Dec. 2025
Dora-Ann Cohen Ellison
Our Temple Jewish Learning Program welcomes 74 students this year! Our school classrooms are fi lled with laughter and excitement each Shabbat morning and Wednesday afternoon. This year, we continue to strengthen our community connections, as we help our students fi nd their own passion for Jewish learning and make new Jewish friendships outside our classroom walls. On Dec. 5, and for the first time, we invited all of the new Kehila Heschel students to join our new Temple students on the bimah for a very special blessing.
As families start their formal Jewish learning, ALL of our new students and parents will gather and Cantor Baruch will offer words of guidance and blessing. Each student will be presented a mezuzah to hang on their bedroom door and will continue to get to know each other after the service at a delicious dessert Shabbat Oneg. This event, and several others throughout the year that will bring our two schools together, is made possible as part of a special grant from the Hamilton Jewish Federation.
As we help our students find their Jewish interests, we continue our Wednesday Choose Your Own Jewish Adventure, where students choose an elective to learn in a way that is of interest to them. We are offering; Ukelele Lessons and Shabbat Songs, Israel: People and Places through games and art, Cooking: Jewish People &and Food, Drama: A Chanukah story, and Crochet for Community. Our electives are for Kindergarten-Grade 6 students, and we are still accepting enrolment.
Following our month-long exploration of Betzelem Elohim, we begin our study of Gevurah, including spiritual courage and the willingness to take risks for the right causes, and incorporating the idea that we all can be heroic in our everyday lives by living an exemplary life, helping others where we can and doing what is right and just.
These lessons led to the kick off of our annual food and toiletry drive on Nov. 27, as we encouraged anyone visiting the Temple to drop off items to our collection bin in the front foyer through Dec. 6. Our high school students will once again go door to door in our community collecting donations on Thursday Dec. 4. Please bring non-perishable items with you when you join us Dec. 5 at 6 p.m.for our pot-luck Shabbat dinner and 7 p.m. for a Family Kabbalat Shabbat and Consecration service.
Mark your calendars; It’s a Chanukah dinner and party for night one. On Sunday Dec.14, don’t forget your chanukiah and candles, as we gather for food, fun, dancing and schmoozing! To support our tood and toiletries drive, to register for the Dec. 5 Family Shabbat dinner and/or the Dec 14 Chanukah dinner party, or for more information about joining our Temple cchool community, please contact Dora-Ann Cohen Ellison at [email protected] or visit anshesholom.ca
