BEKI Kids

Matok @ BEKI News

Matok is young children’s programming at BEKI. Matok means “sweet” in Hebrew, and we hope that our programming brings sweetness to your world!

In This Edition

• Saturday Morning: Shabbat Children’s Services

• Sunday, 9 AM-12 PM: BINA Meets

• Monday, 5-7 PM: Westville Artwalk Kickoff Event at Mitchell Library–With Kosher Pizza!

• Wednesday, 4-6:15 PM: BINA Meets

• Save the Date: Saturday, May 18: BINA Shabbat and Graduation

• Fun with the Parsha: Acharei Mot

* Saturday: Shabbat Children’s Services

Children’s Havura (Birth-Preschool) meets inside in the preschool classroom.

K-2 Kehila (Kindergarten-2nd Grade) meets in Classroom 6.

Junior Congregation (3rd-6th Grade) meets in the library.

* Sunday, 9 AM-12 PM: BINA Meets

BINA meets as usual on Sunday morning.

* Monday, 5-7 PM: Westville Artwalk Kickoff Event at Mitchell Library–With Kosher Pizza!

On Monday from 5-7, Westville Artwalk is hosting a kickoff event at Mitchell Library! Join this fun, free event with a “Community Unity” theme. There will be face paint, music, and dancing for kids, and at 6:30 PM they will be serving pizza (kosher, vegan, and gluten-free options).

* Wednesday, 4:15-6 PM: BINA Meets

BINA meets as usual on Wednesday.

* Saturday, May 18: BINA Shabbat and Graduation

Join us on Saturday morning, May 18, for a final BINA Shabbat and graduation ceremony!

All BINA classes will participate in the Shabbat morning service in the main sanctuary. Every student will be celebrated for their achievements this year, with special recognition for our graduating 6th graders. We will celebrate with a festive kiddush lunch.

* Fun with the Parsha: Acharei Mot

This week, we return to the normal order of Torah portions with Acharei Mot. Although Pesach has just ended, and we are already counting forward toward Shavuot, this parsha is about a totally different holiday: Yom Kippur! We have to use our imaginations, and think about this very important holiday in the fall.

In the parsha, God gives instructions for Aaron about how to lead the first observance of Yom Kippur. As the High Priest, Aaron should make sacrifices as the people repent for things they have done wrong. But there are also rules about a special ritual with a goat.

The goat is called a scapegoat. Aaron should hold his hands over the goat and tell all the bad things that the Israelites have done over the past year, which they are very sorry for. Then, he should let the goat run away into the desert.

On Yom Kippur, and at other times too, we apologize for things we did wrong. That’s always a good thing. But we also need to make sure we don’t make the same mistakes again. The scapegoat teaches us this by reminding us that we can let our old mistakes go, so far away that we barely remember them. We can focus on doing good things instead in the future.

Annie Norman-Schiff