Learning through Living: Limudim at OSRUI

We live our learning at OSRUI and with over 50 Segel during the summer in more than a dozen sessions we do a lot of living. Limud at OSRUI is dynamic, experiential and fun for everyone from chanichim to madrichim.   How does limud work at OSRUI you may be wondering?  Every eidah has a period of time during the day dedicated to limud on their assigned topic.  Topics are created by a Segel committee which has devised of grid for every eidah that rotates every 2 or 3 years depending on the eidah. Our limud grid has subjects for different age eidot and takes into consideration their emphasis.  Our arts eidot, Tiferet, immerses themselves Midrash, the Megillot and Sephardic Jewry.  Our older eidot take on topics of leadership, our Prophetic heritage and of course Israel while our younger chanichim look at All in the Family, Genesis, Middot and Kehillah.

We encourage our limud to leak into all parts of the day.  If your Limud topic is Israel we plan Israeli food for the cooking chug and Israeli dance for an evening program.  Some of our other topics for our older chanichim are not as concrete.  When we study covenant and community with our rising High School eidot we have them talk in their living communities about rules that will help them live together and have a fun and safe summer.

We use puppets, costumes, food and whatever is at our disposal to help get our chanichim involved in our topics.  We try to have experiential modes of learning at camp.  Whether we are composting in our Gan to experience Teva or teaching Ivrit by playing a spirited game of SPUD and calling out numbers in Hebrew we try to infuse our time at OSRUI with as much Hebrew, Judaism, and love of Jewish camp as possible; while living our limud it gives us just the right amount of time. It's only a month away until the magic begins, less than 30 days and everyone is counting.

Key: 
Limud from the Hebrew root Lamed-mem-dalet to learn
Segel:  Faculty; Rabbis, Educators, Cantors, Youth Directors
Eidah:  Unit
Teva: Nature
SPUD: The person whose number was called catches the ball and then yells “Spud!” When he or she yells this, everyone must freeze. The person with the ball then is allowed to take three giant steps toward any player. He or she throws the ball and tries to hit someone.

First Year: Home for the Summer: For College,High School or any age

Before Ethan came home from his first year at University of Wisconsin, Madison we received this letter:  

First Year: Home for the Summer (according to the U of W)

Before you know it, your student may be packing up and coming home for the summer. We have a few tips for conversations you may want to have with your student to ensure a smooth transition for everyone.

• Schedule time with your student to make sure activities that are important to you aren’t lost in the shuffle.
• Have a conversation with your student about expectations for schedules, housework, and behavior during the summer. Decide whether the original rules of the house still apply, and also consider some extra flexibility to take into account your student’s new-found independence and autonomy.

Ethan and his roommate Aman

I love having my kids home for the summer and then they go off to camp.  We didn't have much time with Ethan as he is off to OSRUI this week. Jonathan will be home and enjoys Friday night T'filot at Lakeside.  We tried to hit all the high points with Ethan before he left: favorite meals and visits to see his grandparents. I tried my best to keep some of these points from the letter in mind. My main advice with any age child is to keep the conversation going.

 I acknowledge that summer is different. and more relaxed.  Your children may not have any scheduled classes so looking over Hebrew or B'nai Mitzvah assignments may not be at the top of the to do list.  I always tell all my Hebrew students that they need to do some Hebrew review over the summer or they will backslide from where they were in May when they left Hebrew school.

Convocation, Kitah Gimmel

Kitah Aleph

A great way to practice is to come to Summer T'filot which are always at 6:00pm and we try to have them outside, weather depending.  If you want to participate in t'filot just let me know.  Find a fun Hebrew game on line and check out Behrman House's games. 

Enjoy your summer and remember Shabbat still happens every Friday and Saturday.  Friday Night T'iflot are at 6:00pm and Torah Study is at 9:30 am on Shabbat with a short t'filah at 10:30am.  I hope to see you at our Summer T'filot or just stop by for a visit.  I will be at OSRUI for a few weeks in the middle of July.  I will be available by email even when I am at camp.

Enjoy your summer.  Read some Hebrew, do some Mitzvot and have some fun.

#BlogExodus Day 1: I believe

I am ready to blogExodus.  For the next two weeks I will be blogging on these topics:

Thanks to Phyllis Sommer, @ImaBima for organizing, creating and being the inspiration for BlogElul and now BlogExodus.  Blogging every day takes discipline, creativity and time.  I hope to live up to this challenge.  

Today's topic is believe.  The first thing that came to my mind is the scene in Bull Durham which I would put here but it is a little too racy at the beginning (If you search  Bull Durham on youtube it will come straight up).  I did find another moment from Broadway the song I believe from Book of Mormon.  

Mormon belief maybe taking belief to its farthest extreme and certainly I do not fall into this category but there are some people, in many different religions who "just believe"

We have just worked on a logo for Lakeside's Religious and Hebrew school (thank you Kristy Scher, my admin and wonderful designer) and this does sum up what I believe.  

I believe in Religion and I like practicing it at Lakeside.  Our school is literally my business and I am passionate about Religious and Hebrew school.  Many times prospective members call me and ask if I think that it is OK to start school in let's say 3rd grade.  I always tell them you are talking to the wrong person.  I am paid to be the Director of Education  and I BELIEVE all students should begin in   Kindergarten after they have attended a Jewish pre-school.  Funny you can find a Jewish pre-school center at Lakeside as well.  

Hebrew I believe is where it is at for our students in supplementary school.  If we can give our students a love of the Hebrew language and not "JUST ENOUGH" Hebrew to get through B'nai Mitzvah I believe you will see a transformation in the end product with our students.  This is easier said then done but it is a goal to which I strive. 

School is the last word in our new logo and education for everyone is another one of my mantra's.  I believe that learning goes on from birth to death.  As I look back on my career I realize that as we get older and I include myself in this demographic education becomes even more important.  I look forward to learning in so many new and exciting ways and I try to learn something if not every day close to it.  I also believe in the wonderful project 36 Rabbis shaving for the Brave.  Tonight in downtown Chicago many of the over 70 Rabbi's will be shaving and they have raised over Half a MILLION dollars to eradicate childhood cancer.  There is still time to donate.  

 Great first topic Believe. Thanks Phyllis.  Can't wait for tomorrow:  Tell and since I am going to SEE the Shave for the Brave, I will have lots to tell!