September 18, 2025 | 25 Elul 5785 | נצבים | | |
In partnership with the Sacks Legacy Foundation, we are introducing the very first spiraling Parsha curriculum, based on the Torah of Rabbi Sacks and designed specifically for Yavneh students.
In conjunction with this initiative, we are delighted to share with you a weekly family edition of Covenant & Conversation, centered on the parashat hashavuah. Our hope is that this resource enriches and elevates your Shabbat table conversations, offering depth, inspiration, and connection for the entire family.
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The yeladim at Gan Yavneh had a “bee-autiful” week preparing for Rosh Hashanah! We learned that Rosh Hashanah is the birthday of the world. All of our classes were busy singing songs, reading books, crafting and creating, and exploring the symbols of Rosh Hashanah.
In 2A and 2B we learned all about bees and how they make honey for us to enjoy. The children had a chance to taste apples dipped in honey and loved how sweet and sticky they tasted and felt! The children created honey dishes in the shape of the beehive where the bees make honey. It was so much fun to create the honeycomb pattern using bubble wrap as an applicator. They loved taking off their bees, hearing the poem, and bzzzzing their bees back on. “1, bzzz, 2, bzzz, 3…”
It was apples galore in 3A and 3B! The morot showed the children red, yellow, and green apples and they had an opportunity to measure themselves in apples, sort the apples by common attribute (size and color) and of course taste apples dipped in honey. They graphed their favorite apples and red was the favorite! They also compared a tapuach (apple) to a rimon (pomegranate) and noticed what is similar and what is different. The yeladim noticed that the tapuach is hard and smooth and the rimon is hard and bumpy. There are seeds in both the apple and the pomegranate, but the apple has a few tiny seeds that we DO NOT eat, whereas the pomegranate has SO many seeds, too many to count! Those seeds we DO eat!
We are excited to continue exploring the fall chagim at Gan Yavneh! Wishing everyone a Shana Tova U’Metukah!
| | Rosh Hashanah is in the air! The yeladim in Ganon Bet used recyclables brought from home to create a tree. We discussed the oxidation process of an apple and how it changes in appearance. We printed with apples! Using a fork in each apple half, the yeladim printed, carefully placing the apple down and lifting it up. They can’t wait to use their apple plates and honey drip mats at the Rosh Hashanah table! Shana Tovah! | | |
We have been enjoying "Apple Days" in Gan Daled in preparation for Rosh Hashanah. We read the book Apple Days by Allison Sarnoff Soffer and were inspired by the applesauce recipe printed in the book. We followed the steps from the book carefully, doing each step in sequence. We peeled and chopped apples on our own and became experts...we can help in the kitchen!
We observed how the apples changed from crunchy and hard to soft, mushy and browner as they cooked. Finally, we tasted our delicious creation...sweet and delicious for the new year!
| | Class 1A joined International Dot Day celebrating creativity, courage, and collaboration. We read "The Dot" by Peter H. Reynolds and the children then made incredible dots on the iPad. The enthusiasm was infectious. Then we watched classes from all over the world celebrate Dot Day. Dots were everywhere, making dots with our feet, dot necklaces, collaborative dot posters and even healthy dot fruit snacks. We learned that if you love something, be courageous, try it and see where it takes you. Our International Dot Day in 1A took us on a creative, lively journey. We will always remember the mark we made. What a success! 1A joined more than 30 million people in 200 countries celebrating Dot Day. Happy Dot Day! | | This week in 2nd grade our students got a chance to be scientists! They learned the importance of looking at things in a scientific way and learned how to describe objects using their senses! We had a great time exploring bags filled with mysterious items as well as studying apples in depth! | | |
In preparation for Rosh Hashanah, 4D explored the various simanim traditionally found on a Rosh Hashanah table. We discussed the meaning behind each food and the hopes they represent for the year ahead. To bring our learning to life, the students created an interactive Simanim Wheel that they can use at their own tables!
Wishing you a Shana tova!
| | Our 5th graders marked the season of the Yamim Noraim with a morning of meaningful Torah learning on the theme of teshuva, followed by spirited kickball games. It was the perfect way to reflect, connect, and joyfully kick-off the new year! | | SEL Update: This week in SEL, our first graders dove into the world of emotions through a fun and engaging "Feeling Faces" activity. We kicked things off with a clip from Inside Out, and the classroom lit up with excitement as students recognized their favorite emotion characters from the film. In small groups, students used face stickers and markers to create their own feeling faces. This activity sparked meaningful discussions about when different emotions arise and how they feel in our bodies. It was a wonderful way to begin building emotional awareness, empathy, and connection in the classroom! | | |
Our first Yavneh Academy Chesed Team event of the year was a huge success with more than 75 team members participating. The event was dedicated to the memory of Eli Moshe Zimbalist, z”l, a sergeant in the Israeli army who was killed in battle in Gaza on June 15, 2024 at the age of 21. He was also featured by the the Afikim Legacies of Light Project on the 23rd of Elul. Eli Mo was also a cousin of a Yavneh family. The quote that Eli Mo was known for was “Don’t wait for others to ask - just help!” And, the students were challenged to consider, “How do you develop the ability to notice the needs of those around you before they ask? What sometimes holds you back from offering help? How can you make helping others a natural habit?” The highest form of chesed is helping others without being asked!
At the event, students decorated honey bottles for senior citizens at nursing homes and attached good wishes to each bottle. They also created sukkah decorations for the sukkah at Hackensack Hospital. We look forward to a year of fun and fulfilling chesed!
| | On Sunday, YPAA hosted the annual back to school carnival, welcoming our students and families to another exciting school year. Chairs Mindy Gindea, Sharoni Kanarfogel and Rebecca Zagha Markoff organized a fun-filled morning with music, bounce houses, carnival games, a magic show, and face paint. Over 350 people attended and enjoyed popcorn sponsored by Grand and Essex and Dippin' Dots ice cream. | | Yavneh Academy is a beneficiary agency of the Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey. | | | | | |
