3rd Grade Newsletter, October 2024 | Tishrei 5785

What is in this newsletter?

What did the students learn: Content and values from this month's curriculum


What did students do: Crafts, games, songs and other classroom experiences


Hebrew corner: A recap of Letter of the Week and Hebrew Through Movement


Torah Corner: A selected text students learned this month


The Shabbat table: Questions and conversation starters for the family Shabbat, holiday, or weekday dinner table about the K-1 grade curriculum


Coming Attractions: What you can expect from the next month at the JLL

What did the students learn?


This year's Torah content focuses on the stories of our fathers and mothers: Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, Jacob, Rachel and Leah. Students learn about the family that started our nation, and the stories that we carry through the generations.

Through their stories, we explore the themes of Jewish Peoplehood, family, and our people's connection to the Land of Israel.

For many of of our students, this year is the first time they get to read the actual text of the Torah, using the JPS Illustrated Children's Bible. They learn to become independent readers of the text, taking part in the long tradition of reading and interpreting the Torah for themselves.

What did the students do?


Students have been making the Hebrew letters out of clay. By the end of the year, they will gather all of the letters of the Alef Bet.


They have also practiced writing them on index cards to create their own set of flashcards if they want to use them.


See below for the first three letters. Ask your child what it spells when you put them together (Shin-Bet-Tav)! (Answer: Shabbat)

Hebrew Corner


Letter of the Week

Every week we explore one letter of the Alef-Bet, the Hebrew Alphabet. This is the first taste of Hebrew for many of our students. Over the last few weeks, our letters have been:


  • Shin (ש) - as in Shana Tovah, Shalom and Shofar
  • Bet (בּ- as in Bimah, B'vakasha, Brit
  • Tav (ת) - as in Tapuach, Todah and T'fillah
  • Mem (מ) - as in Machzor, Mitzvah, Middot

Torah Corner

Abraham and Sarah appear suddenly on the Torah's stage, with God commanding them to leave their homeland and start anew elsewhere. The iconic words of Lekh Lekha - go forth - are the opening to the story of the Jewish people.

The Lord said to Abram, “Go forth from your native land and from your father’s house to the land that I will show you.

I will make of you a great nation,

And I will bless you;

I will make your name great,

And you shall be a blessing.

I will bless those who bless you

And curse the one who curses you;

And all the families of the earth

Shall bless themselves by you.”


(Genesis 12, 1-3)

The Shabbat Table



Here are some conversation starters about what students learned:


Knowledge Questions:

What were Abraham and Sarah's original names? Who were the parents of Ishmael?

Which prayer is also known as the Call for Prayer?


Comprehension questions:

What good qualities did Abraham show when taking care of the three strangers?

Why did Sarah first want Abraham to have a child with Hagar, then demand to banish her?


Opinion Questions:

In class we talked about how the Jewish people are an extended family. How do we treat our family?

Coming Attractions

We looking forward to see everyone for the Lab Shabbat featuring 3rd grade this Friday evening, 10/25!

In the next few weeks, students will learn about the story of Sodom and Gamorah, the birth of Isaac, and about how he married Rebecca.

Noam Vinokor-Meinrath, 914-723-5226 ext. 8525

WRT Stands with Israel


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