RPRY’s eighth grade students have been learning all about chemistry. As part of that unit, we learned about the chemical structure of molecules including crystals and polymers. Polymers are extended structures made up of repeating molecular subunits. One example of a polymer is polyester, a common fabric, which is directly tied into the students’ study of Parshat Kedoshim and shatnez.

Mr. Eric Wallenstein, a parent to a current student, came to visit the eighth grade science classes to teach about shatnez. He brought a number of fabric samples and a microscope that could project onto the Smartboard, so that students could examine potential examples of shatnez.

First, he asked the students what they knew about shatnez. Since Kedoshim is the main focus of Chumash in eighth grade, they were able to explain what shatnez is, as well as the halacha surrounding it. The students even knew the interesting fact that the garments of the Kohen Gadol did, in fact, contain shatnez.

After examining the fabric samples, the students all predicted whether their sample contained shatnez and Mr. Wallenstein then displayed each fabric and revealed if the sample did in fact have shatnez or not.