Sing along with Rahel

Long-time readers will doubtless remember that this is the time of year that I am driven absolutely crazy by my Daled class students. Spring hits Richmond very early each year, but we have class through the end of May. By this time of year, I have gotten nearly through our curriculum, my students have finished or nearly finished their mastery skills, and the sun is bright and warm and there are bugs and birds and trees and flowers to distract my nine- and ten-year-olds.

In short, this time of year is really tough if you’re a Hebrew school teacher trying to impart knowledge into young, impressionable minds. It’s an uphill battle when it isn’t gorgeous out. Add springtime to the mix, and if my students get out of class having learned only one piece of new information, I consider it a victory.

Which is why I try to do things outside the curriculum in late spring. This is the time of year that I scour the internet for something that I can bring in that will keep my students’ interest and yet still teach them about being Jews. Today, I brought in my laptop to take advantage of the synagogue office WiFi. I showed my class the Miri Ben-Ari video that’s been making the rounds. I asked them to tell me if they recognized the music—it’s the Uzi Chitman version of Adon Olam that the rabbi taught them this year (my favorite!). I also asked them to watch the video and tell me what it was about. They caught on to both immediately. Of course, then I had to explain interpretetive dance to them. (“Weird” and “silly” were the words most used most frequently to describe the dance.) And then I had to tell them no, the dancers were not naked, those were flesh-colored bodysuits.

Some of the students were watching more Miri Ben-Ari videos while I worked on a mastery skill with the others. One told me that a box had popped up and was saying something. Turns out that Rahel was IM’ing me. I told her I was in class and asked her to connect her microphone, and then “called” her with Google Talk. I asked her to please tell my students where she was calling from. When they heard “Jerusalem, Israel,” they were awestruck. So, since we had Rahel on Google Talk, and we had just finished listening to my class’ favorite version of Adon Olam, we proceeded to have a sing-along with Rahel. My students sang the first verse, then I asked Rahel if she would sing a verse. The kids got even more awestruck, because if you haven’t heard Rahel sing, you are missing out on something wonderful.

We finished the song, and thanked Rahel, said goobye and went on with our lessons.

It was a wonderful, wonderful lesson. My students all loved it, and even the madrich was impressed. Best of all, I had my camera today. So Rahel, here they are, singing along with you, 6,000 miles away.

Oh, and the kids all think you have a shot as a professional singer and should pursue that. (Yes, after they said that, I reminded them that I’d already brought in your CD for them.)

I really have to figure out a way to get Rahel to my Bat Mitzvah in November. I do believe there will be a fundraiser for her airfare before long.