blogs/masa

As the days outside get darker, I like to look forward to some brightness! We’ve been focused on Hanukkah at Masa. The older students have been especially focused on ways to bring light into darkness: the b-mitzvah class drew a hanukiyah where the candles represented ways we can be lights to our communities. The fifth and sixth grade students made oil lamps, to bring some actual light in times of darkness! Our younger students learned (and acted out) the Hanukkah story, made artwork to hang in the social hall during the Hanukkah party, and made dreidels out of clay.

Our students have also been taking turns cleaning up after snack at Masa. I hope that they are as helpful at home as they are here. The students in our kindergarten class are particularly good at loading the dishwasher, and the older students are great at sweeping the floors and wiping down the tables.

I hope that you’re as excited as I am for the community Hanukkah party! We’re going to have some fun activities, a great skit--and Peter Ullian will be bringing special guests Oinky and Shlomo!

One of the activities will be decorating birthday bags to donate to the food pantry. The kids will get a chance to brighten the days of other people into the new year. Please bring cake mix, frosting, and birthday candles to add to the bags! And please also bring non-perishable food to give to those in need, as well as coats, hats, and other winter gear in good shape to donate to a coat drive.

Coming up

Friday, December 20: Community Hanukkah Party

4:00 Friday Masa students arrive

5:00 Community Hanukkah party begins. Invite your friends and family! We’ll have games and activities downstairs. Bring your camera, because we’ll have a photo booth!

5:45 Come to the upstairs sanctuary to see some of our third through sixth grade students perform “Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins.” We will also sing some Hanukkah songs, and Peter Ullian will help Oinky and Shlomo show us what they know about Hanukkah.

6:15 We’ll come back downstairs to light the Shabbat candles, make kiddush, and enjoy the potluck. Bring foods that will taste good with latkes!

7:15 We’ll sing more Hanukkah songs as we clean up from the potluck and set up for Friday night services.

7:30 Friday night services. The Niggun Ha Lev service includes a number of songs the children have learned at Mini Minyan, and it is enjoyable for all ages!

Enjoy your winter break! There will be no Masa from December 22 through December 29. I’ll see you in 2020!