowns with their buddies 👑
Their gift is just the start! You can support the Smith's vision for an enduring Twin Cities community Jewish day school too. Visit smithja.org/page/ways-to-give.
This week our students also had the opportunity to reflect and renew:
🎨 They completed holiday art projects to be used in the new year for Simchat Torah
🍎 They participated in a Rosh Hashanah seder with festive activities
💧 They took a tashlikh walk to think about the past year and the year ahead, to reflect and repent.
May we all have a sweet new year and be written into the Book of Life.
Shanah tovah! We at Smith Jewish Academy wish you a sweet new year. 🍎🍯 שנה טובה ומתוקה
Ms. Schear read her book 📘 My Pixie Dixie 📘 to her first grade students, teaching them about relationships and letting go of what holds us back.
We can't wait to see which of her students will become inspired and write their own stories!
🦁 Dr. Dan will grill up hot dogs (while supplies last; veggie dogs available) while we cheer on our 7/8 soccer team as a community.
⚽️ Here’s a snapshot of the action you’ll see on the field!
They learned from one another as well as their teachers through team-building exercises and games 🎈
It's Week 2, and we are so happy to be connecting with new and old friends as we get back to learning! Our classrooms are full of community, curiosity, and confidence.
Please help us in welcoming our new families into the Smith community! See more photos on Facebook.
As we so often sing together, oseh shalom bimromav. G-d who makes peace on high, may G-d bring peace to the Annunciation community and to us during this tragic time.
We saw so many smiles, hugs, and new Smith T-shirts and kipot as we welcomed our families back to school to reconnect, meet their teachers, and celebrate the end of summer and start of school with our Smith Summer Social.
We're just a few days away from the start of another amazing school year of learning, growing, and thriving at Smith Jewish Academy!
Welcome, Chef Eric! This week Chef Eric is fueling our faculty and staff as they prepare for a great year ahead, and he will be preparing delicious and nutritious food for our students all throughout the school year.
"I hope to share my ideas and experience as well as gain from the group. I believe that you are never too young to teach, and never too old to learn."
Read about Chef Eric on the website.
Rabbi Carrier teaches some of our alumni at St. Louis Park High School, and now he will also teach Jewish studies to our sixth and seventh graders! Barukh haba, Rabbi Carrier!
“In my new role at Smith Jewish Academy, I'm most looking forward to learning Torah every day through middle school eyes.”
Read about Rabbi Carrier on the website.
