JKHA early childhood and lower school had a blast celebrating Chanukah and meaningful and enjoyable ways. Students kicked off Chanukah as they were filled with enthusiastic singing and dancing at a Chanukah-themed Shabbat assembly in early childhood and lower school. Everyone gathered in the Epstein-Stein Auditorium for a school-wide super mega dreidel tournament later in the week. The champions from the competitions held in each class joined together on the auditorium stage for this final tournament.
Students took part in Chanukah chesed during the week. Early childhood was excited to bake cookies that were then packaged up by lower school students. All of the students made cards that will be distributed through Jewish Relief Agency (JRA) to homebound seniors.
The first through fourth graders had the opportunity to experience a hands-on activity to enhance their understanding of the miracle of the oil which lasted eight days. The children worked with Living Legacy and extracted oil from olives by actually using a hand press. They learned about a centrifuge and how it purifies and distills the different components of the juice which comes from the olive. Later EC and lower school went on a Chanukah photo scavenger hunt around the building and had a chance to compete in the HollyRock game show, and made delicious sufganiyot with the bnot sherut.
Fourth grade has been learning about different kinds of circuits and defining conductors and insulators. Students showed much creativity on their culminating menorah project where they designed, constructed and wired their own menorahs including a switch. They held a special ceremony during Chanukah to “light” the menorahs with lower school. The candle lighting was enhanced by a Chanukah performance from the lower school choir.
The third grade lit up the stage with a rousing performance in JKHA’s annual Chanukah production. Students told the story of Chanukah in Hebrew, sang festive songs and danced across the stage in blacklight dance numbers. Chanukah concluded at JKHA lower school with a blacklight chagiga!
