Gan Aliya was filled with excitement and pride as the kinderlach celebrated Yom Ha’Atzmaut—Israel’s 77th birthday—with a week of immersive learning, meaningful discussion and hands-on experiences that brought the story and spirit of Eretz Yisroel to life.
The Morahs began by teaching the kinderlach about the historical and spiritual significance of the day. Using Rabbi Jonathan Rietti’s Jewish History Timeline, students learned that since the destruction of the Second Beis HaMikdash, the Jewish people had been scattered across the world, always davening to return to the Land promised to Avraham Avinu. In 1948, Hashem performed a great neis: a small Jewish army—many of whom were Holocaust survivors—successfully defended themselves against powerful neighboring nations. This miracle allowed millions of Jews to return to Eretz Yisroel and begin rebuilding. Then and now, we thank Hashem and the brave chayalim who defend our people with courage and love.
In the Toddler classroom, the journey to Israel was made tangible. Kinderlach explored geography and travel, viewed a real passport belonging to Morah Rachel, and each received their own passport to sign and use as they boarded an imaginary flight to Israel. In the Primary class, kinderlach created Israeli passports complete with self-portraits and used them at “passport control,” answering Jewish knowledge questions such as “How many makkos are there?” and “Which Yom Tov just passed?”—some even answered while riding a classroom camel!
Wearing festive blue and white clothing to match the Israeli flag, the kinderlach davened at their own Kotel, drew thank-you letters for chayalim, and played outside with blue and white-themed activities including bubbles, kinetic sand and IDF dress-up. The joy and pride of celebrating Israel was felt throughout the school.
Montessori-style learning helped deepen the celebration. In the Toddler class, kinderlach engaged in themed activities such as tonging falafel balls into pita, counting birthday candles for Israel and crafting Israeli flags from paper and sticks. The Primary class explored famous Israeli landmarks and figures with three-part nomenclature cards—learning about places like the Dead Sea and Ein Gedi—and conducted a sink-or-float experiment to explore the Dead Sea’s unique salinity.
Food played a central role, too. Kinderlach prepared hummus, Israeli salad, and, in the toddler class, refreshing lemonana popsickles. Following simple visual recipes and using real kitchen tools, students strengthened independence and practical life skills while connecting to the flavors of Eretz Yisroel. Each child proudly brought home their creations to share with their families. To top it off, the kinderlach enjoyed a school-wide falafel lunch and festive blue and white cupcakes sponsored by the PTA.
Through every song, lesson, flavor and activity, the kinderlach built a powerful and personal connection to Eretz Yisroel, creating memories that will last far beyond Yom Ha’Atzmaut.
