This Thursday SK students participated in a drumming workshop led by Ora Goldin, the founder of Living Rhythm Canada, that focused on exploring and expressing feelings. Students took part in a mindfulness exercise where they listened to drumming with their hand on their heart and focused on both what they were feeling and where they felt it …

Putting the Heschel Garden to Bed! “I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says, “Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again.” ― Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass …

New Early Years Natural Playground at Heschel! Yesterday marked the grand opening of Heschel’s Early Years Natural Playground! This all-season space was thoughtfully designed to help our students develop socially, emotionally and physically, to build ecological awareness, to enhance problem solving skills, and to inspire joy, creativity, and wonder. Did you know that: “Time in …

The current JK generative topic is: When we separate, we can see (create) new possibilities הפרדה – פתח לאפשרויות חדשות   The Torah teaches us that on Day 2 of Creation, God separated between the water above (שמים) and the water below (מים). As a result of this separation, new creations became possible. As part of …

Tu Bishvat is the “New Year for the Trees.” In keeping with the environmental ethos of our school, we regard Tu Bishvat as a time to teach generative topics that raise consciousness and wonder about our natural world.  Here are some examples from the week: Our JK students learned the story of Choni Hameagel, and came …

Being open to new experiences, solving problems, and exercising our imagination are all ways of thinking flexibly that we teach our children at The Toronto Heschel School. Nowhere in our school is this more evident than in our Poetry curriculum which culminated yesterday with our school-wide Poetry Festival. Poetry is the place where we learn …

The JK and Grade 8 students had an opportunity to meet and mingle today. Looks like new friendships are forming and we look forward to meeting again when we march together into the concert hall in December for our Festival of Lights.

Over the past two weeks the JK students have been immersed in learning about Day 1 of Creation. Our generative topic for Day 1 of Creation is: “The difference between dark and light helps us notice details.” וַיַּבְדֵּל אֱלֹהִים, בֵּין הָאוֹר וּבֵין הַחֹשֶׁךְ. וַיִּקְרָא אֱלֹהִים לָאוֹר יוֹם, וְלַחֹשֶׁךְ קָרָא לָיְלָה The Torah teaches us that tohu va’vohu …

Our Grade 1 students are learning to read and write in Ivrit! With the help of Morah Rachely and her animal puppets, the children are learning to associate specific Hebrew letters with the parts of the mouth that make their sounds. The giraffe, for instance, has a very long neck, and reminds the students to …