1st gr. siddur program?

mali

Tue, May 13 2008, 4:50 am

dd's siddur party (if that's what you mean) was a major event. they had a full 2-hour perfomance at our local auditorium. some of the nice things we had:

about 3 weeks before the actual event, they invited the mothers for a siddur-decorating evening. we had a farbrengen about davening (very inspiring actually) and then we decorated the siddurim with black velvet, gold contact paper, puff paint and beads. we also received little siddurim magnets (laminated papers in the shape of siddurim) that each girl prepared for her mother.

about a week before the event, each girl came home with a sheet of stationery that they printed especially for this purpose, on which the mother was asked to write an inscription for her daughter's siddur.

at the event, there was a table with cards that the girls prepared in which each girl wrote what she's davening most for. it was very touching to see their innocent bakoshos.

there was a basket of individually wrapped little chocolate siddurim, along with the other refreshments. the girls were very excited about it.

but the bottom line is - all those preparations were only to show the girls how special davening really is. all the songs they sang had messages in them that even kids can understand. overall, it was a very moving experience for me. changed my davening habits, that's for sure!

mugsisme

Sun, Jun 15 2008, 1:45 pm

In our school, we did it a little different. (I taught 1st grade there for 13 years.)

First, about 6 or 8 weeks before the date, we would send home a letter with the measurements of the siddur, and what the parents were expected to do. Each parent has to make and decorate a siddur cover for their child. They are allowed to borrow a siddur if need be, and are also invited in to see last years siddur covers to get ideas. There are many reminders that are sent home as well.

The kids practice for the party. Each one is asked a questions, such as, why is davening special to you, or what does having a siddur mean for you. The answers are written down, and each child practices it. The night of siddur party we had the kids daven a condensed davening, shema, shemonah esrei, and alainu. They said their speaking parts, and also sang another song or two. (I especially liked the alainu song on 613 Torah Ave, davening tape.) Each family is called up one at a time, and they present the siddur to the child. (The siddurim are in the back of the room. When the families arrive, the put the covers on.) Oh, I think they got the siddur before the davening, because they took their siddur and actually used it. It was so fun, because each cover was supposed to be a surprise, so the kids were excited to see their covers. The parents go real creative, even the ones who were not the creative managed to pull it off.

I haven't taught in 6 years, so we will see what happens next year. My DD is going into 1st grade, IY"H.

miriamnechama

Thu, Jul 24 2008, 6:38 am

My ds's last week was really special.. maybe even more special tah ds1's,

the rebbe made big crowns, ties and sashes.. and I helped his wife dress the boys, theyall wore shabbos clothes ie white and blue,. the class finished that day at 11am, were sent home to rest get ready and be back at 1.45 so it could start at 2, though I don't rememberw hen it actually started.

this year's rebbe is just amazing.. after they were dressed they lined up in formation with teh other rebbe, and wen't over to the auditoriam....

then the rebbe adressed all parents, grand parents, and welcomed in teh boys... he said... oh where are the boys they didn't come?? after taht teh choire of 6 6 grade boys started singing to welcome them in.

where was songs, teh rebbe sang at one point, the menahel spoke, then teh other rebbe, did teh dialogue taht the class had practised for a long time.

teh rosh yeshiva also spoke, mother's had baked cakes for the occasion.

the siddur we sent money in and teh cheder bought them.

then the clim@x of the event was when hagoan harav shmuel aurbach made a special appearence... though he's not my rov, it was still beautiful to see how teh cheder was mechabed his coming.. even teh older classes came inshabbos clothes that day in honor of the rov, when the rov came in every one stood up and strted singing yom al yemey melech tosim.

teh rov spoke and gave a bracha to all teh talmidim, and the rov gave each child his siddur.

at teh end of teh evening, all teh father's took their sons and danced with them... what was so beautifulalso to see is how the menahel a,dteh mefakeach are soo caring... thereis a boy in that kitta who his father was killed ina pigua and 5 years ago, he was a babythena nd his older brother isin my ds1's class.

the mefakeach, took this boy on teh shoulder's and danced with him so he shouldn't feel left out. one of teh boys father is ina wheel chair, but tehy also danced....

it really was aspecial evening.

iyh I'll post some pix and maybe a video...